former places speak of the Church at Ierusalem where some of the Apostles were ever present what marveil then if the congregation attempted nothing without them But touching the last scripture which speakes of the Churches of and amongst the Gentiles and of the ordination of Elders there Act. 14. 23. the case is otherwise Of these Churches some were converted to the Lord by the Apostles and other by private brethren scattered thither there publishing the Gospel Act. 8. 12. 10. 36-44 47. 48. 11. 19. 20. 21. 23. 13. 2. 12. 48. 14. 1. 2. that some certaine yeares before any ordination of Elders amongst them And can it be conceived with any reason that all this long space during the Apostles absence these Churches never assembled together for their edification and comfort in prayer prophesying and other ordinances were there no other coÌ„verted al the while which desyred to be admitted into their fellowship or had they no use of excommunication for the preserving pure of their communion for sundry yeares But to let passe these more generall things and to come to the speciall busines mentioned Act. 14 23. The same rules which were after left in writing to Timothy and Titus for the choyce of Bishops or Elders were then in use amongst the Churches amongst other qualifications it was required of them that they should be apt to teach able to convince as also to manage the publique affaires of the Churches which were to depend on them whither in cases of controversie or otherwise and such they both then were and now are by good tryal and experience to be known to be and those also no young plants for such fruits And as it did most specially concern the brethren to know certainly by good experience that those officers were so qualified whom they were to set over them and unto whom they were to coÌ„mit their soules to be fed unto life eternal so could they onely take sufficient tryall of them their gifts and faythfulnes for the publique ministery by due experience The Apostles came but occasionally to visit the Churches and to comfort them making in many very small or no continuance and fynding fit men for officers in the Churches where they came and the same known testified and commended to be such by the peoples election they ordeyned Bishops or Elders over them and so departed Act. 14. 21. 22. 23. And what reason can be given why the Apostles did not at the first planting of the Churches but so long a space after ordeyn officers as also that Paul did not perform that busines himself in Creta but left Titus the Evangelist for that purpose Tit. 1. 5. save onely that men of gifts might be trayned vp in prayer prophecying and carrying of such other Church affaires as fell out and so due tryall made of theyr gifts good knowledg taken of their faythfulnes in and by the Churches whereof they were and over which they were to be set being found fit for that service Now the fourth scripture which is 1 Cor. 5. doth directly oppose that for which it is brought It was the Churches fault not to have purged out that sower leven the incestuous person before they eyther heard from Paul or he of that evill amongst them and for theyr negligence herein the Apostle reproveth them as all men see that are not willingly blynd And for Paul he in generall as a penman of the Holy Ghost wrote scriptures for the direction of the Corinthians and all other Churches to the worldes end and in speciall as a chief Officer of that Church by determining for himself discharged his owne duety but did neyther begin govern nor compose the action being at Philippi or rather at Ephesus for the present from whence he writ the Epistle to the Church vnto which he commended the busines in hand both for the beginning and ending of it But what of all these and many other the like scriptures to be alledged because the Churches are in all things to be guided by theyr officers ministring faythfully and according to the word of God and theyr duety that therefore if eyther there be no officers or if they be absent or fayl in their duety the Church may do nothing eyther for information or reformation The scriptures record that after Stevens death all the Church aâ— Ierusalem was dispersed save the Apostles and that they which were dispersed went to and fro preaching the word the effect of whose preaching amongst the Gentiles was the fayth and conversion of a great number vnto the Lord. Here were not onely Church matters but even Churches begun preaching to and fro turning and ioyning of multitudes to the Lord that where neyther Apostles noâ— other officers were present for this is too grosse to affirm that during al the Apostles dayes nothing was begun but by them And what if the Lord should now rayse vp a company of faythfull men and women in Barbary or America by the reading of the scriptures or by the wrytings conferences or sufferings of some godly men must they not separate themselves from the filthines of the heathen to the Lord nor turn from Idols to the true God nor ioyne themselves vnto him in the fellowship of the gospell nor have any communion together for theyr mutuall aedification and comfort till some vagrant Preist from Rome or England be sent vnto them to begin theyr Church matters with his service book And yet this would not serve the turne neyther for he would be vnto them a barbarian and they barbarians vnto him 1 Cor. 14. 11. Some yeares must be spent or ech could vnderstand others language Nay if this were a true ground that Church matters might not be begun without officers it were impossible that such a people should ever eyther enioy officers or become a Church yea I may safely ad that ever there should be in the world after the vniversal visible apostacy of Antichrist any true eyther Church or officers and so we must hold with the Arians that except ther should come new Apostles to gather the Churches and so a new Christ to call those Apostles that there can be to the worlds end neyther true Churches nor true officers The reason is because * no man takes this honour vnto himself but he that is called of God aâ— Aaron Now God calls no man ordinarily but by the Ch for I suppose you will not deny but that the choyce of officers is a Ch matter not a matter of the world And the Church must chuse none but such as of whose knowledge zeale and vtterance they have taken tryall by the exercise of his guifâ—s as you truely affirme els where in this book and you will not say but this exercise of his guiftâ— after this manner and for this end is a Church matter Whence it followeth that both Church matters yea and Churches also may and in cases must
cheiftayns onely in the power of Christ as the Apostles successours excluding himselfe and the rest of his rank that he may advance the throne of Antichrist in his cheife ministers the Lord Archbishops Bishops whose chayre he thus stoutly laboures to vphold with both shoulders Secondly I deny that eyther the Evangelists such as were Timothy and Titus succeeded the Apostles in their office or that any other ministers in the Church did or do succeed eyther the Apostles or Evangelists as they were such as we speak They were extraordinary officers in the first plaÌ„ting of the faith amongst the gentiles theyr qualifications extraordinary and miraculous as the gift of tongues and the like and so theyr offices were determined in theyr persons And yet I deny not but the true Ministers of the gospell the Bishops or Elders in theyr particular Churches do succeed the Apostles though not in office yet in theyr ordinary ministration of the word sacraments censures prayer ordination all other ordinances of the Church whatsoever according to the order Christ hath left but that the Apostles and Evangelists have by any order committed theyr power or any part of it to any such Cheif Ministers or rather Lords yea spiritual tyraÌ„ts as the Lordbishops Archbishops in Engl. are that I deny withall my power There are no such cheifteyns in the Church of Christ or communion of saynts The Apostles did by the Churches free choyce ordeyn in every particular assembly a company of Elders or Bishops whome they charged with the particular flockes in and to which they were to minister the holy things of God and none other Act. 14. 23. and 20. 17. 28. 1 Tim. 3. 1. 2. 4. Tit. 1. 5. 1 Pet. 5. â— 2. Much lesse are the great Antichrists of Rome the Popes and Cardinalles the Apostles and Evangelists successours in any right by the word of God or capable in that theyr estate of Apostolicall or other ministeriall power of Christ as you Mr B. will make them of which your Popish errour more in place Now for the scriptures cited they serve well to prove that which no man denyes in which kynd of disputing Mr B. hath a speciall faculty The scriptures are 1 Tim. 1. 3. and 3. 14. 15. and 5. 21. 22. Tit. â— 5. which places prove thus much in effect that Timothy was to see false doctrine suppressed in Ephesus that men gifted according to the word of God should be choseÌ„ into the office of Bishops and Deacons that he should deale vnpartially in all things that he should not partake in the sinns of other men by laying hands suddaynly vpon any that Titus was left in Crete to redresse things amisse and to ordayne Elders in the Churches And what followes vpon this I know well what Mr B. infers namely that the cheif Ministers alone in the Churches whether pure or impure by which latter he meanes the Church of Rome as he expounds himself pag. 145. that is that Popes Cardinalls Archbishops Bishops Suffraganes Chauncelours and the rest of the triumphant Clergy and they alone should medle with supressing errour rectifying things amisse calling and ordayning ministers and that all others are absolutely inhibited any medling with these things Well to let passe your fearefull retyring Mr B. into the battered bulwarks of the Papists for succour and the discharging of your selfe and all the inferiour ministery that these cheif ministers might reigne alone the scriptures do not debarâ—e the members of the Church from medling in those things in their place and order nor impropriate them to the cheife Lords as is pretended onely they declare that the officers are to do theyr own duetyes in those businesses and to put the brethren in remembrance of theyrs to commaund teach and speak those things exhorting rebuking with all authority by the word of God as occasion serves 1 Tim. 4. 6. 11. Tit. 2. 15. And if Mr B. will conclude any thing for his purpose by the scriptures he alledgeth he must take this position for graunted that whatsoever Paul wrytes to Timothy or Titus touching the Church about that onely they theyr successours the cheif ministers are to medle which presumpteous affirmation is sufficiently refuted by the very recitall of it He that reads over the Epistles but with a pece of an ey may see the contrary There is no greater force in this collection then in that Mar. 13. 34. bycause the porter is to watch therefore he alone and not the rest also which is coÌ„trary to the expresse words immediatly following where all are coÌ„maunded to watch v. 37. And thus the conclusion which Mr B. would make that the place 1 Cor. 5. though generally spoken must be vnderstood of the cheife officers of the Church is without prâ—mises It must be vnderstood as it is spoken though both he the Pope say nay to it and of the meaning of it we shall speak hereafter at large when we come to handle the censures of the Church as also of your pretended proof 2 Cor. 2. 6. Onely I must needs take knowledge of that part of the truth which Mr B. being set vpon the rack of his conscience in reading this 1 Cor. 5. is compelled to confesse and that is that from v. 5. â—â— may be gathered for the body of the Church that the offender must be delivered to Satan with their knowledge publiquely when they meet together in the open assembly Towching which his graunt I observe these three particulars First it overthrowes the practise in the Church of England where the offender is excommunicated by the Chauncelour or Officiall it may be fourty miles off from the body of the congregation whereof he is a member and that most what without the presence of any one of the body yea or their privity eyther till such tymes as eyther the Parish Preist or Church dore signify the matter vnto them 2. If the officers must judge and excommunicate in the open assembly then can they alone in no sense be the Church For the Church is nothing but the assembly And it is all one to say the officers in the assembly are the Church as to say the officers in the assembly are the assembly which is a senseles affirmation And if the Officers alone be the Church to which complaint is to be made and which is to reprove the offender and judge him they must do it in a distinct assembly from the body and not in the assembly compounded necessarily of the officers and the body as your Courtkeepers doe in their Consistories the Elders in the reformed Churches in their private Chambers 3. It is most vntrue which you say that no more can be gathered from this place but that excommunication was performed in the presence of the body of the Church and with their knowledge being gathered together it is apparent that they which were gathered together were by the power of Christ to deliver to Satan the offender to purge out the
at large by others I do answer that as it was vnlawfull to communicate with Corah or with Vzziah though they burnt true incense or with Ieroboams Preists though they offered true sacrifices so is it vnlawfull to communicate with a devised ministery what truth soever is taught in it Secondly the Lord hath promised no blessing to his word but in his own ordinance though by his superaboundant mercy he oft tymes vouchsafe that which no man can chalendg by any ordinary promise Thirdly no man may partake in other mens sinns but every Ministery eyther devised or vsurped is the sinn of him which exerciseth it And as no good subiect would assist or coÌ„municate with any person in the administration of civil iustice to the Kings subiects no not though hâ— administred the same never so equally and indifferrently except the same person had commission from the King so to do so neyther ought the subiects of the kingdome of Christ to partake with any person whomsoever in the dispensation of any spirituall thing though in it self never so holy without sufficient warrant and commission from the most absolute and sovereigne King of his Church Christ Iesus And where Mr B. speaks of hearing the true word of God onely preached he intimates therin that if we would heare him preach it would satisfy him wel and so teacheth vs with himselfe and others to make a schisme in the Church in vsing one ordinance and not another It is all one whether a man communicate with the Minister in his pulpit or with the Chauncelor in his consistory both of them minister by the same power of the Bishop The Chauncelor may iudge iustly who knowes whither or no the Minister will teach truely And if he do not but speak the vision of his owne heart what remedy hath the Church or what can they that hear him do May they rebuke him openly according to his sin and so bring him to repentance or must they not beare his errors yea his heresyes also during the pleasure of the Bishops even their Lord his And would you Mr B. be content your people should heare a masse Preist or Iesuite though he professed as loud as you do that he would teach the true word of God And think not scorne of the match for you have the selfe same office with a masse Preist though refyned If he be ordayned by a Bishop though it be the Bishop of Rome he may minister in any Church of England by vertue of that ordination And besides masse Preists preach some and those the mayne truthes and the Ministers in England neither do nor daâ—e preach all no nor some which it may be the others do Is it not better then for the servaÌ„ts of the L. Iesus to exercise aedify themselves according to the model of grace receaved though in weaker measure then to be so simple as to come to your feasts though you cry never so loud vnto them thinking that because your stoln waters are sweet and your hidden bread pleasant that they have no power to passe by but must needs become your guests Lastly Mr B. even to make vp the measure of his mallice as he formerly reproached vs by the oppositioÌ„s dissentioÌ„s which he hath heard of amongst vs so doth he here by the vnity and love which himselfe hath seen in vs comparing it page 64. to the love of Familists and Papists and other wretched and graceles companions So that belike whither we love or hate whither we agree or disagree this man wil be sure to fynd matter of reproch vnto vs and of stumbling to himselfe as the Iewes did both from Iohns austerity and from Christs more sociable course of life Math. 11. 18. 19. Our fourth sin is abusing the word of which all are guilty by misalledging and wresting places of Scripture c and this Mr B. proves because some have accused some of the principall of vs with it If accusation be conviction Mr B. needs not speak of some or any other he himselfe hath most mightily coÌ„vinced vs for he hath most hatefully accused vs of any man a live The fifth sin supposed is our wilfull persisting in our schism lightly regarding reverend mens labours and sinfully despising weaker meanes c. It is well knowne that Mr B. how earnestly soever he pleads with vs for the contrary doth himselfe as much neglect save for his owne purposes the iudgment of other men as any other neyther is there one minister in the land I am verily perswaded with whoÌ„ he suiteth but a right Ismael is he lesse or more having his hand against every man and every mans against him Well I deny our separation to be schism as we take the word much lesse do we persist wilfully in it And for the iudgment of other men as we despise not the meanest so neyther do we pin our faith vpon the sleeves of the most learned The other exceptions of shifting and evading the scriptures of perversnes of spirit in conference I pretermit as being both frivolous despitefull onely something must be answered before we passe this poynt to the charge layd vpon vs Pag 98. touching corruptions in the Churches Apostolicall and reformed And first obiect to them sayth he the corruptions of the Churches Apostolicall and theyr answer is eyther that we mayntayn our corruptioÌ„s by the sinnes of other Churches or els they were in a true constitution And how can you with modesty reiect this answer you say we misconstrue your intendement which is that corruption make not a false Church We grant it except they be essentiall but this is that we say that what Church soever alledgeth the corruptions of other Churches with a purpose to coÌ„tinue in the like theÌ„selves which is your estate that Church maintaynes her corruptions by the sinns of other Churches And for the second poynt I do affirme that merely by vertue of a constitution there may be a true Church of God though abounding for the present in sinne and iniquity yet another assembly not rightly constituted or gathered into covenant with God no true Church though lesse impieties be to be found in it The Prophet Ieremy complaines that the iniquity of the daughter of his people namely Ierusalem was become greater then the sinn of Sodom and the Prophet Ezekiâ—l affirmes that Ierusalem was more corrupt by half then Sodom and Samaria And yet was Ierusalem the true Church of God which neyther Samaria nor Sodom were no nor yet any other place in the world where not halfe the wickednes was wrought that was to be found in the better of them This poynt I will further examplify by a symilitude A woman free and separated from all other men and ioyned in civill covenant to a man is his wyfe yea though shee prove very stubborn and disobedient yea and dishonest also till the bill of divorcement be given her but
Bishops of God which have obteyned the principall order and office in your Church for a lesse principall work namely government and are preferred to the highest first place not for the teaching of their Dioseces Provinces which were impossible though they desired it but for ruling of them You say they are the successors of the Apostles but the cheif work of the Apostles Ministery was the preaching of the gospel not ruling much lesse Lording wherein your Bishops office standeth The order which the Apostle Paul hath left is that those Elders which labour in the word and doctrine should have speciall honour and aboue them which are imployed in ruling but this order Antichrist hath subverted as being a course not onely too base and laborious but even impossible for him to honour his Ministers by as he desired and hath effected hath procured not double treble but an hundred fold greater honour to be ascribed to ruling and government then to preaching And this is not the least part of that confusion wherein you stand and against which wee testify 2. If the office of Ministery consist principally in preaching how can your office of Ministery or order of Preisthood be of Christ which coÌ„sists not at all in preaching as I haue shewed but may stand without it by the Canons Lawes of your Church not requiring it necessarily as any essentiall property for the being but onely admitting of it as a convenient ornament for the well-being commending in deed the person that vseth it but no wayes justifying the office which requireth it not Yea most evident it is that the Ministery of the Church of England considering it not onely in the state cariage of things but specially in the civil and ecclesiasticall lawes wherein it is founded consists more principally in the wearing of a surplice then in the preaching of the gospel To conclude this point as the examination of such with you as are to be ordeyned by the Bishop and his Chaplayn is no triall of their gifts of knowledge zeal or vtterance or that they are apt to teach but a devise like the poseing of schoolboyes without eyther warrant fro the scriptures or good to the Church so the onely examination which the word of God approves of is that just and experimentall knowledge which the Church by wise observation is to take of the personall gifts and graces of such men as the Lord rayseth vp amongst them manifesting themselves in the publick exercises of the Church in their places as there is occasion though you Mr Bern. be bold to abuse 1 Tim. 3. 7. to the justification of your letters testimoniall vnto the Bishop which any vngodly person may procure from other persons as ill as himself and thereby may find acceptance with some Bishop or other as evill as eyther of both The Apostle Peter directing the disciples or Church about the choice or nomination of one to be chosen into the room of Iudas tels them they must think of such a man as had companyed with them all the tyme that the Lord Iesus was conversanâ— among them And the same Apostle together with the rest by the same spirit directs the Ch afterward to chuse from among themselves seven men iustly qualified to take vpon them the administratioÌ„ of the Church treasury And vpon the same ground it was that the Apostles Paul Barnabas did not streightway vpon the gathering of the Churches of the Gentiles ordeyn them officers but a good space after even when the people had made good proof and tryall of the gifts and faithfulnes of such men as by their free choice and election the Apostles ordeyned over them And whom doth it concern so nearely to make proof or to take observation of them that are to be called into office as them that are to call or chuse them and to commit their soules vnto them Of which election it followeth we consider in the next place And the first thing I purpose about it is to sum vp and set together a few of Mr B. sayings which like so many waves driven by contrary winds do dash theÌ„selves asunder one against another First then he affirmeth pag. 133. and 138. that the Church iâ— tâ— separate and câ—â—se 〈…〉 amongst others for Ministers such as are found fit in so saying what doth he but graunt that the Church is before the Ministers They that chuse must needs be before the that are chosâ—nâ— How them do the Ministers make the Church 2. In his 2. book he reproacheth Mr Smyth as an impudent gaâ—nsayer of the tâ—â—t for saying that the Church did elect Mathias Act. 1. where the Lord did make the châ—ise and yet in the same book pag. 295. 296. he graunts that such examples of practise were then in vse for the peoples chusing Ministers and quotes this very scripture with some others for that purpose 3. he affirmeth in his former book that the guides and governours of the Ch were to chuse the Officers alledgeth to that end Act. 14. 23. Neyther remembring what he had formerly written in the same book namely that the rest of the congregation were to chuse the principall to be their mouth and to stand for the whole Church nor yet caring what he was to write in his 2. book to wit that the people were to chuse their ministers for which he also bringeth the same scripture Act. 14. 23. If this man had been in Iohn Baptists place the Iewes might well haue answered Christ that they had gone out to see a reed shaken with the wind But to leave his contradictions of himself to come to his oppositions against the truth And first it is erroniousâ—y written by him and the scriptures Act. 13. 1. 2. 14. 23. sinfully perverted to the justification of his errour that by the Church which is to chose officers â—s meant the guids and governours thereof That which I haue formerly noted out of both his books espetially his quoting the latter of these scriptures for the peoples liberty in chusing their ministers doth give great cause of suspition that in this case he thus writes for his purpose against his conscience and is in deed condemned of himself And for the other place which is Act. 13. 1. 2. I may as justly yea much more reprove Mr B. for bringing it for the governours chusing of Paul and Barnabas as he Mr Smyth for bringing Act. 1. for the peoples chusing of Mathias For first Barnabas Saul were Apostles as well as Mathias and therefore not to be called to their office by man but by God Gal 1. 1. and so were of the Holy Ghost as immediately separated by name as was Mathias by lot 2. Mathias was at that time first called to the office of Apostleship which before he had not but Paul and Barnabas were Apostles long before and at that tyme designed
people then were very iudicious and able to make a choise whereas it is now far otherwise with many it is of some consideration for the people Church of England but of none at all for the people Church of God If the people in the parish assemblies there should vsurp this power it would be far otherwise with them indeed for the most part then with people iudicious or able to make a choise Can blind men judge of colours or naturall men of spirituall things If a man would prophesie vnto them of wine and strong drink he were a Prophet for such a people It is certayn they would chuse Ministers like themselves ignorant loose fellowes for the most part the saying of the Prophet would be verifyed as is the people so is the Preist And yet worse then are made and chosen by the Bishops and Patrons generally they could hardly find But observe your self Mr B. when you plead for the ignorance and prophanenes of your own people you write that the Apostles received into the Churches persons very ignoraÌ„t and of lewd conversation Now when you come to plead against the liberty of the people of God you make them in the Apostles tymes to have been very iudicious able to discern of things far otherwise then the people now are Now for the exception it self it is of no valew But as the ordinances and administration of the Iewish Church remayned the same and vnalterable though the peoples knowledge were not alwayes the same but sometimes greater sometimes lesse so is it in the estate of the new testament with all theÌ„ which deem that Christ the Sonne is worthy of as much honour in his ordinances as was Moses a servant of the house in his And if this devise were admitted of that the liberty of the people should eb and flow according to the measure of their knowledge then should not all the brethren in the same Church haue the same Christian liberty in the choise of officers censuring of offenders and the like ordinances for all have not the same measure of knowledge nay it may be scarce two of all so divers is the dispensation of grace to the severall members Then should scarce two severall Churches in the world injoy the same Christian liberty the one with the other no nor any one with it self any long tyme since one Church differeth from another yea from it self at divers times in the measure degree of knowledge and other graces of God Besides if we should wey together in the ballances the Churches of Christ now and in the Apostles times the Christian liberty of the people would rather sway the ballance this way then the other way and to the people now then in the Apostles dayes For first there were present with the people in those first times besides other extraordinary officers extraordinarily indowed the Apostles themselves those great Maister-buylders which if any other in the world might lawfully haue deprived the people of their power in this the like cases which notwithstaÌ„ding they did not but on the coÌ„trary did faithfully inform direct theÌ„ according to the coÌ„maundement of Christ in the right lawful vse of the same And yet notwithstanding the Bishops of the Romish and English Church though not worthy so much as of the name of daubers in the Lords house in comparison of those other Maister-buylders dare without fear or shame engrosse all into their owne hands and haue their proctours this man and others many a one to plead for them in their vsurpation 2. The Churches in the Apostles tyme were newly converted froÌ„ Iudaism and Paganism and had still cleaving vnto them much ignorance in many great poynts And in particular the disciples or Church at Ierusalem after they were both possessed and had vse of this power of chusing officers were ignorant of no lesse a point then the calling of the Gentiles of which or the like mayn ground of religion no true Church of Christ now is ignorant as that Ch then was And thus it appeareth that the choise of Officers by the people in the primitive Churches was not a matter casual or of the Apostles courtesy but a commaundement of Christ left penned by the H. Ghost as is the rest of that story and of those Acts of the Apostles for our direction and the direction of all the Churches of Christ to the worlds end One shift more Mr Bernard makes from which he must be put and that is that the Patron chuseth for the people a fit man whom the Bishop finding fit by examination ordeyneth and that this is a lawfull calling To let passe that the Patrons vsually choose not for the people but for themselves and their own profits and pleasures which though it be apparant to all men is not without cause winked at by the Bishops considering how and by what meanes they procure their own choise I answer first that the patron doth not chuse for the people that is as the people did chuse in the Apostles tymes For the people then made choise of such as were before private persons but by their election to be ordeyned into office where the Patron chuseth a Clerk who is in office already and ordeyned by the Bishop before the Patron make choise of him The Bishop doth at the first make him a Minister at large and not of any particular Church and so sends him as it were to graze vpon the Commons till afterwards he be found by or rather find some Patron which by his presentation makes a gap and lets him into some vacant Vicarage or Parsonage there to minister accordingly But admit in the 2. place that the Patron stood in the room of the people to choose for them I would demaund who set him there or where the scriptures do eyther teach or approve of any such Aâ—â—urney-ships in the matters of religion of Gods worship as you make by telling vs in one place that the officers do make professioÌ„ of faith in another that they censure offenders here that they chuse Ministers for the people If som one maÌ„ in a parish had â—ntaâ—lâ—d to him and his heyres for ever the power of appoynting housbands to all the women in the parrish the bondage were intollerable though in a matter of Civile nature how much more intollerable then is the spirituall bondage of the parrish assemblyes vnder the imperious presentations of those Lord patrons whose Clerks they must receive and submit vnto whither they wil or no Great is the sin of the people which loose this liberty greater of the Patrons which engrosse it but the greatest of all is that for the Ministers which by their doctrine practise confirm both the one and the other in their iniquity all three conspiring together in this that they alter the ordinances and commaundements of Christ by his Apostles and so both diminish of his
more then tyme I come to the mayn controversie about succession which might be layd down summarily in these words whether the reformed Churches were bound to submit notwithstanding their separation from Rome vnto such ministers onely as were ordeyned by the Pope and his Bishops but for the better clearing of things I will enlarge my speach to these three distinct considerations First whether the Ministery be before the Church or no. 2. Whether the delegated power of Christ for the vse of the holy things of God be given primarily and immediately to the Church or to the Ministers 3. Whether the Lord haue so linked the Ministery in the chayn of succession that no Minister can be truely called and ordeyned or appointed without a praecedent Minister Touching the first of these Mr Ber affirmeth as in his former book that the Officers make the Church and give denomination vnto it so expresly in his 2. book that the Ministery is before the Church And noting in the same place a two fold raysing vp of the Ministery the first to beget a Church the second when the Church is gathered he puts the Ministers in both before the Ch in the former absolutely in the latter in respect of their Office and ordination by succession from the first In which discourse he intermingleth sundry things frivolous vnsound and contradictory Now for the first entery I desire the reader to observe with me that the quaestion betwixt Mr Bernard and me is about ordinary Ministers or officers of the Church such as were the first Ministers of the reformed Churches and as Mr B and I pretend our selves to be and not about extraordinary Ministers extraordinarily miraculously or immediately raysed vp as were Adam and the Apostles by God and Christ whom he produceth for examples Admit the one sort being called immediately and miraculously may be before the Church yet cannot the other which must be called by men and those eyther the Church or members of the Church at the least Besides the word Minister extends it self not onely vnto Officers ordinary and extraordinary but even to any outward means whether person or thing by which the revealed will of God is manifested and made known vnto men for their instruction and conversion Yea it reacheth even to God himself so far Mr B. stretcheth it where he makes God the first preacher Gen. 2. 3. As though there were a controversy between him and me whither God or the Church were first I see not but by the same reason he might avouch that the Ministers of the Church could not all dy or be deceived bycause God is free from these infirmityes It is true which Mr B. sayth that the word is before the Church as the seed which begetteth it and so is that which brings it yea whither it be person or thing which may also be called a Minister and be sayd to be sent of God as it is an instrument to convey and means to minister the knowledg of the same word will of God vnto any So if any private man or woman should be a means to publish or make known the word of God to a company of Turkes Iewes or other Idolaters he or she might truely be sayd to be their Minister and the Lords Ambassadour vnto thē as you speak Yea if they came to this knowledg by reading the Bible or other godly book that book or bible as it served to minister the knowledg of Gods wil in his word might truely in a generall sense be accoūted as a Minister vnto thē But what were all this to a Church-officer about whō our quaestiō is These things Mr B. shuffles together but the wise reader must distinguish them so doing he shall easily discover his trisling The particulars follow And first he affirmeth that God made Adam a Minister to whom he gave a wife to begin the Church and as Adam was before his wife so is the Ministery at the first before the Church If Adams wife began the Church then is your mayn foundation overthrown namely that the ministers make and denominate the Church except you will say that Eve was a Minister Secondly it is not true you say that God made Adam a Minister before Eve was created In the same place you make and truely a Minister and Ambassadour which brings the word all one vnto whom could Adam eyther minister the word or be an Ambassadour to bring it before Eve was formed There was nothing but bruit beasts and senceles trees and to them I suppose he brought it not The truth is Adam and Eve were the Ch. not by his but by her creatiō which made a company or society thus we are in the first place to consider of them and of Adam as a teacher in the second place the speciall calling here and ever following after and vpon the generall Of the same force with your first proof is your 2. which you take from Ephes. 4. 11. 12. where it is sayd God gave some not onely to confirm the Church but to gather the Saynts to make a Church To let passe your boldnes with the words I except against your exposition application of them The word gathering vpon which you insist is in some bookes turned repayring and is the same in the Greek with that which is restoring Gal. 6. 1. of which I have spoken formerly Againe Paul in that place speaks not onely of Apostles other Ministers of the first raysing vp for the begetting of Churches but of Pastours and Teachers which were taken out of the Church and of the 2. raysing for the feeding of the flock You will not deny but the Apostles and brethren at Ierusalem were a Church of God Act. 1. 15. 16. when as yet no Pastours or Teachers were appointed in it and how then can your doctrine stand that the Ministers spoken of Ephe. 4. 11. 12. amongst which were Pastours and Teachers were before the Church out of which they were taken and raysed vp of God to beget a Church Yea it is evident that the very office of Pastour vvas not then heard of in the Church whereby the falsity of your other affirmation is discovered to wit that the Office of such Ministers as are of the second raysing which are taken out of the Church is before the Church Thirdly the Apostles themselves howsoever extraordinary officers immediately called and sent forth to beget other Churches both of Iewes and Gentiles were Christians before they were Apostles and members of the Church before they were Officers And the scriptures do expresly testify that God ordeyned or set in the Church Apostles amongst other Officers and this their setting in the Church doth necessarily praesuppose a Church wherein they were set as the setting of a candle in a candlestick praesupposeth a candlestick as in deed the Church is the Candlestick the officers the candles lights and starres which are set in it
together with their answers layes them downe in his 2. book Of the first Argument I have spoken in another place The 2. is that if Christs ministeriall power be by succession to the Pope Bishops or Praesbytery then the Ministery of Rome is a true Ministery Mr Bern answer is that he meanes true succession which is both personall and hath with it a true office true doctrine true sacraments and prayer about which Christs true ministers are exercised but for the Romish Ministery it is idolatry and superstition and the men appointed there to ordeyned sacrifising Preists This answer of yours Mr B. puts me in mind of a practise of children who when they have a long while busyed themselves in drawing the best formes and figures they can in dust and ashes do at the last with one dash of their hand deface all vndo what they haue formerly done And that this childish dealing you use no reader that considers the quaestion in hand can be ignorant of The quaestion then between him me is not of such a succession personall as hath joyned with it successiō in a true office true doctrine true sacraments prayer wherin the minister is in any measure faithfully exercised but generally whether succession of persons be of such absolute necessity as that no minister can in any case be made but by a minister more specially whither the first ministers of the reformed Ch or of such as come out of the confusiō of Antichrist must of necessity be ordeyned by the Pope his Bishops or minister by vertue of their ordinatiō so received And that this succession by from the Romish ministery is that Mr Ber pleads for his writings manifest as first that as in all the Apostles time the Ministery was by succession ministers as it were begetting Ministers by ordination so after their tyme the like succession hath been kept frō tyme to tyme Bishop after Bishop and Ministers ordeyned by them which the Catalogue of thē stories of tymes on which we must rely where the script cease to make further relation do witnesse for the continuation of which succession to the worlds end he alledgeth Math. 28. 20. odiously perverting to the Pope and his shavelings the promise which Christ there made to be with his Apostles other faithfull ministers teaching the things which he had commanded and dispensing his other ordinances accordingly Answerable vnto which is his other saying in which his termes and meaning do well suit that Church-men ever ordeyned Ministers not the lay people To this also let his inferēce be added in another place pag. 311. that if we receive and hold our baptism from Rome why not our ordination also And in his former book most clearly condemning our Ministers for being made by such as are no Ministers contrary to the constant practise of the Church of God from the dayes of Adam hitherto And agayn that this custome of ordeyning Ministers did continue in the times following the Apostles tymes as before it had done in all the Churches of Christendom as ecclesiasticall wryters do make mention and so through pure impure Churches and that God in the last reformation of his Church would not break this order but choose men who were Bishops ordeyned even in the Popish Church so that they might ordeyn fit persons afterwards And this he tels the Reader he speaks of the Church of England as in deed he may wel for other Ch departed frō Rome would be loath to joyn in his plea. And lastly he chargeth vs with great praesumption for daring to break this order of God continued five thowsand and six hundred years Novv what can be more vayne The very poynt which MR. BERNARD is to prove and from which he brings his historicall narration from Adam to this day is that God hath continued the course of succession in the Romish Ministery and that from and by it successively the Ministery in England hath been and is at this day continued And yet in his answer to Mr Smyth he is driven to affirm that he hath no referēce at all to the Romish Ministery which he accounts Idolatry and superstition but meanes such a personal succession as hath ioyned with it a true office true doctrine and the like He will haue succession continued from the dayes of Adam hitherto and this to haue been the order of God for five thowsand and six hundred yeres and that he chose Bishops ordeyned in the Popish Church to ordeyn fit persons in the Church of England and yet Mr Smith is to know he speaks not at all of the succession in the Romish Ministery which is idolatry and superstition Now that the more simple reader may not loose himself in this mans maze and that he may the better know the state of the quaestion and judge of it I will here interpose some few thinges touching succession and ordination accordingly First then wee acknowledge that in the right and orderly state of things no Ministers are to be ordeyned but by Ministers the latter by the former in the Churches where they are and over which the holy Ghost hath set them And so the Apostles being generall and extraordinary men vnto whom the Evangelists also were joyned for assistance to water where they planted and to finish the works by them begun as they had the care of all the Churches committed vnto them and were charged with them so were they also to ordeyn the Elders and Bishops in them and the people bound to wayt theyr comming for that purpose as Mr Ber. truly affirmeth as were also these Bishops or Elders to ordeyn others in the Churches over which they were set so others after them in the order appoynted by Christ in his Apostles with whō also he promised to be alwayes till the worlds end in this and the like their holy ministrations But is the consequence good that bycause the Apostles and Evangelists were to ordeyn Elders in the Churches by Cōmission from Christ and that the people converted from Indaism or Paganism were to wayt till they came to ordeyn them theyr ministers therefore the Pope and Prelates vnder him have cōmission from Christ to ordeyn his priests and that the people converted from Antichristianism are to wayt 〈◊〉 they come to ordeyn them their Ministers or till they send them such as they have alwayes in store ordeyned to their hands or that bycause the Apostles and Evangelists had Christs promise to be with them alwayes that therefore the Pope Cardinalls Lord Bishops and Lord Suffragans have interest in the same promise It might asvvell be concluded that as the Lords people were bound to obey and submit vnto the former in their times so are they now to submit vnto and obey the Pope and his vnderlings And yet is this the very mark Mr Bernard aymes at in his long drawn historicall narration this is the force of his argument and his
ministeriall power from the Cardinals cannot give it to them and so to the rest of the Clergy in Rome and England neyther can it descend from Christ through the Apostles and so through him to the other inferiour ministers but as in a chayn if the highest link be broken the rest which hang vpon it must needs fall So if there be a breach of this chayn of succession from the Apostles to the ministery of Rome and of England which descends of it lineally in the higest link the Pope all the rest of the chayn that hangs vpon it except it be otherwise vpheld must needs fall flat vpon the ground It is true which Mr Ber answers that election and succession by ordination may stand together in the ministery but in this case it cannot except the Pope should by the election of the Cardinalls or others ordeyn his succession whilest himselfe survived Now in this last answer Mr B challengeth his adversary to be wilde in wandering and to have lost his quaestion in concluding that the doctrine of succession is a false doctrine where he should prove that Christs power is not given to the principall members But this challenge is both vnjust vnadvised Vnjust bycause succession from the popish Church and Clergy is made by M Ber in his former book the foundation of the ministery of England and so of the Church the Church by his affirmation being made by the ministers and the Ministers by such Bishops as were ordeyned in the popish Church Vnadvised bycause these two poynts do depend ech vpon other necessarily For if Christs power be tyed to the officers whether principall or inferiour then must it come to the ministery and Church of England by succession if it come not by succession from or by the Pope and his Clergy then must it come by the same successioÌ„ of fayth doctrine vnto the children of Abraham two or three or more faithfull persons joyned together in the covenant and fellowship of the gospel And for the quaestion in Mr Bernards own words remitting the Reader to such places as prove that a company of faythfull people in the covenant of the gospell though without officers are a visible Church that they haue immediate right to the holy things of God and that the keyes for bynding and loosing were given to Peters confession I will adde onely one Argument and so proceed It hath been sundry tymes observed and proved by the scriptures that the officers of the Church are the servants of the Ch and their office a service of the Lord and of his Church Wherevpon it followeth necessarily that what power the officers have the body of the Church hath first and before them the very light of nature coÌ„mon sense teaching it that what power or authority soever the the servants of any body or persons have the body or persons whose servants they are must have it first and they by theÌ„ And for this purpose let it be further observed that no power at all came vnto the Church of the Iewes by the Levites not the vse of the sacrament of circumcision no nor of the very sacrifices which were offered by the first born in the family and that even after the peoples comming out of Egypt vnder the hand of Moses till Levi was called to the Preisthood Ex. 13. 2. 24. â— I proceed If the Ministery of the reformed Churches must be by succession or ordination by Popish Bishops then must the same office of Ministery be continued from the one Church to the other as indeed it was withall the Ministers of the Church of England at the first who without any new eyther calling or ordination which depends vpon it continued their office and place formerly received there being onely a reformation of some of the grossest evills like the healing of Iobs soars as Mr B. speaketh as the office of Iustice-ship or the like in the common wealth may be continued the same in the same persons individually though by edict of Parliament or other superiour power there be a surceasing of some mayn act of it Further to ty the Ministery thus to succession is to ty the Lords sheep to submit to no other sheepheards but such as the wolves haue appointed And if a company of Gods people in Rome or Spayn should come out of Babylon and no consecrated Preist amongst them they must by this doctrine enjoy no Ministers but such as the Romish wolves will ordeyn do according to their Popish prophane order To these things I might also adde that look what power any of the Popes Clergy receive from him the same he takes from them deprives them of where they withdrew their obedience or separate from that Church as also that the ordinations in Rome by their own Canons are very nulliâ—yes and many the the like exceptions pleaded by learned protestants against the Romish preisthood and this Romish doctrine of succession but that which hath been spoken is sufficient in the generall and I hasten to the third and last meanes of the three by which Gods people after Antichrists defection are to injoy the ministery and other of Christs ordinances And for our better proceeding herein I will first consider what ordination is and 2. how far the brethren may goe by the scriptures and the necessary consequences drawn from them in this and the like cases in the first planting of Churches or in the reducing of them into order in or after some generall confusion The Prelates and those which levell by their lyne do highly advance ordination and far above the administration of the word sacraments and prayer making it and the power of excommunication the two incoÌ„municable prerogatives of a Bishop in their vnderstanding above an ordinary minister But surely herein these cheif ministers do not succeed the cheif ministers the Apostles except as darknes succeeds light and Antichrists confusion Christs order Where the Apostles were sent out by Christ there was no mention of ordination their charge was to go teach all nations and baptize them and that the Apostles accounted preaching their principall work and after it baptism prayer the scriptures manifest And if ordination had been in those dayes so pryme a work surely Paul would rather haue tarryed in Crete himself to have ordeyned Elders there and haue sent Titus an inferiour officer about that inferiour work of preaching then haue gone himself about that leaving Titus for the other But bycause Mr Bernard with whom I deal when he writes most advisedly preferrs preaching to the first place and the administration of the sacraments and prayer to the next passing by ordination as not worthy the naming amongst these principall works I wil therefore leave it to be honoured by them whom it most honoureth and for whose ease and profit it best serveth and will consider in what place he setteth it He then pleading that as well the ordination as the
baptism received in Rome is to be held makes ordination the calling of the Ministers all one Wherein as he vnfitly compares together things not to be compared to wit baptism into the name of the true God ordinatioÌ„ into a false office except he hold a masse-preisthood a true office so doth he vnadvisedly confound a part with the whole yea the last and least part as ordination is and which doth indeed depend vpon the peoples lawfull election as an effect vpon the cause by vertue of which it is justly administred may be thus described or considered of vs as the admission of or putting into possession a person lawfully elected into or of a true Office of Ministery For example the Maior Baylife or other cheif officer in a priviledged City or Corporation is chosen by the people to his office but withall must be entred and inaugurated with some solemn ceremony as the giving of the Cities keyes or sword into his hand or the like by his praedecessour So is it with the Ministers the officers of this spirituall corporation the Church the right vnto their offices they have by election the possession of theÌ„ by ordination with the ceremony of imposition of hands The Apostle Peter advertising the disciples or brethren that one so fitted as is there noted was to be made in the room of Iudas a witnesse with the eleven Apostles of the resurrection of Christ when two were by them praesented such as were fit and by them so deemed did with the rest praesent them two and none other to the Lord that he by the iÌ„mediate directioÌ„ of the lot might shew whether of them two he had chosen In like maner the twelve being to institute the office of Deaconry in the Ch at Ierusalem called the multitude of the disciples together and informed them what manner of persons they were to chuse which choise being made by the brethren accordingly and they so chosen praesented to the Apostles they forthwith ordeyned them by vertue of the election so made by the brethren To these ad that the Apostles PAUL BARNABAS being therevnto called by the H. Ghost did passe from Church to Church and from place to place and in every Church where they came did ordeyn them Elders by the peoples election signified by their lifting vp of hands as the word is and as the vse was in popular elections throughout those countries Now the Apostles were in a manner straungers vnto them coÌ„ming as it were to one place over night and ready to depart the next morning or at least tarrying a very small whyle in every Church as doth appear both by the course of the story by the many severall places they passed to fro those some of them distant one from another a great space both by sea and land So that neyther the liberty of the very Apostles was so great in ordeyning as was the peoples in chusing neither were they to ordeyn but such as the other choose nor but to ordeyn them except just exception were against them neyther was their ordination so much as the others election no more then possession is so much as right neyther did the Apostles in their ordination rely so much vpon their own as vpon the peoples knowledge and experience of the men which were to be called into office Besides these things though it appear that Paul Barnabas were ordeyned by laying on of hands to that speciall work appointed them by the H. Ghost and that the Euangelists were so ordeyned and so the Bishops or Elders in the Churches by the Apostles and Euangelists yet read we of no such solemnity performed by Christ upon his Apostles when he called them nor by Peter or the Apostles at the choise of Mathias Act. 1. but being by the people praesented with Ioseph and by the Lord singled out by lot he was by a common consent counted with the eleven Apostles Wherevpon also some reformed Churches haue thought that this solemn ordination by imposition of hands is of no such necessity but that it might be vsed or not vsed indifferently and so have practised But the judgement and plea when they deal with vs of the most forward men in the Land in this case I may not omit which is that they renounce disclaym their ordination by the Prelates and hold their Ministery by the peoples acceptation Now if the acceptation of a mixt company vnder the Praelates government as is the best parish assembly in the kingdom wherof the greatest part haue by the revealed will of God no right to the covenant ministery or other holy things be sufficient to make a minister then much more the acceptation of the people with vs being all of them joyntly and every one of them severally by the mercy of God capable of the Lords ordinances These things thus opened I come in the next and last place to manifest what liberty the scriptures just consequence good reason do allow the people for the reducing themselves into the order and under the Ministery of Christ after some generall cofusion such as the Papacy was and is And for this purpose I entreat the reader to recognize with me the points lately mentioned and proved in the former part of the book namely that a company of faithful people in the covenant of the Gospel are a Church though without officers that this Church hath interest in all the holy things of God within it self and immediately vnder Christ the head without any forreyn assistance that in cases a private person or brother in such a Church may do a necessary work of an officer lastly that the keyes of the kingdom were given to and the Church to be built vpon the rock of Peters confession Math. 16. And so I come to the point it self I do then acknowledge that where there are already lawfull officers in a Church by and to which others are called there the former vpon that election are to ordeyn and appoint the latter The officers being the ministers of the Church are to exequute the determinations and iudgements of the Church vnder the Lord the Censures of deposition and excommunication by pronouncing the sentence of iudgment and by it as by the sword of the spirit drawn out cutting of the officer from his office and the member from the bodie and all coÌ„munion with it So are they to exequute the peoples election by pronouncing the person elect to his office charging him with the faythfull execution of it with imposition of hands and prayer And indeed ordination in the calling of the ministers is properly the exequutioÌ„ of electioÌ„ But as in a civil corporation or City though the Maior Baylif or other cheif officer elect be at his â—nterance and inauguration to receive at the hands of his praedecessour the sword or keyes of the City or to have some other solemn Ceremony by him performed vnto him
that the naked and simple truth is to be inquired after with an vnpartiall affection And then the Lord which gives a single heart to seek after it will give a wise hart to find it out Math. 7. 7. Onely let men take heed they be not as Pilate asking vvhat is truth and turning their backs vpon it when they have done nor having found it as Orpah did to Naomi forsaking her weeping And for my self as I could much rather have desired to have built vp my self and that poore stock over which the holy Ghost hath set me in holy peace as becoÌ„meth the house of God wherein no sound of axe or hammer or other toole of iron is to be heard then thus to enter the lists of contention so being iustly called to contend for the defence of that truth vpon which this man amongst others layes violent hands I will endeavour in all good conscience as before God so to free the same as I wil be nothing-lesse then contentious in contention but wil count it a victorie to be overcome in odious provocations and reproches both by him and others And so desiring as earnestly the Christian reader into whose hands this my defence shal come to manifest vnto me such errours in the same if by the word of God they may so be found as to receive from me such truthes as are therin coÌ„tâ—yned I leave the due trial to that alone touchstone coÌ„mit the blessing to the Lord who alone giveth wisdom is able to make wise to salvatioÌ„ CERTAYN OBSERVATIONS vpon the Epistle dedicatory Preface to the Reader FIrst I desire it may be observed by the reader how Mr Bernâ—â—ileth the worshipful personages vnder the wing of whose protection he shrowdeth his papers Christian Professors A title peculiar to some few in the land which favour the forward preachers frequent their sermons advance the cause of reformatioÌ„ Such persons are coÌ„monly called amongst themselves professors vertuous and religious thereby distinguished fro the body of the land which make no such profession and are therefore accounted and iustly prophane and without religion and that as roundly by Mr. B. as by any other in the Land But it seemeth he had forgot both his Epistle whom both he in it and others every where call Professors for distinction sake when he wrote his book for in it he makes all the kingdome professors at a venture and Christian professours I hope he meaneth Thus those whom he severeth in the Epistle he confounds in the book And let him wel consider how he can quit himself eyther from flatterie in the one or from vntruth in the other And where Mr Ber. in the body of the Epistle you seat your self in the middest between the schismatical Brownist as you charitably term him the AntichristiaÌ„ Papist the one snatching on the right haÌ„d and the other on the left it is something which you say and more belike then you are aware of Fitly may you be seated in the middest betwixt both being indeed a minglement compound of both and wel may both snatch at you and yet neither do you wrong if neyther require more then their owne Iustly may the Papists challenge from you that stinted service book devised Ministerie Antichristian Hierarchie and Babylonish confusion which you have stollen away from them as Rahel did her Fathers idols though she covered them never so close And iustly also may we chalenge from you such godly people as you fraudulently deteyn and such truthes of doctrine as you teach as being the peculiars of the true Church as the holy vessels were of the temple though violently with the people caried to Babylon and there kept But if you will still hault betwixt both as Israell did betwixt God and Baal and carry in your right hand many Evangelicall truthes with vs in your left many Antichristian devises with the Papists no marvell though both partyes remayne vnsatisfyed neyther must you be offended though the Papists for the truthes you hold with vs account you hereticks nor though we for the devises you reteyn with them call you Antichristian And so you see your midle standing betwixt them and vs more wayes then one And thus much of the Epistle dedicatory In the next place I come to the preface where amongst other iust complaynts of the iniquityes of the tymes you reckon and that worthily as the most daungerous Atheisticall security carnall living vnder a generall profession to which purpose you alledg 2 Tim. 3. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. and so instance in your English people This place of Timothy alone had you well weyed and throughly improved especially the fifth verse where separation from such persons as having a shew of godlines do deny the power thereof as you confesse the English people do is expresly commaunded it would eyther have stopped your mouth from reproching vs as you do for separation or els have opened the mouth of the most simple reader to reproue your vanity as God did the mouth of the asse to reprove Balaam The next thing I observe is how vauntingly you bring as chalengers into the lists Mr. Gyshop Mr Bradshaw D. Allison and other vn-named Ministers all which you say are vnanswered by vs. And no marveil for sundry of their writings never came to our hands and besides it were a more equall and compendious way for these men to take vp the defence of their Churches cause where their fellowes have forsaken it and left it desolate then thus to make new chalenges though in truth with the same weapons it may be new frubbished over wherewith the other have lost the field Yet are theyr books and by the grace of God assisting shal be answered in particular as they come to our hands and are thought worthy answering though in truth it were no hard thing for our adversaries to oppresse us with the multitude of books considering both how few and how feeble we are in comparison besides other outward difficultyes if the truth we hold which is stronger then all did not support it selfe The difference you lay down in the next place touching the proper subject of the power of Christ is true in it selfe being rightly vnderstood and onely yours wherein it is corruptly related and specially in the particular concerning vs as that where the Papists plant the ruling power of Christ in the Pope the ProtestaÌ„ts in the Byshops the Puritants as you terme the reformed Churches those of theyr mynde in the Presbytery we whome you name Brownists put it in the body of the CoÌ„gregatioÌ„ the multitude called the Church odiously insinuating against us that we do exclude the Elders in the case of goverment where on the contrary we professe the Byshops or Elders to be the onely ordinary governours in the Church as in all other actions of the Churches communion so also in the censures Onely we may not acknowledge them for Lords
over Gods heritage as you would make them controuling all but to be controuled by none much lesse essentiall vnto the Church as though it could not be without them least of all the Church it self as you and others expound Math. 18 But we hold the Eldership as other ordinances given vnto the Church for her service and so the Elders or officers the servants and ministers of the Church the wife vnder Christ her husband aâ— the scriptures expresly affirm Of which more hereafter And where further you advise the reader to take from the Iay other birds feathers that is as you expound your self to set vs before him as we differ from all other Churches Therein you make a most inconsiderate and vnreasonable motion If a man should set the Church of England before his eyes as it differeth but from the reformed Churches it would be no very beautiful bird Yea what could it in that colour afforde but Egyptian bondage Babylonish confusion carnal pomp and a company of Iewish Heathenish and Popish ceremonies Whatsoever truth is in the world it is from God and from him we have it by what hand soever it be reached vnto vs Came the word of God unto you onely vnto it we have good right as the Israel of God unto whom he hath committed his oracles Rom. 3. 2. Towards the end of the Preface you do render two reasons vpon which you do adventure to deal against vs as you do the one coÌ„fidence in your cause the other the spirituall injury which some of late have done you in taking away part of the seale of the Ministery Touching the first as it is to vs that know you wel no new thing to see you confident in all enterprises so doth it much behoove you to consider how long and by what meanes you have been possessed of this your confident perswasion I could name the person of good credite and note to whom vpon occasion you confessed and that since you spake the same things which here you write as confidently as now you write them that you had much a doe to keep a good conscience in dealing against this cause as you did But a speach of your own vttered to my self ever to be remeÌ„bred with fear and trembling can not I forget when after the conference passing betwixt Mr H. and me you vttered these wordes Wel I wil returne home preach as I have done and I must say as Naaman did the Lord be merciful unto me in this thing and therevpon you further promised with out any provocation by me or any other that you would never deale against this cause nor with-hold any froÌ„it though the very next Lords day or next but one you taught publikliâ— against it and so broke your vâ—w the Lord graunt not you conscience And for the seale of your Ministerie deceive not yourself and others if you had not a more authentick seal in your black box to shew for your Ministery at your Bishops visitation then the converting of men to God which is the seal you meane this seale would stand you in as little stead as it doth many others which can shew as â—â—â—re this way as you and yet are put from their Ministerie notwithstanding And wil you charge your Bishops Church representative to deale so trecherously with the Lord as to put downe his Ministers and Officers which have his broad seal to shew for their Office and Ministerie What greater contumely do these vipers these schismaticall Brownists lay vpon your Church then you doe herein The Church of England acknowledgeth no such seale as this is The Bishops ordination and license conformitie vnto their ceremonies subscription to their articles devout singing and saying their service-book is that which will beare a man out though he be far enough eyther from converting or from preaching conversion vnto any And here I desire the reader to observe this one thing with me When the ministers are called in quaestion by the Bishops they alledge vnto them their former subscription conformity in some measure at least their peaceable cariage in their places but when they would iustify their ministerie against vs then their vsuall plea is they haue converted men to God herein acknowledging to let passe their vnsound dealing that we respect the work of Gods grace in any at which they know the Bishops and their substitutes if they should plead the same with them would make a mock for the most part I do most freely acknowledge the singular blessing of God vpon many truthes taught by many in the Land and do and alwayes shal so far honour those persons as the Lord hath honoured them herein But that the simple conversion of sinners yea though the most perfect that ever was wrought should argue a true office of Ministerie the scriptures no where teach neyther shall I ever beleeve without them This scripture 1 Cor. 9. 1. 2. is most frequently alledged for this purpose But as vnsoundly as commonly For if simple conversion should argue an Apostleship then should a common effect argue a proper cause an ordinarie work an extraordinarie office for the conversion of men is a work common to extraordinarie and to ordinarie officers yea to true and false officers yea to such as are in no office at all as hereafter shall appeare And what could be more weakly alledged by Paul to prove himself no ordinarie but an extraordinary officer an Apostle which was the thing he intended then that which is common to ordinary officers with him Might not the Corinthians easily have replyed Nay Paul it followes not that you are an Apostle immediately called and sent by Christ because you haue begotten vs to the Lord have been the instrument of our coÌ„versioÌ„ for ordinary Ministers Pastors Teachers called by men do beget to the Lord as wel as you The bare conversion of the Corinthians then is not the seal Paul speakes of but together with it their establishment into a true visible Church and that with such power and authority Apostolicall as wherewith Paul was furnished by the Lord. Of which more hereafter But the father of these childreÌ„ you say you are which thus vnnaturally fly from you and whereof we so injuriously have deprived you in which respect also you make this your hue cry after vs and them for through the gospel you have begotten them And have you begotten them vnto the faith as Paul did the Corinthians and are you their father as Paul was the father of the Corinthians then it must needs follow that before you preached the gospel vnto them and thereby begot them to the Lord they were in the same estate wherein the Corinthians were before Paul preached vnto them that is unbeleevers and without faith and so were to be reputed And how then true matter of the Church for which you so much contend Besides these your begotten children were baptised long before you saw their faces some twenty
our care be not to offend the Lord and if with the offence of a private person though never so base be joyned the offence of the Lord better offend all the both lawfull and vnlawfull Magistrates in the world then such a little one Mat. 18. 6. Lastly where Mr. Ber. concludes this decade of counsayl with that which is written Rom. 14. 17. 18. he misinterprets the Apostles words if he put them down as it seems he doth for a reason of that which goes before For the Apostles in that place hath no reference at all to the authority of the Magistrate whose kingdome indeed doth stand in meate and drinke and the like bodily things wherin he may command civilly is to be obeyed in the Lord but the Apostles purpose is to admonish the strong in fayth to take heed of abusing theyr ChristiaÌ„ liberty in the vnseasoÌ„able vse of meats drinks the like to the offence of the weak brethren as though the kingdom of God stood in the pereÌ„ptory vse of those things that they were therein to shew the libertie of the gospel Furthermore howsoever the kingdome of God be not meat drink yet is the kingdom of God much advanced or hindred both in a mans self and in others in the seasonable or vnseasonable vse of them A man in vsing them or rather abusing them with offence to a weak brother may destroy both him and himself also in breaking the law of charity Rom. 14. 15. 20. It remaynes now we come to the second rank of counsayls as they are devided by the authour for what cause I know not neyther wil I curiously enquire but wil take them as I find them 1. Omit no evident and certayn commandement imposed of God If there be nothing but probabilitie of sinning in obeying the precepts of men sâ—t not opinion before iudgement Wofull counsel God knoweth and in deed such as directs a course to harden the heart of him that followes it in all impiety For he that wil at the first do that by mans precept which is like or which he thinks to be sinne wil in time do that vpon the like regard which he knowes to be sinne and so fall into all presumption against God Men are rather to be admonished especially in the case of religion about which wee deale that if the Lord shall touch their tender harts with fear and iealousy of the things they do they rather suspend in doubtful things except they can in some measure overcome their doubting by faith till in the use of all good meanes the God of wisdome and father of lights give to discern more plainly of things that differ least being head-strong hard-mouthed against the check of conscience which the Lord like a bit puts into their mouthes they provoke the Highest to withdraw his hand to lay the reyn on their necks so they even run head long vpoÌ„ those evils without fear upoÌ„ which at the first they have adventured with feareful troubled coÌ„sciences which is oft times the iust recompence of such errours froÌ„ the Lord. Rom. 1. 27. 28. 2. Let ancient probabilitie of truth be praeferred before new conjectures of errour against it As this rule shewes by what tenure Mr B. holds his religion namely by probabilities likelihoods of truth so if he mean that this way wherein we by Gods mercy walk is any new way or our rules conjectures I do hope by the good hand of God herein assisting me to make it manifest that this way is that old and good way after which all men ought to ask and to walk therein that so they may find rest vnto their souls And that we are not guided in it by conjectures neyther goe by guesses but by the infallible rule of Christs Testament 3. Mark and hold a difference betweene these things the equity of law and exequution between established truths generally and personall errors of some between soundnes of doctrine and erronious application between substance circuÌ„stance the maner the matter between the very being of a thing and the wel being thereof between worship and conveniency between a commaundement and a commaundement to thee between lawfulnes and expediency and between that which is given absolutely or in some respect The sixt and 7. rule in the former rank being the same in substance might well have been bound vp in the same bundle with this had not the authour labored to supply that in the number of his counsayls which is wanting in their weight But to the point There is a difference indeed to be held betwixt the lawes of the Church of England with the ordinances and doctrines by law established and the personall exequutions excercises applicatioÌ„s of theÌ„ the difference is betwixt evil worse the worse of the twayne by far I deem the lawes ordinances with sundry of the doctrines For though the whole cariage of the courts miscalled-spirituall be most corrupt abhominable and though the pulpits be made by very many especially in the greatest places the stages of vanity falsehood and slaunder so that as the Prophet sayd what is the wickednes of Iacob Is not Samaria And what ar the high places of Iuda Is not IerusaleÌ„ so may we say what is the sink of all brybery and extortion Is not the Consistory What is the theater of carnall vanity Is not the pulpit Yet in truth the the lawes are worse then those which exequute them and the ordinances by them established then those which minister them Let but the last Canons which are as well the lawes and doctrine of the Church of England as the Canons of the counsel of Trent are the lawes and doctrine of the Church of Rome be severely and sincerely exequuted as becomes the lawes of the kingdom of Christ the Church all in the land having any feare of God would fynd and complayne that their bondage were increased as was the bondage of the Israelites vnder the Egyptians Exo. 5. But what though there were neyther Statute nor Canon law enacted for the confusion in the assemblyes collected and consisting of all the parish inhabitants be they Atheists adulterers blasphemers and how evill not what though no law ecclesiasticall or civil did coÌ„firm the transcendent power of the Bishops Archbishops for the placing and displacing of Ministers for the thrusting out and receiving in both of Ministers and people and so fâ—r innumerable other corruptions Yet these things being vniversally practised in the land the Church were nothing at all the more pure onely it had the more liberty of reformation which now by the lawes and cannons as by iron barres is shut out What Statute or Canon was there that the Corinthians should suffer amongst them the incestuous person vnreformed And yet for so doing this litle leven levens the whole lump What Parliament or Convocation-house amongst the Galathians had decreed the mingling of
them and the blessing of peace-makers vpon their heads Of Mr B. disswasive probabilities THe next thing that comes into consideration is certayn probabilities likelyhoods as the authour calls them consisting for the most part of personal imputations di graceful calumniations whereby he labours to withdraw the harts of the simple froÌ„ the truth of God unto disobedience as Absalom did the people into rebellion against the K. by slandering his goverment 2 SaÌ„ 15. But if Mr Bern. followed his sound judgement in this booâ— as he professeth in the Preface and so laboured to lead others he would neyther go himself nor send them by vnstable guesses and likelyhoods as he doth The truth of God goes not by peradventures neyther needs it any such paper-shot as likelyhoods are to assault the adversary withall The word of God which is profitablâ— to teach to reprovâ— to correct and to instruct in righteousnes is sufficient to furnish the man of God with weapons spirituall and those mighty through God to cast downe strong holds and whatsoever high thing is exalted against the knowledge of God And if M. B. speak according to the Law and Prophets his words are solid arguments if not there is neyther light in him nor truth in them and so where truth is wanting must some like-truthes or images of truth be layed in the place like the image in Davids bed to deceive them that sought after him when he himself was wanting 1 Saâ— 19. 13. The first probabilitie that our way is not good is The noveltie thereof differing from all the best reformed Churches â—â— Christendome It is no noveltie to hear men plead custome when they want truth So the heathen Phylosophers reproched Paul as a bringer of new doctrine so do the Papists discountenance the doctrine and profession of the Church of England yea even at this day very many of the people in the Land vse to call Popery the old law the profession there made the new law But we for our parts as we do beleeve by the word of God that the things we teach are not new but old truthes renued so are we no lesse fully perswaded that the Church constitution in which we are set is cast in the Apostolicall and primitive mould and not one day nor hower yonger in the nature and forme of it then the first Church of the new Testament And whether a people all of them separated sanctified so farr as men by their fruits can or ought to judge or a mingled generation of the seed of the womaÌ„ and seed of the serpent be more ancient the government of sundry Elders or Bishops with joynt authority over one Church or of one Nationall Provincial or Diocesan Bishop over many hundred or thousand Churches the spirituall prayers conceived in the heart of the Ministers according to the present occasions or necessityes of the Church or the English service book the simple administration of the Sacraments according to the words of institution or pompous and carnall complements of cap coap surplice crosse godfathers kneeling and the like mingled withall I do even refer it to the report of Mr B. owne conscience be it never so partiall Now for the differences betwixt the best reformed Churches as Mr B. calls them granting thereby his owne to be the worst and vs they ar extant in print being few in number those none of the greatest weight But what a volume would these differences make betwixt those reformed Churches and the vnreformed Churches of England if they were exactly set downe And yet for the corruptions reproved by vs in the reformed Church where we live I do vnderstand by them of good knowledge and sincerity that the most or greatest of them are rather in the exequution then in the constitution of the Church Our differences from the reformed Churches Mr B. aggravates by two reasons 1. The first is our separation from them 2. the 2. certeyne termes of disgrace vttered by Mr Barrow Mr Greenwood agaynst the Eldership which Mr Bernard will have vs disclayme For the first it is not truely affirmed that we separate from them What our judgment is of them our confessions of fayth and other wrytings do testify and for our practise as we cannot possibly ioyn vnto them would we never so fayne being vtterly ignorant of their language so neither do wee separate from them save in such particulars as we esteeme evill which we also shall endeavour to manifest vnto them so to be as occasion and meanes shal be offered And secondly for the taxations layd by Mr B. and Mr G. vpon the Eldership or other practise in the reformed Churches wherein they were any way excessive we both have disclaimed alwayes are and shal be ready to disclayme the same Onely I entreat the godly reader to coÌ„sider that those things were not spoken by them otherwise then in respect of those corruptions in the Eldership els where which they deemed Antichristian and evill Of which respective phrase of speach more hereafter Lastly if it be likely that our way is not good for the difference it hath from the reformed Churches and that thâ— greatneâ— of the difference appeares by the hard termes given by some of vs agaynst the government there vsâ—d thâ—n surâ—ly iâ— is much more likely that the way of the vnreformed Church of England is not good which differeth far more froÌ„ the reformed Chuâ—ches which difference appeares not onely in most reprochfull termes vsed by the Praelates and their adhaerents against the seekers of reformation comparing them to all vile haeretiques and seditious persons but in cruell persequutions raysed agaynst them and greater then against Papists or Atheists The second marke by which Mr B. guesseth our way not good is for that it agreeth so much with the antient schismatiques condemned in former ages by holy and learned men Luciferians Donatists Novattans and Audians Can our way both be a novelty new devise and yet agree so well with the antient schismatiques condemned in former ages Contradictions cannot be both true but may both be false as these are The partyes to whome Mr B. likeneth vs were condemned not onely for schisme but for heresy also as appeares in Epiphanius Austine Eusebius and others And as we have nothing no not in sâ—ew like vnto some of them nor in truth vnto any of them in the things blame worthy in them so if Mr B. were put to iustify by the word of God the condemnation of some of them it would put him to more trouble then he is aware of The Audians dissented from the Nicene Councell about theyr Easter tyme. The Luciferians held the soule of man to be ex traduce and were therefore accounted Haeretiques as indeed it was too vsuall a thing in those dayes to reiect men for haeretiques vpon too light causes And for the Donatists vnto whom Mr Gifford others would so fayn
fashion vs Mr B. and all others may see the dissimilitude betwixt them vs in the refutation of that supposed consimilitude A third evill for which Mr B. would bring our cause into suspition is The matter of defending our opinions and proving our assertions by strange and forced expositions of scriptures Where he also notes in the margent that the truth needs no such ill means to mainteyne it What the means are by which the Prelacy against which we witnes is mainteyned all men know The flattering of superiours the oppressing of inferiours the scoffing reviling imprisoning persequuting vnto banishment and death of such as oppose it are the weapoÌ„s of the Prelates warfare by which they defend their tottering Babel And were it not for the arm of â—lesh by which they hold and to which they trust they and their pomp would vanish away like smoke before the wynde so little weight have they or theyrs in the consciences of any But let us see wherin we mislead the reader by deceiptful allegations of scriptures 1. In quoting scriptures by the way that is for things coÌ„ming in upon occasion but nothing to the mayne poynt c. And wherefore is this deceiptfull dealing thus to alleadge the scriptures Because the simple reader is hereby made beleve that all is spokeÌ„ for the question controverted He is simple careles also that wil not search the scriptures before he beleve that they ar brought to prove if he any way suspect it which who so doth can not be deceived as is here insinuated It were to be wished we both spake and wrote the language of Canaan and none other and not onely to vse but even to note the scripture phrase soberly may be to the information and edification of the reader 2. By vrging commandements admonitioâ—s exhortations dehortations reprehensions and godly examples to prove a falsity What is falsity but that which is contrary to truth and so the word of God being truth whatsoever is contrary vnto any part of it whither commaundement admonition exhortation c. is false so far forth as it is contrary The similitude you take from a naturall child who for his disobedience is not to be reputed a false child but no good child is like the rest of the your similitudes The proportion holds not Men may have such children as ever were are and wil be disobedient to their dying day yet they remayn theyr children whether they will or no but if any of Gods childâ—en prove disobedient and will not be disclaymed he can dischilde them for bastards as they are and the true children of the Divil Ioh. 8. 44. 3. In alledging Scriptures not to prove that for which to the simple it seems to be alledged but that which is without controversy taking the thing in questioÌ„ for granted For this I take to be his meaning though he expresse it ill The instance he brings of one of vs cyting Act. 20. 21. to prove that all truth is not taught in the Church of England is I am perswaded if not worse mistaken by him For who would bring Pauls example to shew what the Ministers of England do and not rather what they should do what they do is knowne well enough and how both they in preaching the will of God and the people in obeying it are stinted at the Bishops pleasure 4 By bringing in places setting forth the invisible Church and holynesse of the members to set forth the visible Church by as being proper thereto as 1 Pet. 2. 9. 10. That the Apostle here speaketh not of the invisible but of the visible Church appeareth not by our bare affirmation which we might set gaynst Mr B. naked contradiction yea though he bring in D. Allison in the margent to countenance the matter but by these reasons 1. Peter being the Apostle of the Iewes wrote vnto them whose Apostle he was vvhom he knew dispersed through Pontus Galatia c. 1 Pet. 1. 1. But Peter was not the Apostle of the invisible but of the visible Church which he knew so dispersed where the invisible Church is onely knowne unto God 2 Tim. 2. 19. 2. The Apostle vseth the words of Moses to the visible Church of the Iewes Ex. 19. 6. which do therefore well agree to the visible Church vnder the gospell whose excellency graces and holynes do surmount the former by many degrees 3. Peter wrytes to a Church wherein were Elders and a flock depending vpoÌ„ them to be fed governed by them 1 Pet â— 1. 2. 3. which to affirm of the invisible Church is not onely a visible but even a palpable error 4. The Apostle wrytes to them which had the word preached amongst them Chap. 1. 25. And this Mr B. himselfe pag. 118. 119. makes a note and testimony of the visible Church and to that pupose quotes the former chap. v. 23. as he doth also this very chap. ver 5. which is the same with v. 9. 10. to prove the form of the visible Church And thus I hope it appeares to all men vpon what good groundes this man thus boldly leadeth vs with deceiptfull dealing in the scriptures And this instance I desire the reader the more diligeÌ„tly to observe as being singled out by Mr B. as a pickt witnes against vs countenanced by D. Allisons concurring testimony but especially because it poynts out the Apostolick Churches clean in contrary colours to the English Synagogues being vnholy and prophane and this is the cause why Mr B. and others are so loth to haue this Scripture ment of the visible Church 5. By inferences and references as if this be one this must follow and this Mr B. calles a deceiveable and crooked waye for the intangling of the simple To this I have answered formerly and do agayne answer that necessary consequences inferences are both lawfull necessary If Mr B. had to deale with a Papist agaynst Purgatory or with an Anabaptist for the baptizing of Infants he should be compelled except I be deceived to draw his arrowes out of this quiver And what are consequences regulated by the word which sanctifieth all creatures but that sanctified vse of reason wil any reasonable man deny the vse and discourse of reason If all the things which Iesus did had been written the world could not have conteyned the books if all the dutyes which ly vpon the Church to performe had been written in expresse termes as Mr B. requires a world of worlds could not contayne the books which should have been written Neyther are inferences references iustly made any way to be accounted wyndings but playne passages to the truth troden before vs by the Lord Iesus and all his holy Apostles which scarce alledge one scripture of three out of Moses and the Prophets but by way of inference as all that will may see But the truth is Mr Bern. hath
so many times been driven to so grosse absurdities by a consequence or two about this cause as he vtterly abhorrs the very memory of all coÌ„sequences it seems would have it enacted that never consequence should be more vrged To conclude whatsoever it pleaseth this man to suggest the mayne grounds for which we stand touching the coÌ„munion government ministery and worship of the visible Church are expresly conteyned in the scriptures and that as we are perswaded so plainly that as like Habbakuks vision he that runnes may read them The 4. guesse against vs is That we have not the approbation of any of the reformed Churches for ouâ— course and that where our Confession of faith is without allowance by them they give on the contrary the right hand of fellowship to the Church of England This is the same in substance with the first instance of probability and that which foloweth in the next place the same with them both And Mr Bern. by his so ordinary pressing vs with humane testimonies shewes himself to be very barren of divine authority as hath bene truely noted by another Nature teacheth every creature in all daunger to fly first and oftenest to the chief instruments eyther of offence or defence wherin it trusteth as the But to his horne the Bore to his tusk and the byrd vnto her wing right so this man shewes wherein his strength lies and wherein he trusts most by his so frequent and vsuall shaking the horne and whetting the tusk of mortall mans authority against vs. But for the reformed Churches the truth â—s they neyther do imagine no nor wil easily be brought to beleeve that the frame of the Church of England stands as it doth neyther have they any mind to take knowledge of those things or to enter into examination of them The approbation which they give of you as Mr A. hath observed as indeed it is of speciall observation is in respect of such generall truthes of doctrine as wherein we also for the most part acknowledge you which notwithstanding you deny in a great measure in the particulars and practise But touching the gathering governing of the Church which are the mayn heads coÌ„troverted betwixt you vs they give you not so much as the left haÌ„d of fellowship but do on the contrary turne their backs vpon you The difference betwixt you and them in the gathering and constituting of Churches is as great as betwixt copulsive conformity vnto the service book and ceremonyes which is your estate and voluntary submission vnto the gospell by which all every member of them is ioyned to the Church and as is betwixt the reigne of one Lord Bishop over many Churches and the government of a Presbytery or company of Elders over one And if you would take viewe of this difference nearer home do but cast your eyes to your next neyghbours of Scotland there you shall see the most zealous Christians chusing rather to loose liberty country and life then to stoop to a far more easy yoke then you bear Yea what need I send you out of your owne horizon The implacable mortall hatred the Prelates bear vnto the Ministers and people wishing the government and Ministery receaved in the reformed Churches proclaymes aloud the vtter emnity betwixt them your vnreformed Church of England of which I pray you hear with patience what some of your own have testified Those that will needs be our Pastors and spirituall fathers are become beasts as the Prophet Ieremy sayth And if we should open our mouthes to sue for the true shepheards and overseers indeed vnto whose direction we ought to be committed the rage of these wolves is such as this endeavour would almost be the price of our lives And do these Churches like sisters go hand in hand together as is pretended Now for vs where Mr B. affirmeth that wee published our confession but without allowance if I saw not his frowardnes in the things he knowes I should marvayl at his bouldnes in the things whereof he is ignorant we published the confessioÌ„ of our fayth to the Christian Vniversityes in the low countryes and els where entreating them in the Lord eyther to convince our errours by the word of God if so any might be found or if our testimony in theyr iudgments agreed with the same word to approve it eyther by wryting or silence as they thought good Now what Vniversity Church or person amongst them hath once enterprized our conviction which without doubt some would have done as with such haeretiques or schismatiques as arise amongst them had they found cause Thus much of the learned abroad in the next place Mr B. drawes vs to the learned at home from whose dislike of vs he takes his fifth Likelyhood which he thus frameth The condemnation of this way by our divinâ—s both living and dead against whom either for godlynes of life or truth of doctrine otherwise theâ— for being theyr opposites they can take no exception No mervayl we may not admit of partyes for iudges how is it possible we should be approved of them in the things wherein we witnes against them And if this Argument be good or likely then is it likely that neyther the reformists have the truth in the Church of England nor the Prelates for there are many and those both godly and learned which in their differences do oppose and that very vehemently the one the other Now as for myne owne part I do willingly acknowledge the learning godlynes of most of the persons named by Mr B. do honour the very memory of some of them so do I neyther think theÌ„ so learned but they might erre nor so godly but in their error they might reproch the truth they saw not I do indeed confesse to the glory of God and myne owne shame that a long tyme before I entered this way I took some tast of the truth in it by some treatises published in iustificatioÌ„ of it which the L. knoweth were sweet as hony vnto my mouth and the very principall thing which for the tyme quenched all further appetite in me was the over-valuation which I made of the learning and holynes of these and the like persons blushing in my selfe to have a thought of pressing one hayr bredth before them in this thing behynde whom I knew my selfe to come so many miles in all other things yea and even of late tymes when I had entered into a more serious consideration of these things and according to the measure of grace received serched the scriptures whether they were so or no and by searching found much light of truth yet was the same so dimmed and overclouded with the contradictions of these men and others of â—he like note that had not the truth been in my heart as a burning fyre shut vp in my bones Ier. 20. 9. had never broken those bonds of â—lesh and blood wherein I was so
reformed Churches are one whereas the wayes of the Church of England wherein we forsake her do directly and ex diametro crosse and thwart the wayes of the reformed Churches as appeares in these three mayne heads 1. The reformed Churches are gathered of a free people ioyned together by voluntary profession without compulsion of humane lawes On the contrary the Church of England consists of a people forced together violently by the lawes of men into their Provinciall Diocesan and Parishionall Churches as their houses staÌ„d be they never so vnwilling or unfit 2. The reformed Churches do renounce the Ministery of the Church of Engl as she doth theirs not admitting of any by vertue of it to charge of soules as they speak where on the coÌ„trary all the masse-preists made in Queen Maryes dayes which would say their book-service in English were coÌ„tinued Ministers by the same ordination which they received from the Popish Prelates 3. The government by Archbishops Lord Bishops and their substitutes in the Church of England is abhorâ—ed and disclaymed in the reformed Churches as Antichristian as is on the contrary the Presbyterian government in use there by the Church of England refused as Anabaptisticall and seditious Now if Mr B. can at once walk in so many so contrary wayes he had need have as many feet as the Polypus hath Secondly understanding by his Churches way such doctrines ordinances as wherein we oppose it it is an empty boast to affirm that the same is spread into other nations Which are the nations or what may be their names which eyther do reteyn or have received the Prelacy Ministery service book canons and confused coÌ„mixture of all sorts now in vse in the Church of England But Mr B. having as he boasts God Angels and men on his side proceeds in the next place to plead agaynst vs Gods iudgments who seemeth as he sayth from the first beginning to be offended with our course And intending principally in this whol discourse to oppresse vs with contumelyes by them to alienate all mens affections froÌ„ vs he raâ—eth together into this place as into a dung-hil of slaâ—der and misreport whatsoever he thinks may make vs and our cause stink in the nostrels of the reader And so forging some things in his own brayne and enforcing other things true in themselves with most odious aggrevations he presents vs to the view of the world with such personall infirmities and humayn fraylties written in our foreheads as the Lord hath leâ—t vpon the sonnes of men for their humbling And the world wanting spirituall eyes beholding the Church of Christ with the eyes of flesh blood seing it compassed about with so many infirmities falling into so many manyfold tryals and temptations is greatly offended passeth vnrighteous judgement vpon the servants of God and blasphemeth their most holy profession But let all men learn not to behould the Church of Christ with carnall eyes which like fearfull spyes will discourage the people but with the eyes of fayth and good conscience which like Ioshua and Caleb will speak good of the promised Land the spirituall Canaan the Church of God But to the poynt That Mr B. may make sure work he strikes at the head and whetteth his toung like a sword and shooteth bitter words like arrowes at such principall men as God hath raysed vp in this cause whereof some have persevered and stood fast vnto death others have fallen away in the day of temptation whose end hath been worse â—hen theyr beginning The first person in whome he instanceth is one Boulton touching whoÌ„ he wryteth thus that he being the first broacher of this way came to as fearefull an end as Iudas did adding therevpon that God suffereth not his speciall instruments called forth otherwise then after a common course to come to such ends To this I do first answer that neither this man was nor any other of vs is called forth by the Lord otherwise then after a coÌ„mon course even that which is common to all Gods people which is to come out of Babylon and to bring theyr best gifts to Syon for the buylding of the Lords temple there It is true that Boulton was though not the first in this way an Elder of a separated Church in the beginning of Queen Elizabeths dayes and falling away from his holy profession recanted the same at Pauls Crosse afterwards hung himself as Iudas did And what marvayl if he which had betrayed Christ in his truth as Iudas did in his person came to the same fearefull end which Iudas did Nay rather the patience and long suffering of God is to be mervayled at that others also who eyther have embraced this truth and after faln from it or refused to submit vnto it when they have both seen and approved it have not been pursued by the same revengefull hand of God And for the promise of Gods presence with his Gen. 12. 3. Math. 28. 20. Ios. 1. 9. it must ever be taken conditionally viz. whylest they are with him and do his work faythfully as they ought and no further Now touching Browne it is true which Mr B. affirmeth that as he forsook the Lord so the Lord forsook him in his way and so he did his owne people Israel many a tyme. And if the Lord had not forsaken him he had never so returned back into Egypt as he did to live of the spoyles of it as is sayd he speaketh And for the wicked things which Mr B. affirmeth he did in this way it may well be as he sayth and the more wicked things he committed in this course the â—esse like he was to continue long in it and the more like to returne againe to his proper centre the Church of England where he should be sure to find companions ynough in any wickednes as it came to passe Lastly to let passe the vniversall Apostasy of all the Bishops Ministers students in the Vniversityes yea and of the whole Church of England in Queen Maryes tyme a handfull onely excepted in comparison which the Papists might more colourably vrg against Mr B. theÌ„ he some few instaÌ„ces against vs the fall of Iudas an Apostle of Nicholas one of the first 7 DeacoÌ„s of Demas one of Pauls speciall companions in the Ministery do sufficiently teach vs that there is no cause so holy nor calling so excellent which is not subject to the invasion of paynted and deceiptfull hyppocrites whose service the Lord notwithstanding may vse for a tyme till theyr whyting be worne of then leave them to their own deceavable â—usts which will work theyr most wofull downfall thereby warning his people not to repose too much vpon any mortall man in whome there is no stedfastnes but to cast theyr eyes vpon him aâ—one and vpon his truth which chaungeth not Of Mr Barrow and Mr Greenwoods spirit of rayling as this man rayleth against them in another
place Onely let the indifferent reader iudge whither Mr B. in blazing abroad the personal infirmityes of his adversaries without any occasion neyther sparing the living nor the dead have not come to the very highest pitch of the most natural rayling that may be A practise which all sober mynded men do abhor from The next that comes in Mr B. way are the two brethren Mr Francis Mr George Iohnson whose contentions he exaggeâ—ateth what he can to make both their persons and cause odious True it is that George Iohnson together with his father taking his part were excommunicated by the Church for contention arising â—t the first vpon no great occasion wherevpon many bitter and â—eprochful termes were vttered both in word and writing George â—ecoÌ„ming as Mr B. chargeth him a disgracefull libeller It is to vs iust cause of humiliation all the dayes of our lives â—hat we have given and do give by our differences such advantages â—o them which seek occasion agaynst vs to blaspheme the truth â—hough this may be a iust iudgment of God vpon others which â—â—ek offences that seeking they may find them to the hardening of â—heyr hearts in evill But let men turne theyr eyes which way soever â—hey will and they shall see the same scandalls Look to the first â—nd best Churches planted by the Apostles themselves and beâ—old dissentions scandall strise byting one of another About two hundred yeares after Christ what a styrr was there about moone-shyne in water as we speak betwixt the East and West Churches when Victor Bishop of Rome excoÌ„municated the Churches in Asia for not keeping the Iewish feast of Easter at the same time with the Church of Rome And to come nearer our own tymes how bitter was Luther agaynst Swinglius Calvin in the matter of the Sacrament how implacable is the hatred at this day of them whom they call Lutherans against the followers of the other partyes Take yet one instance more and in it a view of the very height of humayne fraylty this way The exiled Church at Frankford in Queen Maryes dayes bred and nourished within it self such contentious as that one accused another to the Magistrate of treason wherevpon Mr Knox was compelled to fly for feare of trouble I could also alledge to the present purpose the state of the reformed Churches amongst which we live whose violent oppositions fiery coÌ„tentioÌ„s do far exceed all ours but I take no delight in writing these things neyther do I think the needles dissentions which have bene amongst vs the lesse evill because they are so common to vs with others but these things I have layd downe to make it appeare that Mr B. here vseth none other weapon agaynst vs then Iewes and Pagans might have done against Christians and Papists against such as held the truth against them yea and then Atheists and men of no religion might take vp against all the professions and religions in the world And to go no further the irrecoÌ„ciliable emnity betwixt the Prelates reformists about cap surplice crosse and the like which the patrons of them acknowledg trifles might well have stopped Mr B. mouth from vpbrayding any with fyery contentions vpon small occasions And touching the heavy sentence of excommunication by which the father and brother were dilivered vp to the Divill as Mr B. speaketh I desyre the reader to consider that if excommunication be as indeed it is so heavy a sentence and that by it the party sentenced be delivered over to the Divill the Church of England is in heavy case which playes with excommunications as children do with rattles And to allude to the word Mr B. vseth in what a divelish case are eyther the Prelates and convocation house which have ipso facto excoÌ„municated all that speak or deale against theyr State Ceremonyes servise book since the curse causâ—es falls vpon the head of him from whom it comes or the reformists wherof M. B. would be one by fits such as seek for and interprise reformation And for the particular in hand howsoever it may seeme an odious thing vnto the naturall man which savors not the things of God nor the vnpartiall ordinances of the Lord Iesus and would be a matter of wonder that a man should censure or consent to the censuring of his father or brother in the Church of England where a good word of a freind or a small bribe may stay the excommunication of the grossest offender yet if there be iust cause though with extraordinarie sorrow for the occasion Christ in his ordinance must be preferred before father and brother yea mother sister also Yea it shal be the seal of his ministerie upon that sonne which in the observance of the word of the Lord and in the keeping of his covenant sayth vnto his father mother brother yea own children I know you not The next Mr. B. obiecteth is Mr Burnet who died of the plague in prison whether he was committed by the Archprelate And so did Mr Holland and Mr Parker in the same City at the same tyme as I remember and so did Iunius and Trelâ—atius the two divinity professors at Leyden at an other tyme vpon the same infection And was the plague Gods fearfull correcting rod vpon these men because their religion was false or rather would any man knowing the scriptures and the Lords dispensations towards his Church argue as this man doth * If iudgment thus begin at Gods house what shall the end of them be which obey not the gospell of God But if Mr B. will bring against vs all the persons which the Bishops have killed in their prisons by this and the like meanes as David did Vrijah by the sword of the Amonites he may overthwelm vs with witnesses but his argument shal be much what of the same nature with that of the Caian haeretiques which affirme that Cain was a good man and conceaved by a superiour power vnto Abel because he prevayled against him and slew him Lastly for Mr Smyth as his instability wantonnes of wit is his syn our crosse so let M. B. all others take heed that it be not their hardning in evill Mr B. in proceeding to point out the hand of God writing heavy things against vs chargeth us by Mr Whytes testimony with such notable crimes and detestable vncleannesses as from which they in the Church of England eyther truely fearing God or but making an apparent shâ—w thereof are so praeserved by God as they cannot be taynted with such evils as some of vs oft times fall into As the witnes well â—its the cause and person alledging him who according to the Proverb may ask his fellow c. so have his slaunders been answered as Mr Bernard knowes whereof it seems the party himself is ashamed and so might Mr B. have been had he not been shameles in accusing the brethren Now for the things objected it
our selves our witnes is not true but if the word of God beare witnes with vs and against you it must stand And for the advauntage which you suppose you have gayned at vs where we acknowledge our differences to be onely your corruptions it will nothing at all enrich you or better your Church For there are corruptions essentiall and in the very causes constitutive matter forme aswell as els where there are corruptions which eat out the very heart of a thing as well as such as hinder the working onely or steyn the work And we may truely say of all the abhominable doctrines and devises in Rome that they are but so many corruptions of those pure truthes holy ordinances which that Church at the first received from Christ the Lord. And for your similitude of a man whom you say corruptions make not a false man but a corrupt man you are deceived in it whether you consider a man naturally or morally Naturally what is death but the corruption of the man as generatio corruptio are opposed And what is rottennes but the corruption of the body Now these do more then make a corrupt man or corrupt body they do destroy the very being But consider a man morally as in the case of religion he must be considered then morall corruptions vices do eyther make a false man or els a traytor a theif a cousener is a true man which patronage I hope Mr B. will not vndertake The second rank of reasons which Mr B. brings against us are certayne greivous sinns wherewith he sayth all in our way are polluted for which according to our own principle no man may ioyn himselfe vnto vs. The sins he nameth are a renunciation of Gods mercy and of all good things and men with them vnthankfulnes to God and the Church spirituall vncharitablenes audacious censuring a desire to hinder yea to extinguish all the spirituall good they publiquely enioy and a wish of destruction vnto the people and the like Greivous accusations certaynly but if to accuse be to convince who shal be innocent not the Lord Iesus himselfe nor his holy Apostles whose examples in vndergoing the like reproches and in patient bearing of the same at the hands of wicked men if we had not before our eyes eyther our harts would break in vs for sorrow or we should be provoked to render reproach for reproach so sin against God Our first supposed sin is that wofull entrance before named for which I refer the reader to that which hath been before answered But they in England sayth Mr B. enter by baptisme renouncing the Divill and sin So do the Papists as loud as they and with as many godfathers and godmothers crossing and blessing themselves against the Divill and all his works as much as they do And for the renunciation of Gods mercy and all good men and good things in them in the Church of England because we refuse communion there it is a foule charge layd vpon vs but to which we are no more lyable then were the Levites when they forsook Ieroboams Church and repayred to Ierusalem the place which the Lord had chosen For in Israell which they forsook were to be found both good persons and things 1 King 14. 13. and 19. 18. Now where in the last place Mr B. chargeth vs not to make vnclean what God hath cleansed Act. 10. 1â— we on the contrary advise him not to account that clean which sinn and Antichrist doth defyle Let him or any other man on earth shew vnto vs by the word of God that a Church gathered and consisting of persons for the most part defyled with all manner of impiety is clensed by God or that the dayly sacrifice the service book is as a lamb without spot or that the spirituall courts so miscalled are sanctified of God for the government of his kingdome on earth or that the Court keepers the Archflamins and Flamins the Provinciall and Diocesan Bishops with theyr Chauncelers Commissaryes Archdeacons and other officers are his holy ones vpon whome he hath put his Vrim and Thummim and then let vs beare our rebuke if we do not returne to the Church of England and humble ourselves vnder her hand as Hagar did her selfe vnder the hand of her mistresse Gen. 16. 9. The second sinn wherewith Mr B. chargeth vs is our great vnthankfulnes 1. to God that begat vs by his word eyther by denying our conversion â—r els accounting it a false conversion 2. towards the Church of England our mother whom we desire to make a whore before Christ her husband condemn â—â—r c. And this accusation he shutteth vp with most bitter execrations against vs as vnworthy to breath in the ayre For the thankfulnes of our harts vnto the Lord our God for his vnspeakeable mercies we leave it vnto him that knowes the hart and for the manifestation of it vnto men we referr them to our entyre though weak obedience to the whol revealed wil of God and ordinances of Christ Iesus which we take to be the most acceptable sacrifice of thankfulnes which by man can be offered to the Lord. And for our personall conversion in the Church of England we deny it not but do and alwayes have so done iudge and professe it true there and so was Luthers conversion true in the Church of Rome els could not his separation from Rome have been of faith or accepted of God The same may be sayd of all the persons and Churches in the world which have forsaken Rome Our third imagined sinn is spirituall vncharitablenes appearing in our deep censures vpon all at least not inclinable vnto vs condemning such as know not our way as blinded by the God of this world the Divell such as seâ— it yeeld not vnto it as worldlings fearefull convinced in conscience going on in presumptuous sin such as forsake it having formerly enclyned vnto it Apostates and if they oppose it godles persequuters hunters after soules such as shall certainly grow worse worse so as men shall say God is revenged on them c. If any one man have thus peremptorily defined eyther in word or writing as Mr B. witnesseth it was that one mans fault and is not to be imputed to the rest of vs more then Mr B. most malicious hateful accusatioÌ„s in this book to all the Ministers people in the Church of Engl. wherof I doubt not but thowsaÌ„ds are ashamed and to which they would be more vnwilling to subscribe then he to the Bishops canons I for mine own part onely exhort all men in all places as they look to be approved at that day when the secrets of all hearts shal be disclosed that they deale faithfully in the Lords busines take heed they neyther forbeare through partiall praejudice or fleshly feare to inquire after the truth nor with hould it in vnrighteousnes if they have found it
places And if the order which Christ hath left in his Church be so vyle in Mr B. eyes in comparison of his vnorderly preaching what can he say for his Lords the Bishops which for the orders devised by themselves by their forefathers of Rome thrust out of so many Churches the ordinance of preaching A man would think Mr B. zeal should find room enough at home and in his owne Church and not thus pursue beyond the â—â—as a poore company of despised and dispersed people But to the very poynt which Mr B. drives at There is not one scripture alledged by him which iustifyes the preaching of the gospell out of a true much lesse in a false constitution They do all and every one of them necessarily presuppose the same howsoever he would separate the things which God hath ioyned together Take one for example and that such a one as he makes a pillar in his building It is written and so by him alledged Psa. 147. 19. 20. He shewed his word vnto Iacob his statutes and his iudgments vnto Israell He hath not so dealt with every nation c. Here sayth Mr B. the Lord preferrs his word before a constitution as a testimony of his speciall love But vntruly For in this very place the Lord prefers a constitution before his word statutes and iudgments as the cause why he gave them For wherefore did the Lord shew his word vnto Iaakob his statutes iudgments vnto Israel but because of their constitution that is because Israel was the Lords peculiar people separated from all other nations and received by the Lord into covenant as no other nation was Lev. 26. â—4 14. Exod. 19. 5. 6. Deut. 19. 10. 11. 12. c. with RoÌ„ 3. 2. 9. 4. Act. 2. 39. 3. 23. how profanely soever this man doth debase and vilify the true constitution of the Church which he is like never to enioy as Esau did the byâ—thright wherewith the Lord never meant to honour him Gen. 2â— 32. 33. And amongst other debasements of the constitution of the Church he affirmeth pag 55. that though an orderly proceeding ought to be had yet that at no hand for want therof preaching ought to be left of to this end pag. 53. and 54. he violently haleth into the same guilt with himselfe the brethren of the dispersion Act. 8. 1. 4. 12. whom he chargeth in preaching the word not to have stood vpâ—n every speciall poynt in entering so orderly vnto the work But as theyr enterance was most orderly for that being of a true constituted Church at Ierusalem dispersed by persequution they published the gospel in every place where they came as any member of the Church may do as grace is ministred and occasion offered so is it on the otherside a Babylonish presumption for any man vnder any praetence whatsoever to enterprise the preaching of the gospell or any other work disorderly The Apostle speaking especially of prophecying expresly commaunds that all things be done according to order how then dare any petty Pope or proctor of Babylon dispence with or plead for disorder in this or any other ministration in the Church The last and highest degree of our vncharitablenes he reckons this that we are sorry and envious that the good things of God do prosper with them that the more religious men be in their way the more are we greived and to this end he pretends Mr Barrowes abusing and scoffing at the graces of God and holy exercises in such persons As we hold our selves bound to acknowledge all good things in all men and to honour them accordingly 1 Pet. 2. 17. So must I here demaund of Mr B. as another hath done before me what those good things are which so prosper Onely the Prelates prosper in the kingdome who with theyr ceremonious hornes canons beat batter down all that stands in their way Of their prosperity against the truth we are sory but not envious being taught not to envy the works of iniquity considering what suddayn and certayne desolation shall fall vpon them Psal. 37. 9. 10. And by the way where Mr B. takes it for graunted that the reformists are the most religious in the way of the Church of England it is cleane otherwise The most absolute Formalists most strict vrgers of conformity are the most religious in the way of the Church of England And as for the reformists theyr zeale to speak as the truth is and as shall hereafter more fully be manifested is not in nor for the way of the Church of England but a by path from it which the Church of England considered in the formall constitution of it accounteth schism and rebellion but rather the same way in effect which we walk if they were true to theyr own grounds and durst practise what they have professed in theyr supplications and admonitions to the Prince and Parliament other their vnder hand passages wherein they do playnly condemn the Prelacy for Antichristian the service book as superstitious the mixture of all sortes of people as confused and so of the rest And this Mr B. iustifyeth the obiections which you would so gladly prevent pag. 57. made by your brethreÌ„ in the faith for so are the worst of them the prophane and secure worldlings and Athiests that men paynfull and conscionable in their Ministery and lives do breed and further as you speak Brownistes and Brownisme For proof hereof I will here insert a few things written published both in former and latter tymes by such men as I dare say Mr B. reckens amongst the painefull conscionable Ministers Their words are these We have an Antichristian Popish ordering of Ministers strange froÌ„ the word of God never heard of in the primitive Church but taken out of the Popes shop to the destruction of Gods kingdome 2. Adm. to the Parl. The names and offices of Archbishops Archdeacons Lordbishops c. are together with their goverment drawen out of the Popes shop Antichristian divelish and contrary to the scriptures Parsons Uicars Parish Preists Stipendaryes c. be byrds of the same fether 2. Admo to the Parliament The callings of Archbishops Bishops with all such be raâ—â—er members and parts of the whore and strumpet of Rome then of the pure Uirgin and spouse of the immaculate Lamb. Mr Ch. Serm. vpon Rom. 12. The calling of Bishops and Archbishops do onely belong vnto the Kingdome of Antichrist Discovery of D. Ban. slaunders pag. â—0 Our Diocesan and Provinciall Churches vsing Diocesan and Provinciall goverment and officers are contrary to Gods word and simply vnlawfull Mr Iakob for reformation Ass 1. There is no true visible Church of Christ but a particular congregation onely Christian Offer Prop. 4. Every true visible Church of Christ or ordinary assembly of the faithfull hath by Christs ordinance power in it selfe imediately vnder Christ to elect to ordayne deprive and depose theyr Ministers and to
an other woman the wife of an other man or not contracted to that man is not his wife nor can be so reputed though she be never so obedient buxome vnto him so the Church of England til it be separated free froÌ„ the world prince of the world that reiâ—â—eâ—h in it so froÌ„ Antichrist his Eldest sonne in his hyeâ—archy priesthood other ordinances be taken into covenant with the Lord caÌ„not possibly be the true Ch of God or wife of Christ no not though the good things in it were many more then they are Which we do not alledg as is craftily insinuated against vs to iustify any mans continuance in a Church full of wickednes but to prove that the constitution of the Church that is the collection and combination of Saynts as matter in and into covenant with God as the form is that which gives true being vnto a Church and nothing els how vily soever men iudge or speak of it And for corruptions in the Apostolical Churches it is true the Apostles mentioned them but allwayes with vtter dislike severe reproof and streight charge of reforming them Rom. 16. 17. 1 Cor. 5. 1. 6. 7. 11 13. 1 Thes. 5. 14. 2 Thes. 3. 6. 1 Tim. 6. 5. Rev. 2. 14 16. 20. But how do these things concern you Though Paul and all the Apostles of Christ with him yea though Christ himself from heaven should admonish any of your Churches to put away from among themselves any person though never so haeretical or flagitious you could not do it neither could you reform any abhomination otherwhere though the same be as conspicuous as the leprosy of Vzziah which brake forth in his forehead And this want of the power of the Lord Iesus for reformation which an other man would think were an intollerable slavery Mr B. pag 68. turnes to good advantage and thinks himself his Church halfe excused of all the evils which are amongst them because they want power to vse the remedy thus pleading for a priveledg the mark of the beast froÌ„ which the servants of God ought to abhor herin being passing witty above other men in making an advantage of that evill which the most have enough to do to excuse And for true Churches not vsing aright the power they have for reformation they are like true bodyes which through some obstructions or stoppings for a time cannot voyd things noxious hurtful till there be a remedy but the Church without this power is as a monstrous body wanting the faculties instruments of evacuation and expulsion of excrements or other noy some things and therefore is never appointed of God to live but devoted to death and destruction Of the reformed Churches our cariage towards them I have spoken els where and for your Turkish Argument in the margent wherein you incense the Magistrate against vs as otherwise incorrigible it well becomes the rest of your book joyning violence to slaunder But are you your self wholly conformable Mr B If not why do you incense the magistrate against vs being your selfe obnoxious to his displeasure Or do you not hope to escape persecution your self by persecuting vs This is too ordinary a practise amongst you But the Lord seeth your haulting and rewardeth you in your bosomes as you have served vs. And when you and others more forward then you do consider feel in what hatred you are with the King and state me thinks your harts should smite you as the harts of Iosephs brethren did them in their trouble for their barbarous crueltie towards him Gen. 42. Our sixt sin by retayl Mr B. makes our rayling and scoffing and in particular H. Barrowes blasphemyes c. whose repentance he would have vs publish to the world If I should answerably require of you the publication of the repentance of your Clergy not onely for the cruel speakings but even for the wicked deeds which vngodlily they have committed against Christ in his servants and ordinances it were an hard tax put vpon you Yea to spare you for other men do you but publish your owne repentance for the same â—innes wherein you are deeply set and without doubt your godly example shall provoke many to the like And for Mr Barrow as I say with Mr Ainsworth that I wil not iustify all the words of an other man noâ— yet myne owne so say I also with Mr Smyth that because I know not by what particular motion of the spirit he was guided to write in those phrâ—ses I dare not censure him as you do especially considering with what fyery zeale the Lord hath furnished such his servants at all tymes as he hath stirred vp for speciall reformation Let the example of Luther alone suffice whom into what termes his zeale carryed his writings testify And yet both in him and in Mr Barrow there might be with true spirituall zeal â—leshly indignation mingled And though this in generall might be sufficient yet for the stopping of your mouth Mr B. and for the satisfying of others I will discend a little to the very particulars which you have câ—lled out against Mr Barrow as most odious First then you fault him that he calles your Bishops Antichristian prowd Prelates and the tayl of the beast c. And what are they but Antichristian if their office be against Christ and his ordinances in the visible Church And what els do all the reformed Churches abroad and reformists at home iudge speak write of them And what thought you Mr B. otherwise of them when even since you dealt against this cause of separatioÌ„ you affirmed before many witnesses that there was not a place in the new testameÌ„t against Antichrist but you could apply it against theÌ„ And because you are come to this height of boldnes depth of dissembling I will here insert breiâ—ly certayne reasons which I receaved from your self in wryting to prove the Bishops Antichristian and that word for word as I have reserved them by me to this day 1. The fruits of the Hierarchy are contrary to Christ. 2. It forbids many good meanes of religion as prophesying c. 3. It keeps in and nourisheth offenders against paynfull labourers 4. It excommunicates the godly yea for a word and that ipsâ— facto 5. It is lordly and tyrâ—â—mous contrary to 1 Pet. 5. 1. 2. 3. Luk. â—2 25. 6. It rules by Popish lawes and by the power of man which arâ— carnall weapons 7. It remits the offenders for mâ—ny though â—e repent not 8. It establisheth an vniversall Bishop as well as a Diosesan or Provinciall Bishop And as I remember at the same tyme you brought forth D. Downame in his first book proving the Pope Antichrist ch 4. affirming that the Hierarch in the Romish Church was Antichristian whereof I am sure the the Bishops office is a part These reasons I thought good to set downe not because they are all or some of them of the best
for the exercising of the censures that belongs not to the whole body or to any member thereof principall or lesse principall but to the Bishops and his substitute which are forreyners and strangers as in theyr office from the true Church so even in theyr persons from yours All your portion in the censures Mr B. is to do the exequutioners office when the Officiall hath played the iudge which if you should be so bold as to refuse besydes the punishment of your contumacy the Church doore would do your office for the bull of excommunication hanged vp there by the sumner byndes the offenders both in heaven earth And for the position it self howsoever we do indeed maynteyne the most of the particulars against which Mr B. intends his refutation yet as he sets it down we do vtterly disclayme it with all the errors in it First for teaching in the Church we do not vse it promiscuously nor suffer it to be vsed but according to the order as we are perswaded which Christ and his Apostles have prescribed And for the sacraments the contrary to that which you affirme is to be seene of all men in our confession of fayth wherein it is held that no sacraments are to be administred vntill Pastors or Teachers be ordayned in theyr office neyther have we practised otherwise And this Mr B. knew when he writ this book as well as our selves Thirdly touching the censures we do expresly confesse that the power as to receive in so to cut of any member is given to the whole body together of every christian congregation and not to any one member a pâ—â—t or to more members sequestâ—ed from the whole vsing the mâ—etest member for the pronouncing the censures And answerable to our profession is our practise with what conscience then or credit Mr B can father vpon vs those bastardly runnagaâ—es let God men iudge These things being thus the vntruthes which he sayth we build vpon this opinion are his and not ours as the groundwork is his so is the whol building raysed from it But touching interpretation of scripture by private brethren and pollution by sinn vnreformed in the Church separation from it for the same we shall speak in their places Onely I desyre it may be observed that rather then Mr B. will forbeare to accuse vs that we hold it lawfull for one person to excommunicate the whole Church he will back this most odious calumniation with as fond and false an assertion and that is that separating from a Church and excommunicating of it is all one in substance though called lesse odiously But the contrary is manifested by these two reasons First excommunication is a sentence judiciall presupposing ever a solemn and superiour power over the party sentenced but no such thing is inferred vpon separation 2. Excommunication is onely of them which are within and of the Church but separation may be from them without And I would know of Mr B. whither a person though never so meane might not separate from the assemblies of Pagans Turkes Iewes Papists other haeretiques and Idolaters I hope he would not draw such a man within his separatists schism yet for the same person to excoÌ„municate such an assembly were a sinful prophanation of Gods ordinance And though we held as we do nothing lesse that one man might excommunicate the whole Church yet were it not more as you affirm then your Church allowes to any Bp. in Engl. no nor so much by a thousaÌ„d parts for one Bishop with you may excommunicate a thousand Churches every Diocesan Bishop all the Churches in his Dioces the two Provincial Bishops theyr two Provinces so livelyly do the reverend fathers the Bishops resemble the holy father the Pope which may judge all men but be judged by none The next collection made agaynst us is that we hould that two or three gathered together must be a Church which hath the whole power of Christ and may preseÌ„tly make them officers vse the discipline of Christ. No such hast Mr B. of making officers presently we make no dumb Ministers neyther dare we admit of any man eyther for a teaching or governing Elder of whose ability in prayer prophecying debating of Church matters we have not had good experience before he be so much as nominated to the office of an Elder amoÌ„gst vs remeÌ„bring alwayes the deep charge of the Apostle to lay hands suddeynly on man nor to be partakers of other mens sums But this we hold and affirm that a company consisting though but of two or three separated from the world whither vnchristian or antichristian and gathered into the name of Christ by a covenant made to walk in all the wayes of God knowen vnto them is a Church and so hath the whole power of Christ. And for the clearing of this truth I will propound and so prove by the scriptures these two heads 1. First that a company of faithfull people thus covenanting together are a Church though they be without any officers amoÌ„g them coÌ„ntrary to that your Popish opinioÌ„ here insinuated els where expressed that a company is no where in all the new testament called a Church Christian familyes excepted but when they have theyr officers and that otherwise they are called beleevers Disciples but not a Church but onely by anticipation as heaven and earth are so called before they were Gen. â— 1. that the officers give theÌ„ the denominatioÌ„ of a Church 2. That this company being a Church hath interest in all the holy things of Christ within amongst theÌ„selves immediately vnder him the head without any forreyn ayd assistance Of which holy things in particular we shall consider as they come in our way These two grounds by the grace of God I will prove in order and for the confirmation of the former take these reasons The first is gathered from the authours owne words that a coÌ„pany of holy persons without officers are called beleevers disciples but not a Church which is all one as if he sayd that a Church is not called a Church for the word Church is no more then a coÌ„pany or assembly howsoever gathered together and so a set company of visible beleevers must needs be a constituted visible Church and to manifest the vanity of that distinction that one place shall serue Act. 11. 26. where in the same verse the same persons are called the Church Disciples and Christians Two or three or more people making Peters confession Math. 16. are the Church But two or three or more may make this confession without officers Therefore such a company is a Ch The former proposition is evident by that promise Christ made to build his Church vpon the rock of Peters confession The second namely that men without officers may professe their faith is without question except we will hold that without officers no men can
Church and exercise of the communion are they therefore alone to do al things They if there be any of them in the Church are to govern in every election and choyce of ensuing Officers are they therefore alone to chuse excluding the Church They are to govern in preaching prophesying and hearing the word and receiving the sacraments singing of Psalmes distributing vnto the necessities of the sayncts are they therefore alone to prophesie to sing Psalmes to contribute to the poor the rest with as little reason can it be affirmed that they alone are to have cōmunion in the censures to admonish judge because they are to govern in the carying administring of those matters These things thus cleared it wil be very convenient for the purpose in hand and wil give much furtherance to the truth in a few words to consider of the nature of Ecclesiastical government and governours which whilst politik men through either ignorance or contempt of the gospels simplicitie do neglect they labour to transform the Church into a wordly kingdome and to set over it a kinde of kingly and lordly government and such scriptures as give libertie and power unto kings and other civile officers over their subjects and people for the making and altering of lawes and for the passing and ordering of judgements these they pervert and misapply to Church governours and government then which nothing is more monstrous Math. 20. 25. 26. 27. 28. 1 Pet. 5. 3. I. For first civil officers are are called in the word of God Princes Heads Captaines Iudges Magistrates Nobles Lords Kinges them in authority principalities powers yea in their respect Gods and according to their names so are their offices but on the contrarie Ecclesiasticall officers are not capable of these or the like titles which can neyther be given without flatterie unto them nor received by them without arrogancy neyther is their office an office of Lordship Sovereigntie or Authoritie but of Labour and Service and so they the Labourers and Servants of the Church as of God 2. Magistrates may publish execute their owne lawes in their own names Ezra 1. 1. 2. c. Est. 8. 8. Math. 20. 25. But Ministers are onely interpreters of the lawes of God and must look for no further respect at the hands of any to the things they speak then as they manifest the same to be the commaundements of the Lord. 1 Cor. 14. 37. 3. Civill administrations and their formes of goverment may be and oft tymes are altered for the avoyding of inconveniences according to the circumstances of tyme place and persons Ex. 1◠13. 14. 15. 16. 17. c. But the Church is a kingdome which cannot be shaken Heb. 12. 28. wherein may be no innovation in office or forme of administration from that which Christ hath left for any inconveniency whatsoever 4 Civill Magistrates have authority by their offices to judge offēders vpon whom they may also exequute bodily vengeance vsing their people as their servants and ministers for the same purpose but in the Ch the officers are the ministers of the people whose service the people is to vse for the administring and executing of their judgemēts that is for the pronouncing of the judgments of the Church of God first against the obstinate which is the vtmost execution the Church can perform And what difference can be greater In the cōmon wealth the people fewer or more yea somtimes whol armies the ministers of the officers in the Church the officers the ministers of the people 5. In civill government obedience must be performed for the authority and will of the commaunder who is Lord over the bodyes and goods of his subjects Mat. 20. 25. 26. 1 Pet. 5. 3. yea though his commaundements being with them bodily domage yea be they never so vnjust vnholy yet must obedience be given in meek and pacient sufferance though not in active performance ◠Pet. 2. 13. 14. 3. 14. 15. 16. but in Church matters not so The officers may neyther exact obedience nor the people perform it further then the goodnes profit and aedification of and by the thing commaunded doth enforce 1 Cor. 14. 26. Gal. 1. ◠Col. 2. 16. 1◠And the reason is because civil Magistrates have authority annexed to their office and order and though both they and their commaundements be most vnjust yet do they still reteyn their authority which their subjects may not shake of but ministers and Church governers have no such authority tyed to their office but merely to the word of God And as the peoples obedience stands not in making the Elders their Lords Soveraignes Iudges but in listening to their godly counsels in following theyr wise directions in receiving their holy instructions exhortations consolations and admonitions and in vsing their faithful service and ministery so neyther stands the Elders govermēt in erecting any tribunall seat or throne of judgement over the people but in exhorting instructing comforting improving them by the word of God 1 Tim. 3. 16. in affoarding the Lord and them their best service But here it wil be demaunded of me if the Elders be not set over the Church for her guidance and government Yes certaynly as the physition is set over the body for his skill and faithfulnes to minister vnto it to whom the pacient yea though his Lord or Maister is to submit the lawyer over his cause to attend vnto it the steward over his family even his wife and children to make provision for them yea the wachmen over the whole city for the safe keeping thereof Such and none other is the Elders or Bishops government Now to conclude this point All the scriptures which Mr B. brings as the reader may see serves to prove that the governers of the Church must be in and of the Church they govern but the governers of the Church of Worxsop are not of it neyther would Mr B. I dare say be well pleased they should But where it is further affirmed that during all the Apostles dayes the body of the congregation attempted nothing of themselves but that alwayes Church matters were begun governed and composed by the Apostle◠as it made nothing against our matter though it were even so as is sayd since w◠hold that where there are officers in the Churches those faithfull in all things as th' Apostles were there things are not to be attempted without them so is it not true which is affirmed neyther do the scriptures alledged prove any such thing The three first places Act. 1. 15. 23. 24. 25. and 6. 3. 6. and 14. 19. 20. 23. do onely prove that the Apostles being general men officers of all Churches did when they were present with the Churches govern and assist them faythfully in all things which we also affirm to be the duty of al Elders in their particular charges whom the people are accordingly to obey More particularly The two
of you where your your fellow Ministers power of excommunication had been duetify as an obedient child in giving the rod of discipline into the hands of your reverend fathers alone and their substitutes Well Mr B. whomsoever the Lord Iesus meant by the Church Mat. 18. he never meant that the Archbishop of York the Archdeacon of Nottingham the Officiall of Southwel were the Church of Worksop and for this I vvill spare all Arguments and send you to your owne guilty conscience for conviction which as it condemns you in yourself which is also the case of many thowsands in the Land so do I earnestly wish both you and them to remember with fear and trembling the condemnation of him that is greater then your cōscience Ioh. 3. 20. So far are they from being the Church of Worksop as they are not so much as members of it nor of any other particular Church in the kingdome they are neyther the Pastours so called nor vnder the Pastors of any particular Church but with their tanscendent jurisdiction in their Provinciall and Diocesan Churches take their scope without orb or order and as clouds without rayn carryed about with the wind of ambition and covetousnes for the the greatest part To leave them and come to your reasons Mr B. by which you would prove that tell the Church is tell the governours But here behold the fruites of an vnstable mind This man in his former book laboured by many scriptures and reasons to lay downe the nature of the Churches government and in speciall to prove that the Church Math. 18. 17. to vvhich complaint of sinns was to be made was the cheif officers onely and this he affirmes also to be the iudgement and the practise of all reformed Churches But lo now in his second book he devoures the hallowed thing and labours vvithall his power to persvvade young divines seely country people as he speakes and as in truth they had need be both young and seely that are perswaded by him that the points of discipline and Church-government are not so apparant by the scriptures as that they can rightly iudge of them And to this end he brings in the variety of iudgements and contradictions of learned men some holding no government at all others that an externall government is to be had but of these some holding it alterable others constant and perpetuall and of these some to be in the Pope Cardinalls others in the body of the congregatiō some in the Presbytery with the peoples consent and others which he puts last as best and for which he brings sundry reasons referring the reader to the treatises written to that end in the Bishops his Lords And againe touching the punishment of offenders some he brings in holding excommunication but not suspension some holding both and some neyther And particularly for Math. 18. he musters in thick and threefold reasons and persons so reasoning and proving that the place and so of Lev. 19. 17. doth nothing at all concern discipline or ecclesiasticall censures but that Christs meaning there was onely to direct the Iewes how to carry things before the Synedrion in cases of bodily injury And thus he brings mens contrary opinions to darken the scriptures which are most playne like so many foul feet to trouble the pure fountaynes of living water that the thirsty may not drink of them And as a learned man in our age nation to discover the vanity of prognosticatours gathered together their contrary guesses of the wether and so presented them so this man to make the government of Christs Church as vncertayne as an Almanack sets together and so offers to the vvievv of the world the contrarieties of opinions concerning it Now if other men should take this course Mr B. doth in other points of religion and one lay down the differences that are about predestination the points depending vpon it some vtterly denying it others affirming it and of these some grounding it vpon Gods mere grace others vpō mans faith or workes foreseen an other about baptisme some denying it to all infants others ministring it to all others to such onely as are of Christian parents in a sort and others onely to them that are of beleeving parents at the least on the one side a third about the Lords supper in which point some hold transubstantiation others consubstantiation others onely a sacramentall vnion which some also will have merely rationall others reall also there could not be a playner way beaten for all Atheism to come into the world by nor a course devised by the Divell more pregnant to perswade the multitude that there were no certaynty nor soundnes in the scriptures But let God have the glorie of his truth and of the clearnes in it and let men bear the just blame and shame of their naturall blyndnes and in speciall let Christ have the honour of being as faythfull in his owne house as Moses was in his Maisters in setting orders and officers in it and let not vile flesh dare to flatter Princes and Prelates to mislead silly soules and to preach liberty and licentiousnes to the world make Christ Iesus an Idol King having a kingdome vpon earth without lawes or officers for the administring of it nor to make his redeemed Idoll subjects as whom it concerns little or nothing whether they be vnder Chrits lawes and officers or vnder Antichrists his professed adversary Now though I will not trouble my self and the reader about every stone that Mr. B. idely casts in the way yet such as may stumble the weakest passenger I will remove and so returne to my former task And in the first place I will answer certaine reasons in number six brought by Mr B. for the superiority of his Lord Bishops but those not backed with the scriptures as in other points when he thinks he speaks the truth his manner is The first is taken from the succession of Iames at Ierusalem of Peter at Antioch of Peter Paul at Rome of Mark at Alexandria I answer first that these were not Bishops set over certayn Churches here and there though vpon occasion they tarryed some good space in some certayne Churches but generall men Apostles and Evangelists without successours in their Offices so the Protestants do generally answer the Papists instancing them as you do now 2. I deny the very Apostles vsed any such Lordly and Papall authority as to exclude eyther the inferiour officers or people in Church affaires the contrary is most evident in the choice of officers Act. 1. 15. 23. 26. and 6. 1. 2. 3. 5. censuring of offenders 1 Cor. 5. and debating of other Church matters Act. 15. 2. 3. 4. 6. 7. 22. 23. 30. 21. 22. The 2. Argument is taken from 1 Cor. 12. 28. where say you three degrees are reckoned vp the first of Apostles the second of Prophets the third of Teachers But since the
froÌ„ all other nations to be his people and that he might be their God And as one of the Lords ordinances suits with an other and depends vpon an other so from this nationall Church doth necessarily arise a representative Church For where communion together in the holy things of God is an act and operation of the Church for the mutuall aedification of the parts and that it was impossible that the whole body of a nation should in the intire simple proper or personall parts members communicate togeither the Lord so ordered and disposed that that communion should be had and exercised after a manner and in a sort and that was by way of representation And to this end the Lord made choise of one speciall place in the land which he gave his people to possesse at the first alterable but afterwards constant and vnchangeable where he would haue his tabernacle pitched and his temple built where he would put his name and dwell and which he would honour above all places with his glory and presence There was also one onely tabernacle or temple one high Preist one altar vnto which the whole nationall Church had reference thither must they bring all their sacrifices tithes and offrings thither were causes hard and difficult to be brought that the people might be shewed the sentence of iudgement informed and taught the law by the Preists of the Levites There was the dayly sacrifice offred for the whole nationall Church morning and evening continually there the Lord appointed with the children of Israel sanctifying the place with his glory binding himself by his promise to dwell amongst them and to be their God There was the high Preist to cary graven vpon two onix stones as the stones of remembrance of the children of Israel put vpon the shoulders of the Ephâ—d the names of the children of Israel according to their tribes for a remembrance and againe the names of the children of Israel according to their twelve tribes iâ— twelve stones set vpon the breast plate of iudgement vpon his heart for a remembrance continually before the Lord. There was also set vpon the pure table of Shittim wood in the tabernacle twelve loaves of shew bread continually before the Lord according to the twelve tribes of Israel for a remembrance Now all these were ordinances representative in a Church representative and other Church representative amongst the Iewes I neyther know not acknowledge And the ground of this representation was the necessary absence of the people represented Necessary I call it whether we respect the ordinance of God inhibiting the peoples entrance into the place where the most of these representations were made or whether wee respect the impossibility of the whole nations ordinarie assembling and communicating together And herevpon it comes to passe that all other Churches since so framed and of such qualitie as that they cannot ordinarily assemble together keep communion haue also as their images or shadowes their Churches representative The catholik visible Ch of Rome hath her visible Ch representative the Popes CoÌ„sistory or Colledge of Cardinalls or the generall Council gathered by his authority The nationall Church of Engl hath her nationall Church representative the Convocation house as have also the Provinciall and Diocesan Churches their representations the Archbishops Bishops Consistories But as the bodyes of these Churches are monstrous devises of mens braynes there being no other Churches vnder the new testament but particular assemblies so are their shadowes the Churches representative mere devises of devises And to apply this nearer the purpose Since the Church now consisteth not of one nation severed from all other nations but of particular assemblies of faithfull people separated from all other assemblies which like so many distinct flockes do ordinarily heard together and so communicate in the word prayer sacraments censures and that where the Church grew sometimes greater by the suddayne and extraordinary conversion of more then could well so assemble then was there presently a dispersion of the former and a multiplication of more particular assemblies Act. 2. 41. 42. 8. 4. 5. 6. 9. 31. 14. 23. 27. 15. 22. 30. Rev. 1. 4. 11. this rases the foundation of all representative Churches as eyther politick devises or at the best praeposterous imitations of the Iewish Church and polity For as I have formerly sayd and common sense teacheth it the foundation of representation is the necessary absence of that which is represented whether person or thing And so since there is no necessity that the body of a particular Church should be absent but on the contrary a necessity that the same be present at and in all the publick administrations and actions of communion in the Churches holy things we do therefore disclaym as supersluous and feyned all representative Churches whatsoever Secondly if the outward form of Church government now be fetched from the Iewish Church then as in that representative Ch there was an high Preist set over the rest in whose person and administration the representation of the whole Church was most eminent so must there now be also in this representative Church one officer over the rest and as it were their high Preist And so the catholik representative Church of Rome hath an vniversall Bishop the Pope over it the Nationall Provinciall and Diocesan Churches representative Nationall Provinciall and Diocesan Bishops over them And so in all equitie should the Synodes and Praesbyteries accounting themselves properly Churches or bodies Ecclesiasticall have their Officers over them and so there should alwayes be one or more Ministers over the Church of Ministers and whose charge these Synodes and Presbyteries should be to be fed by them And the truth is this reason fetcht from the Iewish Church as it far better fitts the Praelates in England then the CoÌ„sistorians so fitts it the Papists better then eyther of them both for there is one Bishop over the catholick visible Church as they speak as there was one high Preist over the whole visible Ch then Adde vnto this that if the representative Church at Ierusalem be a pattern for a representative Church vnto vs then as there not onely hard causes were opened declared according to the law but also the sacrifices offred and most solemne services performed day by day without the presence of the body of the Church so now in this our representative Church consisting of the officers onely there must be not onely the vse of the keyes for admonitioÌ„ and excommunication but there must also be the preaching of the word and ministring of the sacraments which are our most solemn services whether the people be present or no. And to imagine a power of Christ in the Church of the officers for the vse of one solemne ordinance out of the communion of the body not for an other hath no ground from the Iewish Church Lastly to fetch the form of
had not excommunicated the incestuous person Bastingius in the 4. place quaestion 85. of his Catichism speaking of the difference between the two keyes that of preaching the other of discipline places it in this that the former which is of the preaching of the gospel is committed to the Ministers the other bycause it perteyns to the discipline of excommunication is permitted to the whole Church Lastly even Beza himself how streyt soever he be to the multitude in this case hardly graunting them the liberty which Mr B. yea which the very Iesuits do namely that they were with the Elders gathered together in the name of the Lord Iesus 1 Cor. 5. 4. yea do playnely deny it in his Annotations vpon 2 Cor. 2. 6. Yet vpon v. â— he is constreyned to affirm that Paul intreats that the incestuous person might by the publique consent of the Church be declared a brother as he was by the Churches publique consent cast out Now to these speciall lights in the reformed Churches abroad I will annex a few of the cheif endeavours of reformation at home The first of them is Mr Hooper who in his Apology writes that excoÌ„municatioÌ„ should be by the Bishop the whole Parish that Pauls consent the whole Church with him did excoÌ„municate the incestuous man To him adde Mr Fox whose judgement in the book of Martyrs pag. 5. 6. 7. is and so is inforced by him that writ the discovery of D. Banâ—r ofts vntruthes and slaunders against reformation that every visible Church or congregation hath the power of binding and loosing annexed to it If it be sayd the Church hath it if the Officers have it I see not but it may be as well sayd the Church hath the scriptures in a known tongue if the Officers so enjoy them Thirdly Mr Cartwright in his reply to D. Whitgifts answer pag. 147 both affirms and proves that Paul both vnderstanding and observing the rule of our Saviour Christ communicates this power of excommunication with the Church Him also an other writing A demonstration of discipline alledgeth adding further that they which were met togither 1 Cor. 5. 4. 5. were to excommunicate the incestuous person with whom also consorteth he that wrote of the certayn form of ecclesiasticall governmentâ— who vnder that head of the authority of the Ministers of the word that by the Church Math. 18. Christ meanes a particular Congregation the Pastor Elders people consenting making that the iudgement of the particular congregation which is spoken of 1 Cor. 5. 12. In the 4. place Mr Iacob in his book to the King for reformation pag. 28. pleads for the peoples consent and voyce-giving in elections excommunications to whom I ioyn them that made the Christian offer to iustify against the Bishops and their adhaerents that every ordinary assembly of the faithfull hath by Christs ordinance power in it self immediately vnder Christ to elect and ordeyn deprive and depose their Ministers and to exequute all other ecclesiasticall censures Proposition 5. Prop. 8 that the officers can do no materiall ecclesiasticall act without the free consent of the Congregation Lastly the godly Ministers in the end of Mr Bernards book do directly judge against him interpreting the Church Math. 18. to be a particular Congregation and excommunication the iudgement censure of that particular congregation whereof the offender is a member Thus have I been constreyned by the bold boasting and facing which this man vseth of and with the iudgement of all reformed Churchâ—â— to set downe the judgements of some few amongst many both at home and abroad for his conviction though I desire the touchstone of the holy scriptures alone may try all differences betwixt him and me I now return to Mr Bernard where I left him so come to two reasons he annexeth pag. 98. 99. to prove the officers to be called the Church the former is because it is an vsuall speach to put the name of the whole vpon the part and this to be taken for the whole The 2. bycause a company is no where called a Church in the new testament but where they have officers The latter of these I have formerly confuted as the reader may see pag. 126. 127. c. Onely I adde one thing vpon occasion of these words a Church in the new testament that as there is but one body or Church and we vnder the new testament that one or the same body or Church with the Iewes in the old so if the Ministery made the Church how much more if it were the Church could it not be that the Iewes and we should be one Church for I shall never be brought to beleeve nor I think will any man affirm it that the Ministery of an Apostle or Elder now is the same in nature with the Ministery of a sacrificing Levite vnder the law Wee are by faith sonnes and daughters of Abraham and partaker of the covenant and promises and by fayth grafted in their holy root and in this stands our onenes with them but neyther in the Ministery nor in the government nor in any other ordinance which are but manners of dispensing that covenant and those divers changeable where the covenant is nothing lesse And for the former of your reasons howsoever the place you bring Act. 15. 3. proves no such matter yet is the thing true you say namely that a part of the Church is sometimes called by the name of the whole but what part not the officers but the brethren the saynts as being the matter an essentiall cause of the Church the Elders not so as being but for the assistance and well being of it And so the Church gives both being and denomination to the Elders but not the Elders to the Church which is never called the Church of the Elders as they are called the Elders of the Church and so are of it and not it of them That which you adde of inconveniences and discommodities following vpon your doctrine not to be regarded is frivolous except by them you mean absurdities and inconsequences â—a alâ—gâ— in theologia as they call them and then they are to be regarded as never necessarily following vpon any truth for the truth brings forth no errour by true consequence The sixth Reason of the superiour order followeth for Mr B. hath his reasons and his vnder reasons which is In it self the multitude being ever vnconstant it is instability vnorderlynesse where every one is a like equall it is the nourse of confusion the mother of schisme the breeder of contention These very same things have been formerly objected by you in the fourth part of your 5. argument and there cleared The truth is the drawing of all power into the officers hands breeds in them pride and arrogancy and in the people ignorance and security And for your contemptuous vpbrayding of Gods people in this book with inconstancy
Barnabas coÌ„ming among them is not said to have ioyned theÌ„ vnto the Lord but to have exhorted them which were ioyned to coÌ„tinue with the Lord. vers 23. and to have perswaded others to ioyn themselues unto the Lord also vers 24. but that this course ordinary set by Christ should be held in the replanting of Churches after the vniversall apostasie of Antichrist is a thing impossible There were then no Ministers but popish Priests and are they the Lords meanes Mr Bernard Shall the man of sin be consumed by himself or by the breath of the Lords mouth Are false Ministers the Lords ordinary means of planting Churches Or are popish massepreists or the popish Bishops from whom they have their authority and so the Pope himself from whom they have theirs true Ministers And is the Church of Rome a true visible Church For it is not possible there should be a true Ministery in a false Church These are the inconveniences and discommodities Mr Bernard speaks of by which he sayth we would wring the truth from him But it is certayn they are such playne demonstrations as do evince his pretended truthes of popish and popular errours And for the gathering of a Church M. B. I do tell you that in what place soever by what means soever whether by preaching the gospell by a true Minister by a false minister by no minister or by reading conference or any other meanes of publishing it two or three faithfull people do arise separating themselves froÌ„ the world into the fellowship of the gospell and covenant of Abraham they are a Church truely gathered though never so weak a house and temple of God rightly founded vpon the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets Christ himsef being the corner stone against which the gates of hell shall not prevayl nor your disgracefull invectives neyther Indeed * the Pharisees thought bycause they had Abraham for their father and did descend of him by ordinary succession were the formall Teachers of the Church that therefore God could not possibly cast them off or have a Church without them even so it is with the Pharisaicall formall clergy in Rome and England they think that Christ hath so tyed his power and presence vnto their ceremony of succession that without them he knowes not how to do for a Church but must needs have it passe through their fingers But as Iohn Baptist told the old Pharisees that God was able of the stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham though they all every one of them like vnfruitfull trees should be cut downe and cast into the fâ—râ— so say I vnto their children the Pharisees of our â—yme that though the Lord reject them and every one of them for their apostacy and rebellion yet can he by the seed of the word cast with what hand soever rayse vp vnto Abraham children vnto himself a Church They that are of the faith of Abraham they are the children and seed of Abraham and within the covenaunt of Abraham though but two or three and so of the same Church with him by that covenaunt Your last argument to prove the officers the Church Math. 18. and directly to disprove our supposed popularity is that it is against the dignity and office of the Ministers who represent Christs person vnto the Congregation 1 Cor. 4. 1. having authority from him to preach administer the sacraments vse the censures which none but such as represent him can give them which the body of the people do not by office nor take from them c. This indeed is the thing the dignity of Preisthood is it which goes nearest you and that you keep last as Iacob did Beniamin whom of all his sonnes he was loathest to part with Gen. 42. 4. 43. 14. But first if your meaning be that the Ministers by their office represent Christ in his office it is little lesse then blasphemy for Christ is the husband and mediatour of his Church by his office and herein not to be represented by any other man or angel The ministers in publishing the gospell and word of reconciliation are in Christs stead and therein to be obeyed as himself but what if they speak the vision of their own hart and publish heresy false doctrine or lead a scandalous and prophane life their office is no dispensation for them neyther are they now any longer in the stead of Christ but of the Divel whom they resemble as children their father and are so to be reputed Besides there is no force in your argument bycause the body of the Church represents not Christ by office as the Ministers do therefore it is no way equall with the Ministers nor may medle with them but the contrary May not a man as well argue thus Bycause the wife no way represents her housband in office for she is in no office the same may be sayd of the children aâ— the steward and the bayliffe doe therefore the wife is no way superiour vnto them she may not reprove or displace them in her husbandâ— absence what evil soever they doe in their office or persons but on the contrary they may rebuke her and turne her out of doores and her children with her if there be cause For they represent the maister in office she not Now wee know well the Church is the wife and spouse of Christ the Ministers stewards Thus having cleared the way of such obiections as wherewith Mr Bernard would stumble the reader I come in the next place as I have formerly ordered my course to declare that the Church Math. 18. 17. is not the officers but the whole body meeting together for the publique worship of God and that 1 Cor. 5. proves the same by practise which is in the former place enjoyned by rule Onely I must needs by the way make a step into his 2. book amongst his score of reasons there against popularity and so remove as it were with my foot such of them as are tumbled in by him to make rough the playn wayes of the Lord. And they are as the authour numbers them the 7. 12. 13. 17. 18. The 7. Reason is that if a sort of persons professing Christ together without officers haue the power of such officers in themselves they may do all the officers may do Wee say not that the Church hath the power of the officers but the power of Christ as is expresly affirmed 1 Cor. 5. 4. 5. and 2. it followes not that bycause the Church hath the power of Christ for all things therefore it can injoy all things without officers The power is one thing which is inseparable from the body the vse of the power an other thing which in many cases it may want Civil corporations have the Kings power and charter as well without as with officers and yet it may be there are liberties in their charter they cannot enjoy without officers they
warrantably be chosen without good experience of their gift and faculty in prophesy and prayer so neyther can they which are cheifly to be imployed in government with good conscience of the Church be called to that ministration except they also have given and the Church taken good proof of their ability and simplicity in the discussing and debating carrying and contriving of Church affaires as also in admonition exhortation and comfort publiquely occasioned and so manifested And a very presumptuous sin it is in any Church to chuse an officer not thus trayned vp and tryed Wherevpon I conclude that brethren though not in officer have not their hands tyed from medling in the affaires of the Church especially the censures but are bound in their places to see to and assist in the reformation of publique scandalls and therefore are part of the Church to which an offender is to be complayned of for onely they are bound to see reformation of the evill to whom the complaint is to be made where Christ sayth Tell the Church It now remaynes we come to the other scripture which Mr B. turns so lightly over viz. 1 Cor. 5. which that wee may aright vnderstand for the present purpose two things must be considred the one whereof is what the Apostles scope is and what he intends in that Chap and the other what persons he interesseth in the busines about which he deales The Praelates with their obedient clergy do coÌ„stantly affirm that the Apostle there reprooves the Corinthiâ—ns for not complayning to him of the incestuous person that he might haue censured him and that he commaunds them being now judged by him as having the sole authority in his hands to exequute his sentence vpon him and this exposition Mr Bern. laboureth to confirm pag. 92. 94. 98. Wee on the contrary affirm that the Apostle in that scripture reproveth the Church of Corinth or them to whom he writes for suffring as they did that wicked man uncast out and that he now wills them to discharge that duty wherein they had formerly fayled in excommunicating him to which he also gives his consent going before them as his duty was in judging and withall avouching his presence in spirit that is in will and consent since he could not be bodily present with them And that this is the Apostles meaning it is much that any man reading the chapter with an honest heart should deny The arguments of proof are manifest in the particulars 1. They ought with sorrow to have put him out v. 2. 13. 2. They were gathered together in the name of the Lord Iesus and were by the power of the Lord Iesus to deliver the offender to Satan for his humbling that is to cast him out of the Church into the world where Satan reignes v. 4. 5. 3. A little leven leveneth the whole lump v. 6. wherevpon the Apostle alluding to the ancient custome of putting leven out of the houses when the Passeover was eaten bids the Church purge out the old leven that is the incestuous man that they might be a new lump v. 7. shewing therein that they were sowred become an old lump in not purging him out els what need they do any thing to become new But here sundry things are objected by Mr Bernard As first that a man may be where leven is and yet not be levened if he take not leven If by taking leven he mean enclyning or falling into the same sin it is idle to imagine that the whole Church was in any such daunger of incest Where 2. he addes that a man reproving the offender complayning of him and seeking as he may in his place reformation as Cloe did is not levened he colours with a few good words many fowl errours First that Cloe complayned of the incestuous man which was not so she coÌ„playned of the contentions amongst the Corinthians but that of the incestuous persoÌ„ was rather brought to Paul by common fame then otherwise 1 Cor. 5. 1. 2 That it is sufficient for the people yea or the Ministers eyther to reprove an offender so to complayn to the Bishops court of him 3. That a man is discharged if he seek reformation as he may in his place whereas it is first required a man have such a place or be in such a-a-Church as is capable of Gods ordinances and wherein he may vse the meanes for reformation which Christ hath left other wise his very place and standing is not of God nor may be by him continued Laâ—tly where he sayth that the incestuous man had not levened the Corinthians bycause Paul sayth ye are vnlevened v. 7. it is an ill collection For they were unlevened or sweet bread in their persons that is sanctified by the spirit but sowred or levened in the lump of communion by suffering that wicked man vncensured and the Apostles desire is that that wicked man might be cast out of the society that as they were severally pure or in their persons so the whole Church together or masse might be pure which before was polluted with his contagion 4. The Corinthians had formerly been taught by Paul not to coÌ„pany or be coÌ„mingled with fornicators covetous persons c that is according to the drift of the whole Chapter to cast them out and so haue neyther spirituall nor civil familiarity with them ver 9. here he reproves them for fayling in that duty 5. They to whom Paul writ were to judg them that were within are charged to use that power in putting away froÌ„ among themselves thaâ— wicked man v 12. 13. And thus the evidence for the first point is clear that they to whom Paul writ which were to be gathered together were to be gathered into the name of Christ by his power to bynde or deliver to Satan the offender as Math 18 18 19 20. were to purge out the old leven not to be commingled with the ungodly to judge them that were within to put away from among themselves the obstinately wicked And it is most untruly unconscionably affirmed by this man Pag 92. as I haue formerly observed that all that can be gathered from this place is that the censures are to be executed with the publick knowledge of them that are gathered together Now the 2. consideration is who those persons are thus to be gathered together upon whose shoulders the Apostle layes this duty of delivering to Satan purging but puting away judging this wicked man And for this I need no more then M B own confession in the place before named pag 92. where he expresly affirmeth that by them that there meet together is meant the body of the Church And though he and all the world should deny it yet would the truth of God stand which I thus manifest 1. They among whom the fornicatour was out of the middest of whom he was to be put which were puffed vp when they had rather cause of
of he is inferiour to the teaching Elders and deserves lesse honour then they For so the Apostle orders things RoÌ„ 12. 7. 8. 1 Tim. 5. 17. Now in making your Bishops Pastours Doctours you are double forgetfull of your self and double injurious vnto them and which is worse then both the rest you sin against the Lord his truth For the first in your former book you made your Bishops cheif officers in the Church and the successours of the Apostles and Evangelists and here you make them Pastours and Teachers which are the lowest orders of officers that Christ gave for the work of the ministery Ephe. 4. 11. 2. if your Bishops be Pastours and Teachers by their office what are you and the rest of your rank You and they have not the same office but you an office vnder them and so Pastours and Teachers being the lowest order that Christ hath left in his Church your order must needs be something vnder the lowest and of an others leavings then Christs 3. in making your Bishops the Pastours Teachers of the Church of England or the particular Churches in it you lay to their charge an accusation which they will never be able to answer at the day of the Lord which is their not feeding of so many thowsand sheep committed vnto them to be fedd and taught by them Lastly nothing is more vntrue and disagreable to the word of God then that your Provinciall and Diocesan Bishops are the Pastours and Teachers given by Christ to his Church There were no other ordinary officers left or appointed by the Apostles in the Churches but such as were fixed to particular congregations ordinarily called Bishops or Elders Act. 14. 23. 20. 17. 28. Phil. 1. 1. And if it can be shewed that by the word of God any other officers were left or appointed in the Church after the extraordinary officers Apostles Prophets Evangelists whose gifts and places vvere extraordinary besides such Bishops and Elders as vvere limited to particular Churches I vvill yeeld this vvhole cause in the point of the Ministery and so professe The other of Mr B. answer I mynd is about the power of Christ against sin Sathan Antichrist the want whereof Mr Ainsw and that truely objecteth against the English assemblyes Mr B. defence summarily is that there is in the Church of England the preaching of the word which is the power of Christ Rom. 1. 18. as also excommunication though not in every parrish yet in the Church of England in which is comprehended all parrishes and all superiour power over them For which let the Reader observe these particulars First a national Church since Christs death and the dissolution of the Iewish Church is amonstrous compound and savours of Iudaism Secondly if the mayn part of the power of Christ be to be administred in a particular congregation by the ordinary officers thereof namely the preaching of the gospell why not the inferiour part the censures also save that the Byshops to Lord it over all will keep this rod in their own hands Thirdly the Ministers whose judgments reasons you avouch both say and prove in the latter end of your book that this power is given to a particular congregation of faithful people Fourthly you your self lay it down as a mayn ground against popularity and withal sundry scriptures to prove it that Christ hath appoynted the same sorts of men in his Church for preaching administration of the sacraments and government Lastly it is apparant that the particular Church of Corinth gathered together in the name of the Lord Iesus had the power of the Lord Iesus for excommunication and so hath every other faythful assembly in the world as they had which since your assemblyes are not they may want this power without any great wrong the evil onely is that it resteth in a worse place then the worst parrish assembly the Bishops court or consistory I proceed Onely my desire is that the things which I have noted touching Christs kingly office be the more carefully observed by all the people of God and servants of Iesus in respect of that most direct opposition which in those latter dayes is made against it and the administration thereof For as in the first tymes after Christs comming in the flesh his prophetical office was directly impugned by Iewes and heathens so as it was †not lawful to speak in his name since that his preisthood by the masse-preisthood sacrifices in the popish Church so now in the last place doth Sathan in his instruments bend his force most directly against and with might and mayn oppose the sovereignty and crown of our Lord Iesus that he may not rule in his Church by his own officers and lawes The matter you say is not false and to shew this you note a difference between true matter false matter and no matter As you speak that which neyther any other nor yet your selfe can vnderstand of false matter so you call them no matter which make no profession of Christ at all â—â— Iewes Turkâ—s Pagans and all them true matter to wit visible which openly professe this â—â—yn truth that Iesus the sonne of Mery is the sonne of 〈…〉 Christ the Lord by whom onely and 〈…〉 they shal be saved Many greivous errours are bound vp 〈…〉 invective of Mr Bernards but for prophanenes this one surmounts them all For what can be spoken more prejudicial to the glorie of God or deragotory to the body of Christ hâ—â— that any person but pronouncing so many words how fil 〈…〉 ious soever he be in his life or what errours soever he mingle with this truth is notwithstanding true visible matter of the Church or a true member of Christs body visibly or so far as men can iudg and so must be received acknowledged Against this odious and prophane errour I wil first deal by some clear Arguments proving the contrary and then come to the allegations he makes for his vngodly purpose If all that professe this mayn truth Iesus the son of Mary c. be true matter of the Church then are most notable haeretiques true matter of the Church The Apellites Câ—rdoâ—â—ans and Marcioâ—â—â—es holding two contrary beginnings or Gods the one good the other evil the Macedonians denying the Holy Ghost to be God the Cerâ—â—â—hyans holding that Christ is not yet risen from the dead the Paternians affirming the inferiour parts of the body of man to be created of the Divill the Patricâ—â—â—â— holding so of the whole body the Novatians and Cathari denying repentance to them that sin the Nicholaitans holding community of all things the Swenk seldians and Enthusiasts denying the outward ministery wayting vpon the revelation of the spirit alone and with these many others as ill or worse then they professing notwithstanding this mayn truth as the most of them did and do Then are excommunicates true matter of the
the world yet not of it but chosen out of it and hated by it men fearing God and working righteousnes and so being accepted of God in what nation soever purchased with the blood of Christ and so made his flock saynts by calling and sanctifyed in Christ Iesus and calling vpon the name of the Lord Iesus Christ in every place such were the Churches in Iudâ—a Galily and Samaria the Churches in Galatia the 7 Churches in Asia and of such people gathered into so many distinct assemblyes ech entyre in her self having peculiar Bishops or Elders set over her for her feeding by doctrine and government did those particular Churches consist they thus separated from the rest both Iewes and Gentiles in every nation whether more or lesse were that chosen generation that royall Preisthood that holy nation and purchased people of the Lord. But that ever the whole nation and all the Kings naturall subiects in it should have been within the covenant of the Lord entituled by the word of the Lord to the seals of the covenant and all the other holy things depending vpon it is a popular and popish fantasy as ever came into mans brayn requyring a new-found land of Canaan for a seat of this national Church wherein no vncircumcised person may dwel and a new old testament for the policy and government of the same And lastly it makes all one them that Christ hath chosen out of the world and the world them that fear God work righteousnes and whom he accepteth in every nation and the nation it self the beloved of God at Rome and the sanctifyed in Christ Iesus at Corinth with the City of Rome and of Corinth then which what confusion can be greater But to admit that for truth which you so take namely that Rome in the sence wherein we speak sometymes was the true Church of God as Iudah and more specially that the English nation was as the nation of the Iewes and all and every person in it high and low received into covenant with the Lord to be his people and that he might be their God yet can it not be sayd of Rome that she stil remayns the true Church of God as Iudah did in her defection but on the contrary as she brake her covenant with God advancing by degrees that man of syn the sonne of perdition and adversary Antichrist till he was exalted into the throne of Christ and that mistery of godlynes in and according to which that Church was planted at the first degenerated into the mistery of iniquity so did the Lord for her adulteryes wherein she was incorrigible when they were come to the height break the covenant on his part and gave her as an harlot a bill of divorce and put her away and her daughter Engl. with her amongst the rest Now for the more full clearing of this truth I wil in the first place answer such reasons as Mr B. brings against it and that done lay down certayn arguments to disprove his Popish plea for that Romish Synagogue Onely in the mean whyle I wish him to consider that if Mr â—m deserve so severe a censure as he layes vpon him pag. 281. of this book for some favourable affirmations touching some things â—â— persons in Rome he himselfe is much more blame worthy that both professeth and pleadeth her the true Church of Christ and in the covenant of grace and salvation then which what greater and more notable plea can be made for her Nay if it be probable that he which pleads for Rome as Mr Smith doth will in tyme become â—n love with it and sit downe a blind Papist it is necessary that he which thinks it a true Church return vnto it from which he hath wickedly schismed as all men do that separate from the true Church of Christ for any corruptions whatsoever Here I do also entreat the prudent Reader to beare it in mynd that the constitution of England cannot be iustifyed nor she proved to be rightly gathered but with the defence of Rome yea of that great and purpled whore to be the true spouse of the Lord Iesus The Reasons by which Mr B. would prove Rome a true Church are by him reckoned five in number we wil consider of them in order The first is taken from the first planting of that Church in S. Pauls tyme by vertue of which former calling and constitution sayth he Rome still remaynes the Lords people as Israel did in the wildernes notwithstanding her idolatry I do answer first that Rome as we now consider of it was never the Lords called nor under his covenant though a Church or assembly in that city or it may be more then one of saynts were and secondly that though she were yet is the covenant broken through her fornications and impenitency in them both on her part and the Lords visibly and she devorced long a goe and her daughters in and with her His secoÌ„d Reason is grounded vpon 2 Th. 2. 4. because Antichrist that is sayth he that head with his body sitteth in the temple of God which he further tels vs must be vnderstood visibly in respect of the truthes of God in doctrine and ordinances of Christ held there of which Gods people among them partake in his mercy to their salvation and others from tyme to tyme have mayntayned openly to the preservation of some fundamental poynts of the Apostolical constitution Wherevpon he also concludes that since the temple of God typing out the Church wherein he sitteth hath a true constitution Rome and that in respect of the tyme present hath a true constitution and is a true Church He might also have added and ever shal be a true Church for Antichrist ever shal sit there til Christs second coÌ„ming v. 8. Many men have written much about the notes marks of the true Church by which it is differenced and discerned from all other assemblyes and many others have sought for it as Ioseph and Mary did for Christ with heavy hearts Luk. 2. 48. that they might there rest vnder the shadow of the wings of the Almighty enioying the promises of his presence and power But what needs all this a doe Mr B poynts vs out with the finger a mark of the true Church most evident and conspicuous and like a beacon vpon an high hill and that is the exaltation of Antichrist I had thought the Churches and people of God should have been known by his dwelling among them walking there and by Christs presence in the middest of them but I now perceive Antichrists power presence and exaltation is a sure signe by which the Churches of Christ must be discerned If any therefore desire to plant his feet in the courts of the Lords house and there to abide for ever let him be sure to chuse such a Church to ioyn to as wherein Antichrist sitteth
and combyne together as they did may cease to be the true Church of Christ and may eyther become no Church by forsaking all profession of Christianity or a false Church by holding and professing themselves stil Christians in fellowship with God through Christ when being considered by the revealed will of God and testament of Christ they are in truth in deed neyther the one nor the other And considering what Iohn sayth that he which loveth not his brother and so consequently cares not for his welfare which issueth from the former as the stream from the spring is not of God nor of his children but of the children of the Divel and withall that you your self right now did place the form covenant of the Church in a great measure in the manifestation and testimony of love in the members each to other and so consequently of care ech for the welfare of other I see not how that Church can be accounted the houshould of God consisting of his children by the word of God or the body of Christ vnited coupled together of his members by your owne doctrine where this love of and care for each other is visibly and outwardly wanting But to passe over all other things the point vpon which Mr B. insists and which he would most gladly fasten vpon the reader is that the power of the censures and of excommunication termed by the name of discipline howsoever it be a thing necessary for the wel being of the Church yet is it no essentiall property nor of such necessity but that a true Church may be without it And this wanting scriptures or reasons to confirm it he affirms again and again and in the end illustrates by a similtude taken from a man who is not therefore a false man though he can neyther see nor gâ—e nor speak It is recorded of one THEODOTIVS that having denied Christ in persequution to lessen his sin he went about to lessen Christ and taught that he was mere man and not God so many in the case of Christs government that their own and other mens sinne may seem lesser in not vsing or submitting vnto it do labour to extenuate and make it lesse excellent or vsefull then it is and therevpon one telles vs it is not a part of Gods worship nor of religion another that it is a thing indifferent arbytrary changeable a third that it is not simply necessary for the true Church as Mr B in this place The vnsoundnes of whose affirmation illustration I will by and by manifest the Lord assisting me in the mean while I do desire the reader to observe with me these two things in his writings about this point The former is that in labouring thus earnestly to perswade as here he doth that the power of excommunication is not of simple necessity he in effect graunts that which all men know to be true namely that the Churches in England do want this power Now if here he answer as he doth in his 2. book that though the power of excommunication â—e not in every parish yet it is in the Church of England in which is comprehended all paâ—rishes and all superiour power over these Parishes in which is the power of Christ I reply these particulars First that he might thus answer though one Bishop alone had engrossed into his hands all this power yea a Papist might answer thus for the Popes sole authority over all the Churches in the world yea though he should communicate the same with no other person or persons 2. Let this mans shifting be well noted When both in this and the other book he pleads for the Ministery in the Church he passes by the Nationall Provinciall and Diocesan Ministery and speaks onely of the Ministery in some parishes where some honest zealous preachers are but now comming to plead for the power of Christ in the Church he takes the contrary course and passing by the parishes takes his flight to the Nationall Provinciall and Diocesan Ministery there to find comfort 3. the quaestion here as he himself puts it pag. 125. of this book is about particular congregations which he sayth there are with them having true matter true form and true properties whereof excommunication is one To this also adde that in the end of his book he aâ—oucheth the Ministers affirmation that this power is given to the particular congregations in the land 4. lastly I haue formerly manifested from Mat. 18. 1 Cor. 5. that this power and praerogative is given to a particular congregation besides which the new testament acknowledgeth none other visible Church and if that one particular Church or congregation aâ— Corinth gathered together into the name of the Lord Iesus Christ had the promise of his presence and that he would be in the mâ—ddest of them and were by this power of the Lord Iesus Christ to deliver to Satâ—n purge out iudge and put away wicked men from among them for fayling in which duety they were reproved by the Apostle then why not every other particular Church or congregation of Gods people as well as that one espetially since that as all other scriptures was written for our learning and that there is but one Church or body as there is but one Lord one that is in matter form and essentiall properties The 2. thing I desire may be noted is that Mr B doth if not deceiptfully yet vnfitly comprehend the power of the censures vnder the care for the welfare of the Church since this power may be full and intire where the care is eyther very little or not at all as it came to passe in the Church of Corinth which had this power alwayes amongst them but neglected the vse of it and therein the care for the welfare of the Church which they should have had for which neglect they were reproved by the Apostle Now for the similitude I do except against it in a double respect first for that God doth oft times deprive a man of the naturall power of seing going and speaking by naturall infirmities within or bodily violence from without but Christ never deprives his Church of this spirituall power of excommunication neyther can it be impeached by any outward violence onely Antichrist exalting himself against all that is called God and intruding himself into the throne of Christ doth deprive the Church of God and of Christ of this liberty and power and so all those Churches or congregations over whom he thus vsurpeth receive his mark are in that respect subject to his judgement 2. Mr B as I have formerly observed doth most vnaptly coÌ„pare the power of casting out offenders to the faculty of seing speaking and the like it is more fitly resembled to the want of power to void and purge excrements which is prodigious in nature so neyther the naturall nor spirituall body so constituted can possibly consist or
live And for the parts of the body to which he here hath reference and the like they do more fitly resemble the officers of the Church then the ordinance of excoÌ„munication the eyes and mouth the Bishops and Elders which are to oversee and teach the Church the hands the Deacons who are to distribute her almes And aâ— there may be a true though an vnperfit naturall body without these parts so may there be a true visible Church or body of Christ without these officers though vnperfect and defective It now remayns I lay down some reasons to prove the power of the censures of excommunication simply necessary vnto the Church of Christ. The Reasons are First bycause it is simply necessary for the being of a Church that there be power for true members to joyn together and so to receive others vnto them even so consequently must there be power to disioyn and cut of false members 2. Excommunication and absolution are of the same nature with preaching the gospel yea the very same particularly applyed to persons obstinate and repentant which preaching is in the generall The preaching of the gospell is the power of God vnto salvation to every one that beleeveth excommunication is the power of the Lord Iesus Christ for the destruction of the flâ—sh of him that is otherwise incorrigible that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Iesus The preaching of the gospel makes the first or major proposition thus he that beleeves not and repents not is bound in heaven and hath his sinnâ— vnremitted but he that beleeves and repents his sinnâ— are pardoned and he loosed in heaven Now excommunication and absolution applyed to a particular person and occasion do make the second or minor proposition thus thou beleevest not or repentest not of this thy sinne and therefore thou art bound in heaven and thy sinnes vnpardoned and so of absolution or the loosing of sinns Adde also vnto these things that the same Bishops or Elders are to preach the gospel in way of doctrine and to minister the censures in way of discipline though in some divers order as I haue formerly shewed And these two being the two mayn duties of the Ministers comprehended vnder this generall duety of feeding the stock must needs be of the same nature both of them mayn and necessary parts of Gods vvorship and of religion and so to be performed vpon the Lords day as his work and in the assembly of the saynts as an exercise of their holy communion howsoever with you and others they are made a consistory and working day matter to the great violation and indignity of the kingdom of Christ in the dispensation of it in his Church 3. The want of excommunicating and censuring wicked men levens the whole lump and makes the whole particular congregation whereof they are accessary to their sinne and to purpose to continue in such a congregation or Church as hath not this power is to purpose to continue in disobedience to the commandement of the Lord Iesus which he hath layd vpon all his disciples to tell the Church in the order by him prescribed 4. Without the censures the Church becomes of Syon Babylon even the habitation of Divels and the hold of all â—owl spirits and a cage of every vnclean and hatefull byrd And so Mr B. in his forenamed catechisâ—â—â— teacheth that the holy and right vse of discipline and of excommunication serves to maintâ—yn the Church and to over throw haeresy that destroyes the foundation and other mischiefs And since haeresy destroyes the foundation as Mr B. teacheth and that there must be haeresies in the Church as Paul teacheth and that the Church cannot possibly be purged of them without excommunication that must needs be absolutely necessary to the Church without which the Church must absolutely necessarily come to naught To these I do adde as a fifth and last Reason that as the glorie of God salvation of them without are most furthered and advantaged by the holy conversation of the members of the Church and on the contrary most disadvantaged and hindered by their vnholy and prophane courses so is the power of excommunication by which solemn ordinance aloâ—e prophanenes impiety are rooted out of absolute necessity for the Churches of Christ. And of this point I desire the reader to take knowledge not onely as of a matter of truth but of conscience also and for practise That which Mr B reputes our nynth errour is our holding all their ministers false Ministers As I have formerly sayd of your Churches so say I here of your ministers that if one be false all are for all are of one constitution In deed Mr B if he might be let alone would save himself much labour this way by restreyning his defence to some few of the most able and conscionable men excluding the rest and therefore in his former book he speaks of such ministers as God hath furnished with gifts to discharge their functioÌ„ with holy graces a blamelesse lifâ— and in his 2. book he desires to be vnderstood of such as are sent of God and set over congregations according to the truth and true meaning of the lawes and book of ordination In which he doth directly exclude the Archbishops Bishops Suffragans Deanes Archdeacons Chauncelours Commissaries and with them all pluralists non-residents vnpreaching and prophane ministers For some of these are not set over congregations at all but over Provinces Diocesse others not in respect of their offices above named and others though they be set over particular Churches yet haue they neyther gifts nor graces for their function But as he were nothing faythfull vnto a city that vndertaking the defence of it should pâ—ck out here and there a corner most strong and defensible and fortify there leaving the body of the city to the invasion spoyl of any that would assault it so neyther is Mr B faythfull to the Ministery of England who pretending the defence of it against vs calls out here and there a man whom he will iustifie and leaves the body and all the principall members of it vndefended And here I would demaund of him why he doth not as well defend all the Ministers in this place as he did even now defend all the people or why a Minister so called though vnapt to teach and of a prophane life is not as well a true though a bad Minister as a Christian so called being ignorant and of a lewd conversation a a true though a bad Christian There is one and the same reason of both though Mr B have more reason for to plead the one then the other considering his own standing If he should plead for the ignorant and prophane Ministers he should deprive himself of all arguments for the justification of the preaching more conscionable sort for he rayseth them all as the
reader may see in both his books from their gifts and aptnes to teach from their holy graces their painfull and zealous preaching their suppressing of Popery and conversion of soules with other the like effects of the truthes of the gospel published and taught by them which things since he dares not affirm of the scandalous vnpreaching Preists he cunningly passeth them by as some small moat faln into the Church by the covetousnes of Much-wormly patrons but contrary to the true meaning of the lawes and without the least default of the Bishops or Archbishops as though the covetous Patrons could present them except the vngodly Bishops had first ordeyned them If he had undertaken the justification but as true though not as good both of the vnpreaching and preaching Ministers he must have sought and produced such Arguments as would haue agreed to both but finding himself able to make no shew at all for the ignorant idle and scandalous sort having no colours to paynt no morter to dawb over those filthy stones no not to any shew he smothers all them though far the greater both in number and authority and in deed the almost onely true formall ministers according to the Church canon and constitution and presents to the reader a few dispersed disgraced tolerated and tolerating persons and vndertakes their defence manifesting himself a right naturall merchant of that great whore in shewing some handfull of tolerable wares thereby to deceive the simple buyer with the whole peice or heap of rotten stuffe which goes with them Now on the contrary if Mr B. should not haue defended men of lewd conversation as true visible matter of the Church and members of Christs body he could not haue justifyed with any colour the Nationall Provinciall Diocesan and Parish Churches or any one of them as true since they were all at the first collected and do still consist for the greatest part of such people and so disposed He therefore takes liberty vnto himself to make such defence and for so much of his Church and Ministery as will serve his turn amongst the deceived multitude and of no more But the mayn point in this place about this matter in hand to be considered of is whether ability to preach be a qualification and so preaching a work necessarily required in the ministery of Engl according to the true meaning of the lawes ecclesiasticall civil and the book of ordination This Mr B. takes for graunted affirmatively and vpon it as a mayn ground builds his whole treatise about this matter but I on the contrary do affirm that this is so is known to be to all that mind it with wisdom good conscience cleane otherwise and that neyther this ability nor practise of preaching is of necessity required to the true and naturall constitution of the English ministery in the meaning of the lawes established in that case And for the confirmation of that I affirm against this mans presumptuous asseveration these proofs suffice First the books of Homilies published and confirmed by law to be read of such ministers as cannot preach do evidently declare that ability to preach is not necessarily required of all in the true meaning of the law 2. By the statute law of the land and in particular by one statute enacted for the prevention of vnworthy ministers though wanting the book I cannot set down the title tyme or order of it he that is eyther a Bachilour of arts in one of the Universities or can give an account of his faith in latin or hath been brought vp in a Bishops house though he haue been his porter or horsekeeper or hath a gift in preaching is capable of orders and may be by the Bishop ordeyned a minister so that by the expresse letter and playn meaning of the law aptnes and ability to teach is not necessarily required in the English ministery If he haue any one of the three former qualifications the law approves of him and being ordeyned the Patron may present him to any congregation in the land whom the Bishop also must institute the Archdeacon induct and the people receive and may be therevnto compelled whither they will or no. Adde vnto these that your canons and constitutions framed by the convocation house and confirmed by the Kings royall assent so being the lawes ecclesiasticall of your Church by your doctrine Mr B. the Act of all the Church though the inferiours come not to consent do not onely approve an vnpreaching Ministery but also lay deep curses and Anathemaes vpon all that deny eyther the truth or lawfulnes of it To this also I might annex that it is a very common doctrine with your Prelates and their Chaplins and faction that preaching is no necessary annexum or appurtenance vnto Orders which they also offer to defend against all gainsayers But it seems you haue speciall reference to the book of ordination let vs therefore see what it makes for you or your purpose That you build vpon I know iâ— these words of the Bishop when he orders his Preist and delivers him the Bible in his hand Take thou authority to preach the word of God and to minister the holy sacraments in this congregation where thou shalt be so appointed The words I hear and acknowledge but the true meaning of the book I deny it to be that every Minister should be able to preach It may as wel be sayd it is the meaning of the book that that every Preist should be ordeyned in the particular congregation where he is to minister bycause of the latter words in this congregation where thou shalt be so appoynted and that he is to minister the discipline of Christ as well as the doctrine and sacraments bycause such words passe betwixt him and the Bishop in another place of the same book It is not the least delusion of Sathan or mistery that such formes of good wordes are reteyned both in the Romish English Church without any truth eyther of purpose or practise in those which vse them for by them the eyes of the simple are easily bleared by such deceivable merchants as right now I spake of though it be not without a speciall providence of God that these the like forms of words should be vsed for the more full conviction and condemnation of them that chuse to be deceived as I have formerly noted in this book To conclude this poynt The reading of the service book in form and maner the celebrating of mariage churching of women burying of the dead conformity and subscription are more essentiall to your ministery and more necessarily requyred by the lawes of your Church both civil and ecclesiasticall then preaching of the gospel is The wearing of the surplice and signing with the crosse in baptism are of absolute necessity without partial dispensation yea I may ad violation of oath by the Bishops whereas preaching of the word is no
the constitution for the ministery in it Now where you adde that Luther and other worthy Ministers of Christ were raysed vp out of the Romish Church you wrong him them and the truth in them whilst you would gratifie Rome and England Luthers Ministery from Rome was his Fryardome and is a Fryar a true minister of Christ by his office or of Artichrist whither Besides look what ministery the Church of Rome gave him it took from him and lastly if he had been a true officer or minister of the Church of Rome it had been sinne in him to have left his charge Touching the baptism received in the Romish Church I have formerly spoken and of our reteyning it but not our Ministery I shall speak hereafter That which is worthy consideration in the fourth Argument is the enterance into the ministery in the substance of which he tells vs there is nothing wanting by their lawes For touching the ability and desyre to teach and other graces he speaks of they no more make a minister then courage the feare of God true dealing and the hatred of of covetousnes make every man a Magistrate that is so indowed Now this entrance he layes down in 4. particulars 1. presentation 2. election 3. probation 4. ordination with imposition of hands But these in such confusion and with so many contradictions as do evidently shew what monsters an ill cause a vayn spirit meeting together will gender and bring forth First in his former book pag. 136. he places the whole calling or as he speakes the making of a Minister in ordination and comprehends vnder it as the 3. parts of it 1. examination 2. election 3. admission with imposition of hands In his second book he makes ordination but the fourth and last part of his calling pag. 295. as in deed it is and the same with admission The reason why he would thus advance ordination is bycause that in Engl is all in all being done by a Bishop yea though it be by the Bishop of Rome And so they call their book they make ministers by the book of ordination not the book of election or choise or calling of Ministers The Bishops Lordship swallowes vp the peoples liberty and if he but lay his hands vpon a man bid him Receive the H. Ghost he is a minister of the Church sufficiently ordered 2. Where in his former book he puts examination or probation before election in his â— he would haue election first and the probation or tryal of the partyes gifts and graces to come afterwards mis-interpreting that which is written 1 Tim. 3. 10. of probation to be made before election And the Reason of this I conceive to be bycause the Ministers in England are not onely elected but fully made before any such tryall be taken of them But I come to the particulars and first to that which he calls presentation for which he quotes Act. 1. 23 and 6. 6. In which scriptures especially in the latter of them he is much mistaken the presentation there spoken of not being before but after election The cause I suppose of this his confused wryting is the confused practise in his Church wher the Patrone presenteth his clerk both after his chusing and ordeyning But for the thing it self vnderstanding by presentation the nomination of the person to be chosen or considered of for choyce as the officers are in all other things to goe before the people so in this ordinarily provided alwayes the brethrens liberty be not infringed but that they may present or nominate others if any amongst themselves seeme more fit Now for the examination and tryall of the partyes gifts and graces as we all know what it is in the Church of England where if a man have the gift of subscription conformity canonical obedience though other gift or grace he have none he is a tryed minister and so reputed which if he want be his other gifts and graces never so eminent he is neyther to enter into nor being entred to continue in his Ministery so do the things which you write in your former book touching this tryall examination of men before they be choseÌ„ into the Ministery notably condemn both the ministery of your Church which you labour to iustify and on the contrary iustify sundry practises amongst vs which els where you condemn for notable errours The particulars are these 1. First that the gifts of him that is to be chosen must be examined according to those things which the place wherein he must be requireth and God hath commaunded 2. that the place or office of the Ministery consisteth principally in the preaching of the word administration of the sacraments and prayer 3. that the first namely the preaching of the word is to be preferred in the first place as being first imposed Math. 10. 28. 29. and most necessary both to beget and preserve a people Iam. 1. 18. Prov. â—9 15. 4. that the knowledge zeale and vtterance of of â—â—â— party to be elected must be examined Whereupon these things follow First that by your own graunt men out of office may preach administer the sacraments and prayer and so exercise their gifts and graces of knowledge zeal vtterance But as there is some difference in the respect in hand between the sacraments on the one side and the word and prayer on the other bycause there is no speciall gift required for the administration of them as there is for the latter so is the exercise of prophesying and prayer out of office so much impugned by you vndenyably iustified by this your own position And as it is a very presumptuous evill to call any man into the office of a teaching Elder whose gift in teaching hath not been sufficiently tryed out of office so is it no lesse presumption in a Church to set a man over herself for government of whose both ability faithfulnes in the reproving censuring of sinns and in other publick affaires of the Church she hath not taken good tryall 2. If this be true that the office of the Ministery consist principally in the preaching of the word and administration of the sacraments prayer how is that true for which you have so much contended in the former part of your book that the authority to censure offenders is in the cheif officers and governers of the Church as their speciall prerogative Can a lesse principall work be the peculiar priveledge of a more principall office It is against the light of nature and common reason More particularly this observation by you truely made with that also which followeth namely that the preaching of the word is to be praeferred in the first place overthrowes the order both of the Prelacy and Preisthood of your Church For if the preaching of the gospel be the principall work of the Ministery and to be preferred in the first place then are not your Provinciall and Diocesan
that is that it comes not to passe without the speciall providence and ordination of God that such and such men should rise vp and preach such and such truthes for the furtherance of the salvation of Gods elect in the places where they come They which preached Christ of envy and strifâ— to ad more afflictions to the Apostles bonds were in this respect sent of God and therefore it was that the Apostle toyed aâ— their preaching How much more they that preach of a sincere mind though through ignorance or infirmity both their place enterance into it be most vnwarrantable Iosephs brethren the Paâ—râ—arks did of hâ—â—red and envy sell him into Aegypt and yet the sâ—ripturâ—s testifie that God sent him thither And the same God which could vse their malice by which he vvas sold into Aegypt for the bodyly good of his people there even he can vse the power of Aâ—tichrist by which the Ministers in the Church of England haue their calling for the spirituall good of his people there And yet neyther the secondary meanes of Iosephs sending nor of the Ministers eyther entry or standing any thing at all the more warrantable The other scripture is 1 Cor. 9. 2. of which I haue spoken something formerly others much more in which for the avoiding of ambiguity I consider these two things First what the Apostle purposeth to prove and 2. the medium or Argument by which he proves his purpose Touching the former it is evident his purpose is to prove himself an Apostle in the most strict and propper sense hovvsoever Mr B. triâ—les contrary to the false insinuations of his adversaries which bare the Churches in hand against him that he was onely an ordinary Minister or at least inferiour to the Apostles and had his calling and other ministrations from and vnder them as appeareth 1 Cor. 9. 1. 2 Cor. 10. 16. and 12. 12. Gal. 1. 1. 17. 18. 19. 2. 6. 7. 8. 9. The Argument to prove this which he also calles the seal of his Apostlâ—ship and his work Mr B. â—akes the Lords effectuall working by his Ministery in the conversion of sâ—ules vnto God Touching which his affirmation I desire first to know whether this conversion of the Corinthians by Paul were to sanctification of life yea or no If he say no he gainsayes the Apostle and his testimony of them who writing vnto the Church at Corinthus confesseth them there to be sanctified in Christ Iesus and Saints by calling and again advertising them that neyther fornicaâ—ours nor theeves nor covetous nor drunckards nor raylers nor extortioners should inherit the kingdoÌ„ of heaven he testifieth of theÌ„ that such were som of theÌ„ but sayth he ye ar washed but ye ar sanctified but ye are iustified in the name of the L. Iesus and by the spirit of our God Besides if Pauls work were not the work of sanctification vpon the Corinthians how will M. B. rayse his Argument for the Ministers in England from their work of sanctification vpon the people there If on the other side he say that the conversion by Pauls ministery was vnto sanctification he contradicts himself in his own distinction of double conversion pag. 307 of his 2. book where he allowes vnto the Romayns Corinthians and Ephâ—sians onely the primary conversion which is to the profession of Christ but not the secondary which is to sanctification of life In which his distinctioÌ„ as he idly imagins a true coÌ„versioÌ„ without sanctification so doth he highly detract from the APOSTLE PAVL as if he had not converted men to sanctification or had gathered Churches of persons unsanctified outwardly and in the judgement of charity 2. How can the simple conversion of men prove both Mr Ber. an ordinary Minister which he would be and Paul no ordinary Minister but an extraordinary Apostle which he would be 3. If conversing be a sign of a true Minister then are both the Bishops in Engl and the Ministers in the reformed Churches true Ministers for without doubt some of both haue bene instrumeÌ„ts vnder God of mens conversioÌ„ but that is impossible considering how the Ministery of the one wheresoever it comes eats vp destroyes the other Yea then should both the Ministers of Engl and we here of the separation who haue as M. B truely answers Mr Smyth renounced our Ministery received from the Bishops and do exercise an other by the peoples choise be true Ministers of Christ for as they there avouch this work of conversion so have wee also here bene made partakers of the same grace of God found hiâ— blessing even that way vpon our Ministery also 4. As it was the most proper work of an Apostle to convert Heathens to the Lord and in Christ Iesus to beget them through the Gospel and so to planâ— Churches not reioycing in the things already prepared by others but to preach the gospel even where Christ had not been named so is it on the other side the Pastors work to feed theÌ„ that are already begotten converted praepared and therefore the Apostle Paul comprehends the whole Pastours and Elders duty vnder the feeâ—ing of the flock all and every part whereof he avoucheth in the iudgement and evidence of charity to be purchased with the blood of Christ. And what is a Pastour but a sheepheard and over what flock is a sheepheard set but over a flock of sheep and who are sheep but they which haue layd asyde their goatish and swynish nature which till men haue learnt to do they are rather swyne and goats then sheep and so are they which keep them rather swyneheards and goteheards then sheepheards But here two exceptions made by Mr Bernard in his second book must be satisfied The former is that the Pastour is to feed such litle ones as are borne in the Church the other that he is to reclaym such vnto sanctification as fall to wickednes To the former exception I do answer First that Paul in the place in hand rayseth no argument at all from any work vpon the â—â—â—lâ— ones born in the Church of Corinth but vpon the men of riper years whom he turned from idolatry to the true God 2. Even â—â—â—lâ— ones born in the Church may in their order and after their manner be sayd to be converted or turned vnto the Lord or born agayne which are all one otherwise being by nature children of wrath born in iniquity and conceived in sin how could they be reputed holy yea how could they possibly be saved or enter into Gods kingdoÌ„ Ioh. 3. 5. And since you graunt Mr B. that the Pastor is to feed those litle ones do you not therein acknowledge they are converted or borne a new In the preface of your book you would haue men begotten after they were born and here you will haue them fed before they be borne Now for those little ones as wee are
to repute them holy in regard of the Lordes covenaunt and do therefore set his seale vpon them so are their parents even from their cradle to bring them vp in instruction information of the Lord and so to prepare them for the publique ministery vnto which if they in their riper yeares give obedience in any measure they are so to be continued in the Church if other-otherwise they are in due time as vnprofitable branches to be lopped of and so cease to be of the Pastours charge Secondly for men falling into wickednes in the Church if they continue obstinate and irreclamable then are they in order to be consured and so the Pastour is discharged of them if on the contrary God vouchsafe them repentance this cannot be called a conversion of them to sanctification but a restoring or recovering of them out of some particular evill or evils into vvhich through infirmity they are falln So that the doctrine stands sound for any thing that Mr Bernard hath sayd or that eyther he or any other man can say that the Pastours office stands in feeding not in converting as also that Pauls scale and work was not the bare conversion of the Corinthians but their conversion from heathenism plantation into a Church and these with the signes of an Apostle even signes and wonders and great works 2 Cor. 12. 12. Lastly that the simple be not deceived and eyther give honour where it is not due or give it not where it is due let them consider that the conversion of a man is no way to be ascribed to the order or office eyther of Apostles or Pastours but onely to the word of God which by the inward work of the spirit is the power of God to salvation to them that beleeve it is the law of the Lord that converts the soule The word of the kingdome is that good seed which being sown in good ground prospereth to the bringing forth of fruit to life whether he that sow it be in a true office or in a false office or in no office at all And though it be true which Mr B. saith in his former book that the Ministers in England do preach as publik Officers of that Church yet doth their Office confer or help nothing at all to the conversion of men It is the blessing of God vpon the mayn truthes they teach not vpon their office of Preisthood which converts which truthes if they taught without their office eyther before they were called to it or being deprived of it would without doubt be as effectuall as they are yea much more by the blessing of God as appears in this that such amoÌ„gst them as make least account of their office formally received from the Prelates are the most profitable instruments amongst the people where on the contrary the professed formalists cleaving vnto their office and order canonically are generally vnprofitable eyther for the conversion or confirmation of any to or in holines To conclude then the turning of men vnto holynes of life is no iustification of your office of ministery or calling vnto it but of such truthes as are taught amongst you which all men are bound to hold and honour as we also do though we disclaym the order and power in and by which they are ministred The seventh and last argument Mr B. takes from certayn properties of true sheepheards layd down Ioh. 10. which he also affirmeth the Ministers of the Church of England have the first whereof is that they go in by the dore Iesus Christ that is by his call and the Churches which as he sayth he hath proved at large In so saying he speaks at large let him prove that the Bishop or Patron or eyther of them is in Christs place set by him to chuse Ministers or that they are the Church to which he hath committed the power of calling and choosing them and answer the Reasons brought to the contrary otherwise his large proving will appeare but a large boasting and he will give men occasion to remember the proverb It is good beating a proud man The 2. property wherewith he investeth them is that the porter openeth vnto them by which porter Mr Smith means the Church for which Mr B reviles him out of measure making the porter invisibly Gods spirit visibly the authority committed by the Church vnto some for admitting men into the house the Church of God which sayth he is a sensible exposition according to the custome with us and in Iudaea As there are many true ministers in respect of men which enter not in at all by the spirit of God or any motion of it as it was with Iudas is with all hypocrites who for by-respects take that calling vppon them so is Mr Smithes exposition making the Church the porter far more probable then yours who make the porter the authority of the Church coÌ„mitted to some for the admission of men Is not the porter a person rather then a thing And who that hath but common sense will not rather by the porter vnderstand the person or persons having authority then the authority which he or they have And if you Mr B. had but remembred what you write of the properties of the Church pag. 237. 138. making as here you do the porter or authority of the Church a property of a sheepheard you would I suppose in modesty have forborn the charging of Mr Smith to have his braynes intoxiâ—ated by his new wayes to be madded by his own fantasies in religion for wryting in this poynt as he doth And for the thing it self it is evident that Christ Iesus is properly the sheepheard of the sheep here spoken of and that therefore the authority of the Church can be no porter for hi enterance or admission I do therefore rather think that by the porter is meant God the father whose care and providence is ever over his flock who therefore hath called and appoynted his sonne Iesus Christ to be that good sheepheard who gave his life for his sheep And if you will apply this to ordinary Pastours and their calling then sure by the porter must be meant such as have received this liberty power from Christ by the hands of his Apostles for the chusing and appoynting of ministers which I am sure of all others are not the Romish or English Bishops Christ would never have the wolves to appoynt his sheep their sheepheards The 3. property of good sheepheards which you chalenge to your selves is that they call their own sheep by name that is they take notice of their people of their growth in religion â—â—d do abyde with them diligently watching over their flockes as by true and faithfull promise made in the open congregation they be bound in their ordination It must here be observed as before that Christ speaks onely of himself properly for of him onely it can be sayd that the
circumcision was admitted into the teÌ„ple into which no mâ—n vncircumcised might enter and to the participation of the Passeover whereof none vncircumsed person might eat But that any person should by vertue of his office of Preisthood received in that or the like apostasie have entered into the Lord sanctuary there to have done the Preists office vpon any repentance whatsoever had been an intollerable vsurpation sacrilegious invasion of the holy things of God yea the sonnes of Aaron themselves vnto whom the Preisthood did of right apperteyn if they thus went astray from the Lord after idols were for ever debarred from doing the Preists office notwithstanding any repentance they could make and were to beare all their lives long their iniquity and shame Now by that which hath been spoken of circumcision and the preisthood vnder the law the reader may easily observe the difference betwixt Baptism and the Ministery now The particular application for brevities sake I forbear 4. and lastly the difference betwixt Baptism and the Ministery is exceeding great in respect of that speciall and most necessary relation which the MINISTERY aboue Bapâ—ism hath vnto the CHVRCH whether we respect the enterance into it or continuance in it Wee do read in the scriptures that holy men called thereunto of GOD might lawfully administer BAPTISM vnto fit persons without the consent or cognition of the Church as PHILIP did the SAMARITANS and the EUNUCH ANANIAS SAUL PETER CORNELIUS PAUL LIDIA and the IAYLOUR but now for the appointing of Ministers without the Churches consent and choise that did they not as the scriptures testify M. B. himself coÌ„fesseth And as the enterance of ordinary officers of which we speak doth necessarily praesuppose a Church by whose election they are to enter so doth their coÌ„tinuance require a Church in which as in a subject they must subsist to which they must minister For since the oâ—â—iâ—â— of a Bishop is a work a man is no loÌ„ger a Bb. theÌ„ he worketh It is not with the office of ministery as it is with the order of knighthood that once a Minister ever a Minister The Popish Character is a mere fiction brought in for the confirmation of the sacrament of orders as they call it Whensoever the scriptures do mention Elders or Bishops eyther in respect of theyr calling or ministration they still speak of them as in or of such and such particular Churches and none otherwise And to imagine an Elder or Bishop without a Church is to imagine a Constable without a parrish or hundred a Maior or Alderman without a Corporation or a publique officer without some publique person or society whose officer he is Herevpon also it followeth that if the Church be dissolved by death apostacy or otherwise the Minister ceaseth to be a Minister bycause the Church ceaseth in relation vnto which vnder Christ his Ministery consisteth but on the contrary a baptized person remayns still baptized though the whole Church yea all the Churches of the world be dissolved so long as God his Christ remayn the same into whose name he hath been baptized And of the same consideration is it that a Minister may for some scandalous sin be degraded and deposed from his Ministery as I have formerly shewed as all Churches practise and so that which vvas formerly given him is taken from him and he no more a Minister then he was before his caling yea if he remayn obstinate in his sin he is to be excommunicated so ceasing to be a member he must needs cease to be a Minister of the Church But neyther do the scriptures mention neyther did any Church ever attempt the vn-baptizing of a baptized person And as a man may justly be deposed from his Ministery so may he in cases lawfully depose himself and lay it down as if by the hand of God he be vtterly disabled from ministring as it may come to passe oft tymes doth but for a man to lay down his baptism for any such infirmity were impious as it were sacrilegious for the Church to deprive him thereof To these considerations I might also adde that if a man forfeyt his Ministery and so be deprived of it eyther by deposition or excommunication and be afterwards vpon his repentance judged capable of it he must have a new calling or a confirmation at the least answerable vnto a calling so must it also be with him that is translated from an inferiour office to a superiour but in baptism there may be no such changing or repetition The practise were haereticall Adde vnto these things that as a man once baptized is alwayes baptized so is he in all places and Churches where he comes as a baptized person to enjoy the coÌ„mon benefits of his baptism to discharge the coÌ„mon duties which depend vpon it But a Pastour is not a Pastour in every Church where he comes vpon occasion neither can he require in any other Church saving that one over which the H Ghost hath set him that obedience maintenance and other respect which is due to the officers from the people neyther stands he charged with that Ministery and service which is due to the people from the Officers if you Mr B. say otherwise you make every Pastour a Pope or vniversall Bishop Epaphras though he were at Rome was one of them that is a Minister of Collossus so were the Elders of Ephesus though they were at Miletum the Elders of Ephesus onely but of none other Church and charged to feed the flock over which the holy Ghost had set them but none other for over none other had the holy Ghost set them And as a Maior out of his Corporation a Shiriffe out of his County a Constable out of his Parish or Hundred is no Maior Shiriffe or CoÌ„stable but in relation to that particular body of which he is neither can he perform any proper act of his office without vsurpation so neyther is a Bishop or Elder a Church Officer save in his owne particular Church and charge and in relation vnto it neyther can he without ambitious vsurpation perform any proper work of his Office or Ministèry save in that Church by and to which in his ministration he is designed And thus much to shew the difference betwixt that relative ordinance of the Ministery and that personall ordinance of Baptism in the Church as also to prove that we do lawfully and with good warrant disclaym and renounce the Ministery received in Rome England notwithstanding we reteyn the Baptism received both in the one and the other To which also I could adde if there were need or vse both the judgement of the learned at home abroad and the practise of the reformed Churches where we live for the continuing of the Baptism in Rome received but no more of the Masse preists for Ministers then of the Masse it self for which they were ordeyned But it is
manner of arguing If this lyne hold from Peter to the Pope and from the Pope to his clergy and so successively to the Ministery of England then it stands vpright if it break then doth the ministery of England which as Mr Bernard truely honestly confesseth is thus raysed fall flat to the ground as indeed it doth according to the foretelling of the Angel it is fallen it is fallen Babylon the great City But here it wil be demaunded of me how the Lords people comming out of Babylon separating from Rome are to obteyn and enjoy Ministers Surely one of these three wayes Eyther by the extaordinary immediate or miraculous designation of God or by succession or by the same peoples choise or appointment to which they are to minister To expect ministers by the first meanes were fancy and presumption so that by one of the two other wayes they must come necessarily The power of the holy things of God so specially of erecting the minstery is eyther tyed to the order of office so to the order of to the Popeship Praelacy under it or els to the faith of the people of God forsaking BabyloÌ„ joyning together in the covenant of AbrahaÌ„ fellowship of the gospel The former of these though Mr B be driveÌ„ to plead it in the proof of succession yet in the defence of it he is forced to disclaym disavow yeelding the Romish Ministery to be Idolatry and superstition and that he speaks of such a succession as requires with it a true office true doctrine true sacraments and prayer pag. 188. and agayn that he meanes by succession a continuance of Gods ordinance by persons elected thereto from tyme to tyme being of spirituall kindred by the fayth of doctrine by which the ordinance is vpheld and true succession mainteyned pag 190. With which graunt of his I might rest as indeed wherein he yeeldeth the whole cause and cutts off as it were with his own hands the cord of true succession in the Ch of Rome making it to fayl when the truth of doctrine and of election fayled in the same Ch But bycause it is so common a thing with him to say and vnsay and to say agayn the same things eyther forgetting himself or thinking others forgets or bycause he would say something to every thing though never so contrary both to the truth and himself in another place I will presse Mr Smythes other Arguments The third of which is that by the doctrine of succession men are bound absolutely to sin in joyning to the sinns of the Minister This is sayth Mr B to take vnproved a principle of Brownism to overthrow a truth namely that a man cannot receive the holy things of God but he must needs sin with others And is it so indeed Doe not the scriptures every where teach men to avoyd reiect and hold accursed false teachers haeretiques and idolaters and not to partake in the sinne of others eyther by practising them or giving consent or countenance vnto them Wherevpon it followeth that the doctrine which binds the Ministery and other holy things of God vnto succession and thereby to partake with haeretiques and false teachers or at least with such in their ministration as have received the power and authority by which they minister froÌ„ the Pope and his Praelacy bynds men to sinne in joyning with the sinns of the Ministers Of the Iewish Church Preisthood which Mr Berâ—here objects I haue spoken formerly and do now adde that as no man is now so tyed to any Church or Ministery in the world as was every faythfull person in the world then to that one temple and Preisthood at Ierusalem so neyther could any man then without sinn communicate with an â—aereticall or idolatrous Preist especially ministring in a false office and by the like calling and coÌ„mission which the Ministers both in Rome and England doe In the 4. Argument Mr Ber deales dishonestly Mr Smiths inference vpon the doctrine of succession is that then the Lord hath made the Ministers Lords over the Church so that the Church cannot have or enjoy any of the Lords ordinances or holy things except they will consent vnto them for the holy things are in their power Now Mr Ber. onely trifles about the word Lord and passeth by the substance of the inference which is most sound vpon the doctrine For if the Lords ordinances and holy things be tyed to the Ministers then without their consent there can be no vse of them And so where Ministers eyther are not or not willing to coÌ„municate them there can be no Church no electioÌ„ of Ministers no keyes of the kingdom and so no salvation as I have formerly manifested vpon Math. 16. 19. The sum of Mr Smithes 5. Argument is that then the Pope may excommunicate the whole Church vniversall the Bishops their whole Dioceses and Provinces and the Praesbytery the particular Church whereof it is Your answer Mr Bernard is that this were to do the Pope a great favour to prove him to have an vniversall power c. and 2. that by this sequell of Mr Smythes this absurdity would follow that the Bishop might cast out the Church out of the Church It is you that do the Pope this great favour though you would not own it For if the Ministery make the Church and that Rome be a true Church then must the ministery of Rome be true specially of the Pope from which the other is derived as from the head Agayn if the ordinatioÌ„ by the Bishops in the impure Church of Rome be the Lords order as you expresly affirm p. 145. of your former book then must the Popes vniversall power by which the Bishops doe vniversally ordeyn be the power of the Lord which from him he hath received for that purpose They which hold that the power of the keyes was given first immediately to the Apostle Peter so to the Popes of Rome his successours they hold that the Pope may excommunicate the whole Church so they which hold the Bishop or his substitute to be meant where Christ sayth tell the Church they must necessarily hold that the Bishop or his substitute may excommunicate his whole Province or Dioces and so of them which hold the Praesbytery to be the Ch there spoken of for the particular assembly over which it is The Church there meant may excoÌ„municate any brother or brethren whom or how many soever that refuse to hear her as the Church of Corinth to whoÌ„ Paul writ might judge all them which were within and not without vnder the Lords iudgement The substance of the seventh last objection is for the 6. hath no weight in it that the doctrine of succession overthrowes it self and the Reason is bycause one POPE doth not make another by ordination whyles he lives but the Cardinals do by Election make the new Pope after the death of the former So that the Pope receiving his
yet if eyther there be no former as at the first or that the former be dead or vpon necessity absent when his successour entereth then is this Ceremony and work performed by some other the fittest instrument neyther need that City borrow an officer of another City neyther could he intermedle there without vsurpation though both the Corporations haue the same Charter vnder the same King so is it in this spirituall Corporation and City of God the Church the former officers if there be any in that particular congregation are to ordeyn such as succeed but if none be to be found this Corporation is not to goe to the next to borrow an officer or two but may vse such fit persons as shee hath for that service so absolutely necessary neither may the officers of an other Corporation do the acts of their office in that except they be eyther Apostles or Evangelists and have generall charges or rather except they will make themselues Popes as indeed this exorbitant and roving course makes as many vniversall Bishops in respect of power so likewise of exequution if there be occasion as there are officers in all the Churches But to come vnto the scriptures it hath been formerly noted that the first born in the family before the law did perform the preists office in whose place the Levites were afterwards substituted Now as the Preists of the Levites did not enter vpoÌ„ their office without solemn consecration nor the ministers of the new testament vpon theirs without solemn ordination or appoyntment so neyther can it be conceived that the first borne did take vnto themselues the honour to administer without some solemnity performed to or vpon them by their predecessours so we read that when Isaak conveyed the blessing and birthright to Iacob he kissed him as did Iacob also lay his right vpon the head of Ephraim when with the blessing he did transfer the birthright to him from Manasseth But if the father of the family were suddainly taken away or dyed before his first borne were capable of this ministration then could he not thus solemnly resigne or transmit to him the office or work but there must needs have been some interposition of another if any solemn admission at all were required To come lower When the Levites were given at the first to the Lord as a redemption of the first borne for the service of the tabernacle wee do find that the people did by putting their hands vpon them offer and ordeyn them as their shake offering and gift vnto the Lord. But this liberty which the people here vsed by the Lords appoyntment at the first and when the first officers were consecrated in the Church we do not read to have continued or so to have been vsed in the consecration of the succeeding Levites ordinarily And as the Lord would have the people to vse this speciall liberty in the first institution and consecration of the Levites in that Church which notwithstaÌ„ding they vsed not in the ordinary consecration of such Levites as followed when the Ch was once furnished with officers so doth the holy Ghost give testimony of the same or the like liberty vsed by them afterwards vpon a speciall occasioÌ„ and in that general confusioÌ„ which fel vpoÌ„ the whole Church when the Preists were slayn and the Ark of God was taken by the Philistims It is then noted 1 Sam 7. 1. that vpon the message from the men of Bethshemesh the men of Kirjath-iâ—arim came and took vp the ark of the Lord and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill and that they sanctified Eleazar his Sonne to keep the Ark of the Lord. And the very same word which is vsed Exod 29. 1. where the Lord bids Moses consecrato the sonns of Aaron to be Preists is vsed in this place where the men of Kirjath-iâ—arim sanctified Eleazar to keep the ark sanctification consecration being all one in substance and the word the same in the originall Lastly the Apostle Paul writes to the Churches of Galatia to reject as accursed such ministers whomsoever as should preach otherwise then they had already received and the same Apostle wrytes to the Church at Colossus to admonish Archippus to take heed to his ministery so did Iohn also to the Church of Ephesus coÌ„mending it for examining and so consequently for silencing such as pretended themselues Apostles and were not as also to the Church of Thiatyra reproting it for suffering vnsilenced the false Prophetesse lezabell now as these things did first and principally concern the officers who were in these and all other thinges of the same nature to goe before and governe the people so were the people also in their places interessed in the same buesines and charge neyther could the officers sin if they were or should haue been corrupt or negligent discharge the people of their duety in the things which concerned them but they were bound notwithstanding to see the commandements of the Apostles and of the Lord Iesus by them exequuted accordingly And if the people be in cases and when their officers fayl thus solemnly to examine admonish silence and suppresse their teachers being faulty and vnsound then are they also by proportion where officers faile to elect appoynt set vp and over themselues such fit persons as the Lord affoardeth theÌ„ for their furtherance of fayth and salvation In the 2. place I do adde the conclusion vnto the praemises lately proved that since the people of God going out of Babylon must come vnder the Lords order and officers and may not receive them by succession from the Pope and his Clergy nor are to expect them immediatly from heaven therefore they themselves are to call and appoynt them for the Lords and their owne service vnder him 3. Vpon the former ground that the Lords people must come out of Babylon build a new the Lords temple in Ierusalem even themselves their soules and bodyes for a spirituall house and that the Levites and Preists of the Lord must minister there it is necessary we consider by the scriptures what course hath been takeÌ„ formerly for the furnishing of this house thus newly built of the Church newly constituted with officers where they have wanted Wee do then read that when that ancient and mother Church of the Iewes was to be furnished with Officers the Lord commaunâ—â— Moses to assemble all the congregation of the children of Israell and to direct them how to offer and freely to giue vnto the Lord for a shake-offering the Levites for the first born to execute the service of the Lord. Afterwards when in the Apostles time one was to he chosen in the room of Iudas Peter standing vp in the middes of the disciples informed them in their liberty and directed them in the use of it for the praesenting of two of which the Lord would single out one to succeed him Likewise
in the same story when Deacons were wanting in the Ch at Ierusalem the twelve calling the multitude of the disciples together put them in mind of their liberty and informed them in their duety for the chusing of so many as were needfull so furnished as is there noted The same course did Paul and Barnabas afterwards direct the Churches amongst the Gentiles for the chusing of Elders in every City where they came Now if all things which are written before be written for our learning and for the learning of all the Churches and people of God why are not the people and Churches of God in all places to learne from hence their liberty and duty for the chusing of officers where they are wanting having men therevnto fitted by the Lord. And what hindereth but that the Church the multitude the Disciples call them as you wil in the fellowship and covenant of the gospell may be as clearely informed in their duety and as effectually exhorted to the vse of their liberty by the writings of the Prophets and Apostles as by their speaches The Apostle wryting to the Church of Corinth about the censuring of the incestuous man though he were absent in body yet was present in spirit which was in effect all one and as avaylable to that purpose as his bodily presence should have been so though Moses and Peter and Paul be bodily absent yet are they in their wrytings present in spirit after a sort nay God himself in spirit is present in them with his Churches people both for their warrant direction and comfort Though it be true then which M B sayth that the people wayted till the Apostles came and that they did not elect officers but vpon their exhortation yet must it also be considered that Apostles do now come in their writings as there they did in corporall presence and that they exhort as fully in them now as they did in speach then Besides there are now no Apostles vpon earth nor other Church officers having the care of all the Churches in the world as the Apostles had nor that are extraordinarily and miraculously endewed with all giftes especially with the gift of all tongues as the Apostles were nor that have the like generall commision to teach all nations as they had The ordinary officers which the Apostles and Evangelists left in the Churches and for the choyse of whom they left order to the worlds end were such Elders or Byshops as were assigned and fixed to such particular flockes as they were to feed vnder that cheif sheepheard and great Bishop Iesus Christ. Besides if the Churches or people should wayt now as M Ber. would have them till the Bishops of Rome or England came to them as the Apostles did to the Churches in their time to exhort them to chuse officers and to ordeyn them for them they might languish vnder a wan hope wayt till their eyes fayled in their heads Wherevpon then I do conclude that if the Church without officers may elect it may also ordeyn officers if it have the power and commission of Christ for the one and that the greater it hath it also for the other which is the lesse If it haue officers it must vse them as hands to put the persons by ordination into that office to which they haue right by election but if it want officers it may and must vse other the fittest instruments it hath as in the naturall body if men want hands or be deprived of the vse of them they do for their present necessity vse their teeth or feet or other fittest parts of the body for the busynes possible to be done by them Lastly if the Lord should rayse vp in America or the like place a company of faythfull men and women which of stones should become children to Abraham by the reading of the scriptures or by some godly mens writings or which is most like by the holy instructions and exhortations of some merchants or travaylers how or by what meanes should they come by Ministers Must they be sent out of Europe unto theÌ„ And if they were they would be barbariâ—ns ech to others neyther vnderstanding others language But what to do hath the Pope of Rome or the Bishops in England or the Praesbytery in Germany or France to appoynt them in America Ministers It is evident that such an assembly as I speak of having received the gospel haue received the keyes of the kingdome and the power of Christ and being joyned in this fellowship of the gospell haue the joynt vse of the keyes power of Christ being within the covenaunt of Abraham are the Ch of God so haue power to choose and appoynt their own Ministers froÌ„ within themselves Now because these things wil be better taken at other mens haÌ„ds then at ours yea it may be with many through praejudice their very authority wil sway more then our Arguments though never so rightly grounded vpoÌ„ the scriptures coÌ„mon reason I wil therefore here crave leave to bring in a few men of singular note both at home abroad to shew their judgments in the case in hand And I will first bring in one of our own nation of great account and that worthily with al that fear God how ever he were against vs in our practise The man is Mr Perkins He then writing about ordination succession in his CoÌ„mentary vpon the Epistle to Gal ch 1. ver 11. gives this testimony that if in Turky or America or elswhere the gospel should be received of men by the counsel perswasion of private persons they should not need to send into Europe for consecrated Ministers but had power to choose their own Ministers from within themselves the Reasons of this he renders in the same place bycause where God gives the word he gives the power also And I do desire especially his ReasoÌ„ may be observed which is that where God gives the word there he gives the power also Wherevpon it followes that any other asseÌ„bly whether in America or Europe separating themselves froÌ„ Idolatry whether Heathenish or Antichristian receiving the gospell of Christ do with the gospel receive the power also so may choose their ministers within themselves need not send to any other place no not to the next parish for consecrated Ministers In the 2. place I wil alledg one of greater note and more ancient and that is Philip Melancton who in his Answer to the ministers in Bohemia which taught the incorrupt doctrine of the gospell refutes the praetext of ordination to be taken from the Bishops with that of Paul if any teach another gospell let him be an Athema adding also that onely the assembly where true doctrine soundeth is the Church and that in it is the ministery of the gospell in it are the keyes of the kingdom of heaveÌ„ Wherefore in that very assembly in eo ipso coetu
there is the right of calling and ordeyning the ministers of the gospell bycause we must fly the enemyes of the gospell as an Anathema And besides sayth he if wee should desyre of them the ceremony of ordinatioÌ„ they would not giue it except we would bind ourselves to renounce the true doctrine other wicked boÌ„ds would they cast vpoÌ„ vs. Neyther therefore ought the true Ch to be without Pastors without the keyes without the voyce of the gospell without forgivenes of â—inns bycause the tyranny of the Bishops eyther drives away or refuses to appoynt fit Ministers And agayn it is the confusioÌ„ of order to seek sheepheards froÌ„ the wolves And lastly this hath ever been the right of the true Church to chuse and call out of her own assembly fit Ministers of the gospel Thus far hâ— In the third place Peter Martyr shall speak who vpon the book of Iudges ch 4. vers 5. sayth thus Touching the ecclesiasticall Ministery we have signified before that it may not be committed to women that they are not fit for it But now wee adde that in the planting of Churches anew when men want which should preach the gospell a woman may perform that at the first but so as when she hath taught any company that some one man of the faythful be ordeyned which may afterwards minister the sacraments teach and do the Pastours duety faithfully 4. Zanchy vpon the fifth to the Ephesians treating of Baptism propounds a quaestion of a Turk comming to the knowledge of Christ and to sayth by reading the new Testament and withall teaching his family converting it and others to Christ and being in a countrey whence he can not easily come to Christian Churches whether he may baptise them whom he hath converted to Christ he himself being vnbaptized He answers I doubt not of â—â— but that he may and withall provide that he himself be baptized of one of the three converted by him The Reason be gives 〈…〉 bycause he is a Minister of the word extraordinarily stirred vp of Christ so as such a Minister may with the consent of that small Church appoint one of the communiâ—ants and provide that he be baptized by him Adde in the fifth place Tilenus who being demaunded of the Earl of Lavall from whom Calvin had his calling answered from the Church of Geneva and from Farell his praedecessour who had also his froÌ„ the people of Geneva who had right and authority to institute and depose Ministers which thing he also confirms by Cyprian Ephes. 14. The sixth and last I will name is Sadeel who writing a treatise of purpose touching the lawfull calling of Ministers against such as agreed with the reformed Churches in the doctrine they taught but excepted against them in this that they had not their Ministers by ordinary succession sâ—ewes that amongst and above other things the ecclesiastical Ministery of Rome is corrupted makes it a shamelesse thing that any boasting of the pure knowledge of God should obiect against them that they did not draw the pure reformation of the ecclesiasticall Ministery out of the drâ—gges of Popery The first argument he vseth to justify the calling of their Ministers is that they are called chosen and received of these assemblyes which do appear by manifest signes and arguments to be true Churches as having the true doctrine of fayth the pure administration of the sacrameÌ„ts the right and sincere â—â—vocation of Gods name observing religiously the discipline instituted by Christ and his Apostles and lastly testifying by the duties of love constancy of Martyrs and reformation of the whole life that they are by the great mercy of God adopted into the number of the faythfull as members of the Catholick Church c. And thus much of the Ministery both yours Mr Ber ours and more particularly to prove that an assembly of faythful people separating themselves from Heathenish or Antichristian idolatry have right within themselves to call and appoint their Ministers Now from this conclusion thus manifested do arise sundry others worthy the noting down for the common controversy As first that such an assembly though without officers is a true visible Church the kingdom of Christ City of God And I suppose it needs no confirmation to any good conscience that the choise of Church officers is a Church action a mayn part of the administration of Christs kingdom and a priviledge of that spirituall City the new Ierusalem and that such an assembly hath the power of Christ and from him authority and commission without vvhich it were intollerable usurpation to praesume to choose his officers especially the cheif officers in his kingdom as are they which administer the word sacraments of whom we principally entreat 2. That the people have power to censure offenders for they that haue power to elect appoint set vp officers they hav also power vpoÌ„ just occasioÌ„ to reject depose put them down so are part of that Church where officers are and the whole Church where they are not of which Christ speaketh Math 18. 17. where he sayth tell the Church Besides that the calling of officers and censuring of offenders are the two mayn administrations of the kingdome of Christ and so both of one nature 3. And lastly that the brethren out of office whether in a Church furnished with officers or vvithout them are not mere private persons as you Mr Ber and others would make them in the exercise of prophesy calling of Ministers and judging of offenders for scandalous sinns Considering them in deed severally one by one or in opposition to the publique officers they may be called private persons but take them joyntly and in these and the like acts of their communion and they are more then so and as the Church is a publique body so are they members of the body and parts of the whole and of the same publique nature with it and not private parts or members of the publique body which were a senseles contradiction and contrary to the rule in ReasoÌ„ The whole and all the partes ioyntly taken are the same When the brethren made choyce of Ioseph and Mathyas to be presented and afterwards of the seven Deacons after that of the Elders in every Church did they make a private choise of publique officers or could they as private persons merely make a publique choise When the Apostle Paul wrote to the Church of Corinth which you graunt to be the multitude or body of the Church about the censuring of the incestuous person did he will them to judge and censure him privately for his publique scandalous sin or could they as persons merely private passe a publique judgement The thing then is that when the Church is gathered or come together in one for the administration of the word sacraments censures and other exercises of religion parts of Gods worship the officers if there be any
heaven do yet see the wounds and blood of Christ that a sinner need not confesse his life bycause God knowes all things that he needs not repeat what he would have bycause God knowes it before he askes that the scripture declares there was no drop of blood in Christ which he shed not for sinners that the spirit of Christ did after his buriall descend into the lower parts to them that long were in darknes the true light of their hearts that the sun in the firmament the heavens the earth the sea and all therein yea the spirits beneath were made for man to rule them But these things I passe over and come to Mr B second row of errours imputed to vs which he judgeth sufficiently confuted in the former as also to be so absurd and false as that the reading of them is sufficient to make them to be reiected The first of them is that their congregations as they stand are all and every one of them vncapable before God to chuse them Ministers though they desire the meanes of salvation First let it here be noted that Mr B in this same book pag 136 compared with pag. 138. makes it a rule for the Churches making a Minister which must be kept and from which she may not â—werve that the guides and governours of the Church do choose one from amongst others for the Ministery If the guides and governours must choose how then apperteyns this to your congregations or how are they capable of this liberty 2. If they be capable of this liberty why do they not vse it There is no congregation in the Land which as a Church chooseth their Minister the Patron and Bishop have seazed this liberty at their courtesie doth the congregation stand to receive eyther a preacher or dumb preist eyther a man of some conscience or without all â—oar of God or coÌ„mon honesty whom they may not refuse And if some parishes choose it is not as Churches but as Patrons They have purchased the right of patronage with their money and so vse it But what is this to that spirituall liberty and charter of Christs spirituall kingdome the Church 3. I deny that any congregation in the Land desires the means of salvation I speak of the congregation which is the whole consisting of the parts joyntly considered The best parish hath too many in it that love darknes rather then light because their deeds are evill This you find true in your own Mr B. which you deem one of the best And what right hath such an assembly to chuse a Minister which hath no right to his ministrations of the sacraments other holy things Because the Lord Iesus hath given his power and charter to his subjects for the choise of their officers whether many or few doth it therefore follow that the subjects of sinne Satan professed traytours vnto his Majesty have the same liberty or can his subjects combine with them that are and allwayes have been such in the vse or rather in the vsurpation of that divine priviledge These things Mr B you extenuate bycause you want them but the Churches of Christ accounts them pretious things which they therefore labour to preserve pure Of your false worship something hath been before more shal be hereafter spoken and you do idely make it a distinct errour from the tenth That baptism is not administred into the fayth of Christ simply but into the fayth of Bishops Church of England which you make our 3. errour do we not affirm but leave it to him for justification which not content with that in England received hath found out since a 2. or 3. as he supposeth better then that was ¶ Wee are to consider baptism first and principally in relation from GOD to vs and as a seal of the covenant of grace into which he hath received vs and secondarily in relation from vs to God as we restipulate or promise agayn vnto him In the first respect it is effectuall vpon the very infants of the faithfull though for the present wanting fayth in the 2. both may be is vpon such as erre in many great poynts of fayth otherwise the baptism ministred by Iohn into the fayth of Christ which came after him could not have been true vnto many which received it being ignorant a long tyme after of the very kingdoÌ„ office of Christ. To conclude then since the essential form of institution is reteyned in the baptism in Engl the doctrine of the Trinity sincerely held into whose name all persons are baptized indefinitely the particular errours in that Church touching the manner of worshiping God or touching the vses or ends of baptism which are not of the essence cannot make the baptism in it self cease to be indefinite Of the 4. Errour imputed vnto vs namely that we hould your fayth and repentance false I say as of the third and doubt not but the personall fayth and repentance of very many men and women there according to the measure of knowledge and grace received is true and sincere before God yea and so visibly declared and manifested to be before men in respect of their persoÌ„s notwithstanding all the evilles in their Church Communion and ordinances Your 5. exception viz that your ministers convert men not as Pastours but as teachers is neyther our errour nor assertion but your owne misconstruction This we hould that the conversion of men with you is no way to be ascribed to your office which it justifieth not but to the truthes of God taught amoÌ„gst you by the special blessing of God vpon them notwithstanding the other evills wherewith they are mingled inseparably amongst you To your demand what idoll you worship bycause we affirm your Church to stand in an adulterous estate I do answer that you may stand in an adulterous estate though you worship the true God onely if you do it after a devised maner as in deed you do in your government ministery service-book and ceremonyes which being all properly matters of religion and not commanded by the Lord are devises of your own against the 2. commaundement which forbids nothing but idolatry Your 7. insimulation against vs is that wee cannot say certeynly by any warrant of Gods word that any of you have eyther fayth or feare of God Wherein you consure vs as having lost the feeling of former grace and all true charity Mr Smyth in his Parallels shewes your fraud evil dealing with him in this case whom you name in your margent And I further adde that I do not onely in the generall beleeve there are many such but am so perswaded in the particular of many I know Yet so to say certainly of any of you I caÌ„not nor of our selves neyther by the word of God A man can say this onely of himself certaynly bycause he onely knowes his
liberty which they vse in respect of forms of words wherein they differ ech from others shewes how litle this institution and ordinance stands vpon such stints as also how far it is from the meaning of Christ that the Churches should be thus short tyed in the vse of them The same may be sayd of the ordinance of prayer by Christ given to his Church wherein the two Evangelists that mention it do vse the same liberty as most likely would the other two also have done in respect of forms of words had they made mention of it But graunt that the words of Christ pray after this manner when you pray say are to be interpreted as these men would have it yet do I except agaynst their service-book in a double respect The first is that the reading of prayers vpon a book hath no justification from them If it be sayd that to commit a certayn form of words to the memory and from it to vtter them and to read thē vpon a book are all one I deny the consequence and though I approve not of the former yet is the latter far the worse For besides that he that readeth hath an other speaking to him as it were even he whose wryting he reades and himselfe speaks not to God but to the people to whom he reads in the former there is a kynde of vse though not lawfull of the gift of memory where in the other book-praying there is no vse of that or any other gift Secondly it followes not that bycause the Lord Iesus might impose a set forme of words to be vsed for prayer that therefore the Lord Bbs of England may impose an other set form so to be vsed The consequence is notably both erroneous and presumptuous So bold indeed are they and so high do they advance themselves in their ordinances and impositions Bycause the Lord hath separated one day from the rest and made it holy therefore they wil also make other holy dayes bycause Christ hath set down canons and constitutions for the government of his Church therefore they also will have their canons and constitutions bycause he hath appointed a form of administring the sacramēts therefore they may appoynt another form yea and that such a one as altereth and inovateth the very nature of the words of institution For where Christ would have the words of institution published and preached this is my body which is given for you they turn this preaching into a prayer the body of our Lord Iesus Christ was given for the preserv thy body and soul into eternall life c. repeating the same also to every severall communicant which Christ would have pronounced once for all according to the nature of the ordinance And thus they will set their thresholds by the Lords threshouldes and their postes by his postes and rather then they will want rowm for their own they wil pare of part his yea wholy dimolish them If the Lord Iesus appoynt one ordinance for his Church they will appoynt an other and surely so they may lawfully if they be as they are reputed protend themselves Lord Bishops and Arch Bishops of the Church and spirituall Lords over Gods heritage To these things I will adde a few reasons agaynst this read stinted service and so conclude both the matter and the book And first it cānot be an ordināce of Christ bycause the Church may perfectly and entyrely worship God without it with all the parts of holy and spirituall worship as did the Apostolick Churches for many years before any such leiturgy was devised imposed and as do many Churches now and as appeares by that which is done before after sermons where no such stint is read of what may be done at all times and in all places where able lawfull ministers of the new testament are As the administrations of the publique prayers of the Church is a principall duty of the minister for which a speciall gift and qualification is required so cannot the reading of a service book be that administration bycause no speciall or ministeriall gift is required for it The two feet vpon which the dumb ministery stands like Naebuchad-nezzars Image vpon the feet of iron and clay are the book of common prayer and of homilyes the reading of the former which is the right foot serving them for prayer of the other for preaching which feet if they were smitten as were the other with the stone cut without hands the whole Idol-preisthood would fall and be broken a peices as that other image was And here I would intreat them that have written and are perswaded so much agaynst the reading of the Apocrypha books of the Machabies those which follow them in the congregation especially them which have so sufficiently dealt against Mr Hutton his fellowes to turn the face of their Arguments generall agaynst the Apocryphall service book and they will silence that book as well and as much as the rest like women in the Church as they speak As it were a ridiculous thing for a child when he would aske of his father bread fish or any other thing he wanted to read it to him out of a paper so is it for the children of God especially for the ministers of the gospell in their publique ministrations to read vnto God their requests for their own and the Churches wants out of a service book wherin they are also stinted to words and sillables by which also they and the people with them are vnder a greater death then if they ate bread by weight drank water by measure Lastly if this vse of the service-book be sanctified of God for the publique and solemn prayers of the Church so deemed by these ministers and others the forward people in the kingdom what is the reason why they so seldom yea or rather never vse the same or any other of the like nature in their familyes but do on the contrary lay aside all books save that of the spirit by whose alone and immediate direction they are taught and according to whose suggestiōs they do put vp their supplicatiōs vnto God Do we not all know that the more forward sort of proffessours would be ashamed of any such book prayers in their families And hath the Lord sanctified that for his house which is not holy and good enough for their houses will they worship God with that worship publiquely whereof they are ashamed privately can private men bring forth the conceptions of the spirit without the help of any such service book and do the lawfull ministers of the gospell stand in need of it for the manifestatiō of the spirit of prayer given them for the vse and comfort of the Church cursed be the deceiver which hath in his flock a male and voweth and sacrificeth vnto the Lord a corrupt thing If these ministers then and others have a better sacrifice of prayer
and thanksgiving then their service book as their own practise both private and publique when they have liberty shewes they have and that so themselves judge see them learn to feare him that is a great King and whose name is terrible even the Lord of hostes To him through Christ the onely “ mayster and teacher of his Church be prayse for ever He even God the Father for his sonne Christs sake shew his mercy in all our aberrations and discover them vnto vs more and more keep vs in and lead vs into his truth giving vs to be faythfull in that wee have received whether it be lesse or more praeserving vs against all those scandalls wherewith the whole world is filled Amen CHristian Reader whilst I was printing my defence against Mr Ber Invective his reply came forth in a second treatise to which I have also given answer in all the particulars which are of weight And for that I have been occasioned by the one and other book to handle all the poynts in difference I entreat the to compare with this my defence such other oppositions especially as respect myself whither in print or writing till more particular â—nswer be given The principall scriptures brought on both sides for the present controversy expounded and applyed LEviticus 20. 24. 26. 11. 12. pag. 328. 329. Ieremy 23. 22. pag. 103. 377. The two parables of the feild and draw net Mat. 13. p. 116. 117. 118. 119. 120. 121. 122. Math. 18. 17. Tel the Church p. 170. 171. 172. 177. 178. c. to 235. 238. 239. Math. 23. 1. 2. 3. pag. 433. 434. 435. 436. Mark 9. 39. pag. 77. Ioh. 10. pag. 385. 386. 387. 388. Ioh. 17. 6. 9. 14. 15. 16. p. 332. 333. 334. Act. 2. 40. p. 330. 331. Act. 13. 1. 2. p. 366. 367. Act. 1â— 2. 3. 4. 199. Act. 19. 8. 9. pag 331. 332. Act. 21. 18. pa. 200. Rom. 10. 14. pag. 380. 381. 1 Cor. 1. 11. pag. 190 191. 1 Cor. 5. pag. 158. 159. 190. 191. 239. 240. 241. 242. 1 Cor. 9. 1. 2. p. 11. 381. 382. 383. 1 Cor. 11. 18. pag. 252. 253. 1 Cor. 14. 1. 3. 22. 24. pag. 235. 236. 237. 2 Cor. 2. 6. pag 243. 206. 207. 208. 2 Cor. 6. 12. 15. 16. 17. 18. p. 322. 323. 324. 325. 326. 327. 328. 334. 335. 336. 337. Ephe. 4. 11. 12. pag. 159. 160. 162. 163. Phil. 1. 15. 16. pag. 119. 435. 1 Tim. 4. 6. pag. 378. Titus 1. 15. pag. 251. 1 Pet. 2. 9. 10. pag. 44. 45. Rev. 2. 3. pa 167. 168. 169. A TABLE OF THE PRINCIPAL matters conteyned in this treatise A OF Antiquity pa 32. 33. 50. The order of the separated Churches more ancient then that of the Ch of Engl p 40. 41. The Apostles coÌ„mission peculiar pag 147. 155. 156. Wherein ordinary Ministers succeed them pa 156. Neyther the Bishops of Rome nor Engl the Apostles successours p 405 364. Authority to be obeyed p 18. DiffereÌ„tly in things civil ecclesiasticall pa 29 30. B. The Church not constituted noâ— the members admitted by Baptism pa 283. 284. Baptism in Rome and Engl how true and how false p. 284 285. How Baptism is a note of saynt-ship of the Church p 110 See Sacraments Why wee reteyn the Baptism received in Rome and Engl not the Ministery pa 390 391. 392. 393. 394. 395. See Ordination C. Christs headship in a great measure denyed in the Ch of Engl pa 261. in the administration of his prophesy pag 262. 263. preisthood p 263 264 kingdome p 264 268. Christs kingdom and the government of it spirituall p 38. yet visible p 99. 110 The kingdom of Christ to be administred as solemnly publiquely as his prophesie or preisthood p 228 230. 350. Of the visible invisible Ch pa 105. 106 311 313. Of the gathering and constitution of the visible Church p 220 221. 292 233. See profession of fayth Who are true members of the visible Church pa 105 107. See saynts The Church no mixt company but simple and vniform p 112 121 337. Persons apparantly and visibly wicked no true members of the Church whatsoever in word they profess p 268 269 274 304 305 310. Where also Mr Bern plea for theÌ„ is disproved The constitutioÌ„ of the Church what it is and of how great account pa 73 77. 81 82 88 93 94. 95. 98. The Church superiour vnto the Officers p 200 201 217. how pa 218 219 220 223. The Officers are the Churches not the contrary pa 127 132 211. Churches are before Officers p 126. 127 211. 221. 366. 396 397 399. Without which the Ministers cannot exist p 393 294. The covenant of the L. makes the Ch in generall pa 283. 311 The Church of Engl vncapable of it p 311 313 319 221 322. 338 339 340. Two or three faithful people in the covenant of the gospell or of Abraham though without Officers are a Church p. 125 126 129 190. 423. Having interest in all the holy things of God within themselves iÌ„mediately vnder Christ pa 131. 132 See Ordination The Church may censure her Officers pag 213 220. The properties of the Church pa 341. 342 346. c. The Church to be gathered onely by the preaching or publishing of the gospel of salvatition received submitted unto pa 89 90 91 315 447 457 458 459. The Church of Engl not so gathered pa 89. 90. 91. 459. 460. Of repraesentative Churches and that the new testament acknowledgeth none such pa 194 198. and of repraesentations in religion pa 231. 302 303. 304. Of corruptions in the Church p 64 65 81 82 260. 337. how to be forborn born reformed pa. 15. 64. 68 16. No separation from a true Church p 247. How a Church ceaseth p 247. 248. 249. Of the differences betwixt the reformed Churches and vs and betwixt theÌ„ the vnreformed Church of Engl and that they both cannot possibly be rightly gathered and constituted pag. 41. 42 46. 47. 48. 52. 301. 453. 454. The Church of Engl agaynst which wee deal how to be considered p 319. 320. 339. Neyther the Church of Rome nor of Engl was ever a true Ch as was Iudah pa 277. 278. 299. 120. 121. Much lesse did they so continue in the height of Antichrists apostasie as did Iudah in her greatest defection but were dischurched 121. Mr Ber Reasons to prove Rome for the preseÌ„t a true Ch answered pag. 278. 279. 280. 281. 281. 282. 285. 286. 28â— The contrary proved pa 288. 289. 290. 291 The reformation by King Edward and Queene Elizabeth though much to be honored no way comparable to that by Hezechiah Iosiah and Nehemiah p 294. 295. 296. 297. 298 299. 300. The Church Math. 18. 17. not the Iewish Synedrion 177. 178. 179. 180. 181. 182. 183. 184 185. 186. Not the Praesbytery or Ch officers but the officers people in the order set by Christ the officers governing and the people governed 186. 187. 190. 101. 192. 193. 194. 195
this key as it were the wrong way vpon themselves Now by the evidence of the former generall truth approved I doubt not to the conscience of every indifferent man which is that a company of faithfull people vnited together in the fellowship of the gospel though without officers is a Church This specialty in hand wil be cleared And wheresoever the promise of forgivenes of sinnes and life eternall is to be found there hangeth the golden key of heaven gates there sinnes are loosed in heaven for what els is it to loose sinnes but to publish proclayme or declare in the word of God righteousnes of Christ the forgivenes of sinnes to them that repent But of these things hereafter I will in the first place consider of Mr Bernards proofs and of his collections from them The places alleadged are Math. 2â— 19. 16. 19. Ioh. 20. 21. 22. 23. Mark 13. 34. which scriptures are not all of one nature nor serving to the same end Yet this in generall I do answer to all of them that we deny not but that the publique Ministers are by coÌ„mission from Christ to publish the gospel administer the sacraments bind and loose sinnes watch and ward the howse of God and the like which for vs to deny were wickednes and for you to proove is lost labour But the pointes in controversie betwixt vs are first whether these things and all of them and with them all other Church affairs not here mentioned be so appropriated to the Officers as that none other may meddle with them and 2. whether this power be committed to them immediately from and by Christ or mediately from Christ by the Church which consideration whilest you neglect you erre your self deceive such as follow you and injury them you oppose But to the particulars The first third scriptures Math. 28. 19. Ioh. 20. 21. 22 23. are meant onely of the Apostles and in them they receive the coÌ„mission Apostolik which to speak properly is incommunicable to any other Officer in the Church For as none are to succeed them in the Office of Apostles so neyther is the Commission peculiar to the Apostles â—â—nveyed or intended to any others which also further appeares thus Their charge was to teach and baptise all nations to goe into all the world and to preach the gospel to every creatureâ— but ordinary Ministers have no such commissioÌ„ but are tied to their particular flocks Act. 14. 2â— 20. 28. 2. Their CoÌ„mission was extraordinary and miraculous whether we respect the inward qualifications of the parties by the immediate inspiration of the holy Ghost wherewith they were at the first springled as it were Iohn 20. 22. and afterward replenished Act. 2. 4. or whether we respect the miraculous confirmation of the doctrine both by them thaâ— taught it and by them that bâ—leeved it Mark 16. 17. 18. 20. 3. The very outward oâ—der and manner of conveying it was extraordinary and by Christs immediate voice and as it were with his owne hands where ordinary Ministers have their commissioÌ„s from Christ indeed but by men Gal. 1. 1. And the consideration of this very difference doth minister sufficient matter of answer that though Christ did transferre unto the Apostles their office and power to exercise it immediately yet for ordinary ministers the case is clean otherwise Lastly the disciples of Christ did not then first receive power to teach when they were possessed of their Apostleship but long before they were admitted into office as did others also besides theÌ„ without office as well as they Math. 10. 5. 6. 7. Luk. 10. 1. 2. 3. 9. 10. which scriptures alone as they are sufficient to justify against Mr B. that the keyes of the kingdome were given into the hands of men without office yea before any office or officer was in the Church so do they manifest the notable falshood of that his peâ—emptory affirmation pag. 93. that it is as playn as the shining of the sun of the firmament of heaven to such as are not blind or wilfully shut not their eyes from seing that Christ never sayd to the body of the congregation that is to any out of office for that is the point goe preach The Apostles by Mr B. own graunt in this place by these scriptures at this time and not before had their commission of Apostlâ—ship graunted them â—rom Christ and I hope he will not say they entred their office without a commission â—nd yet both power and charge was given them long before to preach the kingdome of God as the forequoted scriptures manifest The next place is Mat. 16. 19. where expresse mention is made of the keyes of the kingdome of heaven and of the power of binding and loosing given to Peter by which scripture rightly interpreted I desire the difference betwixt Mr Bernard and me may be determined That by the keyes is meant the gospel of Christ opening a way by him and his merits as the doore into the kingdome I have formerly declared and we must take heed of that deep delusion of Antichrist in imagining that this power of binding or loosing sinnes of opening or shutting heaven gates is tyed to any office or order in the Church it depeÌ„ds only vpoÌ„ Christ who alone properly forgâ—veth sinnes hath the key of David which opens and no man shuts and shuttes and no man opens and this key externally is the gospell which with himself he gives to his Church Isa. 9. 6. RoÌ„ 3. 2. 9. 4. and not to the officers onely for them as Mr Bern. in his last book come to mine hand in the publishing of this mine answer doth insinuate because the materiall book was giveÌ„ into the hands of the Preists and Elders to be kept Deut. 31. 9. whence I do by the way gather thus much that since the keyes of the kingdome of heaven is the gospel and that the gospel is giveÌ„ to the whole Church and to every member of it whether there be Ministers or no it therefore followeth that the keyes are given to all and every member alike as the gospel is though not to be vsed alike by all and every one which were grosse confusion but according to the order prescribed by Christ. Now for the place in hand which is Math. 16. 18. 19. it is graunted by all sides that Christ gave vnto Peter the keyes of the kingdome that is the power to remit and reteyne sinnes declaratively as they speak as also that in what respect this power was given to PETER in the same respect it was and is given to such as succeed Peter but the quaestion is in what respect or consideration this power spoken of was delegated vnto him The Papist affirmes it was given to Peter as the Prince of the APOSTLES and so to the BISHOPS of ROME as PETERS successours and thus they stablish the POPES primacy the PRELATES say nay but vnto PETER an APOSTLE that is a cheif
Officer of the CHVRCH and so to vs as cheif Officers succeeding him which is also Mr B judgement pag. 94. Others affirm it to belong to Peter here as a Minister of the word and sacraments and the like and so consequently to belong to all other Ministers of the gospel equally which succeed Peter in those and the like administrations But we for our partes do beleeve professe that this promise is not made to Peter in any of these forenamed respects nor to any office order estate dignity or degree in the Church or world but to the confession of faith which Peter made by way of answer to Christs question who demaunding of the disciples v. 15. whom amongst the variety of opinions that went of him ver 14. they thought him to be was answered by Peter in the name of the rest Thou art Christ the sonne of the lâ—ving God ver 16. To this Christ replyes ver 17. blessed arâ— thou Symon the sonne of Ionas c. and ver 18. thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not overcome it and v. 19. I will give unto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heaven whatsoever thou shalt bind vpon earth shal be bound in heaven and whasoever thou shalt loose on earth shal be loosed in heaven So that the building of the Church is vpon the rock of Peters coÌ„fession that is Christ whom he confessed this faith is the foundation of the Church against this faith the gates of hell shall not prevayl this faith hath the keyes of the kingdome of heaven what this faith shall loose or bind on earth is bound loosed in heaven And thus the Protestant divines when they deal against the Popes supremacy do generally expound this scripture though Mr B. directly make the Pope and his shavelings Peters successours in this place as hereafter wil appeare Now vpon the former ground it followeth that whatsoever person hath received the same pretious faith with Peter as all the faithfull have â— Pet. 1. 1. that person hath a part in this gift of Christ whosoever doth confesse publish manifest or make knowen Iesus to be that Christ the sonne of the living God and Saviour of the world that person opens heaveÌ„ gate looseth sin partakes with Peter in the vse of the keys And herevpon also it followeth necessarily that one faithful man yea or woman eyther may as truely and effectually loose and bind both in heaven and earth as all the Ministers in the world But here I know the Lordly clergy like the bulles of Bashan will roar lowd vpon me as speaking things intollerably derogatory to the dignitie of Preisthood and it may be some others also eyther through ignorance or superstition will take offence at this speach as confounding all things but there is no such cause of exception For howsoever the keyes be one and the same in nature and efficacy in what faithful mans or mens handes soever as not depending eyther vpon the number or excellency of any persons but vpon Christ alone yet is it ever to be remembred that the order and manner of vsing them is very different These keyes in doctrine may be turned as well vpoÌ„ them which are without the Church as vpon them which are within and their sinnes eyther loosed or bound Math. 28. 19. but in discipline as we speak not so but onely vpon them which are within 1 Cor. 5. 12. 13. Againe the Apostles by their office had these keyes to vse in all Churches yea in all nations vpon earth ordinary Elders for their particular flockes Act. 14. 23. 20. 28. Lastly there is an vse of these keyes publiquely to be had and an vse privately an use of them by one person severally and an use of them by the whole Church ioyntly and together an vse of theÌ„ ministeriall or in office and an vse of them out of office but the power of the gospel which is the keyes is still one and the same notwithanding the divers manner of vsing it And this distinction well observed will stop the hole by which Mr Bernard in his reply sundry times scapes out where otherwise he should be vnavoydably taken in Mr Smythes arguments by taking vantage at and perverting of a phrase vsed by Mr Sm which is the ministeriall power of Christ. This ministeriall power Mr S. makes that externall coÌ„municated delegated power of Christ with and to the Church serving onely for manifestation and declaration of the remission or retention of sinnes opposing ministeriall power in the creature to that power essentiall incommunicable which is inhaerentin Christ and God the creator but Mr B. on the other side eyther ignorantly or deceiptfully misinterprets the terme Ministeriall as meant onely of the power in office opposed to that which is out of office and so creeps out at this cranny But with what reason can it be eyther conceived or suggested that Mr Smyth should affirme that the body of the Church or a private brother out of office should have this power spoken of in office Thus much to prove that all the pretious promises Math. 16. were made to Peter in respect of his confession of faith and so consequently to all others which succeed him in the same confession and amongest the rest the vse of the keyes though not in the same order or office with Peter which was peculiar vnto him with some few others It followeth First if the keyes of the kingdome of heaven be appropriated vnto the officers then can there be no forgivenes of sinnes nor salvation without officers for there is no enterance into heaven but by the dore there is no clyming over any other way without the key the doore cannot be opened so then belike if eyther there be no officers in the Church as it may easily come to passe in some extreame plague or persecution howsoever in England a man may haue a Preist for the whisteling and must needs be in the Churches of Christ in our dayes eyther in their first plaÌ„ting or first calling out of Babylon for Antichrists masse-preisthood is not essentially Christs true Mâ—nistery or if the officers take away the key of knowledge as the Scribes Pharisees did will neither enter in themselves nor suffer them that would then must the miserable multitude be content to be shut out and perish eternally for ought is knowen to the contrary They haue no remedy in this case no redresse may be had of this evill no meanes vsed to avoid it Though the Pope cary with him thowsands to hell no man may say vnto him Sir why do you sâ— To admonish the Officers of their sinne were against common sense that the father should be subiect to his children the work dominere over the workman the seeds-man be ordered by the corn and to excoÌ„municate them and call new were intolerable vsurpation of the keyes this power is given to the chief