honor him as our God if we alter that which he hath appointed for himselfe or adde any thing unto it he rejecteth all our service as done not unto him but to the conceit of our hearts which by nature is no God c. Grat. Caâ—s 11. Qu. 3. c. 101. Sats qui praeest Aug. de Conser Evang. l. 1. c. 18. Socratis sententia est Vnumquemque Deum sic coliopercere quomodose ipse colendum esse praeceperit Aug. in Qu. ex veteri Teslam Qu. 43. Constat â—â—den stultam non solum minime prodesse sed etiam obesse Chry. in Matth. hom 51. Discaâ— us Coristum ex ipsius voluntate honorare Nam qui honoratur â—o maximè honore laetatur 〈◊〉 vuit non quem nos optamus Bils dâ—ffer betw Christ Subj part 1 p. 7. Touching the Sacraments I 〈◊〉 Baptisme and the Lords Supper c. We swerve not a jot from the example of Christ and his Apostles the Scriptures vvill not lie let them be judges is fairely passed over with a brave flourish of words and nothing else If you meet with such company as will be ashamed not to see because you cry out so vehemently It is as cleere as the Sun it cannot be denied with any modest face You may lead him blindfold But if a man will build upon his owne faith and not be led by your fansies he shall never see it proved by any evidence that you have or can bring That by communicating in our Assemblies in the ordinances of Religion God is worshipped in any other way or manner than he hath prescribed But seeing this reason is brought so often and for so many purposes I will examine it more particularly If the meaning of your proposition bee That no positive worship or substantiall means of worship is lawfull but what is in speciall appointed or instituted of God and that no duties of Religion be necessary to salvation but what are taught in Scripture then we grant it is true and confirmed by the course of Scripture though many passages cited by you will not reach unto it For the law of nature commandeth all men who have any sense of a Godhead to receive and not give rules of Religion and Worship The holy care of the Patriarchs was to reverence and obey that which they had received and to attend upon further direction but of themselves not to appoint or undertake any thing as necessary to salvation Divine institution of legall and Evangelicall obedience and worship is equally full and complete in all things necessary which it seemed good to divine Wisedome to determine not leaving any thing of this nature more undetermined in time of the Gospel than it was in time of the Law As the Jews had a commandement neither to adde ought unto nor take ought from the law Deut. 4.2 which the Lord gave unto them so the Apostles received a charge to teach whatsoever the Lord commanded them Whence it is truly observed Matth. 28.20 Zanch. de Ecript that men may not teach their own doctrine but whatsoever Christ hath taught them for hee reserveth this authoritie to himselfe to be the onely Teacher and Author of the doctrine Genev. Bible annot in Matth. 28.20 Shew but one word element or action added omitted or altered in either of them c. Galv Instit l. 4. ca. 10. §. 1.2.5 Hon. Ainsw first answ p. 26. That he taught any thing as needfull for salvation without warrant from the Scriptures I denie Harm confess Helvetic confess cap. 24. Ang. confess ca. De discrim ciborum Chamier tom 4. de Sacram. l. 1. c. 13. §. 8. Bils differ betw Christ Suâ—j par 1. p. 25. This is the duty that Baptisme requireth of us to beleeve no teacher but one which is Christ to follow no stranger to regard or obey no Lord or Law-maker in the Church but only the Son whom the Father appointed to be Master Leader and Ruler of the Gentiles Basil ser de fide It is an evident sliding from the faith c. either to depart from that which is written or to receive that which is not written The King of the Church is her only Lawgiver at all times But if the way or manner of Worship be stretched to the circumstances of time place order phrase of speech and such like not determined by God in particular but left to the libertie of Christians so the generall rules of Scripture be observed then the proposition is not true the Scriptures doe not confirm it it was never acknowledged by Divines of any sort or sect that have appeared to the world For what is in generall only Divine but in particular left without determination from God that in it selfe is indifferent and variable of which sort were the houres of the morning and evening sacrifice their Synagogues Oratories and places of Worship throughout the land of Canaan their course of reading and many the like What God hath commanded in his Word that is not left to the libertie of Christians What is prescribed as necessary worship holy that he hath not left undetermined But that which may be done this way or another at this time or another in this forme of speech and method or another that in respect of this order time method or phrase of speech is not necessarie holy or worship Any circumstance as time place or whatsoever else if it be either appropriated or commanded of God it is necessarie in point of conscience holy and worship as in conscience it must be observed and submitted unto But to place necessitie holinesse or worship in these things when they be not determined or commanded is Will-worship or superstition lawfull they be as agreeable to the Word but not necessary because not determined by the Word The time was when it was lawfull to offer sacrifices upon the high places Drus ad dissic loc O at 12. p. 571. Rivet in Hos 4.13 Ainsvv annot in Levit. 17.5 Iun. annot in Levit. 17 5. in 1 Reg. 3.3 Illud in Theologia bonum est quod Deus praecepit lex enim Deiperfecta est bonitatis moralis regula in Theologia prohibitio Divina perfecturest index Theologieus mali iae mâ—ralis Hen. Ainsvv 3. ans p. 151. Explications of Gods Law by them â—â—uâ—h of his Ministers are allowed of God Neh. 8.8 These are not additions such as God forbids Gal. 3.15 15 Our question is of other or moe lavves or Doctrines than God hath taught Scotia Confess art 20. Iua thes theol c. 6. thes 11.12 Quaecunque verò in carcumslantiis posita sant corumtradiâ—iâ—nes in ecclesiâ—◠â esse auâ—â—esse posse verumtamen pat lares temporaliliberas agnoscimus Atque barum quidem traditionum quae in circumstantiis versantur sex sor Paulo 1 Cor. 14 c. Dan. in 1 Tim. 3.15 Calvin Inst 4. l. c. 15 §. 19. 17. §. 45. 〈◊〉 resp ad lib. de pii veri offic p. 413. Th Beza cansess c. 5.
Gospell Now we read that it was built from the very foundation â—f costly stones of Cedars Algum Firre and the like choice and speciall trees and those all prepared aforehand hewed and perfect for the building so that neither hammer nor axe nor any toole was to be hea din the house in the building of it no common or vile thing was used towards it neither might any polluted person enter it and offer untill he had repented and embraced the faith 2 Chron. 23.19 Levit. 22.19 27.11 and beene cleansed from his filthinesse By the gates of the house were Porters set to keepe the unworthy out Vpon the Altar there might be offered no uncleane beast no nor that which was cleane having a blemish upon it What in all this was signified Onely this Such as will build a spirituall house for the Lord to dwell in must be an holy people for he is of that infinite puritie that he will not vouchsafe his speciall presence unto prophane companies which joyne themselves together and therefore let it be far from all men to prepare a place for him with such trash or to defile his holy things with such uncleane persons or to offend his nostrills with the stinke of such sacrifices ANSVVER IF this reason be ought worth not only such as would build a spirituall house to the Lord for his Majestie to dwell in but such as would preserve it being built must be an holy people holy in truth and not onely in the judgement of charitie for he is an holy God who will not be worshipped of the hypocrite or prophane will not take the wicked dissembler by the hand will not heare the prayers of them that with delight looke unto iniquitie If the Temple was built from the very foundation with costly stone hewen and prepared after it was built it must be kept from all pollution And then if the Temple was a type of the visible Church in such sense as this reason affirmeth it must be gathered of a people truely holy and separated from the world and onely of such so that if any hypocrite shall craftily creep into it or any wicked person be tolerated afterwards it must cease to be a Church August de Baptis contr Petilian ca. 14. in Epist 1. Joh. Beda in epist 1 Iob. Glossa ordinar Sic sunt ficti in ecclesia quomodo humores mali in corpore quando evomuÌ„tur releuatur corpus sic qudndo excunt mali relevatur Ecclesia which is directly contrary to the whole current of Scripture and to that which your selfe many times affirme The Temple is thought to be a type of Christ of a Christian of the Church but whether of the true Catholique Church whereof every member is a living stone elect and precious or of the visible congregationall assembly consisting of good and bad sincere and hypocriticall professors it may well be questioned For the visible Church is not built all of costly stones hewen and prepared Therein many persons inwardly polluted doe offer though outwardly they appeare cleane and some may be suffered to offer which inwardly and outwardly appeare to be uncleane And if it was a type of the visible Church it must be considered how farre the signification is to be extended and wherein the resemblance standeth For as it appertaineth to God onely to designe a type so it is peculiar to him alone to expound or notifie the p A dispute par 3. cap. 8. pag. 169. Men may never at their pleasure ascribe to any rite whatsoever a holy signification of some mysterie of faith or dutie of pietie signification of the type wherein it consisteth It is an addition prohibited for us to interpret divine instituted types upon our owne heads without ground and warrant from God The common Rule is good if rightly limited Theologia symbolica non est argumentativa which you had need to study better for here and else-where throughout your bookes you thrust such significations of types used in the old Testament upon your Reader as are not taught in Scripture not for the matter it selfe consonant to the q August contr 2. Gaudent epist l. 2. cap. 25. Did God or man tell it you If God reade it unto us out of the Law the Prophets and Psalmes the Apostolicall or Evangelicall Writings Reade it if you can which hitherto you never could but if men have said it or rather no man but your selfe behold the device of men behold what you worship behold what you serve behold wherfore you rebell you rage you waxe madde Bils Christ. subject pars 3. pag. 22. You promised full proofes out of the Word of God c. and now you come with empty figures of your own applying without truth or coherence Amb. Epist. lib. 5. ep 31. The mystery of Heaven let God himself teach me which made Heaven not man which knew not himselfe whom should I rather beleeve concerning God than God himselfe Scripture and your whole frame of arguing is drawne from similitudes and comparisons which is the most popular but deceitfull and loose kinde of reasoning if they be not rightly drawne and well proportioned Let this particular in hand be for example and let us grant you more than you will defire scil That the Temple was a type of the visible Church and that all the members thereof ought to be holy truly holy and not in appearance onely sincere Christians in the sight of God and in the judgement of charitie alone Saints and faithfull in truth and not onely in profession and conversation in some measure answerable be it that no uncleane thing must be offered upon the altar that no hypocriticall service shall be accepted Hence it will not follow that the societie is no visible Church of God where such are tolerated or that the pure and unfeigned worship of the faithfull shall not be accepted when it is tendered in a societie amongst whom there be some rebellious which hate to be reformed If the Temple be a type of the visible Church as it was built from the very foundation of costly stones what can it signifie in your sense but that the spirituall house of the Lord must consist of them that are truely holy faithfull and called so that they should need neither axe hammer nor any toole so you presse the matter to fit or square And then by your owne confession we are to expect no Church upon the earth if ever there hath beene any For in the visible Church hypocrites are and have been mixed with the faithfull as rubbish or counterfeit with costly stones which could have no place in the Temple * Can. Stay sect 4. pag. 33. Thus I might say to you as you to your Pistoler The man is snared in his owne words and may say with the Poet Heu patior telis vulnera facta meis If the Temple might be a type of the Church this notwithstanding then it shewes onely what the Church
the Altar is put for Christ in the Ancients Ignat. ad Magnesian To one Altar to one Lord Iesus Christ Ad Philadel one Altar to all the Church Iren. adv haeres l 4 ca. 34. est Ergo Altare in caelis Euseb Hist lib. 10. cap. 4. and the flesh of the peace-offering But that all Ordinances of the Church done out of a true constituted Church in your sense should be altogether unlawfull or that the Ordinances are tyed to your Church constitution as the Sacrifices were to the Temple that we reade not and how then shall we be perswaded of it Remember your owne request Let the Scripture speake in the points betweene us for without it nothing is to be affirmed and beyond it nothing to be concluded Principally of old the Temple shaddowed Christ in and through whom we must present our service unto God and then the Church of Christians but that the externall constitution of a Congregationall societie is represented thereby in such sort as if it be thus or thus constituted it should be lawfull to joyne with them but if this or that externall rite be lacking it should be unlawfull to joyne in the worship of God is most unprobable In all ages the Lord hath had his Church in which he hath beene worshipped But evermore the faithfull were not to bring their sacrifices to the Tabernacle or Temple And if the Lord had chosen not that place for sacrifice other service pleasing and acceptable might and ought to bee performed in other places Therefore that Sacrifices should prefigure all Ordinances and exercises of the Christian Church Fulke in Matth. 23. Sect. 7. The Lords Altar that was in the Temple was a figure of Christs onely true sacrifice once offered Bishop Babin comfort notes upon Exod. 27. and the Tabernacle and Temple the externall frame and constitution of a Church is an unwritten tradition It is more reasonable a great deale to compare the externall frame of the Iewish Church with the outward order which God hath instituted for the Evangelicall Churches and worship with worship substance of Religion with substance and then it will follow that as the faithfull and religious Iewes might and ought to hold societie in the Ordinances of Religion when many things were amisse in the externall frame and constitution of the Church as the Priests idle covetous prophane the people dissolute impenitent rebellious so the faithfull in the Christian Church must hold Communion in the Ordinances of Grace though in the constitution of the Church the Officers and members much be out of order Doway annot in 3. booke of Kings pag. 7 15. The Doway glosse hath much more probbaility than yours To conserve unity say they there was but one Tabernacle one Altar for sacrifice in the whole people of Israel Wherupon when the two tribes and an halfe on the other side Iordan had made a severall Altar all the Tribes that dwelt in Canaan suspecting it was for Sacrifice sent presently to admonish them Aug. Epist 48 Quis non impudentissemè c. vid page seq Omnis ea distinctio in re Theologica est inanis fictio quae ex Dei mentiri nescis authoritate non accipitur quaeque rem ipsam de qua agitur tollit c. Martin de persona Christ page 632. c. but what end shall we have if every man upon his owne head may devise or Coyne significations of Gods Ordinances What is this but to bring in a new word to set up Sacraments upon our own heads Herein we say to you and them as you to your opposite I require the voyce of the Shepheard Read it mee out of the Prophets Shew it mee out of the Psalmes c. In the interpretation of the Types and Figures of the Law mens judgements if the Scripture goe not before them are of small credit Can. Stay Sect. 3. Pag. 20.21 If that be true in the Philosopher Opposit a sunt simul natura Arist Topic l. b. 6. Bonum est cujus contrarium est malum Rhetor. l. 1. If vvee take a strâ—ct vievv and enquirie of that Ministery Worship and Government vvhich they left at Dan Bethel it will appear evidently that the same was not more salfe idolatrous and unlawful than the present Ministerie worship and Government of the English Assemblies is by the Non-conformists affirmed to be Jeroboams Apolog in his Arrovv against Idolatry CAN Necess of Sep. p. 85.86 87 88. Course of Comfor p. 161.162 Opposite things in nature are alike Againe That is good whose contrary is evill It must needs followes that as some Churches are visibly true in respect of faith and order so others may bee true too having outward order albeit the members thereof have no faith at all The which assertion is not to bee answered but abhorred The tenne Tribes which departed from the Lord from his Temple Sacrifices Priests Altar and other holy signes of his presence at Ierusalem from the time and still after were not Gods Church so the Scriptures shew Hos 2.2 and 2 Chron. 15.3 Ier. 3.8 Amos 9.7 c. And the Israelites when they worshipped at Dan and Bethel were not in respect of faith and Doctrine more corrupt than the other now is Mr. Amsworth and the Non conformists affirme that the Apostate Iewes could justifia their way and course of Religion as well if not better than the other ANSWER The Philosophicall Maxime to which you have reference is Arist. de Caelo lib. 2. cap. 3. Text. 19. Posito une contrariorum ponitur alterum But as you cite it It is as hard to be found as your translation is to be understood That it is not universall appeareth out of Arist himselfe who putteth down the contrary Maxime as true and certaine Arist Gategor l. c. 11 de contrar Non necessarium est Si contrariorum alterum sit alterum esse Nam si omnes sint sanitas quidem erit morbus non erit So in the first Creation of all things all things were very good and there was nothing evill All things created are finite in act but amongst things created there neither is nor can be a naturall infinite Truth and false-hood good and evill Piety and Idolatry are opposite and that before ever false-hood evill or Idolatry had any being in the world Contraries we know expell one another Or if one be necessary in the subject the other cannot be in it at least in the intense degree as if fire be hot it cannot be cold Now it is necessary that every thing created be finite and good as created and therefore good had a being before evill If it be objected that opposites are relatives and relatives are together in nature the answer is they are relatives secundum dici as they speake not secundum esse which may bee said to be together in nature Not that both are in act existent out of their causes but because the nature of
the ordinary way and meanes Id. Sect. 15. p. 132. which the Scripture speakes of to beget men to the faith For as a false forged constitution makes a Church a reall and substantiall Idoll So all that comes from it is touched with the Idolatry of that constitution This is a ruled opinion of many Divines The State makes all the publike actions to be formally good or evill For as the Temple sanctifieth the gold Matth. 23.17 the Altar the offerings so the Ordinances of the Church under the Gospell are sanctified unto us Bucer in Mat. 23.17 That is as Bucer truely speaketh in the use of them made lawfull to us in that they have their rise from a true and right power Seeing therefore the Church in Question wants a right Constitution it must follow that all spirituall actions done in it whether Prayer Preaching Sacraments Censures as they are there done are none of Gods Ordinances though true it is in themselves they are of God If the false Churches of whom we disputed CAN. Stay Sect. 15. p. 131.132 Id. Sect. 2. p. 8. be that spirituall Babylon mentioned in the Revelation cap. 18.4 then it is unlawfull for Gods people to goe unto them to performe any spirituall or religious action and so consequently not to heare theâ—e But the first is true Ergo the later is true also The proposition needs no proofe because our opposites and we herein are of opinion alike The assumption is manifest by these reasons Artopaeus in Rev. 18. pag. 198. Flac. Illyric in Rev. 18.4 Par. com in Hos 4. pag. 506. Bulling in Apoc. ca. 18. con 76. 1. The words in the Text prove it plainely Come out of her my people that is remove your selves from all false assemblies covenant together to walk in all the wayes of God serve the Lord among your selves in spirit and truth and returne not from whence you are come But repent rather that yee have suffered your Consciences to bee wrought upon by any unlawfull Officers And thus doe the Learned interpret the place namely of such a coming out as that we may not be bodily present at any of their worship 2 Cor. 6.1 Ioh. 5.21 Zech. 11.17 Botlac prompt allegoriar cap. 21. de Minist It is like that filthy bird which carryeth this Motto Contactu omnia saedat The publisher and others with him have comitted appatant Idolatry maintained it in the Church and sought thereby to pervert the right wayes of the Lord. Jd. sect 1. p. 7. Id sect 15. p. 133. A false Church state is rightly likened to the leprosie spread in the wals of the houses of the Lepers because of the pollution which it causeth to the persons and things Take for instance a Citie or Towne if the civill State or Corporation which they have be usurped aevised or derived from a false power all their publike administrations are unlawfull and every one partaking thereof offendeth So all administrations done in a false Church whether prayer Preaching Sacraments Censures are uncleane actions and doe defile every receiver J say because of the Idoll State which is devised out of a mans braine and used as a meanes to serve God in it and by it All the Ordinances done after the invention and will of Antichrist can no otherwise be judged than a brood common to the nature of the breeders that is the Devill and the Whore of Rome the Father and Mother that did beget them ANSWER THe Faithfull are commanded to come out of spirituall Babylon and not to communicate with her in false worship or Idolatry Revel 18.4 as the Text doth confirme and your opposites grant And therein it was needlesse to muster up the testimonies of the Learned to give evidence in a case maintained and practised notoriously sc that we must flye from the society of Rome and not be present to behold their worship Your labour herein is superfluous but that the Names of Learned men here numbred up might serve to cover your nakednesse when you come to the point in controversie wherein you prove just nothing at all But our Churches wherein the Gospell of Christ is purely preached and professed in all points fundamentall the seales of the Covenant of Grace rightly administred who are separaced from spirituall Babylon in mind and body and have fled from her worship and Idolatry who are built upon Christ the true and firme foundation of his Church and by Christ himselfe acknowledged for his people and graced with his favourable presence Our Churches I say cannot be deemed or reputed spirituall Babylon without great injurie to Christ his truth his Church and Saints By spirituall Babylon in this booke of the Revelation is meant Rome Christian departed from the faith guilty of the blood of Saints stained with manyfold and fearfull Idolatries the mother of fornications who hath made drunke the Kings of the earth with the cup of her poysons as might bee confirmed by the Scripture it self the joynt consent of learned orthodox Divines and the testimonie of Papists themselves But to brand the Churches of Christ since the reformation who have renounced Antichrists doctrine worship and idolatries and embraced the intire faith of the Lord Jesus with that odious hatefull name is contrary to the truth of God evident reason and the judgement of all approved godly learned men You miserably corrupt and pervert the Text when you give this to be the sense thereof Remove your selves from all false Assemblies covenant together to walke in all the wayes of God serve the Lord among your selves in spirit and truth and returne not from whence you are come This is not to interpret Scripture and learne of them what wee are to thinke but to racke Scriptures to our sense and make them speake according to our fansies which is an high point of Antichristianisme If you will stand to your principles within two hundred yeares after Christ or lesse there was not one true Christian societie in the whole world which did walke together in all the wayes of God and serve God in a Church state among themselves And will you say the faithfull are charged of God in this passage of holy writ to remove and separate from all Christian assemblies that then were in the world and to serve God among themselves If corruption in doctrine manners worship government and orders make a false assembly Rome was a false assembly long before the Lord gave commandement to his people to depart thence and separate themselves Israel for a time continued in Egypt and Babylon viz. untill the Lord sent to bring them forth and the Church lay hid in Babylon and that by the providence and approbation of God long after Rome was miserably corrupted and defiled The matter is notorious and therefore to spend more words about it is needlesse Hee that considereth the state of things long before the faithfull separated from Rome and what is written in defence of that separation which
If the Church of Rome were not a Church in some respects but a meere Idoll the Pope could not be that Antichrist a principall rebell a notorious traitor against Christ If we speak absolutely or compare Rome with Churches truly Christian it is no true Church but the Synagogue of Satan But if we speake of it in opposition to the Jewes of Turkes or other professed Infidels it hath so much of a visible Church as a man cannot say it is no Church at all so much true doctrine is in it as sufficeth to support the title of Antichrist and some ordinances are so administred as that it cannot be said they are meer nullities In the true Church many wicked ones are found that are no lesse prophane sacrilegious enemies to peace the vassals of Satan possessed by the Divell dead in sin and accursed of God than heretiks or schismatiks who yet for that they have that order office or degree of ministerie which is holy doe no lesse nor with lesse effect administer the holy sacraments than those who are the samplars of all pietie and vertue The faithfull and holy Ministers administer and receive the Sacraments with good profit and benefit to themselves and others The hypocriticall with benefit to others not to themselves The prophane being not put from their places doe officiate with hurt to themselves scandall to others but to the everlasting comfort of them that partake worthily The hereticall and idolatrous administer the Sacraments that are holy and in their owne nature the meanes pledges and assurances of salvation but without benefit to themselves and others that continue in sin Thus the Prophets Apostles Martyrs and faithfull have held communion in the Ordinances of grace with such whose calling and conversation was not approved of God You say the Martyrs first and last would not receive this distinction lest to save their lives they should lose their soules and you reckon up many who as you write would rather give their bodies to the fire than heare or receive the Sacrament in false Churches or Societies But in this you lavish as in every thing else and hide the truth under the ambiguitie of the phrase The Martyrs laid downe their lives rather than they would defile themselves with idolatry bee present at the Masse or joyne themselves as members of that Antichristian Synagogue in all which they did as becommeth the faithfull servants of Jesus Christ But you cannot produce one Martyr of your opinion who denyed that any thing of God was to be found in those Assemblies or that refused to joyne in the pure ordinances of God with Societies separated from spirituall Babylon because of some defect or may me in their Church constitution In the whole Catalogue of Martyrs try if you can bring forth one who in these things was of your minde And what a vaine thing is it to pretend the example of all the Martyrs when there is not one among them that doth approve your cause If the example of the Martyrs be of any weight with you as here you beare the Reader in hand CAN Neces of separation p. 190 191 192. of necessitie you must condemne your rash and presumptuous censuring your unadvised sinfull separation from the worship and ministerie in our Church as Antichristian and Idolatrous For certaine it is the Martyrs stood members of our Societies and dyed in the defence of that doctrine and worship which we professe and practise Many words you spend in answer to this reason and reproaches you cast upon your adversarie but one word is not to be found that makes directly to take away the force of the Argument It was the answer of Frederick Duke of Saxonie who being prisoner to Charles the fifth and promised releasement if hee would goe to the Masse Summum in terris Dominum agnosco Caesarem in coclis Christum The like did the Prince of Condee but neither of them did refuse to joyne with the reformed Churches because they deemed their Church constitution defective or erroneous in this or that particular To pretend the consent of popish and protestant Divines in this matter is egregious ignorance or impudency for it is well knowne they are all generally of another minde Your instance from a City or Towne Similitudes bee no syllogismes Earthly similitudes of your making may not controll the heavenly precepts of Gods owne giving Bilson Christ part 4. pag. 322. Have you no surer ground of your catholike doctrine for adoring Images than a single similitude taken from the civill and externall reverence that is yeelded to Princes seates and seales Id p. 329. if the Civill power be usurped is not to the purpose nor true in all respects Not to the purpose because what is of God in these Societies is not done by power meerely usurped but by power and vertue from God though in the ministration that which is evill be not approved of God for wheresoever any supernaturall truth of Christian Religion is taught and any ordinances of grace dispensed truly for substance there is some truth of ministery though many wayes polluted And where the intire faith is professed and received and the ordinances of grace administred truly there is a true ministery for substance ordained of God what other defects or maimes soever it may labour under Not true because in the Civill estate That which is done by power usurped and unlawfull in some cases is a nullitie but in other some it is available and stands in force For it is a rule in the Civill law That it is one thing to be a true Magistrate another to bee in the Magistracy or to execute the Magistrates office From which distinction is gathered this generall ruled case or sentence That the acts of him that was a false or unlawfull Magistrate may be lawfull and just And the same may bee said and was ever held in the Church of God of corrupt and ungodly Ministers though they bee not true Ministers that is approved fit and rightly qualified yet so long as they be in the place of Ministers the acts of their ministery be good that is effectuall and of force if they observe the forme of administration prescribed by Christ CAN Stay Sect. 15. pag 133. The Lord hath not promised to them his blessing and acceptance what the Lord may accept or will we dispute not only this I say whosoever heareth in a false Church cannot by any promise that he hath in the word of God expect Gods blessing on that which he doth the reason is because a true constitution of a true Church that is where men are gathered according to the Gospell of Christ is that only lawfull religious societie or communion of Saints wherein God will be honoured whereby hee will bee served and whereto hee hath promised his presence and acceptance so then howsoever we are not bound unto hearing in a true Church necessitate medii as if Gods grace were tyed to the meanes this way
yet as they say in Schooles necessitate praecepti if we consider Gods commandement CAN Stay §. 3. pag. 59. so we are bound to Church hearing only in a true Church and in no other Church can we expect Gods presence promise and acceptance Such Churches unto whom God hath made no promise in his word to blesse the things there done ought not by Gods people to be resorted to but God in his word hath made no promise to blesse the things done in a false church therefore Gods people are not to goe unto false churches The proposition cannot be excepted against for 1. The Scriptures prove it clearly Jer. 23.21 22. Exodus 20 24. Psalme 134.3 and 147.13 Again there is no dutie charged upon us but there is a blessing promised unto the due performance of it The assumption is as cleare and thus wee prove it If false churches have not the promise of Gods presence they cannot from the word of God expect his blessing upon what they doe but the first is true Ergo the second The Major which is only controversall we prove thus If every false church be an Idoll Exod. 20.4 5. And God require his people to come out thence Rev. 18.4 threatned to destroy it Rev. 20.8 9. and will doe it and promise his presence unto his true church Mat. 18.20 Then he is not present in the false But the first is true therefore the second ANSWER You struggle hard as all men may perceive but set not one foot forward Our Church is an idoll therefore wee must not hold communion with it God hath promised no blessing to his ordinances therein because the Church is an Idoll This is your circle wherein you walke up and down But to helpe you out of this mire if it may be 1. Rom. 3.2 Can 1.6 Rain de idolola l. 2. c. 1. p. 2. Where you take it for granted that our Church is false and therfore Christ is not present with us we on the contrary are assured that we are a people in covenant with Christ to whom hee hath committed his heavenly oracles and seales of the covenant amongst whom he feedeth his flock in greene pastures and causeth them to lye downe by the still waters with whom he is present when they meet together Mat. 18.20 Exod. â—0 24 Psal 134.3 Ioh. 10.4.5 He hath set up his tabernacle amongst us and dwelleth with us and watcheth over us and worketh by his Ministers not only to call men unto salvation but to nourish and build them forward unto life everlasting We are separated from Idols wee heare the voice of the true shepheard and follow not strangers but fly from them we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation and worship him sincerely according to his will He standeth at the doore knocking and to such as open unto him hee commeth unto them and they sup with him and he with them And therefore Christ is our Shepheard our King our Saviour and of his rich grace and love doth embrace us as his people and the flock of his pasture beareth our prayers and accepteth our service This is our glory that Christ is ours and we are his and it were better for us to dye than that our glorying herein should be made void Secondly seeing this tearme False Church is so familiar with you we will consider what it meaneth and how farre it doth stand true that God hath made no promise to blesse things done in a false Church These words True and false Church are used oft to signifie as much as pure and corrupt found and languishing Church And as there is scarce a Church so pure which hath not some impuritie nor so true which hath not some falshood admixed so there is no Church so false or impure which hath not somewhat of God or some supernaturall Christian truth within it For if no supernaturall Christian truth bee received or professed there is no Church Infidels being cleane without the Church deny and utterly reject the principles of Christianitie Heretikes or false Christians in respect of generall truths which they openly professe are Christians or of the Church but in respect of their particular errours condemned of all men that be of sound beliefe A Church is not to be esteemed false for some corruptions nor impure for some disorders no more than we account him a sickly man who now and then findes some wearinesse or distemper Neither is a Church to be accounted true because of some truths which they professe Act. 2.41 42 46 worship which they practise or use of the Sacraments which they retaine The notes of a pure Church are intire profession of the Gospell and saving truth of God the right use of the Sacraments holinesse of conversation the sound preaching of the word of life fervent and pure calling upon Gods name subjection to their spirituall guides whereby they may bee directed and built forward in the wayes of life mutuall communion in the ordinances of worship Eph. 4.11 12. and Christian fellowship with all Saints and true visible Churches of Jesus Christ Those Churches to which all these notes agree truelie are to bee esteemed pure in their measure but those to whom all doe not agree or not so truely they are to be esteemed lesse pure or true and that in comparison more or lesse according as more or fewer of these notes common speciall or proper shall be found more or lesse pure amongst them Where all these notes are to be found purely the Church is excellent for degree pure and famous where any of these is wanting or impure the Church is so much defective or impure though it may be pure in comparison of others The profession of the true faith Acts 14.22.23 27 and the framing of our life and conversation according to the direction of the word with the right administration of the Sacraments and comely order Ier. 4.22 Mat. 13.14 15. Isa 30.9 10 11. 5.7 8 9 c. are signes of a Church in a good state and condition But it may fall out that the profession of faith alone by publike preaching and hearing of the word administration of the Sacraments prayers and thanksgiving doth take place when good order is neglected and if life degenerate from the profession for in this case she ceaseth not to be the true CHVRCH of Christ so long as it pleaseth him not to give her a Bill of divorce True doctrine in all points and the due and right administration of the Sacraments in all things according to the word both for substance and circumstance is the note of a pure Church and in good plight But true Doctrine in the maine grounds and Articles of faith though mixt with defects and errours in other matters not concerning the life and soule of Religion and the right administration of the Sacraments for substance though in the manner of dispensation some things be not so well ordered as they might and ought
are notes and markes of a true and sound Church though somewhat crased in health and soundnesse by errors in doctrine corruptions in the worship of God and evils in life and manners A false Church is that which holds neither the truth of faith intirely nor the integrity of divine worship nor comely order which God hath appointed for the government of his house nor holinesse of conversation But addeth to the Articles of faith to that which is worshipped and to the substantiall means wherby God is worshipped and to the holy Commandements which God hath given for the direction of his people or detracteth and perverteth the right sense of faith not considering that which is worshipped as is meete mangling the Ordinances of God and transforming the lawfull manner of worship into another forme and inverteth the holy Commandement by corrupt glosses and sinister interpretations which destroyeth the life and power of godlinesse One false Church may bee more corrupt and rotten than another as being more deepely tainted in matters of higher importance and more generally than another as some may bee corrupt in matters of faith others in doctrine and worship both Ier. 2.11 13. 2 Reg. 16.3 1 Reg. 18.21 Ezek. 16.20 and some in all the particulars mentioned Thus Israel worshipped God and the Calves yea the Lord and Baal And as one false Church may be more corrupt than another Hen. Ains 2. part page 62. Did not the Priests rulers and people condemne the Prophets of God sent in all ages and vvas not Ierusalem the holy City seate of the Priest-hood guilty of their bloud Luke 13.33 34. vvas not vile and grosse Idolatry practised often in Judah and Jerusalem by the Priests and Princes Ezek. 23.11 Did not Iuda forsake the Lord and turne their faces from his Tabernacle shut the doores of his house quench his Lamps and neither burn Incense nor offer burnt offering in the Sanctuary unto the God of Jsrael 2 Chro. 29.6 7. Vriah the Priest made an Altar Idolatrous like that in Damascus and polluted Gods Worship in the Temple 2 Reg. 16.10 11 12 16. Pashur the sonne of Immer the Priest being Governour in the House of the Lord persecuted Ieremie for preaching the truth Jer. 20.1 2. and himselfe prophesied lyes ve 6. See Ier. 32.31 32 33 34 35 36. Mic. 3.11 Mal. 2.8 9. or at one time than another so one false Church may have more of God in it than another and at another time For the lesse grievous the errors are which the false Church holdeth or the lesse abominable the idolatry which it maintaineth the more divine truth it embraceth the more effectuall is that worship of God which it retaineth The true Church of God which is comparatively pure may be called false though improperly in respect of that corruption in doctrine and manners errours schismes divisions superstition or prophanenes which through humane frailty and negligence cleaveth unto it And a false Church may comparatively be called a Church true or pure in respect of them that be more grossely defiled as it hath more truth and purity in it Also the true Churches of God have sometimes bin distinct visible societies from the false Churches and by many degrees in themselves more pure from tincture and infection than at other times and some others have beene As in the dayes of Abiah Iudah was by many degrees more free from pollution than afterwards In Pauls time the integrity of Rome was famous Corinth many wayes reproved They of Galatia much more out of square But the true and Orthodox Church hath sometimes beene so mixed with others in outward society that it hath beene hard to find in the whole world a distinct Congregation of sound and intire professors of all supernaturall truths who joyned in the use of Gods Holy Ordinances but the members of the true visible Church were dispersed and scattered and mingled with false Christians or false worshippers in society and the true Church lay hid in the false Now to apply these things 1. If by a false Church you understand a Church erring in points of faith exceeding dangerous and corrupting the pure worship of God with reall Idolatry with whom the faithfull may not lawfully hold Communion yet then that which they have of God amongst them though not rightly administred is effectuall by the blessing of GOD according to promise As Baptisme administred by the Heretikes holding the forme of Baptisme and of Popish Priests is true Baptisme and not to be reiterated For one and the same society may in one sense have somewhat of the true Church and in another bee the Synagogue of Satan and their Ministers exercise the Ministery and service of Christ when they themselves bee the bond-slaves of Satan It is true God threatens to destroy such societies and is highly displeased with the service that is done there as such because it is not done as it ought but as he is pleased to continue his Ordinance so he is pleased to give it force and validity according to his institution And it is not strange that God should bee displeased with a thing not done according to his institution when the institution it selfe hee doth approve and blesse to some according to his free covenant 2. If by a false Church you understand a Church maimed and corrupt with errors in doctrin and manners neglect of discipline disorders in Ministers and people then as occasion may bee offered Christ hath bound the faithfull to bee present at his ordinances in such Assemblies and promised to blesse them that draw nigh unto him therein In the Church of Corinth there were Divisions Sects Emulations 1 Cor. 3.3 1 Cor. 6.1 2. 2 Cor. 10.10 1 Cor. 15.12 1 Cor. 5.1 1 Cor. 11.19 20. contentions and quarrels going to Law one with another for every trifle and that under Infidels Pauls name and credit was despitefully called into question there the resurrection of the dead was denyed by some that wickednesse was there wincked at which was not heard of among the heathen the Lords Supper was horribly profaned things indifferent used with offence 2 Cor. 12.20 21. Ambr. in 1 Cor. 11 They stood striving for their oblations Hier. in 1 Cor. 11. In Ecclesia convenientes oblationes suas separatius offerebant Apoc. 2.4 5 6. Apoc. 3.20 21. Fornication not repented of and idolatry practised in eating meats sacrificed to Idols in the Idoll Temple And all this notwithstanding the assemblies were kept the faithfull frequented the Ordinances and God did blesse them according to promise Ephesus was extreamly decayed in her first love and though threatned to have her candlesticke removed unlesse she repent Christ doth never lay his charge upon the faithful to depart from his Ordinances Of Laodicea it is said that she was neither hot nor cold and then we may easily conceive she was overgrown with corruptions the proper fruits of negligence security selfe conceitednesse c. For which unlesse she
disliked by godly and learned men so the generall given for direction in such cases be observed 3 We hold it unlawfull outwardly and but in appearance to joyne with Idolaters in their Idolatry Many words in this matter might well bee spared But wee desire to see your commandement why for every particular act that in a large sense is Idolatrous adjoyned to the true worship of God Calfeb against Mar. art 10. p. 185 186. we should forbeare our presence at the worship it selfe or be said to communicate in the sinne there committed For then no man might present himselfe with good conscience at any publike worship of GOD wherein any thing is done amisse for matter or manner which is in effect to say hee cannot bee present at any at all 4 To communicate in the ordinances of God with the Ministers of the Church of England is not to like approve or reverence the institutions of men in the exercises of religion nor to communicate with the Teacher in his sin nor in ought else that is amisse For the worship is of God both for matter and manner And put case the Minister bee disorderly chosen enter not as he ought be Symoniacall covetous froward corrupt idle scandalous doe the people partake in his sin in that they make use of his Ministery No Scripture teacheth any such thing no reason doth confirm it noe approved authors ever said it That which you alledge for proofe falleth utterly short It appertaineth to the vertue of truth Dav. determ 7. p. 40. that as a man sheweth himselfe by externall signes so he is indeed to be esteemed And such as frequent or repair unto unlawfull assemblies for the publike worship of God by their being there are to be reputed of the same religion or else dissemblers as it were to have no care of religion knowing God Dovvay annot in 4. King 5.19 p. 778. but not glorifying him as God But herein you have misrelated the Doway translators for their words are But in a Christian countrey where all beare the name of Christians especially where men are at controversie about the true Christian Religion all that frequent or repaire unto the same assemblies for publike service of God are to be reputed of the same religion or else dissemblers Bodily presence at false worship by which they shew a liking unto it is unlawfull To eate of meates sacrificed unto Idols in the Idoll Temple Your condemning the worship of God performed in our assemblies as pernicious idolatry vvherein is it a lesser sinne han the Popes prohibition of publike prayer and restraint of the Word and Sacraments throughout the Realm you can neither shevv us warrant for it an the Scriptures nor example of it in the Church of God You that so teach and censure stand guiltie of great impietie and they that hearken unto your persvvasions are partakers of your iniquity in some sort of the vvrong imaginations of Christians Aug. in Tract â—o 19. saith Quae omnia idola cordis sunt T. Caepl 1. art 3. pag. 4. is to communicate with Idolaters These things are evident and freely granted But the Assemblie met to call upon God in the mediation of Jesus Christ alone to heare the doctrine of salvation soundly and purely preached to receive the Sacrament rightly administred is not a false idolatrous assemblie they that repaire unto it be not Idolatrous â—â—false worshippers If you esteem of them as they shew themselves by out ward signes you must esteem them to be of the true religion and the true worshippers of God according to his will The ministerie in that assembly to be true sound and faithfull and of God of substance In this lieth the point of the controversie which you are contented to passe by in silence without any proofe at all But if any humane frailtie or infirmitie cleave to the ministerie or congregation in respect of doctrine manners lawes government or order which concernes not the life and soul but only the safety of the Church or wellfare of Religion In these a Christian doth not partake by his presence at the ordinances as the Scripture reason and the approved practice of the Saints in all ages of the Church do plentifully witnesse This is the judgement and practice of the Nonconformists and therefore they professe they praise God for this reformation so farre forth as it is agreeable to the Word of God they are glad the Word of God is preached that the Sacraments are administred that which is wanting they desire to be added that which is overmuch cut off But that a Christian must separate from the Word and Sacrament by reason of some superfluities or defects is no responsive conclusion that can be gathered soundly from their writings CAN Stay Sect. 5. pag. 66. In preaching of the truths of the Gospell by a false Minister an Idolatrous act is performed For Divine worship is not to be determined by a particular thing howbeit in it selfe good but as the essentiall parts belonging thereto whether they are persons or things are kept and observed The Church of Rome in Baptisme useth water and in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper gives bread and wine otherwhile too doth this cleare their administrations of Idolatry I think all men doe thinke that Vzziah committed an Idolatrous act 2 Chron. 26.16 when he invaded the Priests office But what made it so tooke he unlawfull incense no. Vsed he strange fire no. Offered hee prohibited Sacrifice or upon a wrong Altar No Where then lay the fault the Scripture telleth us Verse 18. it pertained not to him to burne incense unto the Lord but to the sons of Aaron To apply this if his act were Idolatrous because he wanted a calling howbeit observed many truths of the law By the same reason the Church acts of Artichristian Ministers are Idolatrous yea and as for the truths which they preach this cleares their acts no more from Idolatry than Vzziahs true Incense and the Altar quitted him from transgression ANSWER Your great words are of small force CAN. Stag. §. 3. p. 56. for should I speake my conscience it is your phrase They are words without weight of reason For still you presuppose the Ministerie of the Church of England to bee false and idolatrous which is to beg not to conclude the question But that being presupposed let us see how you goe forward In preaching the truth of the Gospell by a false Minister an Idolatrous act is performed you say But doth the Scripture say so Do you read it in the Law or in the Prophets in the Apostles or in the Evangelists The Scribes and Pharisees were false Ministers but it was not an Idolatrous worke in them to expound the Law of Moses or dispence other Church ordinances at that time commanded The popish Priests and Bishops are false Prophets but the simple administration of Baptisme by them is not an idolatrous act The Minister that is prophane and
ordering Souldiers Secondly In a more strict signification it is the politicall guiding of the Church and is exercised principally if not onely in the d Henry Ainsw first answer c. pag. 30. Whereupon Christ pronounced a blessing and annexed promises not for himselfe but as you grant for his successours also as I defend for the other Apostles also Ibid. Set you down by the scriptures what is meāt by keyes and I will shew you by Scriptures also that the 12 Apostles had equall power in using them administration of Church censures and this is that discipline which generally all Ecclesiasticall Writers speake of And this power likewise must be considered either in respect of right or the first act as they call it or in respect of execution and the second act These distinctions thus plainly propounded the answer to the Proposition is distinctly this First If the word Discipline be taken in the largest acceptation it is necessary to the Church because no Societie can be held or gathered without some order Secondly If it be taken in the strictest signification it belongeth not to the Communitie of the faithfull few or many For the power of governing the Church belongeth to them primarily and in respect of use and execution to e Bils Christ Subject part 2. p. 361. The Priest hath his Commission as a servant to call for subjection and obedience not unto himselfe but unto his Lord and Master that sent him c. who must preach himself the servant of meaner men than Princes and make himselfe the servant of all men if he note wel the words of his Commission c. whom Christ hath communicated it But Christ hath not given this power to the faithfull few or more but to his officers whom he hath appointed to feed and governe his folke Thirdly If a societie enjoy but one Pastour or Teacher for the time the power of government doth not belong unto him For Christ hath not committed this power unto one but unto many The power of f A dispute part 3. c. 8. p. 188. We must distinguish a twofold power of the keyes the one Concionalis the other Judicialis The former is proper for Pastours alone whose vocation it is by the preaching and publishing of Gods Word to shut and open the Kingdome of heaven The keyes of externall discipline belongeth to the whole Consistory Trelcat instit Theol. lib. 2. pag. 287. preaching and administration of the Sacraments is given to one and may be executed by him alone But the power of guiding or governing is given to the Colledge Ecclesiasticall or company of Governours and must not be executed by any others And if one alone may not challenge that which is committed unto a societie it is not for one Pastour to excommunicate his people And hence it followes necessarily that discipline or power of governing or dispencing the keyes is not absolutely necessary to the being of the Church For if there may be a true Christian Church without Pastours or Teachers but not g Pareus in 1 Cor. 5. de Excom Eorum quae conveniunt Presbyteris vi ordinis sui Presbyterialis duo sunt genera Alia enim immediatè conveniunt singulis personaliter alia vero immediatè conveniunt non quidem singulis personaliter sed conjunctis collegialiter sive Presbyterio Forb Irenis lib. 2. cap. 10. prop. 13. pag. 191. de prohibitis ordinantibus power of the keyes or Ecclesiasticall government then the power of government is not absolutely necessary to the being of a Church And if the Presbytery be the onely executioners of the censuring discipline then if the Church may be without a Presbytery it may want the discipline in respect of execution For where the Officer is wanting there the office also is wanting as touching the execution thereof If all the Officers of discipline should dye at once or the Church should want her officers the faithfull have not power of discipline either originally or actually either to conveigh it virtually or formally to her Ministers whom shee might chuse or to execute it her selfe But the faithfull doe remaine a Church when her officers are h Bilson perp gover cap. 10. It is not to be doubted that in the Apostles times every citie where the Gospell was received had many Prophets Pastours and Teachers not only travelling to and fro to exhort and confirme the brethren but abiding persisting in the same all laboring to encrease the number of the Church c. dispersed by persecution taken away by death be wanting through her negligence or some other way In your own way and constitution the Church may be without both Pastour and Teacher and that for a long time till fit men may be chosen unto that office in all which time it must want the administration of the Sacraments and execution of discipline We have not learned that every Christian is a King and a Prince to rule with i Bilson perpet gover cap. 3. Externall Regiment is no part of Christs Kingdome which is proper to his person and by many degrees excelleth all other governments for the divine force and grace that are eminent in the spirituall fruits and effects of his Kingdome Christ by open rebuke if no other doe rebuke in season or by debarring them from communion and fellowship of the Church whom he judgeth or censureth worthy to be cast out as men out of covenant For if all that are made of Christ by communion with him Kings Priests unto God should be made Kings and Priests unto God in order politicall to rule and governe his Church then power to governe should be given to every singular person not to the communitie alone to women and children no lesse than unto men The life and being of a Church standeth in the very knitting of the faithfull unto Christ for it is Christ that giveth salvation to the body And if union give it the forme of a Church it must necessarily be a Church before it practice this discipline because it hath no place but in an united body or Congregation Those three thousand soules that were gained at one prosperous k Act. 2.38.41 42 44 45 46 47. Sermon of Peter were the Church of God when they received the Word with gladnesse and were baptized before any power of Government was given unto or established among them The like is of the l Act. 8.5 6.11 9.31 Church or Congregation of Samaria Fourthly Of right the communicated power of government belongeth to every compleat Societie or rather to every Ecclesiasticall colledge or assembly set apart by Christ for the guidance of his people but the execution of that power may be hindred through m Zanc. de oper redempt in 4. praecep de discipl Eccles If it be a small Church and not consisting of many learned and skilful men excommunication ought not to be done except the neighbour churches be asked counsell of ignorance
that clause you greatly wrong the Nonconformists and reformed Churches in charging them with this position For it is their direct assertion to the contrary that for want of orderly administration of discipline Christians are not to separate from the true and sound Churches of Jesus Christ Your phrase likewise of placing themselves about the throne of God is in no sort approved of them or of the truth it selfe As if none were placed about the throne of God or God did not graciously vouchsafe his presence unto or reigne over any assembly wherein discipline is not rightly and orderly in all points administred But here it must be noted that the power of government must be considered either in respect of the substance of it or the orderly manner of administration as was said before And a thing or office is called Antichristian in two respects First as whatsoever is not of Christ is Antichristian in which sense they of the Separation call all stinted Liturgies Antichristian Secondly as that which is derived from the authoritie and headship of the great Antichrist of Rome and dependeth upon him as his owne institution is Antichristian And to apply these things to the purpose if we take the word Antichristian in the first signification the true Church of God may be under Antichristian government in respect of the manner of dispensation of the censures that is the dispensation of the censures may be committed to such persons as are not instituted approved and set apart of Christ for that purpose and in such manner As if it be committed to an usurped power over the Brethren or to some few of many or to such as be ignorant prophant or the like It is true the light hath no fellowship with darknesse nor truth with falshood but in this life light in men is miked with darknesse and the best Christians infected with errours of Antichristianisme In many of the Martyrs of Jesus Christ both before since the revelation of Antichrist their knowledge was mingled with more darknesse and their Christianitie with more antichristianisme if you will so call it than can be found in our Church and Ministery Jos 5.7.9 See Iun. annot It is true the faithfull must labour every one in his place to bring in the ordinances of God and reforme abuses but if they cannot prevaile they must not cut themselves off from the body and excommunicate the societie For if the Church may want yea neglect the use of the Sacraments for a time and yet continue the true g Hieron in Tit. 1. Amb. in 1 Tim. 5. Bils perpet c. 11. Gratian. Decret cap. 15. qu. 7. ca. 2.5 6 7. Concil Turon 2. c. 7. Nic. Abbas Panor in decret Gregor 9. de consuetud cap. 4. Olim presbyteri in communi regebant ecclesiā ordinabant Sacerdotes Cypr. epist 6. or lib. 3. epist 10. lib. 1. epist 9. Concil Carthag 4. ca. 23. Tho. 1. 〈◊〉 qu. 71. art 5. ad tertium Bonav in 1 sent dist 48. art 2. qu. 1. in resol Scor. in 3 sent dist 9. qu. unica n. 4. Church of God then it may want the orderly use of discipline in respect of the officers by whom and the manner how it should be duely exercised For the politicall guiding of a Church by the censuring discipline is not to be compared to the want neglect of the Seales If the Church shall thinke good to keepe in a member which some private man judgeth worthy to be excommunicated must he cut off himselfe or cast out the offender contrary to the order If the Power of government be exercised by the whole body of the Societie which I conceive to belong onely to the Colledge Ecclesiasticall must I needs separate from them as no Church of Christ Affirmative precepts binde perpetually but not to all times to disposition and readinesse alwayes but to practice onely when time place and opportunitie occurreth For example a man is ever obliged to thinke the truth if he know it but not either to professe or speake the truth at all times Of affirmative duties some are absolutely necessary in men of age and discretion without which there can be no salvation as beliefe in Christ and repentance from dead works Others are necessary when God giveth h Neither doe I know what warrant any ordinary Minister hath by Gods word in such a case so to draw any such Church or people to his private ministry that therby they should hazzard their outward state quiet in the Common-wealth where they live when in some cōpetent measure they may publikely with the grace and the favour of the Magistrate injoy the ordinarie means of their salvation Vnreasona c. pag. 61. Aug. epist contr Parm. lib. 3. cap. 2. Bezacontr Eras de Excom Feild of the Ch◠lib. 1. cap. 17. Eccl. Lugdun lib. de tenenda verit script post medium in Biblioth patr tom 4. par 2. edit 4. opportunitie and calleth a man forth thereunto as profession of the faith by joyning our selves to the Church of God and partaking of the Sacraments Others oblige in a time free which doe not oblige in a time not free as when urgent necessitie the circumstance of time and place the state and condition of things doe restraine and keepe backe As the exercise of Ecclesiasticall discipline against open obstinâte offenders is an affirmative dutie imposed by divine law upon the Governours of the Church or as you say upon the whole Societie But it lyeth not upon this or that particular member to doe it or separate when others be remisse and either be not perswaded of or doe neglect their dutie and will not be drawne unto it They be not of the lowest ranke who thinke it may and ought to be forborne when it cannot be used without open and unavoidable schisme When a doctrinall errour of lesse importance and small evill consequence prevaileth in a Church by publique authoritie it is not the dutie of a private Teacher publiquely to strive against it to manifest apparent schismes but rather in a milde and peaceable manner to cure them and peaceably to tolerate some things when the good of Gods Church doth call for and require it Who doth not calmely and peaceably moderate that which he thinketh but is readie incontinent to contentions dissentions and scandals although he have not an hereticall sense most certainly he hath an hereticall minde And though the i The Apostleanever erected planted publike Churches and Ministers in the face of the Magistrate whether they would or no or in despite of them But such in respect of the eye of the Magistrate were as private as might be Vnreasonablenesse of Separat pag. 59. Government of the Church dependeth upon the ordinance of God yet it is not for every particular and private man to set up that order in societies professing the faith publiquely and established by Law against the mind and pleasure of the Christian Magistrate And
this the Norâ—â—â—formists doe both teach and practice and therefore they have humbly sued for reformation but never either practised or approved your separation That which you cite out of the Harmony of confessions as if the reformed Churches did allow or teach what you practice I will set downe and leave it to every man to judge of your fidelitie The Church k Gallic confest art 26. None but Princes can give freedome and protectioÌ„ to these spirituall functions and actions Bilson Christian part 2. pag. 309. Gallican saith thus Credimus igitur nemiâ—â—â— licerâ— sese catibus subducerâ— in seipso aequiescere sed patius 〈◊〉 sâ—â—â—il tuendam conservandam esse Ecclesiae unitatem sese communi institutioni jugo Christi subijciendo ubjcunque Deus verâ—â—n illam disaiplinam Ecclesiastioâ—n constistuerit etiamsi Magistratuum edicta reclament à quo oxdiâ—â— quicubque seipsos seiâ—â—gunt ordinationi Dei resistant Psal 5. 42. Ephes 4.11 Act. 4.19 5.29 Heb. 10.25 And the l Belgic confessart 28. Without the helpe of Princes though the faith and Canons of Christs Church may bee privately professed and observed of such as be willing yet can they not be generally planted or setled in any kingdome nor urged by publique Lawes externall punishments on such as refuse but by their coÌ„sents that beare the sword Bils ibid. pag. 327. Id. part 3. pag. 296. If you will have the assistance of the Magistrates sword to settle the truth and prohibites errour and by wholesome punishments to prevent the disorder of all degrees that authoritie lieth onely in the Prince Belgick thus Credimus qued cum sacer hic caetus congregatio sit corum qui servari debent salus nulla sit extra eam neminem cujuscunque dignitatis aut nominiâ— is fuerit sese ab ea-subducere aut segregari debere ut sua tantuâ— consuâ—tudine contentus solus ac separatim vivat Sed conâ—â—a â—â—â—es as singulos teneri huic caetui se adjungere Ecclesiae unitatem sollicitè conservare seque illius tum doctrinae tum disciplinae subjicere collum denique Christi jugo sponte submittere tanquanâ— communia ejusdem corporis membra adificationi fratrum inservire prout Deus unicuique sua dona fuerit largitus Porro ut haee melius observentur omnium fidelium partes sunt sese juxta Dei verbum ab eis omnibus disjungere qui sunt extra ecclesiam constituti huicque fidelium caetui ac congregationi sese adjungere ubicunque illam Deus constituerit et si id contraria principum vel Magistratuum edicta prohibeant indicta etiam in eos capitis mortis corporcae poenâ qui id fecerint Quicunque igitur à vera illa Ecclesia recedunt aut sese illi aggregare recusant apertè Dei mandato repugnant Thus the Conclusion CHAP. IV. SECT I. ALL true visible Churches gathered and planted according to Gods Word Can. Neces of Separat pag. 173. consisted in their constitution of Saints onely But the Churches of England after Popery were not so constituted For the greatest number of them were prophane people even mockers and contemners of Religion as Atheists Idolaters Sorcerers Blasphemers and all sorts of miscreants and wicked livers Therefore the Churches of England are not true visible Churches There is never a part of this argument they can deny unlesse they will let fall their owne principles For the Assumption I make no question but it will passe without exception and none of them will have the face to oppose it considering how generally the thing hath beene affirmed and still is upon all occasions both in word and writing Now that the proposition may appeare as true also I will prove the same first by Scriptures secondly by reason thirdly by the testimonies of the learned ANSVVER IF both parts of this Argument be Nonconformists principles why doe you labour to prove the proposition true more than the assumption If it had been a confessed principle why doe you not fight against them with their own weapons as you pretend to doe throughout your Booke He is very dull that doth not smell somewhat herein But if it so please you The proposition is the Nonconformists and it is not For if this be the meaning thereof That all true Churches should consist of visible Saints not onely in their first gathering planting and constitution but also in their after continuance and propagations the Nonconformists doe acknowledge it for when sinne and wickednesse springeth or groweth in the Church the ordinance of God is violated But if this be the meaning That the societie which consisteth not of Saints onely is not the true Church of Jesus Christ that the Nonconformists utterly deny Also it is one thing to say The m Hieron Prefar lib. 2. in Epist ad Galat. Rursus facilitatis superbiae arguunturs Id. ad princ Marcelle Epitaph Difficile est in maledicâ civitate non aliquaÌ„ sinistri rumoris fabulam contrabere Id. in Praefat. in lib. Dydimini Sp. Sa. Cum Babylone versarer purpuratae meritricis essem colonâ— c. Church is not planted and gathered in all things according to Gods Word another to say it is no Church at all which is not planted and gathered in all things agreeable to the Word of God If then the meaning of the proposition be this That all true Churches planted and gathered according to Gods Word consisted of Saints onely because the ordinance of God is violated and his house polluted 〈◊〉 notorious offenders are received or tolerated the Noâ—conformists will acknowledge it But if you understand it thus That it is no true Church at all which consisteth not of Saints onely because it is not gathered planted constituted reformed in all things agreeable to the Word of God they never received it If you could not discerne this in their writings you were very blinde and partiall If you did discerne it and yet would passe it over that you might with some colour traduce them as going contrary to their owne principles or beguile others with an aequivocation where was your sincerity The Nonconformists will not deny but some things in the gathering and planting or rather the refining and government of the Church of England was and is done amisse not agreeable to the Word of God which they heartily desire and labour might be reformed but for things done amisse they dare not condemne the Church deny the grace of God separate from her communion or approve them that doe it It may be questioned also whether you dare not put a tricke upon your Reader in the phrase gathered and planted as if a church in continuance might consist of such as are not Saintâ— but if it be not gathered of such onely at the first it is no Church If this be your close intendment the proposition is farre from truth the minde of the Nonconformists and the matter in hand for in the reformation a new
6. 8. Beza epist 81. Quid interim misera Dei ecclesia nempe haec tunc erat ipsius cōditio quae olim in Israele temporibus Eliae delirescentibu◠in spelūca fidelibus Dei Prophetis et qualis rum erar quum everso Dei templo jugi cessante sacrificio captiva in Babylone teneretur Servabat tamen Dominus renascituri suo tempore populi semen Manebat salvus in papatu Baptismus in patris filij Sp. Sancti nomen c. decayed and corrupt Church If any of our men deny the Churches wherein our Fathers lived to be the Churches of God their meaning is limited in respect of the prevailing faction that was in the church and including them and all the wicked impieties by any of them defended in which sence their negative is to be understood These things standing thus might not the christian Magistrate take away the Idoll of the Masse injoyne the reading of the Scriptures in a knowne tongue appoint that prayer should be made to God onely in the mediation of Jesus Christ and take order that the Sacrament of the Supper might be administred in both kindes * 2 Chron. 17.7 8 9 10. according to the institution Might he not n Nabuchadneezer made a law That no man should blaspheme the God of Shadrac c. Dan. 3.29 Darius that men trēble feare before the God of Daniel Dan. 6.26 Joshua made a covenant with the people that they should put away their strange gods Ios 24.23 Asa destroyed Idolatrie commanded the people to serve and seeke the Lord 2 Par. 14.3 4. 15 8 9 10 c. Jehosaphat sent Princes to teach in the Cities of Judah with them Levites 2 Chro. 17.7 8 9. 19.4 Hezekiah sent to all Israel Iudah that they should come to the house of the Lord 2 Par. 30.1.6 Also he took away the high places 2 Reg. 18.4 Iosiah brake downe the altars of Baal and brought backe the people to the worship of God 2 Chron. 34.3 4 5.7 29 30 32 33. Polonia Russia Lithuania was forced at the commandement of their Rulers to forsake their ancient Idols and receive Baptisme Munster Cosmograph fol. 894.902 and divers good Princes maintained long and sharpe warres of purpose to compell the Saxons and Vandals to the faith Idem lib. 3. fol. 719.743 It is a strange new kind of preaching for Bishops to drive men to beleeve with whippings as Bonner did but in Princes who beare the sword and are Gods Lievetenants not onely to procure peace between men but also by Lawes to maintaine Religion towards God we neither did nor doe dispraise moderate correction when need so requireth August Epist 127. Idem contra Erescon lib. 3. cap. 50. Idem contra lit Petilian lib. 2. cap. 86.83 Codex lib. 1. tit 5. de Haeretic Socrat. lib. 1. ca. 34. Gr. lat 21 22. Euseb de vità Const lib. 1. cap. 37. Theoderet lib. 5. cap. 20. Multa enim cogit ferre necessitas quae tamen non probantur command all people throughout his Dominions professing the faith to learne the grounds of Religion to call upon the Name of the Lord to heare his Word and to worship him truly and purely according as the Lord himselfe hath appointed And when the people could not or were carelesse and negligent might he not provide meanes for their instruction and edification in the faith of the Lord Jesus This the Christian Magistrates did amongst us by authority from God They provided that the Scriptures should be read in a known language in all Congregations Ministers injoyned to catechise in the grounds of Christian Religion the Gospell was preached in many places disputation was profered to the learned for satisfaction If these things be advisedly confidered we shall heare no more from the Brethren of the Separation that our Church was gathered without the Word by meere Proclamation not called but made up a Church in one day at the commandement of the evill Magistrate at least no man that hath truly tasted of the Word of life will be moved with such like cavills unlesse it be to condemne their rashnesse and unthankfulnesse so much the more It might here be added that before reformation many did earnestly desire it some lay hid all the dayes of Queene Mary who never came to the Masse but trained up their children and servants at home in the grounds of Christian Religion others fled into forraine parts some met together in private in their owne Countryes as they had opportunitie and many groaned under that bondage in which they were held all which did gladly welcome the truth when it shined forth and rejoyced when they might joyn in the Congregation understand their prayers heare the Scriptures and be instructed in the principles of faith and holinesse And if I should say that at the first reformation there were more godly learned painfull Preachers that endeavoured to bring forward the people in the wayes of godlinesse by an hundred to one than ever wane of your Separation since the Gospell shined unto the world I conceive you shall not be able to finde an Hyperbole in the speech And now suppose in this great and admirable worke such a course to be held as cannot be justified in all things shall this make a nullitie of that which is prosperously effected by the blessing of God If ignorant Ministers should not have beene set over the people when better could not be had if people should not have been admitted to the Lords Supper before better instruction in the grounds of Christian Religion when yet the Law doth presuppose them in some sort instructed If prophane and notorious wicked persons which should have been cast out unlesse they had repented were received into communion without any due course held before to reform and amend them this argueth o Beza epist 1. ad Dudetium Valentinian the elder was a good man worthy the Empire being himself of the Nicene faith Theod. lib. 4. ca. 5. Sozom. lib. 6. cap. 6. and yet he molested not any that were of the contrary faith neither thought he it good to change Ecclesiastical laws into better or worse Sozom. li. 6. ca. 20. Socrat. l. 4. c. 1 and made a Law that every man that would might have two wives himselfe gave the first example in taking two Socrat. l. 4. Gr. ca. 30. lat ca. 16. Can. Neces of Separat p. 175 176 1 Reg. 6.17 18. 2 Chron. 1.8 9. imperfection in the reformation and just cause that we should strive forward to perfect what was happily begun but proveth not the assemblies to be Antichristian or the reformation to be of no worth and validitie Looke through all the Reformations mentioned in Scripture or recorded in other Antiquities and set if this reformation be a nullity whether ever there was a reformed church in the world for any continuance SECT II. THe materiall Temple was a type of the visible Churches under the
c. Is any thing here spoken peculiar to the members of the Church at the first planting thereof which doth not hold true of the members of the Church established and confirmed Are not the wicked at all times forbidden to meddle with the ordinances of God uncapable of the covenant spiritually dead not fit to have place in the house of God And if this hold true against such members of the Church at all times why doe you beare the Reader in hand That you onely plead against the first building of a Church of such wiâ—â—ed and ungodly persons * Can. Neces of Separat pag. 194 195. The Question you say hath ever been about the true and naturall members whereof Gods Church is orderly gathered and planted and not about the degenerate and decayed estate thereof But if any of these Reasons will conclude ought there was never societie to be esteemed the true church of God all whose members were not Saints and holy spiritually enlived fit to performe the duties of members fitted prepared and laid orderly in the building married to the Lord Christ What you hold that is not materiall in this point but what your Arguments conclude for if they inferre one thing and you maintaine another of necessitie they are weake or you are crosse to your selfe or both * Can. Neces of Separat pag. 195. If they shall say thus you write that obstinate and incorrigible sinners may lawfully be suffered therein This we affirme to be untrue But if they say that in a true visible Church there may be great evills committed you and along time tolerated we assent unto it Howbeit it is certaine as Dr. Ames faith This forbearance is a grievous sinne before God Of the lawfull toleration of obstinate and incorrigible persons we have no controversie with you But if any one reason here be brought by you to the purpose it cannot be the true Church of God where any one obstinate knowne offender is suffered or which hath not right to the holy things of God That the members of the Church ought to walke in holinesse you need not prove but that the Congregation cannot be the true Church of God where such things are suffered as ought not to be And yet your Reasons goe higher than so For if they be duely examined whether doe they speake of such as be truly holy or onely visibly holy Saints and faithfull in the fight of God or onely in the eyes and approbation of men Onely the Saints are capable of the Covenant spiritually alive unto God married unto Jesus Christ and have communion with him onely they are hewen fitly prepared and layd truely upon the spirituall foundation onely their service is accepted of God in Jesus Christ It is nothing here to answer the members of the Church are such in the judgement of charitie For in the degenerate state the Church doth not ever consist of such as you confesse and your reasons here speake of them that be such indeed in the judgement of truth quickned by the Spirit acceptable to God Saints by Covenant the living members of Jesus Christ and so heires of salvation And if we looke into this matter more narrowly the conclusion fighteth with the premisses and doth manifestly overturne what you would build Psal 50.16 Moller in Psal 50.16 The wicked are expresly forbidden to meddle with the Covenant But those wicked ones to whom the Lord speaketh at that time more visible members of the true Church The wicked make the Church of God you say a Synagogue of Satan Sodome c. And doth not the Prophet call them Princes of Sodome Isa 1.10 and people of Gomorrah who were the people of God by covenant members of the true Church Doe they provoke God to spew them out of his mouth or to remove his Candlesticke But untill he remove his Candlesticke or spew them out of his mouth they continue his Church and people Ezek. 16.45 46 47 c. Rebellious Judah justified her Sisters Sodome and Samaria and yet shee continued the Church of God when they were cast off A tree unhewen and unprepared is unfit matter for an house and so are tares blasted corne and dry eares to grow together in the field with good corne as wheat c. But the house ceaseth not to be an house though a piece of timber unprepared be put into it or the corne field to be a field of corne because the tares are suffered to abide untill the harvest A dead man cannot perform the office of a living member but instrumentally he may doe the office of a member or he may be an instrument which the head is pleased to use for the good of the body otherwise no hypocrite who is spiritually dead could be any means of good unto the societie No wicked man is spiritually married unto Christ nor hypocrite but hypocrites and wicked men may be members of the societie which in respect of externall covenant is married unto Christ or else the Church of the Jewes was not beloved of him The godly and wicked are lead by different causes and so are hypocrites and sincere Christians but they may be linked together in the same outward societie Hypocrites you confesse are members of the Church untill they be dissevered and cast out But the upright and the double-hearted are contraries lead by different causes and so uncapable of the same forme to use your phrases SECT IV. FOr this we have the judgement of the learned also Can. Neces of Separat pag. 178. In Psal 15. There must be saith Mollerus a profession of true Religion and obedience yeelded thereto at least outwardly to become a member of the visible Church Beza saith Anno. in Act. 2.40 He is rightly joyned to the Church which separates himselfe from the wicked Paul calls the Romanes Saints saith Aretius to put a difference betweene their former estate wherein they lived In Rom. 1.7 Vol. thes theolog pag. 256. which was unholy and impure and the condition to which they were now called Piscator affirmes the matter of a particular Church to be a company of Beleevers c. ANSVVER YOu may easily bring heapes of testimonies for that which these Authors affirme For I suppose there is not Marke what care S. Augustine will have observed how when discipline should bee used August contr Parmenian lib. 3. ca. 2. If contagion of sin have invaded a multitude the mercifull severitie of correction from God himselfe is necessary Nam concilia separationis inania sunt perniciosa atque sacrilega c. nor ever was godly orthodox Divine of another judgement But that which they say and you maintaine are incompatible Their Assertion is taught in Scripture professed by the godly learned in all ages and is most evident to right reason illuminated by faith But that which you contend for is neither taught in Scripture nor confirmed by reason or professed by godly and learned Authors
ancient or moderne of one sort or other parties excepted For it is one thing to say the Church is a societie of faithfull people joyning together in the ordinances of worship Another that it is no Church where the ignorant or prophane are tolerated The first of these is affirmed The latter is that which you must prove out of those Writers which you can never doe or else you abuse both your selfe and them Order is requisite in every administration of the Church Can. Neces of Separat pag. 186. as the Apostle teacheth and chiefly in the collection thereof you say But the want of order in every point requisite either in the collection or government of the Church doth not make it no Church You know it is an usuall received distinction that hypocrites and ungodly men are in the Church but not of the Church And if at any time you read that notorious offenders are neither of the Church T. C. repl 1. pa. 34 35. nor in the Church The same Author hath explained himselfe that when he saith There be no knowne Drunkards or Whoremongers in the Church he speakes of that which should be T. C. 2. repl par 1 pag. 242. As when Paul saith That the Church of God hath no custome to contend Aug. de mor. Eccl. cathol lib. 1. c. 34. Bring me not such ChristiaÌ„s as either know not or keepe not the force of their profession Rake not after the ruder sort which even in true Religion are intangled with superstition my selfe knew many that are worshippers of tombes and pictures he setteth forth not that which alwayes commeth to passe but what ought to be alwayes For it may be that contention may continue in a Church many yeares and yet it cease not to be the true Church of God In Mollerus I can finde nothing that makes to your purpose but many things directly against you First he entreateth in that Psalme of the true lively members of the Church and therefore your glosse at least outwardly corrupteth the Text. Thus in the argument of the Psalme he writeth Ostendit qui sint cultus aut opera quae Deo placeant quomodo vera viva membra Ecclesia ab hypocritis alijs manifestè impijs discerni possint debeant And in the whole Psalme he sheweth that he speaketh of the living members of the Church for whom salvation is prepared and to whom it is reserved and not of visible members onely Thus upon the first verse Vâ—itur autem hoc verbo August contr Par. lib. 3. cap. 2. It cannot be an healthfull reproving by many but when he that is reproved hath no number to take his part But if the same disease hath possessed many the good have nothing left for them to doe but to sorrow mourne ut ostendat discrimen inter perpetuos Ecclesiae cives 〈◊〉 inquilinos seu hypocritas qui ad tempus sunt illis permisti Hi enim etiamsi venditent se pro veris Ecclesiae membris externâ prefessione observatione rituum tamen quia verâ solidâ pietate carent varijs sordibus sunt polluti tandem judicio divino separabuntur à veris Ecclesiae membris And in his third observation upon the first Verse Quia saepè contingit Ecclesiam Dei multis inquinamentis deforment cernere ne quis ad hoc scandalum impingat discrimen constituendum est inter perpetuos Ecclesiae cives inquilinos qui ad tempus sunt illis permisti Damnandi igitur sunt Anabaptisti qui non putant veram esse Ecclesiam quae vitia quaedane tolerare cogitur If this be not sufficient see what he hath upon the fifth Verse And his observations upon the first and fifth Verses But what you alledge out of him I cannot finde Mr. Beza hath that which you cite out of him but he meaneth nothing lesse than that a Christian should separate from the Church and ordinances of grace because ungodly men are suffered which should be removed but are not Bezae Annot. Major in Act. 2.40 In his Major Annotations he explaineth himselfe thus Expresse usus est hoc verbo Lucas Bezae epist 2. pag. 28 29. Nec enim ut ritè ad caenam accedam ut scrutandum est mihi quâ quisque conscientiâ ad eam mecum accedat sed de meâ ipsius conscientia mihi laborandum est It aque cum Adulteris cum Homicidis et cum sceleratisstmis quibusvis medò nulla meâ culpâ tales sint si ad caenam castus sceleris puras accessero nihil illoruÌ„ impuritas mihi nocuerit Et quod de moribus duo etiam de doctrina dico quod interdum nec pastores satis puraÌ„ tradunt nec auditores satis recte percipiunt Dicam etiaÌ„ amplius si vel Turcam vel JudeuÌ„ Past or quispiaÌ„ sive prudenter sive imprudenter admitteret tota illius facti culpa in illum recideret nec ego propterea ouÌ„ctanter ad meÌ„sam Domini accesserò c. ut ostenderet ipsarum animarum salutem positam esse in discessione à prophanorum caetibus But the Church of God wherein prophane persons are suffered to abide is not the congregation of prophane men in Mr. Beza's judgement from which we must depart Let this or that be faultily done or pretermitted of some saith he are they not therefore Christians or to be esteemed brethren But they will say This is at least to communicate in their sinne nay this confequence is most false For if I come prepared to the Supper I am not to search with what conscience any man doth come to it with me but I must take care of mine owne conscience Therefore if I come to the Supper chaste and free from wickednesse though I communicate with adulterers with murderers and with most wicked wretches so they be such by no fault of mine their impuritie shall not hurt me And what I speake of manners I also say of doctrine which sometimes the Pastours doe not purely deliver nor the hearers receive well and holily I will say more if some Pastour either ignorantly or advisedly should admit a Jew or Turke the whole fault of that fact shall fall upon him and I would not come no more slackly to the Table of the Lord because his impure conscience so I be without fault doth not pollute mine which is pure and that very Supper is pure to me which that impure person prophaneth Thus Beza And this may be shewed to be the constant judgement of all orthodox Divines not parties in this case and it is a thing so well knowne that it is superfluous labour to examine the rest particularly And here let it be noted That it is usuall to define the Church by the better part by the true and living chiefe principall and perpetuall members partakers of the royalties and liberties of the catholike Church knit unto Christ quickned by the Spirit heires of salvation one
maintained Fourthly In the true Church of Christ the true doctrine of Jesus Christ the Prophets and Apostles in matters fundamentall is kept but so as the living members may erre both in doctrine and manners and others in societie with them may erre grossely impenitently finally And thus the Church of England doth keepe the doctrine of w Chaloner Credo Sanct. 2 part subject The church in respect of its outward part as it enters the Creed is not onely an outward profession of a doctrine or discipline but a profession of the same under the notion of truth And that the Church in this sense is invisible Gregory de Valent. confes in his third Tom. upō Thomas disp 1 qu. 1. pag. 7. sect 16. and Bellarm in his third Book de Eccles ca. 15. Bilson Christ subject par 3. pag. 305. The visible Church consisting of good and bad elect reprobate hath no such promise but shee may erre only the chosen of christ which are the true members of his body properly called his Church they shall not erre unto perdition c. Christ the Prophets and Apostles intirely without addition or alteration though in the government and administration there be many things amisse though in the societie there be many who be not qualified as sheepe humble and meeke but fierce and cruell Fifthly No societie is the Church of Christ which retaineth not the true worship of God but in the true Church of God his pure worship may be stained with rites and ceremonies which might well be spared and are justly disliked Thus both Conformists and Nonconformists and all other sorts and sects of men And thus in the Church of England the true worship of God is for substance rightly maintained though the Nonconformists dislike and the Conformists groane under some ceremonies not abandoned The onely knot here to be unloosed againe is your slander against the Nonconformists in that you charge them to say that the Church of England doth not retaine the true worship of God And now I shall desire you calmely to consider how according to your principles you can untie a knot or two if they should be knit for you in this wise First He is no true Pastor of Jesus Christ who grossely perverteth the Scripture falsifieth Authors deceiveth with aequivocations condemneth the true worship of God as pernicious idolatrie and the x Jewell upon the first to the Thes chap. 1. v. 1. The Church of God is in God the Father and in the Lord Iesus Christ it is the company of the faithfull whom God hath gathered together in Christ by his Word and by the holy Ghost to honour him as he himselfe hath appointed This Church heareth the voyce of the Shepheard It will not follow a stranger but flyeth from him Of this Church Hieron in Mic. lib. 1. cap. 1. saith Ecclesia Christi in toto orbe Ecclesias possidens c. societies of Saints as idolatrous and Antichristian Assemblies and laboureth to draw Christians from the communion of Saints which ought to be kept and maintained Examine your writings in the feare of God and adde the proposition wanting Secondly He is no true Minister who derives his authoritie from them that are not able to give it But he that derives his authoritie from the people derives it from them that have no authoritie to give it You know the conclusion and where it will light Thirdly The true Church of God is the true flock of Christ the Kings Daughter quickened by the Spirit married unto Christ gentle meeke humble retaining the true worship of God without addition or alteration and keeping the unitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace But the societie of Separatists is not the true flocke of Christ quickned by the Spirit humble meeke gentle keeping the unitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace These properties doe not agree to all and every one in that societie in truth according as in the former propositions you say they belong to the true Church of God If you shall be able to maintaine the former propositions against men as you vaunt I doe not beleeve you shall be able to unloose these few knots CHAP. V. SECT I. IT may be some will expect that I should write something of their Lecturers Can. Neces of Separat pag. 49 50. and the rather because they in the judgement of many are thought to be the best Ministers Of their life and doctrine I say nothing But as for their Ministery surely it is new and strange For the Originall of their name manner of entrance and Administration is unknowne wholly to the Scriptures and I thinke never before heard of till in these latter broken and confused times Therefore it is no marvell when the Question hath beene propounded to some of them as it was by the Pharisees to John Who art thou That they have not been able for their life to answer to answer the point Neither could agree among themselves what kinde of Ministery it is that they have taken up And being hard pressed for resolution they have ingenuously confessed that unlesse they be Evangelists they could not see how their Ministery doth accord with any Ministery mentioned in the New Testament This I write upon my owne certain knowledge the persons I thinke are yet living whose names for some reason I forbeare to expresse Howbeit I can and will doe it if I see there be a just and necessary occasion I doe not thinke it strange that they should thus speake for indeed I know not what they can say better in defence of their standing Pastours I am sure they will not say they are For First They doe not take any particular charge of a flocke upon them Secondly They performe not the office thereof for they agree with the people onely to preach and not to administer either the seales or censures to them Thirdly Their comming unto the people is in a strange sort for they make a covenant each with other for some certaine yeares and when that time is out both parties are free and so may leave one the other and doe many times but a true Pastour may not doe so For if he should he were worse than an hireling which leaves not the sheepe till he see the Wolfe comming But many of these when they see a richer Lectureship comming towards them Fourthly He that is a Parson or Vicar is taken generally for the Minister of the place And truely howsoever their calling be false and Anttchristian as the Nonconformists say yet in many respects they doe better resemble a true Minister than any Lecturer whatsoever Therefore not without just cause Neces of Discipl pag. 74. doe the Reformists utterly condemne this extraordinary office of Preachers And affirme that they are neither Pastours nor Teachers which the Scripture alloweth of ANSVVER THis point concerning Lecturers I have purposely deferred unto this place because it is distinct from the former in your apprehension
and in this you doe not pretend the Nonconformists principles as you did in the former The exceptions also which you take against them are not in respect of gifts learning or diligence nor that they are brought into the Church by Antichrist but chiefly in respect of the office and Ministery it selfe That which you object concerning the name that it is new as you doe before against Parsons Vicars and Curates that they are Popish is too slight to be insisted upon For these and divers other names or titles given to the Preachers of the Word doe not note different Ministeries for substance and kinde but different accidents whereby the Ministers are distinguished and sometimes the employment whereabout they are principally exercised But the Ministery which is exercised under those names is for substance one and the same which Christ hath appointed and set his Church If any man hath not been able to answer this Question when it hath been propounded what kinde of Ministery the Lecturers have taken up it was from his weaknesse not from the difficultie of the matter And this is no marvaile seeing many Questions seeme Riddles to you which very easily untie themselves or be knit in conceit onely As to the Papists many Questions touching the certaintie of our Religion the calling of our Ministers the continuance of the faith seeming indissoluble which a true hearted Christian can quickly dissolve But you write upon certaine knowledge that some have ingenuously confessed that unlesse they be Evangelists they could not see how their Ministery doth accord with any Ministery mentioned in the New Testament I am not so diffident as to distrust every word that is spoken nor must I be so simple as to beleeve every thing In the quoting of mens words in writing and giving the sense of them I finde you trip so often ignorantly or upon set purpose and so many times to quote that as making for you which is as direct against you as can be spoken that without breach of charitie I may suspect some such thing in this particular either that you mistooke their meaning or misrelate their words or set downe your owne consequence for their position or the like Instances of your mistaking enough hath beene formerly mentioned in this very place there be two of no small note nor hard to be disproved First you say The Nonconformists condemne the calling of Parsons and Vicars their office you meane as false and Antichristian But their practice and profession both doth evidence the contrary to the whole world as hath beene shewed And if you will mistake their writings so palpably and againe and againe affirme them from their writings what is not there to be found but is direct contrary to their judgement writing and practice how can we beleeve that you truely report their words Secondly you say The Reformists doe utterly condemne this extraordinary office of Preachers Lecturers you understand by extraordinary Preachers but extraordinary they are not either in respect of their calling or the worke wherein they are imployed And the Nonconformists are so farre from condemning that office that it is well knowne many if not the greatest part of them had none other calling or office in the Church And I presume every reasonable man will conceive it an unlikely thing that so many godly and learned men suffering many and great troubles against other abuses should choose to live in such a calling against the light of their conscience Can. Neces of â—parat pag. 〈◊〉 210. 2â—3 If Dr. And 〈◊〉 not boasted of 〈◊〉 mans booke c. Id. pag. 224 This is the booke which Mr. Paget upbraids us with Arr. against Separat pag. 38. And you know some have maintained whose judgement therein and workes are approved by others of the same ranke That the Ministery of godly Preachers and so of Lecturers in the Church of England in all substantiall and essentiall parts is that very Ministery which Christ hath instituted and ordained in the New Testament and which he hath blessed for the gathering and building forward of his Church in faith and holinesse It is not then the common judgement of the Reformists nor the private opinion of any particular man of that minde that I have seene or heard of that the office or calling of a Lecturer is utterly to be condemned Who the Author is or what the worke which you quote entituled The Necessitie of Discipline I know not nor what he saith Perhaps you alledge him as you have done others wrongfully It may be he speakes of some circumstances not of the substance of the calling If he goe any further it is his private conceit and must not be imputed to the Reformists as you stile them We neede not here dispute of the difference betwixt the Pastour and the Teacher nor to enquire whether of these they are to be esteemed untill the difference betwixt them be exactly defined and substantially proved If for substance of Ministery they doe the worke of the Lord Jesus and by his approbation this sufficeth First then here it is to be noted that the Officers of the Church are not so distinguished by heir speciall limits and bounds but the superiour may doe the office of the rest if necessitie require As if the societie be small meet Officers cannot be had or be wanting for a time or taken away by death The Pastour may supply the roome of the Teacher Elder or Deacon that is he may teach watch over the manners of the people and take speciall care of the poore as the Apostles did for a time Secondly If the Pastour be aged weake sickly unable to beare the burden of his charge alone he may take unto him with consent of the societie and colledge Ecclesiasticall Assisters or Helpers Videl in Ignat ad Mariam exercit 3. Vt tam praesentes in urbe sublevarentur quam ut absentibus ipsis Ecclesiae pastoribus destituta non esset delegerunt scil Apostoli sibi coadjutores Quod nominatim ex Epiphanio heres Sozom. hist lib. 2. cap. 19. Euseb lib. 6. ca. 10. Gr. 27. apparet Tales fuerunt hi tres Clemens Linus Cletus Aut ut noster Author ait Anacletus So Maximus helped Macarius untill his death and Augustine Valerius And if the Pastour be carelesse or negligent it is lawfull for the people to provide for themselves by the best meanes that they can or God is pleased to afford unto them that they might be taught and instructed in the wayes of holinesse Thirdly Pastours are to feede the flocke committed unto their care yet so as many Pastours may be set over one flock which they must feede in common And to this purpose some write A dispute par 3. cap. 8. pag. 170. that the Apostolique and Primitive times knew neither Parishionall nor Diocesan Churches but Christians lived then in Cities onely not in Villages because of the persecution Act. 20.27 28. Phil. 1.1 1 Thes 5.12 Act.
13.2 15.2 Col. 4.11 Iames 5.14 Epiphan haeres 27. Ignat. ad Tralleus Sozom. li. 4. ca. 14. Euseb hist lib. 6. cap. 10 11. Gr. ca. 9. lat Gratian. Decret part 2. cap 7. qu. 1. can 12. And it is to be remembred that in Rome Corinth Ephesus Philippi Colosse Thessalonica and such other Cities inhabited by Christians there were more Pastours than one which did in common governe all the Churches within that Citie and there was not any one Pastour who by himselfe governed a certaine part of the Citie peculiarly assigned to his charge Thus also the Ancients write that Peter and Paul were the first Bishops and Apostles at Rome Paul had Linus and Timothy Peter Clemens and Anacletus Liberius and Felix both governed the Apostolicall Seat Valerius and Augustine Narcissus and Alexander in the Church of Hippo. It is apparent the Apostles ordained many Overseers in one societie and it is not repugnant either to Scripture or reason to thinke there might be many Pastours of one flocke And the flocke might be one under the joynt care of many Shepheards Bilson perpet Gover ca. 10. pa. 155. Every church with them had many Prophets Pastours and Teachers the number and neede of the people and time so requiring T. C. repl l. pa. 34. though they did not ordinarily meete together in one place For to assemble together in one place is meerely accidentall to the unitie of a societie Certaine it is in times of persecution they cannot so meete and it is most probable in the Apostles times many Churches were too populous in that manner to assemble together Those that know the state of France in time of persecution doe well understand that every Church almost was gathered of Townes whereof some were six miles some seven some more from the place of meeting and keeping their Congregations And therefore could not meete so often nor know one another so well as we by the grace of God may doe Fourthly No one Pastour or Teacher hath the power of the censures belonging unto him and whether the power of dispensing the Seales belong to every Minister of the Gospell I leave it to your consideration for I know not what you will resolve but the actuall dispensation of the Seales may be forborne by some to whom the right of dispencing doth appertaine specially when there be others at hand to doe that office The Apostles had power to baptize 1 Cor. 1.14 15 16. Can. Neces of Separat pag. 236. but we may well thinke they did not ordinarily baptize themselves It is possible you say a man may be a true Ecclesiasticall Officer and yet never doe the services thereof Fifthly The Minister of the Gospell is not made absolutely a Minister by the choice or election of this or that people but onely their Minister for the time of his abode and continuance with them Lay these things together and then your exceptions against the office of Lecturers will vanish For if they have not the chiefe charge or cure of soules they be not sole Pastours or Teachers of the flocke but joyned in care or charge with others as Helpers or Assistants or chosen by the people to supply the want of such as should but doe not feed the flocke If they dispence not the Seales neither is that necessary in respect of their standing for right and power from Christ they have to dispence them but in the execution of that power they may be hindred or forbeare it for a time If they leave their place being lawfully called to another flocke it may be with consent of the societie and of the Church and what then doth make it unlawfull or if the charge should be unlawfull it doth not make the Ministery strange or new which is the thing in question SECT II. THat Ministery which is instituted and set up besides those which God hath appointed in his Word Neces of Separat pag. 51 52. is unlawfull and false But the Ministery of Lecturers in England is instituted and set beside these which God hath appointed in his Word Therefore that Ministery is unlawfull and false The proposition is plaine and undeniable and we have their owne words to confirme it For thus they say All the Ministery is by the Word of God and not left to the will of man to devise at their pleasure as appeareth by that which is noted of John where the Pharisees comming to him after that he had denied to be either Christ or Elias or another Prophet conclude if he be neither Christ nor Elias nor of the Prophets why baptizest thou Which had been no good argument if John might have been of other function than of those which were ordinary in the Church T. C. repl 1. pa. 62 63. and instituted of God c. Againe to devise another Ministery than that which God hath appointed is condemned by the second Commandement The Assumption is thus proved First if their Lecturers have taken ordination from the Bishops and exercise by that power onely then is their office false by the reasons before laid downe Secondly If it be objected that they never received the Prelates orders or have repented thereof I answer This proves not that they are therefore true Ministers For as Jehu though he did well to suppresse Ahabs idolatrie yet in that he followed the wayes of Jeroboam he himselfe continued still a grosse Idolater Even so howsoever some may privately report that they stand Ministers by no relation to the Bishops yet are they notwithstanding unlawfull Ministers seeing they were never elected chosen ordained according to Gods Word If any reply that they have their calling of the people I answer the thing is surely otherwise as shall be manifested presently But if this were granted yet I deny that any Church under heaven hath power from Christ to ordaine such a kinde of Ministery and therefore if any people should doe it seeing it is against the Scripture it must needs follow that it is an unlawfull Ministery and so consequently not to be communicated with ANSVVER YOu are strangely taken with this note for you have brought nothing but a bare repetition of what you have said over and over If you speake of the substantiall and essentiall parts of the Ministery it is freely granted that the true Ministery is by the word of God and heavenly But if you extend it to every circumstantiall order whereby in this or that Societie the Minister is to execute the function he hath received of God it is not approved But of this you need not to have made so many words To your assumption answer hath been returned already First That the Ministers of the Gospell receive their office and authoritie neither from the Bishop Patron people or Colledge Ecclesiasticall but from Christ immediately whose servants they are in whose name they minister whose flocke they attend and who hath assigned them their worke And if you receive your Ministery from the people as
the reformed Churches have made cannot be ignorant thereof If to come out of Babylon then had beene to remove from all false assemblies as you glosse it it was necessarie the commandement had beene given much sooner or the faithfull should have departed without leave or commandement from God I might say to you in your owne words CAN Stay §. 15 pag. 135 This is to gratifie the errour of Montanus who professed that he knew more than the Apostles For the Apostles knew nothing of our removing from all false assemblies as you understand it and covenauting together to walke in all Gods wayes and serve God among themselves If this had beene knowne to John when hee foretold the Apostasie from the faith and the rising of the great Whore he would have made more haste to warne the faithfull to bee gone out of the Churches and to have withdrawn themselvs it being a matter of such weight and importance and so needfull to be done divers hundred years before it was ever once thought upon When the words of a Text are plaine a gree with the circumstances of the place the analogie of faith and other Scriptures for men then to leave the native sense and to force a sense contrary to that the letter expresseth it is to wrest the Scriptures as you say and not to expound them by the true rules and Canons of Divinitie CAN Stay § 15 p 135. Rev. 18.2 3. Exite ab ea pâ—puâ—â— mâ— At agit angelus de Babylone mylica de synagaga nempe Romana quae ipsa fidei Evangelit sundamenta corrasit Park de polit Ecâ—â— l. 1. c. 14. Lay this rule to the present interpretation which you make of this passage in Scripture and whomsoever you accuse you shall finde your self to be a perverter of Scripture in degree farre above him For your interpretation is contrary to the scope and drift of the place the rules of faith and consent of other Scriptures It speakes not of leaving all administrations in false Churches as you speake oâ— false administrations and false Churches but of separation from spirituall Babylon which was the habitation of Divels and cage of every uncleane spirit and of every uncleane and hatefull bird which cannot bee said of all administrations which you are pleased to accuse as false If it may be spare your words and let us heare your reasons for if they be ought they will carry more weight A devised constitution you say is an Idoll Whitak de pontif Rom. cont 4. qu 2. p. 146. Si semel ea consuetudo aut lex obtinuerit in Theologia ut liberum sit cuivis distinctiones comminisci nihil in omni religione certum fixumque remanebiâ— Quis enim non eo modo quid vis labefactare poterit Eaplorandae ergo distinctiones dil genlius â judic ndae sunt eaque magni facienda est regula nullas in in Theologia probandas esse distinctiones nisi quae aperâ—is Scripturarum locâ—s nitantur and all that comes from it is tainted with the idolatry of that constitution You will say it is a false Church constitution if the Minister bee not chosen and ordained by the congregation alone where he is to administer if a man be received into the societie who is not a visible Saint if any idle ignorant carelesse scandalons corrupt usurping Minister be chosen ordained or suffered if any notorious or scandalous person bee admitted to the ordinances if any stinted Liturgie or forme of Catechising administration or prayer be used with sundry the like which in your esteem are arguments of false constitutions Churches Ministerie and Worship Now tell us plainly is every such Church-constitution an Idoll and that which is done in these Societies unholy and uncleane If so then there was never any one age wherein the Church-constitution was not an Idoll and the worship of God performed in that Societie leprous uncleane poysoned with Idolatry The Temple sanctified the Gold and the Altar the offering but the Temple and Altar are not types and figures of externall Church-constitution Where doe you read this in the Law or the Prophets c. And if you read it not how dare you affirme it Besides Lev. 16.20 Num. 7 10. 1 Reg. 8.63 the sanctification of the oblations depended upon one Temple and Altar therein yet so as both Temple and Altar were sanctified by the offering But if we may speake as you doe A devised constitution is twofold 1 Absolute and in every respect when neither Doctrine Ordinances office or persons are of God and this constitution is altogether false a nullitie an Idoll if you please so to call it 2 In part corrupt maimed defective but having something of God and that which is done in such a constitution is not false a nullitie tainted with the idolatry of the constitution This distinction is neither devised strange nor new but that which hath ever more beene acknowledged in the Church of God and is manifest in Scripture if wee take the word devised constitution as this Author doth For Heretikes and Schismatikes though they be not of the speciall number of them that hold the intire profession of divine truth in unitie and in that respect be a false constitution yet as they professe the truth of God revealed in Christ though maimedly or in part only and as they administer the ordinances or Sacraments of God that which they doe is not a meere nullitie Heresie is Idolatry and cannot beare children to God in that it is heresie but heretikes * See D. Feild of the Church l. 1. c. 14. Aug. de Bapt. cont Donat. l. 1. c. 10 See Chamier panst tom 2. l. 16 c. 4. Hieron ad Algasiam Antichristus sedebit in templo Dei vel Hie osolymis ut quidam putant vel in Ecclesiâ— ut verius arbitiamur 2 Thes 2.3 Whitak de poâ—â— Rom. cont 4. q. 5. p. 681. Licet Ecclesia papistica non sit vera ecclesia retinet tamea aliquas pâ—aerogativas reliquias ecclesiae Dei ergo diâ—i potest aliquo modo templâ— Dei misore prophanatum plus quam seâ—uiuâ—tiâ—â—m pene dirutum alque eversum c Habet illa eâ—clesia Scripturas eâ—sicerrupâ—as pâ—erisâ—ue ignotas tamen aliqui allas legunt intelligent hinc doctâ—â—â—am salutarem hauriuâ— Fst apud illos quoddam minisâ—eâ—ium aliqua verbi prad catio quae valet sine dubio nonnâ—llisad saluteÌ„ est ibi baptismus quoad substantiam c. Calv. instit 4. c. 2. par 11 CAN Stay §. 15. p. 136. §. 7 p 93. may beare children to God in that they professe and practice that which Christians should and doe both professe and practise and have received that degree order office Ministery and calling which is holy by vertue whereof they doo administer the holy things of God The Church of Rome is a false constitution but baptisme administred in that Church is not idolatry nor a meere nullitie