vvith the said church For the better clearing of things let vs in a fevv vvords consider distinctly of religious actions according to the seuerall ranks in vvhich they may rightly orderly be sett Some such actions are religious onely as they are performed by religious persons And of this sort is hearing and so reading of Gods vvord The scriptures teach and all confesse that hearing of the vvord of God goes before faith For faith comes by hearing Rom. 10. 17 as by an outvvard meanes Hearing then being before faith 1. Tim. 1. 5 and faith before all other acts of religion invvard Rom. 10. 10 or outvvard Gal. 2. 20 it must needs follovve that hearing is not simply or of it selfe a vvork of religion and so not of religious communion Hearing is properly and of it selfe a naturall action though it be the hearing of the very vvord of God And I call it a naturall action in it selfe in a double respect First for that the light of nature teacheth euery man to heare and listen to another that can and vvill teach and inform him in any thing for his good diuine or humane Secondly for that a meer naturall man levv Turk Infidell or Idolator lavvfully may yea necessarily ought to hear Gods vvord that so of naturall he may become spirituall In the seacond rank I place preaching Psal. 50. 16. 17. prayer which are properly acts religious Pro. 15. 8. and spirituall as being to be performed the one by a gift Ioh. 9 31. the other by a grace of Gods spirit Of a third sort is the participation in the Sacraments vvhich ordinarily at least requires a member shippe in some perticuler and ministeriall church in the participant they being publique church ordinances In a fourth order I set the power of suffrage and voyce giâ—eing in electing of officers and censuring of offenders for vvhich there is requisite an interest of the person so voteing in that perticuler church as a member thereof Of the last sort is the ministration of Sacraments which requires vvith the rest fore mentioned a publique state of ministery in the person administring them Novv for preaching by some hearing by others vvhich tvvo alvvaies go together they may be and oft are performed vvithout any religious oâ— spâ—â—â—tuall communion at all passing betvveen the persons preaching or hearing When Paul preached to the superstitious Athenians shal vve conceaue he had spirituall communion vvith that heathenish assemblie Act. 17. 22. Hovv much lesse had they spirituall and religious communion vvith him vvho performed not so much as a religious vvorke in their hearing As God gaue any of them to beleeue they came into invisible or invvardly spirituall personall communion vvith him as they came to make personall manifestation and declaration of their faith they came into outvvard personall communion vvith him Lastly as they came to joyn in or vnto some perticuler church in to church communion vvith him els not So when there comes into the church assembly vnbeleuers 1. Cor 14. 23. heathens Turks Ievves Atheists excommunicates men of all religious men of none at all and there heare vvhat spirituall communion haue they vvith the church or state of the teacher or one vvith another either in regard of the nature of the act done or by Gods ordination and institution Hearing simply is not appointed of God to be a mark and note either of vnion in the same faith or order amongst all that heare or of differencing of christians from no christiaÌ„s or of members from no members of the church as the sacraments are notes of both in the participants The hearing of the vvord of God is not so inclosed by any hedge or ditch deuine or humane made about it but lies in common for all for the good if all The perticuler objections follow 1. OBIECTION No man may submit his conscience to be wrought vpon by an vnlawfull and Antichristian ministery neither hath God promised or doth afford any blessing vpon it neither can any haue the sanctified vse thereof ANSWERE It cannot be said properly that the office of ministerie vvorkes vpon the conscience of the hearer The office onely giues povver and charge to the teacher to teach in such or such a church state And as it resides in the person of the officer alone so the communion lavvfull or vnlavvfull vvhich any hath vvith it is in regard of the lavvfull or vnlavvfull ecclesiasticall relation and vnion foregoing betvveen the persons and not in any vvorking of the office vpon the conscience of any Secondlie though God blesse not the vnlavvfull office of ministerie vvhich is not of him selfe yet he may and doth blesse the truthes taught by the officer Genes 4â— 5. 6. vvhich are of himselfe and from heauen To deny this of many in the church of England is Balaam-like to curse vvhere God vvould haue vs blesse 2. OBIECTION To heare such a minister is to honour approue and vphold his office of ministery ANSWERE 1. If this be simply true then vvhen the heathenish Athenians heard Paul preach or vvhen an vnbeleuer comes into the church assembly and hears the preacher he approues honours and vpholds the office of ministerie vvhich vvhat it meanes he is altogether ignorant If any reply But vve know the ministery of the church to be as it is I ansvvere that the knowing of it makes not our act the more or lesse an act of approbation If I do an act wherin I indeed approue of a thing if I know the thing I really approue of it vpon knowledge if I know it not I really approue if it but ignorantly 2. If I approue of the office simply because I heare the officer preach then I much more approue of all the doctrines vvhich hee deliuers because I heare him deliuer them If the latter seem vnreasonnable so is the former much more except I be in church communion vvith the officer and then indeed I really approue of his office as I also doe of his doctrine if it be according to the confessioÌ„ of faith made by mee for then I am in former vnion vvith him in the one or other and so haue communion in the acts therof If this vvere a good ground that euery one approues of the euil done in matter or manner where he is present none could liue with good conscience in any society of men vpon earth Persons so minded are best alone for vvith others they vvill keep no peace no nor vvith themselues neither if they be true to their ovvne ground But they plainly balke themselues in their courses either in vveaknes of judgement or partialitie of affection or through vvant of due consideration of their vvaies 3. OBIECTION By this then it seemes a man may be present at any act of Idolatrie and do as others do that practice idolatrie yet not approue of it And so the three Nobles in Daniell needed not to haue put themselues vpon such pikes
for the preuenting in some and remedying in others of that inordinate and broken course And first I demaund of such what is this course of hearing such ministers as vvhose stare of ministerie they approue not Is it any perticuler ordinance left by Christ and enjoyned all christians in all ages and places Verily no. It vvere to be vvished that no church-ministerie vvere to be found vvhich is not approueable by the Word of God notwithstanding any good act performed by them that posses it This hearing is onely a vvork of naturall liberty in it selfe as I haue shewed and sanctified to beleeuers by their faith It is lawfull to vse it vpon occasion as it is to borrow of other men but to make it our course is to liue by borrovving vvhich no honest man that can do othervvise possibly vvould do Yea what differs it from a kinde of spirituall vagabondry in him that can mend it though vvith som difficulty to liue in no certain church-state and vnder no church-order and gouernment To print deep in our hearts the conscience of our duties this vvay let vs briefly consider how many bonds of necessity the Lord hath layd vpon vs to vvalk in the followshippe vnder the ordinances of the ministeriall and instituted-church First vve haue lying vpon vs the necessite of obedience to Christ our Lord in the commission Apostolicall enjoyning that after vve be made disciples as the vvord is Mat. 28. 19. 20. and baptised vve be vvithall taught to obserue vvhatsoeuer he hath commaunded It must not then suffice vs that vve are disciples and christians but we must joyn hearewith the entire obseruation of al the ordinances of Christ as vve can finde meanes from the greatest to the least And let vs beware that like the Scribes Pharisees Mat. 5. 19. 20. vve call none of Gods commaundements litle because vve vvould make our selues and others beleeue that litle and light account is to be made of obseruing them lest vve our selues bee called litle that is be indeed none in the kingdome of heauen Our sinnes of ignorance and humane frayly alas are to many let vs not adde therevnto presumptuous sinnes either of commission or omission to prouoke God vvithall 2. The church and ministrations therein are not needlesse but most needfull meanes sanctified of God and giuen of Christ for our saluation and edification therevnto Act 2. 47. vvhich he that despiseth that is Eph. 4. 11 doth not submit his soule and body vnto as he hath meanes and conuerse therein vvith good conscience though in affliction persecution despiseth not man but God and Christ to the depriuing of himselfe of the fruit of Gods most gracious presence in his house and temple 1. Tim. 3. 15. vvhere he hath promised to dwell and of Christs ascention into heauen for the powring out of all kingly gifts and largesses vpon men for the vvork of the ministery 2. Cor. 6. 16. 3. Our great infirmities vvhereof both the scriptures euery vvhere and our owne experience vvarn vs shew in vvhat great need vve stand of all the Lords holy ordinances and institutions for the supplying of vvhat is vvanting in vs and correcting of vvhat is a misse and continuing and encreasing of vvhat is good vnto the cōming of the Lord vvhere vve must also take knowledge and remember that it is on note of difference and the same very cleare betvveene the vvisedome of the fleshe and the vvisedome of the spirit that the former vvilbe sure to prouide for the body and outvvard man vvhat may bee though vvith danger and prejudize of the spirituall the other vvill take care and order for the spirituall state though the outvvard pinch for it And if any out of the view and persuation of his ovvne strength of grace come to conceaue that he stands in no such need of Christs ordinances or of any christian follovvshippe for the dispensing of them let such a man consider that the lesse need he hath of others by reason of his greater plenty of grace receaued the more need others haue of him for their supply But vvhatsoeuer any imagine of himselfe the Apostle vvho vvas not partiall teacheth that the very head the chiefe and highest member can not say to the feet the lovvest and meanest members I haue no need of you 1. Cor. 12. 21. 4. And lastly it is necessarie for our sound and entire comfort vvith the Lord our God that our obedience be entire in respect of all his holy commandements vvhich vve do or can discern to be such and to concerne vs according to that of the man of God Psa. 119 6 Then shal I not be ashamed vvhen I haue respect to all thy commaundements That so vve may haue our part in the testimonie giuen by the holy Ghost of Zachary and Elizabeth Luk. 1. 5. 6. vvhich vvas that they vvere righteous before God walking in all the commaundements ordinances of the Lord blamelesse That is both in the morall precepts and sacred ceremonies and institutions of the Lord Whose examples vve in our place and times are to followe not balking vvith the Lord in any thing great or small nor seeking starting holes vvhereby to escape from him in his word which is vvholy good and pure Good as comming from our good God Pro. 30. 5. Heb. 6. 5. good in it selfe and good for vs if vve conuerse therein as vve ought in good conscience tovvards God zeale for his ordinances modestie in our selues and charitie tovvards other men specially towards them vvith vvhom God hath joyned vs in the most and best things taking heed lest by any vncharitable either judgment of or vvithdrawing from their persons for such humane fraylties as vnto vvhich into one kinde or other all Adams sinfull prosterity are subject vve sinne not more by our course held against them then they by theirs in them vvhich God forbid To conclude For my selfe thus I beleeue with my heart before God and professe with my tongue and haue before the world that I haue one and the same faith hope spirit baptisin and Lord which I had in the church of England and none other that I esteem so many in that church of what state or order soeuer as are truly partakers of that faith as I account many thousand to be for my christian brethren and my selfe a fellow-member with them of that one misticall body of Christ scattered far and wide throughout the world that I haue alwaies in spirit and affection al christian fellowshippe and communion with them and am most ready in all outward actions exercises of Religione lawfull lawfully done to expresse the same withall that I am perswaded the hearing of the word of God there preached in the manner and vpon the grounds formerly mentioned both lawfull and vpon occasion necessary for me all true christians with drawing from that Hierarchical order of church gouernement and ministery and the appartenances
that mens outward callings true or false makes the vvord to be the vvord of God or not to be the vvord of God an assertion rather to be pitied then refuted being litle better then blasphemy that which they bring to make this assertion good to vvit that any man hauing an outward calling vvhich is vnlawfull makes the vvord of God vvhich he preacheth not to be the vvord of God and this say they to proue it it vvas true incense vvhich Nadab and Abihu tooke Lev. 10. 1. to offer vp to the Lord but because they tooke strang fire and not the fire vvhich vvas from the Altar as the Lord had appointed therefore the Lord sent a fire to destroy them so say they it is the true vvord of God which is preached in England but because they preach the same by an vnlawfull office therefore the Lord abhorres it A stranger collection I thinke can hardly by heard for here strang fire is opposed to an vnlawfull outward calling vvhich nothing can be more absurd for Nadab and Abihu had a true outvvard calling to offer they vvere the sonnes of Aaron saith the text therfore if any thing hence might be concluded in iust proportion it must be to the doctrine taught and not in the least to the calling so that vve may from thence gather thus much that if a Minister in regard of his outvvard calling true shall teach any thing that is not from the Lord they are to expect Gods iudgement for the same and more cannot hence be collected further let it be shewed that euer any prophet in the old or new Testament vvas euer termed a false prophet in respect of his outward calling but allwaies in respect of his doctrine vve can find that such as had true outvvard calling in the true church yet vvere false prophets in regard of their doctrine in many perticulers as Christ teaches concerning the Scribes and Pharises for their false expounding of the Law let them shew the like for outvvard callings Thus haue vve thought good hauing bene eare vvitnesses of these things here propounded to set downe our censure of them desyring the Lord to make this vvhole vvorke for the generall good now set forth take effect in those that loue the Trueth Fare you wel OF The lawfulnes of hearing the Ministers of the Church of England by Iohn Robinson AS they that affect alienation from others make their differences as great and the adverse opinion or practise as odious as they can thereby to further their desired victorie ouer them and to harden themselues and their side against them So on the contrarie they vvho desire peace and accord both interprete things in the best part that reasonnablie they can and seek hovv and vvhere they may finde any lavvfull dore of entry into accord agreement vvhat others Of vvhich latter number I professe my selfe by the grace of God both a companion and guide speciallie in regard of my christian countrimen to vvhom God hath tied me in so manie inviolable bonds accounting it a crosse that I am in any perticuler compelled to discent from them But a benefite and matter of reioiceng vvhen I can in any thing vvith good conscience vnite vvith them in matter if not in manner or vvhere it may be in both And this affection the Lord and my conscience are my vvitnesses I haue alvvaies norished in my breast euen vvhen I seemed furthest dravvne from them And so all that haue taken knovvledge of my course can testifie vvith mee and hovv I haue still opposed in others and repressed in mine ovvne to my povver all sovver zeale against and peremptorie rejection of such as vvhose holie graces chalenged better vse and respect from all christians And in testimonie of mine affection this vvay for the freeing of mine ovvne conscience and information of other mens I haue penned this discourse tending to proue the hearing of the vvord of God preached by the Ministers of the church of England able to open and applie the doctrines of faith by that church professed both lawfull and in cases necessarie for all of all sects or sorts of christians hauing opportunitie and occasion of so doing though sequestring themselues from all communion with the Hierachicall order there established Three sorts of opposites I make account to meet vvithall The first of them vvho truly desire and carefully endevour to haue their whole course both in religion and othervvise framed by the holy and right zeale of Gods Word either for their confirmation in the trueth or reformation vvherein through humane frailtie they step aside And vnto them especiallie I direct this my discourse begging at his hands vvho is the Father of lights Iem 1. 17 and from vvhom commeth downe euerie good and perfect gift for them as for my selfe that as he hath giuen vs to set our faces tovvards heauen and to seek him vvith the vvhole heart Psal. 119. 6. so he would not suffer vs to vvander from his commaundements to the right hand or to the left A second sort is of them vvhose tender and scrupulous conscience makes them fearefull and jealous of euerie thing vvhich hath in it the least appearāce or shevv of euil least comming too neare it they be defiled by it one vvay or other This their godly zeale and tender nes of heart is to be loued of all men and cherished by all good meanes Onely such are to be intreated for their ovvne good to take knowledge of a distinction most vsefull for their direction in things lawfull in their kinde and good in their right vse Of vvhich some are onely naturallie good in their kinde but not simply commaunded of God as to get and keep the riches and credit of the vvorld to enjoy outvvard peace or other bodly comfort Others are morallie good in their kinde and commaunded of God as to heare the vvord of God obey the Magistrate and the like Novv in things of the former sort it is verie requisite considering both their nature and ours that vve keep a jealous eye and strait hand ouer our selues and our waies For them they are not in their kinde enjoyned as the other neither do the scriptures any vvhere require of men to be rich or the like as they doe to hear Gods Word obey authoritie c. And for our selues we are proue and in danger to ouerstraint for the getting and enjoying of them as being naturallie pleasing good things So as if out of a godly jealousie ouer our hearts tovvards them vve keep not our selues from going too neer the side for the getting or keeping of them vve shall by one storme of temptation or other be blovvne in to the ditch of sin and destruction But now for the practise and performance of duties simplie morall and commaunded in their kinde as is the hearing of Gods Word speciallie by Gods people vve ought to strain to the vtmost and to go as neer the vvinde as may be seing
to a foregoing church-vnion vvhereas to partake in the Lords supper imports communion in both lavvfull in him that is a lavvfull church-member and vnlavvfull in him that is not in such a church-state 8. OBIECTION But it is the order of the church of England that all that heare are and so are reputed members of that church ANSWERE I deny that there is any such order Let the lavv or cannon either be shevved that so orders things Excommunicates are permitted to heare sermons though not deuine seruice as they call it 2. What if there vvere such an order It no more either made or declared mee to be a member there then doth my dvvâ—lling in such or such a parishe make me a member of that parish-church vvhich latter is indeed the lavv and order there If the church vvith me should make a lavv cannon or order that all that come in heare me preach should thereby become members of it vve vvere the more foolish in making such an order but they neuer a vvhit the nearer either for membershippe or communion 9. OBIECTION He that hears appears to haue communion with the church ministry and all appearance of euill is to be avoided 1. Thess 5. 22. ANSWERE The scripture is not to be vnderstood of all that appears euill to others out of an erronius and deceaued judgement for then vve must abstain from almost all good seing there are some to vvhom almost all good seemes euill but it is meant either of the doctrine in Prophesie of vvhich I haue some probable suspition of vvhich the Apostle seemes properly to speak or of that vvhich appears euill to a rightly discerning eye By this imagined exposition I might not hyre a house in a parishe vvhere I vvere not knovvne seeing thereby I appeare a parish-member 10. OBIECTION None can heare without a preacher nor preach except he be sent Rom. 10 14. 15. Therefore I cannot lawfully heare him that hath not a lawfull sending ANSWERE 1. That conclusion is neither in text nor sound I may lavvfully hear him that hath no lavvfull calling as I haue formerly shevved 2. The Apostles meaning there is not to shevv vvhat is vnlavvfull but vvhat is impossible It is impossible to beleeue vvithout hearing and impossible to heare vvithout preaching and impossible to preach vvithout the sending there intended that is vvithout Gods gracious vvork of Prouidence in raising vp of men by enabling and disposeing them to preach for the effectuall calling of the elect of God of vvhich he there speaks If any make question vvhether faith come by the hearing of the preachers there it is more questionable whether they themselues vvant not faith vvhich are so barren of charitie in vvhich true faith is fruitfull If faith come by the preaching in England to any it follovves therevpon that such preachers are sent in the Apostles sence 11. OBIECTION The sheep of Christ heare his voice but strangers they will not heare Ioh. 10. 3. 8. 27. ANSWERE Christ doth not there speak of the outvvard hearing but of the hearking vnto that is as he expounds himselfe vers 3. 4. 5. 14. 16. 16. 27. of the knowing and beleeuing of his voice following it So chap. 9. I told you before and ye did not hear that is not beleeue vers 27. And God hears not sinners vers 31. that is approues not of them and their prayers So chap. 11. I know that thou bearest me alvvaies and a thousand times in the scriptures The drift of Christ in the place is without question to shew the difference betvveene such as vvere his sheep and such as vvere not his sheep His sheep heard his voice and they vvhich vvere not his sheep heard not his voice But they vvhich vvere not his sheep nor heard his voice as there he speaks heard him preach outvvardly as vvell as the rest vvhich vvere his sheep Besides they vvhich vvere his sheep and vvould not heare strangers in the Lords sence heard outvvardly those strangers preach and by hearing them discouered them to be strangers that is false prophets The strangers of vvhom he speaks vvere of the true church and of Israel but brought false doctrine tending to kill the soule Such strangers none should heare that is beleeue and follovv 12. OBIECTION The scriptures both of the old and new testament vvarn Gods people of false Prophets vvhich the ministers of that church are haueing an vnlawfull calling ANSWERE 1. They vvarn Deut. 13. 3 not to hearken vnto them 1. Ioh. 4. 1 nor to beleeue them but to try them which without hearing them cannot be done Not that all false Prophets are to be heard by all that they might try them for that vvere to tempt God but I novv ansvvere the scriptures cited vvhich speake of Prophets in the true church vvhich vvere to be heard till they vvere orderly repressed or at least plainly discouered by their doctrine heard to be such 2. No mans vnlawfull outvvard calling makes him a false Prophet nor his outvvard lavvfull calling a true but his true or false doctrine only makes him a true or false Prophet A man may haue a lavvfull office of ministerie and yet be a false prophet if he teach false doctrine so may he be a true prophet if he teach the trueth though in an vnlavvfull and Antichristian state of ministerie Numb 2â— and 25. Yea Balaam vvas both a false prophet in cursing in purpose vvhere God would haue him blesse Ios. 13. 22 in teaching 2. Pet. 2. 15. 16. Balack to put a stumbling block before the people of Israel Rev. 2. 14. and yet a true prophet in blessing Israell by the spirit of prophecie Num. 25. 5. 9 10. c. and chap. 24. 2. 3. c. and vvord of the Lord put into his mouth He is a prophet that speaks or declares a thing past present or to come And to prophecie in our sence is nothing els but to speak to edification exhortation 1. Cor. 14. 3. and comfort He that doth this is a true Prophet He that speaks the countrary a false It vvere good if they in vvhose mouthes the chalenge of false prophets is rifest would better wey how themselues expound and applie the scriptures in their propheciengs lest notvvithstanding any outward lawfull church state they be deeper vvounded by the rebound of their accusations this vvay then their aduersaries 13. OBIECTION The Lords forbids Iudah going to Gilgal or to Bethel Hos. 4. 15. 16. ANSWERE The meaning is plain and the vvords expresse that they vvere not to go thether to offend and play the harlot in ioyning to Idols vers 15. 16. 17. This I graunt is to be done in no place but deny any such thing to be done in the hearing by me pleaded for The scriptures euery vvhere forbid the going or comming to such places or persons as in or by vvhich some euill is done to vvit for the doing of any thing euill or vnlawfull in or vvith