whole body of the Congregation but I doubt you meane the execution of it which is to be inflicted not by all but by many 1 Cor. 5.3 2 Cor. 2.6 and so they are to admit of Infidels when they become Christians but those that are already baptized neede not such admittance The three and fortieth article You beleeve that a particular Church must trie their Officers gifts and then they may preach publickely and take upon them the charge of a Pastor but I doubt of it your answer is that when Christ gives ability to any they ought to improve it for their Masters advantage but I say it must be also in that place where their Master sets them or else they doe it for their owne advantage and not for his but you say if they be found false your Churches will not be corrupted by them but I say if children be left fatherlesse and have none to take care of them they will soone be corrupted and to say that you will not be corrupted and yet use no meanes to preserve your selves is but presumption like Peter who said that he would not deny his Master and yet tarried in the High Priests hall so your Church will not be corrupted and yet you take away those that are appointed to keepe you from corruption The sixe and fortieth article you beleeve that none must separate from a Church rightly constituted for corruptions that are in it but if you doe not dissemble you make it an article of your faith to beleeve your selves to be Schismatickes The nine and fortieth article You beleeve that you are bound to yeelde subjection to all civill Lawes made by the King and Parliament and yet you daily oppose Government The two and fiftieth article you beleeve that you have a conscience voyde of offence both towards God and towards man when as you cast off Gods Law in the worke of conversion Article 25 and mans law in Ecclesiasticall things Witnesse your setting up Churches without their authority these be your articles of faith then you saide you would beleeve all that is written by the Prophets and Apostles desiring to disclaime all heresies and opinions which are not after Christ But I charged you upon this promise of your owne and upon your generall promise together with your seven Churches to be as good as your word and not to dissemble in the very articles of your faith but when I had waited the full time appointed and saw no answer come I went to know the cause of it and he told me flatly that he would never write more unto me CHAP. II. Behold greater Abominations the Anabaptists maintained against me That the bodies of men consisting of flesh and bones is their Soules and that they have no other Secondly that the breath of men and beasts is their spirits and that it is immortall and liveth when their bodies are dead Thirdly They hold that in the resurrection the bodies both of men and beasts shall rise againe and their breath shall be infused againe into them TO these things I answer First That man hath two natures the one a Divine or spirituall substance like that of Angels adorned with divine faculties as the Understanding Judgement Reason Will Affection and Conscience the other part of man is humane being made of the foure Elements as all mortall creatures are and what casualties befall a beast may befall a man and man hath no preheminence above a beast for all is vanity Eccle. 3.19 but the soule spirit or heart of a Man that divine thing may be bound in the bundle of life 1 Sam. 25.29 being uncorruptible 1 Pet. 3.4 so then when the corruptible body dies the spirit depart from it and returnes to God that gave it Eccl. 12.7 Therefore when the Scripture calls this divine thing a Spirit distinctly it is for the most part to be understood of those principall faculties of it as the Understanding Reason and Judgement This is the spirit of your mind Ephes 4.23 because the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deepe things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 And when the Scripture distinctly calleth this divine thing the Heart it is to be understood the Conscience If thy heart condemne thee God is greater 1 Joh. 3.2 Davids heart smote him 2 Sam. 24.10 The Law written in the Heart or Conscience Rom. 2.15 And when that divine thing is called the Soule distinctly it is to be understood the Will and all the affections saith Paul We were willing to have parted unto you our owne soules because you were deare unto us 1 Thes 2.8 Hannah powred out her soule before the Lord 1 Sam. 1.15 Yet when that divine thing is called by any of those names it is to be understood the whole inward man although sometimes Spirit signifies the principall ruling faculties and by Soule is meant the Will and Affections that are to be regulated by them and so here is meant the Conscience as an officer in trust to see that this divine order be kept within us yet for substance it is the same thing although declared by severall faculties of it Now I shall prove that this divine thing the soule spirit or heart of man is not the body consisting of flesh and bones first from the immediate causes from whence they came and they differ thus we have fathers of the flesh and we give them reverence but God alone is the father of spirits Heb. 12.9 Numb 16.22.27.16 then although the fathers of our flesh begot our bodies yet saith the Lord all soules are mine Ezek. 18.4 for he formed the spirit of man within him Zaâ—h 12.1 and he gave it Eccles 12.7 then the soule is not the body Secondly the soule and body differ when they returne out of the world then the body returnes to dust from whence it came Gen. 3.19 and the spirit or soule returnes to God that gave it Thirdly when the separation is made the body dyes for it is appointed for all men once to dye Heb. 9.27 We must needes dye all and be as water spilt upon the ground 2 Sam. 14.14 but after death to Judgement When the body is dead the spirit of man goes upward Ecces 3.20 21. to a particular Judgement Then this living soule Gen. 2.7 this incorruptible heart of man goes before the Judge and receives either the sentence of absolution or of condemnation while the body is dead and at the resurrection when the bodies of all are raised and made capable to receive their finall estate then they shall be brought before the Judge to have the sentence passed upon them for it then if the soule can live and receive judgement when the body is dead then the soule is not the body Fourthly the body lives no longer then the soule is in it for when the soule of the childe was gone the body lay dead but when the soule came into him againe the Prophet said see thy sonne liveth 1 King 17.20 21 22 23. but to
have power c but I doubt of it you answer either the Church or the World must chuse them and which it is let the Scripture be judge this I grant that the Church representative or the Presbytery sent Iames and Iohn to Samaria Acts 8.14 and Paul and Barnabas another way Chap 13.3 but no man never did labour to gather to himselfe a Church neither did any Congregation separate themselves from the rest and claime this power to chuse officers out of their owne company but they brought them to the Apostles to ordaine them and to appoint or authorize them to their office Acts. 6.3.6 The Apostles laboured to gather disciples to the multitude having all an Interest in it as a common Presbytery so then there never was any single Congregation governed by it selfe though you make it an article of your faith to beleeve it The seven and thirtieth article You beleeve that you may take one of your sheepe and make him your shepherd but I doubt of it you answer that you know not where the Saints should find a Pastor if not among Church members but this I grant for we must chuse a Christian not a Iew or a Turke to be our Minister and we must take him out of the Church of England and so we doe when we take them out of the Schools of the Prophets the Universities for a Trades-man is placed by God otherwise and a man without humane learning ought not to meddle in it it is none of his businesse and hee ought not to meddle with other mens matters yet here you make it an article of your faith to beleeve that your Congregation may take one of themselves and make him their Pastor I grant that we may take a man of our coasts and set him up for a watchman Ezek. 33.2 But for you to take a sheep of your owne flocke and make him your shepheard having no ordination but from his fellow-sheepe you have no foundation in the scripture for this article of your faith The eight and thirtieth article You beleeve that the Ministers maintenance must be a voluntary contribution but I doubt of it your answer is that all acceptable service to God ought to be free whereof his servants maintenance is a part I answer it is true although the Ministers wages should be certaine yet it should be given freely and so we should freely pay all other debts and although it ought to be certaine yet this hinders not but we may be willing and doe it freely and so say this is a service to God I say it is no more to God then all other duties of the second table of the Law are which are to be done to men in conscience of obedience to God that commands it But the argument why the seven Churches will give the Minister what they list is this because it was Philemons voluntary contribution if he did any thing for his man Onesimus that had brake covenant with him and was ran away from him and Paul intreates him to use him kindely Phil. 14.18 But what is this to the Ministery Will it follow because a servant hath broke covenant and is run away from his Master and now what he doth for him is voluntarily that therefore a Congregation may do so with their faithfull Pastor that abideth with them Yet I confesse if a Pastor should doe with his flocke as Onesimus did with his Master be unfaithfull and runne away from them then let him stand to their voluntary contribution then here is but a weake foundation for this article The nine and thirtieth article You beleeve that baptisme must be dispensed onely to persons professing faith to disciples that are taught but this I doubt of you answer saying you beleeve all that Christ commanded and his servants preached to be truth in Gods worship which was to baptize such as beleeve but I say the Command of Christ was not to baptize them that beleeve but it was to teach baptizing all Nations and his servants practise was if the chiefe in any house beleeved Christ to be the Sonne of God they baptized all the family without any exception of Infants or servants for baptisme is the presse-money before they enter into the Christian warefare it is a Christians colors then shall any professe himselfe a souldier for Christ before he hath received his colours or his presse-money it were presumption for any to doe it and it is for want of wit in those that desire it so then professing is rather after then before baptisme unlesse you would have the Souldiers of Christ fight their warfare and then afterwards come for their presse-money The fortieth article You beleeve that this Ordinance must be dispensed by dipping or plunging which I doubt of you answer what Christ commands ought to be done without doubting this I grant but then you say that Christ commanded to baptize by plunging but I cannot finde it therefore I dare not give my faith to this article The one and fortieth article You beleeve that the persons designed by Christ to dispense this Ordinance are not officers in the Church onely but teaching Disciples this I doubt of but you answer that a Disciple did baptize but you know no officer except a Deacon that did baptize yet you deny not but they may but doe you not know that Paul the Apostle baptized Crispus and the houshold of Stephanus and the Jailor and all his But whose Disciple was he and the Deacon you speake of I suppose to be Philip but he was called to be an Evangelist and then he baptized the eunuch Acts. 8.21 It is there saith that he was one of those Deacons not that he is one still then your seven Churches would prove that Disciples may baptize from these scriptures Math. 26.26.28 Mark 16.17 John 4.12 Acts 20.7 But what if Christ called his Apostles Disciples in relation to his owne Personall Ministery will it follow that he sent them out Disciples if so then hee sent them out to be taught and baptized of all Nations but Christ ordained twelve and sent them out to preach and they were called Apostles before he sent them out Mark 3.14 6.30 Luke 6.13 But then he sought for baptisme in the old Testament and there he found that God saith binde the testimony and seale of the Law among my Disciples Isai 8.16 I answer if God binde the Law and seale the testimony among his Ministers then how dare these men to meddle with their Office The Preists lippes must keepe knowledge Mal. 2.7 The Law shall not perish from the Preist Jer. 18.18 Aaron and his sonnes shall keepe the Preists office Numb 1.50.53.18.1 Then by this proofe all but Ministers are barr'd from touching those holy things then how dare these men to meddle with that Office unlesse they were called of God and so lawfully placed in it The two and fortieth article you beleeve that the power to cast out and to receive in lies in the
church would not be in so safe a condition now as it was under the Old Testament Fourthly Kings and Queens must be as nursing fathers and mothers to the Church Esay 49.22 but shall Kings and Queens have no authority about the Church when they lend their power to assist it and shall fathers and mothers have no command in relation to the Church and shall nurses have no power to feed their children Jehoshophat sent Ministers to teach in Judah and sayth the Lord Cyrus is my sheepherd then shall not he defend the Church as a sheepherd doth his flock David fed them according to the integrity of his heart and guided them by the skilfulnesse of his hands Psal 78.72 but while the Lord looks for a man to make up the hedge Ezek. 22.30 and saith he shall be called the repairer of the breach Esay 58.12 In the meane time these men throw open the gap to the ravening lyon which shews how insufferable they are in any Christian Church yea they be but like vipers both to Church and State Fifthly Princes in Scripture are called Saviours to Sion and such are foretold to be in our dayes Obad. 21. But how can they be Saviours to our Church when they must neither command obedience nor punish those that oppose it but God commands to punish those that intise others to Idolatry Deut. 13.6 if they doe not they are guilty of other mens sins 1 Tim. 5.22 and they carry the Sword in vain Rom. 13.4 and God will have somthing against them for suffering Jezabel to seduce the servants of God and for suffering the doctrine of Baalam and the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which God hates Revel 2.14 15 20. The very Heathens will punish those that oppose their Religion and shall not Christian Magistrates doe as much for the true Religion as they doe for a false Religion Sixthly We are commanded to pray for Kings and all those in authority that we may leade a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlinesse 1 Tim. 2.3 But if they have no power in relation to the Church to command obedience and to punish the opposers of it then what a vain prayer would this be but hee that rules over men must bee just and not onely so but ruling in the feare of God 2 Sam. 23.3 I know sayth the Lord that Abraham my friend will command his houshold to doe judgment and justice Gen. 18. And we must obey for conscience sake Rom. 13.7 but not bringing the conscience in obedience to mans precepts but we must obey men in conscience of obedience unto God that commands it Tit. 3.1 Then let them take heed how they despise government But then because the Magistrates power is a burthen to this man and he would fain ease himselfe of it therefore he propounded some Queries 1 Hee would know whether the whole ground of the Jews worship for matter and forme was not in plain precepts and commandements and taught them by the Prophets as they had immediately received it of the Lord to this I grant affirmatively that it was so but then hee would know whether any Ruler Governour or King of Judah either did or lawfully might set up alter or change either matter or forme of that worship and to compel the people to obey it or to inflict a penalty upon any in case of disobedience I answer negatively that no King of Judah did or ought to set up alter or change either matter or forme of Gods publike worship yet the Kings of Judah both did and ought to command obedience to that matter and to that forme of publike worship that was set up and received from the Prophets as they received it from the Lord and also they both did and ought to punish those that were disobedient to that forme that was set up by the Lord as all those Scriptures before quoted witnesse and so our Magistrates may and ought to compell obedience to the outward forme of the worship of God in relation to the Church although their power be not in the Church or over the Church but onely assistant to the Church then they may command obedience to it and punish those that despise or abuse it yet I grant they never had nor shall have power to alter the forme or matter or to add any new matter to it nor take any matter from it this belongs to Christ alone the head and King of the Church but I say again that Magistrates have power to command outward obedience to that forme that Christ hath set up neither may the matter of any ordinance be taken away or changed or new inventions of our own added to them and so for the matter of the Sacraments wee must neither take away the bread nor the wine nor add any thing else and so likewise for the persons the subject matter of the Church they must be the seed of Abraham neither may a Turke be admitted unlesse hee will leave his Turkish Religion he is not fit matter for it yet all this hinders not but Christian Magistrates may command Christians being already in the Church to obedience and to punish those that are disobedient to the Church 2 He would know whether the Jews government now under the Gospel pertain to Gentiles any more then the matter and forme of the worship and if their government why not all both the Church and State and if all whether the neglect of any be not under the curse especially so much as is under the letter of the Law I answer the Jews Government both in Church and State as it was the Judiciall Law it ought to be obeyed of none but Jews onely and as much as their Law was but ceremoniall the matter was calves and lambs and the Altar and Temple and the forme was sacrifices and divers washings c. But now Christ the King of the Church is come hee â—ath taken away much of the matter and forme of their publike worship and now all Kings and Rulers being his deputies â—â—â—st give their power to the Church to defend that matter and forme that Christ the King of it hath set up and appointed to be thematter and forme of it but while hee pleads for the Jews matter and forme hee smells rank of Judaisme yet it is like the Jews when they are called may have their own positive Laws for their own Common-wealth as our positive Law is the Law of England But wee are no more bound to the Jews positive laws then they are bound to our positive Laws although those are written in the Word and ours are not but besides the ceremoniall law that ended by Christ and the Judiciall law that was made particularly for Jews they had also the eternall morall law and what their Magistrates did in obedience to that our Kings and Magistrates are bound to the same as well as they and it was in obedience to that law that they commanded uniformity in publike worship and punished the disobedient
and further I say that our positive laws binde our Magistrates and people as strongly being grounded on the morall law being the law of nature as the Jews positive laws bound them although theirs was written in the Word and ours are not Thirdly He would know whether the matter and forme of the worship of God under the Gospel lies not in as plain precepts and commandements as the matter and forme of the Jews worship and whether to urge and compell men to any other be not sin Here I shall first grant that the matter and forme now is in as plain precepts and commandements as the Jewes was and to compell men to any other is sin But here lies not our controversie for our Magistrates neither command other things then CHRIST hath appointed to bee the subject matter of the Church although themselves most abominably brought a Cat to the Sacrament Neither doe wee admit Infidels or Turks unlesse they leave their Religion and become Christians neither doe wee take away the bread or the wine or change them or add any thing else to them not doe we take away or change any other ordinance but themselves have cast away much of the subject matter of the Church being esteemed of them but as reprobates although many of them be the deare children of GOD unlesse they please then humours and they have cast away the Ordinance of singing of Psalmes and all family instructions admonitions prayers watchings over one another in love and building up one another in faith Thus they have almost cast aâ—â—y both matter and forme of the true visible Church when as they cannot taâ—e us as wanting any Ordinance nor of having any supersluous of our own devising Then if Magistrates should command any other matter or forme they would sinne in to doing yet it will not follow that when Magistrates command the same that CHRIST hath set up that then they should sinne The Lord said to Moses ' The Magistrate gather the people together both men women and children and the stranger that is within the gates that they may heare and that they may learne and feare the LORD thy GOD and observe to doe all the words of this Law Deut. 31.12 and saith Christ compell them to come in that my house may be filled Luke 14.23 then I hope it will not trouble your consciences to be compelled to heare the word which is the onely way to know the Covenant between God and Christ in our nature and when it is known it will bereceived They that know thy name will trust in thee Psal 9.10 yet the Magistrates will not command you to believe they are not Lords of your faith but they may be helpers of your joy but saith is the gift of GOD the Magistrate onely commands to come to the paths of wisdoms doors that we may be blessed Prov. 8.33 this is the way to come in to the Covenant of Christ the Lord of the Church and when this is done we need not make another Covenant with the members as they dâ—e at New England and if they were in Covenant with Christ as they pretend the members neede not make such soldering for a Christian hath right to all Churches as well as to one Church and needs not wayâ— for the members adâ—mttance although their Lordly pride besuch while they pretend humility that they will not allow of it Lastly he would know whether any people under heaven have power to frame the outward government of the Church so perfectly that it shall neither have sin nor failing in it iâ— not then saith he where is there power to command obedience to that which is sinful I answer It is true none have power to frame such a government that hath neither sin nor failings in it therefore the Parliament doth not take upon them to frame any government for the Church because as I said before their power is not in the Church nor over the Church but in relation to the Church as lending their power to assist it therefore they have called the assembly of Divines to search the Scripture to see what government Christ hath appointed for his Church who is the Lord and King of it then there businesse is onely to search this our and then the Parlinment by a positive Law of the Land will command that this government shall be observed and no other but when all the Assembly or the greatest part shall conclude upon one way of government and the Parliament hath established that Government by a Law of the Kingdom then I say although there shall be some failings in it yet it being as neer the rule as all our Divines upon diligent search can finde out and the Parlianâ—ent hath made it a Statute to bee observed it must bee obeyed and all those Scriptures and Reasons before alledged serve to confirme it and those that will not doe the Law of GOD and the Law of the King let judgement be executed speedily upon him whether it be to death or banishment confiscation of goods or imprisonment Ezra 7.25 26. and then it will be but a weake excuse to renounce a positive Law of the Land upon this ground saying It is not perfect without sin or failing therefore I will not obey it by this argument they may renounce all our Laws and Magistrates for no humane Ordinance nor Magistrate can be without sin or failing then by their argument both must be cast away and so live like sons of Belial without any government but this shews how unsufferable that faction is to be among Christians But suppose they should have free leave to frame their own government what they would have upon condition it should be confirmed by an act of Parliament I am confident they would not agree to have it done because they all seeke to have a gap open to turne to what Heresie they please This also shews how unsufferable they be amongst us But suppose they were willing to have such a government established as they should like of then I would know why a whole assembly of faithfull learned wise godly and pious men should be denyed that which they will grant to a few and some of them factious and others hereticall nay why will they not grant our Assembly so much as they grant to one single man who setteth up what government he pleaseth and they all freely obey him when he aymes at his own ends to gather Churches that he may vent his Heresie and faction which is a thing to be abhorred of all godly Christians being more enslaved to him then ever they were to the Prelates if they had but eyes â—o see it The meane time all may see how these men despise the Magistrates power in relation to the Church when they command obedience to it or punish the opposers of it FINIS