zealous of the Traditions of my Fathers In both these places the Apostle deliuereth one and the same thing but in different words which helpeth greatly to the vnderstanding of both In eyther of these places and in the words next following these Paul relateth his conuersion to the Christian Religion and calling to the office of an Apostle and in these words heere set downe he declareth his zeale before the time of his conuersion and calling to the Apostleshippe to the Iewish Religion and hatred to the Christian and the professours thereof This hatred hee setteth forth by an effect thereof to wit his persecuting I persecuted saith hee this way that is this Religion to wit the Christian Religion which now I embrace and professe As if he had said when I was of the Iewish Religion I persecuted this Religion whereof now I am and could not away with it Religion he termeth way and so doth hee vse it in Acts 24.14 After the way which they call Heresie so worshippe I the God of my Fathers It is likewise so taken in the 22. verse of the same Chapter and in diuers places besides And it is rightly called a way Because it only sheweth the way to saluation Also because that as he that is in a way goeth on therein and standeth not still so hee which is religious indeed standeth not at a stay Prou but is euery day more religious then other Being like vnto the light which shineth more and more vnto the perfect day I persecuted â—aâ—th hee this way why but hee could not persecute the Religion it selfe By these words then he vnderstandeâ—â— those 〈◊〉 were of this way or Religion meaning the 〈…〉 Râ—â—â—gion When then in this place of the Gaâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 former it is said that Saul persecuted the Châ—◠〈…〉 meaning is that hee persecuted th◠〈…〉 of men which professed the Christian Religion which heere is called the Church And so it is called twice in the 8. of the Acts. And at that time there was great persecution against the Church which was at Ierusalem that is the Christians there And a little after But Saul made hauocke of the Church That is of the professors of Christian Religion whereby we learne and that from the holy Ghost to define the true visible Church thus It is a company of people professing the Christian or true Religion or thus It is a company * To wit from the rest of the world Rom. 16.5.23 called out of the profession of Christian Religion And thus wee are to vnderstand many other places Greete the Church saith Paul that is in their house meaning by Church the professors of Christianity or Christian Religion And againe in the same place GAIVS mine hoste and of the whole Church that is of all the Christians saluteth you This word Church thus vnderstood is taken eyther largely or strictly largely for all men that throughout the whole world professe the Christian or true Religion as in 1. Cor. 10.32 Giue none offence neyther to the Iewes nor to the Grecians nor the Church of God that is nor to any of the Christians or people of God In the same sence it is vsed Act. 8.3 1. Cor. 15.9 Gal. 1.13 In which places it is said of Paul that he did persecute the Church of God that is them that professed the Christian Religion wheresoeuer he came And euen so it is vsed Act. 2.47 And the Lord added to the Church that is to them that embraced and professed the Christian Religion from day to day such as should be saued In this respect or sence we may say the visible Church is Catholike or vniuersall not tyed as sometimes it was to the Land of Iudah nor visible in one people alone as vnder the Law it was in the people of Israel But comprehendeth vnder it all Nations or people professing true religion being now visible in one country and now in another sometimes in a few sometimes in many Lord of Plessis of the Church c. 20. This vniuersall Church comprehendeth vnder her all the particular Churches gathered together in diuers Countries and sundry parts of the world the which likewise we cal Churches So learned men speake of the East Church and the West Church the Greek Church and the Latine Church In like manner say we at this day the Church of England the Church of Scotland the Church of France none of these or the like are Catholike or Vniuersall This is said after the very same sort as when we speake of some parts of the Ocean sea we call them the Sea as the South sea the North sea the Brittish sea c. And wee giue them all the name of Ocean although wee know that there is but one Ocean and not many of the which by these names we make many distinctions because it is but one vniforme body from which the vnity may bee distinguished but not diuided And so also must the vnity of the Church be acknowledged When therefore wee speake of all the Christians and professors of true religion in a Nation as in England Scotland France c. we may rightly say the Church of England the Church of Scotland the Church of France yea thus meaning we cannot properly and fitly say The Churches of England c. in the plurall number Thus you see what we call the Catholike or Vniuersall Visible Church euen the Congregation of all those that doe professe true Religion throughout the whole world distinguished as hath beene said into many particular Churches All which together make but one body And in this sence the word Church is diuers times vsed in the sacred Scriptures as partly appeareth before we call it Catholike because as one saith it is vbique diffusa spread euery where scattered farre and wide ouer all the world And visible it is said to be quia rationabilis because it is conceaueable by reason It is not so much seene with the eye though it be called visible quam intellectu mente ratione as with the vnderstanding the minde and the reason as is well said by one When this word Church is taken strictly and not in so large and generall sence as before it is vsed eyther more or lesse strictly when it is taken in the strictest signification and for the least company thereby is meant eyther the Gouernours of the Church and so it is vsed twice in one verse Matth. 18.17 If hee refuse to heare them tell it vnto the Church and if he refuse to heare the Church also let him be vnto thee as an Heathen man and a Publican Or all the Christians in a family or one house And so it is vsed in these places following Collos 4.15 1. Cor. 16.19 Philip. 2. and such like Salute Mimphas and the Church which is in his house Aquilla and Priscilla with the Church that is in their house salute you greatly in the Lord. To Archippus and to the Church that is in thine house Lesse strictly and
then it is taken for all that company which in a Citie Towne or Villages cohabiting professe the Christian or true Religion and doe ordinarily meet and ioyne together in the exercises of Religion This particular Church we call a Parish and being met together to ioyn in prayer in hearing of the Word and receiuing the Sacraments A Parish assembly which is a company of Christians dwelling in such a circuite as we call a Parish assembled in one place for religious exercise And in this sence is this word Church often taken in the new Testament and namely in these places following Rom. 16.1 1. Cor. 1.17 14.23 I commend vnto you Phebae our sister which is a seruant of the Church of Cenchrea As I teach euery where in euery Church As if a Minister of the Gospell should now say thus This is my opinion and so I teach euery where in euery Parish wheresoeuer I come If therefore when the whole Church is come together in one and all speake strange tongues there come in they that are vnlearned t is as if one should speak now when the whole Parish is come together Act. 14.23 and 27. And when they had ordained them Elders by election in euery Church that is as we say in euery Parish and prayed and fasted they commended them to the Lord. Behold then many Churches and one Church many particulars but one vniuersall Thus we see that the word Church in holy Writte is often taken for a company of men professing Christian Religion whether that company be great or small that is all one Sometimes in the Scripture the whole company of men that professed Christian Religion throughout the world that is the vniuersall Congregation of Christians is called a Church Of that company of Christians that ordinarily ioyned together in the exercises of Religion and sometimes the Christians that were of the same family And from hence by very good reason wee may well call all that professe Christian or true Religion in a Nation or all the Christians in a Nation the Church of that Nation whatsoeuer it be Let no man therefore hold that it is vnlawfull to say The Church of England the Church of Scotland c. as some of late haue done And thus much concerning the Church what it signifieth and what it is It remaineth that we be further instructed touching the visible Church that so we may the better know it and be able to discerne betweene a true visible Church and a false betwixt the Church of God and the Sinagogue of Satan That so to our further comfort or discomfort we may know to which of these we doe belong CHAP. IV. The visible Church is a mixt company compounded of Christians true and false the greatest part being the worst TO this purpose wee haue a very good place in the 11. of the Acts vers 26. And it came to passe that at Antiochia Barnabas and Saul were a whole yeer conuersant with the Church and taught much people in so much that the Disciples were first called Christians in Antiochia Where we may obserue that this word Church is explained by three diuers words People Disciples Christians By all which foure words the holy Ghost meaneth one and the same society For where it is said they taught much people it is all one as if it had beene said they taught the Church And in so much that the disciples in so much that the Church or they of the Church were first called Christians In that the Church is called a people we learne that one Disciple or Christian is not neyther can be called a Church But to that end there must be a company more or lesse as I haue noted in the beginning out of the signification of the word Secondly in that by the word Disciples is meant the Church and that by these two different words is meant one and the same company we learne that the Church visible is a people much or small hearing and learning those things which are taught them from God or seeming so to doe In a word that it is a company of Disciples whereof some few only are * Which bee they who yeelds obedience to the word of God Maâ—th 20.16 Proficients and doe learne aright the heauenly instructions the other being now Proficients or trewants yet comming to this Schoole of Christ doe only occupie a roome there according to that saying of Christ Many are called but few are chosen Last y in that the Church or they of the Church are called Christians and that by these two seuerall words the holy Ghost meaneth one and the same society we are taught that the visible Church is nothing else but a company of Christians which hath beene further confirmed by the former testimonies of holy Scripture and might be by more if need did so require Christians now are all they to be accounted who professe the Christian or true Religion A company of which make a Church as wee heare and these bee of two sorts Christians indeed and Christians in name onely Christians indeed be such who professing true Religion be withall religious indeed leading a religious holy life Or Christians indeed Iames 1.27 be they which partake with Christ in that holy anointing wherof the Apostle entreating of Christ speaketh in the first of the Hebrewes Verse 9. God euen thy God hath annointed thee with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes 2. Cor. 1.21 And to the Corinthians It is God which hath anointed vs who hath also sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts Such were those 5. Iohn speaketh of in his first Epistle Chap. 2.20.27 But yee haue an oyntment from that holy one And a little after But that anointing which ye receiued of him dwelleth in you and yee need not that any man teach you but as the same annoynting teacheth you of all things and it is true and not lying As if hee had said what it teacheth is true and no falshood or error in it which must needs be because it is the Spirit of truth and therefore breatheth and inspireth nothing into any but truth The Spirit of God and of Christ that leadeth all them which haue it into all truth needfull to be knowne to saluation dwelleth in all these Christians so as hee that wanteth this spirit is no true Christian Rom. 8.9 According to that of PAVL If any man haue not the Spirit of Christ the same is not his From whence also it followes on the other side that he who hath Christ his Spirit and he only is Christs that is a member of Christ or true Christian As he only was a Iew which was one within Rom. 2.29 circumcised in the heart and in the spirit not only in the letter or circumcision done by the hand so hee onely is a Christian which is one within baptised with the holy Ghost and not alone with water 2.
SVMMARIE OF THE CHAPTERS THE FIRST BOOKE OF the Church triumphant and militant And sundry Titles in holy Scriptures given to the same specially to the Militant Church Chap. 1. pag 1. The Vse of the former doctrine Chap. 2. pag. 14. Of the Visible Church and the diverse acceptations of the Word Church Chap. 3. pag 20. The visible Church is a mixt companie compounded of Christians true and false the greatest part being the worst Chap. 4 pag 23. Of Religion what it is and how distinguished Chap 5. pag. 32. That the Profession of Religion maketh one a member of the visible Church Chap. 6. pag 3. That the Church of England is a true Church and our parish assemblies true visible Churches Chap. 7. pa. 41. THE SECOND BOOKE A Confutation of H. Barrow his description of a true visible Church Chap. 1. pag. 51. A confutation of another description of the true visible Church giuen by the Brownists Where much is said concerning the first gathering of a Church and commixture of good and bad in the Church Chap. 2. pag. 60. Of the matter and forme of the visible Church Chap. 3. pag. 161. Whether thc Couenant of life and saluation which God made with Abraham and his seede where made with the visible or inuisible Church Chap. 4. pag. 186. The titles which the Separists ascribe to the visible Church are to be vnderstood of the inuisible Church onely Chap. 5. pag. 197. The Churches of the Brownists by their owne doctrine are false churches and therefore men ought to separate and come out from among them Chap. 6. pag. 215. The controuersie betweene vs and the Brownists concerning religious communion is here debated Where is shewed First that wee may lawfully ioyne in diuine worship with them which are not members of the Church Secondly with the open wicked And that thereby neither the faithfull nor the holy things of God are polluted Chap. 7. pag. 217. The Arguments of the Brownists whereby they would proue our church to be a false church and the answere vnto them Chap 8. pag. 229. How the Separists to iustifie their separation from the Church of England doe shamefully peruert the holy Scriptures Chap. 9. pag. 257. THE FIRST BOOKE CHAP. I. Of the Church Triumphant and Militant and of the sundry titles in holy Scripture giuen to the same THe word in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated Church signifieth an assembly or company called out from other and in the new Testament thereby sometimes is meant The company of the Elect 1. Cor. 1.10 euen that whole company that God hath chosen and called and wil call out of mankind vnto the fellowship of Iesus Christ in him to haue life eternal And this is manifest by the fift to the Ephesians Husbands loue your wiues euen as Christ loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it 26. That he might sanctifie it and clense it by the washing of water through the Word 27. That hee might make it vnto himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinckle or any such thing but that it should bee holy and without blame And a little after No man euer hated his owne flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it Vers 29.32 euen as the Lord doth the Church And againe This is a great secret but I speake concerning Christ and concerning the Church All this must needs be vnderstood of all the Elect which society is foure times heere called the Church For first those which be heere called the Church Christ is said to Loue But on the Elect only Christs loue is set as on his spouse them alone hee nourisheth and cherisheth as a man doth his owne flesh The company of the Elect are meant therefore by the Church Againe it is said He gaue himselfe for the Church thereby also it is cleare by Church is meant onely and all the Elect sith for them alone and for all them he died and not for the reprobate And whereas Christ is said heere Iohn 17 9.20.25 compared with Iohn 10.27.28 Mat. 25.33.34 to sanctifie the Church and cleanse it c. And the Elect only be thus sanctified and clensed this sanctification being begunne onely in them in this life and perfected in them alone in the world to come at which time they shal be without spot or wrinkle their vile bodies being made like to Christ his glorious body and their sinfull soules like to his most holy and glorious soule and so a most glorious Church or company it followeth necessarily thereupon that by Church heere the holy Ghost meaneth the congregation of the Elect which is that we call the inuisible Church and not the visible Church which consisteth as well of Reprobate Matth. 16.8 as Elect as the Separists will haue it Of the inuisible Church also our Sauiour Christ speaketh vnto Peter saying Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke I will build my Church By him vnderstood Christ Iesus and the gates of hell shall not ouercome it Meaning that in him and vpon him the Elect whom heere hee calleth his Church should bee so rooted and grounded that no enemies no not Angels Principalities nor Powers with all their power and subtiltie should be able to preuaile against them or any of them But the visible Church is and hath beene from time to time shaked and battered in her parts yea sometimes made euen with the ground Of it therefore this Scripture cannot bee vnderstood as some affirme but of the inuisible which is nothing else but the communion of Saints that are and shall be Of the Church we haue againe a description together with a distribution in the 12. to the Hebrewes where Vers 22. for the better vnderstanding of the Doctrine we haue in hand wee may obserue the seuerall titles that bee giuen vnto it First it is called the Citie of the liuing God Rom. 12.2 because they of this society when they be called liue not after the lawes customes and manners of this world whereof they bee not though they be in it but are therein as foriners and strangers but after the lawes statutes and ordinances of God set downe in his word Iohn 15.19 17.14 1 Pet. 2.11 Psal 119.1.2 so that in life and conuersation they differ from other men yea from that themselues did sometime leade Secondly it is called the celestiall Ierusalem as whereof that earthly Ierusalem was a figure Also because the Citizens of this Citie seeke those things which are aboue Col. 3.1.2 setting their affections chiefely on heauenly things not minding in the first places earthly things as they doe whose portion is this world Phil. 3.19.20 Psal 119.57 and not God And thus as they of this fellowship are cleane changed and differ from all other in outward carriage and from that themselues were before so in inward affection and disposition Thirdly it is called the Church of the first borne because they are that company which was figured by
Tim. 3.5 Iohn 8.12 Christians in name or false Christians be they who professing true Religion or godlines haue denied the power thereof Or professing Christianity 1. Iohn 3.3 Rom. 2.28 and themselues to be Christians walke not as Christ after whom they are called walked As Paul saith He is not a Iew which is one outward circumcised only in the flesh so say I hee is not a Christian who is one outward Baptised alone with water And as in the same place the Apostle saith thus of one and the same man Thou art a Iew and yet thou art not a Iew A Iew before men but not a Iew before God So may we say of these men that they are Christians and yet are not Christians Christâ—ans before and in the reputation of men and yet not Christians before God and in his account A little before Rom. 2.17 to these kind of Iews the same Apostle speaketh thus Behold thou art called a Iew and restest in the law and gloriest in God 18. and knowest his will and triest the things that dissent from it in that thou art instructed by the Law 19. and perswadest thy selfe that thou art a guide of the blind a light of them which are in darknes c. Yet for as much saith he as thou breaking the law dishonorest God thou art no Iew. So to these I doe say yee are called Christians and glory in the Lord that hee is your God and yee are his people not Heathens or Infidels and seeme to your selues to know his will instructed by the Law and perswade your selues many good things of your selues yet for as much as through breaking of the Law yee dishonor God and cause his name and that holy Religion you doe professe to be blasphemed and euill spoken of you are indeed and truth and in the account of God who iudgeth according to truth no Christians All Christians of this kind be Hipocrites which of all people bee most hatefull to God Nay our Sauiour saith they bee Blasphemers Reuel 2.9 and 3.9 and therefore sinners in a very high degre I know the blasphemie of them which say they are Iewes and are not but the Sinagogue of Satan And marke how our Lord Iesus doth threaten these Hipocrites and deepe dissemblers with God and men in matters appertaining to God Behold I will make them of the Sinagogue of Satan which call themselues Iewes and are not but doe lye And heere we must remember that vsually the greatest part of the visible Church are Christians in name onely Hipocrites wicked and vngodly men reprobates which though they professe Christian Relâ—gion are in truth irreligious and though they professe holinesse are indeed prophane the lesser part of the visible Church hauing that faith in Christ that piety and holines whereof all make profession And this is confirmed by the parable of the seed The a This parable doth not onely teach that in euery place where the seed is sowen ordinâ—rily these foure different kinds of grouÌ„d are to be fouÌ„â— But besides that the greatest part of hearers and consequently of the visible Church is the worst field where this seed is sowen is the visible Church three parts wherof Iesus telleth vs is bad ground and only a fourth part good and fruitfull whereby our Sauiour teacheth vs that ordinarily the greatest part by ods and as it were three parts of foure in the Church visible be bad and vnfruitfull hearers like to the barren ground which is neere vnto b Hebr. 6.8 cursing whose end is to be burned and but a small part thereof good Wee may not vnderstand Christ iust according to the letter For as at sometimes and in some Churches there may be happily some more then a fourth part that receiue the seed of the Word into good and honest hearts where it taketh root downeward and bringeth forth fruit vpward so at other times and in some other Churches it may so fall out that nine parts thereof be bad and onely a tenth good nay why may not nineteene parts or more be naught and but the twentieth part good and yet be Churches of the Saints 1. Cor. 14.33 as Paul speaketh and so to bee called of the better part though it be farre lesse as a man is called a reasonable liuing creature Secondly this is manifest by that other speech of our Sauiour Many are called but few chosen Matth. 22.14 All that be and remaine vnder the voice and call of God that is the Ministery of the Word whereby God stretching forth his hands crieth aloud and calleth vpon the children of men that they would repent and beleeue and so bee saued bee of the visible Church Of this Church Christ telleth vs the number being great that yet few therin be good and such as shal be saued Me thinks that none of vnderstanding should deny that the former of these propositions Many are called is to be vnderstood of the visible Church and the latter But few are chosen of those of the inuisible Church who are in the visible This latter none will deny and the former is no lesse true which both the coherence or dependance of this verse with that which goeth before and also the very words doe euince and it is as if in more words it were thus said That society and company of men whom God the Father inuiteth to the Marriage of his Sonne to partake with him in his glory and the ioyes of the Kingdome of heauen is very great they be not a few but many to whom God maketh this offer and tender of saluation nay calleth vpon and is instant with them rising rarely and late first by Patriarkes then by Priests and Prophets afterwards by Apostles and their Successors Pastors and Teachers that they would be saued But in all ages among this great multitude of Iewes and Gentiles a few only be of Gods election and such as shall be saued Hereupon considering they who haue and enioy the external calling are the visible Church it followeth ineuitably that the most or greatest part of the visible Church are Reprobates such as are appointed to iust coÌ„demnation For if few in this great nuÌ„ber of the visible Church be elected many are reiected If now the most in the visible Church be reprobates then are they wicked and vngodly how holy a professioÌ„ soeuer they make This short speech Many are called but few are chosen our Lord vseth diuers times as Mat. 20.16 22.14 not so much for the certainty thereof as that we might the better learne and remember the same being iterated but chiefely that the faithfull might not bee offended and stumble at the multitude of the wicked and paucity of the godly in the Church seeing it is no new or strange thing but the very state and condition of the Church so as seldome or neuer it doth or can goe otherwise with the Church Wel and truely therefore saith a In Ecclesia etiam mali
are to be found in diuine worship Such was the Religion and worship of the Iewes when Christ was vpon the earth at which time contrary to Gods appointment they had two high Priests Annas and Caiphas And where the high Priests office was to continue during his life they now held it but for a yeere To say nothing of their exceeding great corruption in doctrine and manners yet was the Religion and worshippe of the Iewes at that time the onely true Religion and worshippe but not a pure Religion and worshippe The same is true of the Church of Corinthus of the Churches of Galatia and of the seuen Churches in Asia And such is the Religion we professe in England and the worshippe we giue to God a true but not a pure Religion and worship And of this kind also wee may assure our selues is the Religion of the Churches in Scotland in France in the Low-countries yea euen of all the reformed Churches in Christendome though not all corrupted in the same degree True Religion is corrupted lesse or more And that is according as in diuine worship is omitted more or lesse of those things which God hath appointed or added and mixed therewith more or lesse which God hath not commanded or both As when any thing in Diuine worship is wanting which God hath ordained it is not pure Religion and worship but corrupted though it may be a true Religion and worship so when with Diuine worship are mixed Quaere de circumstantiis loci temporis habitus gestus c. or thereunto added some ceremonies more or lesse and ordinances of mans deuising which we call humane inuentions Religion then and worship are thereby corrupted and cannot be said to be pure and vndefiled The reason whereof is because God hath not left it to the liberty and will of man to serue and worship him as hee pleaseth and thinketh good but as he alone will be worshipped so in that manner as he not man hath appointed and no otherwise Nothing is left heere to the wit and will of man he may neyther adde nor omit any thing a Deut. 12.32 and 4.2 Prou. 30.6 Whatsoeuer I command you take heed you doe it thou shalt not adde vnto it nor diminish from it Hence it came to passe that b Leuit. 10.1 a fire came out from the Lord and deuoured Nadab and Abihu euen for offering strange fire before the Lord which he had not commanded them And that the Lord did slay c 2. Sam. 6.16 Vzzah holding vp the Arke of God when it was shaken and in danger to fall Hereby the Lord did shew how highly he is offended with this corrupting and defiling of his worship To teach the sonnes of men to beware thereof Thus you see the difference betweene pure Religion and the pure worship of God and true religion and worship corrupted Also that a people may be of a true Religion and haue the true worship of God and so be a true Church and yet not of that Religion which is pure and vndefiled nor haue the sincere worship As one beleeuing in Christ is a true Christian though he hath many infirmities So a company professing true Religion is a true Church though it hath in it many corruptions and bee a pure Church As a man beleeuing in Christ though he ought to be free from all impurity of soule and body and abound in all grace as much as is possible is a true Christian notwithstanding he attaine not to this perfection but haue many infirmities so a Church or company of men professing true Religion though in the worship of God it should be free from all humane inuentions and haue all the ordinances of God as much as is possible notwithstanding it attaine not to this height of purity or perfection but haue therein many corruptions is neuerthelesse a true Church CHAP. VI. That the profession of true Religion maketh one a member of the visible Church HAuing now prepared and made a way to the Readers better vnderstanding I returne to my former description willing thee againe to remember that I doe not say that a visible Church is a company of people professing the pure Religion of God but a company professing true Religion Adde thereunto if you will and enioying a true worship of God though not a pure worship And heere fitly I may frame another description of the visible Church That it is a company of men enioying and submitting themselues to the true worship of God Let there be an assembly ioyned together in prayer in hearing the Word and in receiuing the Sacraments a Touching the substance therof though not in euery circumstance and in that purity which ought to be according to Christs institution and it is a true visible Church If thou wilt soundly vnderstand Christian Reader what a true visible Church is and be preserued from that errour and Schisme into which many of late haue fallen thou must carefully obserue and remember these two things First The difference betweene pure Religion and true Religion corrupted betwixt pure worship and true worship corrupted whereof we haue spoken Secondly That to the making or being of a member of the visible Church a profession of true Religion and an outward submission to true worship sufficeth From whence these conclusions doe follow First That an Assembly may be a true visible Church though it professe not the Religion that is pure and vndefiled nor liue vnder a pure and sincere worship of God but such as is partly impure and corrupted Secondly That a man may be of the true visible Church though he be not religious and godly but indeed and in truth irreligious and prophane so that he professe the true Religion And that such may be and are of the visible Church who only outwardly submit themselues to the true worship of God though they be not true worshippers and doe not worship God in Spirit and truth This profession of the true Religion and submission I speake of is all in all in this case It is that which giueth life and being to euery member vnited to his body so as whosoeuer maketh this profession and vseth this submission being knit to this body and not cut off by excommunication is in and of the visible Church The matter of this Church is a company of men not one but a company lesse or more And yet not a company of Angels or Spirits but of men The forme is the profession of true Religion or submission to the true worship of God As therfore it is in all other cases that where the matter and forme of a thing is there is the thing it selfe euen so it is in this particular Ainsw to Master Stone pag. 18. Mark 1.24 Act. 16.16 In a Pamphlet set forth by Master Ainsworth as it is reported against Master Stone we haue to the premises this answere That this profession is not wanting in the Sinagogue of Satan For saith
that which you doe from hence vsually collect and vrge against vs. CHAP. II. A confutation of another description of the true visible Church giuen by the Brownists Where much is said concerning the first gathering of a Church and commixture of good and bad in the Church BVt omitting this description of H. Barrowes wee will proceed to another of theirs laid downe in their Apologie Apologie 44. It is say they a company of people called and seperated from the world by the word of God and ioyned together by voluntary profession of the faith of Christ in the fellowship of the Gospell If this be a true description then whosoeuer is not called and seperated from the world by the word of God c. is not a member of the visible Church for of such a company so called and qualified it doth consist as you affirme But some not called and seperated from the world c. haue bin are and shall be of the vâ—sible Church as is euident by that which followeth this therfore is not a true description of the visible Church It is a company of people say you called by the word of God whereby you meane that by the power and force of the Word only in the Ministery and preaching therof men are brought to be of this societie that is of the visible Church and not by the call perswasion or commandement of the Magistrate or any mortall man And this you put downe in your description that thereby you might proue our Parish assemblies to bee no true but false visible Churches because in the beginning of Queene Elizabeths raigne the people then liuing were not called by the Word and gathered by the preaching thereof but all brought in at once by her commandement and proclamation Hereupon it is that in the former description of the visible Church they say It is a company gathered in the name of Christ Iesus And Master Iohnson applying this to vs saith We were neuer rightly gathered together according to Gods ordinance Defence of the Churches and Minist of Eng. 86. that is as heere he speaketh not called by the word of God meaning the preaching thereof as appeareth by his quotations of Scripture in the margent We answere If we speake of a Church when it is first planted I meane of a Nation when first it commeth to embrace and professe the Gospell and true Religion the people of such a Nation for a great part there of are called by the word of God before they come to be a visible Church By the power and truth of the Word and diuine maiestie shining euery where therein the children of men be brought to forsake their false Religion and worship and to ioyne together in the profession of true Religion whereby they become a visible Church And this is confirmed throughout the whole story of the Acts of the Apostles both in the conuersion of the Iewes or gathering visible Churches of them set downe in the nine first Chapters and likewise of the gentiles continuing from the beginning of the tenth Chapter to the latter end of that booke In the second of the Acts where mention is made of a great increase or addition to the visible Church that before that time was among the Iewes of about three thousand soules and in the fourth of the Acts of a further increase to about fiue thousand Act. 2.14 and 4.4 in both these places the meanes is specified whereby this was brought to passe and that is said to be the hearing and and receiuing of the word of God preached by Peter and other of the Apostles In the eight chapter of the Actes wee reade of a Church gathered in the Citie of Samaria by Philip his preaching Christ vnto them and in the eleuenth Chapter of the Acts of a great Church gathered by the preaching of certaine Prophets and Euangelists in Antiochia in Syria In a word where in the Acts we reade of the conuersion of a people to God as in Antiochia a Citie of Pisidia in Iconium Listra Derbe Philippi Thessalonica Berea Athens Corinthus and Rome in the same places we heare that they were called and the said visible Churches gathered by the preaching of the word But mark all these Churches were now first planted and these people newly conuerted from Iudaisme or Gentilisme that is eyther from the Iewish Religion or false Religion of the Gentiles to the Christian Religion In such a case to the gathering and beâ—ng of a Church the preaching of the Word is absolutely necessary so as without it a company of people cannot bee brought to be a Church But if we speake of a Church established or of a Country where for some time true Religion hath beene professed and God truly worshipped though sometimes interrupted broken off and discontinued which is our case then this holdeth not As vnder the Law both Iewes and Gentiles professing the Iewish religion by Circumcision so by Baptisme Christians vnder the Gospell are incorporated into the visible Church and made members thereof Are not the children of the faithfull by Baptisme receiued into the visible Church and thereby made members thereof And not by the call of the word the sound whereof many of them do not heare and if they doe they cannot vnderstand it And what letteth why some of these when they bee growen men may not thorough hypocrisie continue in the Church though in the hardnes of their hearts they neuer were affected and touched with the word many such hypocrites and hard-hearted men dead in their sinnes and trespasses and that haue consciences seared with a hot Iron haue euer beene are and shall be in the Church who neuer by the call of the word and power thereof would haue become members of the Church nor haue felt any touch that way but onely because they were borne and brought vp in the Church and not cast out either through the want of due execution of discipline or else through their deepe dissimulation and hypocrisie they being like painted tombes which appeare beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones and all filthinesse Surely it is not to be thought that Cain Ismael Esau with others that many of the fatte Bulls of Basan that many of those who in Israel killed the Prophets and stoned them which were sent vnto them that many of the Scribes and Pharisies were affected with the Word or so much as tasted of the power and sweetnes thereof and yet were they all of the visible Church How were these then called by the word of God Againe that without this call by the word men may come to be of the visible Church it is yet more euident by the scripture In the twelfth chapter of Exodus where mention is made of the departure of the Children of Israel out of Egypt it is said That a great multitude of sundry sorts of all people went out with them Verse 38. now all or most of these we may assure
the Church generations of Vipers Math. 3.7 12.34 23.33 who notwithstanding their shew and profession of holines are as full of malice and hatred towards the godly as a Viper of poison Moreouer where you say Thus the world and the Church betweene whom there hath beene perpetuall warre might soone be reconciled in this or such like speach by the world wee are to vnderstand the men of this world that is worldly minded men such as whose hearts and affections are set vpon this world and the things thereof whether they be in the Church or out of it and by Church the company of the faithfull members of the inuisible Church for these alone together with their head are meant by the Woman and her seed Betwixt these the World and Church thus taken is the warre or enmity you speake of foretold by God himselfe saying I will put enmity betweene thee and the woman Gen. 3.15 and betweene thy seed and her seed In stead hereof by World you vnderstand them that are without the Church and by Church the visible Church Whereby it appeares yâ—u speake you know not what such is your ignorance and rashnes Lastly say you if this be a lawfull and orderly course Counterpois 224. it is strange that Christ sent forth poore fisher-men to conuert soules by preaching and set not Princes to make Disciples by compulsion and penaltie We answere hee hath done both and this latter he hath done by giuing Kings to be nursing fathers and Queenes nursing mothers to his Church These by their authority compell men otherwise vnwilâ—ing to submit themselues to the outward worship of God whereby they come to be members of the Church or Disciples and so some of them by Preaching to be conuerted to God Thus the Magistrate in causing men to heare the Word helpeth forward and so herein is a nursing father the conuersion of soules by preaching You seeme to confound the conuerting of soules and the making of Disciples which are things different It is one thing to be turned and conuerted to God by true and vnfained repentance which is proper to the elect and inuisible Church and another to be a Disciple that is a Christian or professor of Christian Religion or member of the visible Church which is common to the reprobate with the elect There haue beene many Disciples whose soules were neuer conuerted by preaching Obiection But happely some of you will say we haue no example of this compulsion to the seruice of God in the new Testament not one in all the Actes of the Apostles where mention is made of the first planting or gathering of many Churches partly among the Iewes but chiefely the Gentiles All which were gathered onely by the Preaching of the word as your selfe haue formerly shewed and the gathering of none of them any way helped or furthered by the Commaundement and authoritie of the Magistrate Answere I answere Must all points of Religion and all Christian doctrine needes be confirmed and exemplified out of the new Testament Then the Scripture of the old Testament serueth not for probation but for some inferiour vses as to illustrate amplifie c. And who knoweth not that there be a thousand particulars whereof one cannot giue an example or instance in the new Testament why then doe you necessarily require it in this particular Secondly it is no maruell though we reade nothing thereof in the new Testament considering the Magistrates then were enemies and not friends to the Christian Religion Being not Christians but Heathens and Infidels without God in this world and strangers from the coÌ„mon wealth of Israel It is not therefore to bee imagined that they would make edicts and decrees send foorth their royall commands and threates for the erecting and setting vp or for the peaceable and well gouerning of this common-wealth But is rather to be thought that being iealous of their owne crownes and dignities and vpon some causeles feare that their owne coÌ„mon wealth could not stand with this they would set themselues with might and maine against the Church as indeede they did Obiection If you say the vntaught people in the beginning of Q. Elizabeths raigne suddenly receiuing the Gospell by commandement not by hearing could not beleeue at the first though they profâ—ssed and therefore at the first were no true Christians nor Churches and that such we continue I answere that not faith Answere but the profession thereof is necessarie to the making of a member of the visible Church and that they might be true Churches though all the members thereof were not true but many of them false and counterfeite Christians For a true visible Church consisteth as well of false and counterfeite as of true Christians of Christians in name onely as of Christians in deede as before hath beene shewed And therefore the Parish assemblies in England in the beginning of Q. Elizabeths raigne were true visible Churches seeing they all made outward profession of Faith and Christianitie and had among them some true beleeuers and Christians in their assemblies that generally they did make an outward good profession is manifest and notoriously knowne to all Christian nations and that there were then some true beleeuers and Christians in their assemblies we cannot doubt as touching very many assemblies in this land and in charitie which beleeueth all things and hopeth all things we may conceiue so of all Considering the Religion and worship of God was not then heare first established but restored againe and purged which had beene discontinued and corrupted in the dayes of Q. Mary which were not many For this cause we cannot deny true Faith and Christianitie to all these assemblies Shall we thinke that the fire had deuoured and eaten vp all the faithfull of the land No verily Exod. 3.2 No more then the bush in Horeb being on fire was consumed by the fire Whereby was signified that the Church is not consumed by the fire of afflictions Nay we are rather to thinke that as it was with the Hebrewes that the more they were oppressed the more they multiplied so it was with the Israel of God at this time in England the more they were persecuted for Christs sake the more they increased in true Christianitie So as out of the ashes of the Martyres there did spring a multitude of beleeuers besides the faithfull that were in the land before Whereof some hauing fled beyond the Seas did now returne home with ioy others hauing hid themselues as it were in caues and holes came forth These were scattered throughout the land and it is to be thought there were many thousands of them which neuer bowed the knee to Baal And these mixed with others who came vnto them and ioyned with them in one and the same profession made true visible Churches Whereby we see that albeit many receiued the Gospell for the Commandements sake yet not all Some there were that hungered and thirsted for the Gospell before it
came and groned vnder the present superstitious and idolatrous worship sighing and crying vnto God day and night because of it they not a few And tell me I pray you had they not in King Edwards the word of God read in their mother tongue in euery Congregation throughout the land and preached also heere and there according to the number of Preachers then Besides they had the holy Bible in the English tongue in their houses wherein no doubt many did meditate day and night Also many godly Bookes specially against papistrie were in their hands whereof they were daily scattering and reading all the dayes of Queene Mary In her time also many in the land had their secrete meetings sometimes by day sometimes by night wherin they ioyned together in the word and prayer and administration of the Sacraments Tidings and letters went daily on euery side concerning the patience and alacritie of the Martyrs in their sufferings their constantie their graue and learned answeres and Apologies and of the rude and vnlearned replies the sauage and cruell dealing of the Prelates with them on the other side The blood of the Martyrs likewise shed before the eyes of all men preached aloud vnto them that saw and heard therof Adde hereunto the manifold conferences consultations disputaions vsed about Religion and the right way to saluation whether this or that were the way specially in the entrance of Q. Elizabeth to her throne that there was a From the 17. of Nouember vntill Midsommer more then halfe a yeare for the people to heare learne and consider before the Commaundement came and we cannot be so void of vnderstanding as to think that meere force coÌ„pulsion brought all to the holy profession vniuersally made nor of charitie as to conceiue that they all generally wanted all knowledge and all faith and were assemblies consisting only of ignorant persons and vnbeleeuers But suppose that onely the proclamation and royall commandement had brought in all And that none had had knowledge and faith in God but Q. Elizabeth who caused that proclamation and gaue that commandement and whose memoriall for that act is and shall be blessed in all ages succeeding Be it granted I say that all parish assemblies then in this land were Congregations of ignorant persons and vnbeleeuing no true Churches indeed at least in Gods account yet it doeth not followe thereupon that our assemblies be such now but this notwithstanding may be and indeede are the Churches of Christ seeing that euer since aboue 50. yeeres wee haue beene pertakers of the true word of God and Sacraments and submitted our selues thereunto and many of vs effectually called thereby as witnesseth our liues vnblameable euen our enemies being Iudges There are many men in a house but gotten into it not through the doore whereby is the ordinary passage into it but by some backe doore or through the window or happely at some breach violently made into the saide house Were it not extreame folly or rather madnesse because of this manner of entrance to deny the inbeing of the aforesaide men in the house Thus vnwise are the Brownists in denying our inbeing in the Church which is the house of God because the manner of our entrance or passage into it at the first was not such as it ought to haue beene as they affirme Apology 24 If you should finde saith Doctor Hall a company of true Christians in vtmost India would you stand vpon tearmes and enquire how they became so Whiles they haue that is necessary for that Heauenly profession what neede your curiositie trouble it selfe with the meanes Against the trueâ—h of our Church therefore to obiect as they do that it waâ— not at the first rightly gathered by the sound of the word but rather of the trumpet is nothing if it were true much more is it nothing and of no validitie that being false And heere befâ—re I ende this point let vs yet further marke how the first gathering of our Church as touching the time when it was they ascribe to the beginning of Queene Elizabeths raigne and as concerning the meanes whereby it was gathered to the proclaimation then made but both vntruly For the first conuersion of our land to the faith of Christ was long before and that by the preaching of the Gospell as is plaine by ecclesiastical stories and by the persecution and martyrdome of the Saints Act. and Monâ—m passim from time to time recorded therein At least who can deny that the Church of England was a true Church in King Edward his dayes during whose raigne many were by preaching so effectually called as the trueth which they then embraced and professed they after sealed with their blood And by the same meanes an infinite company more were then conuerted and brought to the faith that by God were deliuered and preserued from the rage and mallice of the aduersary Very vntrue and slaunderous therefore is this saying of Maister Ainsword Couâ—terp 64. The gathering and planting of your Church hath beene by the Magistrates authoritie not by the word of Christ Heere also as in a glasse wee may behold the falshood and vanitie of that speach of H. Barrow D sâ—ouery of the falsechurch 10. Iustificâ—tion 275. All the people were in one day by the blast of Queene Elizabeths Trumpet of ignorant Papists and grosse Idolaters made faithfull Christians and true professors With these men agreeth M. Robison If the body of the land in the beginning of the Queenes raigne were good and holy at all the Magistrates compulsion wrought it in men and made them of persecuting Idolaters true Christians for other meanes in tearming or comming betwixt their profession of the Masse and of the Gospell had they none sauing the Magistrates authoritie How truely is saide that all the people and inhabitants of this land were ignorant and without the know-of God Secondly Papists and grosse Idolaters Thirdly That no other meanes did intermine and come betwixt their profession of the Masse and the Gospell but the Magistrates authoritie doe thou reader iudge by the promises Obserue here thier slandering of the people of God which is a sinne a thousand fould more hainous then the slandering of one man also their vncharitablenes but chiefely their grosse ignorance who secretly heere emplies that a true visible Church is a company of faithfull and true Christians and true Professors agreeing with their description of the visible Church wherof before we haue heard This â—s taught in the parable of the sower Math. 13.2 c. matt 22.14 Whereas the holy Scriptures teach vs that the most in the visible Church are such as haue onely the name and outward profession of Christianitie being nothing lesse then that they professe and seeme to be Christians in name onely called Christians but no Christians indeede These men tels vs that all in the visible Church are faithfull and true Christians and true Professors and
because in the beginning of Queene Elizabeths raigne and likewise at this day our parishionall assemblies are no such societies as consist of such onely but had and now haue in them many false and counterfeite Christians and Professors Therefore at the first they were and so continue false visible Churches Is there any so blind who seeth not that hereby they shut out of the Church all Hypocrites For true Professors are opposite to false and counterfeite Professors which are those we call Hypocrites A true Professor is he who is the sonne in trueth that he professeth and maketh shew to be Who professing godlinesse is godly Directly contrary to this man is the Hypocrite The like may be saide of a faithfull and true Christian But a true visible Church saide those Schismaticks is a company of true Professors and Christians and not a mixt company of true and false Professors Therefore in the visible Church by their doctrine there are no Hypocrites With Barrow and Robison doth Maister Ainsworth accord Counterp 72. as being led by the same spirit The Apostle saith he sheweth Iam 1.18 1. Pet. 1.23 That Christs Church is a people begotten with the word of trueth that is the Gospell but your Church was first begotten gathered constituted ordered and is still continued by the Magistrates word and authoritie which if it did not enforce the people the estate wherein you now stand would soone bee changed and your Church dissolued And where you learned so to inforce faith and constraine men to bee members of your Church Alcoran chap. 18. 19. I can not tell vnlesse you would follow Mahomets doctrine who taught that men should bee compelled to the faith by the sword Before you teach that a visible Church is a company of people that doe repent and beleeue the Gospell and here you terme it a people begotten by the Gospel and borne a new nor of mortall but of immortall seede and so all are regenerated that bee in the visible Church and consequently shall inherit the Kingdome of heauen For can hee dye that is begotten and borne of immortall seede whereof both these Apostles speak This doctrine and all of this kinde hereafter following take it as it is by you deliuered and it is palpably false so as it needeth no confutation But your meaning it seemeth is that All in the true visible Church liue so holily righteously and soberly touching their outward carriage before men that wee cannot in equity nor charity account otherwise of them then faithfull and such as haue repented and are conuerted to God and are begotten and borne a new Principles and Inferences 7. yea Elect as M. Smith saith And for this cause as these men suppose all in the visible Church are called Saints and Faithfull As Ephes 1.1 Paul an Apostle of Iesus Christ c. But herein it must needs be they are deceiued seeing there haue beene true visible Churches in former times wherein some members and those not a few haue beene so vile and abominable as the faithfull then liuing could neither in equitie nor charitie iudge so of them as you speake Except they should haue iudged otherwise of the tree then according to the fruits nay cleane contrarie to it whereas our Lord sayth Yee shall know men by their fruits Mat. 7.16 euen as the tree is knowne by the fruits thereof That which M. Smith here affirmeth I haue answered here after in the next Chapter and thither I referre the Reader for further satisfaction Obserue besides the abuse of scripture here Note here their peruerting of Scripture The words of Iames be Of his owne will begate hee vs with the word of truth that wee should be the first fruits of his Creatures By vs who are said here to be begotten by the Gospell the Apostle meaneth himselfe and the rest of the faithfull members of the inuisible Church and not himselfe the rest of the visible Church as you fondly imagine and beare the simple Reader in hand Rom. 6.13 12.2 As the first fruits vnder the Law were dedicated to God and offered vnto him so all the faithfull consecrate and giue vp themselues wholly to God a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto him which is their reasonable seruing of God and not all of the visible Church as you in the application of this Scripture tell vs the most whereof giue themselues and their members as weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne wherein they walke according to the course of this world and after the Prince that ruleth in the ayre euen the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience Of true beleeuers and none others S. Peter also speaketh For they onely are borne a new of that immortall seede hee mentioneth which Iohn 1.12 proueth As many as receiued him to them hee gaue power to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name Againe these that are thus borne a new as 23. vers are said to be redeemed vers 18. to beleeue in God verse 21. To haue their soules purified by the Spirit verse 22. But such as bee of the inuisible Church onely are redeemed beleeue in GOD Counterpoys 158. are purifyed by the Spirit Of such therefore the Apostle here speaketh Hereby it is plaine that you speake vntruely when you say That places setting forth the inuisible Church are not by you brought to set forth the visible Church Yet Ainsworth in slandering and blaspheming our Church is worse and more intollerable then Barrowes whereof wee haue heard before Hee saith not onely that our Church was first begotten and gathered but addeth and is still continued by the Magistrates word and authoritie excluding the words of GOD as if our Church were neither begotten at first nor continued now by the Ministerie of the Word And where learned yee say you so to inforce Faith and constraine men to be members of your Church I answere Not out of the 18. and 19. Chapters of Alcoran which you by your Cotation in the margent imply but out of the sacred scriptures Not from the example of Mahomet but from the commended examples of the godly Kings of Iudah as I haue shewed Thus much you cannot tell or see The greater is your ignorance and blindnesse A spirit of errour hath put out the eye of your vnderstanding But where learne you to compare the doctrine of God to Mahomets doctrine and the examples and practise of the good Kings of Iudah which you acknowledge all Christian Princes should follow with Mahomets example and practise Counterpois 230. Cursed is that zeale which carieth a man beyond all bands of truth and sobrietie Paul being very zealous spake yet the words of truth and sobernesse The Lord lay not this blasphemie to your charge To that which hath been said I onely adde this That if a visible Church were a company of men truely and vnfainedly religious as you in your whole doctrine of the visible church
gouernment speake euill of them that are in authoritie and speak euill of those things which they knew not and whatsoeuer things they did know naturally as beasts which are without reason in those things they did corrupt themselues Whom for thâ—ir hatred to the brethren he compareth to Cain and in other respects to Balaam and Core Also to clouds without water carried about of windes corrupt trees without fruit twise dead and plucked vp by the rootes to wandring starres and to the raging waues of the Sea foming out their owne shame These were open wicked men and yet were they of the visible Church as appeareth hereby First in that they are compared to clouds without water whereby is is noted their hypocrisie that they made a shew of godlinesse but were indeede without godlinesse like the clouds that make semblance of raine or water but send downe none Secondly this is confirmed by verse 4. where Iude speaking of these vngodly men saith they were crept in meaning into the Church And lastly by verse 12. These are spots in your feasts of charitie when they feast with you without all feare feeding themselues By these words it is euident that these notorious wicked men were of the Church because they frequented the loue feasts Where these feasts were kept the Christians onely met at which time thâ—y receiued the Lords Supper and had a fâ—ast to witnesse and increase their mutuall loue which they called Agapae loue feasts or feasts of Charitie As open scandalous wicked men haue euâ—r beene in the visible Church so there are such now and hereafter will be from whom vsually the persecutions in the Church doe come The first of these is already made manifest Verse 2.3.4 The later is euident by 2. Tim. 3. where Paul foretelling of the grâ—euous sinners that shall be in these last dayes mentioneth some that must needes be open sinners as boasters cursed speakers disobedient to parents vnholy or profane truce breakers false accusers intemperate c. And least that wee should vnderstand this of them that are without in the end he sheweth that hee meaneth this of the hypocrites in the Church of them which haue a shew of godlinesse but haue denied the power thereof If now Verse 5. as in the first Church there was a Cain as well as an Habel and after an Ismael as well as an Isaack an Esau as well as a Iacob and a Saul as well as a Dauid Scribes and Pharises as well as Ioseph and Mary there haue likewise beene in all ages of the Church after vntill this day and will bee in the ages succeeding open wicked as well as godly yea not onely so but many such so as sometimes scarce any righteous or knowne godly were to be found in the Church by reason of the aboundance of open wicked If I say these things be cleare and euident in the Scriptures as appeareth by the premises how far are you of the Seperation from the truth who teach That a visible Church is a company of righteous and holy men onely sepertaed from the knowne wicked and that into it there entreth not nor therein abideth any vncleane thing neither whatsoeuer worketh abominations Defence of the Churches and Minist of Engl. 7. And whereas the Seperatists contending for this That a visible Church is a company of Saints do thereby require though not true sanctimony in euery member yet an externall holinesse and such a carriage of the outward man in the duties of pietie towards God and iustice towards man as in Charitie one can deeme a member of the true visible Church no other then a Saint I demand of them what outward holinesse the aforesaid Despisers Scorners Blasphemers and Murderers which were notwithstanding of the visible Church had aboue the worst in our Church Also whether the most profane and vile in our Church be not as holy and as good Saints as murdering Cain mocking Ishmael profane Esau persecuting Saul bloudy Doeg traiterous Absalon and the blasphemous Scribes and Pharisies who were all members of a true visible Church Know ye not that all these were most horrible sinners Some of them sitting in the seate of the scorner some persecuting and shedding the bloud of the Saints others blasphemers nay committing blasphemie against the holy Ghost and therefore sinners in the highest degree And the best and holiest of them no better then Dogs and Swine treading vnder their feete the holy and precious Word of God and all to renting them that did teach it Neither can wee be ignorant of this that the sinnes of these men were open and notoriously knowne to the Saints who liued in their times And yet notwithstanding were all these of the true visible Church Men therefore wanting this externall holinesse yea most vile and abominable and notoriously knowne to be such haue yet neuerthelesse been in the true Church principall members in the same And such vndoubtedly are in the Church at this day and will be to the end of the world according to the prophecie of Paul 2. Tim. 3. And here wee may remember how notwithstanding there were such notorious wicked men in the Church of the Iewes Vers 1.2 c. Deut. 7.6 Ps 79.2 111.1 and 149.1 whereof we haue had but a tast and oft times store of them yet neuerthelesse they are calâ—ed the people of God his heritage an holy Nation Saints and there publike Congregations the Congregation of the Righteous and the assemblies of the Saints The whole body being thus called in respect of the Elect hauing this Denomination of the better part though the lesse or else because of their holy profession or holy religion which they professed whereby they differed from and excelled all other Nations and them that were without Herevpon I demand why in these respects we likewise may not be called the people of God his heritage an holy Nation Saints and our Church assemblies the assemblies of Saints notwithstanding there bee many open wicked among vs Here we may see how vntruely M. Fr. Iohnson herein chargeth the forward Preachers in England with false Doctrine Defence of the Churches and Minist of Engl. 71. who reckning vp 14. points of false doctrine forsooth that they teach nameth this for one That the true visible Church of Christ is not a seperated company of righteous men from the open wicked of the world but may consist of people good and bad And to the increase of his sinne for confirmation of his grosse and palpaple errour he coteth aboue twenty places of Scripture But tell me doe not all the Preachers in England nay in all Christendome teach that there is a mixture of good and bad in the visible Church as well as these forward preachers you speake of You cannot with any truth deny it Why then doe you spurne with the heele at these rather then others And this is our third point of false doctrine the fourth followeth in these words 4. That
the faithfull are onely doth and can offer such sacrifices Therefore the inuisible Church are this royall Priesthood or kingdome of Priestes and not the visible Church If I should haue saide nothing M. Ainsworth himselfe wil suffice for the conuiction of this error Communion of Saints 248. They whom Christ hath made Kings and Priests vnto God his father being a Kingly Priesthood euen a kingdome of Priestes and a holy nation hauing part in the first resurrection the second death may haue no power ouer them but sit with Christ in his throne euen as hee ouercame and sitteth with his Father in his throne From your owne words I argue thus against you They who are this royall Priesthood that is Kings and Priests vnto God haue part in the first resurrection the second death hath no power ouer them but sit with Christ in his throne But the inuisible Church onely and company of the Elect haue part in the first resurrection the second death hath no power ouer them Ergo the inuisible Church is this royall Priesthood The proposition your owne words doe prooue The assumption needes no proofe And againe in another place hee conuinceth himselfe and his friends Seeing then saith he we haue receiued such grace from God Communion of Saints 487. 488. so many as beleeue in the name of his sonne Christ as that we are through his mercy made a chosen generation a kingly Priesthood washed from all our sinnes in the blood of Christ and raigning with him on earth by mortifying and subduing our earthly members what remaineth then but that we purge our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and Spirit From hence I inferre that either the visible Church and consequently all the members thereof are washed from their sinnes mortifie and subdue their earthly members which no man will affirme or else the visible Church is not that royall Priestood whereof the Scripture speaketh for they that are this royall Priesthood are washed from their sinnes by your owne confession Iudge now thy selfe Christian reader whether this that M. Ainsworth writeth heere doeth not conuince that he saith else where Communion of Saints 470. And now that all Christians are made Priests vnto God euen a Kingly Priesthood to raigne vpon earth and to haue their power of Christ to iudge all that are within the Church and cast out the wicked from among them they ought to reteine and vse their power By Christians he meaneth here the members of the visible Church and of all them he affirmeth that the are Kings and Priests vnto God And to increase his sin after his and their accustomed manner he alleadgeth three places to prooue this his error namely 1. Pet. 2.9 Reu. 1.6 5.10 For the conuincing of which errors their are no testimonie in holy Scripture more excellent as we may appeare by the premisses Whereby it is euident they are strangely blinded in their vnderstanding seeing in the middest of a glorious light they see not the light but grope as men in palpable darkenesse And heere fitly I returne that vpon you M. Ainsworth which you falsely apply to vs. The Reader may see how your right eye is blinded to bring Scriptures so plaine against your selues Besides the three former testimonies you alleadge one another that likewise maketh not for but against you If you will heare my voyce indeede Counterp 79. Exod. 19.5 and keepe my couenant then you shall bee vnto me a kingdome of Priests but the Elect onely and they which are of the inuisible Church doe this which the Lord heere requireth Therefore they onely are the kingdome of Priests here spoken of Againe the visible Church these fewe excepted in it which are of the inuisible Church doeth not heare Gods voice indeede but contemne it doeth not keepe but breake his couenant and therefore is not a kingdome of Priests to God For what though this speech was spoken to the visible church They therein of the inuisible Church onely could did keepe the condition heere required They therefore alone make this Kingdome of Priests Thus your owne sword helpeth to pierce your side Neither is that so fit a title for the visible Church the sheepe of Lord seeing in the Scriptures specially of the new Testament ordinarily by sheepe are ment the Elect and Church inuisible I am the doore of the sheepe Ioh. 10.7.15 Matth. 25 33. I lay downe my life for my sheepe when the Sonne of man commeth in his glory he shall set the sheepe on his right hand and the goates on the left In a word If wee would knowe who indeede are the sheepe of the Lord and rightly so to be called Christ himselfe telleth vs againe in the 10. of Iohn saying Vers 27. my sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me and I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish Thereupon M. Ainsworth saith well such were not of Christs sheepe for then he would haue giuen them life eternall and for confirmation therof he quoteth this place of Iohn Communion of Saints 58. Wherby he imployeth that all Christs sheepe shall haue life euerlasting From whence it followeth that this title Christs sheepe or the sheepe of the Lord appertaineth to the elect and inuisible church and cannot rightly be saide of the visible Church except all the visible Church shall be saued A great part of the visible Church are so farre from being like to sheepe that they may more fitly be compared to wolues Mat. 10.26 Luke 10.3 Behold I send you as sheepe in the middest of wolues These whom Christ calleth wolues were the visible Church of the Iewes In which Church were but a fewe sheepe You teach further that the visible Church is in the Scripture called the Temple of God and this you will proue by 1. Cor. 3.17 Knowe yee not that you are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you 17. If any man destroy the Temple of God him shall God destroy for the Temple of God is holy which yee are I would desire no better place for the confutation of this error then this you alleadge for probation thereof See you not that the Spirit of God dwelleth in all those who be this Temple of God now God his spirit dwelleth onely in the Elect They are of the Elect therefore and inuisible Church who are the Temple of God That God breatheth his Spirit onely into the Elect it is manifest by Rom. 8.14 as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sonnes of God And by Gal. 4.6 And because yee are sonnes God hath sent foorth the Spirit of his sonne into your hearts which cryeth Abba Father Againe the Temple of God is heere saide to be holy which must needes be because the Spirit of God dwelleth in him that is this Temple and it is holy which is therefore called the holy Spirit and the holy Ghost â—â—to oâ—eâ—y
sunt imo bonis multo plures vt in eorum comparatione pauci sint cum per seipsos considerati in gentem numerum faciant August de vnitate Ecclesiae cap. 12. AVGVSTINE In the Church there be also euill men yea many more then good that the good compared with the euill are but a few though considered in themselues they make a very great number And b Greg. in Euang hom 38. Sancta Ecclesia bonos malos indiserete nunc suscipit c. Idem in expos motal lib. 13. cap. 4. Ecclesia intra sinum c. another thus The Church comprehendeth both good and bad and more bad oftentimes then good more goats then sheepe great store of cockle Reprobates without number And heere obserue we the difference betwixt the inuisible and visible Church The Inuisible is considered from the first elect vntill the last bringing all the Chosen of all ages into one body or society The Visible according to certaine places and times for as much as she is not visible vniuersally and all at once but according to times and in her parts The Inuisible containeth none but the good the c Matth. 3.12 and 13.25 Visible containeth both the good and the bad that only the elect this as well Reprobates as elect Chaffe as well as Corne Tares as well as Wheate yea more Reprobates then elect for Many are called but few are chosen The Inuisible Militant hath in it only the faithfull the Visible all that professe faith in Christ though many of them haue no better a faith then the Diuell In the Inuisible there bee many sheepe which are neuer gathered into the visible especially assembly or particular Congregation In the Visible a great many Goats and Wolues which shall neuer be receiued into the Inuisible Matth. 10.16 Behold I send you as sheepe in the middest of Wolues This is spoken of the visible Church which then did swarme with Wolues Matth. 3.7 and 23.33 Goats Serpents Vipers fat Bulls of Basan and other such like beasts This is carefully to be obserued against them of the Seperation By that which hath beene said it is manifest that a true visible Church consisteth of both kinds of Christians aforesaid of Christians true and false of Christians indeed and of Christians in name only no better indeed then rebels against God and blasphemers of him after whom they be called and is a confused and mixt company of Elect and Reprobates good and bad holy and prophane nay many times it is so ouerspread with wicked that the righteous can hardly bee discerned no more then the wheate that lieth all hid vnder the chaffe So that there is sometime a Church without any shew of it So was it in Eliah his time who though a Prophet 1. King 19.10.14.18 and therefore such as to whom the godly should haue beene knowne yet knew he not so much as one And this was then when the state of the Church was such that God could not be visibly serued any where but among his people Israel But of this we shall haue iust occasion to speake more hereafter These things being so what meane those men who sometime were of vs to condemne our Churches and publike assemblies for false Churches because of this mixture and for this cause chiefely to withdraw themselues from vs and our Assemblies It will not helpe them at all to say as they doe that many of our Congregations be knowne wicked as shall hereafter appeare CHAP. V. Of Religion what it is and how distinguished FVrthermore we are to remember that in our description of a true visible Church I doe not say that it is a company of people professing the pure Religion of God but a company professing true Religion For the better vnderstanding whereof and so what a true visible Church is we must know what Religion is and how it is distinguished Religion is the way or manner of worshipping God which men doe vse whether it be of the true God or a false god As it hath beene in all ages past euen so it is now Some Nations worship the true and liuing God which made heauen and earth who is blessed for euer and onely to be worshipped The people of other Nations worship false and fained gods some people worship after this another after that manner some one way some another way The Pagans and those we call Infidels haue their forme of worship such as the Diuell whom indeed they worship and the wit of man hath forged 1. Cor. 10.19.20 The Turkes worshippe God according to their fashion and way The Papists worship God Father Sonne and holy Ghost after their fashion And we called Protestants worship one and the same God in Trinitie after another manner This is that we call Religion and it is eyther true or false False Religion is when eyther a false or fained god is worshipped which in time past the Gentiles did and Infidels doe at this day or the true God is worshipped falsely not in some matters of circumstance only which may fall into them which worship God truly and be of the true Religion but in the very substance and body of worship Of a false Religion and false worshippers are not onely the Turkes which none but themselues deny but the Papists likewise which some men gain-say because their worship is not onely in matter of circumstance but in the substance false and not commanded in the Word True Religion is that Religion which teacheth the true way manner of worshipping God so as whosoeuer walketh in that way worshippeth God after that maner may be saued And it is eyther pure or corrupted Iames 1.27 Pure vndefiled Religion is when the externall worship of God is in all things such as the Word requireth both in the matter and maner of worship as wel in euery circūstance as in the substance Or that is pure Religion when God is worshipped in all things as hee hath appointed without adding any thing therto or taking any thing from it This is the Religion men should be of and this is the worshippe wee should giue to God But alas partly through the blindnes that is in man partly through his corruption otherwise it commeth seldom or neuer to passe that men attaine to this sincerity in Religion and worship After this purity notwithstanding we must striue at the height perfectiō of Religion worship if we cannot attaine vnto it let vs yet draw as neere it as may be knowing that by how much the nearer we approach thereunto by so much the better is our Religion and worship and by how much the further off we be remoued from it by so much it is the worse True Religion is then corrupted when the body and substance of Diuine worship remaining sound some thing or things notwithstanding be eyther wanting therein which God hath commanded or vsed which he hath not appointed or when both these
he as the Diuell himselfe professed some true and sound doctrine so doe his Instruments as witnesse the writings of Papists Anabaptists and other Antichristians wherein they also make profession of these things But we haue learned of the Apostle Tituâ— 1.16 That there are some who professe they know God but by workes deny him and are abominable and disobedient and vnto euery good worke reprobate Seeing then a company of Reprobates may professe all doctrine needfull to saluation yet practise such things as will bring them to damnation We cannot be perswaded though all your three markes were granted to be in your Parishes that therefore they are true Churches of Christ for we know they doe the workes of Antichrist I reply Neyther Papists nor Anabaptists nor any false Church or Sinagogue of Satan professe true Religion They professe indeed some true and sound doctrine yea the Diuell himselfe did so but it is another thing to professe true Religion and enioy and submit our selues to true worship But say you A company of Reprobates may professe not only some but euen all doctrine needfull to saluation and yet practise such things as will bring them to damnation we cannot therefore be perswaded that a company professing Christian Religion make the Church of Christ You speake you know not what for hereby you imply and secretly teach that A true visible Church is a company of people professing and practising such things as will bring them to saluation Whereupon it followes that there is no Hypocrite in the visible Church for whose practise is answerable to his holy profession he is no Hypocrite Hereupon also ensueth that in the visible Church there is no Reprobate or any that shall be damned and that it is a company of Elect onâ—y and such as shall be saued For all that practise such things as will bring them to saluation shall be saued But this practise of holines ouer and besides an holy profession doe you require in all the members of the true visible Church condemning them as no members that want it and which making this profession doe practise those things which lead to damnation Therefore by your Doctrine all of the visible Church shall be saued and none therein damned And thus vnawares you confound the visible and the inuisible Church but that is vsuall with you In effect you affirme that those mentioned Titus 1.16 were without But that is more then you or any man can proue It is more probable that they were in the Church for they were professors They professe saith the Apostle that they know God Vnder the knowledge of God comprehending also their professing to feare God to loue him and to beleeue in him and to obey him And I am very sure that notwithstanding their extreame wickednes they might be of the visible Church which onely maketh you thinke they were not of it Whether those Professors were in the Church or without it mattereth not I am sure that if not these yet infinite others as abominable as these haue beene in and of the visible Church as hereafter shall bee made manifest Seeing then in many members of the visible Church as Cain Ismael Esau Saul Absalom the Scribes and Pharisies with innumerable more there was no practise at all of godlines but only a profession thereof being no better then Atheists denying God in their workes abominable disobedient and to euery good worke Reprobate why doe you necessarily require practise in al the members of the visible Church so as without it one cannnot be a member of the Church and for want of practise condemne our Parishes for false visible Churches Behold heere men deliuered vp to a reprobate sence that were of the visible Church Are any in our Parishes worse and more vile then these Were these because of their outward profession of the true visible Church notwithstanding their prophane liues And may not they in our Parishes making the same profession bee likewise members of the true visible Church albeit their liues be prophane so long as by excommunication they be not cast out of the Church Your Parishes say you we cannot be perswaded are the true Churches of Christ because they doe the workes of Antichrist Be it that we are guiltie of this trespasse that we doe some workes of Antichrist that is that some such things wee doe or yeeld vnto as Antichrist hath brought into the Church Doth it thereupon follow that our Parish assemblies are not the Churches of Christ Answ to Master Stone about the 2. pag. Verily no Except euery abomination of Antichrist make a Church to become false and Antichristian whereunto your selues answeres negatiuely and renders thereof a good reason in these words For the best Churches are subiect to errour and some abominations of Antichrist were crept into Christian Churches while the Apostles liued By this reason of yours and your owne confession the Primitiue Churches were not true Churches In the eight chapter of Iohn Iesus saith to certaine Iewes Vers 41.44 Yee doe the works of your father And againe Yee are of your Father the Diuell and the lusts of your father yee will doe If these notwithstanding they did the workes of the Diuel were of the true visible Church as the truth is then sure may we be of the true visible Church notwithstanding we doe some works of Antichrist except Antichrist and the doing of his workes be worse then the Diuell and the doing of his workes But the Answere to Master Stone proceedeth If you teach your people that profession without practise is sufficient to saluation you are but a deceiuer of their soules Who amongst vs teacheth such diabolicall doctrine The Lord knoweth and his people know that wee teach the direct contrary that it will not suffice to say Lord Lord but we must doe the will of our heauenly Father if we will enter into the Kingdome of heauen yea yee your selues know this What meane you then to vse these words whereby you would eyther intimate to the Reader that we vse this cursed doctrine and so slander vs or at least that you doubt thereof whereas you certainly know the contrary Take heed your selues proue not the deceiuers of soules Nay as sure as the Lord liueth you are such But let vs come to Master Ainsworths last answere concerning this point of profession Againe Counterp 21. I deny that your Parishes doe truely and rightly professe these things and would heare your proofe we know that your Parishes professe not aright neyther Law nor Gospell neither repentance from dead workes nor faith in God but lye dead in trespasses and sinnes idolatries and many other hainous abominations I reply We know that among vs some few doe rightly professe being the same in deed which they professe and make shew to be and that is as much as is to be looked for in the visible Church Seeing all in the visible Church a few excepted are Hypocrites and that no Hypocrite
as in these things see no further are in the same estate with the Martyrs saued I meane as well as they if they walke according to their profession and that light is reuealed vnto them as they did Which being so the Assumption remaineth firme and sound That many of the Martyrs did in these things see as farre as many thousands of priuate men doe at this day nay a great deale further we cannot deny or doubt of if we compare the knowledge of priuate Christians for the greatest part in these things with the said Martyrs knowledge shining in sundry speeches of theirs recorded partly in the Acts of Monuments and partly in some of their owne bookes And yet did they not seperate from the publike assemblies being as corrupt as ours vntill Popery came in whereby the substance of diuine worship was corrupted and abominable idolatry erected And therefore men seeing and knowing many corruptions in our worship and Ministery and yet not seperating from that worship because of them may notwithstanding bee saued walking according to the rules of our Religion and in that way to saluation we professe Otherwise I am sure these men were not saued which I hope you will not affirme nay in effect you all teach the contrary in that you acknowledge them to be Martyrs and especially Master Francis Iohnson who almost euery where in the printed letters betweene Master Iacob and him calleth them Martyrs and pag. 75. and 77 holy Martyrs who could neither be Martyrs nor Saints if they were not saued and now in heauen Much more then may they among vs bee saued who walking in this way are ignorant of these corruptions though they doe not seperate and therefore men professing the same Religion and way to saluation with vs may be saued And whereas they acknowledging them that died in Queene Maries time to be Martyrs deny vs to be Christians so many as stand members of our Parish assemblies which generally we doe all and granting to them saluation deny it in a certaine respect to vs that these cannot stand together it shall appeare Master Iohnson in the defence of his second Exception against Master Iacob page 16. hath these words Defence of the Churches and Ministery of England 16. These men and assemblies thus holding professing and practising cannot in this estate be deemed true Christians and Churches Against this I argue thus If the late English Martyrs professed and practised the very same Religion wee now professe and yet were in that estate true Christians and so saued then men at this day professing and practising our Religion are true Christians and in the estate of saluation But the late English Martyrs professed and practised the very same Religion we now professe and in that estate were true Christians and so saued Therefore they who at this day professe and practise our Religion are true Christians and in state of saluation The Proposition must needs be true except wee will make God mutable or an accepter of persons The Assumption consisting of two parts is likewise true for all the Christian world knoweth that they professed the very same Religion that we now doe and that they liued and died in our Religion and for it and therefore to deny this is extreame impudencie The latter part of the Assumption themselues confesse to be true in calling and acknowledging them for Martyrs as is aforesaid If heere they roule ouer againe the same stone and hauing nothing else to say obiect the second time the ignorance of those times that the Martyrs knew not the corruptions that then were and still remaine in the worship Ministery and Church gouernment as all we either doe or may know I returne for answere that howsoeuer this is true of some of the Martyrs yet it is not true of them all And what say they to them were they Martyrs and saued or no Master Hooper Latimer Bradford with sundry others had more knowledge and a deeper insight into the present corruptions then many priuate Christians haue at this day nay it is not to be hoped that many among vs illiterate simple ones of slender capacity bad memories as olde men and women c. haue that knowledge of Church corruptions as these and some other Martyrs had who were learned men Ministers and such as spent their whole time and daies at their studies Shall we now deny Christianity and saluation to all these simple ones and grant the same to the former notwithstanding the ignorance of these persons in the corruptions and that not wilfull ignorance is greater then of the others Were the former saued not seperating from the corruptions in the worship of God and Ministery though they knew them very well to be corruptions and must all these notwithstanding their faith in Christ needs bee damned hauing lesse knowledge in the same corruptions because they doe not seperate Verily thus to iudge of this latter sort liuing and dying in this estate argueth not only want of charity but besides great impiety But tell me I pray you are none of these capable of true faith in Christ because of their ignorance in the corruptions Or if they be thereof capable is it by their ignorance herein extinguished Nay I would know of you why they that haue knowledge and good vnderstanding in the corruptions and condemning them doe not seperate may not as well be saued as Master Latimer Hooper and Bradford answere me this one Argument and so I end If Master Hooper M. Bradford with others knowing the corruptions then in worship and Ministery being thesame also with ours now were notwithstanding this knowledge and not seperating saued then men at this day notwithstanding their knowledge of the corruptions and not seperating because of them may likewise be saued But the first is true Therefore the second The Proposition must needs be true considering that God is immutable also no accepter of persons And the Assumption is true as may be shewed by the parts thereof He that shall reade the Acts of Monuments may easily see that sundry of the Martyrs in Queene Maries dayes had good knowledge and insight into the corruptions wee speake of That the corruptions then in worship Ministery and discipline were the same with ours now as many and great their publike worship also the very same wee performe to God now and that notwithstanding those corruptions and their knowledge of them they did not seperat and withdraw themselues from the publike assemblies vntill such time the Masse that abominable Idoll and grosse Idolatry crept into Gods worship so as the body and substance of worship was defiled That these things I say are true no man can deny but with shame enough That they also were saued you in effect acknowledge in calling them Martyrs and holy Martyrs as before we haue heard and your bookes euery where declare Now that we haue been informed in the doctrine of the Church and applied the same seeing there are diuers gone out
had the signe and seale of the righteousnes of faith in and vpon their flesh And that the Scribes and Pharises vvere hypocrites it is euident by the testimonie of our Sauiour Mat. 15.1.7 and by that speech of his so often repeated Mat. 23. Woe be to you Scribes and Pharises Hypocrites But the most of your assemblies be open and knowne wicked men some of them being knowne to be swearers others to be Prophaners of the Sabbath Drunkards Theeues Whoremongers couetous and malicious persons c. and cannot therefore bee accounted hypocrites And your selfe doe confesse that in the Church there are these two sorts of men onely hypocrites or hypocriticall professors and sincere worshippers I answere you well vnderstand not who be hypocrites and doe wholly mistake the matter in supposing that open wicked men cannot be reputed such whereas the open wicked nay most vile and abominable men notoriously also knowne to be such professing true religion be hypocrites Esau was very prophane and as his prophanenes did no doubt shew it selfe in the whole course of his life so in taking for his wiues two women of the Hittites but chiefly in selling his birthright for a messe of pottage Now these his sinnes were knowne specially the former to Isaack his family vvhich then vvas the Church Hereunto adde that he both purposed and said that he vvould slay his brother Iacob Gen. 27.41.42 and that this vvas knowne to some of Isaacks family who told it to Rebekah Yet vvas this notorious prophane man and knowne murderer an hypocrite Doeg vvas an horrible murderer his murther also could not but bee knowne to the whole Church of God and an hypocrite For it is said that vvhen Dauid came to Nob vvhere the Tabernacle of God then was Doeg was abiding or caused to tarry before the Lord 1. Sam. 22.18 22.7 either because of the Sabbath or some vow or some such religious respect whereby is implyed that he continued there for some dayes worshipping God or to that end That Saul vvas an hypocrite I neede not to proue Hee vvas so forward in offering to the Lord burnt offerings and in the outward worship of God 1. Sam. 13.12.13 and 15.22.23.31 That by Samuel hee was diuers times reproued sharpely for the same Yet did hee so hate and so openly and furiously persecute Dauid to his death as it could not but bee knowne to all Israel and so was openly and notoriously wicked But this is more then manifest by the Scribes and Pharisees who were very wicked and vile men hating blaspheming and persecuting Christ and his members and knowne to be such to the Saints then liuing who tasted of the fruit of their hatred and yet by the witnesse of Christ Iesus they were Hypocrites Euen so vndoubtedly were all they which killed the Prophets and stoned them which were sent vnto them Mat. 21.35 and 22.6 and 23.37 open vvicked men and Hypocrites Hypocrites also vvere they and yet knowne vvicked men of vvhom Christ speaketh thus They shall excommunicate you yea the time shall come Ioh. 16.2 that whosoeuer killeth you will thinke that he doth God seruice I omit to vrge that place of Paul to Timothy where foretelling of the grieuous sinners that shall bee in the last dayes vvhereof some be open sinners in the end he knitteth it vp thus 2. Tim. 3.1.5 They shal haue a shew of godlinesse but haue denied the power thereof Whereby he sheweth that this he meaneth of the Church and hypocrites that shall be therein and not by them vvho are vvithout As if he had said The wicked pâ—rsons I speake of who shall be so grieuous to the godly specially to godly Teachers and cause the last times to be so perilous as ver 1. be the hypocrites that shall be in the Church But I cannot passe by that Tit. 1. is They professe that they know God but by workes they deny him and are abominable and disobedient and vnto euery good worke reprobate Hereby it is euident that open wicked men disobedient to God yea such as bee abominable and reprâ—bate to euery goâ—d vvorke may be hypocrites For the Apostâ—e speaking thus of professors They professe said he that they know God it is thereby plaine that he meaneth this of them that were in the Church and so of the hypocrites therein and not of them vvho be vvithout for they make not this profession Thus we see that very vvicked and vile men and notoriously knowne to be such haue been and may be hypocrites And therefore the open scandalous wicked in our assemblies may be and indeede are all of them hypocrites Our assemblies being mixt companies of Saints indeede and hypocrites and such a company hath euermore the true visible Church been It is a fancy and vaine imagination of yours that the vvicked in our assemblies are not hypocrites and so to be accompted because their wickednesse is not secret but manifest and to be seene of all men Whereas all that professe Christianitie and liue not the liues of Christians are hypocrites But such bee the open and secret wicked in our publike assemblies Therefore as well the open as the secret wicked in our publike assemblies are hypocrites In Math. 15. our Lord vseth these words to the Scribes and Pharises O hypocrites Esaias prophecied well of you saying This people draweth neere vnto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but their heart is farre of from me But in vaine they worship me Hence wee learne that all they vvhich draw neere vnto God vvith their mouths and honour him vvith their lips hauing their hearts farre off from him be Hypocrites But such bee both the open and secret wicked in our assemblies Therefore both the open and secret wicked in our assemblies are hypocrites I am assured you vvill greatly maruell at me and it may be some of you be ready to hisse at this that the open wicked in our parish assemblies be hypocrites Your ignorance herein hath been one principall cause of this false doctrine of yours In the true visible Church there are no open wicked but it is a separated company of righteous men vpon which false ground you condemne our parish assemblies to be false Churches and therevpon haue departed from vs which hath also caused mee to insist so long vpon this point You confesse there bee hypocrites in the Church according to the Scriptures But you suppose them to bee such as haue an outward holinesse and such as in charitie we cannot but accompt Saints or holy ones whereas those that make profession of godlinesse though they haue no externall righteousnes nay be notoriously vvicked are hypocrites vntill such time as by excommunication they be cut off from the Church And for the better satisfying of you herein you must vnderstand there be two sorts of hypocrites First close hypocrites vvhich are such as goe in sheeps clothing when as indeed they be goats These are in appearance Saints
he had care and pittie and not generally the Israelites or visible Church consisting of them so the l st sheepe of the Iewes and Gentiles are they whom Christ in his second sending of hâ—s Apâ—stles and in their prâ—aching and writing respected and of whom he had care and pittie and not the visible Church or Churches among them And this is further confirâ—ed yea cleared as I thinke by that speech of Paul in his Seâ—mon to them of Antiochia in Pisidia Actes 13.26 Yee men and brethren children of the generation of Abraham and whosoeuer among you feare God to you is the word of this saluation sent All they to whom Paul spake this professâ— the feare of God and therefore by them that are heere saide to feare God wee cannot vnderstand such seeing hee puâ—s a difference betwixt those in the Congregation that feared God and the rest It is one thing to feare God in deede and another thing to professe the feare of God This profession all in the Church doe make and so many of them as haue an externall righteousnesse wee are to iudge thus of them that they feare God yet onely they who be of the Church dâ—e indeede and trueth feare God the rest making a shewe of that they doe or haue not For the feare of God is a grace or giâ—t of Gods sanctiâ—ying Spirit which God of his grace giueth to all and onely to them that are sanctified in Christ Iesus It is proper to Gods Elect and them who be of the inuisible Church and to bee found in none other And this the Scrâ—pture teacheth where it s ith The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisâ—dome Prou. 9.10 And againe Blessed is them an that feareth the Lord. Psal 112.1 Now to these who haue this feare the word of saluation is sent and therefore the Apostolicall Epistles whereupon iâ— followeth necessarily that the Epistles were not sent to the visible Churches If iâ— be so that the Apostles write their Epistles to the Elect members of the inuisible Church then that they in their Epistles do ca l them to whom they write Saints I adde sanctifiâ—d â—n Christ Iesus fa thfull a chosen Generation a royall Priâ—st o d an holy Nation â—iuely stones a spiritual house the Temple oâ— God the habâ—tation of God by the Spirit the Body of Câ—rist c. maketh nothing at all to prooue this That a true visible church is a company of Saints sanctified in Christ Iesus faithfull the Body of Christ c. Neither doe these titles nor any othes of this kinde scattered euery where throughout the Epistles which be attributed to them of the invisible Church hinder this That a visible Church is a company of holy and vnholy faithfull and vnfaithfull and so your obiection is friuolous making nothing against vs. But graunt wee that the holy Apostle meant and writ his epistles to the visible churches at Rome Corinthus c. Neiâ—her will that helpe you though you imagine it doeth greatly And then I answere that Paul calleth the members of a visible Church Saints not because they were all holy and righteous men either in deede or outward appearance and caryage of themselues towards God and man as these men fondly imagine and very confidently affirme expounding thus this word Saints but in one or moe of these sences following In the 5. of Leuit those are called holy things that were consecrated vnto the Lord Vers 15. Vers 9.10.21 and in the 27. of the same booke the field whâ—ch was dedicated vnto the Lord is said to be an holy field and the beasts that were offered in sacrifice are called holy Euen so all of the visible Church are or may be called holy ones or Saints because in baptisme they be all dedicated vnto the Lord and giuen or resigned vp into his seruice Secondly Paul calleth or might call all of the vis Church Saints or holy ons because they aboue all people that are vpoÌ„ the earth are of God called or commanded to be holy Heb. 12.14 2. Thess 4.7 God saith the Apostle hath not called vs vnto vncleanenesse but vnto holinesse Hereunto belongeth that speech so oft repeated in the Law and after by Peter Leuâ—t 11.44 19.2 1. Pet. 1.16 Be ye holy for I am holy And that Exod. 22.31 Ye shall be an holy people vnto me And againe Leuit. 11.45 I am the Lord that brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God 1. Cor. 1.2 and that you should he holy for I am holy For confirmation of th s exposition serueth that Paul terming them Saints addeth by calling Paul vnto the Church of God which is at Corinthus Saints by calling Rom. 2.7 Psal 79.2 Deuâ— 7.6 14.2.21 and in his Ep to the Romans To all you that be at Rome beloued of God called Saints And in this sence the Nation or people of the Iewes are called Saints and said to be an holy people because the Lord hath chosen them to be such Thirdly all of the visible Church were or might bee called Saints because of their holy profession or holy religion which they professed Whatsoeuer they vvere their religion was holy and hee whom they in the middest of heathens and infidels confessed and professed was holy euen that holy One. Luke 1.35 In this respect because they professed holinesse and themselues to be holy all of the visible Church may fitly bee called Saints that is holy ones Euen as they are called faithfull and that with the same breath yea faithfull in Christ Iesus Paul an Apostle to the Saints which are at Ephsus Ephes 1.1 and to the faithful in Christ Iesus not that they all had faith in Christ which is true and iustifying faith but because they professed faith in him in vvhich sense we describe the visible Church to bee a company of faithfull people When therefore Paul saith To the Saints which are at Ephesus and to the Saints which are in Phillippi it is all one as if he had said To the Christians or professors of the Christian religion which are at Ephesus and Phillippi And so in the inscriptions of his Epistles to the Romans and Corinthians where he saith To all you that be at Rome callâ—d Saints vnto the Churcb of God at Corinthus Saints by calling it is as much as if he had said called or by calling Christians And thus thâ—s word Saints is often taken in the Epistlâ—s as else where in the New Testament as Romans 16.14 Phil. 4.21 Acts 26.10 compared vvith Act. 9.1 22.4 M. Bernard teaching that men are caâ—led Saints because of the profession of faith in Christ who maketh all true beleeuers holy and Saints M. Robinson answereth thus Iustif 110. It is true you say that Christ makes all true beleeuers holy and Saints but I deny that euery profession of faith in Christ argues a true beleeuer A false dissembler is he and no true beleeuer that in
word pretends faith in Christ and in deede denies him This is yâ—ur full answere and that a worthy one Hereby you impâ—y That none are in Scripture called Saints nor may lawfully be so called who be not true beleeuers holy Saints indeede their hearts being purified by faith But all in the visible Church be in holy Scripture called Saints and may lawfully therefore be so called Ergo all in the visible Church by your wise answere be true beleeuers And consequently they shall all be saued Iohn 3.16 For whosoeuer beleeueth shal not peâ—ish but haue euerlasting life If you deny that your words imply that I say then to what purpose serue they certainely they are then idle and haue not so much as the shew of answere in them which makes as little for your credit or cause But grant wee this it mattereth not much seeing but in the lease before in plaine words you in effect teach thâ— same Iustif 107. The scriptures say you doe call men Saints because they are Saints and not for any other cause Your reason followeth For what is it to be a Saint but to be holy We may well therefore thinke that you meant as much as I affirme I deny say yâ—u that euery profession of faith in Christ argues a true beleeuer So doe we A false dissembler is he say you and no true bâ—leeuer that in word pretends faith in Christ and in deede denies him The same say wee What of all this what makes this for you or against vs Nothing at all But besides the former implication it shewes that your fingâ—rs itched to bee scribbling against the profession of faith wh ch for asmuch as it may and doth often fall into dissemblers â—iues you no content and therefore in euery one of thâ— visible Church you will haue besides this profession true faith in Christ and all the members thereof true bâ—leeuers and consequently no disseâ—blers in the Church Thus you shut out of the visibâ—e Church all hypâ—crites and yet both a little before and after confesse that there bee such yea many such in the Church Reconcile But tell me M. Robinson why may not they that professe faith in Christ that holy one be therefore called holy or Saints notwi hstanding they haue no part of Christ his holinesse nor his holy Spirit dwelling in them as well as be cal ed Christ ans of Christ though they partake not vvith him in that holy annointing Againe the profession of Christ an Religion or of faith in Christ is an holy and glorious th ng and therefore vvhatsoâ—uer the persons be that thus professe be they holy or prophane worthily and fitly an holy and glorious name to wit Saints â—ay be giuen to such This saith M. Robinson is all one as if you should say The Scriptures doe not call men Saints because they are Saints but for some other causes knowne to you For what is it to be a Saint but to be holy Iustif 107. And what to be holy but to be of a sound iudgement pure affections and vnblameable conuersation Reply It is one thing to be called a Saint and an other to be a Saint one thing to be a Saint by nomination an other to be such in deede and veritie All that bee Saints indeede are Saints by nomination so called and to bee called and accounted But all that be Saints by nomination so called by the holy Ghost are not Saints indeede and so to bee reputed as you will needs haue it For then all in the Church of the Iewes were Saints or holy indeede forasmuch as they by the Holy Ghost are so called and consequently they were all saued which I trust you will not say Deut. 7.6 14.2 this is rendred for a reason why the Israelites should not conform themsâ—lues to the Nations about them neither in their religion or worship nor yet in other things of lesse moment as in cutting themselues in making baldnesse betweene their eyes for the dead For thou art an holy people vnto the Lord thy God And Deut. 14.27 Ye shall eate of nothing that dieth alone c. For thou art an holy people vnto the Lord thy God Againe Iam. 2.7 Doe not they euen those blasphemers saith Iames blaspheme the worthy name after which yee be named Hereby it is plaine that we are sometimes named or called not according to that which we be but in some other respect or as you say for some other causes else all of vs should alwaies bee such as our names pretend then vvhich nothing is more false The blasphemers here spoken of were named or called Christâ—ans yet sure you will not say they were Christians indeede They who at this day are baptised into Christ Iesus and profâ—sse faith in him haue the worthy and glorious name of Christians from Christ after whom they be so called yet all such bee not true Christians euen so all of the visible Church are called Saints and such by nomination and yet be not all Saints indeede not all of a sound iudgement pure affection and vnblameable conuersation as you tâ—ll vs. Lastly the Apostle might well call all in the visible Church Saints hauing respect and relation to those in it that vvere Sainâ—s indeede sanctified by the Spirit of God and faith in Christ Iesus the visible Church hauing this denomination of the better part by a Synecdoche all being called Saints because part of them are so indeede With this exposition maketh that those he nameth Saints are said to be sanctified in Christ Iesus Paul an Apostle to them that are sanctified in Christ Iesus Saints by calling And vvhy might not Paul in this titlâ— Saints respect only the true Saints Elect of God as well as in some other speeches of his in his Epistles 1. Cor. 12.27 6.11.19.20 and namely in these Ye are the body of Christ your bodies are the members of Christ your body is the Temple of the holy Ghost which is in you Ye are bought for a price Rom. 8 15. Gal. 4.6 Ye are washed ye are sanctified ye are iustified in the name of our Lord Iesus and by the spirit of our God Ye haue receiued the Spirit of Adoption Ye are the sonnes of God with infinite more such like Wee see a man is said to be a reasonable liuing creature of the better part the soule wherein alone is both the reason and life the body which is another parâ— wanting both Thus we vse to say Goe winnow the wheate in the barne not naming the chaffe though there bee more chaffe then wheate in the heape and that the wheate cannot be well seene for the chaffe Euen so the visible Church may bee called Saints in respect of the better part though the lesser and fewer in number be many the scripture therein ascribing to all that which is due properly and belongeth onely to some vvhich is vsuall in the holy scriptures as appeareth by the aforesaid testimonies
this their error there was iust cause of the pursuing hereof to the full according as I was able Defence of the Churches and Ministers of England 7. Counterp 3. Your people saith M. Fr. Iohnson are not seperated from the world but stand in confusion with it and therefore cannot bee deemed a true church of God and the people of Christ But leauing this man let vs heare what M. Ainsworth saith thereunto in a booke lately published called the Counterpoyson We forsake saith he your church for this maine corruption that all sorts of prophane and wicked men haue ben and are both they and their seede receiued into and nourished within the bosome of your church contrary to the first couenant of our redemption wherein God with his own mouth proâ—laimed a perpetuall enmitie and warre against the serpent and his seede which the woman and her seede should wage though with the bruysing of the heele thereof Gen. 3. Contrary also to the example of all Gods churches since the world began who alwayes were seperated from the vngodly as the Scriptures shewe Now that this is a corruption among you your selues haue taught saying and complayning that in the church are swarmes of Atheists Idolaters Papists sectaries witches charmers sorcerers murtherers theeuâ—s adulterers lyars c. This testimony being true I hope your selues now will be ashamed to pleade that such a people are Christians and to be communicated with or deny that we may seperate from them in things concerning God And a little after saying there are 4. causes of their seperation he telleth vs that the first of them concerning the people meaning because of the mixture of bad with good which is among vs. Seeing the falsehood and vanitâ—e of these and the rest of the lines here following doe manifestly appeare by the premises I wil not bee so vnwise as at large conuince you the second time onely by the way as it were I will say a word or two as I shall see cause That wicked men that is open wicked men for that is your meaning are not to be suffered to remaine in the church we acknowledge especially if they be very vile and abhominable dogges and swine and that where such a thing is endured it is a corruption and the sinne of that Church We likewise confesse that in our church are many open wicked So that in proouing that which we freely confesse to bee true where about M. Ainsworth hath spent a great part of his Counterpoyson you deale very childishly But if passing by this you hereafter prooue that we deny you shall quit your seâ—ues like men Gen. 3.15 In the meane season wee haue two proofes or arguments from you such as they are It is say you contrary to the first couenant of our redemption I will put enmitie betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seede and her seede hee shall breake thine head and thou shalt bruise his heele The next tâ—me you write conclude from this Scripture that the being of open wicked in the Church doeth nullifie a Church and giue iust cause to the godly of seperation If this you cannot wherof I am very sure you abuse both this Scrâ—pture and the reader You imply here and teach expressely else where That the couenant of redemption and saluation God made with the visible church That this is false I haue made plaine hereafter and wil not therefore speake of it heere Note their peruerting of Scripture Where learne you by the woman and her seede to vnderstand Christ and the visible Church you haue not beene taught this of God Besides you contradict your selfe For in your confession of Faith you vnderstand this Scripture of the inuisible Church Art 5. Where for proofe of this that the Elect all and onely are redeemed you alleadge Gen. 3.15 I will put enmitie c. You intimate also that the perpetuall enmitie that is in the world for Religion is betweene them onely that are in the Church and them that are without and that there is no enmitie but all amitie and friendship among those that are in the visible Church They all beare vnfaiâ—ed loue one to another as in your description of the visible Church you teach You might be of the Famiâ—y of loue Familists and not Brownists by this doctrine of yours The holy Scriptures shew vs the direct contrary That euen in the Church and betweene the members thereof there hath beene perpetuall enmitie and deadly hatred whence it hath alwayes beene that that some of the Church haue slandered raised vpon and saide all manner of euill against the godly and often times spoyled them not onely in their good name but also in their goods banished imprisoned and put them to death Caine belike had no enmitie to Habel nor Esau to Iacob nor Saul to Dauid nor the Scribes and Pharisees to the faithfull then liuing Your sâ—cond reason is That since the world beganne there was neuer in the Churches of God a mixture of wicked and prophane with the godly but the godly were alwayes seperated from the vngodâ—y And therefore ought to be so at this day Prooue the Antecedent and we will graunt you the conclusion Haue I not shewed that this mixture was in the families of Abraham and Isaack wherin the Church was shut vp for a time Also in the Church in Moses time in Dauids time and the ages succeeding him and lastly in the dayes of Christ Nay I haue made it plaine that in Dauid Isaiah Ieremiah Micah their times there were not only wicked men and open wicked but so many wicked and vngodly in the Church that there were scarce any godly to bee found Psal 12.1 according to that complaint of Dauid vnto God Helpe Lord for there is not a godly man left In like manner did the church swarme with wicked yea open wicked wheÌ„ our lord Iesus was on earth as hereafter shal be made euident Counterp 23. How far are you then from the truth who teach That there neuer haue beene prophane and wicked men in the Church and that this is contrary to the example of all Gods Churches since the world began Obserue their abuse of holy Scripture who alwayes were seperated from the godly as you say and againe in these words They cannot shewe any true church since the beginning of the world but was of a seperated people Gen. 6.1.2 12. Leuit. 20.23.24 Ezr. 6.21 Act. 2.40.41 19.9 c. If for confirmation of this grosse and palpable error you should cote as many places of Scripture as there be heares of your head it would doe you no good but onely shewe that you feare not to peruert holy Scripture to take the name of God in vaine no more then a fish to drinke water And here marke I beseech thee Christian Reader wherein we and these Seperatists differ as touching seperation Wee acknowledge a seperation of the people of God and professors of true
religion from all those which make no such profession so are without the Church Thus the Iewes vntil the death of Christ were seperated from the Gentiles Thus in the Apostles time and after the Saints that is the professors of Christian Religion in Rome Corinthus Ephesus Galatia c. were sepâ—rated from their neighbours being heathens and infidels And thus are we seperated from all Pagans Turkes and Infidels Of this seperation the Lord speaketh Leu. 20. I am the Lord your God which haue seperated you from other people Ver. 26.24 that ye should be mine This seperation agreeth with the Scriptures and hath good warrant from the same and thus farre you and we agree But you rest not here but require besides a seperaration in the Church and among the aforesaid professors vrging and enforcing this that the godly in this societie must seperate from the wicked and haue no religious communion or fellowship with them Ephes 5.11 1. Cor. 5 9.1â—.11 Herein we differ Yet wee confesse that the godly must be seperated from the euill manners customes and fashions of the wicked that they may not haue any fellowship with them in the vnfruitfuâ—l workes of darknesse neither may thâ—y haue them to be their familiars in these such like respects the righteous must seperate from the wicked in the Church and haue nothing to do with them But that they may not communicate together in diuine worship but must seperate in things concerning God this seperation is manifestly repugnant to the Scriptures as appeareth by the premises and shall further appeare hereafter In the meane season this I affirme that if this doctrine of yours were true then for as much as in all ages there were aboundance of notorious wicked men in the Church of the Iewes the Prophets Christ and his Apostles should haue had no communion with them at least in their Synagogues the contrarie wherevnto you both know and acknowledge Then also there ought to haue been a seperation made at Corinthus and in the Churches of Galatia not only from the Infidels and grosse Idolaters amongst whom they liued but also betwixt the Saints and professors of Christian Religion seeing among them there were diuers knowne wicked men as is in the next Chapter made manifest But wee read of no such seperation made or yet vrged by the Apostle either among the Corinthians or Galatians or any other of the Churches to whom hee writ Therefore there hath not been in former times nor ought to be such a seperation in the Church as you speake of to wit betwixt the godly and the vngodly If any obiect here 2. Cor. 6.14 c. I answere that the Apostle perswades the Christians at Corinth to seperate from and to haue no communion with the idolaters their neighbours in their false and idolatrous worship or idol feasts and not to a seperation among themselues The seperation pressed by Paul-was betweene them in the Church and those which bee without which we deny not and not a seperation in the Church betwixt the godly and the wicked there which is that you vrge and we gaine say But I returne to M. Ainsworth Counterp 133. A third argument for confirmation of the point now in hand hee hath in another place which may fitly be inferred here Seperation saith he from the vngodly vnto this day is resisted and pleaded against and the holy scriptures vnsufferably abused to maintaine a confuse mixed multitude of all sorts of people to be a true Church But Christ is no Mediator for such a mixture as himselfe said to his Father I pray not for the world c. Ioh. 17.16 Your reason is this Christ is the Mediator of euery true vis Church But Christ is not the Mediator of any confused and mixt company consisting of all sorts of people Thereâ—ore no confused and mixt company is a true visible Church Wee deny your Proposition and say That Christ is the Mediator of the inuisible and not of the visible Church but in respect of them in it that are of the inuisible You tell vs heere secretly and after in expresse words That Christ is the Mediator and Aduocate of the visible Church and for proofe thereof alledge Ioh. 17.9.16 and afterwards 1. Tim 2. â—5 1 Ioh. 2.1 Act. 4.12 Counterp 131. Note their peruerting of Scripture If this Proposition of yours be false as in the last Chapter of this booke is made manifest then are these Scriptures abused by you The 9. and 16. verses of the 17. of Iohn are spoken and meant of the eleuen Apostles The same you apply to the vis Church herein you abuse the Scripture though alwaies I confesse this holdeth not In the former of these verses of the eleuen Disciples Iesus saith thus I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast giuen mee for they are thine Behold your proofe and how you doe vse the Scripture who tell vs so often of our abuse thereof Christ prayeth for or is the Mediator and aduocate of the Apostles Ergo he prayeth for and is the Mediator and Aduocate of the vis Church By world here all men of iudgement vnderstand the Reprobate for thereby must needs be meant those for whom Christ prayeth not and such are the reprobate generation you say thereby is meant a confuse mixed multitude wherein your selues acknowledge be many of Gods chosen I hope this also is an abuse of holy Scripture The words of the 16. ver are They are not of the world as I am not of the world Where our Sauiour affirmeth that to bee in part true of his Disciples vvhich vvas wholly and altogether and perfectly true of himselfe that though they were in the world yet they were not of it that is worldly minded affecting and chiefely desiring and seeking after the things of this world This testimonie of Iesus you produce to proue That a true visible Church is not a mixt company consisting of all sorts of people good and bad or That Christ is no Mediator for such a mixture For proofe of whether so euer of these you meane it who seeth not that this Scripture is likewise abused by you 1. Whether you or we then do vnsufferably abuse the Scriptures and namely touching the mixture of bad with good in the Church let the godly Reader now he hath heard vs iudge Oftentimes you tell vs of this abuse The word say you Counterp 171. pag. 171. is vnsufferably abused to the maintenance of the confusion that is among you This doth as ill beseeme you as a common Strumpet to call an honest and sober matron Whore But let vs heare what M. Ainsworth saith further against this confusion or commixture of all sorts in the Church Your church saith he hath the essentiall note of a false church Counterp 14. namely a confuse prophane worldly people Thus can I proue that the Church in Dauids time in Isaiah his time and other
they are not of that generation and stocke of mankinde which God hath ordained to destruction as the former despisers of Christ but of the generation which God hath chosen and appointed to life euerlasting which generation is that we call the inuisible Church Why the elect bee heere called a chosen generation you may reade further Chap. 1. And there also see that these titles royall Priesthood holy Nation peculiar People which these men vnderstand of the visible Church cannot be so taken But are meant of the faithfull or true beleeuers al which are of the inuisible church Both by the words themselues then of this Scripture â— meane verse 9. and also by the coherence or depeâ—dance thereoâ— with that goeth bâ—fore it is euident that this Scripture is peâ—uerted by thâ—se men and misapplyed Nay this is euident by their owne vvritings And here with mee obsâ—rue a secret ouer ruling hâ—nd of God M. Ainsworth hauing made a large Treatise iâ—tituted the Communion of Saints and there hauing spoken many excellent and glorious things of the Saints rightly vnderstood that is of Saints indeed or the faithfull sanctified by the Spirit of God and Faith in Christs who are so of the visible Church as withall they be of the inuisible Church but by him meant and misapplyed to all the members of the vis Church Saints by profession which shameth the whole Treatise making it almost as full of lies as lines Hee I say hauing done this euer and anone throughout his whole booke behold how in a conclusion which he affixeth to the said booke he conuinceth himselfe of errour touching a great part of that hee had said before and namely concerning this place of Peter which a Pag. 470. before he vnderstood of the visible Church and members thereof Thus beginneth he his conclusion b 487. 4. 88. seeing we haue receiued such grace from God so many as beleeue in the name of his Sonne Christ as that we are raised vp from the graues of sinne c. being through his mercy made a c 1. Pet. 2.9 chosen generation a kingly priesthood washed from all our sinnes d Deut. 1.5 in the bloud of Christ and e Reu. 5.10 raigning with him on earth by mortifying and subduing our earthly members what remaineth but that wee purge our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit With your owne weapons thus I fight against you All they and they only who beleeue in Christ are by his bloud washed from their sinnes mortifie and subdue their earthly members are this chosen generation and royall priesthood But onely the elect and inuisible Church beleeue in Christ are by his bloud washed from their sinnes mortifie and subdue their earthly members Therfore the elect onely and inuisible Church are this chosen generation and kingly priesthood and therefore not the visible church as these men do teach The proposition is your owne the Assumption deny if you will But M. Ainsworth by three reasons will proue that this scripture is not to bee vnderstood of the inuisible Counterp 158. but of the vis Church The first is layed downe in these words This place of Peter speaketh of and to the vis or sensible Church for the Apostle wrote to the vis Christians the strangers that then dwelt in Pontus Galatia c. In the tenth Chapter of this booke I haue answered this reason at large and shewed the vanitie of it notwithstanding something I will adde heere Be it granted that Peter writ to the vis church though something might be said against it as that he writeth to them that had obtained like precious faith with him which none but the chosen and of the inuis chureh haue yet this proues not that this 9. verse is true and to be vnderstood of the vis Church no more then it followeth that these sayings of Paul are true and to bee vnderstood of the vis Church and all the members thereof Yee are bought for a price 1. Cor. 6.20 Rom. 8.15 Gal. 4.20 3.26 Ephes 1.13 yee haue receiued the spirit of Adoption ye are the sonnes of God who hath sent forth the spirit of his Sonne into your hearts ye are all the sonnes of God yee are sealed with his holy Spirit of promise the earnest of our inheritance with many such like because the Epistles wherein these are vvere vvritten as you affirme to visible or sensible Churches The second reason followeth in these words This which Peter speaketh chap 2.9.10 is as Moses spake of old to the visible Church of Israel Exod. 19.6 I answere though Exod. 19.6 was spoken to the vis church of Israel yet it was in respect of them therein vvho were of the inuisible church and of Gods elect and is true onely of such as I haue shewed before euen so it is here Your last reason followeth Againe say you Peter mentioneth the end of their calling to this dignitie viz. to shew forth the vertues of him that hath called them out of darknesse into his maruellous light which whether it appertaines not to the visible Church I leaue it for euery true member thereof to Iudge It cannot be denied but that Peter speaketh of them vvho of God are called out of darknesse that is out of sinne and ignorance into his maruellous light that is to the knowledge of God and holinesse for which maruellous mercy receiued out of the very sense and feeling therof they praise God and indeauour all the dayes of their life to walke worthy of it which is heere called the shewing forth of the vertues of him that hath called them But the inuis church onely and company of the elâ—ct are called out of darknesse into this maruellous light being called therefore the children of the light and they alone out of a sensible feeling of this great mercy doe praise blesse God for the same and indeauour to liue to him vvho hath thus called them Of the inuisible Church therfore called heare a chosen generation doth the Apostle Peter speake in this place So this reason maketh greatly against you Counterp 158. No lesse blame-worthy are you for maintaining this That no places of Scripture setting forth the inuisible Church are by you brought to set forth the visible Church The contrary to this appeareth plainely by this Treatise To proue that they vvho be of the true vis church are called out of the world Apologie 44. Counterp 133. or seperated from the world a seperated company of righteous men vsually you quote Ioh. 15.15.19 and 17.9.14 16.20 Tell mee now who be they that beeing in this world are not of this world Are not the elect onely such know you not that they who be not of this world doe belong to a better world Moreouer doth Christ pray for the vis Church or the inuisible onely and company of the elect what meane you then to apply Scriptures concerning these things to the vis Church seeing they be spoken