of the church requires to excommunicate and receive in and to order all things in their assemblies for the advancement of Christs kingdome without the leave or restraint of any Fourthly it must assemble for acts of governement and solemne worship without which it is but a shadow that is it must meete in their meeting places to pray preach prophecy baptize and communicate as the spirit gives wisedome and utterance Now because they finde not our churches thus made up according to their owne fansies therefore doe they forsake them as false or at the least no true churches This is their new way of churching and unchurching of assemblies so farre as I can gather by their conferences and writings and they judge of our assemblies after this mould I hope they will not deny us to have assemblies or to be separate from Iewes Turkes Pagans Idolaters and wicked Belialists in communion for spirituall life by Christ that wee have authority and power for ordination excommunication absolution and order or that wee have assemblies for governement and solemne worship and for the rest of the frame it is but the issue of their owne braine and not of the law and rule of Christ For first whereas they would have no nationall churches but particular in dependent congregations they must confesse that the whole nation of Israel was but one church And though then they had but one Tabernacle yet when after they were divided into severall Synagogues did they not continue the only church of God were they not still reputed of God as one man though some were better and more worse It is true say they because they had but one high-priest a figure of Christ which was to vanish Nay rather because they were but one people and common-wealth professing the same religion and ruled by the same lawes both before they had one high-priest and after when by corruption they had two Neither was the high-priest in respect of governement a type of Christ for so was Melchizedech of whose order Christ was and not after the order of Aaron but in respect of his sacrifice and intercession for the whole people and his enterance alone into the holy of holies bearing the names of the twelve tribes and Christs governement belongs to his kingdome not to his priest-hood Besides must they not confesse that that one church of the nation of Jewes was governed by one law and one king one law for the substance of governement and one king to order both priests and people and that not as a type of Christ but as a king by royall authority as head of the tribes as I shal cleare hereafter Yea doe wee not reade of the church of Ephesus which was one house of God over which Timothy was the first angell and Bishop as it comes to us from oldest records to rule all Presbyters Deacons Widowes and people in their severall assemblies For how fond were it to thinke that all the Elders Deacons and believers that Paul gives him Jurisdiction over there should be of one assembly Especially seeing Titus his fellow-fellow-Bishop was left in Creta to ordeine elders and oversee them in every city according to the necessity of severall assemblies Secondly whereas they urge that a true church must be separate from all false waies it is true it must be thus in profession when they are plainely discovered by undoubted scriptures but that it must be actually thus or be unchurched is utterly false Israel was Gods people when the sonnes of Eli in communion with them were sonnes of Belial and knew not the Lord. Moses calls them Gods people even when they were not separated from Idolatry because he had no authority to cast them off before God himselfe had given a bill of divorce God by Esay calls the Jewes his children and people when they were so farre from being separated from rulers of Sodome rebellious Princes companions of theeves that they had such teachers as caused them to erre such women as were full of hellish pride such rich men as were cruell oppressours such inhabitants as the earth was defiled under them and such a face of the church as the faithfull city was become an harlot with their oakes and gardens of idolatrie ready to bring confusion Paul calls the Corinthians a church of God saints by calling when at that instant many in communion with them had debates envyings whisperings wraths strifes backbitings swellings tumults and had not repented of the uncleannesse fornication and lasciviousnesse which they had committed Read the epistles of Christ to the seven churches in Asia and yee shall finde much abominable wickednesse and yet they were crowned by Christ himselfe with the name of churches If the Brownists plead that these churches should have beene separated Indeed they should have better then they were and because they were not they after felt the heavie hand of God but that the good should have fallen out with God for the sinne of man and beene separated from the good things of God for the wickednesse of those that were in outward communion of christianity that we no where nor ever I am sure shall read Thirdly whereas they plead that every particular congregation hath sufficient power by generall vote of members in all causes ecclesiasticall I must wonder before answere what have the people all the members power of jurisdiction over all What new scripture hath ever Christ made for this confusion Surely we finde it not before the law for then power of governement lay upon Adam Noah Abraham Isaack Iacob Ioseph and their peeres Surely it was not under the law for then power of governement lay upon Moses and his assistants even by the advice of Iethro and upon Aaron to whom the people must assent The law was delivered to the priests and elders and they were charged to looke to the rest It is as sure also that it is not under the Gospel The people attempted nothing but by the liking leave and approbation of the Apostles The Apostles ordeined elders in every city for the people without them and conferred with the elders of the church for the good of their assemblies without the people yea and upon consultation did decreâ— a matter for the peace of the church without them when their gifts were at the height It is true that sometimes the people were acquainted with some great matter in counsell not because they had authority without which the Apostles and elders could doe nothing but to acquâ—int them with reasons and to incourage them in their graces Thus Bishop Cyprian sometimes did and sometimes superiours do require the assent of inferiours for better peace and love And that the people had no authority in governing the church appeares by the commission of Christ to his Apostles and those that should succeed them goe yee saith Christ and teach and baptise
was come home to God command Iudah to serve the God of Israel Did not Iosiah cause and make his people to stand to his covenant to serve even to serve the Lord our God Is it not lawfull for good Princes in reforming to follow these examples may not they binde their people some way by oath bond subscription or taking and giving hands for better performance of duties of religion why may not our good Princes follow those old patternes in reforming They say because it is not found in the new testament Bee it so yet it is found in the old testament and not condemned in the new nor any other order prescribed in such a case Surely seeing in this new devised way they will bee tried by none but the new testament they shall be cast at this bar in their own courses Let them give but one text to prove any man called or ordained to a Pastours office in the church by a company of private men alone and I shall give them another text to prove any thing they please I can yet reade of none but Apostles Evangelists and the eldership that made ministers there If they can shew no text I am sure they have no such Pastours as they ought but I am sure we have true kings who have power in reforming to compell wicked people to be better then they are because they beare not the sword for nought Yea but say they lastly put case they entred upon necessarie knowledge that they made a covenant in receiving the word and sacraments that they were voluntarily or forced yet lawfull professours when they stated a visible church yet they were many of them baptized when they were the seed of them that were not members of the visible church Conceive it thus If a man be a member of the visible church then his children have a right to baptisme before they actually professe the faith by vertue of that promise I will be thy God and the God of thy seede But if hee bee not a member of a visible church as a Iew Turke or Pagan then have they no right to it before they actually confesse as the Eunuch did Now the Brownists keeping a great coile about the jointing of members into a church as if it were all one to be jointed into the body of Christ coapted and fitted to our head Christ for life and salvation and to bee a member of the visible church in outward communion and fellowship of Christ for the outward priviledges of the church they have I say espied among many others this one crime in the Dutch and French churches that they baptize the seede of them that are no members of the visible church much more when they looke upon us whom they account not members of a true visible church must they quarrell if all bee of his mind if our first reformers be not members of a true visible church and yet their children are baptized before they are of yeares to professe their owne faith SECT 9. A question by the way about baptizing Bastards of impenitent Christians I Confesse I never yet talked with any Brownist about this particular yet because I finde too many conscious people hanging after forraigne novelties and gazing upon with admiration the membring and dismembring in visible churches who when they heare of Christians lawfully begotten children denied baptisme beginne to wonder that christians bastards should be admitted Therefore to cleare both as God shall in able I shall labour to satisfie others as I have done some in this question whether bastards are baptizable while their mothers are in their sinnes of adultery or fornication and whether men ought not to stay their baptisme untill they be reconciled to God in open church which is publickely scandalized by her fact and from which she hath dismembred her selfe by her misdeed In this I finde two questions inwrapt in one whether bastards are baptizable and whether men ought not to stay such baptisme till the harlot bee reconciled to God and this be done in the open church scandalized from which by her fact she hath cut herselfe off by her sinne I shall first labour to state these questions and then the cases will more easily appeare The estate of the first may be thus set By bastards such children are meant as come not into the world by lawfull acts of marriage and by baptizable is meant such as have a right to the sacrament of baptisme in the church And the question is not whether bastards in generall are baptizable for so it is certaine that all are not as the bastards of Iewes Turkes and Pagans who have no right to baptisme but by personall confession But the question is whether the bastards of the professours at large in a christian church which is in covenant with God for the outward priviledge of the church at least have right to baptisme of these the inquiry is because in the second part of this question is spoken of the mothers reconciling to God in the open church offended The state of the second question must be laid by considering two things 1 The persons enquired of· 2 The duty of these persons The persons enquired of are Men and it is too generall a terme For it cannot meane any men of that assembly where such a bastard is presented for they have no authority knowne to mee from scriptures to meddle in any censure ecclesiasticall These onely are to meddle heere who are sent and inspired with delegated service and mininistery from Christ either immediately or mediately Neither can it meane the Pastors and deputed teachers of that assembly for they have but a dependent authority according to the lawes of Eutaxy and good order in the church Presbiters under Bishops Bishops under Synods Synods under Councels and Councels under the word of Christ in plaine scriptures Our highest appeale is to our head Christ Iesus For if ordinary Pastours had such independent power in such cases thinke whether it would not set up a Pope in every parish especially considering that wee have neither precept nor president in all the new testament of such power given to any assembly or Presbiter that ever I could yet finde By men therâ—fore wee must understand the publick governours of that church that is the King Prince state Bishop and convocation by their lawes ecclesiasticall for the good of the church The question enquires of those in respect of order decree and command and of these in respect of Canons and executions accordingly Thus I take up the minde of the question or else I know not what it would have Next consider in the question the duty of these persons whether they ought to stay bastards from baptisme By this two things may bee meant denying baptisme but no man would utterly exclude such and suspending baptisme and of this is the question for it makes a double limitation first till the harlot be reconciled to God In this
they must separate from a Church corrupted for want of I governement Yes say they that they must when governement is naught practise is answerable and better of either cannot be had I wonder what they would have done if they had lived in the times of the Judges when every man did what hee listed or in our blessed Saviours time when so many schismaticks and sectaries had rule and governement or in the Apostles time when Diotrephes used such tyrannical pride and usurped such authority that hee would not receive the very Apostles would they have separated I am sure that neither Israel nor Christ nor his Apostles did so Iohn did onely write to the Church about it And are these wiser then they No say they wee doe it not out of an opinion of our owne wisedome but out of conscience and for the glory of God and for Sions sake But take they heed every one that pretends to make the word of Christ his rule hath not these ends before him as he ought Gentilis that impious blasphemer of the Trinity when he was called to answer said that hee was drawne to maintaine his cause from touch of conscience and when hee was to dye that hee did suffer for the glory of the most high God And Paul when he was yet a Pharisee lived in all good conscience when naturall wisedome was his interpreter of Gods word Even so may it be with them O no they are sure of their hand they are taught of God and they must separate from such a wicked governmēt as ours is for conscience sake Why what is the matter let us in the feare of God heare the worst that wee may mend or bee obstinate I never heard but three things pleaded against our governement by them 1 The power of true government 2 The persons of our governours 3 And their exercise of our government We wil heare them in all to the last word and our good God give us understanding in all things for peace and salvation The power of true Church government say the Brownists is in the whole Church and in every particular member in body and not onely in the prime members onely In this they doe not onely fight against us but against al the Presbyteries in the world and so they pull more adversaries upon them then they will be able to withstand In this they beate downe at one blow that which hath exercised the wits of thousands without satisfaction to millions of consciences Yea in this they joyne hands with Corah Dathan and Abiram who loved not the governement of the best because all the congregation is holy every one of them But against whomsoever they fight and with whomsoever they joyne surely say they true Church government is in the whole congregation It is true that if wee consider the Church as a compleat body under Christ the head then the power of Church government is in the whole Church As the animal body is said to see to goe to worke to speake originally though subjectively and formally it is the eye sees the foot goes the hand works and the tongue speaks But that the whole body of Christ the Church catholike or particular for her part should have this power so as to have power to exercise it formally cannot bee made good from the word of Christ Before the Law Church government lay upon Adam Noah Abraham and the rest of the Patriarchs Vnder the Law it lay upon Moses and Aaron though to Moses was added by Iethroes advise seventy Elders not by Gods immediate direction though after they were approved by him Vnder the Gospel the gifts of power and government was bestowed upon some not upon all and the people never attempted any thing without the Apostles leave assistance and direction The Apostles ordained Elders and not the people without them The Apostles called for the Elders and conferred with them without the people The Elders did consult with Iames and Paul without asking the votes of the people and did a matter of weight for the peace of the Church from their owne judgements Yea and when the whole Church was with the Apostles and Elders in counsell these are preferred before them as their superiours who had their consent of love and charity but not of authority Therefore the people were not reproved for the disorders of the Church and Common-wealth but the Princes and the Priests according to which generall course we must understand those few particulars wherein blame seemes to bee layed upon the body of the people also For the people are still commanded subjection and submission to governours ecclesiasticall and temporall and are still called by the names of sheepe brethren saints houshold spouse children and the like whereas their governours are called Bishops Overseers Elders Presbyters Angels Fathers as termes of superiority It is true they are also called a royall Priesthood and Kings but not in regard of externall power of government in the Church but of internall power of saving grace to rule over their own corruptions that sin may not raigne in their mortall bodies which if they would exercise as they ought these quarrels might soone cease Noe say the Brownists these quarrels must not cease so long as we find in Scriptures the peoples power of government in the Church maintained For they instance in two high parts of government excommunication and absolution and they find the peoples power in both For Christ saith If thy brother trespasse against thee and he will not heare thee or more with thee Goe tell the church that is say they the whole congregation and as hee doth heare or neglect that let him be to thee either bound or loosed by excommunication or absolution Hence they argue thus Church is taken for every particular congregation where Christians live before this in body the delinquent that is obstinate must bee convented bee it lesse or greater and it hath a power in governement even in these things of highest nature therefore the power of government is in the people as well as deeply as in others Heere is their impregnable hold as they thinke and therefore they come upon us thus roundly Christ hath charged his Apostles and their true successours that they should teach all nations to observe all things whatsoever hee hath commanded them but you that are the ministers of the Church of England doe not teach us to observe all things for Christ hath commanded a forme of governement wherein all members should have publicke cognizance of offences for the advancement of the kingdome of Christ and you suffer him to be dishonoured and us to bee robbed of our rights and therfore ye are not the ministers of Christ neither is your Church a true Church of Christ Thus so farre as I can gather from them and conceive I have given them
reconciled from the heart God will not be reconciled unto him hee shall into the prison till he hath paid the utmost farthing But it may be said how shall I be assured that upon my brothers submission and mine and my witnesses acceptance that his bond of guilt shall be loosed by God From Christs promise that if two shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall aske it shall bâ— done for them to their brethren of my Father which is in Heaven Thus Saint Basil of old If two shall aske by consent it shall be done what this meaneth the processe of the place shewes saith he for immediately before Christ speaketh of him that reproveth his brother and him that is reproved and If he that be reproved be grieved for his fault and be joyned with the reprover in the same minde the pardon which is asked shall be granted from our most gracious God This I alledge as I could in this cause many other not because they like it but because they may know that this sense is not a new one of my owne I know that they runne a new and uncharitable way for when they reade that Christ promiseth not doing for them that aske except they agree on earth they peremptorily conclude that they ought not to pray with them that doe not consent with them in their opinions Therefore would they neither pray with me nor suffer me to pray with them to our good God to lead us us into the way of truth nor will they pray with their owne wives and children though never so pious if they doe not meet in the same center of conceits Yea but say they all the Text before must be understood of publike Church scandals because of Christs promise Where two or three be gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them which is ever applyed to publike meetings It is true it is so applyed and so may and must For it holds strongly that iâ— Christ be present with private persons who agree in building up one another in charity much more is he present in publike conventions where faith climbes hope rootes charity flames and zeale burnes up corruption when they are well used But yet this proves not but that here Christ may treate of private scandals as the whole context shewes and may incourage brotherly prayers one for another in peace because Christ is present with them But all this is but a flash to them yet for this text must needes bee a rule of their perfect discipline in the body of their members because the Apostle blames the whole church of Corinth for not casting out of the incestuous person That this is no perfect rule of discipline may appeare to any man that will consider that heere is no direction to proceed against sins against God or others but onely against thee thee Heere is no excommunication ordained for it is not said put him out from among you but let him bee to thee for seeking further remedy Lastly heere is no determining power given to the church for the party offended is principall to admonish tell fine The church is not to excommunicate but to turne the offender over to the offended party let him be to thee not to us yea the church is not to call him by summons but to expect the plaintiffes comming and moreover if heere were a perfect rule it might fall out that two or three men yea women pretending to bee gathered in Christs name might cast out whole congregations for not consenting unto them And for that place to the Corinths where Saint Paul is charged to countenance this their new parish discipline because hee blamed the Corinthians that the incestuous person was not cast out I answer hee might have had just cause to blame them if hee had committed any such thing to their trust by devolving his authority to them but that hee did not yet put over his authority to them in body appeares divers waies First though the power of governement in respect of use belong to the whole church for benefit that where the fact is notorious the law might be notorious too so as the whole church may bee witnesse of the doome when they are gathered together yet in regard of the possession for managing of it it belongs onely to the Pastors and chiefe Bishops For when Christ made that promise of binding and loosing to his disciples hee did not make it to them as Apostles properly for it is no such personall priviledge as not to descend It is needefull for the church in all ages therefore not tyed to any Neither did he make it unto them as the body of christians for when hee made good his promise hee tells us that hee sent and inspired them and after both these gave this commission of binding and loosing but hee sent not all nor inspired all as he signified by breathing upon the Apostles But he did it to them as pastors and chiefe Bishops and so to men of office for the use and comfort of the church for ever And terrour of ungodly men Secondly the persons to whom this authority of perpetuall governement of the church in ecclesiasticall way was committed were the chief Pastours as Bishops were anciently called therefore if Paul had fixed the blame in that particular upon any it would have been upon the Angel and chiefe overseer of that church For Paul and Christ are not of a severall spirit and judgement in church-discipline Thirdly if therefore Paul blame any for this it is under the whole church those that by office were to redresse these outrages and to see to the holinesse charity and comelinesse of that church But lastly if wee looke into the words more narrowly wee shall finde the true fault that hee blamed the church of Corinth for They had a common fame of such a wickednesse committed amongst them that the Gentiles by the light of nature did abhorre Paul having as yet supreame power ecclesiasticall under Christ in his owne hand and for ought we know not having setled a Bishop in highest church governement as in Ephesus Creta Asia did expect from them woefull complaints of this disorder that hee might have directed theÌ„ accordingly for the taking of it away from among them with the author of it But they were so farre from this that they were puffed up with their owne gifts and lamented not that wickednesse that raigned among them that by dâ—e course it might bee removed This therefore is that which the Apostle blameth in the Corinthians Therefore that hee may shew them that they are not so much to admire themselves as to take off their eyes from the great faults committed against them and that they are to lament and doe their best that such wicked persons might be taken away from among them and not thrust out in a crowd the Apostle doth three things
immediately did excell those that were called by men And among those that were called by men where might bee a rising to an higher degree according as they profited in faith and godlinesse Therefore Paul saith that they that use the office of a Deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree Therefore may wee lawfully maintaine a superiority in the ministery of Christ now But it may be they would not stand so much upon this because for ought I can finde there is some inequality betwixt their pretended Pastors and Doctors but that there is a Iurisdiction in our Bishops not onely over the flock but over the compresbyters their brethren It is true there is so and that justly without which wee should have as many religions as parishes and for that I say this Such jurisdiction as is patterned or prescribed in the epistles to Timothy and Titus is worthily exercised in our church of Christ If it bee said that that jurisdiction was personal in them this takes away the comfort of doctrine in all the otheâ— epistles for it may be as well said that the rules of faith and doctrine in them are personall and belong to that age But as this cannot be said so nor that for those rules tended to the government of the house of God and were to be kept to the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ Now that that jurisdiction patterned or prescribed in those epistles was episcopal appeareth thus Set aside matters matrimonial and testamentary which are the wise donation of princes for the conscionable ordering of such affaires and the jurisdiction of Bishops doth stand in two things principally First in ordination for the ordaining of ministers Titus was left in Crete to ordeine elders and the Apostle would have Timothy lay hands rashly on none that is ordaine But say they these ordeined not as Bishops but as Evangelists But this they must prove that they were Evangelists strictly so called Evangelists were immediately called so waâ— not Timothy for according to his good report and the prophesies that went of him for his great use of the church hee was ordained by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery Yea but say they that Paul bids him doe the worke of an Evangelist True but may they not as well prove Timothy to be an Apostle because hee did the worke of the Lord as Paul did know therefore that Evangelist may be taken three wayes for a penner of the Gospel by divine instinct so the Apostles were Evangelists For a preacher of the Gospel by divine instinct so they are accounted so properly And for a preacher of the Gospell by ordinary diligence and assistance and thus Timothy an Evangelist may be a Bishop to ordaine though not properly as a preacher yet as made a great overseer for that use But say the Brownists Bishops claime ordination to themselves alone so did not Timothy and Titus who did it with the eldership Whether these did it alwaies with the assistant presbyters is not yet proved there being no set law knowne to us then nor I doubt ever will Indeed for our Bishops they ordaine Deacons alone and so they may according to ancient custome and neither I nor they know any thing against it But for the ordination of Presbyters as it was in the primitive Church so our Lawes require that the Bishop should have his assistants the power of ordaining being in him and the liberty of approbation in these Secondly the jurisdiction of Bishops stands in redressing things amisse Titus was left in Creta to redresse things amisse not onely in the people but Presbyters Over Presbyters I say they had a power to command as Paul saith to Timothy I left thee at Ephesus that thou mightst charge some that they preach no other doctrine to judge therefore he saith against an Elder receive not an accusation under two or three witnesses which was a juridicall proceeding and to silence as occasion is offered for whose mouthes must be stopped saith Paul to Titus Which power if it be onely by verball conviction as every Minister of the New Testament is bound to doe as he is able and not by reall suspension as hee is over Presbyters the precept is altogether in vaine and idle For words doe but breed words and contentious spirits will never have an end But say they the Apostles would not suffer themselves to be silenced no more should wee If we cannot doe our office in publike we should doe it private This is true of the Apostles and they did well in it but there are two sorts of Preachers such as were immediately called who had their gifts and matter and calling immediately from Christ these none but Christ can silence they are his elect vessels as Paul to carry his Name And such as are immediately called who have their matter and gifts by reading and industry and their calling by and from the testimony of man Now because some mens sinnes goe before and some mens follow after they that gave power and testimony according to appearance may according to after appearance take testimony away from the unworthy except they could prove themselves Apostles But yet say they grant all this true yet are there divers exceptions against our Bishops what such as may justifie a separation Let us heare them Put case Timothy and Titus were Bishops yet were they not such as ours that is Diocesan Bishops what then were they parish Bishops I wish them read in Church stories of the best times without which they can never understand some passages of scriptures of the practise of the Church I am sure this they should finde that Timothy and Titus had some compasse of jurisdiction allotted wherein there were Churches at least according to cities wherein there were many presbyters to be overseene and ordered and what was this but a Diocesse which as the Church increased increased with it But these say they for all that had no princely authority and Lordly command over their brethren That is true neither is this absolutely necessary to the calling or of the essence of it yet doth it not overthrow it but adorne and strengthen it when it is well used If a Bishop were called a beggar it doth not overthrow his calling so neither if he be called a pallace who knowes not that that proceeded from the favour of our Princes that they might be Barons of the parliament to direct the conscience in deepe matters of state But say they this is against the word of God Be not Lords over Gods heritage saith Peter and saith Christ the Lords of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them and they that are great exercise authority over them but it shall not be so among you but whosoever wil be great among you let him be your minister and whosoever would be chiefe among you let him bee your
ascension Christ had a true Church before Deacons were thought of Put case Bishops did no hurt this way yet they impose oathes upon good men to accuse themselves say they which is against the law of nature justice and religion Certainely nature is for the preservation of the whole body and head and so is justice and religion too If therefore such oathes are for the maintenance of the head and body in publicke peace and tranquility why they may not stand with nature justice and religion I cannot see If one man bee intrusted with another mans goods which perish and he pretend that it be dead or stolne then saith the law an oath of the Lord shall bee betweene them and the loser shal accept it or the wronger shal make restitution What is heere but an imposing an oath upon a man to accuse or excuse himselfe If a man trespassed against his neighbour an oath was to be layed upon him to cause him to sweare before the altar in Gods house yea and if any person were concealed from the King he tooke an oath of the kingdome and nation that they found him not as Obadiah saith to Elijah what is heere againe but an oath imposed to excuse or to accuse a mans selfe And what doe our Bishops more then thus If Iacob bound Esau by an oath to secure that which he had bought of him If Salomon bound Shimeâ— by an oath to his confinement in Ierusalem because hee knew hee had a wicked heart against governement from his grievous curse against David to secure his peace why may not our Bishops having law in their hand secure the rights of the Church and peace of the state by the like oath also How is it possible that the Church and state can ever live securely when false brethren come in privily to bring us into bondage when they creep into houses and lead captive simple women when certaine men creep in unawares whose words eate as doth a canker being closely conveyed and having secret operations upon weake spirits I say how is it possible to bee safe from thâ—se but by the oath of God to make them manifest Aâ— when treason is detected suspected presumed or fained I hope no man thinke it unfit that the king who is worth tenne thousand of us should be secured by an oath though it bee to the losse of thousands of lives so nor I thinke can they judge it unfit that the Church the spouse of Christ should be secured of her rights and peace by an oath though thousands doe suffer in goods and liberty by it But say they if Bishops may be excused in former things yet can they not in the base usage of the censure of excommunication I am yet glad that they doe so highly account of it for it is a fearefull censure indeed when men by it are separated from publike Communion and fellowship with Christ in his ordinances of salvation and so bound and held under the guilt of sinne Too many doe too highly esteeme it and because some zealous men in former times have called the Excommunication of the Pope and his clergy when it was whetted against grace and the true worship of God a woodden dagger therefore they think that they may doe the like against ours Why not say the Brownists seeing the Bishops doe ingrosse it to themselves when it is a common power to the whole Church They doe use it no otherwise than Paul who while hee kept that key in his owne hands by his owne spirit and authority cast out the incestuous person as I have said before Nay they doe not ingrosse it to themselves for they doe denounce it according to Canons and rules which are made in Synods and convocations of Bishops and Presbyters gathered by the authority of their Princes But say they they are decreed by Chancellors Commissaries and Officials By them indeed as servants to the Lawes and Canons of the Church under their jurisdiction for execution For the censures are not referred to them or any but according to Lawes and Constitutions which they are sworn to execute justly and impartially I thinke that they cannot blame this service of theirs if they consider the originall First Bishops judged ecclesiasticall causes in person under which burthen they groaned and the Church was deprived of other comforts Then when causes increased by the increase of the Church and all ordinary cases were ruled by the canons of Counsels there was lesse need of Bishops presence And when matters of Tythes Testamentary and Matrimoniall by the favour of Princes were referred to Ecclesiasticall cognisance then such assistants were ordained as by such study and industry were usefull to serve the Church under Bishops and what hurt is here Sweet servants indeed say they who having this spirituall Sword in their hands doe thus abuse it Doe we not see indulgences and pardons by their absolutions and suspensions of processes flye abroad for money in their commutations and purse penances As for Indulgences they are of two sorts Papall and Evangelicall the Pope grants them out of Papall authority by way of mitigation of these satisfactions we owe to God these we abhorre and disclaime as impious But in our Church they are granted upon repentance and promise of amendment by way of mitigation of that satisfaction wee owe to men offended by us Of these Paul doth speake sufficient to such a man is this punishment yee ought to forgive him lest he be swallowed up with too much sorrow And if this be not regulated aright the fault is in persons not in this good order It is true that this is granted when offenders doe but say to them I am sorry I repent I will doe it no more which though it be not enough to take off the merit of sinne before God yet is it enough to take off the censure of excommunication For this is a sure rule that that which is enough to constitute an outward member of the visible Church is enough to admit a wounded member into the outward priviledges of it And for purse penances and commutations of which you speake let it be considered that it hath some ground in the Word of God For if there may bee a commutation by the purse for murther as ye may see in the law of the owners Oxe killing a man as I have said why not for lesse matters when it is well regulated Yea but say they doe we not see more abominations yet Is not power by their dispensing of Excommunications taken from Churches to remove scandals and purge out wicked livers to the annoyance of the Kingdome of Christ Put case wee had not power to remove scandals must they therefore separate If they abstained from the approbation of sinne and labored to supply the defect of this power by holinesse of life might they not thus judge the world
such as the Apostles converted in the first planting of the Churches of the Gentiles It is certaine that it is as true a conversion from any sinne to sanctification as from infidelity to faith For Iohn Baptist was sent to turne the disobedient Iewes and Peter after his fall was to be converted and Ephraim was to say turne thou me and I shall be turned and the remnant of Iacob was to returne to the mighty God But say they this may be done by private persons as by the woman of Samaria and by the good wife who winnes her husband by her conversation Who doth doubt that as the base carriage of Christians doth make religion blasphemed so the faire carriage of theÌ„ doth win aliens to like it Who doubts but the perswasions of others may draw men to Christ or his followers to bee informed in good wayes Who doubts of Aquilas and Priscillas taking Apollos a man mighty in the Scriptures and making him understand the wayes of Christ better Yea and Christ if hee please may use them as meanes for thorow conversion But what is Christs ordinary way hee hath now given Pastors and Doctors not onely for the setting of the Saints in joynt and edifying of the body of Christ but for the worke of the Ministery and what is that It is to open mens eyes and to turne them from darknesse to light that they may receive forgivenesse of sinnes and inheritance among them that are sanctifâ—ed by Faith in Christ Therefore our Ministery having done thus are not these true Ministers No say the Brownists and therefore doe they make exceptions against us They like not our ordainers our titles our callings our infirmities nor our maintenances therefore we are not true Ministers Let us follow them with Christs light It is as if they should have said though we cannot overthrow the substance of your Ministery yet we reject you because of the circumstances of it as the children of Israel who could not out-face Elishaes calling from God yet could in scorne say come up thou bald-pate thou art not without thy blemish till the Beares stopt their mouthes Let them take heede If a King have all the substance of right and Kingshippe yet if in his inauguration hee have not a pleasing â—nnointer title acclamation maintenance or have some infirmities is hee not a right King I doubt if these spirits had power in their hand neither true King nor true Priest nor true people should scarcely be found to stand before them But to the particulars They say wee are ordained by Bishops who are as they are such the very limbes of Antichrist That they are the blessed governors of our Church according to the patterne and rules Apoâ—tolicall of Timothy and Titus I have shewed before And by whom should wee be ordained but by such Can a good man dreame that the body of a people of men and women have a power to ordaine and consecrate presbyters when if he runne thorough the whole new testament he can never find but bresbyters ordained by presbyters If ours bee Bishops yet they are presbyters and more They have an order and jurisdiction by right above us as Titus in Creta yet I hope that doth not exclude presbytership from them The inferiour orders may stand alone but the superiour comprehends all A Bishop may reade administer sacraments and doe other offices of the inferiour orders and often doth whereas the other inferiour offices have no jurisdiction over their brethren where the blessing of Bishops may by the favour of times and Princes bee setled according to the word of God That which is their weapon heere I suffer to runne unto my heart not to wound it but to comfort it that I have not beene brought up in other Churches to receive my ordination from the presbytery which yet is good in case of necessity when our way cannot be had but that I have received it by the hand of a Bishop as well as presbyters which makes the practises and rules of scriptures about ordinations the lesse defective the more compleat But these Bishops of ours say they doe ordaine us Priests which is not a ministery of the new testament And what if we be so called in our ordination Is it so contemptible a name which is put upon all Christians both kings and beggars may not we be called so as ministers as well as we and they too as Christians Indeed popish Priests had an ill name when they ruled our people which made it a name of disgrace and proud and scornefull people will cast it upon us with disgrace who doe deserve better but by Christs helpe I shall never bee ashamed of that name which I must labour to answer in my office if I will bee found faithfull Christ as a Priest maketh intercession and I as a Priest must pray for my people as Paul did often Christ as a Priest did offer a sacrifice I as a Priest must minister the Gospel of God that the sacrificing of my people may be acceptable as Paul of the Gentiles And why should any bee offended at that name by which the holy Ghost calls us for when Esay speaketh of the ministers of the new testament hee saith of them will I take for Priests and Levites saith the Lord. What matters it what wee are called so long as wee offer no idolatrous sacrifice but onely in our office commemorate the sacrifice of Christ and doe other services for his honour Put case wee may bee Priests in name and Presbyters indeed yet say they wee are not called by the people whose souls we feed but are put upon them by lawes and Canons This is in part true but not fully for while Presbyters are put into parishes by law they come unto them by their owne consent For have not the people chosen knights and Burgesses to draw up and to consent to lawes for them And have not Presbyters chosen clarkes synodically to meete to make rulâ—s and Canons for them And doe not both these settle Presbyters in every parish Therefore they are inducted by all ministers and peoples consent But put case it were fully true were wee not therefore true ministers Did we never heare of a man and woman that were married together against the will of one party by the power of parents who yet being married were true man and wife and by an after combining lived lovingly together so may it bee in this case a free consent of minister and people after in the true worship of God may supply and make up that defect But is it certaine that the people have such a right in calling their Presbyters Let us looke into the sure word of God I see the right of Christian Magistrates in choosing them unto their places Take thou unto thee Aaron for the Priests office saith God and thus did Moses See also
and thus saluted him I will not reckon thee among Christians unlesse I see thee in the church among them Let these men take home this judgement and see how they can digest it The third degree is preferring private before publicke worship If they can say they read pray at home though they reade but their owne indictment and pray for their owne punishment in the neglect of Gods rule in assembling they think all is well and conscience is wel enough satisfied But these are enemies to the honor of God to their owne good and to the good of others God is most honoured in the service of assemblies therefore David vowed to give thanks to God in a great congregation He knew that this advanced Gods honour most Our owne good surely shall be greater in assemblies the Lord loves the gates of Sion where publick worship was more then all the dwellings of Iudah and certainely where his love is there are best meanes for our good Besides wee come to seek that which is lost or ready to dye and when many seeke there is more hope of finding Therfore when God was turned away from favour the people were appointed to blow the trumpet in Sion to gather together that they might be more successeful Lastly the profit of others by our examples will be more conspicuous in assemblies our light will there best shine before men For this end was Solamons brazen scaffold in the midst of the court and Ioash stood by the pillar as the manner was It is true that others examples in doing worse must not weaken us in doing better Though Israel play the harlot yet let not Iudah sin we must not follow a multitude to do evill much lesse must ye follow some Examples are not the rule which we should follow If they be good they cleare a law they doe not make it Following of others cannot help us in the day of account I have done as others will be a poore plea. The three and twenty thousand were not helped by the thousand Princes who were their leaders to their destruction But yet if our examples be good in acts of assembling and worship according to Gods rule then will others profit bee helped as by the contrary it will bee much hindered The last degree whereby prophane persons withdraw from our assemblies is not coming with the first and not staying with the last David would not bee guilty he desired to bee a doorekeeper who was first in and last out Hee knew not how better to professe himselfe to be a seeker of God early and to stand in neede of all the acts of worship from the first humbling for a blesssing and craving of it to the last giving of it and thus should it bee with us Wee must come with the first Cornelius and his friends and servants waited for Peter They prevented him that nothing might fall from his ministery untaken up The cripple waited for the moving of the waters at the descending of the angel so must all Gods willing people at the places of assembling Wee must also stay with the last Even the Prince shall bee in the midst of the people in the temple he shal go in when they go in and when they go forth they shall go forth together The Jewes and Gentiles at Antiochia continued in publicke service till the congregation was dissolved And though Zachary stayed long in the middle temple yet the people would not depart without the blessing which the Priest must give If any doe otherwise without necessity they withdraw from our assemblings and are in a way of forsaking SECT 4. 2 The forsakers of our assemblies that would be accounted godly and first of their name THere are others who would bee accounted truely religious who forsake the assembling of our selves together and these have a name of pride and a name of justice The name of pride which they take to themselves is separatists They read sometimes in the scriptures of separation especially when Paul saith according to the prophet come out from among them and be ye separate And when they doe not wisely observe our state which is not to be separated from but see with full contentment their owne vaine separation they will needs glory in the name of Separatists as others doe of catholickes The name of Justice is Brownists which though they love not to heare of because Browne after his platforme of a new way of advancing Christs kingdome upon wiser thoughts returned from them yet how justly they must retaine that name may appeare in that which followes Wee reade of five introductions to this schisme before it was raised to the height it now hath height I say in mold and opinion not in members which have beene so few this sixteene hundred yeares and more that we may demonstratively say it is a brat of mans braine not a child of Christ that so long growes not at all First about two hundred fifty three yeares after Christ wee reade of one Novatus wo first lived under Cyprian next at Rome Hee being willing to get himselfe a name denied repentance to them that had denied Christ thorough heat of persecution though out of feare Yea he denied repentance to believers who after baptisme fell into any grosse sinne After by a strong ambition hee had indeavoured to bee a Bishop and was disappointed he led many poore soules into his sect who because they thought themselves better then other christians upon the former conceits called themselves Cathari or Puritanes These suffered their ebbe and flow for a time as pride and humility tooke turnes I am sure that your forsakers will not childe it from such a father Here was a separation from the unitie of the church but they will not have it theirs Secondly about three hundred thirty and one yeares after Christ or as some write something lower wee read of one Donatus who not being able to make his party good against Cecilianus his Bishop took stomach and drew a strong party after him for a time They had this pretense for their separation that the wicked did defile the good in the communion of the sacraments They accounted the church to bee no where but in Africk amongst themselves They judged their time to bee the harvest of the church they being a choise remnant like a little wheat in much chaffe If they were pressed to conformity by the authority of the Emperour they cried out what hath the Emperour to doe with the church Being asked how they could prove that they onely were the church They replied from the wonders of Donatus from their prayers heard at the sepulchers of the Donatists and from the visions and dreames of the members of their church They accounted sacraments holy onely when administred by holy persons They account no true baptisme but in their church and therefore they rebaptized
truth taught in the Scriptures and is proved thus That which makes a man a true member of a true churh that doth make a true church for members doe constitute the whole but profession of saving truth makes a true member of a true church for Symon Magus upon his profession was admitted a member till he fell away and the Eunuch upon the same profession was admitted too by baptisme and for ought wee know continued for ever Now that we in the church of England do professe saving truth according to the scriptures cannot be denied If the Brownists say that wee overthrow all by thousands of wicked lives in persons in and of our church I am sure that the church of Corinth was worse then ours can be in some things it was too bad with envyings carnall men uncharitable wretches that went to law before infidels scandalizing the weake partaking with Idols heresies abuse of the Lords supper by drunkennesse and contempt of the poore and with detestable incest yet when Paul writes unto them even before the incestuous person was cast out he salutes them all as those that are the church of God Saints by calling and sanctified in Christ Iesus at least by a sanctification of consecration in baptisme and their profession But say the Brownists doth profession make a church of the body of Christ will nothing but the body of Christ serve for a true church Then let them know that Christs body may be taken two wayes for a body of all those that shall be saved and this is the catholicke church which are in communion of saints for life and for a body of those that are in the way of salvation if they be not enemies to themselves as every branch in Christ that beareth not fruit Thus the whole church of Corinth was Christ as well as any other part of the church and in Christ Iesus though too many members of it professed without power For profession brings a church into outward fellowship with Christs body as bad servants with a good master and so into the way of being savingly of the body of Christ if they resist not grieve not quench not or despise not the spirit of grace Secondly for the forme of a true church that is Christ united unto the persons professing his saving truth For as the forme of a man is his soule united to his body so the forme of a church which is the body of Christ is Christ united unto it Now that Christ is united unto our church is proved thus because hee gives the law of union to us as to the body and makes it effectuall for conviction or conversion to serve the living and true God As a king is united to his subjects by his lawes and executions of them for rewards and punishments so is Jesus Christ to our church As the head united gives lawes to the body for safety so doth Christ give lawes to us for our salvation in his word He hath not dealt so with every nation yet blessed bee his name he hath so dealt with us to the joy of our soules True say the Brownists wee have his lawes but doe not answer them in our lives This doth not cut us off being but true in part till Christ hath sued out his bill of divorce no more then the disobedience of a wife makes her no wife the disobedience of a sonne no sonne and the disobedience of a servant no servant Againe Christ is united to us because hee makes his law effectuall for the convincing of all and for the converting of many soules to cleave unto him faithfully VVe are baptized and so put on Christ and are graffed into the similitude of his death and resurrection But as we grow in age many grow in gracelesnesse and forget the covenant of their God Then comes the word of Christ convincing and calls many backe kills sinne quickens grace and converts the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisedome of the just This the Brownists will not deny They confesse that God hath many gracious people amongst us by the word and sacraments VVhence I pray doth this proceed but from the influence and power of Christ united to us I am sure that Christ is the way to heaven and one soule cannot bee converted from the kingdome of sinne to grace but it is by the power and influence of Christs three offices As he is a Prophet hee must be his wisedome to teach him repentance from dead works and faith in Christ As hee is a Priest he must make his attonement betwixt God and him for righteousnesse And as he is a King hee must over-master the gates of hell and maintaine him to himselfe in the way of salvation for sanctification and full redemption Conclude therefore that if wee have the matter and forme of a true church wee must bee a true church against all exception if good conscience judge by the word of God SECT 7. Brownists first exceptions against us about the nature of a visible Church BUt because the Brownists make a great noise in maintaining against us that ours is not a true church therefore take particular view of their pleas against it that wee may see the unjustnesse of their forsaking it I shall by Gods helpe referre them to five heads 1 What they meane by a true church 2 The entrance into a true church 3 The head of a true church 4 The members of a true church 5 The governement of a true church They meane by a true church a set congregation of more or fewer separated from all false waies and having sufficient authority within it selfe for governement in all causes ecclesiasticall and assembling at times convenient for exercise of governement and solemne worship This is the full summe of what I can conceive them to say of a true church in which they would make it up of these foure ingredients First it must be a set congregation which we call a parish and they mislike Every one of these they would have an absolute church depending upon none but Christ and so they deny kings over countries and Bishops over diocesses to bee members of the church except they can shew those particular congregations whereof they are but equall members to be ruled by the joint consent of the whole number or it may bee the greatest part Secondly it must bee separated from all false wayes not onely of Iewes Turkes and Pagans but from all grosse sinnes and sinners which doe pollute the worship of the sincerest service of God Yet surely they would have them better taught and made good that by the consent of the members they might be jointed in at last Thirdly it must have sufficient authority within it selfe for governement in all causes ecclesiasticall that is a plenary power by consent of members to ordaine ministers call or cast them out as the necessity
teaching them to observe what ever I have commanded and I am with you alwaies to the end of the world The promise is as the charge to the Apostles and their successours and not to the people in businesse that concernes them not Againe I will give thee the keyes of the kingdome of heaven saith Christ to Peter in the name of the rest and therefore makes good his word to them all he sent them inspired them and then said whose sinnes ye remit or retaine shall be remitted or retained It would be strange after this commission to heare of a power of governing in the people especially seeing for the executing of it Christ gave officers to his church and not to his church power to make them hee gave them to his church to bee in Christs stead to direct and rule by his word and not to bee directed and ruled by it Therefore if any thing be out of order he blameth them not the people I contended with the Rulers and nobles saith Nehemiah and to the Angels of churches speakes Christ sharpely for things amisse And for the people Christ would not have them rule but to be subject to magistrates and spirituall overseers This I am confident of that there cannot one precept or practise be given that the people should or did rule in the church but under their guides and teachers except Corah and his accomplices who were swallowed up in wrath As for that text tell the church and that other of the incestuous person we shall meete with them in their proper places In the meane time know that the sonne of man hath left his house and given authority to his servants for edification not for destruction and not to his house which is the church The people are still called sheep brethren houshold of faith spouse and children but their teachers are knowne by the name of Elders Overseers and Fathers on whom the governement lies But say the Brownists the saints are answereable to the kings of old who are to have power ecclesiasticall in their hands Indeed they are so called but not in respect of any outward power over others more then before but of inward power to rule by the annointing of Christ over their own pride and corruption This they will not doe and so speake evill of them in authority and advance themselves above the pitch which God hath given there It is a brave thing to rule and who would not doe so But if they were Davids weaned childe they would rather bee subject by doing and suffering then lift up themselves to high places of governement from whence they may fall to their shame and sorrow Lastly whereas they put into the end of their assembling not onely the exercise of governement whereof they have none and preaching prayer sacraments which are good indeed if done by right persons and in right manner but prophecying too surely herein they walke not with a right foote according to the truth of the scriptures They make prophecying an act of some private persons whereby as the spirit moves them they put in in publicke their verdicts with their Pastours and Doctours about the sence doctrine and application of the scriptures propounded but how Christs word makes this good to them I cannot see nor ever shall Indeed the Apostle speakes of prophecying but as of an office of some persons then not of an ordinary gift now He saith let the prophets speake two or three and I am sure that prophets have an office to prophecy Hee saith also prophecying is a speaking to men to exhortation edification and comfort and I pray what can the highest gift of preaching doe more If they may preach why may they not administer the sacraments seeing both goe together They cannot say that to preach is an act of office and to prophecy is an act out of office For where the Apostle speakes expressely of prophecying according to the proportion of faith hee doth speak as plainly of offices as of gifts If therefore they will prophecy let them shew their calling to that office and then vent their gifts Doe they doe it by vertue of their generall or speciall calling They deny any speciall calling and wee denie that they doe it by vertue of the generall calling of a christian because that gives not the office How much better were it for them to follow the word of Christ no man taketh this honour to himselfe but he that is called of God as Aaron then by jumbling ordinary and extraordinary gifts and offices together to utter things for want of knowledge wisedome reading and doctrine unworthy of the great God of assemblies Thus have I considered the foure parcels of which the Brownists make up a true visible None of which singly nor all jointly can make our blessed church not to be so because they are made up of divers falshoods already discovered Let us now take better view out of Gods word what a true visible church is that in it we may see our owne A true visible churth is men called and united in the profession of the truth according to the scriptures This is alwaies where there is a true visible church either planted or continued or restored If it be nationall it is a company of people professing truth in an whole land as the churches of Iudea Samaria and Galile with those of Asia If it be Parochial it is a company of people professing the truth in a towne or parish as in those where the Apostles ordained elders in every church If it be domesticall it is a company professing the truth in a family as in Philemons house and others It is true that the truth may bee more purely professed in one church then in another more purely in Smyrna and Philadelphia which were praised and lesse purely in Ephesus Sardis and Laodicea which were dispraised It is true also that some churches may be in infancy and so lesse perfect as that in Creta where Titus was left to redresse things amisse and those churches of the Gentiles which must not bee troubled for feare of a rent and some of riper age as that at Ierusalem where Iames was Bishop and the Apostles held a councel and so had a more setled forme of governement and that of Philippi which had their Bishops and Deacons But if they joine to professe the truth of Christ they are true visible churches First they ramble as sheep without a shepheard without God without Christ Christ makes himselfe knowne unto them by the preaching of the word They assemble as those that professe to seeke salvation that way some more closely some more loosely They publickely submit to the word of God and Sacraments and calling on the name of the Lord. These persons thus professing make up a true visible church either in a kingdome city town or
inflicted for parents sinnes Though the baptisme of children of believers is not to remunerate them for their parents righreousnesse but a blessing upon them for Gods promise sake to believers yet to deprive infants of it meerely for parents sake is a punishment for parents sinnes Thirdly they say that the Prophet Ezekiel speaks of actuall sinnes of great ones and not of little childrens sinnes and when they have sayd thus they confesse it is not to the purpose heere Yet consider this point Can any man be guilty of the personal sinne of another with whom onely there is communion of suffering and not of sinning God forbid and yet such is the case of infants from us Lastly they aske what danger is it if bastards should bee unbaptized till they are of yeares I answer there are dangers more then one The danger of injustice at large in withholding a right from them yea may I not call it sacriledge The danger of the neglect of this ordinance which is the ordinary way of God for entrance into the visible church And the danger of elevating baptisme above the mind of Christ who will have grace offered to all entring christians in it yea and given by way of promise and covenant which shall not faile to the receivers Lastly they yet finde another reason against Objection 7 them that though the parents of bastards have greatly sinned yet we ought to judge charitably of them and of their children I lay it downe otherwise thus They who at least in the judgement of charity are christians ought not to have their children kept from baptisme but the parents of bastards in a christian church are at least in the judgement of charity christians for otherwise they were rebaptizable therefore their children ought not to be kept from baptisme Now take their answer They say the judgement of charity ought alwaies to be according to truth This is true of truth probably presumed But what doe they assume that whoremongers and harlots cannot bee judged such while they are in their sinnes which make them unbelievers But say I pray Is their sin properly against faith or manners Is the bad working or idlenesse of faith in this sinne against manners of such power as utterly to roote out their doctrinall faith which yet is sufficient to intitle their children to baptisme If they answer but these demands well they shall see their owne errours Thus have I taken in by the way a view of thâ—s question which â—s not an every day doubt and is usefull â—or the quieting of many godly persons in this particular and my conclusion is this That in the reforming of our visible church which consisted of visible christians before though much out of order wee their seed in their right and so in a right of our owne were more purely baptized and so made true members of our true visible church whatsoever Brownists plead to the contrary For as bastards of christian parents have a right to bee baptized into their parents christianity so much more had wee into ours Our predecessours had a state whereof they repented and so have these of which they should If neither of them repented as they should yet were both of them true christians and so both their posterities were rightly baptized and made true members of a true visible church iâ— not for such governement as Brownists dreame of yet to be governed as members of Gods house for conviction or conversion to life SECT 10. Brownists third exception against us about the head of our Church WEe having now done what the Brownists do mean by a true church and the falsitie of it and with the entrance into it wee are now come unto their third exception taken from the head of a true visible church They finde from time to time our kings to interpose their authority over every particular assembly in our church for the keeping of them in pious and peaceable wayes according to the lawes of God and our church and common-wealth and because they fansie no visible churches but particular congregations which must bee fully furnished from Christ with power of governing themselves and they doe perceive withall that the supreame authority of a king over churches doth according to kingly duty hinder their erecting of new waies and tie them up to observe the laudable customes of the church therefore as if they willingly subscribed to the speech of Gallio that wicked deputy of Achaia If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdnesse O yee Iewes reason would that I should beare with you but if it be a question of words and names and of your law looke yee to it for I will be no judge of such matters they cry out wee have no head but Christ he shall rule over us we will wait upon him onely but you have another head and that is the king whose lawes you follow for government of the church and upon whom ye do depend for building or pulling downe whatsoever Christs law saith Now to pricke and open this blister consider 1 That Christ is the head of the catholicke Church 2 That Christ is the head of particular Churches 3 That Christ is the head of our church 4 That the headship of the king doth not hinder but helpe this and that according to Christs word That Christ is the head of the catholicke church no christian will deny or if hee doe he will bee convinced by scriptures which teach him to bee the head of the body even his church He hath in him most perfectly whatsoever may be for the life and salvation of his church He hath all things subjected to him for the behoofe of his church He takes up all debates suites quarrels and controversies betwixt God and his church as a counsellour advocate yea husband for his wife Hee is the Prince of our salvation the proper fountaine of all spiriruall life and governement No head is such an head as hee is Politicall heads give the influence of civill favour Oeconomicall heads of houshold and wedlocke favours but this all-sufficient spirituall head of saying favours spiritual blessings in heavenly things This therefore is certaine that thousands in this catholicke church doe runne into folly rebellion and blasphemy Into folly because they doe things without the generall or particular direction of Christ Christ is not in all their counsels Into rebellion because they doe things against the direction of Christ let Christ say what he will they will do what they list Into blasphemy because they think not Christs counsel worth the while sâ— long as they can shift without it it is good when they are sicke but if well it is but as Elias to Ahab a troubler of Israel These may be in the catholicke church they are not of it because Christ is not their head by infusion of grace Secondly it is true also that he is the head of particular churches and visible assemblies Therefore
the church of Corinth is called the body of Christ and members in particular This church as any other particular church may be considered two wayes In it selfe and so it was a body with reference to other churches and so it was a member of the catholick church But consider it both or either of these wayes if it bee the body of Christ if a member of his body or if both Christ is the head of it hee is in the midst of the seven golden candlestickes Therefore also the church of Ephesus is called the house of God and as in an house there is an head the husband is the wifes head so but more transcendently is Christ the head of every particular house or church For God hath set his sonne over his own house and our high-priest is over the house of God This is tâ—ue But thirdly say the Brownists what is that to us Christ is not our head Yes Christ is the head of our church of England For doe but consider 1 Wherein Christs headship stands 2 How hee useth and exerciseth it Christs headship doth stand in providing fit meanes for the gathering and enlarging of his visible church or churches and making them effectuall There is a foundation to bee layd which properly is Christ and for and from him the Prophets and Apostles There are builders yea master builders as well as others to bee provided There are materials to be at hand saints by calling some of which grow up to be lively stones a spirituall house that they may be Gods building These faithfull ones must be laied and coupled together as by joints till they grow into an holy temple for the habitation of the Lord by the spirit Now that this may be done Christ is the principal agent he adds unto his church that they may come to the father by him And withall hee provides his word that they might believe and ministers by whom they may doe it and the sacraments that they may bee baptized into his death and have the communion of the bloud of Christ Hee rests not heere but to make them effectual in the use of these means hee comes amongst these citizens with the saints and grants to those that by grace receive the spirit which is of God repentance unto life and faith to purifie their hearts and so hee addeth to the church from day to day a great number that believe and turne unto the Lord. But for those that come in to the voyce of the word and supper of the gospel in word and sacraments and have Simon Magus Iudas Hymeneus Alexander and Demas his heart if the conviction of themselves and the conversion of others and their perseverance doe them no good he shewes sometimes what they deserve by fearefull judgements and the censures of the church but hee will shew it in full power when the great day of separation comes Now looke in the feare of God whether our ever blessed Iesus Christ bee not thus our head Have wee not thorough grace the word of God gifts ministery and sacraments from Christs rule Say the Brownists ye have not all Christs ordinances yee want his discipline To that I shall speake in due place in the meane time put case it were true yet were it a true visible church though not a perfect one That is an ordinance for the comely and well being not for the being of the church But it lies upon them to prove that what they say we want are Christs ordinances and branches or his kingdome This they never can doe by the undoubted word of Christ Besides hath not Christ our head in the use and exercise of these blessings manifested his effectuall power How many iniquities are subdued and sinnes cast into the depthes of the sea what place is there where we shall not find the serpents head broken Some have beene in their ordinary businesses as the woman of Samaria and have come off with the bells of the horses pots in Ierusalem and Iudah as well as pots in the Lords house engraved with holinesse unto the Lord. Some have been disciplined with the misery of the hâ—sks of swine and have beene translated out of the kingdome of darkenesse into the kingdome of Gods deare sonne Some have heard and read good things to scoffe and cavill at them but have been suddenly changed from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord. Some have breathed out the stinking breath of sinne as Saul and others have seene the heates of persecutions and they have returned home to call upon the name of the Lord Iesus both theirs and ours Yea and some have seene others fall away from the faith of Christ and by the preaching of Christ have met with graffing in the riches of the Gentiles reconciling and salvation And though with Christ they have had a sword sent yet bonds in Christ have beene famous and the brethren in the Lord have waxed confident and bold to speake the word without feare Thus hath it beene with our blessed church the kingdome of heaven hath suffered violence and the violent have taken it by force But the ministery of the Brownists hath had no such communion and influence with and from Christ our head one of a city two of a tribe heere a little and there a little doth not answer in a continuall course from Christ hither the power of Christs intercession for the heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost part of the earth for his possession But say the Brownists wee have other heads besides Christ I say we have no other mysticall head beside Christ but onely politicall heads to keepe peace and to see that every person within their compasse doe his duty religiously Thus the husband is the wives head the honorable man the head Saul the head of the Tribes and Moses chose men of courage and made them heads over the people But say they our King is our head so as to rule in matters of religion This is true yet fourthly coâ—sider that this headship of the King doth not hinder â—ut helpe the advancement of Christs headship and that according to the word of Christ To cleare this follow mee in two particulars 1 That God hath given a power of governement to the Church for the well ordering of it selfe 2 That Christ hath made Kings prime officers to advance it in their places As a man cannot well be without cloathes good nourture so neither can the Church well be without the walles of government She must also bee able to hold up her head against her enemies that shall say by what authority dost thou these things and who made thee a man of authority Therefore hath Christ given the particular or generall rules of the word to give a commission to the Church to governe it selfe both in matters
of substance and in matters of circumstance In matters of substance it hath power to governe it selfe by ordering concerning the Word Sacraments and Prayer so as to make them most comfortable concerning Church Offices from time to time and duties of charity concerning the Churches censures publike assemblies and oversight that all these bee done to the honour of Christ and advancement of religion In matters of Circumstances it hath power to ordaine some outward rites and ceremonies for the outward carriage of Gods worship In the Church of Antioch there was a question a-about Circumcision an uselesse because dying ceremony then The Apostles Elders and brethren at Ierusalem by their consent and to encourage them in grace consulted about it and delivered their judgement as a rule for the Church to follow They disanulled the ceremony of Circumcision in those Churches troubled and establish others for a time as abstaining from meate offered to Idoles and bloud which yet in themselves were but things indifferent For meate commendeth us not to God for neither if we eate are we the better neither if we eate not are wee the worse Againe in the Church of Corinth there was a custome which grew to a publicke order in the Church of covering and uncovering to signifie the headship and soveraignty of the man and the subjection of the woman This was countenanced by the Apostle for the peace of the Church and other otders established Yea when he purposely treateth of acts of ordinary and extraordinary worship hee gives them rules for the government and outward carriage of them let all things bee done to edyfyng and let all things be done decently and in order Thus in matters of substance hath Christ made his Church able to governe it selfe by particular rules and in matters of circumstance by generall rules of edification order and decency Secondly he hath also made Kings prime officers to advance this governement in their places That hee hath made them Church-officers must be thus taken up Not strictly as Ministers who have the highest hand under Christ in the Word Sacraments and keyes of censures Ecclesiasticall but largely as those that are to care for good order about them The offices of ruling and governing which Paul speakes of cannot be proved not to belong to them They are Ministers for our good and our good is not chiefely civil I hope but spirituall The Apostle would have us pray for them that we may not onely live in civill honesty but in Godlinesse to bee countenanced and established by them Surely being members of Church they cannot but be chiefe ones too as being Christs Lieftenants who according to his promise are to bee nursing fathers and their queenes nurcing mothers who have their authority breasts and duggs to reach the neede of all under them to cherish and feede the Church of Christ according to his rules It is true they are servants to the Church and all good Kings doe so acknowledge themselves but not to be equals or subjects to the members of the Church but to make their prime authority serviceable to the advancement of the Gospel for the salvation of Christs people Hence is it that God hath given them a sword that when they oversee the waies of the Church within their reach they may maintaine the rights of it and by a coactive and coercive power suppresse the opposites for without this they cannot be the ministers of God for our good But say the Brownists wherein stands this office of Kings in the Church and over the members of it I answer first in calling of assemblies both civill and sacred The two silver Trumpets wer given to Moses the magistrate and least we should looke upon him as some extraordinary person we see that right maintained by Ioshua David Solomon Iehoshaphat Hezekiah and Iosiah Secondly in abolishing false worship and establishing true as we see in Asa Iosiah Hezikiah Thirdly in looking to the ministry both that it bee sound and good as Solomon who thereupon deposed Abiathar and put Sadock in his roome as hee performed other acts of justice by royall authority and Iehosaphat who sent his princes to see that the Priests and Levites did teach the law of God in their cities and that the ministery bee maintained according to the honours that God hath bestowed upon them as Solomon Hezekiah Iosiah and Nehemiah Fourthly in causing the people to serve the Lord as Hezekiah and compelling all that were round in Israel formerly professing Gods religion to seeke the Lord as Iosiah and Asa Their people were in the house of God committed to their charge and they will see them to live according to the order set by God Lastly in appointing consistories for the well ordering of the people as Iehoshaphat who set over the Levites and Priests and chiefe of the families of Israel for the judgement and cause of the Lord at Ierusalem All this is true say they of the Jewish kings who were types of Christ but wee reade of no such officers in the new testament These men are liberall in making types of Christs kingdome but I wonder whence they will prove it what word of Christ will they bring for it It is true that in some things some of the kings of Iudah were types of Christ as Salomon in his name and building the the temple and David in his troubles and victories and as hee was a king and a prophet but that all the kings of Iudah were types in their governements over the church and state even Saul himselfe when God made him head of the tribes cannot bee proved for Gods truth And whereas they talke of no such officers in the new testament Say it bee so there were no christian Magistrates while those scriptures were in writing and Christ knew them to be sufficiently instructed in the old This is a sure rule that what is warranted in the old testament and not contradicted in the old or new may as the warrant goes either by precept for things necessary or paterne for things lawfull goe for currant still But seeing the new testament saith that wee must pray for kings that by their authority wee may live in godlinesse as by those that are over us for our good spirituall and temporall surely they have warrant enough to use their power over all their people to advance godlinesse and the good of religion as well as justice But say they it is for Christ not for kings to appoint orders about his worship This is true for substantiall orders for these thas are in the will of Christ may not be altered but for matters of circumstance which concerne time place and outward forme not determined kings are bound as supreame members of the church over which they are to use christian consistories to order them so as may agree to the condition of
his church as well as the master of a family may command his steward to order his whole family that the private worship in his family be not dishonoured This ads both to the glory and strength of a church to the glory of it when kings are nourcing fathers and to the strength of it when the power of a king is the churches for the suppressing of vice and maintenance of vertue But then say they they may enjoine their owne inventions in stead of Gods will I answer that the inventions of men are of two sorts of things contrary to the word of Christ as worshipping of images invocation of saints forbidding marriage and meats as these things which directly pollute persons or times or the like These are impious and it these are enjoined christians must patiently suffer and lovingly mourne till in the day of Judgment God fanne away the chaffe But there are others which in their owne nature are indifferent neither commanded nor forbidden by God and of which Christ saith hee that is not against us is with us In these the christian magistrate hath a power for order and uniformity For if Godly persons may bring up customes in the times of Gods worship as the Jewes did their Purim and if Christians may order what garments women may weare when they come to church which Paul after allowed why may not the christian magistrate for the peace of his whole body But then say they this makes things arbitrary and indifferent to become necessary This is true but you must conceive that a thing may bee said to bee necessary two waies necessary in it selfe and necessary in the outward submission to the use of it In it selfe a thing indifferent cannot bee made necessary It is alwaies as it is by nature and conscience informed must so judge it yet in the outward use for the peace of the Church it may upon command become necessary After the death of Christ till the destruction of the temple abstaining from things strangled and bloud circumcision legall vowes and purifyings were indifferent in themselves for else the Apostles would not have used them so yet for the peace of some churches they were judged necessary to be yeelded in love and so may it bee in other things yet the indifferent nature of things is not taken away but the necessary use prescribed for the peace of the church upon better grounds then that wee should suffer our selves to be unsetled from royall power But againe say they then kings may require such things as swarve from some holy patternes wee have in the scriptures and so by granting this governement wee shall bee ill to helpe I say howsoever they use it wee must grant what God hath given as they are all the keepers of both the tables If they use it well thou must obey in the Lord If ill thy prayers and teares must be thy weapons and thy body must suffer his penalties and it is praise worthy for thee to suffer not in a supposed good cause but in a good cause without controversie which is not the case of sufferers in these dayes of peace and the Gospel so farre as I know but for inâ—oynements swarâ—ing from patternes I finde this in scriptures that Godly men have swarved from patternes not seconded by a perpetuall law which might seeme to bind stronâ—ly The Jewes sate at the passover in Christs tâ—me or rather lay leaning though the first gesture was standing or walking and godly men and women communicate in the morning and in a Church though the first patterne was otherwise yea thâ—s is plaine that Gods ceremonies might in some cases be dispensed withall without sinne much more may men bee unlosed from patternes which are not the examples of a law binding so I know it will be said that the examples of Gods people commended by the holy Ghost are every whit of as great â—orce as a command It is true if they be examples of a rule otherwise they shew things lawfull but not things necessary Solomon indeede sayes walke in the way of good men and keepe the waies of the righteous But good men and righteous men are so with respect to Gods law after which they walke otherwise they are not so though bâ—ng so good they may give a patterne of that which is lawfull but not necessary My conclusion is this that the Churâ—h hath power to governe it seâ— by particular lawes in matters of substance and by gâ—neral in the outward carriage of order comlinesse and edification And when a king as head of governement under Christ puts in â—his authority and power for seeing things carried within the churches of his kingdome according to these rules hee is a prime officer under Christ by Christs owne promise and appointment whatsoever Brownists can say against it If they wil stil stand against it for few of them are found so humble as to search and yeeld they cannot but know this that in breaking the lawes of men that are not against Christ they sinne against conscience And as magistrates are incouraged to bee great helps to religion by obedience so by the contrary they are provoked to trouble This therefore is a sure rule that a Christian that will not study to be quiet in respect of the laws of men what possible he can is a singular burthen to the Church in which he lives SECT 11. Brownists fourth exception against us about the members of our Church WEe are now come from the Brownists meaning by a true Church and their entrance into and head of a true church to the members of a true church Heere they take on amaine that the true members of a true Church ought to be saints by calling whereas ours are a mixture of good and bad penitent and impenitent to the pollution of the whole body and that therefore we are not a true church But this still discovers strange weaknesse For put case a man had never a good finger nor hand never a good toe nor foote never a haire on head or beard or if he have all his members yet he hath the palsie in one the goute in another blindenesse in another deafenesse in another botches in another numnesse and deadnesse in another is hee therefore no true man Surely hee is a true man still though a miserable one So is it in a visible church many members may bee weake and many wicked as well as some truely gracious and yet in the whole body a true church still Peter and Iohn met with a beggar at the gate of the temple called Beautifull who was faine to be carried because he was lame from his mothers wombe and yet the holy Ghost calls him a certaine man and Paul met with an Apostolicall Church in Corinth which was worse in many members then that poore cripple was and yet hee called it a true church of God for the God of truth
the worthy receiver It doth the first as a signe the bread and wine of the Lord these proclaime to all comers that Christ is to bee had in the use of them if they bee so disposed as they should to take him It doth the second as a seale the bread and wine which is the communion of the Lord. These proclaime to the faithfull that they shall not onely have bread and wine but Christ the Lord as that Mannah that came downe from heaven to feede them to eternall life The wicked Christian hath a right unto it as it offers grace which he hath truely offered to him on Gods part in his invitation if hee will take it on Gods condition The same right that Simon Magus had to baptisme have wicked Christians to the supper of the Lord. He professed himselfe to believe in Christ upon Philips preaching and he had a right to baptisme and was baptized It is true that baptisme is a sacrament of our ingraffing into Christ and the Lords supper of our growing into Christ But he that is a baptized Christian and hath understanding to examine and judge himselfe cannot be denyed his right to this sacrament as wel as to that Both are but the seales of one covenant and whosoever receiveth the word of Christ and professeth to accept it by faith hath a right to the offers of the grace of Christ in both the sacraments but not to the exhibiting of it if the barre of impure unbeliefe lyes betwixt God and his soule If secondly you aske what benefit this wicked man can have by this sacrament I answer hee hath the benefit of profession he doth receive Christs liverie of servants and doth submit himselfe to his ordinance and acknowledge his publick authority for the benefit of his church And this is a glorious benefit in it selfe for a christian to weare Christs badge But hee doth not receive the benefit of the body and bloud of Christ with the benefits of them to life For if he did thus eate his flesh and drinke his bloud hee had eternall life He brings his soule to the sacrament without the conditions of the covenant written upon it and so though he accept of the offer of grace in the signe yet hee carries not away the seale of it no more then Iudas did from the passeover His right and benefit therefore will bring little comfort to him at the last when his reckoning comes Thirdly this wicked man having a right to it and a benefit too such as it is to him you aske what separation Gods word will warrant from such communicants I answer that I cannot finde in the word of God that any separation was made in the sacrament by the godly from the wicked not cast out for their unworthinesse All the â—ewes that were circumcised and not cast out of their synagogues were to eate the passeover or dye the children that could eat as a sacrifice of thanksgiving and growne persons as a sacrament seale of Gods covenant So all christians that are not infants mad-men fooles and excommunicates who cannot examine and judge themselves or are after conviction notorious offenders and so cast out are not repellable if they come from the sacrament of the Lords supper It is true wee reade much in the writings of men of suspensions from this sacrament even of those that were neither children fooles mad-men demoniacks nor excommunicate persons by private ministers but I would see this for the right of it soundly proved by the undoubted rule of Christ I have read also that the blessed Fathers in the wary discipline fit for their times did not onely proclaime before the sacrament by their Deacons depart ye that are novices possessed and under your penance for your crimes but would not also admit any but the believers and the baptized so much as to see the sacrament I have reade also of the cautelousnesse of those holy men in admitting penitents to the Lords table As they first admitted them into the limits of the church next to lye down as humble suiters to forget scandall at the church porch next to heare but not stay prayers next to heare and stay prayers too next to see the sacrament of the Lords supper but not to receive it and lastly when they were sufficiently humbled and edged to those high mysteries they were admitted to the Lords table These courses had high and excellent use in those times when they were to lift up the honour of the sacrament in the sight of infidels and hold close such christians as played fast and loose with Christ as peace or persecution came And though they had not particular warrant from God yet it being done decently in order and for edification of the body had warrant sufficient from that generall rule As I have reade these things of times past and admire them so I know for the present that it were a glorious and comfortable thing if none but holy persons would draw neere unto this holy table as wee deale withall our communicants by way of exhortation and perswasion from the danger of Iudas This certainely is fullest of joy when Christ meetes with none but his faithfull servants and not one unworthy to trouble the day But if wicked Christians that are not lawfully convicted and are not notorious in law though they bee notorious in fact whether these when they will offer themselves to the sacrament as Christs servants professing his name to their owne hurt be to bee separated from by the word of Christ this is the question I know we may by way of admonition before hand tell them of the danger and by way of perswasion presse them better to prepare themselves but wee may not for their sakes discommon our selves from the table of the Lord. If it were the table of devils away we must goe but being the table of Christ if others abuse themselves at it without our fault wee must accept of Christs love and leave it to Christ to punish him or them that doe dishonour them You know many theeves in this christian common-wealth will you therefore separate your selves from the common-wealth because these theeves are in common body with you No you will leave them to the lawes of it to bee punished and as it lies in your lot doe your best to further it but you will not forsake the common-wealth So must you doe to the table of Jesus Christ The blessed Apostle saith we have received power to edifie not to destroy And if wee should fall out with Christs supper for wicked mens sake and separate from Christs ordinance because wicked men will not use it as they should and breake off from many godly persons because more wicked persons are not excommunicate for any thing I know we may more destroy then edifie But say the Brownists holy things must not bee cast to dogs and swine the childrens bread must not be
sinne and to hold our peace ill doth leave a man in sinne By example when we live wickedly in the sight of others For though haply the sinnes that wee practise bee not imitated of all yet because wee have done what in us lies to set others a copy which some will too greedily follow therfore are we guilty we may be guilty againe of the sins of others in and after the sin is committed when men doe excuse or defend the sinnes or flatter men in them Woe to them that speake good of evil and evil of good He that saith to the wicked thou art righteous him shall the people curse as him that is guilty Lastly wee may bee said to consent to sinne in things lawfull by scandall when men use their liberty which God hath given them in things indifferent left in their owne power to doe or not to doe to the wilfull offence and snare of others that are weake Of this Paul speakes doctrinally it is good neither to eate flesh nor drink-wine nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth and in his owne example if meate offend my brother I will eate no flesh while the world lasteth so carefull was hee not to have communion in the sinnes of others Now let us see whether we are polluted by the sinnes of the wicked by consent Because they consent with us in doing of our good doe wee therefore consent with them in doing their evill Their courses are daily reproved both publickely and privately they are judged as such whose examples wee would not follow for a world They are neither commanded to doe as they doe nor winked at when lawfully tried wee doe not provoke counsel or approve their cursed hypocrisies They have no such examples from us and have beene so long instructed both by publicke instruments and preachings and private conferences that their scandals are taken and not given in those things free in themselves but not to us by the command of lawfull authority whereat they will still take offence How are we yet guilty of the sinnes of others to our pollution O say they every congregation hath power in its owne hand to redresse things amisse to repell wicked livers from our communions whereas wee wait upon our king when wee should doe it without him and so are guilty of al the wickednesse of our assemblies The vanity of this I have shewed in part before and shall doe it more in the next section yet in the meane time first wee confesse that wee have power to redresse disorders not in every particular church for then no man under the Gospel could perish in the gainesaying of Corah as Saint Iude saith they may Superiority was the cause of his mutiny because he might not be equal to Aaron but in every diocesse where wee are governed not by the lawes of one man but of Synods of Bishops and Presbyters and if persons that should be as the house of Cloe to informe and that upon oath of things amisse were not more to be blamed then offices we might be as happy as any church under heaven The impetuous carriage of some who despise dominions and speake evill of dignities and that without feare and thinke it as easie to governe multitudes as an handfull makes them think otherwise but if things bee weighed by the rule of the word wisedome and charity it will bee found I am sure that wee have power indeed But secondly whereas they make us guilty of the wickednesse of our assemblies by waiting upon the pleasure of our king and not reforming without him herein wee joy yea and will rejoyce againe wee waite not upon kings and princes to bee Christians and to serve God faithfully by the acts of true Faith Hope and Charity If all the kings and Emperors in the world say against it wee must and by grace will doe it Yea if all the stormes in the world bee raised we must strive unto bloud but with teares prayers patience in suffering not with armes and violence This we doe by private profession but when it comes to a publicke reformation of Christian Churches already planted it is our glory to waite upon Christian kings whose subjects we are that wee will not governe but under him nor build walls for the citizens of the saints but under the defence of their swords especially considering that wee know wee cannot without them mend our hands When wee looke to the daies of Asa Iehoshaphat Hezekiah and Iosiah wee finde that no Israelite ever took upon him to reforme either without before or against them When the Temple of Ierusalem lay waste Zorababel and Ioshuah did nothing without Cyrus nor did Nehemiah any thing without Artashashte Indeed in their times God knowing the time was come when according to prophecie he was to looke upon the desolations of Ierusalem and restore it prepared and whetted the hearts of the people of the Iewes by Haggai and Zechariah but they built nothing but by the leave of their Kings and when countermands came they laid downe their tooles and the worke of the house of God ceased so good subjects they would bee notwithstanding the height of their Religion But say they they should have done otherwise For Haggai reproves them for letting the house of God lye waste and God sends a famine upon them This is true they were too blame when they minded their owne houses more and took not their seasons allowed them for this great worke But that either the Prophet threatned or God punished them for not building when they were under the Interdict that let them prove and they shall have more said How unhappy are they we now see while they make our assemblies polluted for not doing that if we wanted it as we doe not which is unlawfull for us to doe without lawfull authority The Apostles indeed planted Churches without waiting upon Heathen Kings but they had Apostolicall authoritie were to do according to Christs commission to them which was out of date in their death but we cannot reforme without or against Christian Kings if we could yet make a better reformation except they can shew a new Commission under Christs owne hand If therefor wee have faults we cannot help and provided we consent not we are not polluted The second conclusion is this That God declares it to be a sinne for the godly to leave the worship of God for the wickednesse of those that come unto it We know that the sinne of the sonnes of Ely was so great that men abhorred the offerings of the Lord but in so doing it is said that the Lords people did transgresse even unto a cry Surely this truth will not easily bee outfaced yet some of them to avoid it say that no marvell if morall wickednesse did not pollute the Iewish worship because God required onely ceremoniall cleannesse then But how false this
is appeares by Gods Covenant with Abraham where God required sincerity by the morall law which was Gods covenant by Gods requiring then truth in the inward part by his injoyning sacrifices for morall transgressions as well as ceremoniall by his signifying of pollution by morall uncleannesses and by threatning of morall sinnes and abhorring all ceremoniall service when men sinned morally against God Surely their morall pollutions went beyond their typicall and wrought their utter ruine at last notwithstanding The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord and yet Christ himselfe would not separate from such worshippers as were polluted so long as the worship was Gods It was fit for a Pharise it was not fit for Christ who knew that to the pure all things are pure The last conclusion is this That the Scripture admits godly Christians to the holy things of God though open wicked men be there Divers good people goe to the Altar with their gifts Some are in charity and some wickedly uncharitable their brethren have something against them Now Christ doth not bid them all goe away because of that malicious man but bids him that is malicious if he would have Gods blessing goe and be reconciled and come againe Againe when Paul saw fearefull wickednesse in Corinthian Communions hee doth not bid them all abstaine for feare of pollution but according as hee had received of the Lord he bids them examine themselves and so let them eate of this bread and drinke of this Cup whatsoever others be Certainely the Apostle was not acquainted with the doctrine of the Brownists which teacheth that because another doth sinne I may not doe my duty to God because a wicked man will come to the Sacrament I may not because another man offendeth God in serving him I may not serve him then for feare of pollution No king shall have subjects nor master have servant nor shall God have worshippers upon these termes But say they the worship of God is polluted by such uncleane worshippers This is true but to whom to them that serve him aright or to them that serve him amisse The Apostle saith that the unworthy communicant eateth and drinketh judgement to himselfe not to them that are better It is true that hee that touched a dead body and purified not himselfe defiled the tabernacle but it was unto himselfe who therefore was to bee cut off and not others that were innocent It is true too that the judgement of the priests was right that if an uncleane person touch bread pottage wine oyle or meate it shall be uncleane to himselfe that is uncleane but not to him that toucheth it that is cleane and so a prophane christian that comes to the Lords supper pollutes not what the minister performes and good people receive but what himselfe toucheth It is true also that a seditious multitude charged Paul falsely that he polluted the holy place by bringing Greekes into the Temple For though God forbade the Israelites to admit the Moabites and Ammonites for a long time into the common-wealth of Israel what is this to proseâ—ites by profession comming into the temple All this is true I say yet this typical pollution which did not foreshadow the pollution of visible assemblies but the holinesse and impurity and sincere Christians and hypo crites doth not prove the pollution of all worship to the good for the naughtinesse of the bad Christ is not so hard a master neither doth hee blame the worthy guests for being polluted by the unworthy or suffering him to come in but saith to him onely friend how camest thou in hither not having on a wedding garment SECT 12. Brownists last exception against our Church about the governement of it for Power FRom the Brownists meaning by a true Church and their entrance into head and members of a true church we are at last come to the governement of a true church and because they finde ours not to bee governed according to their fansies therefore they except against it as Antichristian and therefore not a true Church It is true that governement is an excellent blessing it is as the bridle to the horse the rudder to the ship yea the lawes and judgement seate of a kingdome A right to this cannot be separated from a true church For if it bee a church it hath right to Christs lawes judgements and executions to governe it as his kingdome upon earth Yea the use of this right cannot bee taken away without the great sinne of them that doe it and injury to the church from whom it is taken yea the Church that is robbed of it ought not to rest in this wrong when they are so oppressed but ought of dutie to pray to God for it and humbly to supplicate unto men in authority who are able as Christs prime officers for the welfare of the Church to helpe them at such a lift But no Church ought to call for such a governement as Christ never commanded yea no church ought when they have a governement sutable to the Apostles and primitive times of the Church and not contrary to any law of Christ but sutable to his generall rules in the scriptures for some pretended or true defects in governement to make a schism and separation from publick communion Yes say the Brownists where government is so base that foule corruptions rule from such a Church wee must separate But who laid this must upon you I am sure not Christ who taught us otherwise in his blessed life There were fearefull corruptions in the Church of the Jewes both in the priests in the people and in the worship of God In the priests there was ignorance for they were blinde guides There was ungodlines for they said and did not There was corrupt entrance into their calling for Caiphas was high-priest for that yeare hee was Annuary be like though by Gods law the high-priest should continue during life In the people there was obstinate wickednesse They would have broke Christs necke downe a steepe hill They rejected him and chose Barabbas They were in worse state then Tyrus Sidon and Sodome They drew and wisht the guilt of Christs bloud to bee upon them and their children In the worshippe of God they used many superstitions precisely the temple was made a denne of theeves the Censures were abused for the casting out of innocents the doctrine of God was corrupted by glosses and the blessed sacraments were abused for they observed not the Passeover on the time appointed and therefore Christs was before theirs Notwithstanding all these corruptions by slack governement yet did Christ hold publicke coÌ„munion with them Hee was circumcised the eight day he was presented to the Lord as well as others he heard was baptized he eat the Passeover with them and allowed his disciples to heare the very Pharisees Can they therfore justly say that
so gracelâ—sse as to neglect thee and them too then lastly deale with him heathenishly by Romane soveraignety to which now you are subject but thinke him to bee as an Heathen and Publican deale with him accordingly The law is good if it bee used lawfully let Caesars justice end the difference betwixt you It is true the Apostle saith that Brother must not dare to goe to law with brother and that before unbelievers yet I hope even then when the Iewes Pauls brethren wronged him and the saints could not right him hee appealed unto Caesar Therefore ye must put a difference betwixt the christian Corinthians after the death of Christ and the christian Iewes before the death of Christ These had no Church government setled but that of the Iewes which by Romane authority was neglected and slighted but the Corinthians had For Christ never medled to settle any other Church government during life but the Iewish which was to bee of force til after his death but then he sent his Spirit to direct his Apostles in all necessaries The Iewes were Christians but in working for the best of them even the Apostles were dreggish in faith and life In faith about the death and resurrection of Christ and about a temporall Kingdome doted upon In life when they too full of revenge in drawing the sword as Peter or for calling down fire froÌ„ heaven upon the Samaritans But the Corinthians were more perfectly instructed in the mysteries of faith and charity and therefore their brawles would bee more scandalous having such wise Saints among them who shall judge the world Lastly the Apostle findes not fault with the Corinthians for going to law absolutely one with another before infidels for even Heathen Kings and all that are in authority are to be prayed for that Christians may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty And this they cannot doe except their Thrones minister justice in mine and thine It is lawfull therefore when raking and politicke Christians doe bite and devoure one another doe serve their owne bellies and by good words and faire speaches doe deceive the hearts of the simple and defraud one another in bargaining to appeale to the minister of justice For all power is of God and the very Heathen Magistrate doth not beare the sword in vaine But he findes fault with them that they set too great a price upon the things of this life that they were too contentious about them that they went to law before Heathens to the scandall of Christianity and that they appealed to forraigne judgement when they might have remedy by wise Saints neerer hand which the Jewes could not have when their Elders by Romane liberty were contemned Now if they doubt whether this sense may bee admitted I shall by Gods helpe cleare it from the Text and maintaine it from exceptions that may arise thence First therefore consider that Peter understood this discourse of private offences onely therefore when Christ hath done hee saith Lord how oft shall my brother sin against me Against me saith Peter intimating a private trespasse Secondly consider Christs answer to Peter in a Parable where he concludes thus So shall my heavenly Father doe to you if yee from your hearts forgive not every one his brother his trespasses where hee still speakes of private trespasses Thirdly consider the propriety of speech in the words of Christ If thy brother saith Christ that is a Jew for no Jew nor Disciple then called any other man brother but a Iew. If thy brother sin against thee therefore the offence is still private and personall Lastly consider that Christ sends the offender from the Church neglected to the plaintiffes censure and punishment to be sought He doth not say let him be to the Church as an heathen and Publican that is excommunicate for Heathens were not excommunicated for what have we to doe to judge those that are without no nor Publicans neither for we reade onely that Christ wrought Zacheus to restore where he wronged but we read not that he left his office And when the Publicans came to Iohn Baptist hee did not bid them leave their places but exact no more than that which is appointed you but saith Christ let him bee to thee because hee hath despised the Church which is the highest tribunall under Caesar hee is in thy hand to take Caesars course with him But say they then how will you maintaine this sense from just exceptioÌ„s We had need indeed for we are persecuted from this Text by two sorts of persons The Papists say that here Christ refers us to the Christian Church the Pope out of his chaire to end all controversies But what have Christians to doe here if it was the comfort or a Iew against a Iew in private offences The Brownists say that here is a Rule for every private Congregation like themselves to claime a sufficisufficient power by to advance Christs kingdome And it can be no other say they for the word church cannot bee taken for the Iewish Sanhedrim it is a christian word proper to congregations of saints Nay that word in Gods language is used for any assembly The assembly was confused it shall hee determined in a lawfull assembly yee cannot give an account of this concourse therefore hee dissolued the assembly saith the holy Ghost of a wicked uproare and in all three places the word church is used Why then may not the grave assembly of the seventy elders be called a church Yea but they say heere is mention made of binding and loosing which are proper to church censures It is true that for their affinity in sound they have beene often applyed so at least by way of allusion But we read of a threefold binding in the new testament Divine Ministeriall and Fraternal Divine when God at last doth justly give over to everlasting obduration and restraint those that are cast into hell so the devils aâ—e reserved in everlasting chaines and God saith of final contemners of grace binde him hand and foot cast him into utter darkenesse Ministerial when the preachers of the Gospell binde over obstinate sinners to wrath either morally by way of denunciation only or Ecclesiastically by way of processe This Christ promised to the disciples in the name of Peter and performed to all his disciples yea and this is most fearefull when the bond is laid right because they doe it by commission from God as Gods Ambassadours yet is it soluble to true penitents Fraternall and brotherly binding when one man bindes another for private offences obstinately stood in and of that doth Christ speake in this place If ye have won him by a loving conviction ye loose him of his guilt to you If hee will live in his uncharitablenesse ye binde him by your seeking peace for hee that will not be
by authority iâ— the face of the Church who of conscience ought to consent and beare witnesse to the doome First the act of an Apostle Deliver such an one unto Satan it may be that he might have power over his body to torment him as appeares in the Stories of Ananias Sapphira Elimas Alexander Secondly the act of a Bishop put away from amongst you that wicked person that being suspended from the preservatives of his soule in the visible communion of Saints he might have a way to bring him to godly sorrow And thirdly the act of every godly Pastour to mourne that if any be called a brother and bee a fornicator or covetous or an Idolater or a rayler or a drunkard or an extortioner with such an one eate not that is be so farre from countenancing of him in his sinne that yee take him not into unnecessary familiarity Now how from hence can be picked a popular government of the Church God knoweth I cannot yet reach But yet say the Brownists you may reach thus much to confound you that if Paul would not have you eate with such wicked brothers much lesse would he have you to receive the Sacrament with them for he hath more care of his owne supper than of ours This is certaine that God hath a greater care of his own Supper than of ours and therefore though he be willing that all should come both good and bad yet if they come and stay bad and hee come to try them they shall bee bound hand and foot and cast into hell It is certaine also that wee must have a great care of the Supper of the Lord as we can in our places private persons by private communion of Saints Presbyters by publike preaching by Word and Doctrine and by private exhortations as they can and Church-Officers by presentments and punishments fit But it doth not therefore follow because wee may not eate with them that is converse familiarly and unnecessarily with them that therefor we may not eate the Lords Supper with the Saints because wicked persons are there Their wickednesse we countenance when we keepe company with them our goodnes they countenance when they come into publike communion with us we have no need of their eating with us they shew their need of their eating with us in the Sacrament when we have no power to keepe them backe Yet say they still wee have power to keepe them backe for Paul speaking of the incestuous person saith sufficient to such a man is this punishment which was inflicted of many therefore the whole Church had power and used it against him It is true it was inflicted by many assessors and conseÌ„ters to his doom but not as prime executors of that doome The Apostle saith that the Saints shall judge the world by way of life witnesse consent and approbation yet is it not Christ that is the Judge of wicked and good So though this punishment was inflicted upon him by many by way of consent and approbation yet was it primely inflicted by Paul and his authority in those that declared it Thus have I satisfied my selfe if not others in this point concerning the power of governement which lies not in all the congregation for execution and prime officiating but in the chiefe governours who beare the place of Paul and the other Apostles SECT 13. Brownists exceptions against the persons governing in our Church and against the exercise of their governement PVt case that the power of governement were not in every particular congregation yet our governours are not to bee allowed yea to be banished the church say they They are farre from the sweete moderate spirit of Melancthon one of the blessed reformers who so the Pope of Rome himselfe would have admitted of the Gospel of Christ in truth would have permitted his superiority over Bishops by humane right for the peace and common tranquility of christians under him But nothing will serve these people but the damnation of the Pope and the shame and confusion of all Bishops one and the other And there are three things principally in them at which they except and against which they stumble 1 Their name 2 Their degree 3 Their jurisdiction Why say they should they appropriate to themselvs this name of Bishops which belongs to all other Pastours as well as to them There is good cause for there are two sorts of Bishops first ordinary Bishops such as were all the Elders of Ephesus These must not bee blinde watch-men for if they see not they cannot oversee They must not sleepe and bee secure they must have a great care to keepe safe those that are committed to them that the enemy come not and sowe tares Secondly there are extraordinary Bishops such as have precedence jurisdiction not onely over the flock but over the elders and presbyters which are called Angels such were Timothy and Titus the first ordained Bishops of the churches of Ephesus and Creta as appeares in the postscript of those epistles Which though haply they are no part of the canonicall scriptures yet are they authenticall records of matters of fact to help our understandings in the needfull stories of thâ—se times without which we may think amisse From these they justly assume those names which have beene given to men of their order ever since the Apostles dayes But put case they could not make such aclaime if there be the office shall we quarrell about the names The first man that ever found fault with the name would fame have been a Bishop himselfe but when he found himselfe crossed he comforted himself with this that yet as he was a Presbyter he was equall with them But let no good Christians be unquiet for names if there may bee an agreement in things named The Apostles were called Deacons in Gods language yea and Christ himselfe who came to that end Christ is called the Arch-bishop and the Apostle of our soules The Apostles are called Elders and Elders were called Apostles and Bishops are called Angels What matters it then for names if wee can agree in other things But say they wee doe not agree in other things for these Bishops are in a degree above Presbyters and so there is an unequall ministery in the Church of Christ which should not bee Now surely they have had this from the Apostles dayes yea the scripture mentioneth a superiority in the ministery of the Church first Apostles secondarily prophets thirdly teachers And this is a sure rule that such a ministery as is most like the ministerie ordained by Christ it not being denyed unto us expressely or by consequent and another commanded may be lawfully maintained by us as Christs ministery But such is an unequall ministery in degree as Prophets Apostles Evangelists Pastours and Doctours one above another in larger authority gifts for those that were called
excellent reason for it as well as in all other reformed Churches except theirs First for uniformity that all Gods people in our Church might meete at the same time and put up the same petitions with earnest desires in the same manner And is not this a comforting thought that we have an opener way to heaveÌ„ made us by the joint suites of all good English or hearts Secondly for memory that he may not forget the generall necessities of all the Church and so sticke upon those particulars onely which are according to his owne feeling Thirdly for honour to the blessed saints and martyres whose prayers they were That as we have had benefit by them when they were put up to God before so wee may bring benefit to our selves and others by them when wee pray them now Fourthly for his calling sake Hee is not immediatly called by God 〈…〉 the Church Therefore as he is called by God he useth those gifts which hee hath received from God as he is called by the Church he is to use and honour the publicke gifts of the Church in interpretation prayer and the like What more need bee said to justifie our worship by set formes of prayer for the present I see not when I shall by Gods assistance I shall say more SECT 16. The Brownists maine exceptions in their former argument against our common-prayer booke more specially THough set formes of publicke prayâ—r may be lawfull usefull commendable and glorious yet they say that our common prayers are not so fit a way to worship God by nay they say more that that worship is plainely idolatrous I am sure that that assertion is weakely superstitious I would wish them that they be piously carefull that they speake not evill of that they know not because they are not careful or willing to know we ordinarily know unwise young men when their whose soules live in their affections to make many objections against many good orders and lawes who when ripenesse and experience hath made them see the reasons have beene ashamed of what they have done and may it not be so with these men and women Howsoever I would intreate them to consider what they may reade in the historie of our Church that when a godly martyr was reading in a primar of our Church and came to Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us an ungodly serving-man who was set to attend him blasphemously mocked at it but hee was strooke madde that night and dyed miserably Let them duely consider this and feare to open their mouthes against any comforts of the godly and advancement of godlinesse As for my part I have reade some liturgies beside our owne and have heard of others but blessed be God I never saw or heard of any more fully accomplished for the worke in hand But am I not deceived Let us in the feare of God take a view how it proceeds in all publicke service and call in along their exception which I know as we goe along There is in it first a preparation to publicke service and then the service and worship it selfe The preparation is by meditation exhortation and prayers The Presbyter or Deacon doth in the beginning propound some texts of scripture to be thought upon that we by their meditation may draw our selves into the presence of our God to heare and doe Yea indeed say they they doe corrupt the text For though they say At what time soever a sinner doth repent from the bottome of his heart God will blot them out of his remembrance which is not the speech of Ezekiel I pray is not this the full sense of the Prophet made speake to ordinary capacity if not his words Doth he not say if the wicked will turne Is not this equivalent to at what time soever whether to day to morrow or whensoever I hope when conditions are performed God will be as good as his word whensoever Doth he not say If they turne from all their iniquities and keepe all my Statutes What is this but repent from the bottome of the heart and leave no root of bitternesse behind Doth he not say Hee shall live his sinnes shall not be mentioned unto him what is this but I will put them or blot them out of my remembrance This is not corruption I hope when the Text is plainly expressed in the true sense of it Secondly he doth exhort the people according to the Scriptures to confesse their sinnes with a lowly penitent and obedient heart saying after him By this hee puts them in minde what to doe namely to confesse their sinnes aright that their poyson being vomited up they may the better set themselves to seeke God in the other acts of worship But say they what need this saying after me seeing the Presbyters Prayer and the peoples Amen is enough Indeed it is enough to a Prayer the petitions whereof are not knowne to the people before such as that of Ezra and when men exercised their owne gifts for the edification of many But is it therefore unlawfull for the people to say after their leader when hee prompteth them or they are taught by the Church Doe not all the people as well as the Presbyter pray to God and praise God in singing Psalmes And I am sure the Word of Christ which warranteth what is commanded and what it goeth not against is not against it It is true it is uncomely for many mouthes to put up a petition to the King at once It would confound him whose apprehension and understanding is limited But it is not so to God who is understanding it selfe wisdome it selfe to whom millions sing Psalmes at once and thousand millions pray to him at once over all the world Thirdly he doth pray for and with them that they may doe as hee exhorted them For first there is the joynt confession of all their unworthinesse and Prayer to GOD that they may live better in after times Confession without a purpose to amend does no good therefore are both united in our good confession Then doth he for their encouragement declare and pronounce the absolution and forgivenesse of sinnes to true penitent beleevers according to the Gospel and applying it to the people prayes that upon their repentance their sinnes being done away they may doe worthily that service which now they are about Aâ—d then to supply all defects in all all pray with one heart as one man the Lords Prayer which is the King of Prayers and so rise with short and earnest prayers that they may praise God and that God would help them and with a profession of their faith in the Trinitie and desire that all glory may bee given unto that blessed three in one Thus I am sure if wee have pious and humble soules may we be prepared for the publike worship of God publikely Now for the service and worship it selfe in this good