they haue left as an absolute patterne for al actions of the Church vnto the worlds end and to hold them accursed men or Angels that teach any thing besides that or to varie from the same Neither what signes or miracles soeuer they shall doe may we hold them Propheâ—s seing they persuade yea enforce to idolatrie apostasie as by their publick worship appeareth And as to Euangelistes that office is too meane base for these fellowes The Euangelistes toke their caling sending and whole directioÌ„ from the Apostles neither swarued from the same in any thing but faithfully deliuered to the Churches those rules they receiued and assisted theÌ„ in the practize therof These men in that they haue no such caling to their office neither doe so execute yt not caling the Church vnto or helping them in but drawing them from vtterly forbidding them the practize of those rules ordinances the Apostles left teaching bringing in setting vp and inforcing their owne or other humane deuises ordinances vpoÌ„ y e church in stead therof and that in such high waightie matters as the bringing in a new strange Ministrie Ministration Worship and Gouernement For all which causes reasons many other which might be drawen from the rules of CHRISTS Testament and their whole worke and doings which in nothing accordeth to the true patterne we must hold them false Apostles and Prophets counterfeite Euangelistes deceiptful worckmen builders Neither yet if we but as fleightly examine them by compare them vnto the rules of Christes Testament shall we finde them to execute any of the ordinarie permanent offices of the Bishops belonging vnto Christes Church as the Pastors Teachers Elders office A true christian Pastor ought to be chosen of some one peculiar flocke where after due proofe he is to be publickly ordeined receiued Vnto which peculiar flocke he is bownde by couenaÌ„t to administer attend Neither doth his Pastorall dutie ministrie and chardge extend to more flockes or Churches at one tyme then that one wherof he is chosen Pastor Neither may a true Pastor aduance himself either in titles or power aboue or ouer other christian Pastors his fellowe bretheren howsoeuer he haue receiued a greater measure of giftes by so much he ought to behaue himself the more lowly and to apply himself the more carefully diligently to serue the Lord with the same according to his pleasure appoinctment within the limites of his caling wherin if he behaue himself faithfully he receiueth praise if not reproofe censure of the whole flock accordingly But now these Arch and Lord Bishops neither haue any certaine ministrie ouer or in any one peculiar flocke neither anie such 〈…〉 by or in any one Congregation but are elected either by the 〈◊〉 Colledge of the Deane Chapter or ells by the Prince consecrate invested inthronised or instawled with I know not how manie popish rites trincketes ceremonies belonging thervnto whose verie ordinarie attire is so popish ridiculous and fâ—nde as they passe not in the streates without the wonderment skorne of young and olde Their ministerie also is not limited and tyed to one certaine office or to one certaine flocke but as they exercise sondrie offices so doe they it ouer in sondrie Churches preaching administring the Sacraments where and when they liste of their pontifical aucthoritie and ceasing againe from preaching c. at their owne pleasures when how longe they list Againe some of them exerciseth absolute aucthoritie ouer al no one of them but ouer many hindreth Churches Ministers ouer all causes and doctrines to cite sommon suspend silence excommunicate absolue emprison â—equester conâ—iscate at their pleasure whom and wherfore they liste without accompt or controlement no not by the Princes royall Writts and Courtes to which euery soule ought to be subiect They impose vpon all Churches and Ministers their owne deuises for the publicke worship administration stinting and limiting the Pastor what wordes to reade and say what scriptures to reade on this and that daye through the yeere They limite and restraine the doctrine of the Pastor from speaking against anie thing by publick aucthoritie commanded They determine and dispose of all the doctrines and causes of all Churches at their owne will no man so hardie to gaiâ—e say or to cal in question anie thing they affirme or to denie anie thing they commande or forbid There is nothing iudged error in the Church of ENGLAND but what they iudge to be error be yt neuer so grosse popish blasphemouse nor anie thing compted truth which they pronounce error be yt neuer so holy sounde and warranted by Gods worde The whole ministrie doctrine publick administration causes and censures of the Church of ENGLAND are wholie in their handes to commande restraine or execute vpon al persons and they themselues subiect to no reproofe liable to no censure Now let any iudge that knoweth what belongeth to the office entrance and administratioÌ„ of the Pastors office whether these Bishops possesse this office be rightly caled and entered to the same and faithfully administer execute the same The teachers office for the reasons aboue-said they cannot hold or chalendge both in regarde of the fastuous titles inordinate power and aucthoritie which they vsurpe exercise ouer all the ministerie euen such as they cal Pastors and ouer all Churches causes censures c which can at no hand be ioyned or agree vnto the christiaÌ„ Teachers office As also for that they their ministrie and office belongeth not to any one peculiar Congregation The like reasons maie be drawen from their Popish entrance and administration seing they take vpon them to deliuer the Sacraments and attend not vnto doctrine only or diligently giuing ouer ceasing to preach wheÌ„ they list neither submit the doctrines they teach to the ceÌ„sure tryal of other Prophets by the Scriptures For al which reasons and sondrie other they cannot be said to haue or exercise the christian Teachers office Last of al the office of gouerning Elders they haue not for all the same reasons In that they are not chosen of belong not vnto any perticular Congregation to which they should be bownde by duetie to attend Neither euer did we reade in al Christes Testament of any Bishops or Ministers setting aside those temporarie offices of Apostles Prophets Euangelists that where chosen did attend or minister vnto diuers or more then one Congregation or office at one time Certaine rules being there giuen for their election ordination and administration of in one Congregation with manifold admonitions exhortatioÌ„s to sture them vp vnto diligeÌ„ce labour and watchfulnes in that office place they are caled vnto as a worke enough for him that thinketh himself most able to dischardge it And sure most monstruous impossible it were for one man faithfully to attend diuers Congregations Except they can also
Ministers And being no true or lawfull Ministers their ministration is then vnlawfull accursed abhominable to God men These then being allowed Ministers and their ministration publiquely by lawe approued and receiued in the Church of England we may conclude the publicke ministrie and ministration of the Church of England to be vnlawfull accursed and abhominable thus far foorth notwithstanding Mr. Giffardes payre of distinctions Otherwise if he laboured to prooue the ministerie of the Gospell to be in yt self alwaies entire holie and blessed notwithstanding the infirmities faultes of meÌ„ this all men will graunte and needed not his learned distinctions to prooue the same But what is this to prooue the ministrie of these dumbe Pastors Or the other ministrie of the Church of England to be that ministerie of the Gospell which we for all the reasons aboue alleadged confidently denie HIs second reason Such as haue the caling ordination of the Church haue the ministrie of CHRIST For it is giuen to the Church to cal ordaine Ministers In the next sectioÌ„ his Minor followeth In EnglaÌ„d the Ministers haue their caling ordination by the Church of GOD Therfore c. To the Maior he addeth a clause that yt may be a true caling notwithstanding some faultes of ignoraÌ„ce or otherwise So he vnderstand this otherwise to be of negligence and not of anie wilful obstinate transgressioÌ„s Or not any of those pereÌ„ptorie faultes excepted by the holy Ghost which disable the elect disanul the electioÌ„ then we thus far assent But wheÌ„ we reason of the caling of the ministri of England we speake not of a true caling though vnperfect with some faultes of ignoraÌ„ce or negligence but of a false counterfeit antichrâ—stiaÌ„ caling which we haue proued affirme theirs to be The caling of the Church ought alwaies to be yt caling of Christ prescribed in his Testament which theirs is not To his Minor now first we denie the Churche of England to be the true established Churche of Christ. He prooueth it thus That people vvhich hath forsaken heresies and false vvorship and imbraced the doctrine of the Gospell hath in it the true Church vvhich hath the power Wee obserue much subtiltie and feare in this position For whereas he ought to haue affirmed Are the true Church and haue the power he fearefullie subtilly saith hath in it the true Church which hath the power not daring to iustifie or ioyne issue of their outward estate but leauing himself a starting hole to flee to such secret ones as God may call and haue amongst them We doubt not but God hath in Turckye or Persia yea in the Church of ROME manie deare elect but should we therfore say that Turcky Persia Rome are the true Church We affirme also will approue against al the false Prophets of the world that in this land the Lord hath such a people that haue thus forsaken heresies false worship embraced the Gospell and haue this power of CHRIST But we denie this their Church to consist of this people to haue forsakeÌ„ heresies false worship to haue truly embraced the Gospel or to haue this power of CHRIST to elect ordaine excoÌ„municate or to redresse anie enormitie but are dryuen to these antichristian Bishopps for al these Who receiue not power of the Church but vsurpe and exercise absolute power ouer the Church yea the whole power of the Church as hath bene shewed Which is vnlawfull either for the Church to giue or for any true christian to receiue or execute Neither can th'aucthoritie of anie mortall men or Parlament make that lawfull which God in his worde condemneth and forbiddeth And so euen by this his owne allegation all this ministrie made by standing vnder this vsurped inordinate antichristian power of the Bishopps are also vnlawfull To which if we add the vnlawfulnes of the office these Ministers are called vnto and execute the vnlawfulnes of their calling in the whole maner therof vnto by and in no flocke certaine the vnlawfulnes of the ordayners as also of the ordayned their open ambition greedines and insufficientcy their false maner of probation and ordination with all the vngodly and execrable ceremonies vowes othes subscriptions vsed to the same none can mistake this caling and ordination of the Ministers of ENGLAND for that true holie election and ordination of the Church of CHRIST without which true caling there can be no true Minister No true Church may vse or can iustifie anie such false caling as theirs And so still we must leaue Mr. GIF to proue the office caling of his ministrie THis Clarke procedeth to an other reason That ministrie is of God which is to bring men to the faith and to build vp the bodie of CHRIST The ministrie of England is to none other end Therfore c. The Minor he proueth Because the whole drift scope and burden laide vpon them is to feede vvith vvholesome doctrine to guide in the waies of godlines the sheepe of CHRIST walking before them in godlie conuersation Mr. G. said erewhile that the Ministers of England were no intruders But sure vt seemeth they are verie nimble leapers which skippe ouer the hatch into the house wil not stay vntil the Master of the house cal vntil the Porter of the house open but without any lawfull calling or entrance wil needes thrust themselues Ministers vpon the Lord and his Church whether he and they wil or no. Yea Mr. Giff. wil proue himself these his presumptuous companions true Ministers without this caling or entrance by the endes of their administration although the Lorde of the house neuer caled them to be builders or coÌ„mitted vnto them the worcke and ministrie of his house The deceiptfulnes and disorder of these kinde of argumeâ—ts wee haue aboue shewed and with the same general answeare might dismisse this Saue that by the way wee must giue him to vnderstand That his Assumption is a shamelesse presumption They build not vpon but destroye the house of God the bodie of Christ. This their worcke the present estate of their Church witnesseth to their face and sheweth what maner of worckmen they are where we finde not one pinne nayle or hooke in due order and proportion according to the true paterne They feed not the Lordes sheepe but the Lordes goates and that not with wholesome foode with sincere milke that they might growe and be encreased therby as the generall sinne prophannes and ignorance of al estates both Priestes and people declare Neither guide they in the way of godlines but in the wayes of destruction and calamitie They haue al declined bene made together vnprofitable And the way of peace they haue not knowen And as for the conuersatioÌ„ of these Priestes it may wel be an example to the flock in al idolatry superstition impiety vnfaithfulnes apostasie halting and dissembling with God and man worldlines coueteousnes deceipt and what not So that the
me the keper of the vineyardes mie vineyarde that to me I kept not The true interpretation whereof it here booteth not to stande vpon sufficeth that no antichristian yoke or bondage can from this place or from anie one worde therof be drawen and inforced But yet Mr. G. doth herein presse vs vvith these places of the songe in that the faithfull did not here separate themselues from vnder these euil pastors and gouernours as herestickes and schismatickes doe And this he againe proueth by th' example of our Sauiour and his Disciples who did not separate themselues from the high Priestes Scribes and Pharasies so long as the vineyarde was not takeÌ„ from them c. To which proof he hath in the SECOND TRANSGRESSION his ful answere To these places In the first the Church hath an absolute and direct commandemeÌ„t from God himself To goe foorth not to staye in the steps of that flocke to feed her kids aboue the tabernacles of those sheepheardes In the second we can but wonder to see Mr. G. so insensate grosse to imagine that these persecuting watchmen were Ministers or members of the true Church Especiallie seing the two Churches so liuelie in that place described The one malignant persecuting the other the true Church and persecuted Betweene which I weene there is as great a separation as betwixt light and darcknes betwixt hel and heauen Neither did the Church there staye with or was stayed by those watchmen but went to the Daughters of Ierusalem to seek and enquire for Christ much-lesse as this man doteth stayed in their fould in their tentes Or remayned vnder the gouernment and bondage of those persecuting watchmen that openlie opposed against Christ and could not endure that the Church should seek him Neither can anie thing be imagined more false or contrary to the argument of that heauenlie songe then that the Church of Christ may at anie hand beare or stand in anie bondage to the yoke of Antichrist Whose necke Christ adornes with chaynes and she againe her doore postes with garlandes for him Song 1. 9. 6. 13. Vnder whose heade CHRITES left hand alwaies is and his right hande embraceth her Song 2. 6. Song 3. Shee layethe holde of CHRIST and bringethe him into her Mothers house into the chamber of her that conceiued her There also is his bedde set vp muche more glorious then the marriage bedde of Salomon about which bedd sixtie valiant men of the mightie men of Israel are said to stand and guarde all of them handling the sworde expert in warre with his sworde vpon his thinge from the feare by might Song 4. The necke of the Church is likned to the tower of Daniel built for the armorie where a thowsand shieldes doe hange al the targetts of the stronge men And Song 8. Christ saith his vineyard is allwaies wholly before him he chalendgeth and gathereth al the revenues therof himself he diuideth them not nor imparteth thâ—m to anie other as Salomon or other earthlie Princes are constrayned to doe What part or right then what honor or homage especiallie what bondage is left here to Antichrist But thus they are broken that thus wilfullie of set purpose stumble at the worde as this man doeth YEt procedeth this graceles man furder And is not afraide to affirme That the Church euerie member therof is in some spiritual bondage to sinne and draweth an argument from this position That therfore much more may yt be in some outward bondage to Antichrist This execrable position and argument the holie Bishops and learned Priestes of England are coÌ„tent to let publiquelie passe from their viewe and correction because yt pleadeth for the antichristian vsurpation of the one and the seruile bondage of the other But when this argument shal neuer so litle by the worde of God be skanned yt shalbe found most heretical and blasphemouse For verilie if after our faith in Christ wee be now left in anie bondage to sinne then doth sinne stil liue and raigne in vs and we stil bounde vnto and with yt then hath not Christ fullie freed vs from the curse of the law Death and Hel. TheÌ„ was not Christes death a sufficient ransome for neither exteÌ„ded to al our sinnes neither hath he subdued or set vs free from al our enimies neither haue we as yet anie perfect peace or reconciliation with God And then was his comming vayne then can no flesh be saued therbie then must wee looke for an other redeemer or ells looke for him to come againe to dye for our sinnes that remaine and raigne in vs. For the rewarde of the least sinne is death being a transgression of Gods lawe And if wee be in bondage to sinne then are we not Kinges and Priestes vnto God Is not this a meete Minister of the Gospel that knoweth not yet the worck of our redemption the benefite of Christes death the priueledge of the Sainctes that cannot and will not learne to put difference betwixt the frailtie or pronenes to commit sinne which is in this mortal flesh of all the faithful and that bondage and subiection to sinne which is neuer founde in anie of the faithfull after they haue once trulie acknowledged and embraced Christ Howsoeuer the ministrie of the Church of England may allowe publish these doctrines yet are they most odious execrable to the soule and conscience of all that knowe feare or loue the Lorde IESVS CHRIST NOwe at length we are come to the second proposition of our argument or rather to the fourth TRANSGRESSION wherewith their Church of England is chardged vzt That their Churches are ruled by and wilfully remaine in subiection vnto an antichristian and vngodly gouernment contrarie to the institution of our Sauiour CHRIST This wee shewed in our first writing by the publicke and present estate of the Church of England in their whole ministrie worship administration ordinances ceremonies censures cannons customes Courtes to be antichristian euen the same yoke and gouernment that the Pope sometimes exercised by those his naturall children and vnfaithful seruants the Bishopps who nowe haue gotten this power into their owne handes Most of these if not all haue bene alreadie in this present treatise declared and proued to be idolatrous popish blasphemous false and antichristian wholly swarued from the rules of Christes Testament Anie of these howe M r. G. hath by the worde of God approued let the vnpartial reader iudge This their ecclesiasticall gouernment which nowe is in question he faith is the same in matter though yt varie in forme fâ—om CHRISTES gouernment Wherof nowe is arisen a great question in their Church Whether that Apostolicke forme of discipline which they prescribed to the Churches should be perpetuall or variable The Reformistes that hold yt perpetuall sue and complaine to the Parliaments for the same Apostolicke forme to be established and to haue this present gouernment of these Bishopps and their false hierarchie with their Courtes and offices
saith it is Christs ordinance that an holie assemblie should iudge in such cases Howe will this agree with the office of your Arch-Bishop Further as a maÌ„ ignorant in the scriptures he would haue the people excluded in their Synods The holye Ghost setteth before vs another order Acts. 15. And for a christian trial of our cause wee haue euerie way sought it by supplication and all maner of wayes but could neuer obteine it But your whole broode haue not only refused it and shewed al exquisit tyrannie vpon our bodies so farr as they had powre by close emprisonment rending vs from our trades and families and al ordinary meanes of liuehood but set their Priestes eueriwhere to crye out in their pulpits gyuing out lyes and sclanders openly secretly in Articles in printed Bookes in priuate complaints and false suggestions wherin M r. Giffard hath not bene behinde yet neuer vouchsafed vs free conference nor haue or can conuince vs of crime or error maintayned by vs. In whom then is this furor dolus tumultus now found but in these godlesse Priestes that caÌ„not abide the light because their workes are euill HE procedeth now to shew what tryalls were granted the Donatists before the Emperour and by his apointment Wherein there wil be found litle consimilitude betwene our estate and theirs for these AntichristaÌ„ Bishops vsurpe such powre as the magistrate may not cal their actions into question shutting vp the benefit of the common lawe against vs suffring no Iurie to passe vpon those they murther in pryson nor no bayle for anie they commyt I meruâ—l you could set forth these â—rialls alowed the Donatistes without blushiÌ„ng and make such hauock amongst Gods children now without anie trial granted them Further it is rehersed how these men the Numidian Bishopps and their companie condemned all Churches through the worlde as wrapped together in the guyltines of those Churches of Africa al polluted al vncleane al fallen from the Couenant of God through such as had committed sacriledge and were not separated They said there was no true ministerie no true Church no true sacramentes To which wee answere that wee are not to pleade the Donatistes cause but setting their persons and causes aside I trust it will be granted me that the defâ—ctioÌ„ Apostasie vnder Antichrist was generall in which defection you wil stil remaine in obstinate confusioÌ„ not only retayning that ministerie worship lawes offices c but reiecting Christs prescribed and for euer commanded in his Testament which your ministerie lawes worship gouernmeÌ„t we are able to prone false Antichristian So that there is no consimilitude in the Donatistes separation and ours in this poinct their matter being about sinnes coÌ„mitted in the Church where there was lawful office worship gouernment as they did not denie and our cause being about the not hauing of a Church gathered vnto CHRIST from the Apostasie from all them that remaine vnder that Apostatical ministerie gouernment and worship and in that confusion we haue warrant to separate Reuel 18. 3. 4. Now to the poinct These Numidian Bishops taught that so manie as would saue their soules must separate themselues M r. GIFFARD wil graunt I doubt not that if there were no true Church true ministerie nor no true sacramentes it was tyme to come out from amongst them and haue no coÌ„munion with the tables of Diuells as the Apostle reasoneth 1 Corint 10. If the Donatistes separated from the true Church we do not so but we separate according to Gods coÌ„mandement from the false Church false ministerie worship and Sacramentes Proue your Church therfore a true Church or our separation is iust and holy and the only way to saluation In the meane tyme let the Papist reason thus with you You separate from our Church therfore you are Schismaticks Donatistes Heretickes If M r. GIFFARD say no we hold you the true Church to haue the seales of the Couenant to hold many doctrines of faith to be the Temple of God then we may lawfully hold you still Daughters of that damnable harlot murderesse of the Saintes so often accursed in whose cupp of fornication you are druâ—ken If he say separation from the false Church is a commandement of God and that they haue made a kinde of separation then all are not Donatistes that make a separation but the cause must be considered from whome for which in what maner and to what we separate or ioyne Where he alledgeth that Augustine thought it an vnequall thing to condemne as they did at the first all the world for one mans sinne namely for the sinne of this Caecilianus and they therevpon tooke on hand to affirme that as the Church of Carthage and the Churches elswhere in Africa were fallen from God by the pollution of the sacriledge of Caecilianus and others so all other Churches in the world were destroyed by the like sacriledges committed in the dayes of persecution There is litle consimilitude betwene the Donaâ—â—stes and vs therein For we separated not at the first for one mans sinne neither do since condemne the Churches we know not but for the whole ministerie of CHRISTS Testament worship lawes and ordinances which you reiect deface and peruert standing subiect vnto administring in the Apostaticall orders and offices of Antichrist do wee separate But to answere your perticulars as you haue filled the printe with rayling lying and vnfruiâ—tfull and impertinent matters were but to trouble the Reader and maintaine strife You bring a storie of their comparison betwene Caecilianus Iudas-Iscariot whether should be greater sinner a repetition of Caluines Institutions histories out of Augustine Tertuâ—lan c which your labour as yttendeth but to a shadowe of defence of your rayling so I will leaue their writings and you to the iudgment seate of God where euerie one must answere for himself and breiflie proceed to your perticular accusations falsly fathered vpon vs most of them THus we see saith he that the Donatistes departed disorderly out of the Church not condemning yt for anie poincte of doctrine for therein they did not disagree Herein then we cannot be compared till you haue prooued your parish assemblies the true Church and we holde that you haue poysoned all the fountaines of sincere doctrine and peruert the whole Testament and turne away the practize thereof by your damnable false expositions yea that you teach not one poincte sincerely Againe where you say afterward that you will affirme the worship in the Churches from which the Donatistes separated as corrupt as yours and here say they agreed in all poinctes of doctrine we wonder what your make your worship to be some things indifferent as reading for prayer mens writings for scriptures homilies for interpretation but no doctrine conteined in your worship And where you affirme that the Donatistes cryed out all was polluted because such as reuolted from the faith in time of persecution returned and were againe recoâ—â—ed into the Church you know we hold
of the Gospel is compelled to runne backe againe to iustifie the Church of ROME and to maintaine that these assemblies were the true Churches of Christ in the deepest defection vnder Antichrist The Apostasie hauing invaded the Church yt contynued euen then the TeÌ„ple of God in which Antichrist did sit and that the very Idolators were sealed with the seale of Baptisme professed CHRIST in some poinctes rightly their childreÌ„ from antient discent within the Couenant the ministeri so far remayning as yt was the authentick seale delyuered by them the Brownistes not vnderstanding the scripture thus in mad furie lyke blynde hypocrites condemne c. Let vs reason a litle more coolely rage will not serue to carie the matter We will here take it granted that your parishes ministerie c cannot now be proued the Church and ministerie of Christ except they were so in the time of poperie We see further how wel the Gospel is opened or Antichrist discouered with you wheÌ„ such a famous Prophet hath not learned to reade the mysterie writté in that Womans forehead which the holy Ghost recordeth to be this greaâ—e Babilon the Mother of whoredomes and abhominations of the earth Reuel 17. Againe the scripture saith Cap. 14. If any man worship the Beast his image and receiue a marke in his forehead or on his hand the same shall drincke of the wine of the wrath of God Who wil M r. Giffard make this Woman if not the Church of Rome sitting vpoÌ„ the people tongues and nations that were seduced or are seduced in this Apostasie And howe hath he read the scriptures that saith the seales of the Couenant belong to open blasphemous Idolators their seede God saith hee will punish the transgression vnto the third and fourth generation He saith nay though they be the childreÌ„ of Idolators and contynue in their Fathers steppes they ought to haue the seals of the Couenant Againe if he say the seale of Baptisme in the false Church belongeth vnto that adulterous seede howe wil he denie that blasphemous sacrifice and bread God against which so manie witnesses haue gyueÌ„ their lyues which is plainely denijng of Christ to be come in the flesh and imagining him a fantastical body to be in euery place How can M r. Giffard yeild them one SacrameÌ„t and not the other Fuâ—ther how ignorantly he speaketh of the Couenant and of a SacrameÌ„t made by that ministerie it were too long to discusse Wel in al this he hath forgotten his comparison betwene the Donatistes and vs they had no such controuersie with Caecilianus but now pervse one of Mr. Giffards The Church of papacie in the deepest defectioÌ„ was the visible Temple of God hauing the true seales of the Couenant I then reason thus The Church of of Geâ—eua Scotland lowe Contries France c. haue separated from the Church of Rome which is the apparant Church of God for none haue the true ministerie the true authentick seales of the Couenant but the true Churche Therefore they are Schismaticks Donatistes Brownists Hereticks Againe Geneua Scotland c condemne the Church of Rome by separating from yt therefore they do also condemne the Church of England which approueth of and communicateth with the Papistes Moreouer howe wil he answere this Her Ma â—ie hath expelled the Pope his ministerie his doctrine and idolatrous worship therfore she hath expelled the ministerie and worship of the true Church And what followeth by Mr. Giffard his collections think you they that reiect the ministerie of Christ reiect Christ himself But these Brownisâ—es condemne the reformation by Magistrates c. No it is a false sclander We only put difference betwene the reformation by the Magistrates sworde and the reformation by doctrine and he is a false Prophet that either goeth about to set these at variance or confoundeth them The Magistrat suppresseth the euill within the Church without the Church in their Dominions by bodily punishmeÌ„ts in equitie and defendeth the godly The ministerie of the word gatherâ—th guydeth ordereth c a people vnto and vnder the true ordinances of Christ by the Word and Spirit The Prince may and ought suppresse all false vvorship false ministerie idolatrous assemblies and proclaime and commaund true worship orderly assemblies true ministerie c. But the workmanship hereof is spiritual by doctrine c to be accomplished in due order according to the rule of the word Stil wee vrge you therfore to shewe vs this gathering ordering and gouerning of a true Church in these parrish assemblies by the word of God In the meane time you bestowe but your oyle meale and your whole ministerie and guystes to dawbe vpp Idolatrie confusion sacrilegde Neither doth the word reformaâ—ion agree to your Church for cursed is he that buyldeth the walles of Iericho not one stone of Babel wil serue for a foundation What comparison is there then betwene your reformation and the reformation by Iosâ—as shew the perticulars we wil answere Ells it shall suffice that he sacrificed the Priestes of BAAL vpon the Altar reduced the people to the true ministerie and ordinances of the Temple If the Priestes did not this according to Gods worde then they were guyltie and to be punashed by his sword So that these false Prophets Inchanters counterfeit time-seruers which extol her Ma tiâ— for hauing graÌ„ted the freedome of the Gospel true ministerie true worship gouernment c and yet themselues do misleade the people in a false way to peâ—dition shall not only lye open to the Magistrates sworde when God shall put in their heart to execute his wil but answere before the Lord for al this confusion sacriledge Idolatrie and filthines maintained by their deceitful tongues I do not pleade to haue them put to death because they neuer knew or profâ—ssed the truth but to haue their false offices abolished and they compelled to some lawfull calling in the Church or common wealth as they should be therevnto founde meete and be lawfully called Wee are not deceiued then in imagining that you woulde make vs belieue the Princes did compell them to be a Churche which were no Church before without any orderly gathering guyding and ordering of them by Christes lawes worship ministerie and ordinances for wee deny y t your parrish assemblies were in time of popery true Churches or haue nowe forsaken all false worship Proue your asseitions and what discipline belongeth to the false Church iudge you Of the pollution by communicating with open sinners WHere hee maketh the cause of our separation and as hee calleth it our accusing of these parrish assemblies to be vtterly fallen from the Couenant of God to be for that they are polluted with communicating with open sinners he mistaketh and I feare purposly falâ—ifieth our minde writings for we haue added to this an obstinate wilful retayning of al sortes of prophane as members of your Church gyuing them the Sacraments c. But as I haue donne before so must
nations that were gathered togither by the false Prophet into battell against Christ his armie how he should smite the heatheÌ„ with the sharpe sword that issueth out of his mouth rule them with a rod of yron and tread theÌ„ in the wine-presse of his fierce wrath how he should giue the flesh of all this people with their Kinges Capitanes and mightie men as a praye to the fowles the vncleane spirites and how he should take the Beast and with him the false Prophet that wrought signes before him wherein he deceiued them that receiued the Beastes marck and worshipped his Image and cast these both aliue into that lake of fire burning in brimstone Who now if not such to whome the scriptures are hidden and this Booke sealed could in this generall falling away from the gospel this generall departure of the true established Churches out of the inhabited this vniuersall corruption confusion of all estates degrees persons callings actions both in the Church commune welth in this estate in this defection seeke for or pleade for a true visible established Church the true ministerie of the gospel true worship ministration sacraments gouernment order Or who that were not droncke and had all their senses bound intoxicate with the whores cuppe could affirme this coÌ„fuse Babel these cages of vncleane birdes these prisons of foule hatefull spirits to be the Spouse of Christ the coÌ„gregatioÌ„s of the Sainctes the true established and rightly ordered Churches of Christ Is it likely that these men haue as yet read the whores misterie written in her forehead or as yet know what belongeth to the true established Church worship administration sacraments ordinances gouernment of Christ though they haue in his Testament which is dayly read amongest them an exact absolute parterne of al these things before their eies And haue not in their Churches anie one thing in their practise and proceedings not one pinne naile or hooke according to the true patterne Yea though they heare the trompets of the Lord blowen against them though they see the viallz of the Lords wrath powred vpon them and all their doings yet stop they their eares wincke with their eies lest they should see with their eies and heare with theire eares and vnderstand with their heartes and be conuerted healed And therfore are so farr from finding place to repentance that they opeÌ„ their mouthes into blasphemie and railings especially these men that haue the marcke of the Beaste vpon whome that euill malignant sore is fallen as you dayly see and heare in their bookes pulpets And how well these gouernours mariners merchantmen and all that trafique on this sea can endure the borning of these their pleasant gainefull wares how they waile howle and crye out when this heauenly fire is cast out into their shippes Let the behauiour of these Bishopps their hierarchie and Priestes towards the seruants of God that speak against their AntichristiaÌ„ proceadings shew and how they bestir them to quench the burning of the harlot smiting rending Christs poore witnesses with tongue tooth and naile casting out of their mouthes a flood of raylings reproches sclanders criminations against theÌ„ of poysoned bitters waters corrupt doctrines blasphemous opinions vnsufferable peruerting abusing the scriptures to hide tollerat or defend the antichristian forgeries abhominations disorder enormities of their Church ministrie that are discouered condempned by the word of God in the mouthes of vs his simple witnesses Of this sort amongst manie other such like are two bookes notoriously infamous lately published by one George Giffard a Priest of their orders against certeine christians whome he calleth Brownists Donatiste In the one of these Bookes he laboureth to defend cleare the parish assemblies of the Church of England of such heinous crimes as the said christians obiect against them and forsake them for witnessing suffring in bandes persecution against the same vnder the handes of those popish Prelats Romish Priestes In the other Booke he indeuoreth to recouer the blame he iustly suffred in the first for reproching sclandering blaspheming accusing these faithfull and innocent christians applijng himself to proue them Donatists by comparing together them from poinct to poinct Both which Bookes are here answered and now at length published to the pervsing iudgment of al men Where they shal see how well he hath delyuered and acquitted their Church in the first As also how iustly he hath proued his charges accusations and blasphemies in the first second The â—ower principall transgressions wherwith we charge and for which we forsake these parish assemblies Namely the prophanenes wickednes confusion of the people which are here receiued reteined nourished as members The vnlawfullnes of their whole ministrie which is imposed vpon them reteined mainteined by them The superstition idolatrie of their publique worship in that deuised Leitourgie which is imposed vpon them And the forgerie of their antichristian ecclesiasticall gouernment to which al their Churches stand subiect are such and so apparant as not only proue these parish assemblies not to be true established Churches of Christ But if it were admitted which can neuer be proued that they somtimes had bene true established Churches yet these transgressions obstinatly stood in and defended are sufficient causes of our seperation from them in this degenerate estate For where such prophane coÌ„fuse multitâ—des without anie exception seperatioÌ„ or choice were all of them immediatly from publique idolatrie at one instant receiued or rather compelled to be members of this Church in some Parish or other where they inhabited without anie due calling to the faith by the preaching of the gospel going before or orderly ioyning togither in the faith there being no voluntarie or perticular confession of their owne faith and duties made or required of anie and last of all no holy walking in the faith found amongst them Who can say that these Churches consisting of this people were euer rightly gathered or built according to the rules of Christs Testament Or who can say that this people in this estate are the communion of Sainctes Or who without sacrilege in this estate can administer the holy things of God vnto or in the same communicate with this people Likewise where these parishes haue a false antichristian ministerie imposed vpoÌ„ them who can say that they are the true established Churches of Christ to the building ministerie wherof Christ hath ordeined instituted and prescribed a certaine ministrie vnto the worldes end Or who without sacrilege may ioyne vnto or communicate with a false antichristian ministrie Christ also hath gyuen vnto his Church perpetuall and alsufficient rules in his holy word for the whole administratioÌ„ gouernmeÌ„t of his established churches to which they are bound wherby they ought to buyld proceede and walke Those Churches then that receiue an other Leitourgie an other foundation other rules for their
willinglie gladlie accept of it and wil refuse no indifferent godlie conference which we yet this time expected and to that end wrote at certeine of your chief Ministers requests these Articles which you haue takeÌ„ vpoÌ„ you to answere In the rest though you haue most rashlie most vnchariblie reproched condempned vs alredie contrarie to all truth order or equitie euen for telling you the truth Yet if hereafter you can beware of rash iudgment we shall reioice Likewise if you can escape Gods iudgments for these your heinous transgressions or make anie better plea for them then as yet we haue heard or can perceiue we shall not be sorie but much glad if you would preuent the wrath that hangeth ouer your heads for them by vnfeigned repentance spedie amendement THE 4 fault is in the subiectioÌ„ to Antichristian gouernment Let it be admitted that ther is some yoake of Antichristian gouernment vnder which the poore Church doth grone as it is her lot to be oppressed with outward bondage to be made to keepe the vineyeard which is not her owne to be beaten of the watchmen to haue her vaile taken from her is she therfore no longer the Spouse of Christ BVT o how far are you from this which winke with your eies stop your eares hardeÌ„ your hearts which caÌ„not endure so much as to heare of your feareful estaâ—e which you see not no nor suffer your sores which you see to be touched but seeke rather to cloake hide them both froÌ„ God men yea to mitigate tollerate iustifie them Seeke you not here to mitigate that heauie apparant AntichristiaÌ„ yoak your Churches stand vnder wherof heretofore you haue complained in Parliaments tearming yt some yoake being now peraduenture through long custome growen lighter vnto you and more easie then Christs yoake at the least theÌ„ Christs Crosse. And yet this some yoake is yeilded but by waie of admition to be retracted at your pleasure if either aduantage arise to vs or danger grow to you therby Further you haue added to this your hipocrisie Blasphemie tearming the yoake of Antichrist the lott of the Church which she must beare by the will of God wherof in due place Now to shew this some yoake you speake of according to the indignitie therof in euerie perticular would make a volume Yea onlie to recite y e seuerall enormities therof would require a discourse which is neither our purpose at this time neither haue we skill or experience therin Only this we see and testifie that your churches staÌ„d whollie vnder the yoake of Antichrist you still reteining his Worship his Lawes his Ordinances his Officers his Courtes euen the whole gouernment that the Pope somtime committed to his faithfull seruants your Bishops which now haue takeÌ„ his power into their owne hands What a sort of stagelike Antichristian Courtes haue you As first that great Court of your high CoÌ„mission the Court ex officio in euerie Bishops house the Court of Arches the Court of Delegates the Court of Faculties Not to speak of your inferiour Courtes in the Contrie as your Commissaries and Officialls Courtes your Scenes such like What a rabble of Officers attendants are vnto theâ—e belonging Aduocates Doctors Proctors Registers Scribes Pursiuants Who can number all their AntichristiaÌ„ Cannons Lawes Rites Ceremonies Priuileges Dispensations Licences of all sortes Probations Inhibitions c which require but the whole age of a man to reade But now who can recount the perticular mischiefs enormities that ensue flow from them euen ouer the whole land Or who yeildeth not to this Antichristian iurisdiction Doo not you your whole Parishes without exception of one bowe downe to this Beast and take the marke of his subiection or the print of his lawes vpon you eueÌ„ in your foreheads in your handes What libertie haue you to refreine froÌ„ these abhominations without present persecution Or what powre haue you to execute and practize Christs lawes Call you this but some yoake The holie Ghost hath taught vs to call you his â—eruants to whome you obey So we finding you vnder the obedience of Antichrist cannot compt you the seruants of Christ vnlesse you can proue that you can serue two coÌ„trarie Maisters faithfullie at once Christ Antichrist are at perpetual war ther is no coÌ„munion betwene them So that it is impossible that the Church of Christ can carie the yoake of Antichrist without breach of wedlock euen of the Couenant as appeareth plentifullie in all the Prophets Christs loue being not bound to her anie longer then shee keepeth faith to him Againe ther is continuall war betwene the true Church and Antichrist which were at an end if she should yeild vnto him or carie his yoake as you suppose But if you had learned to put difference betwene persecution and bondage you could not in this matter haue runne into this blasphemous error as to say it is the lot of the Church to be oppressed with outward boÌ„dage and to be made to keepe the vineyeard which is not her owne Persecution in deed is the lott of the Church here is this world as he that was borne after the flesh persecuted him that was borne after the Spirit But bondage is the badge of Antichrist the marke of the Beast wherby his souldiours are discerned froÌ„ the souldiors of Christ and the children of mount Sina from the childreÌ„ of Hierusalem which is aboue free eueÌ„ the mother of vs all for whome our Capitaine Christ hath purchased a full a perfect libertie at a deare precious price which libertie once lost ther remaineth no more ransoms to make vs free It behooueth therfore all the children of the free woman to stand fast in the libertie wherwith Christ hath made theÌ„ free and not to be intangled againe with the yoake of bondage Neither can these places of the Songe which you haue falsified peruerted anie way carie this doctâ—ine you would build vpon them or coÌ„struction you make In the first place though the Church confesseth her owne vnworthines deformitie borne in originall sinne which conceiued and brought out in her manie actuall sinnes which being kinled in her against her ofteÌ„ enticed her prouoked her to keepe their vines wherby she neglected to dresse and keepe her owne vine Yet from hence it followeth not that because she was sinfull negligent that therfore she was obstinate incortigible the contrarie appeareth in that she thus humblie modestlie confesseth her faultes Or because she kept not her owne vine as she ought to doo that therfore she kept Antichrists vine which shee ought not to doo What a bolde falsifijng of this place is this to all edge y â— the Church was made to keepe the vineyeard which is not her owne in stead of this that she kept not her owne vine If you had looked vpon the two next verses following you could neuer thus groslie
the faith or had made profession therof where they haue not the true ministrie of CHRIST but a strange antichristian ministrie imposed vpon them vvhere they haue not the gouernement of CHRIST but of Antichrist ouer them where their administration worship is not after the Gospel of CHRIST but after their popish idolatrous Leitourgie Al this may safely be defended without falling into anie such inconvenience as M r. Giffard threatneth AS to the heresie he speaketh of we doubt not nether euer thought but the best Church that consisteth of mortall men may fall ether of negligence or of ignorance into greiuous offences and dangerous errors Yea we doubt not but that some famous Churches Christians may fall into such errors as he termeth fundamentall the holding wherof should vtterly subuert the faith As in the Church of Corinth Galatia Asia there where that denied the resurrectioÌ„ That reuiued the Ceremonial â—awes That held the doctrines of Balaam and Nicholas But this we hold withal that no true Church or Christian will maintaine anie sinne or error wheÌ„ yt is euidentlie shewed coÌ„vinced vnto them by the worde of God much lesse persecute such as reproue admonished them as you doe Or if they doe whilest they remaine in that estate they are not of vs to be held the true Churches of CHRIST TO your second chardge we answeare That we haue learned to put difference betwixt error heresie All good men as is said doo may erre but no good man wil defend or persist in his error when yt is shewed and conuinced vnto him Obstinacie ioyned vnto error after yt is dulie convinced maketh heresie Furder we say That anie error being obstinatly holden and taught after it is duelie convinced reproued vnto him maketh an hereticke and heresie in that partie or in that Congregation that so holdeth and teacheth it and doth separate from the faith communion of Christ. Wherfore we can but wonder at your ignorance who staÌ„d for a Teacher in your church and yet hold some errors obstinatlie held taught against the truth of God not to be heresies or at the least not to be fundamental though you see by expresse rule euerie hereticke after one and the second admonition to be shunned Yet say we not that though euerie error thus obstinatlie held be heresie and euerie transgressioÌ„ against the lawe be sinne that therfore all sinnes are equal or all errors of like indignitie The lawe and iudgments of God teach vs to put difference NEther is ther cause whie you should chardge vs or we confesse our selues guiltie of pride presumption intrusion into Godes iudgment seat for condemning those assemblies which the whole worde of God condemneth in all their doings Greater is your pride presumption c that in this maner condemne and blaspheme the truth and seruantes of God for reprouing your sinnes that thus plead for and coulor these filthie abhominations of your Church which are most odious to euerie good conscience But this knowe for certaine howsoeuer the Shipmasters Maryners and Marchantmen of these wares howle and crye out howsoeuer the false Prophet labour to gilde and adorne the false Church with the iewells ornamentes and titles that belong to the true Church how much soeuer the Harlot doe glorifie her self and say in her heart that she sitteth as a Queene and is no widowe and shall see no sorrowe Yet shal her plagues come in one daye death and sorrowe and famine and she shalbe burnt with fire because the God that condemneth her is a strong Lorde IN that you chardge vs with the breach of the rule Math. 18. vnto you this still proceedeth of your former vayne conceipt arrogating vnto your Churches such names titles prerogatiues duties as belong and are only giuen to the true Churches of CHRIST Not being able noâ— endeuouring to approue your Churches by the Testament of Christ although you were often required and vrged by vs so to doe wherby all contention should soone haue ceased you beene cleared iustified we iustlie conuict and chardged In the meane while we affirme vnto you That these golden rules onlie belong vnto the true Churâ—h of CHRIST and that the Court without the Temple vvhich is giuen to the Gentiles is to be cast out and not to be measured The Cannons of the POPE which your Church imbraceth more fitly agree vnto you then the rules of Christs Gospel which your Church reiecteth and blasphemeth But that we maie the sooner see our fault shew vs we pray you how we might execute this rule vnto you how we might tel yt to your Church how we might be heard and haue redresse For if by your Church you meane the ConvocatioÌ„ house you see how they haue often openly reiected this sute If you meane by your Church the Bishops whom you cal the cheif gouernours of your Church you see they blaspheme this truth caling the order of Christs gouernmeÌ„t intollerable daÌ„gerous to the subuertion of Prince state they hate persecute imprison al that speake for or seek the same But if nowe you meane by Churches your Parish Churches alas you see they want power they can mend nothing be yt neuer so heinous or hereticall they must receaue what their Lordes the Bisshops impose and endure til they redresse How then to whom or to what end would you haue vs complaine vnto your Church in this estate Or with what equitie and conscience can you thus reuile and coÌ„demne vs for breaking Christs order towardes your Church when you see your Church wil not be subiect vnto Christes order but persecuteth vs and al such as reproue their faultes and seek to doo Christes will because their worckes are euil and wil not endure the light when they are neuer so litle examined therbye As shal furder appeare but by a cursorie touching of these principal transgressions following THE FIRST PRINCIPAL TRANSGRESSION VVHERVVITH YOVR CHVRCHES ARE CHARDGED IS THAT they worship GOD after a false maner Their worship being made of the invention of man euen of that man of sinne erroneous and imposed vpon them We leaue your first answeare vnto this Transgression and our replie vpon your said answeare to be pervsed and compared by the indifferent Reader and now addresse our selues vnto this your second defence FIrst to make our aâ—cusatioÌ„ his answere more cleare M r. GIF traÌ„slateth our PropositioÌ„ into a Sylogisme thus VVhatsoeuer assemblies worship the true GOD after a false maner their vvorship being made of the inveÌ„tion of maÌ„ euen of the maÌ„ of sinne c the same are not the true Churches of GOD. But th' assemblies as they generallie staÌ„d in England doe vvorship the true GOD after a false maner their vvorship being made of the inventioÌ„ of man c Therfore the assemblies of EnglaÌ„d be not the true Churches of GOD. We finde M r. Giffard so ful of legier du main that we had neede looke narrowlie
GIFFARDS best diuinitie he hath to defend the worship of his Church But let vs nowe come to the perticular defaults in their worship by vs obiected and by him defended Mr. GIFFARD being demanded vvhere he founde in the new TestameÌ„t the Romish Fastes of his Church As their Embers Sainctes Eaues and Lent first confesseth that in the whole Bible he can find no vvarrant for anie Romish fastes But afterwardes lest he should be vnlike himself sayth that vve iniuriouslie sclander and belye their Church in matching them vvith the blasphemouse Synagogue of ROME Seing they place not in abstinence from meates ether the vvorship of God remission of sinnes nor merite Seing they condemne the doctrine of Deuils c. Whie should we by his rayling and subtile cauils be withdraweÌ„ from our present question which because he dare not answere and cannot approue his Embers Sainctes Eaues and Lent Fastes by scripture he seeketh to turne away and to cauile about other doctrines as the putting holines merit c in the abstineÌ„ce and the restraint of meates vvherwith he was not chardged by vs yet wherof happelie if he were narrowlie sought and followed he could not so wel cleare his Church as he supposeth We onlie made question of thinges done and of the present practise of their Church Namelie how he could approue their Embers Sainctes Eaues and Lents which vve caled Romish fastes by the worde of God At which wordes he picketh a quarrle that he might not be vrged to proue his Embers Sainctes Eaues Lenâ— fastes by the Scripture But let him cauil as much as he list at this worde Romish Whersoeuer and whensoeuer they were invented yt is certaine they were brought into and left in the Church by the POPE and are stil vsed though not altogether after so idolatrous a maner at the same holie tides as they were and are in the Romish Church and therfore are still to be caled vpon his name what Prince soeuer after commaund them or vvhat Church soeuer vse them And euill prouide they for their Princes honor that make her the author of such abhominable idolatrous stuffe as these Romish fastes your Embers Sainctes Eaues Lents are which he can no way colour or excuse by anie politicke lawes or transfer the blame from their Church therbie No politick lawes can make that lawfull which the word of God condemneth No politick lawes can excuse the Church from breaking the Commandements of God Nether may these fastes be esteemed ciuill actions because the Princes lawe commandeth them For so might all their vvorship of God be held ciuill actions because the Princes lawes in like maner commandeth them But these fastes are commanded and solemnly proclaimed in their Church and that by the Priest as he is directed by his Rubrick orderly as they arise in their Calendare The people are sommoned to the Sinagogue vnto publique prayer al commanded to fast c shall we call this a ciuile action Nay sure yt must be as much and as well ecclesiasticall as anie other part of the vvorship and administration of your Church Well and besides that you haue receaued and deriued these fastes from the Church of ROME let your special Collects vpon your Sainctes Eaues your bitter commination and special communion vpon your Ash wednesday with your Epistle out of Ioel 2. 12. Tourne you vnto me with all your heartes vvith fasting vveeping and mourning c your Gospell out of Matthew 6. 16. VVhen you fast be not sad as the Hipocrites c Likewise your Collect and Gospell vpon the first Sundaye of your Lent making mention of CHRISTS 40. dayes fast in the wildernes desiring that your 40. dayes fast may subdue the flesh c. Let this your apish or rather popish counterfeighting Let your special communions in your Passion weeke your Maundy Thurs-daye your Good friday c shewe how popishlie you keepe these your fastes Furder let your generall inhibition of flesh and of mariage at these Pope-holie tides and your Bisshops speciall dispensation for both by their licences for money shew how popishlie your Church of England keepeth these idolatrous execrable fastes and whether herein your Church maintayneth not the doctrines of Deuills To conclude let anie man by the Testament of CHRIST iudge whether these annuarie prescribed fastes by waye of lawe vnto all Congregations from yeare to yeare at set tymes and ceasons without anie present occasion so vrging be anie thing like those holie Christian fastes which the primatiue Churches vsed ether according to their general or perticular occasions NExt ensue your idoll feastes your Al-Hallowes Candlemas seueral Ladie daies Sainctes daies and dedicating your Churches vnto Sainctes Here you say we thunder out terror as if the Church of England did worship Idolles and celebrate feastes in the honor of false Gods and yet all is but a starck lye and a wicked sclaunder Here your euill conscience fearing the blowe before yt come can prouide no warde but your accustomed rayling which is the way to make it more heauie soare If you had according to our requestes approued your feastes holie dayes of your Church c by the Testament of Christ vve had yeilded thervnto or howsoeuer you had therby beene freed from these feares iudgmeÌ„ts that pursue your euill conscience Then had you not vpon this occasion needed or vsed these vayne protestations how you hold but one only God and one Mediator betweene God man the man Iesus Christ That God onely is to be worshipped through the mediation of Christ That Sainctes are not to be worshipped no dayes to be celebrated in their honor nor Churches dedicated vnto them How bitterlie then do you sclaÌ„der That you keep no such Feastes dedicate Eaues Daies and Churches in their name you caÌ„ with no shame denie for the present practize of your church through euerie moneth in y e yeare sheweth this true Onely nowe yt remayneth in question whether these Feastes c be consonant to Christes Testament or idolatrous And you being requested ought to haue prooued this keeping these Feastes these holie Cessations by way of lawe this dedicating Eaues Dayes and Churches in Sainctes names by the euident testimonie of Gods word before you had thus reuiled vs. But surelie as you are more theÌ„ loath to be drawen to the triall proofe of this stuffe so take we no delight to rake in this most noysome dounge of your solemne Feastes vaine worship which you as sweete odoures offer vp vnto God in the name mediation of his Sonne Christ Iesus What wil you answeare vnto God though you wil vouchsalf vs none answeare when he shall aske you who hath required these thinges at your handes What will you then pleade for your Iewish feastes of Eâ—ster Pâ—nticoste If you saye you keep them not after the maner of the Iewes yet can you not be said to keep them according to Christes Testament for there you haue no warrant for such feastes What
wil you pleade for your popish feastes of Christmass Al-Hallowes Candlemass c. For your diuiding and deuising Christs life into a stage-playe celebrating his birth vpoÌ„ one daye his Circumcision vpon an other his Epiphanie as you cal yt vpon an other c yea anie of these vpon one special daye more then an other But where haue you learned to keepe them after your heathen and prophane maner with garnishing your earthlie houses decking your bodies with gaye clothes great cheare in glottonie excesse ryot idle games dicing dauÌ„sing mumming masking wassaling what president can you shew of such worshipping and feasting except it be that holie daye which the Israelites kept before the Calf vnto the Lorde in the wildernes Exod. 32. 5. 6. where haue you thus learned CHRIST Is this to keepe the feaste with the vnleauened breade of sinceritie and truth to crucifie the old man to be planted to the similitude of his death of his resurrection c What caÌ„ you there pleade for your superstitious deuotioÌ„s towards your Ladie keeping a Daye an Eaue a Fast a Feast a cessation from al labours an especial worship to her Annunciation an other to her Purification yeerly in your Church It were good you would consider of these things what you can answeare for certis we poore ignorant Christians can see no other mystery in the matter but that yt is detestable idolatrye eueÌ„ that verie powring out your drinck offringes and burning incense to the Queene of heauen Furder what wil you then say to your celebration of deade Saincts keeping one solemne daye vnto them al at once And againe seuerallie to Iohn Baptist and to the Apostles as they are allotted in their Pageant George also your St. Patron must not be forgotteÌ„ A daye also is kept to the martyre Stephen an other daye to the Innocents with their daye eaue fast feast cessaâ—ion special worship to euerie one perticularlie What warrant can you shew for this out of the Bible The Patriarcks Prophets godly Kings were neuer so celebratedâ— neither haue you anie commandement or president in al the newe Testament thus to celebrate them Paule Peter whilest they were aliue desired to be remembred and prayed for of the Church but neuer required anie such dutie being deade Furder what wil you answeare for your keping a daye cessation c to St. Michael al Angells how wil you excuse your self of most high idolatrie advancing your self in thinges you neuer sawe rashlie puffed vp of your fleshlie minde and not holding the heade depriuing others of their Crowne It wil not then stand to saye you worship the Lorde by these deuises for so said your Fathers in the wildernes To morrow the holy day of the Lorde The Lorde he wilbe worshipped according to his owne wil reuealed to vs in his worde and not by our deuises how holie soeuer they seeme If then God be not worshipped with this kinde of worship their Idolls are or to speake rather as the Prophets and the Apostles doe the deuil is worshipped therbie Leuit. 17. 7. Deâ—t 32. 17. 2 Chronicles 11. 15. 1 Corint 10. 20. And thus your owne conclusioÌ„ which you tooke so heynously falleth apace vpoÌ„ you and you haue not brought one reason to saue or cleare your self As to your doctrines by you verballie alleadged concerning God and his worship the idolatrous Israelites and Iewes in their greatest schisme diepest apostasy could haue alleadged manie true doctrines also But nothing is more sure then this Christ is not a Priest for such sacrifices as his Eather is not pleased with Nether is he a Mediator of anie other TestameÌ„t then his owne As to the Dedication of your Churches vnto deade Sainctes and the caling them by their owne names the first you say was the fault of the Papistes but you in caling them after the same names doe not sinne Was it a fault in your predecessors so to dedicate cal them and shall it be no fault in you so to cal them as they had dedicated left them vnto you But you so cal them only to distinguish them Whie this excuse they also had But they had furder superstition in these places and Sainctes And doe not you nourish the same superstitioÌ„ in the weake and animate the Papistes in their sinnes by ratifying these their doings and calling your Churches by the same names they baptized them in But might we aske you where you thus learned to cal distinguish christian CongregatioÌ„s in the Scriptures your answeare place is readie Luke Acts. 17. caleth a streate in Athens Mars streate and aske vs if he therfore dedicated it to that heathâ— God We answere you that if Luke should so giue the name cal it speaking in his owne person for himself he should sinne commit idolatrie in naming the Creature of God after an Idol as you do in caling the Daâ—es your Churches after the names of such Sainctes Dauid saith he wil not take the names of their Idolls in his lippes But Luke here recordeth the historie of such thinges as came vnto PAVLE in Athens and the vulgar name of the place whether the Athenian Philosophers ledd Paule naming yt after their maner not that himself so caled yt willingly or to giue vs boldnes to do the like but rather to manifest their fault superstitious feare they stoode in of their Idolls as Paule verse 22. sheweth by y e reproofe of their fault teaching vs to auoyde the like And caÌ„ you collect y t because Luke writeth that they of Athens named a streate after Mars they of Alexandria signed a ship vnto Castor Polluâ— that christians may by those places name or cal anie thing in their possession after Idolls or deade Sainctes Is this the best doctrine you can drawe vse you caÌ„ make of this Scripture yet is it the only place of Scripture you haue vsed to approue any part of your publique worship which we had blamed vnto you We wil not stand to vrge the Poperie superstition of some of the Sainctes names of your Churches how some of them are caled after Christs sepulchre others after al the rable of Sainctes both men weomen Sainctes in the POPES Calendare but proceade to the rest of your tromperie AS your Coâ—â—inations Rogations Purifiâ—ations Your Comminations you saye are a part of Canonicall Scripture which is to be read in the Church Partes of Canonicall Scripture indeed they are by you miserably dismembred bownd vp together and wickedly vsed and peruerted to such superstition idolatrie being vsed in the place vpon the daye of popish shrift Or rather as your Portesse saith in the place of the Discipline of the church and of the Penance vsed in the beginning of Lent Thus in the best vse of it by your owne confession yt is an execrable Idoll in that it is brought into your Church and supplieth the place of Christes discipline in his Church
and is vsed in stead therof vntill Christes discipline may be restored againe vvhich you there say is much to be wished yt being nothing lesse then that which it standeth for by your owne confessions in the preample before your Comminations Yt remayneth then the instrument of those Idoll shepheardes to feede the sheep of distructioÌ„ with the curse of God being sealed vnto your whole Church by your owne mouthes All your Church being generallye founde and wilfullie remayning guiltie in som sinnes there condempned As these publique idolatries others and each one in sundrie perticulars as deceipt wronge whoredome c. We wil not here stand to discusse the follye Poperie of this solemne peice of your worship and administratioÌ„ Penance your Lent fast are grosse to euerie one in whom is anie light YOur Rogations you say are but limiting the boundes of euerie Parish to auoyde contention But we would then knowe of you how it became an act of your Church a part of your Pastors office to be doÌ„ne by the Parson and the parrish Clarcke with the rest of the parishners certaine Psalmes the Letanie Collects being said ouer the Grasse Corne and Cattayle in place of the popish procession Yea there are of your Priestes that wil not faile to reade a Gospel when they come at a crosse way orderly This is somewhat more theÌ„ visiting the bowndes Nether euer thought we that such ciuile actions had beloÌ„ged to the Church Ministrie Christ would not be made a diuider here on earth there are Ciuile iudgmeÌ„t seates appoincted therunto And howsoeuer this publique sollemne worship be commaunded by other iniunctions of your Church and not by your seruice-booke yet according to that booke is this solemne action performed PVrifications you say are aÌ„nexed to make vp our ryming figure For nether your Booke nor doctrine of your Church alloweth anie other purification then in the bloude of the Lambe c. nether yet did the Iewes from whom the Pope as yt should seeme deriued this worship hold anie other purificatioÌ„ theÌ„ in the bloude of that Lambe although they figured that bloude by sundrie rites ceremonies of which sort this maner of bringing weomeÌ„ to the Priest in the Church after child-birth and a certaine nomber of dayes expired was Yet seeing you wil at no hand be said to imitate the Iewes herein you must then take it from the Pope of necessitie for other auâ—thor you can finde none for yt nether anie president or warrant in the TestameÌ„t of Christ The woemans monethlie restraint and seperation from your Church her comming after that iust tyme wympeled vealed with her Gosips Neighbours following her her kneeling downe before and offring vnto the Priest The Priestes Churching praying ouer her blessing her from Sonne and Moone deliuering her in the end to her former vocation shewe somewhat besides giuing of thaÌ„kes But if yt should be admitted only a thanksgiuing We would then knowe of Mr. Giffard or his Ordinarie how this perticular ordinarie though miraculous matter more theÌ„ al other strange actes wonderful and extraordinarie deliuerances both by sea and by land manie and great benefites of the Lord both to men and woemen should be made a publique action of the Church an especial part of the publique worship and administration therof And what warrant they haue in Christes Testament for this But if they there haue none whie other perticular and priuate benefites may not aswel be brought into the Church also and be enioyned by lawe as this and then what end would there be of these deuises and what place to the publique ministrie of Gods worde in the Church Furder we would knowe of them whie these woemen should by lawe be constrained to defer their thanks-giuing vntil the moneth be expired Or if they haue giueÌ„ God thaÌ„kes before priuatly whie they should for his priuate peculiar benefite be compelled to giue thankes publiquely againe for the same or rather to hire the Priest to giue thanks for her againe Of these pointes touching this matter we would craue Mr. Giffards learned and direct answeare in his nextbooke NExt come your Tithes Offringes Mortuaries These you saye are but for maintenance of your Ministrie and not as a matter tyed of necessitie vnto a Priesthode as in the time of the lawe and if they were the error were not fundamental We neuer doubted but that they were the maintenance of your Ministrie but whether the Ministrie of Christ nowe vnder the Gospell may be so maintayned is the question We reade in the Testament that the Ministrie of the Gospel ought to be maintayned by the flockes vnto which they atteÌ„d and that by the free louing contribution of the faithful according to the Ministers necessitie the peoples habilitye from time to time We reade not in the Testament that this contribution ought to be imposed by waye of 1. lawe or 2. bargaine vpon the people As by paying tenthes thirdes 40. or 50. pownds a yeare We finde not in the TestameÌ„t that the Ministers of CHRIST ought to sel their administration as the Sacraments c. Nowe let the Tithes Offrings set vvages of your Ministrie we meane the inferior common ministrie of Parsons Vickars roving Curates or hireling Preachers and not of the Lordlie sort which liue as Princes in Pallaces nor of your Collegiate Priests in their dennes be examined by these rules and tryed whether they haue anie foundation in the worde of God or no. As to their accursed couetousnes odious port-sale not onlie of their owne tougues but of that Gospel ministration which they pretend of your Sacraments Baptisme Supper Châ—rching Marrijng Burijng c. and that to the most prophane and vngodlie for their tithes offrings wage c Mr. Giffard shal neuer be able to hide from God or excuse before men It would require a lardge discourse to set downe how these their tithes accord in euerie perticular vnto the Leuitical decimations And how dangerous nowe it were to reviue and vnpossible to ioyne these lawes vnto CHRISTES Ministrie and Gospel If that priesthode be remoued there must be of necessitie a removing of the lawe They that reviue anie part of the Ceremonial lawe are bownde to the whole lawe and abolished from CHRIST Let Mr. Giffard then looke whether this error be fundamental as he caleth yt being obstinatelie held The Princes commandement wil no more change the nature of this lawe then the commandement of Ezekia and other godlie Kings did before tyme For so might al the lawes of God which Princes should coÌ„mande be transferred from God to men If it be said they vse these Tithes c otherwise so also might the Galatians and Corinthians haue said of such Seremonies as they would haue ioyned to the Gospel NOwe are we to take a viewe of your maner of visiting the sicke housâ—ling them with the Sacrament Your Absolution Dirges and
right deare and faithful seruant of CHRIST yet Sathan sifted him and he fell Yea we had thought that our Sauiour onlie had receiued this strength and defence against al temptations to sinne assaults c. And that al mortal men had bene dailye subiect to sinne temptation c that our reioycing might be of God and not of our selues and Gods glorie be shewed and perfected through our weaknes If these vanuties of the Bissops were true then might it indeed rightly be called a Confirmation for then such as had that were sure and sure there then to those should be no more vse of CHRISTES merites suffrings or mediation or of Gods mercye But because al men are coÌ„tinuallie prone vnto and euen enclosed and compassed about with sinne whilest they dwel in this mortal flesh and haue continual neede of Gods mercy and vse of CHRISTS merites suffrings and mediation Yea because we see wel nigh al those whom the Bisshops haue thus confirmed to be confirmed in al sinne and wickednes and euen the Bisshops themselues the aucthors of this deuise from whom al this vertue and holines should flowe fourth vnto others to be them-selues the verie synkes draynes of al abhomination corruption idolatrie superstitioÌ„ blasphemie and open transgression of al Gods lawes We are confident in the truth and power of our Lorde IESâ—S CHRIST to witnesse against these abhominable ordinances of Antichrist and against the Church of England for receiuing the same and maintayning the most impious blasphemous doctrines that ensue therof as is aboue proued TO the blasphemous Collects in your Sacraments Booke you wishe we were as weary in lying and sclandering as we should be to seeke finde out one such You haue in rememâ—rance the Collects wherin the Priest by th'aucthoritie committed vnto him doth absolue the sicke of al his sinnes You must not forget your two Cellects said ouer your deade brother The one wherin you praise God for receiuing to mercye his soule liued he or died he neuer so prophane blasphemouse and impenitent a wretch The other wherin you praye for him that you with him may haue a perfect consummatioÌ„ blisse both in bodie and soule Nowe to helpe your memorie a little furder we woulde desire you to consider better of that glorious Antheame you singe or saye in your publique Communion wherin with Angells Arch-Angells and al the companie of heauen you laude magnifie c Wherin we wil not demaunde of you howe whilest you remaine in the flesh you can haue such familiar conversation with those heauenlie souldiours and elect spirits of the faithful deceased that you together with them can praise laude God Nether wil we presse you with the papistical and curious speculations in making digrees of Angells Arch-Angells c. But we would here knowe of you howe manie Arch-Angells you reade of finde in the Scriptures And whether you knowe anie more heades of Angells then Christ himself Exept peradveÌ„ture your Church haue some especial prerogatiue froÌ„ the Apostatical Sea to make Arch-Bisshops and Arch-Angells Your Collect also in baptisme of Sanctifijng the floud Iordan and al other waters to the mistical washing away of sinne some saye sauoreth greatly of Poperye and retayneth the people in a superstitious opinion That the water vsed in baptisme hath holines some especial vertue in yt abâ—â—e common water especially wheÌ„ yt is thus blessed by the Priest and 〈◊〉 out of the hallowed Fonte c. But we wil not presse you herewitâ— nether yet stand to examine your Collect vpon your St. Michael all Angells-Day how you make Michael a creature and Canonize him amonge the Popes Saincts and worship him amongst together with all Angels This shalbe no blasphemie no Poperie in your Church Nether will we stand to vnrip your popish patched Letanie Or shew by what POPE and whie euery part therof was deuised and added And wherfore yt is good As for the quick the deade For al that trauaile by sea or by land For all weomen labouring with childe For all sicke persons and younge children all prisoners and captiues For Bishops Curates For lightnings and tempestes For plague pestilence and famine For battaile and murder and for sodeyne death c. All which things and what ells that you will request at his handes CHRIST cannot but graunt you when you so beconiure him By the mysterie of his holie incarnation by his holie natiuitie and circumcision by his baptisme fasting and temptation by his agonie and bloudie sweate by his Crosse and passion by his pretious death and buriall by his glorious resurrection and assention and by the comming of the Holy Ghost And sweetlie you entreat him by them all seuerally and ioyntely to deliuer you from the euils aboue-said and also from fornication and al other deadly sinnes In which Sofrage we wil not obserue y t you hold some sinnes deadlie and others not deseruing death because you peraduenture can shift it off with learning howsoeuer yt standeth in the Popes booke or they that made it thought of it Onely we obserue that this your holy Letanie is a most rare and especiall confection soueraigne good for all thinges at all times but especially in the morning and therfore it is so ofteÌ„ enioyned to be songe or said in your Church euerie weeke at their mattens Yet was there by what aduenture we knowe not an vnsauorie vnhappie Sofrage stollen into your Letanie in Kinge EDVVARDS tyme Against the tyrannie of the Bisshop of Rome and all his detestable enormities Which Sofrage because it was nether so Canonical or holie nether agreed vnto the rest could not be songe with theÌ„ in tune Or because it was ouer rough doctrine for sondrie of their weake brethereÌ„ that then loued yet loue the POPE anie thing that commeth from him with all their hearte Or ells that which is more likelie ouer plaine doctrine to make the people abhor all their Romish wares marchantmen The worthy Bishops most vigilant Pastors Gouernours of your Church to auoide these inconveniences of their pontificall aucthoritie dismissed yt thrust it quite out of their Lâ—tanie and vtterlie abrogated and razed it out of their Authenticall Leitourgie Wherin nowe it hath bene by these learned men corrected and this perrilous Sofrage thrust out it is impossible to finde ether heresie or blasphemie But caÌ„ there be more horrible execrable blasphemie then thus to coniure exercise Christ by his natiuity circumcisioÌ„ baptisme fasting by his agonie his sweate his crosse his death his buryal c what Coniurers or Enchaunters can exceede this where haue they learned thus to praye thus to dismember distort Christ or thus idolatrouslie to applie and abuse these outwarde thinges which he did or were donne vnto him in the fleshe Why might they not aswel beseech him by his growing in age his walking fleeping weeping c by his crowne of thornes the spondge nayles speare No meruaile
they fetched this geare from the POPES Portesse Againe where haue they learned to pray for their fore-Fathers offences if not of the POPE Where haue they learned to pray for all that erre for all that trauaile by land or water for all that are sicke in captiuitie tribulation c when there is a sinne for which we are forbidden to praye when there are many most vngodly and wicked persons going about and suffring for much mischief thus traueyling emprisoned c Pray they not for Gods open enemies for the breach of all Gods lawes for the ouerthrowe of all maiestracie publique peace order and for the destruction both of the Church coÌ„mon wealth therby Also where learned they to pray against lightning tempest plague famine battle c when they haue no present neede or haue no present feare or danger therof Is not this to trifle to abuse Gods name Can this prayer be of faith to praye against lightning in the middest of Wynter c Is not this to forbid God to vse his owne Creatures to his owne will and glorie Yea to forbid him to restraine his Creatures or to punish his enemies by dearth plague warre Finally where learned they to praye against sodeyne death that God should not call anie of this land yea of the whole world sodeynly Is not this to appointe God when and howe to call Hath not God reserued these secret thinges in his owne hande only forbidden men to be curious or inquisitiue after them and commanded them continually to watch be readie for in an howre that we thincke not will our Master come as a theife in the night c These are the publique prayers doctrines worship and administration of the Church of England which it not only tollerateth but with an high hand commaundeth maintayneth enforceth vpon all men Of all these execrable wares standeth Mr. GIFFARD a marchantman retayling them to the miserale people being with none more or so much offended as with those who refuse and speake against this tromperie vvhom how he rewardeth or refuteth let this his blasphemous popish booke shewe What defence he hath made for this worship and ministration Let the readers by this time iudge and howe smoothly he hath passed by and coulored yea swallowed vp all these abhominations transferring all the blame and reproach vpon the poore seruants of CHRIST that condemne this trash and admonish him Euill signes ether of a true Minister or true christian None speaking by the spirit of God iustifieth error or blasphemeth the truth at any time How far he hath sought to iustifie these antichristian deuises popish enormities and blasphemed vs for speaking the truth Let his booke shewe Yet bringeth he against vs a certaine Secte in their Church which condemne certayne thinges as corruptions such as neede reformation and therfore would know how we could abandon al th'assemblies for this Booke seing manie disalowe manie thinges therin TO this he saith we make a double answeare First that vsing a part they doe homage to the whole Then that the best part of this Booke is an abhomination to the Lorde c. This dubblenes is of your owne heart who dissembling with God and your owne conscience to auoyde opeÌ„ shame care not what wrong you doe others or what iudgments you heape vpon your self against the daye of wrath Our answeare was but one and this That you knewe neuer a Minister that vseth not the Booke that standeth not vnder this Idoll Or that had throwne it out by the power of Gods worde or with-drawen the people from yt with al their preaching these 29. yeares But that they all administer by yt ioyne their gospell to yt minister to that people that vse yt c. That the conningest of you that vse the best and leaue the rest connot make that best part you vse other then a piece of swynes-flesh an abhomination to the Lorde And that the perswation of your consciences could neither iustifie your worship cleare your selues or satisfie others Especially when we see your consciences to tollerate to submit vnto the whole to vse part in respect of your homage and to refuse part for shame of the worlde This you were ashamed to inserte because you were not able to answeare Therfore in all this they but counterfeite and you cauil What folly can you finde in this saying That in vsing part they doe homage for the whole Stand not all your Ministers bownd to this Booke sworne in their canonicall obedience to administer according to the order prescribed therin and not to preach against anie thing by publique authoritie established Stand not the Church-wardens and Sidemâ— bownde to present the defaults And the Arch-Deacon and Commissarie to censure the same How then seing all your Ministers stand in this subiection vnto yt would you haue vs thincke that the part they vse is not in respect of their homage to the whole Or howe woulde you haue vs thincke that they condemne anie part therof when they speake not against yt and cast yt not out by the power of the worde nether with-drawe themselues nor the people from yt but ioyne in prayers sacramentes with them that vse yt Is this to condemne yt or to condemne theÌ„selues rather in the things they do CaÌ„ you with your fleshly reason put this away Might they not by your reason stand sworne to y e Masse-Booke ioyne to such idolatrous priestes people as vse yt yet if in their owne conscience or secretly they dislike some faultes therof be as cleare as these Ministers you speake of are of the corruptions they condemne There are some truthes some good things in the Masse-Booke also You vse no good reason to persuade vs by your Schismes and diuisions in your Church vnto your Church We know that Christ is not diuided and y t there is but one Spirit one Baptisme CHRIST is not yea nay yea in one place naye in an other Though christiaÌ„s may through y e ignoraÌ„ce darcknes that is in them dissent in some things yet ar they to walke by one rule and not to teach diuers doctrines Who so teach otherwise or causeth anie dissentioÌ„ or offences besides the doctrine with we haue learned is to be auoyded to be cast out If either of these factions you speake of had bene of CHRIST they would yeâ— this haue proceded according to the rule of CHRIST against the offenders and not haue remayned in this contention diuision TO your next vehement exclamation of frensie In that we terme the best part of your Portesse but a piece of swynes-fleshe c wherin you saye we strike at God and blaspheame that which is most holy because therin are sondrie portions of Scripture As the Lordes prayer the tenne commandements the articles of your faith c. We beseech you when you shall be a litle come to your self are not all these with your Pistâ—es and Gospells in the Masse-Booke
also yet you wil hold no part of that execrable Idoll good The Papistes hange the first wordes of the Gospel after Iohn about their necke for manie purposes shall we not saye that this or their Agnus Dei are abhominable Idolls therfore Coniurers vse diuers Psalmes and scriptures in their magical incantations diuers Collects with as litle euill as most of yours shall we nowe allowe anie part of their Coniurations are they not altogether accursed The Scriptures then we see may be abused yet no way iustifie anie part of the wicked action or naughty thing to which they are applyed The Scriptures are holy good of themselues yet when they are thus violently rent dismembred constrayned peruerted abused ioyned to these idolatries they no way iustifie any part of the vvorship but make the whole more execrable We can saye then that those Scriptures vvhich you thus prophane and abuse to your idolatries aboue-said as your idoll feastes and all your idol vvorship and ministration are in their due place true vse holie reuerend gratious But vvhen they are abused peruerted and ioyned to patch vp this idolatrie they make the whole the more execrable All the Scriptures then of God are holy pure and all the whole Masse-Booke and English seruice-Booke and euerie part therof are detestable Idolls All which Idoll and euery part therof vve can condemne and yet preserue the sacred maiestie and aucthoritie of the Scriptures All this your festered conscience blasphemous mouth could to your furder iudgment confesse in our name though Sathan that speaketh in you by and by sought to quench it by deriding our holie suffrings Our baÌ„des vnto vs are comfortable glorious vnto God and shal rise vp and be produced in iudgment with this idolatrous murderous generatioÌ„ of your horned cleargy But now to the Scriptures be you alledged If you were demaunded where you learned to mumble ouer that Scripture by you falsely caled the Lords prayer fiue tymes in your Morowe-Masse and to vse yt at all assaies to to saye yt ouer the sick ouer the deade ouer the weomen in Churching ouer the marryed c should not your holie Father the POPE be founde the aucthor of all this Also if we should aske you where you reade and how you could proue that blasphemous Article of your faith That CHRIST discended into Hel what scripture could you shew or alleadge for yt Thus are euen those thinges wherof you glorie tourned to your shame if so be that you could be ashamed of anie thing Yet howsoeuer you maye harden your heart and your face against the manifest truth by this sleight discussing of your worship doctrines and administration euen by this litle which is alreadie said all men may discerne what kinde of ministers blinde guides you be Also anie that had but once seene the Church of Rome might easilie by the â—â—ea-spotts freakes you speake of knowe her daughter of England at the first blush For as the Mother such the Daughter is in al her limbes features and proportions Hetherto we haue spoken of some odious fowle faultes and errors in perticular founde in this their worship or Leitourgie the furder examination wherof and searche of the rest that remaine we leaue to the furder diligeÌ„ce of others And nowe touching this their seruice-booke and Leitourgie in general this we saye 1. IN that they presume to giue and enioyne their prescript wordes in praier they take the office of the Holie Ghost awaie quench the spirit of the ministrie and of the whole Church stop and keepe out the graces of God thrust their owne idle deuises vpon the whole Church yea vpon GOD himselfe whether he wil or no 2. IN that bie their Leitourgie they prescribe what and how much to reade at Morne to their Mattens at Eauen c teachinge the Church and ministrie to pray by nomber stint and proportion it is not onely popish but most friuolous and vayne disgracing and not instructing the Church and ministerie 3. IN that by this their Leitourgie they prescribe vnto the Church what Scriptures publiquelie to reade and when to reade them as these Chapters and Psalmes at their mattens before noone those at after noone c On all the dayes that they haue publique meetings and seruice through the yeere and soe from yeere to yeere They therebie take from the Church the holie and free vse both of the Scriptures and spirit of GOD. They therbie conceale and shut out of the Church a great part of GODS holie worde which they reade not As also abuse without order those scriptures they enioyne to be read 4. IN that they shread rend and dismember the Scriptures from the holie Order and natural sense of their context to make them Epistles Gospels Lessons select Psalmes to their festivals and Idol worship aboue-said They most heinouslie pervert and abuse the Scriptures to the high dishonor of GOD their owne feareful iudgment 5. IN that they bring in and commaunde the Apochrypha writings to be publiquelie read in the Church They both mainetaine and publiquelie teach the dangerous errors therin contayned to the poysoning and subverting of the faith of the Church They thrust these deuises of men into the place of GODS worde causing the people therebie to reuerence and esteeme them as the holie Oracles of GOD of like aucthoritie dignitie and truth and to resorte vnto them to builde their faith thervpon and therbie they bring in an other foundation into the Church besides the high iniurie donne vnto GOD therbie 6. FInallie in that by this their Leitourgie they bring in erect and enioyne a new strange kinde of administration as is aboue proued in the perticulars They make and erect a new Gospel and so must needes also erect vnto yt a new ministrie For the ministrie of Christ is only bounde vnto and wil onlie administer by Christes Testament wherein they haue a most perfect Leitourgie for the whole administration of his Church Therfore this present Leitourgie and ministrie of ENGLAND are by al these reasons in general and perticular founde and proued at once to be counterfeite vngodlie and Antichristian His wide friuolous Parenthesis from the 17. page of his booke vnto the 47. touching read prayer and prescript Leitourgies we leaue to be discussed and refuted by an other to whose writinges we referr the Reader Leauing Mr. Giffard and the whole Church of ENGLAND touching this first pointe of their worship to be compassed about with the sparckes and to walke on in the light of the fire that they haue kindled Yet this to them of our hand they shal lye in sorrowe THE SECOND PRINCIPAL TRANSGRESSION IS THAT the prophane vngodlie multitudes without the exception of anie one person are with them receiued into and retayned in the bozome and bodie of their Church IN Mr. Giffard his former answere vnto this Transgression he then not being past al shame confessed That the most Churches in England want godlie
as in the same faith obedience seeke the coÌ„munion and fellowship of the faithfull are to be receaued as members into the Church And that only the childâ—en of such by the one Parent are to be baptized We hold furder that howsoeuer the dearest children of God doe may fal yet are they still â—enued by repentance And that all such as continue obstinate in their sinne after due admonition are not by vs to be esteemed faithfull but to be held wicked prophane although the Church should refuse to cast them out This vve hope in anie christian or sober iudgment will not be founde To call all suche prophane and to condemne them as infidells which professe the faith truly and coÌ„tinue outwardly obedient although in some weaknes and infirmities as this malitious accuser falsly sclandereth vs. Nether shall we be founde to intrude into Gods iudgment seate to rend and teare vp the weake plantes in desperate and sauadge maner vvhilest we affirme those rowtes and multitudes of Atheistes Papists Idolatros heretickes blasphemers extortioners wronge-doers couetous proude vayne and light persons glottons dronckardes adulterers bawdes whores and whoremasters theiues murderers and other such like flagitious vngodly persons which were receiued into and are retayned in their Church as members to be esteamed amongst the wicked and prophane of the world and not as the right plants true members of the Church in this estate We are taught to knowe and iudge the tree by the fruictes and easily can discerne these Vines of SODOME from the Lordes Vines these stincking weedes these nettles thornes thistles from the Lordes pleasant plantes the sweet incense trees oliue pome-granate figge trees of the Lordes walled Orcharde of his Church We cannot mistake the mountaines of these Leopardes and Wolues for CHRISTES sheepfold the cages of these vncleane and hatefull birdes for the holie assemblie of Sainctes Neither may vve nowe flatter and dissemble contrarie to the evident truth of God and our owne conscience to iuâ—tifie and blesse the wicked to call the churle liberall to saye to the wicked they are righteous and to them that despise the Lorde they shall haue peace as this vvretched man doth for his bellye Who being in league with his Ordinarie and in couenante with Hell is not ashamed to stand a Priest of all these abhominations to the most abhominable seeking to pleade for and iustifie both terming these rowtes of all sortes of wicked vngodly persons the Sainctes the assemblies of them the Church and sheep-fold of CHRIST calling the most hateful and horrible sinnes they daylie commit but their infirmities and weaknes the most execrable blasphemies and idolatries but the spotts bleamishes of their Church What then shall we iudge of their sinners and sinnes if these be their Saincts infirmities bleamishes But there are none so bad as we that speake against these holie assemblies of these Sainctes and that for these their bleamishes infirmities c. Al that feare God may tremble at our intollerable wickednes Mr. Giffard saith That teare vp these weake plaÌ„tes yea whole assemblies that vnfeinedly sorrowe and mourne for their sinnes and studie to please God We are they that take vpon vs to plucke vp al the darnel though we be commaunded the contrarie lest we plucke vp the wheate Math. 13. What spirit leadeth vs and possesseth him and his Church as also how they sorrowe and mourne for their sinnes Let th'ocasions of these controuersies betwixt vs their tyrannie our sufferings and this his present writing declare Wee blame and witnesse against manie most heynous horrible sinnes So far are they from acknowledging the same that they wil not be confessed amongst the bleamishes of his Church Yea insteade of repeÌ„tance they persecute he blasphemeth and in euerie sentence of his booke casteth at vs in his furie these his fire-brandes poysoned arrowes and deadly dartes wherwith his whole Booke is seasoned insteade of better grace and al for shewing admonishing them of their sinnes Vnto this place Mat. 13. which he bringeth against vs for plucking vp the tares he must acknowledge these his weake plaÌ„tes euen al the prophane multitudes deluge of people to be those tares or ells he cannot vse yt against vs or blame vs for plucking them vp This if he confesse then can they not be held in this estate the children of the kingdome that tender wheate that blossomed and made fruite Then hath he granted vs as much coÌ„cerning this poynte as we require yea and iudged them as far as we iudge which is not concerning their future but their present estate Their election or reprobation we leaue to that great hous-holder the maker and iudge of all conteyning our selues within the rules of his reuealed worde whose iudgmeÌ„ts we cannot lighten or pronownce the wicked innocent against whose iudgmeÌ„ts who so spurne or resist but stomble at that rocke which wil grind them to powder If Mr. Giffard vnderstand the field in this place to be the Church he choseth rather to insist in the errour of others then in th'exposition of our Sauiour himself who saith verse 38. That the field is the worlde the good seede are those Children of the kingdome but the tares are the Children of the wicked one If yt should be vnderstoode of the planted Church then were al the rules ordinances censures and gouernment of the Church vtterly abolished TheÌ„ might al be receiued in and none at anie tyme for anie offence cast out of the Church c. Then also could not the ciuile Maiestrate put anie offendor to death for that were to roote out the Tares Neither can these Tares be vnderstoode of those hypocrites whose sinnes appeare not for then could not the Disciples discerne iudge and seeke to roote them vp Or being so vnderstoode be compared to those multitudes of prophane whose heynous sinnes are manifest Let the Tares then be the children of the wicked one and not the Sainctes of CHRIST Let the tares be in the worlde and not in the Church seing our Sauiour himself so pronounceth them and instructeth his disciples so to thinck of them Yet let not his disciples in anie inordinate zeale seeke to roote them vp seing they haue nothing to doe to iudge them that are without But let them rather by al meanes seeke their ingrafting in instructing them inal gentlenes if so be that God at anie tyme wil giue them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth that they also may be partakers of the like mercie and grace with them WHat then hath Mr. Giffard gayned by this place That the opeÌ„ prophane such as neuer made true voluntarie profession of their owne faith other then that prescript verbal confession which is enioyned to them al in their Seruice-booke which a childe of 4. yeeres olde may say after the Priest as wel as they may be receaued into the Church Or that al sortes of open wicked grosse
vtterly broken off the Iewes for their sinnes infidelitie that the Gentiles might be gathered and grafted in by faith Yet is the Lord in his greatest wrath alwaies mindeful of his mercy and hath set a tyme wheÌ„ to cal ingraff againe the Iewes that al Israel might be saued and brought into one shepefold as yt is written But in the meane tyme it is no reason to say That because the Lorde euen in the worst tymes alwaies reserueth a remnaÌ„t in his mercy Therfore these wicked people in those euil tymes are his visible Church Or because the Lorde in the Loynes af the most wicked hath a holie seede according to his secret election That therfore these wicked parents are in the visible Church or their ofspring vnder the outward couenant Yet are these Mr. Giffards best ArgumeÌ„ts to proue Israel in their open schisme idolatrye and Iuda in their open Apostasy and idolatrie to be the true outward Church whervnto the Seales of the outward couenant belonged and were giuen euen to the seede of the greatest Idolator Yea the schisme apostasy idolatry prophanation of the holie things of God amongst these Iewes Israelites are the best and onlie groundes he hath or bringeth to approue iustifie the corrupt estate of the Church of ENGLAND and that the seed of their prophane Idolators ought to be baptized Saue that at leÌ„gth he hath founde out a merueylous knot in a rush and of the same made such a share for his Brâ—wnistes as they must needes either confesse the baptisme of their Church to be a signe of the couenant And so they all from their ancestors and their whole Church are within the couenant Or ells if they denie it fal into the heresie of the Catabaptistes and make themselues also without the couenant or ells to haue a couenant without seales But now if he wil giue vs leaue to vnlose this knot we must desire him to learne to put a difference betwixt false Sacraments and true Sacraments and againe betwixt false Sacraments and no SacrameÌ„ts The false Church hath her hyd bread and stollen waters her false SacrameÌ„ts The Israelites in their schisme and the Iewes in their apostasie stil had and vsed Circumciâ—ion This Circumcision was no true Sacrament vnto them neither sealed the Lordes couenant vnto them in that estate Yet was this circumcision true circumcision concerning the outward cutting and was vpon their repentance and retourne neither defaced nor reiterat but they were restored againe to the Temple and receiued to the Passouer As wee reade in Ezechias and Iosiahs tymes as also after the retourne out of Babilon In like maner in this general apostasie and defection from the Gospel so much fore-told in CHRISTES Testament the baptisme contynued and vsed in these Apostatical and false Churches cannot in this estate thus administered c be said a true Sacrament or seale of Gods couenant vnto them Yet concerning the outward washing yt is true baptisme and vpon their repentance and restoring to the Church the outward actioÌ„ need not ought not to be againe repeated after th'abuse therof in the false Church is purged away by true repentance Yet iustifie we not hereby anie thing donne in the false Church but cal all men by all meanes from the same willing their whole worship to be repented of left and forbidding al men vpon incurring the Lords heauie indignation to offer bring their children vnto the false Church to be baptized exhorting them rather patiently to expect and diligently to seeke out repaire vnto the true Church of CHRIST where at the handes of Christes true Ministers they may receiue the true seales of his couenant vnto their comfortes Yea assuring them that whilest they refreyne from that which they knowe to be euil and with true heartes sprinckled from an euil conscience diligently seeke to doe the wil of God as he offreth meanes they their seede are within the couenant of God although through the iniquitie of the tymes they be stil restreyned for a ceason from hauing outward baptisme so that they neither neglect or contemne much lesse abuse and prophane of heauenly an ordinance THus this learned Diuine hauing as you haue heard bestowed all his labour and long studie to proue the kingdomes of Israel and of Iuda in their schisme and apostasy to be the true Church yet to make the matter more cleaâ—e and the more easie for the Church of England he wil also proue her mother of Rome to be the true Church of CHRIST Because the Brownisâ—es hold that this land in the tyme of Poperie was not the true Church of CHRIST and that nowe they are but confuse multitudes not rightly â—ntred into couenant with God This that he may doe he holdeth it not enough to affirme with other learned Diuines That the invisible Church of GOD is in the Papacye as in all other places of the world because God hath his elect there and in al other places But he to be singular inverteth the Proposition and saith That the Papacy with the whole apostasie and all their abhominations and al that receiue the Beastes marcke and worship his image are in the Church because Antichrist doth sit in the Temple of God Thus whilest he without al vnderstanding or feare after his accustomed presumption peruerteth and wresteth the Scriptures from their holie sense according to his owne lust no merueile though GOD giue him vp into a reprobate sense and suffer him to drawe these heretical doctrines and damnable conclusions from the same to the destruction of himself and of as manie as receiue his doctrines If Antichrist may be said to sitt reigne and remaine in the Church of God Then CHRIST is not made heire and Lorde of all and set as Kinge vpon Mounte Sion Then CHRIST is either cast out of his house or made subiect vnto ANTICHRIST or diuideth with him Then the Church of CHRIST maie remaine subiect vnto and be gouerned by Antichrist Then the Church of Christ may stand vnder be subiect vnto two heades CHRIST and Antichrist Then CHRIST is not the onlie head of the Church If Antichrists Ministers marcked seruants maie be brought into set ouer the Church of God then is not CHRISTS Ministrie which he hath instituted to his Gospel and his Church permanent vnto the worldes end but variable at the wil of man Then may the Church of God caste out Christes Ministrie and receiue Antichrists If Antichristes doctrines lawes may be brought set vp remaine in the Church TheÌ„ Christ is not the onlie Prophet Lawegiuer Then may the Church be builte vpon an other foundatioÌ„ then vpon Gods worde If al Antichristes abhominations heresies idolatries may be brought into remaine in the Church of God Then no blasphemie heresie apostasie or anie thing that man caÌ„ commit or deuise caÌ„ breake the couenant TheÌ„ may the Church of God
Idols be placed together If they that worship the Beast his Image may be said to be in the Church of God and their seede outwardly within the couenant TheÌ„ the most abhominable and execrable may be said in this estate members of Christ washed purged with Christ his bloude sanctified and led by his Sprit in assurance of saluation For none can be said to be within the Church but the members of the Church And whomsoeuer we may affirme to be within the Church those so longe as they contynue in that estate we are also to iudge assuredly saued for anie thing to vs reuealed or knowen to the contrarie But if al these be most diuelish heresies directly contrarie to the whole truth of God if they be most execrable blasphemies such as christians abhor but to heare TheÌ„ let the aucthors and spreaders of these doctrines tremble for feareful iudgments remayne them HIs slie distinctioÌ„ or euasion rather wherby he diuideth the Church of Rome into two parts the Pope and his adherents And the nations vnder the tyrannie of the Pope doth rather bewray the thick darcknes of his heart wherin he is held with chaynes vnto iudgment and his giddye amazednes then anie way cleaâ—e him of these heresies and blasphemies aforesaid His first vnderstaÌ„ding of the Church of Rome is the Pope his lawes his worship which hath bene deuised by himself his adherents and al that worship him or receiue his marcke These he saith are the Apostasie seduced to damnation and not the Church of CHRIST otherwise then thus that the Pope the Cardinals and al that worship the Beaâ—t be false christiaÌ„s by profession bredd in the Church and contynuing in yt their seede not excluded from the Couenant What a delphick Orakle is this What strange repugnancie contradiction is here betwixt euerie worde of this his cleare Proposition How can the Pope and his adhereÌ„ts be said to be that Apostasy seduced to damnation not the Church of CHRIST and yet by the same mouth in the same sentence at one and the same instant be pronownced to contynue in the Church and their seede not be excluded from the outward couenant Can they be said to be vtterly departed from the faith from Christ from his Church which is meant by this word Apostasy and yet to remaine in the Church How hangs this together May they be pronounced seduced to damnation and not the Church of Christ and yet both they remayne in the Church and their seede not to be excluded from the seale of the couenant There ought none to remayne in the Church but such as are by outward profession and obedieÌ„ce members of the Church Neither ought the childreÌ„ of anie be baptized in their infancie except one of their Parents be a member of the Church The Pope then his Cardinals and adherents remayning in the Church their seede thus baptized as members seing none ells may either remayne in the Church or be baptized How may they thus be pronounced seduced to damnation and not to be the Church seing they are confessed to be outward members of the Church THe second vnderstanding of the Church of Rome is of al those compaines of people ouer whom the tyraÌ„nie of the Pope hath hertofore extended and doth at this daye Or those things which were giuen by CHRIST which remaine in the same this he saith is not the Church of Rome but the Church of God If by the people and tyrannie he here meane such persons as though their bodies were vnder the cruel haÌ„des of the Pope his Bishops or Prelates yet they kept their bodies soules vndefiled with their idolatries and abhominations and free from their antichristian yoke counterfeite Ministrie and ministration and haue on the other side faithfully kept practized the things which are giueÌ„ by our Sauiour CHRIST in his Testament these people indeed can at no hand be said the Church of Rome these are the true Church and seruants of Christ witnessing fighting through the faith of the Gospel against the Pope the Church of Rome and al their antichristian cleargie and religion But what is this to proue the kingedome of ENGLAND or other nations which haue beene and are defiled with the idolatries and abhominations of the Church of Rome in that estate to be the true Church of God but rather the quite coâ—trarie seing these faithful witnesse against them and haue no fellowship or communion with them The Church of Rome we reade Reuel 17. to be caled that great whore that sitteth vpon manie waters That great Babylon the mother of whoredomes abhominations of the earth with whom the Kings of the earth haue committed fornication and th'inhabitants of the earth haue bene droncke with the wyne of her fornications mingled vnto them in her golden cup. We reade there verse 15. that the waters where the whore sitteth are people multitudes natioÌ„s tongues We reade also that the Beast the false Prophet shal deceaue y e people of the earth and cause theÌ„ to set vp worship the image of the Beast and to slaye al that wil not so doe And cause al both smale and great riche poore free bonde to receaue a marcke in their right haÌ„des or in their fore-heades And that no maÌ„ might buy or sel saue he that had the marcke of the Beast Wee reade furder more That all that receaue the Beastes marcke that worship him or his image shal drincke of the wyne of the wrath of God With what shame then caÌ„ this marcked Priest goe about to proue the Church of Rome to be y â— true Church of God Or those nations which haue coÌ„mitted fornication with her receaued her Ministrie wares abhominations that haue receaued the marcke and erected the image of the Beast and worshipped the Beast and his image in this time of their poperiâ— to be esteemed the true Church of CHRIST His 3 stowte reasons wil not al proue this poynte Though they held many poyntes of true and sounde doctrine yet the many heresies they held those as this man himself in an other place of his booke confesseth Fundamental doe poyson and leauen the whole lumpe There is no heretick that holdeth not some truth As to their holy Sacrament of Baptisme yt being deliuered by a false ministrie after a false maner with new adulterate elements of salt oyle chreame c with their magical incantations signes c and that to opeÌ„ idolators can no waye giue them christendome as this Popish Priest supposeth Or if this Baptisme in the Popish Church be an holy Sacrament true seale of the couenant then would we knowe of Mr. GIFFARD or his learned abettors whie their other Sacrament of the Supper or Altare should not also be held in the same accompt Or how the Church may be said to haue one true holy and auaileable Sacrament to be receaued an other so blasphemous and execrable as is
in subiection ANd now this aucthor not being able to iustifie the publique excommunicatioÌ„ of their Church of England seketh to withdrawe vs from the present question by mouing two newe questions And from those after his accustomed maner laboureth to confute vs. Because the Assumption euen as he himself with longe studie had changed contriued and framed yt could not yet serue his tourne His first questioÌ„ is this If the Bishop with sondrie other Ministers of the Gospel do dulie excoÌ„municate an obstinate wicked man is he not excommunicate before God We first answeare That the Bishop or the Church of EnglaÌ„d doth not excommunicat for anie wickednes or crime whatsoeuer be yt neuer so heynous though obstinacie be ioyned thervnto as for Adulterie murder witchcraft c but only for contempt of their Courtes for not appearing or not paying their exactioÌ„s The we answeare that the Bishop neuer caleth anie other Ministers to this actioÌ„ of excoÌ„munication Furder we answeare that this Lorde Bishop is no Minister of the Gospel or Church of Christ and therfore he hath nothing to do with th' excommunication of anie member of the visible Church Neither may or wil anie true Ministers of the Gospel ioyne vnto the Bishop in this busines But if they should we say that such excommunication is not allowed before God because it is founde contrary vnto his worde Yet this we say that the obstinate wicked are bounde and excommunicate before God whilest they continue in y t estate albeit the Church here should neglect or refuse to cast them out For the iudgments of God do neither take effect by man neither depend vpon man or stay of man but the iudgments decreed are accomplished and the wrath of God is reueled from heauen against al impietie and vnrighteousnes of men that are contentious disobey the truth Finally though it were admitted which can neuer be proued that the Bishop and these Priestes were true Ministers of the Gospel yet wee say that this excommunication donne by them in their priuate assemblie or consistorie as they cal yt is contrarie to the rules of Christs Testament and vnlawful For there we finde this power committed giueÌ„ vnto the whole Church by our Sauiour Christ who sendeth al meÌ„ to tel the Church Math. 18. 17. There we finde the execution and publishing of this performed in by the Church 1 Cor. 5. We find also the remitting receauing in againe of such excommunicate to belong to be referred vnto the whole Church 2 Cor. 2. 6. 7. 8. Furder we there finde the iudgmeÌ„ts of God denownced against y e whole Church and euerie member of that Church where this censure of excommunicating the wicked is neglected reiected 1 Cor. 5. 2. 6. To these if we add the peculiar interest that euerie member hath in the worde doctrine and faith of Christ and in al the publique actions of the Church As also the perticular dueties that euerie member oweth vnto the whole Church together with the sondrie charges exhortatioÌ„s euerie where in the Scriptures giuen them to watch to admonish to exhorte and that not onlie the priuate members but eueÌ„ the greatest officers of the Church To marcke them diligently that cause diuisions offences coÌ„trarie to the doctrine that they haue learned and to auoide them Rom. 16. 17. 2 Iohn 10 To take heed what and whom they heare To hold such accursed be they men or Angels that preach vnto theÌ„ besides that they haue receaued Gal. 1. 9. To admonish Archippus Col 4. 17. To withdrawe themselues from euerie brother that walketh inordinately and not according to the tradition they haue receaued 2. Thess. 3. 6. To note such as abey not the worde and not to be coÌ„mingled with them that they may be ashamed 2 Thess. 3. 14. Yf their brethren sinne to rebuke them if they repent to forgiue them if not to retaine their sinne Luke 17. 3. 4. And to procede according to the rule Math. 18. 15. 16. 17. These perticular dueties chardges dulie considered there can be no doubte but euerie christiaÌ„ is a Kingâ— Priest vnto God to spie out censure cut downe sinne as yt ariseth with that two edged sworde that proceedeth out of Christs mouth As also that th'excommunication of anie member belongeth to the whole Congregation the whole bodie together seing al the members haue like interest each in other c Albeit the Church thus assembled be to vse the help or Ministerie of the most fit member for the pronowncing of this excommunication c. HEre then fal to the grounde those 4. false interpretations of Math. 18. 17. Tel the Church 1. Some vnderstanding by the Church the Pope who they say is Christes Vicare general and supreame head of the Church 2. Others would vnderstand it of the Lord Arch-Bishops grace or of the Lord Bishops who apart may excommunicate absolue for the whole church 3. Some others there are that vnderstaÌ„d by this word Church the companie of Elders aparte from and without the people which companie they cal the Consistorie and this ought to excommunicate c. 4. The last sorte are in a quite coÌ„trarie extremitie and these would haue the people without the Elders to excommunicate elect c and that by pluralitie of voyces THe two first sortes depend of one lyne and builde their prehemineÌ„ce vpoÌ„ the promise made to the Apostle Peter Mat. 16. 18. 19. where the keyes of the kingdoÌ„ of Heauen are giueÌ„ him And vpon the Apostle Paule his example who deliuered Himeneus Alexander vnto Sathan 1 Tiâ—oth 1. 20. They bring also the commaundement of Paule vnto Timoâ—hy To rebuke the Elders that sinne opeÌ„ly 1. Tim. 5. â—0 and the commaÌ„demeÌ„t vnto Titus to reiect an hereticke Titus 3. 10. Touching the power of the keyes we haue aboue in the handling of the Priestes absolution shewed yt not to depeÌ„d vpoÌ„ the dignitie of meÌ„s persons or offices but vpoÌ„ the vertue truth of God his worde from which wheÌ„ Peter or the Pope himself departeth his worde not onlie bindeth not but is lyable vnto reprofe bownd by the worde Which worde is giueÌ„ not to Peter onlie but to the whole Church that is builte vpon that rocke and to euerie member therof and hath like power to binde or to loose in the mouth of the least as in the mouth of the greatest For it is impossible that the word of God should be made of none effect As to Paules exaÌ„ple we suppose they can euil shewe any such authenticke warrant for their Apostolike aucthority ouer al Churches persons or such measure of grace as Paule had therfore we thinck they ought quietly to remaine within such lawes and limits in their calings as Paule hath left order For the commaundments giueÌ„ to Timothy Titus they can neither proue that they executed them in such poÌ„tifical maner as they do or in
so were it againe a most monstruous confusion high rebellion on the other side if the people should thus expulse and shut out their gouernours and guides those most fit members that God hath giuen them to these actions from amongst them and then decide and determine causes by pluralitye of voyces What can be deuised more barbarous and vnworthie the Church of CHRIST then this Were not this as if the bodie should offer violence vnto or laye aside the eyes and then diuide yt self into factions and partes for the busines yt hath to doe This balloting by suffrage or plurality of voyces might well be a custome amongst the heathen in their popular gouernmentes but yt is vnhearde of and vnsufferable in the Church of CHRIST whatsoeuer some dreame vnto themselues therof There all from the highest to the lowest in all actions enquire the will of God which being knowen they all then walke by the same rule and with one consent doe the will of God accordingly There is no diuision in that bodie neither anie thing donne according to the will of man but according to the will of God only all hauing receiued of and being guided by one and the same spirit euen as God is one and CHâ—IST not yea and naye Now though all the members haue receiued of this spirit of God yet haue not all receiued in like measure Though all the bodie be light yet is not all the bodie an eye But God that hath made the bodie to consist of diuers members hath distributed diuers giftes in diuers measure vnto them Some he hath giuen Pastors some Teachers c for the helpe and seruice of the whole which members the whole bodie vseth according to their gifts office and function The whole bodie asketh instruction of their Teachers councel of their Elders c. The people are commanded to obey their leaders and to submit to acknowledge to honoâ— them and to haue them in super-aboundant loue These are of God set ouer the flocke to watche to instruct admonish exhort rebuke c yet not to plucke awaye the power liberty of the whole Church or to translate and assume the publicke actions of the whole Church into their owne handes alone They are men and may erre They themselues euen for al their doctrines and actions are subiect to the censure of the Church or of the least members of the Church if in any thing they be founde to erre or transgresse Yea if they remaine obstinate that Congregation wherof they remaine Ministers members is to procede against them to excoÌ„municate them as any other member For as it hath bene said the iudgments of the Church are not the iudgments of men but of God to which al the members of the Church must alike be subiect Which iudgmentes as they are committed to the whole Church with perfect rules for their maner of proceding in euerie circumstance so is the Church herevnto to vse such members as God hath giueÌ„ made most fit For Paule Apollo and Cephas are theirs And this doth no way diminish the power interest of the Church in this action Or translate these publick affaires froÌ„ the whole vnto these Elders whose couÌ„cel directioÌ„ and seruice the Church vseth herein no more then a Prince or State may be said not to doe those thinges wherevnto they vse the aduise seruice of their Councel By the Church then here we vnderstand euerie perticular Congregation subsisting of al the members Euerie of which Congregations hath equall interest in the worde promises iudgments and power of Christ. CHRIST hath giueÌ„ vnto al Churches the same testament ministrie lawes and ordinances with like chardge aucthoritie to obserue the same He hath giuen them the same order and communion in all places one and the same rule to walke by towardes them within the faith as also to auoide cast out such as depart from the faith or walke inordinaâ—ly Neither hath CHRIST giuen vnto anie one Church more power or prerogatiue then vnto al other Or set one Church aboue ouer an other otherwise then to wish seke the good each of other of al to admonish exhort stirr vp each other as occasioÌ„ requireth And vnto this euerie member of Christ is also bounde in his caling but not to intrude encroach vpon the publicke actions duties of the whole Church or the perticular functions offices of others As to Pastors Elders their office extendeth but vnto those flockes wherof the holy Ghost hath set theÌ„ Ouerseers and not vnto all Churches in this maner to which their ministrie neither doth nor can extend Agayne ExcoÌ„munication is no part of their ministrie Neither hath God tyed it vnto the office of any but left it a publick dutie of the whole Congregation to be donne of al with one coÌ„sent How presumptuous then is he y t vsurpeth this power ouer yea of other CongregatioÌ„s to excoÌ„municate absolue elect depose c for them yea that thus plucketh froÌ„ them that power chardge which Christ hath giuen vnto them But how monstruous intollerable were the pride of that Consistory which consisting but of a few perticular members shal assume the power duties of so many Churches into their owne handes We are of minde that the best and learnedst of them shall finde their owne perticular offices in their owne perticular flockes as much as they can well performe and dischardge though they should not thus encroach vpon and assume the publick duties of the whole Church much lesse of mâ—nie Churches And sure if this Consistory should duely intend all the seueral occasions complaintes and matters of offence that howrely arise in so manie sondrie Congregations especially where all the multitudes are receiued in as members they should doe nothing ells through their whole life but sit in this Consistory yea their whole liues would not suffice to a litle part of this chardge where al th'offences of these multitudes both publick and priuate were duly admonished and prosecuted according to the commandement of God And so should these Pastors Elders neuer be able to exercise their owne ministri officers in those peculiar CongregatioÌ„s where they are chosen to serue Againe if euerie Congregation should be thus posted ouer and sent to this Consistory for the censuring of euerie peâ—ticular offence offender howe manifest soeuer c manifold inconveniences and mischieues would thervpon ensue As that they must be driuen oft-tymes to receaue and ioyne vnto the most wicked abhominable in their prayers sacraments yea if the Pastor himself should fal into some sinne heresie they must of force suffer him to administer vntill this Consistory had caste him out Many were the reasons more the inconveniences that might be alleadged against this presumptious irregular Consistory which hath no grownde in the worde of God but vtterly
of Gods promises the greatnes of Gods mercie that remembreth his Couenant in his greatest indignation wrath as also the smale beginnings and daylie growth and proceadings of our sanctification in this life As though we euer doubt or denied that the Lord our God his couenant was made established and preserued vnto vs in his CHRIST only without any worckes or merite in vs present or to come to deserue or to retaine his fauour the least minute Alas our miserable forlorne estate even from our Mothers wombe before we knowe the Lorde yea our contynual transgressions defections euer since we knewe the Lorde wheÌ„ we behold our liues in that sparckling glasse of his lawe do shew vs that we are not saued be worckes but by the free grace mercie of God through faith in CHRIST and that not of our selues but by the gift of God whose worcke we are created in CHRIST IESVS vnto good worckes which God hath fore-ordayned y t we should walke in them But now whilest we acknowledge the whole worcke of our saluation from the beginninge to the end to be of God and not of our selues to procede from to be established vpon his free grace mere mercy and loue and not from or vpoÌ„ any goodnes in vs fore-seene or subsequent Yet make we not therby the grace of God and his holy spirit which he hath giueÌ„ to al his elect to be idle vayne or fruictlesse in any of them but to regenerate chaunge enlighten and sanctifie them to bring all their affections into and to keepe them in the loue obedience of the truth By the profession of which truth they are knowen receiued as members of the visible Church made partakers of the commune comfortes couenant of the Saincts From which profession when they fall away and will not be reduced by the voyce of the Church or renued by repentaÌ„ce but remaine obstinate hardned in their sinnes then are they by the commandement power of CHRIST to be cut off as withered branches to be cast out from the fellowship of the saincts and all interest in CHRIST to be deliuered vnto Sathan c. The same rules faith saluation iudgments we haue aboue shewed to belong vnto al and vnto euerie one vnto al as vnto one being founde in the same faith or in the same transgressions Now then whilest the whole Congregation or anie member therof shall remaine hardened in sinne deniâ—ng to obey Christes voyce refusing to repent who can say that this Church or man in this estate can by vs which iudge see but according to the rules of the worde be affirmed held the true Church of Christ within the outward Couenant when Christ himself commandeth vs to deliuer them vp to Sathan in his name to haue no fellowship with them This caÌ„not be doÌ„ne of vs vnto any whom we may affirme within the outward couenant God his secret electioÌ„ councels wherin he hath determined from before al worlds who shalbe saued how far the faithful shalbe tryed fal and when he wil raise them againe beloÌ„ge not vnto vs to iudge of Onley this is most sure they y t thus fal away are hardened are not of vs to be held esteemed within the outwarde CovenaÌ„t or receiued vntil they as publickly repeÌ„t How theÌ„ can this wicked sclaÌ„deâ—er drawe this gracelesse collection damnable coÌ„clusioÌ„ from this holie doctrine That where obstinacie is ioyned vnto publick sinne there the outward Covenant is brokeÌ„ no communioÌ„ to be held vntil repentance be made Therfore we holde that the stablenes of Gods CouenaÌ„t with his Church depeÌ„deth vpon the worcked of meÌ„ Because we say that God sanctifieth al that he saueth Therefore we hold salvation by workes Because we hold that faith which is without fruictes to be deade worthles Therefore we hold salvatioÌ„ by workes Because God requireth obedieÌ„ce of al his seruants that enter into or remaine in his house and commandeth them to haue no â—ellowship with anie loÌ„ger then they coÌ„tynue in the same fayth obedieÌ„ce Therfore we make the stablenes of Godes CovenaÌ„t to depeÌ„de vpon our workes yea vpon the workes of others whom we must iudge What heretick or peruerted spirit could more highlie abuse deface the holy doctrines of Christ Is Mr. Giffard a teacher of the Church of England and cannot yet put difference betwixt the worcke of our salvatioÌ„ by Christ for vs the worke of Gods holy spirit the fruicts of Gods grace in vs That cannot put difference betwixt obedience mercie but that he wil make y e worck of Gods grace to abrogate Gods grace That cannot discerne betwixt the secret electioÌ„ of God Christes visible Church betwixt the temporarie iudgments of Christes Church according to the rule of Gods word and the final doome of God in his determinate councel Thus not knowing what either Gods Covenant Christes Church the communion or excommunioÌ„ therof meaneth this impious man vpoÌ„ these dotages seeketh to convince vs of his surmized heresies because we blame forsake these Babilonish confuse assemblies where al sortes of prophane and wicked are gathered together without faith or order bownde sed and suffred together in al impietie mischief and licentiousnes without censure or controlement vnto whome he for the wage of Balaam is powred forth and most sacrilegiously selleth them his pretended Sacraments for their two pennie shot or offring HE laboureth to defend this sacriledge confusion by th' examples of other Churches vnder the Lawe vnder the Gospel He beginneth with the estate of the Church vnder Moses where the rebellious Israelites whose carkases fel in the wildernes of whom the Lorde sware that they should not see his rest yet were not cast out of th' assemblie nor separated so longe as they liued nor their seed reiected So that he still beare in minde that he but beggeth the question so ofte as he compareth these confuse prophane assemblies that were neuer rightly gathered vnto nor established in the faith vnto true Churches vnto this place we answeare That he moste ignorantlie boldlie affirmeth an vntruth We reade Exod. 33. after the Israelites had made their Calf and committed idolatrie that Moses both did execution vpon the chief Idolators and with-drewe his tent and separated from the rest vntil they were reconciled vnto the Lorde Furder we reade that vpon publick notorious transgressions the Lorde executed publick iudgments sondrie tymes wherby the chief were taken away the rest brought to repentance Numb 12. 14. 39. and 25. and 21. 6. 7. We reade of separation from those of Corathes conspiracie c Numb 16. 21. 24. 26. verses We reade also Numb 12. that Miriam was separated out of the hoste vntill she was healed Likewise we reade of sondrie perticular iudgments for perticular transgressions As for breaking the Sabaoth for blaspheming c Num. 15. Whereby his impudencie is convinced But nowe if it were graunted him then which nothing
thought that all the communicantes at the Lordes Table had bene ioyned commingled together into one spiritual body euen into CHRIST as manie grapes are there bruzed into one cup manie graynes into one loafe Furder we had thought y t no obstinate offender whose sinne is publicklie knowen might haue beene admitted to that holie Table without wilful sacriledge and high prophanation of those holie mysteries both in all the Communicantes and in the Minister Wee reade in the lawe plentifullie That the leprous or polluted person defiled whatsoeuer touched him whether person vessel holie or ciuile c and that such person on vessel c remayned vnholie therebie vntil they were clensed according to the lawe The Prophet Haggai confirmeth the same and saith that whatsoeuer holie thing bread wyne or oyle a polluted person toucheth yt is made therbie vncleane The Apostle also sheweth in expresse wordes That as a litle leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe so one open vnworthie receiued to the supper of the Lorde maketh all the communicantes guiltie and their reioycing or feast not good before the Lord likening the whole Church to the lumpe the wicked person and sinnes kept amongst them to the leauen their reioycing to the eating of the Paschal c Which most direct place this ignorant sacrilegious Priest would put away and falsifie by likening this reioycing here spoken of to a glorying in the sinne of th' incestuous as though the Church of Corinth had euer bene so beastlie And by endevouring to separate the elements of the breade and wyne in this Sacrament from their mystical sense the communicantes that receiue the same together from their spirituall communion they haue one with an other the whole Church from the preparation and care they ought to haue both generally and perticularly in administring and receiuing the Sacraments And hauing thus royled the pure fountaynes he confowndeth the sense and distinct doctrines of the Apostle by bringing in certaine instances where the wife seruant passenger vpon some especial dueties and necessities may be occasion eate ordinarie bread with th' excommunicate Whervpon he concludeth that the faithful also may vpon necessitie as if the Church wil not caste out the open wicked and impenitent communicate with them in the supper of the Lorde And if so be these faithful mourne and are grieued for this wilful sacriledge of the Minister and the rest of the Church then they touche not their sinne but the holie thinges of God and are cleare Ezechell 9. because the separation from the wicked cannot alwaies be in bodie as in the cases by him alleadged of eating common breade with them But let this cauiller knowe that there is no comparison much-lesse anie consequence betwixt the eating common breade and the eating of the Supper of the Lorde with the open wicked and impenitent There is no such spiritual mysterie communion or commixture in the first as in the second Common bread is not forbidden the wicked but these holie pledges vtterlie are they ought not to be caste to hogges and dogges Neither are we forbidden al ciuile conversation so absolutelie with them as we are all spirituall communion In the one vve see prouision and exception made for duetie and necessitie In the other there is no such duetie or necessitie neither anie such prouision and exception mentioned in the Scripture vntil these Priestes to defend their port-sale and open sacriledge deuised these shiftes The scripture vtterlie forbiddeth and repulseth the open wicked impenitent from this holie banquet by more then the Cherubins shaking the edge of a sworde So far are the open wicked from being admitted to this feaste as they are to be caste out to be deliuered vnto Sathan so far are they to bee kept from all communion with CHRIST and with his Church But none are to be admitted to this Sacrament but such as outwardly stand in the faith and therby vnto the iudgment of the Church haue fellowship with CHRIST and his members The verie action or Symbole yt self sheweth this communion vvith CHRIST and one vvith an other 1. Corinth 10. 16. and 12. 13. No sophistrie can disioyne the mysterie or signification from the outward elements and action neither the communion from the participation in this action so far as vve may iudge As the vnworthie receiuers are guiltie of the bodie and bloode of the Lorde so the Church in admitting administring vnto and communicating vvith them is guiltie of most high sacriledge and prophanation of the holie thinges of God especially they doing it wilfullie and wittinglie Now then if they all communicate in this action and this action deliuered in this maner be sacriledge how should they not all be guiltie Can anie man here say that anie of the Communicantes in this case toucheth not the sinne but the holie thinges of God vvhen first in this action they are all spirituallie commingled and ioyned together then the verie action vvhich they all doe as they doe it is most highe sacriledge not a touching but an open if not a vvilfull prophanation of the holie thinges of God Can th' aucthoritie of the Church excuse them before God Or vvil it here excuse them to say they cannot doe vvith it because the power of the discipline is not in their handes We haue aboue shewed that euerie member hath interest in the power of the Church And that the power to receiue in and to caste out belongeth to the vvhole Church and not to the Presbiterie or anie perticular member of the Church onlie Neither yet these matters referred to the wil or choise of the Church but rules prescribed thē whom and vvhen to receiue whom and vvhen to caste out As vpon publick profession of faith and obedience with desire of ioyning the Church cannot refuse but must receiue so vpon publicke sinne and obstinacie ioyned to the same the Church must then caste out and cānot retaine without sinne Which sinne becommeth so much the more heynous whē they doe it wittinglie willinglie but most of al whē obstinacie is added whē the Church wil not be admonished neither amēd Though euerie private member cānot excommunicate or reforme the publicke actions of the Church which are donne contrarie to the worde yet euerie priuate member may ought to refraine such publick actions as they see to be contrary to the worde and to admonish the Church c. And in so doing they depart not from the Church neither withdrawe from the Communion so much as preserue the Church the communion Our fellowship must alwaies be in the faith out of the faith we maie haue no communion with man or Angel in knowen sinne They that depart from the faith depart from the Church and breake the cōmuniō We may not followe a multitude or the mighty in euil It behoueth euerie christian that receiueth to knowe what the action is he doeth to knowe what he receiueth and howe he receiueth to knowe by
sit as vpon manie waters So in like maner can this house this church this people of CHRIST be built into none other order receiue none other ministrie and ordinances then CHRIST the owner builder of the house hath instituted prescribed in his last wil testament We may boldly affirme coÌ„clude that flocke which consisteth of all sortes of wilde vncleane beastes not to be the flocke or shepe-folde of CHRIST in asmuch as these in this estate cannot of vs be iudged to be the shepe of CHRIST We may also by the same vndoubted reason affirme that they which stand hierdes to these wilde and vncleane beastes cannot be said the Lordes shepeherdes of his shepe lambes Of what sortes of people these their parish assemblies generally consiste how they haue bene gathered builte stand and walke in the faith order of CHRIST by that which is aboue written may partly appeare but much more shall to euerie single eye heart wherein is any light vpon the furder examination of their present estate life That this Aucthor and all the Priestes of the tyme stand hierdes administring the Sacraments c to these prophane multitudes in this ignorance confusion and sinne after that idolatrous superstitious maner aboue-said for their hire or tithes cannot be denied What defence this Champion hath made for their publique administration worship and how by neuer a worde of God he hath iustified any one of those manifold enormities idolatries reckoned vp vnto him As also how he hath approued the gathering and present estate of their Church by the greatest apostasies defectioÌ„s sinnes of other Churches in other ages and with what blasphemous doctrines tending to all Atheisme and impietie we are content to refer to the iudgment of the godly readers And now being come to the proofe defence of his owne Ministrie which he exerciseth and of the whole Ministrie of their Church instead of CHRISTS Testament he bringeth vs forth a fable out of ESOPE of the asse in the Lyons skinne and at the first entrance into this discourse in the first page within the space of 24 lynes he convinceth vs with these arguments That we are prompt plentiful in false accusations hereticall opinions which must be admitted for reasons against their Church vvorship ministerie That vve are desirous of glorie presumptuous bold rash ignorant not to be encountred vvith great learning Sophisters nay poore artificers and husbandmen are the eauenest matches to dispute vvith vs VVe haue put on the Lions skinne and imagine that all learned men tremble at vs but they haue espied our long cares That vve impudently sclander and belye the learned vvho disdaine to deale vvith mad frensie That vve are vvithout all care vvhat vve speake c. Is yt likely that this man hath either care or conscience what he saith that through his whole booke from the first to the laste worde thus rayleth inverâ—th accuseth blasphemeth Are these the sweetest waters in his fountaine the best salt he can season vs with Or do the Ministers of the Church of England thus vse to improue rebuke exhort with al longe suffring doctrine Is this Mr. GIFFARDS countrie diuinitie or vniuersitie learning or Courtly Chaplen-like behauioure He hath a president what a goodly viewe Mr. SOME makes in his colours If he lighted into some mens handes that would take pleasure to laye open his shame Mr. SOME his paynter might giue place in al rayling and vituperie where this man should appeare But our purpose is not to meddle with his raylinges so much as his reasons leauing him to answeare for the one and endeuouring our selues to answeare the other Yet this we saye that if this be the course of those great learned the speaketh of we had much rather be matched with such poore artificers and husbandmen as feare God whom he despiseth their with these greate Clarkes Yea we had much rather that they should in disdaine of our ignorance breake their promise in denijng and refusing to conferre with vs then in this maner grieue the spirite of God in vs by such hellish writinges as this booke of GIFFARD peruerting the Scriptures pleading for defending and iustifijng the throne of iniquitie together with all the enormities idolatrie and abhominations which flowe from the same railing blaspheming and accusing the truth and the poore persecuted professors therof as he doth Yet to satisfie the reader in this matter which he so confidently denieth and vrgeth vs so vehemently to make some colourable shewe of That if he had consulted with his learned bretheren the forewarde Preachers they would haue councelled him rather to haue vsed his discretion in the pulpit where he might feigne what error he lifte and then with the same breath confute yt in our names then by conference but especially thus by writing to meddle with the defense of these defaults and exceptions taken against their Church Ministrie Worship c knowing that the more they are discussed and raued in the more apparant odious they wil appeare vnto all men especially when they are brought vnto examined by the light which will foorth-with shew of what sorte they are That these Preachers had takeÌ„ this course amongst theÌ„selues we knowe certainly by a letter that two of the cheif of them sent vnto vs deniâ—ng that conference which they had before promised because we denyed their Church and Ministrie After that two of them being procured to our prison denyed to deale with vs concerning those exceptions we made against their Church Ministrie alleadging that they were forbidden by their brethereÌ„ to deale with vs in those matters To be shorte what â—lls can with any probalitie be coniectured to be the hindrance of the first companie of Preachers that at the first sent vnto vs to knowe the causes of our dislike promising either to assent or to shew vnto vs the causes whie they could not that they vpon the sight of that litle paper wherin we set downe vnto them the causes of our separatioÌ„ from these parish assemblies as also what we purposed in our owne assemblies neuer as yet could be drawen to make any answeare in writing or conference if not that they perceiued that they were neither able to defend their estate neither yet had faith to leaue it for feare of persecution danger And whatsoeuer this bold champion may pretend we caÌ„not be persuaded that euer the forewarde sort of Preachers that sometime laboured reformation euer gaue their consentes to this blasphemous booke of his except also together with the aucthor therof they haue made shipwracke of faith good conscience and be wholy apostatate fallen froÌ„ that smale measure of grace light they sometimes made shew of Neither shal those pontifical Prelates his Lordes their horned Cleargie or Romish associates the Ciuilianes and Canonistes to whom he is yeilded ioyned giue him any thanckes in the end for all the
paynes he hath taken to defend their apostatical throne procedings which these his writinges are so far from defending iustifijng as they manifest vnto al men that they cannot be defended or iustified TO our present purpose in this 3. PRINCIPAL TRANSGRESSION yt remayneth that we nowe prooue this Ministrie of the Church of England to be false antichristian Which that it may the sooner be donne we are to enquire what kinde of ministrie CHRIST hath instituted and left vnto his Church Of which sort if we finde not these then may we with assurance from Gods owne worde pronownce them false and antichristian For as there is but one God one CHRIST one Spirite so is there but one true Church ministrie ministration CHRIST being ascended gaue vnto his Church Apostels Prophets Euangelistes Pastors Teachers Elders Deâ—cons widdowes The 3. first Apostes Prophets Euangelistes being instituted but for a time hauing finished their ministerie ceased For the foundation being now fullie laide the worde perfectlie exhibited the gospel throughlie and sufficientlie confirmed and ratified the whole frame of the building set vp and erect and now a most perfect and absolute patterne left vnto all Churches to what purpose should there nowe be Apostles to lay the foundation to giue the worde againe Prophets to ratifie and coÌ„firme the same Euangelistes to deliuer and shew the Apostles rules vnto the Church Besides that the Lord hath euideÌ„tly shewed by the ceasing of th'extraordinarie calings and giftes vnto these offices that they are nowe perimplished and ceased as might also by sondrie other testimonies and direct scriptures be proued if yt were needful in so plaine a poynte Nowe then there remaine by a perpetual decree these Offices to the ministrie gouernement and seruice of the Church Pastors Teachers Elders Deacons Relieuers Vnto these distinct offices are fit and distinct members dulie chosen and ordayned by each seueral Congregation vpon due proofe according to the manifestatioÌ„ of the spirit in each member so elect according vnto the rules prescribed in Christes Testament in which offices is required of them that they diligently and faithfully administer which whilest they doe they are honored obeyed prouided for of the flock with al reuereÌ„ce care loue Nowe let the ministrie of the Church of England be compared vnto and examined by these rules of Christes Testament in their office entrance administration maintenance In al which we before affirmed them to varie from the Testament of Christ and to haue no place or mention there requiring of this Aucthor some proofe of his ministrie in these pointes by the worde of God In steade wherof wee haue his bare affirmations to approue their ministrie and his most bitter raylings to convince and perswade vs after his accustomed maner which euil either satisfie vs or approue themselues to all mens consciences such as they would be thought to be We had thought our demaunde herein had bene so iust and reasonable as no true Church or Minister could or would haue denied And wonder that in this flourishing estate of their Church which ouer-floweth with so great learning aboundeth with so manie writers that not one of them should vndertake to approue the ministrie of their Church directlie by the rules of Gods word in their Office Entrance Administration Maintenance Wherbie they might iustifie themselues of such crimes wherof they are chardged convince their aduersaries al gaine-sayers and put an end to these controversies and debates after a most christian and peaceable maner much better beseeming the Gospel and the ministers therof then prisons iudgment seates sclaunders accusations blasphemie which hitherto haue bene theire only Arguments But now howsoeuer they be loth will by no meanes be entreated or vrged to this sober course direct proof by writing or vnto anie christian free conference where these matters might be discussed and decided by the worde of God peaceably Let vs yet seing occasion is here administred and as our present purpose wil permit shew some causes of our dislike whie we iudge them not the true Ministrie of the Gospel by shewing such apparnt discrepance as may declare vnto all men that they were neuer cast in that moulde And this but by a cursorie briefe examinatioÌ„ leauing the more exact discussing perfect demonstration of the forgerie abuses and enormities of this Antichristian ministrie to the furder diligence of others endued with greater measure of giftes and iudgment WE finde the permanent offices which CHRIST hath instituted for the ministrie of his Church few in number easilie recited diuided and distinguished The offices as hath bene said are these of the Pastor Teacher Elder Deacon Relieuer These are diuided into Ouerseers whom wee call Bishops Episcopoi and into Deacons The Ouerseers are againe diuided into teaching gouerning Elders and into such Elders as only by office attend vnto Gouernement Of the first sort are the Pastor and Teacher Of the second such Elders as are elect to the ouersight gouernment of the Churche These offices are distinguished one from an other in their seueral functions by the Apostle Roma 12. and in sondrie other places of scripture The Pastor to attend to exhortation The Teacher to doctrine The Elder to gouernement The Deacon to collect and distribute the benevolence contribution of the Saincts The Relieuers to attend to the sicke impotent c. But the offices of the Ministerie of the Church of England wee finde so manie intricate as are harde to be recited diuided or distinguished and require greater skil then I haue therevnto Yet so my simple conceipt preiudize not others of better iudgment for memorie sake and to avoide prolixitie they may thus bee diuided and recited at once First more generallie into Reigning gouerning 2. Collegiate or idle and 3. Seruile or mercenary The Reigning or gouerning may be diuided into 1. Bishops their assistants and substitutes 2. Certaine Commissioners and certaine 3. delegate Doctors c. These Bishops may be diuided in 1. Arch-Bishops 2. Palatine Bishops and. 3. ordinarie Lord Bishops Nowe the Arch-Bishops may be diuided againe into the .1 Primate Metropolitane of al England and the 2. Metropolitane of the North. partes The Raining ministerie theÌ„ of the Church of England as I suppose vnder correction and better information may be summed into these offices of Arch-Bishops Lord Bishops Chauncelors Commissaries Arch-Deacons High Commissioners Ciuile Doctors with their Courtes and attendants Aduocates Proctors Registers Notaries Purseuants Somoners The idle or Collegiat Ministrie as I take it are partlie in the Colleges of the Vniversities As Masters of houses Presidents Bowsers Fellowes Or more generallie according to their degrees Doctors of diuinity Bachelers of diuinity Masters of Arte Bachelers of arte Clarkes These hitherto without certaine office place or chardge in the Church And partlie in their Cathedral Churches As L. Bishop Deane Sub-deane Prebendaries Cannons Peticannons
Gospellers Pistelers Singing men Singing boyes Vergiers Sextines The seruile Ministrie is diuided into these seueral offices Of Parson Vicarâ— Curaiâ— Deacon or half-Priest Church-warden Sideemen Quest-men Parrish Clarck But now to distinguish or describe all these offices according to their seueral orders and cannons to shewe their original processe and contynuance in their seueral tymes occasions and circumstances were not onlie a labor to me intricate and vnachiueable but to the reader tedious and vnprofitable as withdrawing them from the certaine and vnvariable rules of Gods worde to the vncertaine and variable reportes of meÌ„ Sufficeth it therfore that we finde not in al the booke of God anie such titles names dignities offices giuen or to be giuen to the Ministrie of Christes Gospel but we finde them rather those names of blasphemie written vpon those heades of the Beast For if it be blasphemy for anie mortal maÌ„ to receiue assume or chaleÌ„ge those names titles dignities or offices which are peculier and proper to CHRISTES sacred person alone Then are these chief Ministers of the Church of England these Arch-Bishops Lord Bishops highlie guilty of blasphemie that chaleÌ„dge assume vnto themselues some one of them to be the Primaâ—e of al the Bishops in England Ireland an other to be an Arch-Bishop a Metropolitane others to be Lord Bishops the leaste of these Anakims to reigne ouer I knowe not how manie hundreth Churches Bishops That Christ is the onlie Primate and Arch-chiefe Bishop and Prince of Pastors the Apostle Peter giueth euideÌ„t testimonie 1 Epist. 5. Cap. 4. versâ— as also the holie Ghost Hebr. 13. 20. That Christ is the onlie Lorde Bishop euery where appeareth in the scriptures and that al other christian Bishops are but seruaÌ„ts fellowes is fownd Iohn 13. Luk. 22. Mat. 20. Mar. 10. where Christ himself in expresse words with vehement chardges forbiddeth euen his Apostles I say not such blasphemous titles onlie but all other wordlie titles of honor all ciuile iurisdiction and secular power ouer others and such arrogancie and presumption one ouer an other as these pontificall Prelates and Lordlie Bishops vsurpe most directly wittingly willingly against the commandmeÌ„t of Christ. Which they thincke to put away abrogate by a second lawe of the Prince ParlameÌ„t who they saye haue cast these honors titles vpon them and therfore neither caÌ„ they refuse neither may others blame them for this except they shew theÌ„selues disobedieÌ„t to her Ma tie and enemies to y e State We wil answeare these their criminatioÌ„s of state matters at anie tyme before competeÌ„t iudges In the meane while let them answere vs in good conscience whether they iudge it lawful for Princes to giue or at anie hand for themselues to receiue such titles dignities c as Christ hath so expresly often forbidden them And whether their holy Father the Pope might not so iustifie his exaâ—tation and supremacie by the Emperors donatioÌ„ y e confirmatioÌ„ of manie NatioÌ„s States Councels through manie ages If it be here alleadged that these titles which we so stand vpoÌ„ are but ciuile accomplemeÌ„ts giueÌ„ them by the Prince but trifles no matters of substance to preiudice their ministrie they being preachers of the worde Yet must they acknowledge them inhibited verie seuerely ofteÌ„ by Christes owne mouth And therfore they by this allegation laye the blame vpon Christ that forbad them and not vpon vs that hold theÌ„ vnlawful intollerable in the ministrie Furder if they be merely Civile let them theÌ„ answere whie they are how they may be thus ioyned to ecclesiastical persons offices And if they be such trifles whie then these graue Fathers these holy men so violently contend with and bloodely persecute their bretheren for them And this also let them consider acknowledge that these triffles or titles they vsurpe are prooued most execrable blasphemies names vvritten vpon the heades of the Beast and not vpon the members or Minister of Christ. And in their best allegatioÌ„ that they are directly contrarie to the commaundement of Christ who prohibiteth his Ministers all such titles howsoeuer Mr. Giffard alleadge against al coÌ„science and truth that they exercise no Lordship ouer the faith and consciences of men the vntruth wherof shal hereafter appeare yet this Lordship they receiue exercise euen in the best consideration is expresly coÌ„trarie to the commandement of Christ and such as no true Minister of the Gospel either wil or may receiue plead for or iustifie ANd now that we may come a litle nearer their Ministrie it would be knowen what office these Lordlie Prelates these Primates Metropalitanes Arch Lord Bishops exercise in the Church of Christ. For euerie Minister must be of necessitie in som perticular office I speake not nowe of the offices they beare in the commoÌ„wealth as to be Peres of the Realme Lordes of the Parlament Iudges of ciuile causes in Courtes Iustices of the peace c but of their ecclesiastical offices as being Bishops whither they haue anie of the ordâ—narie and permanent offices as Pastors Teachers Elders Or of those extraordinarie temporarie offices which are nowe ceased of Apostles Prophets Euangelisâ—es And sure by their magnificent stile glorious titles extraordinarie power irregular aucthoritie and inordinate rule I should rather iudge theÌ„ of these extraordinarie offices saue that I finde those wholie nowe ceased not expedient or to be loked for and also that th'estate behauioure and doings of those Bishops accorde not to those offices First Apostles these Bishops are not in that they haue no immediate caling from God or confirmed by God vnto that office Neither doe they execute yt as Christs Apostles did they goe not from place to place from countrie to countrie to preach the Gospel to call the people to the faith to gather plant Churches Neither haue they receiued such measure of grace or can ratifie and approue by such euideÌ„t testimonie power and wonders the doctrines rules and ordinances which they deliuer vnto and impose vpon their Churches to be of God Yet seing they lay a newe and an other foundation then the Apostles haue laide deliuer other doctrines rules and ordinances as appeareth by the whole ministrie worship ministration ordinances and gouernement of their Church then the Apostles haue taught and left seing also they vsurpe a greater power and preeminence one ouer an other One being a Primate an other an Arch-Bishope c then the Apostles did Wee neuer reading of anie Primate Arch or Lord Apostle Peters chayre now not standing in EnglaÌ„d They had neede to confirme their offices calings doings power by no lesâ—e miracles testimonies theÌ„ the Apostles did if they wil haue their ministrie doings allowed receiued which if they should doe and draw fire from heaueÌ„ yet ought we to belieue hold fast that perfect â—oundation which CHRISTES Apostles haue layde that authenticke alsufficient worde which
sometime of an other minde you must thincke it was before he had so neere friendship with or was imployed in such trustie seruices by his Lord of Londō Who as also his Lords grace must not be driuen to proue euerie thing they affirme that were enough to put young diuines vnto their pontifical mouth is sufficient warrant to all the Churches in England Yet I would of their curtesie they would giue vs their Schismatiks that cannot be so satisfied leaue to doubt though we wil not contēd whether their Caling Consecration and this their Power first came not from the Pope For albeit we haue heard that the offices of Prouincial Bishops Arch Bishops Metropolitanes where almost when this general defection from the gospel so much foretold of began to breake out and appeare longe before the Pope obtayned his Supremacie ouer al other Churches and Ministers Yet might it be that this maner of their caling solemne consecration and lardge irregular power of his Lords Grace Lord Bishops sprong from their vnholie Father the Pope Who when he was inthronized by Sathan had receiued the Dragons high commission to be his Vicare general in earth could not of his fatherhoode but prouide for these his natural childrē and bestowe them in his garrison Cities as his Tetrarches Lieutenants Tribunes with magnificent titles priuiledges power and authoritie to rule in his name and absence euen as his owne engrauen image ouer all Realmes Countries Territories within their Fathers dominiōs For as we haue also crediblie hearde there was neuer a Lorde Arch-Bishop or Lorde Bishop with such titles priuiledges power hearde of before the Pope created them Notwithstanding because wee haue these thinges but bie hearesay and would be lothe to affirme of things so vnsure we wil content our selues to haue proued and shewed the Arch Lord Bisshops to be no true Ministers of the gospel and Church of CHRIST and therfore of themselues antichristian from whom or howsoeuer they rise it skilleth vs not Neither shall it auaile them though they haue broken their faith and schismed from the Pope cast off his yoke renownced his vsurped power and tyrannie when they themselues are rounde to vsurpe retaine and exercise if not the same yet as antichristian enormous a power as the Pope retayning the same Courts Officers Cannons constitutions priuileges ouer all Churches Ministers causes doctrines censures they themselues not being subiect to the censure of anie Church exercising their aucthoritie and commandementes contrarie vnto and aboue all lawes both of God and of their Prince whose Royall Courts and writts are not of power to baile anie one committed by the leaste of their hierarchie assuming vnto themselues both the swordes exercising together and at once both ciuile and ecclesiasticall offices c. How well they aduance the Gospel of CHRIST that blaspheme the same and pronounce the rules ordinances and ministrie therof intollerable and persecute all such as either speake against them or for yt Let the tyrannous hauocke they make in the common wealth of poore christians in the prisons of the land shewe How wel by the liuelie worde they cut downe all idolatrie heresies and popish abhominations let the seruice-booke and publick worship of their Churche shewe Which whilest with a stronge hande they obtrude vpon euerie conscience as also impose vpon the Church is not this to tyrannize and exercise a Lordship ouer the faith and conscience Or to speake as he doth is this nothing but to execute the external discipline to make and impose a newe Leitourgie for the whole administration of the Church Or is it likelie that this marcked Minister of ANTICHRIST knewe what the outward gouernment of CHRIST in his Church meaneth that saith yt concerneth not the conscience Is there anie more dreadful or reuerend action on earth amongst men then the iudgmentes of CHRIST in his Church which are al most holie and true Or doe not these concerne the conscience Doth not euerie action of which there are such certaine lawes set by CHRIST himself nearelie concerne the conscience to doe it according to the same when the least abuse neglect or swaruing from the rule euen in the least circumstance that is enioyned in the least censure doth so deface the action is so offensiue preiudicial do not those actions which are donne for the saluation of soules that are said to binde in heauen not concerne the conscience Or doe not those rules which are giuen for the direction and preseruation of the publick communion of the whole Church and priuate conuersation of euerie member therof without the obseruation of which rules there can be no order no dutie either publick or priuate no holie walking in anie caling kept concerne the conscience Except Mr. Giffard can imagine such a Congregation and such members therof as either neuer sinne and so need no watching ouer admonition reproof Or ells such a Church and members therof as make no conscience of anie thing as when they sinne will not amend wil not heare admonition or suffer reproof which is the meanes giuen of God to bring them to amendement Yet Mr. Giffard maketh this holie outward gouernment of CHRIST ouer and in his Church not to concerne the conscience the myserable diuines of this age not to be of necessitie to the beeing and preseruation of a Church the blasphemous Bisshops of this land not to be a thing tollerable with manie other reprochfull blasphemies of the same which are not of anie christian almost to be hearde or repeated much lesse pronounced and defended These husbandmen are they that caste the Sonne and heyre out of the vineyarde that wil not haue him reigne ouer them but take the regiment into their owne hands deuising and erecting a newe forme of gouernement vnto the Church as these their popish Courtes Cannons Customes Officers declare and persecuting with al hostility and tyranny all such as pleade for Christes gouernement and wil not subiect their bodies and soules vnto their antichristian yoke But yet for all this they exercise no Lordship ouer the faith and conscience though they vsurpe exercise and impose this strange ministrie ministration and gouernement in and ouer the Church All this saith Mr. Giffard is but th'administration of exernall discipline and concerneth not the conscience especiallie if it be seared with a whote Iron as Mr. Giffard is Wherfore we doe impudentlie and wickedlie sclander when wee therfore conclude that the Bishops be antichristian and whosoeuer is ordayned by them hath his ministrie from Antichrist and from the Deuil What kinde of ministrie your Lord Bishops exercise and aucthoritie they vsurpe by that which is alreadie written the reader may iudge or at leaste hath a direct way shewed furder to examine What kinde of rule they keepe or as you call it discipline they execute remaineth to be tryed in the fourth principal transgression Where if you make not a better defence for it then you haue donne for their
receiued be esteamed the true ministrie of CHRIST belonging to his Church But now if they hold the Church of Rome the true Churche and her Elders true Ministers of Christ then is it vtterly vnlawfull to with-drawe depart or separate from the true Church at anie tyme And then were al these and are al they in a most deadlie schisme Mr. Caluins distinction that he separated from the corruptions of the Churche of Rome and not from the Churche of Rome wil not here stand For therby they confesse the Churche of Rome the true Church and that they for the corruptions of the Church departe Which corruptions if they be not such and so incurable as to make the Church of Rome no Churche then is it not lawfull for anie such corruptions to depart from and to forsake the true Church and then are they all stil in schisme by their owne doctrine and so no true Ministers This I haue thus lardglie written of the true Election and Ordination of Ministers because I finde so great ignorance and error amongst the Diuines of the Churche of ENGLAND therin Some of them as the most reformed that seeme to seeke CHRISTES Discipline as they cal yt holde that Elections and Ordinations ought to be donne by the Presbutrie at the least the ordination allwaies of necessitie Others of them the more grosse of the common sorte that holde with the time giue the Election to the Patrone the Ordination to the Bishop onlie LEt vs now come to the election probation ordination of this parte of the ministery of the Church of EnglaÌ„d which exactly to set downe in euerie perticularlie circumstance I cannot not hauing their booke of Consecration Election of their Ministrie for anie thing that euer I could heare they haue none only the Biâ—hop appoynteth a certaine day and place when he will giue or rather sel Orders Thither then repaire vnto him all such as want other meanes to geate their liuing poore idle inordinate walkers to whom the ministrie is an vlâ—â—um refugiam None here staying for the caling of God in his Church but running before they be sent Hither to this market these hungrie foxes flocke There they are by certaine of the Biâ—hopps substitutes examined if so be that they be vnder the degree of Masters of their Artes for al double graduates neede no probation their hoodes of both shoulders shewe that they haue learning diuinitie enough And as for proofe of their honestie and vertue that is not material that is not required or looked after in this busines except they be so euill beloued as some come to crye shame of them at that verie tyme Which if they doe yet must the matters be too badd and broade that wilbe receiued there And as to this probation that is there made it is but to know whether they haue the latine tongue and how they can construe some sentence of some aucthor If they be not prompt they shall be holpen or haue more easie questions or tyme giueÌ„ them if so be they haue anie fauour with Mr. Examiners they are verie meane clarkes which are there refused or sent away if they bring money in their purse without which there is no ministrie to be had in the Church of England Such other as yet cannot endure this seuere tryal hauing only their mother tongue are to resorte to their Lord Bishop at his house more secretly where if they can make anie frieÌ„d vnto him they shal not misse of their desire for the Bishop maie or at least doth make Ministers aswel privatlie in his owne house as publickly at this sollemne tyme place But these approued they are brought arayed in their white Ministeriall vesture vnto the Bishops chayre where he solemnelie sitteth in his pontificalibus At whose feete these Ministers that woulde be are caused to kneele downe where hauing certaine articles read vnto them vnto which they are sworne subscribe then are they by the Bishops owne mouth made and pronounced Ministers vzt Deacons certaine chapters of the Bible enioyned them as a taske to reade euerie daye as also certaine bookes to studie diligeÌ„tly his orders also with the Bishops great seale at them in a Boxe are deliuered them for which they must paye full sweetlie Thus is he made half Priest to reade the booke and serue a Cure but not to enterprise to preach without the Bishops special licence written sealed and wel paied for thervnto neither may he administer the sacraments vntil he haue his ful orders and be made ful Priest Yet nowe is he a fit Curate for anie parish a fit Clarke for anie benefice come by yt where he can For here is he made Minister of the Church of England in general without certaine flock or chardge and is sent into the wide worlde with his licence to geat him a liuing where he may Wherbie sondrie of them by reason of the multitudes that are dailie made are driuen to make verie harde shifte to teach young children or to become house-Priests I meane not nowe Chaplains for they are rufflers for verie meane wage Yet must I needes saye the Bishop taketh an especiall care to preuent this for he hath certaine of their sufficient friendes to be bounde I thincke or ells to testifie that they haue 5. poundes by yeere to liue vpon lest indeede the Bishop himself shoulde be after chardged to finde them by an especiall Cannon made in the behalf of poore Priestes and Ministers Wel being nowe stepped into the ministrie it is not longe for the most part especiallie if anie benefice befal them before they be made full Priestes either by the Bishop priuately or publickly at such day place aboue-said Where they are againe examined how they haue performed their taske enioyned and how they haue profited in the studie of diuinitie Wherein being approued they are in maner attire abouesaid placed at the Bishops feete who now layeth his handes vpon them deliuereth them the Bible and breathing his vnholy spirit vpon them giueth them the holy Ghost as he blasphemously saith and sendeth them foorth vnto all people to preach and deliuer the sacraments for as yet there is no certaine chardge of flocke mentioned Where these Priestes hauing sworne their Canonical obedience and againe Subscribed paying for his Orders al other fees are now made ful Priestes in any ground in England This common sort thus Priestified either serue Cures or by some meanes or other geat a benefice by Presentation or Resignation c. And here must the Patrone that oweth the Advowson present him to the Bishop as his Clarke To whom this Priest must yet againe subscribe and then receiueth the Bishopps institution in writing with his seale thereat which must be well paied for also This Priest thus instituted cometh with his letters and seales to his parish and taketh possession of his parsonage where he must be inducted an other Priest deliuering him the keye of the Church doore which he
condition not to preach against any thing by publick aucthority established how vngodly and enormous soeuer they be And also haue submitted their whole doctrines persons to these their Ordinances not to teach anie truth or against anie error that they inhibite to preach or cease to preach to administer or cease to administer at their direction and inhibition And for their priuate estate by them to be enioyned what kind of apparel to weare wheÌ„ they ride walke abroade or administer Not to marrie without their knowledge consent or licence euen to this or that perticular woman c. Must not this needes be an excellent ministrie and ministration of the Gospel that is thus mancipate to and by these slaues that is thus bought and solde limited prescribed restrayned when they can proue that the Gospel may be in this maner vsed in the true Churche of CHRIST or preached by the true Ministrie of Christ we wil then yeild to their whole ministration and acknowledg them the true Ministers of Christ. But in the meane while because this is impossible and cannot without blasphemie be enterprised without sinne be thought because also we finde vpon this present Ministrie of theirs euen al the markes of the false Prophet that are written in the booke and al the markes of the Beast we must hold them as they are except we wil with them condemne the truth of God and call CHRIST execrable Neither yet is this their preaching considered euen in yt self set apart from all the abuses and enormities aboue recited such as they glorie of abounding with such great learning excelleÌ„t giftes and rare graces of the spirit or answearable to that heauenly exercise of prophecie in Christes Church Of their education and learning euen from the grammer schole to the pulpit you haue alreadie hearde as also their Diuinity to be traditional wholly deriued from other mens writinges and books both for the vnderstanding diuiding and interpretation of al scriptures as also for all doctrines questions and doubtes that arise and not springing from the fountaine of Gods spirit in theÌ„selues according to the measure of knowledge faith and grace giuen them So that these dumbe blinde guides and watchmen doe but see with other mens eyes but speake with other mens mouthes and as one of their chief aucthors saith of them without these bookes they as are blinde as molles as mute as fishes not able of themselues to decide open and interprete almost anie scripture Or to discusse iudge or decide anie doubt or controversie with assurance And therfore when anie newe question vnwritten of before ariseth they are either al at a full poyncte not knowing what to saye to the matter Or ells wheÌ„ they speake so manie opinions and sentences as speakers Yea euen in the thinges they reade and teache there being so great diuersitie contrarietie amongst these Writers their aucthors there also ensueth great difference contrarietie in their doctrines which they publicklie deliuer One teaching one thing in one place an other the quite contrarie in an other And this not onlie in interpretation and vnderstanding of sondrie yea almost all places of scripture but euen in most waightie and as they call them fundamentall poynctes of doctrine As whether the Church of Rome be to be esteemed a true Churche or no The Sacraments there deliuered and the Ministrie there ordayned be â—o be held true sacraments and a true Ministrie or no. Also if the ordinances order and outward gouernment of Christes Church left in Christes Testament be perpetual of necessitie to be obserued c. And al this diuersitie coÌ„trarietie of iudgmeÌ„t publickly taught in their Church must be coloured and passed ouer with this sweete sentence of Mr. Giff. That they are but brotherly dissentioÌ„s they agree in al fundamentall doctrines A happie tourne it were that those fundamental doctrines were once agreed vpon and set downe that wee might then knowe which part of CHRISTES Testament is fundamentall and of necessitie and which is accidental and not necessarie but variable and at mans wil. In the meane while wee must stil belieue that CHRIST is not yea and naye of one minde in one place of an other ells where Neither that the spirite of God can rule in both places where such contrarie doctrines are taught and maintayned We also are taught that howsoeuer bretheren through ignorance maie doubt and differ in iudgment for a ceason yet are they no there vpon to teach such thinges as they are not assured of lest they publish and sowe errors Which who so doth be he man or Angel that teacheth any other thing or otherwise then Christ. and his Apostles haue taught and deliuered or causeth diuision dissention contrarie to their doctrine or commeth not to the wholesom wordes of our Lord Iesus Christ c wee are to hold them accursed to watch and auoide them Likewise the maner of their pulpit preaching nothing 〈◊〉 to the order of Christes Church where the Prophets I meane such as are knowen to haue the gift of interpretatioÌ„ of scriptures haue al of them libertie to speake what God reueileth vnto them besides that which hath bene deliuered so that they neither hinder disturbe or interrupte the publick ministerie of the Churche but vse their libertie opportunely holily to edification They haue libertie also yea their especial dutie it is to obserue and publickly to reproue anie false interpretation or false Doctrine deliuered publicklie in the Church by whom soeuer Yea this power hath the least member of the Church in due order and place if the Prophets and Elders should ouersee omit neglect or refuse The whole Church also euen euerie peculiar Christian Congregation hath power in yt self to censure not onlie anie doctrine deliuered but the person of anie member or Minister of the same congregation But here in these Babilonish Synagogues one Priest climbeth vp into their pulpits for orations and possesseth the place alone where he declameth deliuereth his studied tale to the howre-glasse which being runne out he must make an end for troubling his auditory and leaue no place or tyme of addition assent or dissent to anie other al the people hasting awaye In his pulpit after he hath read his text he may diuide teache or hadle yt leaue or take yt corrupt falsifie wrest or peruert yt at his pleasure In that his priuileged tubbe he may deliuer what doctrines he liste be they neuer so currupt false blasphemous None of his auditore whatsoeuer they be hath power to cal them into questioÌ„ cerrect or refute the same presently and publickly for that is by lawe forbidden But the Church is driueÌ„ to their Lord Ordinarie to coÌ„plaine and except or vntil he redresse they must hold vse him stil as their Minister In that priuileged tubbe he may inveâ—ghe accuse sclander deuounce against anie truth or person that witnesseth against their kingedome or against anie publicke
sinne or enormitie of the tyme without censure or controlement Nay these men are praysed incited and commended for this as the most faithful and godly which maketh both the sectes as well Reformisâ—es as Poâ—â—ificall yearne praise by this vayne and fight with one accorde for their kingdome against Christes faithful seruaÌ„ts whom they cal Brownistes as against a common enimie yea more bitterly then they doe against anie other enimie heretick or wicked person Onlie here in this tubbe if they can keepe their tongues from speaking against their Lords the Bishops their procedings or against anie publicke â—normitie in the Church or common wealth they maie then ease their stomackes against anie meane person or one Priest against an other and rayle their fill These perticular Congregations haue neither power to reproue their doctrines or to censure their persons be the one neuer so hereticall the other neuer so obstinate and needes then must here be a cleane Church I trowe And now how sincerely and purely these learned Priestes Diuines al the rable of them preach Gods Lawe and Christes Gospel to set downe their seueral defaultes ignoraÌ„ces corruptions and vnfaithfulnes were infinite Let the high opeÌ„ wilful breach of al Gods laws by al degrees suffered and vnreproued declare and witnesse to their faces Let their execrable Idolls and idolatries their abhominable worship innumerable deuises their taking the Lordes name in vayne their common swearing in euerie matter and tryall for euerie cause and triffle yea without anie cause their common open blaspheming and cursing yea transfiging the holy and dreadfull name of God in their anger and miâ—th Their impietie prophannes pride vanitie glottonie excesse idlenes riote playing sporting dauncing c on the Lordes day openly seene suffered vnpunished shew how well they keep and teach the first Table of Gods lawe in the Church of England And for the second let the euil nourture bringing vp of their youth their dissolutenesse irreuerence head strong and incorrigible nature yea their open disobedience contempt of parents and superiours the inordinate walking of all degrees helde within the compasse of no lawes limites callings in the feare and obedience of no person Magistrate Parent Master Let the common quarles frayes foodes tumults blood-shed murder man-slaughter the iarres hatreds contentions debates wrath anger enuying cursing reuiling nicknaming c Let the common and open whoredoms adulteries fornications chambering wantonnes daliance lightnes delicacie and softnes of apparle diet maners to deck prouoke allure their courting intertainement open and secret lust otherwise caled loue most rife as in Sodome Let their open robberies their secret theftes pickings pilferinges their open oppression violence wronge extortion vsurie their vsual deceipt and couen in all bargayning buying selling Let their common customable open and secret lving blaspheming sclandering accusing reproching defaming bringing vp carying and receiuing euil reportes one of an other their false swearing in testimonie their swearing and foreswearing to deceiue euen in euerie triffle And as for couering of wife virgine seruant house land cattle goodes insatiable coueteousnes and greedines heaping and hourding vp treasures contynual purchasing and adding field vnto field yea towne vnto towne till they haue gotten whole countreyes into their possession neuer satiate till their mouth be full of moulde these are the best and only esteemed Christians of the Church of England where coueteousnes is no sinne They that should speake against yt pride intemperance c. should iudge the heart and enter into Gods iudgment seate Let these capital sinnes and transgressions against the lawe of God which are coÌ„mitted without shame or feare either not punished or wrongfully punished murder only excepted which how also yt is wincked at or perdoned I wil not stand vpon let these I say stand vp to the faces of these Priestes Prophets being thus coÌ„monly openly coÌ„mitted in their Church and witnesse how faithfully and sincerely they expounde declare the lawes iudgmentes of God how carefully they watch ouer the soules of men and gouerne the Church that haue not against all or any one of these sinnes any spirituall weapons or ecclesiasticall censure in a readines So that if the Magistrates sworde which yet wanteth an eye to guide it did not represse some sinnes there should be no humane peace as there now is no christian order in their Church And now if I should here stand to diriue the seueral and speciall kindes of sinnes which as riuers are diuided and flowe forth from all these generall heades and as a deluge couer the face of this whole land yt were infinite but what then to diuide those riuers againe into their perticular droppes namely such perticular persons as commit the same yea such and so many perticular tymes as they commit the same who then should nomber them All these sinners and sinnes are in this Church by these Leaches these Prophets healed with the plaister of peace with the bloode and merites of CHRIST though there be neither faith nor repentance they are all good christians Likewise if I should here stand to relate and recite the falshode deceipt and hypocrisie of these Priestes let me here be vnderstoode euen of those best esteamed forewarde learned Preachers commonly called Good men how conningly and craftily they teach the lawe neuer touching or offending their auditorie at leaste the mightie or rich of them be their sinnes neuer so heynous and manifest especially if they will countenance esteeme feaste and heare these Preachers they are in them but infirmities and imperfections be they neuer so deiplie set incurable And againe how sharply they will inveigh against others which thincke not so wel of them especially if they be not of power to doe them hurâ—e nor of will to doe them good howe they wil speake against such sinnes of the second Table as their rich auditorie are not at al or least addict vnto and beate them downe as with thunder from heauen though they suffer as greate in them and their houses beforâ— their face vncontrolled Yea what fine shiftes excuses and veales they will finde out to extenuate excuse or hide the sinnes of these greate rich persons in whose houses all excesse gloâ—onie ryot pride idlenes gaming shalbe but good hospitalitie answearable to their estates honest recreation And this veale of recreation must couer al their heathen sportes within doores and without though it be all the day yea al their life longe though they drawe neuer so many idle beholders or idle assistantes to keepe them companie to followe their dogges hawkes c as their only caling profession Yea go these Esawites their wiues and children neuer so disguisedly in their strange prodigious shapes newe fangled aâ—tires with their infinite deuises curiosities it is but according to their degree sexe age calling with infinite such like Also if I should stand to relate the sondrie shiftes of these Reformist Preachers these sighers for reformation these
saying of the Prophet is come about That there are like people like Priest Al this Mr. G. in his festered coÌ„science knewe before and that his shamelesse assumption would not passe with his adversarie with whom he had to doe and therfore he leaueth the proof of this assumption as also of his office and entraÌ„ce and yet againe assayeth by a newe argument of the effectes together with that which is properly adioyned to the Ministrie of CHRIST to proue his Ministerie THat ministerie with the'xecution wherof there is ioyned the effectual grace power blessing and operation of the holy Ghost to the true conuertion of mens soules is not a ministerie of the Diuel nor of Antâ—christ nor cometh not in the life and power of the Beaste but is indeed the true Ministerie of CHRIST But such grace power blessing operation is founde in the Ministerie of England Therfore First here stil must be obserued a begging and assuming of a true Ministrie which as yet is not proued Neither doth this reason proue a Ministrie so much as shew the infallible effectes of true doctrine true preaching whether it be by Ministers or by other faithful which haue the gift of prophecie knowledge interpretation vtterance c. For far from the truth is it to thincke that only Ministers beget and winne to the faith as some most shamelsse Bishops and sencelesse Priestes of this age haue published and mainetaine Then might they aswel with the Papistes permit the worde of God only vnto Priestes yea suffer none but Priestes to speake of the worde or holie doctrines if this vse and end of the worde were taken away if the blessing and power of God should not goe with his holy word and truth in the mouth of all his seruants both to cal vnto the faith an to super-edifie in the faith Ells should al dueties in families all mutual exhortations admonitions conferences cease But hauing the commandement of God to al these the euidence and testimonie of the blessed and comfortable effects following the faithful testimonies of al Christes Disciples in all ages and contynual experience hereof amongst out selues dayly we dare affirme that others besides Ministers may conuert soules and begeate faith So then this argument of the effectes proueth not so much a true ministry as it doth proue true doctrine For no false doctrine can beget true faith though manie which be no Ministers may beget true faith Mr. Giff. theÌ„ reasoneth verie corruptly deceiptfully in attributing the conuertion of soules as proper peculiar to the ministrie which is not so and in bringing these effectes to proue a true ministrie which only are to proue true doctrine And nowe to Mr. Gif his assumption Wee denie that any false ministrie hath promise of blessinge or is sent of God for the conuertion of soules but on the contrarie we finde it accursed and sent of God for the seducing of the reprobate The ministrie then of the Church of EnglaÌ„d being proued false in Office Entrance and Administration can haue no such promise or blessing of God as Mr. Giff. assumeth If it be demaunded then whether al vnder this ministrie be damned I say it is a newe question and kept secret to the Lorde who onlie knoweth who be his when how to call them It becometh not vs to giue anie such finall iudgment of matters not knowen vnto vs Yet this wee may be warrant of the whole scripture saie That the waies of the false Churche and ministrie are the waies of death and haue no promise of saluation But for the persons wee iudge charitablie euen so longe and so far as wee may measuring them by our selues as wee sometymes were hoping and not doubting but God hath manie thousandes deare elect there yea euen in the Popish Churches whom he in his due tyme by his appointed meanes wil cal If Mr. Giff. here insist say that many of those thousandes are couerted by their ministrie Therfore their ministrie is not in the power of ANTICHRIST or of the Diuel but of God hauing that sure seale that worcke of the holie Ghost We haue aboue answered that this rather approueth the doctrine then the ministrie and is to be attributed to the worde of God rather then to the person of man Furder that the false ministrie hath no promise of blessing Yet doe wee not herebie restraine the infinite power of God from sauinge or calinge his elect euen by the doctrine of the false Churche which though it be so throughly leauened corrupted peruerted abused yet can the Lorde bring the truth of his lawe and gospel which is there read and after their maner preached in such sorte â—o the eares consâ—ieÌ„ces of his chosen as it shal both shew them their degenerate estate â—ow guiltie they are of the breache of Gods lawe howe lyable to his wrath and also shew them the true meanes of their restoring redemption reconciliation saluation Yet this doth neither iustifie the false Minister of his ministration no more then when a young Boye dumbe Minister or vnbelieuing prophane person reading the holie scriptures or some other booke of true doctrine some of the hearers God so opening their vnderstaÌ„ding should therby be brought to the ackowledging and faith of Christ the feare loue of God c. This Boy reading Priest prophane person by reading is proued a true Minister a true preacher a true christian Or these that are thus wonne comforted c to seeke no other Minister or meanes of their saluation then thys reading by these persons Let the doctrine then in that poyncte wherby men are thus begotten to these beginninges of faith or to anie encrease therof be alwaies true and sounde so far foorth the maner tyme of apprehending be the worke and power of God the meanes instrumeÌ„tes of conuaying or bringing variable at the wil appoynctment of God Yet are we only to sâ—eke vse and rest in those meanes which the Lord hath ordayned for our instruction and leading foorth in the wil and wayes of God which meanes only haue warrant promise of blessing vnto vs howsoeuer the Lord by his infinite power and worcking can and no doubt doth saue some in Turckey amongst the heathen in the false Church amongst the false worshippers by what meanes yt pleaseth him yet may not we herevpon either resorte vnto or remaine in these forbidden places in hope of these effectes because God if such be his will can saue vs here or if it be not his will to saue vs theÌ„ no true Church of ministry caÌ„ auaile vs. This were most highly and dangerously to tempt God a reprobate kinde of reasoning God his wil vnto vs is that we alwaies obey and rest in his reueiled wil and not to presume vpon his infinite will and power which he keepeth secret vnto himself This caused the holy Martyres and faithfull at all tymes and vs the Lordes most vnworthy witnesses at
this tyme after that Gods spirit had wrought effectuallie in their and our hearts and opened our eyes to see part of his holy truth as also some of the heinouse abhominations committed defended and wilfullie persisted in in the false Church and ministrie constantlie euen to death bandes to witnesse against the same and to forsake the false Church notwithstanding al the pretextes gâ—oses and arguments the falfe Prophet shal adorne the Harlot with or make for his Ministry So deare is the loue of God of his holy truth vnto vs as we can suffer our selues neither by men or Angels be drawen into anie seene or willing transgression of his holy word And as for these arguments of Mr. Giffard what other are they then the Papistes haue brought against the first faithfull witnesses Iohn Husse Ierome of Pâ—â—ge Luther Caluine Frith â—indal c Or may bring at this daye against al the Churches that are departed from them Vnto the execution of our Ministery is ioyned the effectual grace power blessing and operation of the holy Ghoste to the true convertion of some mens soules Therfore our Ministrie is not of the diuil or Antichrist but indeed the true ministry of Christ. Ells al that haue liued thus manie hundred yeeres before you in our Church and knew not these newe learninges you hold are damned Ells all that haue died in our Church are damned yea ells you must hold al the Kinges and Princes Nobles Pieres and people in our Church reprobates c. But let vs come to your selues ye that are the aucthors of this Schisme Where had you your faith your first knowledge of God and of Christ if not in this Church by our ministrie we haue the true scriptures amongst vs we teache truly concerning the Godhead and the thee persons therof God the Father God the Sonne and God the Holy Ghost though distinct in persons yet one God c We preach Christ in his two natures verie God and verie man That he came into the world for the saluation of al mankinde That God so loued the world that he gaue his only begotteÌ„ Sonne that whosoeuer belieueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting Wee preach Christ crucified for our sinnes dead buried risen againe ascended glorified We preach him in his three offices to be our King Priest and Prophet Wee preach al the fundamental articles of our christian faith and as wee preach so you belieue al these Yea and we appeale to your consciences whether you haue founde ioy and comfort in your owne soules at the preaching of these doctrines Againe we preach the lawes of God in the tables and beate downe such sinnes as wee see to be contrarie to the same in such sort as manie are drawen to repentance to hatred sorrowe and remorce for sinne And these againe wee raise vp with comfort and hope of forgiuenes and with the promises of eternal life These things if ye schismaticks feele not yet vnto many others which by our preaching are converted vnto the Lorde indeed which vnto feare trembling doe feele the power sweetnes of the liuely worde we may say as the Apostle vnto the Corinthians in like case If I be not an Apostle vnto others yet ame I one vnto you ye are the seale of mine Apostleship in the Lord. And as for you Lutherans if you contynue not that is not our default if you fal from grace It is enough for vs that you haue felt this maiestie of the worde and it sufficeth to proue our ministrie that the power of the holy Ghost goeth with yâ— when men haue bene so moued though they contynue not seeing the reprobate may feele this power and taste this sweetnes for a tyme. Now then our ministry being thus proued by the law and the Gospel and by the testimony of the holy Ghost in these powerful effectes How can you thus separate from the meanes of your saluation from that ministry which hath begotten in you or at least doth begeat in others this knowledge faith comfort c Our ministrie theÌ„ being thus proued our Church must needes followe for a true ministrie doth not belong neither is at anie time founde in a false Church Yea you must graunt that whilest we hold the true foundation wee are the true Church though we erre in matters of circumstance other doctrines as you thincke yet that taketh not away our beeing of a Church The Churches at Corinth Gallatia Asia abounded with many faults errors corruptions as we reade yet are saluted by the Apostles recorded by the holy Ghost as true Churches Now that we hold the foundation our confession of the articles of our christian faith the ten coÌ„mandementes the Lordes prayer c. which you also confesse and vse shewe Therfore whilest you depart from vs you depart from the true Church Herevpon they might also vse those rethoricall flowers of Mr. GIFFARD his diuinitie to rayle reproach and invaye That they are ranck Donatistes Lutherans ignorant furious franctick schismatickes yea damnable heretickes forsaking the ministerie and truth of God condemning the Church of God bringing the holie ministerie thereof into contempt and so bring in flat atheisme barbarisme rebellion against Magistrates c. Howe thincketh Mr. Giff. would not these argumentes fit the Papistes aswell against them as they do him against vs Is he not driuen to hard shift when he must borrowe weapons of them to defend himself his Church ministrie worship gouernment They must needes stand fast when they are built vppon their groundes Let him then first answeare the Papistes to these reasons before he bring them against vs and then if he be not satisfied he shall heare what we can say to them For sure if they be not of force to bring them home againe to their Mother of ROME they wil neuer perswade vs to goe backe to them In the meane time Mr. Gif we signifie vnto you concerning this reason which you vrge and dilate That it is a ground of Anabaptistrie to iustifie open transgression by inwarde motions It is a grounde of Atheisme to pleade for or tollerate sinne because of such good effectes as you imagine to procede therof Mr. GIFFARD his next argument is drawen from our confession VVe confesse that they vvere blessed Martyres that suffred in Q. MARIES daies But thei were converted by the same ministeâ—ie vvhich vve haue now They had the same motions at the preaching of Latimer Hoper Taylor Bradford which our people haue noâ— at our preaching and Sacraments touching saith repentance and resolution to die for the testimonie of the Lorde Therfore let the Brownistes and al other wicked schismaticks barck that vve hâ—â—e no ministrie c. This reason hangeth vpon the same thread with this other last before and is built vpon the same popish and Anabaptistical grounds Touching the persons of these Martyres we haue alreadie in our first replie vnto your answeare set downe our christian opinion and iudgment Yet
can this argument of their persons no more iustifie this antichristian ministrie of Lord Bishops parrish Parsons merceanarie vagraÌ„t Preachers then it hath pleasured the Pope heretofore who had as manie godlie predecessors and Martyres to boast of as they The forgerie of their whole administration preaching worship sacramentes is furder discovered then these winde-shaken fig-leaues can hide the shame therof The truth is howsoeuer the Lord doth reserue the canonical Scriptures and some other doctrines of the Godheade the suffring resurrection and glorie of Christ of the iudgment and life to come c in the false Church and ministerie and by his secret power and wil can vse the said scriptures and doctrines to the saluation of some yet these effectes are not to be ascribed to the false ministerie or their corrupt ministration adulterate Sacraments c which haue no promise of blessing And therfore those inward motions and comfortes receaued by them are delutions without grounde or warraÌ„t of Gods worde the actions as they doe them not being acceptable but accuâ—sed in Goâ—s sight The faith and repentance wrought by their 〈◊〉 appeareth in the general estate and life of their people yea of their whose Church As to that christian zeale courage and constaÌ„cie to dye for the testimonie of the truth which he popish lie caleth Resolution and saith is wrought by their ministrie we shal beginne to belieue yt wheÌ„ they beginne to walcke in the truth and to shake off that antichristian yoke they stand vnder but whilest in this maner they betray their whole ministrie and gospel the whole power and libertie of the Church into the handes of these antichristian Bishops standing their sworne and marcked souldiours administring preaching after their prescription and limitation being bownd by oath not to preach against anie thing by publick aucthoritie established how odious or enormous soeuer but for feare filthie lucre staÌ„d ministers of al these abhominations we are warned by the holie Ghost not to be deceiued with their swelling wordes of vanitie promising vs libertie whilest they themselues stand the bond seruants of corruption And for the aucthor of these blaspheamous bookes Mr. Giffard who is apostatate fallen away euen from that litle faith and light which he sometimes seemed to haue building now againe the thinges he sometimes destroyed retourned with the dogge to his owne vomite as the washed sowe to the wallowing in the myre yea most cursedlie blaspheaming the truth of God and the poore witnesses therof as a most bitter professed enimie fighting in most hostile maner against the kingdome of Christ for vnder the kingdome of Antichrist we shal belieue that he wil suffer for the Gospel of Christ when Q. MARIE retourneth againe to persecute In the meane while we say with the holie Ghoste It had bene better for this man neuer to haue knowen the truth then after he had acknowledged yt to tourne from the holie commandment giuen vnto him YEt remayneth an other odd popish reason of Mr. G. his old store brought by him in his first answeare vnto certaine articles of ours as the onlie proof he theÌ„ could find for his ministrie vzt The affirmation and consent of other Pastors and Churches sending such as doubted to enquire of these straÌ„gers their iudgmeÌ„t of the Church and ministrie of England and in the meane tyme councelling them to suspend their iudgment This reason and councel because we reiected as insufficieÌ„t vnsounde and popish requiring rather some proof by Gods worde of themselues wherin we wholly rested and not in the opinions of men then thus to be sent in this case from the learned ministrie of England vnto strangers to knowe what they thincke of their ministerie as appeareth in our replie to which we refer y e reader for our answeare to this argument Herevpon Mr. G. in his first publick treatise against the Donatists of ENGLAND reneweth this old argument or quarrel rather by conâ—riuing this odious question VVhither the people in these controuercies ought to be sent vnto such hereticks and Schismatickes as we are or vnto the learned Pastors of other Châ—rches This question after he had thus charitablie framed he as grauelie and reuerentlie discusseth with these and such like holie christian passages See how sottishly ye cauil Blind presumptuous heretical Schâ—smâ—tickes Yours is the course of al arrogant proude heretickes and Schismatickes which couet to haue the people depend vppon them that they might haue fame Or vnto vnlearned rashe Brownistes intruding themselues without caling and running before they be sent As the harlâ—â—â— and whoores of the stewes that boast and glorie of their chastiâ—ie VVho is more â—ierce and outragious more vncharitable in condemning then ye Brownistes And yet ye bragg of such patience and charitie as can not be ouercome The Diuel counterfaiâ—ing Christes voice in heretical Schismaticks should not be able to allure and cal away the sheepe from their shepheardes c. part of 78. and of the. 79. page of his first booke How thinck you hath not this Clarcke bene wel nourtured and brought vp that can thus learnedlie deuise and handle a question and refute his aduersaries in lesse then one page of his booke He that findeth not these those mightie weapons through God to cast downe holdes and reasonings and to the captiuating al vnderstanding into th'obedience of Christ He that findeth not this that quiet and gentle spirit that heauenlie peaceable wisedome from aboue that lenitie and meeknes wherwith the Minister of Christ instructeth the contrarie minded might euen herebie doubte of Mr. G. his ministrie And see after this storme is a litle blowen ouer and he hath somewhat discharged and eased his ful stomacke in the end he alloweth of our course and councel for the tryal and proofe of their ministrie by the worde of God only and not by the opinions of anie men whoâ—soeuer Saying that it is the same in effect if we could see that himself gaue before Peraduenture Mr. G. meaneth if we could see into his minde for in his writing there was no such matter But wel seeing we are agreed of this course and tryal of their ministrie by the scriptures whie are we thus reuiled and reproched for consenting vnto demaunding and expecting this tryal yea whie is not this christian peaceable course taken this tryal and proofe made whie hath not Mr. G. at the least approued his ministrie in the Office Entrance and administration by the euideÌ„t scriptures And therby both haue approued themselues and conuinced vs before he had pronounced this balsphemouse senteÌ„ce against vs who acknowledg with reuerence euerie worde of God thervnto submitting our whole faith life to be tried corrected directed in al things which reproachful sentence Michael himself that head of Angels and men duâ—st not giue euen against the Diuel in controuercie betwixt them These controuercies betwixt them and vs being of no lesse momente then Moses bodie and none of vs
thinges they wil doe vnto you because they haue not knowen the Father nor me I hope these are no marckes of the true Church not to knowe God nor Christ or to vse such barbarous hostilitie towardes the disciples and faithful seruantes of Christ. If then these marckes this tyraÌ„nous vsage the bloode of the Sainctes be founde vpon the Church of England they shal by this glasse and place descrie her to be the malignant persecuting Synagogue and not that persecuted Church consisting of Christes true disciples and faithful seruants witnesses As to his other shoteancker and fundamental vsual place at al assaies 2 Thess. 2. v. 4. from whence he draweth a maine argument from the Church of Rome and of England to proue them both the Churches of God Because it is there said that Antichrist shal sit in the Temple of God And Antichrist sitteth in the Church of Rome and England Therfore the Churches of Rome and of England are the Churches of God I doe refer the reader to the seconde transgression for answeare which place and argument he shal there find lardglie handled and discussed IN the next poincte Mr. G. in his bad conscience finding the litle consequent from ciuile to antichristian bondage quite forgeteth forsaketh tourned the questioÌ„ And would now make vs or at least make others belieue that we hold that the Church maie be in no outwarde boÌ„dage wheras we hold yt may not beare Antichristes yoke or be brought into anie antichristian bondage Hauing fullie set downe this opinion as ours he pronounceth vs. Anabaptistes and wondreth how so prowde a spirit could be in rotten flesh so flatlie to contradict the spirit of God in these places Genes 15. Exod. 20. and al the places of the Prophets where the Lorde threatneth that they should be ledd into Babilon be there in bondage To take awaye his wonder though not his follie We giue him againe and againe to vnderstand That we neuer denied but that the Church might be in ciuile bondage in bodilie oppression but neuer might be brought into anie antichristian bondage either lardge or straight outward or inwarde as he distinguisheth And therfore willed him to put difference betwixt ciuile and antichristian bondage betwixt bodilie oppression persecution c and anie ecclesiastical antichristian yoke Wee acknowledge the Church to haue bene in ciuile bondage in great persecution and bodilie oppression in Egipt Babilon But that they were there in anie ecclesiastical boÌ„dage or receiued anie antichristian yoke we vtterlie denie And demande of Mr. G. where he can shew that anie of that faithful there bowed downe to their idolatries receiued anie newe lawes and ordinances at those tyrantes for the worship of God the administratioÌ„ and gouernmeÌ„t of the Church Or if he can shew that anie did thus whether those persons were by the worde of God to be esteamed members of the Church And as to the place by him alleadged 1 Corinth 7. 21. 22. Art thou caled a bond seruant care not for it For the bond Seruant calâ—d in the Lord is the Lordes freeman yt fullie sheweth that difference which we are driuen so often to inculcate vnto him betwixt ciuile and antichristian bondage The one here shewed to be an holie estate and calling no preiudize to the kingdome of God or to the libertie of the Sainctes The other in al those places aboue recited to be contrarie to the kingdome of CHRIST to our christian libertie and faith to be intollerable and not to be borne or suffred of the Church or anie member of CHRIST In as much as Antichrist is an aduersarie an opposite and lawlesse fellowe that lifteth himself vp not onlie against but aboue God shewing himself that he is God 2 Thess. 2. causing al both smale and great riche and poore to receiue his marcke Reuel 13. which marcke we haue declared from sondri places to be bondage and subiection to his statutes and decrees euen as christian libertie is the marcke of the children of the free woman of the heauenlie Ierusalem Which bondage and subiection being the marck of the Beast all the men that receiue the same either vpon their fore-heade or vpon their haÌ„d shal drinck of the wyne of the wrath of God of that pure wyne mixt in the cup of his wrath and shalbe tormeÌ„ted in fire brimstone before the holie Angells before the Lambe and the smoke of their torment shall ascend euermore and they shall haue no rest day nor night which worship the Beast his image and whosoeuer receiueth the prynt of his name Reu. 14. And it followeth immediatlie Here is the patience of the Sainctes here they that keep the commandements of GOD and faith of IESVS Wherevpon we may coÌ„clude that no antichristian yoke not euen in the least things is to be borne or suffred in Christes Church by waye of subiection not for the space of one hower But all thinges rather to be vndergonne then to stoope downe to the Beast to beare his marcke or worship his image BY this tyme Mr. Gif hauing shot off al his newe ordinaÌ„ce to litle purpose retireth himself againe to his old skonce wil by no meanes be driuen from his two places of the Songe Wherbie when he before so missed to proue the Church in anie antichristian bondage he nowe letteth that matter fal and bringeth these places to proue the Church to stand in outwarde bondage Which doctrine thoughe it was neuer by vs denied but that the Church might be in ciuile bodily boÌ„dage yet wee affirme nothing lesse to be proued by these places In the first vvee hope Mr. G. wil not be so grosse to take those vineyardes for locall vineyardes and that setting or putting to keepe them for ciuile or bodilie bondage for besides that nothing could be more grosse or diuers from that heauenlie spirituall argument of Salomon in that songe Soe would CHRIST neuer wil the Church or anie member of the Church to shake off anie lawfull or ciuile yoke in that maner to depart from their earthlie Lords Masters to refuse such lawfull seruice honest labour as they shoulde enioyne them Likewise to the seconde place There may great differeÌ„ce be put betwixt bondage and persecution or oppression That the Church there was in grieuous persecutioÌ„ is euident but that yt was in anie bondage we caÌ„not by that text or anie circumstaÌ„ce therof perceiue Thus Mr. G. euerie way misseth his marcke and as a giddye droncken man he reeleth from one side to the other Sometimes endeuouring by these places to proue the Church in bondage to some antichristian yoke yet not daring to affirme those vineyardes which her mothers sonnes put her to keepe to be Antichristes vineyardes which if affirme and proue not there is no antichristian yoke to be dreamed on in that place al the strength of his reason or rather delusion lijng in these wordes The Sonnes of my Mother vvere incensed against me they set
from al thinges that are fownd contrary to the same is no disobedience to Princes neither to withdrawe or derogate from their sacred power as this malignāt Clergie would persuade But they rather that encroch vpon openly impugne the Princes royal prerogatiue that so highly abuse their Prince and that trust she cōmitteth vnto them that break violate al y e publicke lawes charters of the lande that vsurpe y e ciuile sword aucthority and iurisdictiō which are vtterly prohibited thē by God that vsurpe place aboue al in aucthoritie vnder her Ma tie whoesoeuer to whom by the lawe of God they ought to be subiect that wil not submit their lawes doings persons to any ciuile tryal at the Princes royal iudgmēt seates but rather seek to withdrawe some of the most high and chief causes from her royall Courts and iudgment Seates into their owne Courtes that vsurpe the proper peculiar place titles preuileges power of Christ himself exercising absolute aucthoritie ouer al Churches doctrines causes persons to bring in or cast out erect or abrogate what lawes ordinances ministrie ministration gouernment they lust without controlement that wil not submit their publick ecclesiastical decrees procedings nor yet their priuate liues and conuersation to the tryall and censure of Christ in his Churche by the worde of God that make such barbarous hauocke mis-rule and confusion both in Churche and common wealth that seduce and deceiue their Soueraigne Prince their Nobles Maiestrates and the whole land leading them in the wayes of death destruction tourning them out of the straight waies of life peace that with their vtmost endeuour and skil oppose against the Testament kingdome of Christ that molest spoile and persecute in al hostile maner the Lords most faithful seruantes her Ma tis most loyall true hearted Subiects for refrayning from their idolatries and enormities so contrarie to the gospel of Christ which flowe from their antichristian gouernment and ministrie that nourish fauour and support the Lordes her Ma tis pernitious knowen enimies the Papistes those idolators those conspirators and traytors who they say are not such enimies to their pontifical estate and regiment as these faithfull christians are that are of nothing so iealouse vigilāt and careful not euē of their Soueraigne Princes life or of the peace prosperitie of the whole land as of their owne vsurped ruynous kingedome lest the light of the Gospel should break forth and discouer their apostaticall throne and antichristian procedings And therfore with al their might and may ne they striue to suppresse this light and to oppresse all such as in anie sinceritie and good conscience professe and practize the Gospel tollerating chearishing rather anie mischief anie vile flagitious and dissolute persons as by daylie experience is seene So that by these markes and fruicts let the Christian or but indifferent reader iudge Whether these Prelates and their antichristian Hierarchie be to be held troublers of the Church and state abridgers of the Princes power vsurpers of publick aucthoritie without lawful caling like Corath Dathan Abyram Or wee as this accuser this trompe of Sathan to bleamish our holie profession glorious suffringes shameth not to giue out of vs. Although they all hitherto haue not neither shal euer be able in the confidence of Gods grace and of a cleare conscience wee affirme yt iustlie to detect or so much as to suspect vs of anie such crime endeuoure or intēt We reuerence and are subiect to euerie humane creature for the Lorde whether vnto the Kinge as hauing aucthoritie ouer all or vnto rulers as sent by him for the reuenge of euil doers or for the praise of them that doe well That according to the wil of God by doing wel we might put to silēce the ignorance of vnwise men Yet hold wee not the offices Courtes and iurisdiction of these Prelates and their Hierarchie within the compasse of this Commandement or to be the ordināce of God But finde them that verie throne of Sathan that Anarchie of Antichrist opposite to the kingdome and Testament of CHRIST most pestilent pernitious both to the Church and common Wealthe And therfore may not by Princes be suffred in Churches or cōmon Wealth muchlesse by them be established ouer the Church and common Wealth without giuing their sacred power to the Beast Neither may anie faithfull Christian be brought in subiectiō to this their antichristian power yoke without bowing downe and worshipping the Beast To discusse or perticulate the seuerall innumerable errors faultes abuses corruptions enormities in the cānons constitutions customes procedings of the seuerall Courtes that belong to these Prelates antichristian regiment I am not as I haue said able neither were yt in this place expedient By this which hath bene here generally said of them their Courtes and proceedinges appeareth how contrarie they are to that gouernment and to those ordinances which CHRIST hath established and set ouer his Church for euer CHRISTS Scepter is an euerlasting Scepter a Scepter of righteousnes He hath set downe a most perfect absolute gouernment to his Church He hath perticularly and exactly prescribed what officers lawes ordinances he requireth in his Church He cannot be separate from his owne gouernment He ruleth not his Church by anie other officers or lawes then by his owne which he hath instituted These godlesse Prelates then that appoinct other officers and lawes vnto him ouer his Church wrest not only the Scepter but the Kingdome out of Christes handes And al such as stand vnder the antichristia gouernmēt of these presumptuous idol shepheardes stand not vnder Christes staffe amenitie vnder his Scepter of grace as the sheepe of his fould within his couenant protection but as the sheepe of destruction vnder his yron rodd wherwith they shalbe broken as a Potters vessel Here is our controuersie touching this fourth principal transgressiō fully decided determined by Gods owne mouth That all which stand vnder anie false ecclesiasticall gouernmēt stand not within the Couenant but vnder the wrath of God All the mitigations then reasons and delusions of the false Prophets shal neuer be able to make voide tourne away or diminish these iudgments otherwise then by their vnfaigned repentance speedie conuertion from their euil wayes HITHER TO hath M r. Gif brought vs not one reason or place of scripture to prooue the present gouernmēt of these Prelates and their hierarchie to be that heauenly gouernment which CHRIST hath instituted in his Church but hath grieuouslie peruerted manie scriptures to prooue that the Church might stand vnder some antichristian yoke although we in our first writing in this 4 PRINRIPAL TRANGRESSION blamed yt as false and antichristian In our second shewed yt to be such in the Officers Courtes Cannons procedings Now at length for a clusiue reason to prooue and determine all the poyncts at once and to shut vp his booke he hath
established church vizt such as are in captiuitie sicknes age or in such times place as they knowe not where to finde one day of the Sonne of man He might aswell conclude that because God is able doth saue some in the false Church Therfore priuate meÌ„ ought not to forsake the false Church God is able to saue some in dispertion out of the established Church Therfore priuate men ought not to seek the established Church THe last greatest matter is that we runne before the Princes commandement whose dutie it is to reforme Churches Priuate men might not so much as sweepe them much-lesse build them For this is to erect a state gouernmeÌ„t because the power of the Church is both publicke greate We haue aboue shewed that y e Church hath Gods coÌ„mandement authoritie alwaies to erect Christes ministri gouernment amongst them That the Church in this estate consisteth only of of priuate men neither are there anie true Ministers anie where to be found vpon the earth neither any extraordinarie Ministers to be looked for seing they are long since ceased Therfore the Church in this estate consisting only of priuate men ought to erect this ministerie and gouernment ells should they also cease and neuer be had againe vpon the earth and so should there neuer be any established Church ministrie Sacramentes c agayne in this world yet here must be noted by the way that Mr. G. runneth too much vpoÌ„ and wresteth too far these wordes priuate men when we speake of the Church consisting only of priuate men Now vnto his crimination the Church hauing this coÌ„mandement aucthoritie giuen of God vnto the worldes end we before shewed him that no Prince might take it away or without great wronge hinder them from the performance hereof yea that the seruantes of God ought not to be staied from doing the coÌ„mandements of God vpon anie restrainte or persecution of any mortall man whosoeuer For this we alleadged the examples and practize of the Apostles who then had bene guiltie of the same disobedience rebellion if Princes in this busines had bene to be stayed for or their restrainte had bene a sufficent let yea that persecution and the crosse of Christ were vtterly abolished if the Church and faithfull were not to proceede in their dueties vntill Princes giue leaue We shewed also that the obedience and practize of Gods will was no disobedience or preiâ—dize to the Prince That we attempted nothing beyonde our calling neither transgressed in our calling We medled not with the reformation of anie publick abuse either in the common wealth or in their Church otherwise then by prayers vnto God and godly exhortation We only according vnto Gods commandement refrained from their idolatrie and other publicke euils and assembled together in all holy and peaceable maner to worship the Lord our God and to ioyne our selues together in the faith vnto mutual duties This we shewed to be the duetie of euerie priuate man that would be saued to leaue the false Church and to seeke the true Church And being thus assembled ioyned in the faith we shewed it to be their dutie together to seeke that ministrie and gouernment which Christ hath left vnto his Church and for the Church to erect the same VNto the Apostles proceeding without the licence of Princes he maketh a double answere One in respect of the persons of the Apostles that they were furnished with a special coÌ„mission and authoritie from CHRIST himself to set vp his kingdome which commission and power the Pastors and Teachers successiuely receiued deliuered ouer to others so that priuate men may not haue this power The other in respect of those Princes in the Apostles tyme which were all heathen and therfore it had bene bootlesse to sue to them But where there is a christian Prince that holdeth the fundamentall poynctes of the christian faith though otherwise this christian Prince doe erre in some matters of doctrine or touching the rules of discipline euerie godly priuate man is to keepe a good conscience not breaking the vnitie and peace of the Church But not to take publicke authoritie to reforme THese instances of the persons of the Apostles and Princes as they are litle to the purpose so doe they him as litle good If the commandement of God were sufficient warrant to the Apostles to doe their worke though al the Princes of the world resisted then must the commandement of the same God be of the same effect to all other instrumentes whom it pleaseth the Lorde to vse in their callings to his seruice also though all the Princes in the world should withstand and forbid the same For neither dignitie of the persons that are vsed make the commandement of God of more authoritie or necessitie to be donne neither yet the greatnes or the goodnes of the persons that withstand this commandement of God make yt of lesse authoritie or necessitie Onlie let the seruantes of God be sure to haue the commaundement and calling of their God for that they doe and then they neede not feare the Powers that are placed of of God for the praise and not for the punishment of the good Our question then is not whether priuate men may doe that which is not their dutie to which they haue no commanndement as this accuser surmizeth to bring vs into danger and hatred But whether they may not doe that which God commanndeth them within the limites of their caling As to forâ—ake idolatrie and the false Church to seke the true worship of God in the true Church though all the Princes of the world whether belieuers or infidels should forbid the same And this we affirme to be the duetie of euerie perticular person whosoeuer forbid We say not now that priuate men may reforme the false Church abolish publick idolatrie or depose a false ministrie that the Kinge setteth vpp This were to breake the boundess of their calling to intrude vpon the Princes office and great cause had they then to feare for he beareth not the sworde in vayne Againe our question is not whether it is the office and dutie of Princes to see abuses reformed both in the Church and common Wealth which we thinck no man to be so ignorant or barbarous to denie except the Anabaptistes But vvhether the Church ought not now amongst themselues freely to practize CHRISTS Testament either in erecting his officers and ordinances or in reforming or correcting anie fault or abuse that ariseth amongst them vvithout staying for the Princes licence yea though the Prince should vpon the paynes of death forbid This we affirme to be the dutie of euerie perticular Congregation CHRIST hauing therfore giuen vnto each and all of them his sacred power and aucthoritie to binde and to loose in earth and to doe all thinges whatsoeuer he hath commaunded them vvith promise to be with them vnto the end of the world He hath giuen them the
two edged sworde of his mouth to cut downe all sinne The mightie spirituall weapons of his worde to bring in captiuitie euerie thought to the obedience of CHRIST to to the ouerthrowing of all munitious reasonings and sublimitie lifted vp against the knowledge of God and to haue in a readines to reuendge all disobedience To cast sinne into the Epha and the talent of Gods iudgment vpon yt and to remoue yt out of the Church with all power and celeritie with the vvinges of a Storke and the wynde vnder their vvinges and to lift vp the Epha betwixt the heauen and the earth in the eyes of all men CHRIST hath giuen this aucthoritie to his seruantes whom he hath left in his house and hath commanded them all therfore to watche together To obserue and avoide them that cause anie diuisions or offenses contrarie to the doctrine that they haue learned To contende for the maintenance of the whole faith Not to intermit or to be withdrawen from anie part of the same by anie man or Angell for persecution or anie thing that man can doe vnto them euerie where vvarning instructing and exhorting his seruantes not to feare persecution for righteousnes sake to take vp and beare his crosse daylie c Likewise for the neglect of those thinges God reproueth and stirreth vp the Churches To repent and to doe the first workes or ells he wil come against them speedily and remoue their candlestick To repent or ells he wil come against them speedily and fight against them with the sworde of his mouth Commending those Churches that kept that they had the worde of his patience in persecution promising them the Crowne of life if they remaine faithfull vnto the death to make them that ouercome pillers in the Temple of God c. M r. Giffard he is contented that vnder heathen or popish Princes the Church now may reforme or proceed in the practize of the whole will of God but at no hand where the Prince posesseth the faith in the fundamental poinctes though otherwise he erre and mis-leade the whole Churche in some matters of doctrine or touching the rules of discipline In these abuses and corruptions euerie priuate man is to keepe a good conscience but none to take publick aucthoritie to reforme Because these Kinges are principal members of the Church c. What cleare conscience any priuate man that yeildeth to these publick seene errors or transgressions Or the whole Church whilest yt wittinglie doth or suffreth these thinges to be donne can keepe we haue aboue shewed in the SECOND PRINCIPAL TRANSGRESSION How expreslie contrarie this leauened traditionall proposition of M r. G. is to all these Scriptures and doctrines aboue recited is so euident to all men as yt needeth no furder or lardger refutation If God haue committed his whole worde vnto his Church as the foundation of their faith and of euery action they doe commanding them to stand to the death for the maintenance of the whole truth and the holy practize of the same and to cast out in his name and power all that publicklie and obstinatlie hold anie opinion or that so commit anie transgression contrary to his worde If God for the neglect hereof haue menaced to come in iudgment and exhorteth the Churches vpon the first discouerie hereof to speedie repentance Howe can M r. G. persuade the Churche to contynue wittingly in open errors publick transgression or in this estate promise them peace The holie Ghost hath not set downe this as a note of a true Prophet Neither hath God promised anie peace to thē that wittingly contynue in any error or transgression vntil they repent Doth not one deade flie putrifie and cause to stincke the whole oyntment of the Apothecary A litle leauen make sower the whole lumpe Wee would knowe of him therfore whether that diuelish distinction of fundamental errors and transgressions and such errors and transgressions as he holdeth not fundamentall wherebie he turneth away the practize of what part of Gods worde he lusteth and iustifieth or at the least tollerateth what open errors publick transgressions of Gods worde he lusteth will excuse him or anie that wittinglie breake the least of Gods commandements And whether the aucthoritie or christianitie of anie Prince wil in that daye excuse before the Lorde anie man that hath at the Princes commandment committed much more contynued to committ anie transgression without vnfaigned repentance But if the least error be contrarie to true faith the least transgression sinne and no knowen sinne or error to be committed or continued in howe can he persuade the Churche to commit or to contynue in anie error or transgression so highly to tempt and prouoke the Lorde And now to the poynct we would know of him whether anie Prince much-lesse a christian Prince may abrogate the commandement of God or take away that power and aucthoritie that God hath giuen to the Church vnto the worldes end If not but that the commandements of God remaine alwaies the same and the Churche hath the same power vnder a christian magistrate that vnder a heathen why then yt ought not to proceede to the obedience and practize of Gods worde whether in correcting and redressing faultes or in going forewarde in the wayes of God as they are reueiled vnto them as well and freelie vnder a Christian Prince as vnder an heathen Is it because a Christian Princd is the principall and greatest member of the Church why by so much the rather ought and the better may the Church doe it hauing now such a singular help and rare accomplement of so pretious a member Euerie true member is giuen for the help and comfort and not for the hindrance and hurt of the body Wee may then much better conclude that the Church vnder a christian Prince may procede with all freedome in the sincere practize of CHRISTES Gospel because he is a member of CHRIST of the Church then vnder an infidel Prince that is an enimie to CRHIST and to the Church ANother reason he bringeth whie the Churche vnder a christian Prince may not reforme without his licence or vntill hee will because it is the office of a christian Prince to reforme the Church and therfore the Church in taking such a publicke worke vpon them shoulde but vsurpe and encroch vpon his office Because wee are so apt to mis-vnderstand one an other and to take words in too lardge or straight a sense it were good wee set downe what is meant by this reformation here spoken of before we proceede Wee meane then by reformation to reduce all thinges and actions to the true antient and primatiue paterne of Gods worde This we graun to be the office and duetie of the Prince to doe aswel in the Church as in the common Wealth The Princes eye may suffer no transgression of Gods lawe he is to ouersee and see euerie one to doe their dueties in the office
in the Church whether with or without their Princes licence But if yt be vnlawful for the Church or such as haue aucthoritie of God without the licence of their christian Prince or gouernours Then verilie our Sauiour his Disciples offended herein who stayed not to doe the will of his heauenlie Father for the threates laying wayte of the Rulers Furder if it be vnlawfull derogatorie to a Christian Princes office aucthoritie for anie to doe Gods wil in their callings and for the Church to proceede in the practize of CHRISTES Testament though against his wil Then is it also vnlawfull vnder a heathen Prince For the christian and heathen Princes haue one and the same aucthoritie office duetie to see all thinges both in the Church and in the commune Wealth donne according to the wil of God There is the same reuerence and obedience though I say not the same bowells of loue due to the heathen that is due to the christian Prince in regarde of their office The heathen Prince shall answere aswell as the christian for the neglect of their duetie for the abuse of their power and place And thus also if M r. G. doctrines be sownd the Apostles likewise sinned against the aucthoritie of Princes in erecting CHRISTS kingdome and the Churches in proceeding to receiue the same and to doe the wil of God without their Princes licence and notwitstanding their prohibition Seing that the vnbeleeuing Princes haue the same place office and aucthoritie and ought to haue the same obediene in respect thereof that christian Princes haue or ought haue And sure most diuelish and detestable are these two published and generallie receiued opinions of these contrarie factions of our English Cleargie men The one giuing out that the forme of ecclesiasticall gouernment prescribed in CHRISTS Testament practized by the Apostles and primatiue Churches in the tymes of persecution is not nowe necessarie or tollerable vnder a Christian Prince The other giuing out that those ordinances and that gouernment which they acknowledge CHRIST to haue instituted and prescribed to his Church vnto the worldes end may not nowe vnder a christian Prince be put in practize by the Church if he forbid the same as they might ought and were vnder heathen Princes by the faithful in all ages With the one of these blasphemous positions the Prelates defend their outragious gouernment and all their antichristian proceedings with the other the tyme-seruers these counterfeite Reformistes colour and defend their perfidie not witnessing vnto and practizing the Gospell of Christ and their seruile subiection to the gouernment of Antichrist By which positions both sides most impiously abrogate the heauenlie gouernment and ordinances of Christ in his Church and intollerably seduce and abuse that most blessed and comfortable ordinance of the christian Magistracie Both of them hereby shut vp the kingdome of heauen against all men neither entring themselues nor suffring such as would but holding the whole land vnder the enormous gouernment of Antichrist in the wrath of God whose iudgment therfore sleepeth not YEt remayneth an other dangerous error which Mr. G. hath pickeâ— out of a certaine answere made by me HENRIE BARROVVE to three greate Bishops of this land where being demaunded whether the Queene may make lawes for the Church which are not contrarie to the worde of God I seeing wherat they aymed vzt to maintayne al these popish reliques deuises tromperies c wherwith their worship Church is pestered answered as I remember to this effect That no Prince neither al the meÌ„ of the world not the Church yt self could make any lawes for the Church other then CHRIST hath left in his worde But I thought it the dutie of euerie Prince especially of euerie christian Prince to enquire out renewe the lawes of God and to stir vp all their subiects vnto more diligent careful keeping of the same This answere M r. G. after his accustomed maner pronownceth Anabaptisticall deâ—ijng and cutting off a great part of the power God hath giuen vnto Princes and a great part of Discipline Proof of these chardges he maketh none except we must take these two assertions in way of proofe vntill he bring better The first is that CHRIST hath giuen general lawes or rules for matters of circumstance that be indifferent variable in the perticulars and so to be altered and abolished as the peace and edification of the Church shall require And therfore that Princes with the Church are to ordaine to establish such orders by those generall rules as may afterward for iust cause be altered M r. G. his antecedent here is so general extendent his conclusion so doubtful and indefinite taking such roome to himself in both to escape euade as except he drawe nearer and in his next booke take the paynes to set downe what he meaneth in his proposition by general lawes rules and by matters of circumstance And in his conclusion what kinde of orders those such orders are the Prince should ordeine establish he shalbe so far from distressing or convincing me as I shall neuer perceiue where he is or where about he goeth This when he shal doe then I shall knowe what to answere him In the meane tyme I confesse manie thinges of circumstance as the tyme place of assembling what scriptures to reade or to interprete how longe to continue in prayer or prophecie c to be left in libertie at the discretion of the Church to be wisely vsed according to their present occasions to edification order decencie Of these sondrie such like the Lord in wisedome sawe it not good to set downe positiue or permanent lawes for all Churches and tymes because the present estate and diuers occasions of all Churches yea of anie one Church are so diuers variable that prescript definitiue lawes could not be set of such things in perticular for the space of one moneth without manifold incoÌ„veniences great preiudize to the Church Of such things then as the Lord for these wise endes waighty causes hath left in the libertie discreation of the Church to be vsed and ordered according to the present estate and occations therof c may man make no prescript positiue lawes in perticular to enioyne therby this forme this tyme c vpon all or vpon anie one Church without restrayning that which God hath left at libertie yea without coÌ„trolling contrarijng the wisdome of God which no doubt is most excellently perfect euen in the least thinges and without manie other grieuous inconveniences intollerable preiudize to the Church of God Much better therfore should the Prince prouide for the Church to see them duly to obserue the lawes that God hath giueÌ„ and to vse their libertie aright Or where they transgresse in either of these to reprooue or to correct accordingly then to make and enioyne new lawes of his owne deuising so contrarie to the libertie yea euen to that order
therfore we suffer because wee wil not denie this faith But by his owne argument he hath turned himself and their whole Church and Priesthood out of the folde whiles they are not gathered vnto CHRIST alone by his doctrine only but maintaine Antichristes lawes orders his seruantes they are to whome they gyue themselues to obey To proue his former reason hee aledgeth the custome of the olde time in Gods Church and the scripture yt self Reuel 2. where the Nicolaitanes are meÌ„tioned Arians of Arius Montanistes of Montanus Nouatians of Nouatus Pelagians of Pelagius Donatistes of Donatus The doctrine we do graunt that wicked Heretikes Scismatikes may iustly be named of the aucthors and leaders But heresie and schisme we denye to be maintayned by vs And you hauing neuer conuinced vs of heresie neither can proue your Churche to be the true apparant established Church of Christ must gyue accompt for your malitious sclandering of vs and numbring vs among such hatefull heretickes as the Arians c. If wee be Christians then must you gyue accompt for this offence which is not only done to vs but to his truth and to himself You affirme in an other place that you had rather gyue accompt for to much charitie shewed to the wicked yea for iustifijng an euil man then for coÌ„demning the iust being iguoraÌ„t that the woe is pronounced against both But here you haue forgotteÌ„ your self herein and by sclandering the truth you know what danger you incurre Luke 17. 1. 2. Math. 18. 7. He draweth the original of Brownisme as he termeth yt from Donatus and sayth Browne was the cheife renewer therof yet afterward saith ther was a Church of them eighteene yeeres agoe in London wherin one Bolton was a cheife doer whose fearful end is not forgotteÌ„ For the original of our profession we fetch yt from Christ and his Apostles practize of the Church in the Apostles time as all the Martyres from time to time haue done according to the light they sawe For Donatus and Browne they must answere for themselues We are buylt vpon the foundation of the Apostles Prophetts IESVS CHRIST being the chief corner stone Other foundation then this can no man lay wee offer our workes to be tryed hereby It is Mr. Giffard himself that so wel may remember the fearfull end of Bolton for yt is true that as I haue heard he stood against your ministerie for Cappes Surplus Crosse with many other your Romish trynckets as I haue heard your self haue done after reuolting and become a conformable member of your Churche hanging himself yt is a remembrance for Apostates Donatisme saith he in old time about twelue hundreth yeeres past was condemned as approued detestable schisme heresie The Brownistes and Donatistes shal appeare to agree together as two peices of cloth that are of the same woll same threed colour working and bredth If this man had read with iudgment the holy scripture as concerning the general defection Apostasie with the encrease decrease of Antichristes kingdome hee would haue blushed to haue entred this comparison For the Donatistes wee haue not to deale yet if the right eye were not blinded hee might haue considered better the Donatistes causes of separation and ours and it woulde not haue seemed so like together the times causes persons from whome and maner of their separation must be better weighed which because he hath taken in hande to perticulate afterward I wil only shew one here wherin we make such a difference as al his other are but trifles The Donatistes held still the same worship gouernment offices officers entrance and the same administration of sacraments c that the other did from whome they did separate and as it seemeth receiued whole Cities and Contries to be the Church as before so that their separation was more like the sectes and schismes amonst your selues you from the Papists the Martinistes from you the forward Predicants as they are called from the Bishops then any such separation as we by the coÌ„mandemeÌ„t of God make from false Church false ministerie false Sacraments Antichristian gouernment c vnto the true ordinances of Christ Heretickes and Sectaries make schisme but this true conuertion from the euill to the good from the false to the true fewe finde yt although it be the plaine commandement of God Reue. 18. 4. and the way to saluation Acts. â— 40. For indeed it is not enough to forsake the false wayes but to seeke the antient wayes of the Lord and to walke in them that wee may finde rest to our soules Mr. Giffard his setting downe of the causes of the Donâ—â—istes separation bewrayeth himself to seeke onlie the defamation of the truth without shew of reason First he sayth that in the persecutions by the Romish Emperours manie being as they were then termed proditors and traditors of the Bookes of God the holy vessells their bretheren c there was a rumor that such offences had bâ—ne committed by some Nowe saith he there came certeine Bishops from Numidia to Carthage a famous Citie in Africa to ordeyne a Bishop and found Cecilianus alredye ordeined and placed in the seate c. Thus farre I trust it will be granted me his peeces of cloth are not both of a woll for the difference I refer to the obstinate heynouse traÌ„sgressions wherwith we haue chardged these parrish assemblies Further the Brownistes as he in the spirit of blasphemy termeth them approue of no such Bishop or Bishoprickes no such seate nor ordination as they came about Well the Bishops of Numidia were wroth that they could not ordeine In this poinct his threeds are not proportionable Wee thrust not our â—elues beyond our lyne in these actions neither do any thing in the high matters of God through ambition These things are all founde amongst your selues the kingdome through enuie diuided for al your chiefest strife hath bene whither a Sinode of parrish Priestes or a Lord Bishop should create your Priestes this being your principal contention the one side must needs be Donatistes He procedeth and saith thesâ— Bishops of Numidia ioyned together and layed a crime vpoÌ„ â—â—â—cilianus they say his Ordeyner delyuered the holy books was a Traditor wherevpon they would haue Caecilianus reputed no Minister of CHRIST but the sonne of a traditor In this M r. Giff. discerneth not colours The Brownistes separate not for anie one mans person through envie they shewe other causes whie they repute your whole ministerie to be a false and AntichristiaÌ„ ministerie and not the true ministerie of the Gospel they allowe not ordination by one man but proue the offices entrance and administratioÌ„ of your ministerie to be wholly Antichristian and herevpon wee repute them no true ministerie of Christ. For the triall of this matter saith hee there was no assemblie of learned Pastors to iudge in this case according to Christs ordinance but furor dolus tumultus did beare the swaie Here M r. Giffard
no such doctrine but all that God gyâ—eth grace to returne by repentance ought to be receiued though no Apostate â—uer to beare office in the Church yet such we take to be wholly purged in the blood of CHRIST by repentance which your parish assemblies neuer did But this setting their persons aside we take to be an vndoubted truth of God that where no separation is made from Idolatrous prophane Atheistes Heretickes tyrannicall persecutors nor no couenant entred by the faithfull vnto the obedience and orderly practize of CHRISTES ordinances but a generall commixture with the world in sacriledge in false worship vnder a false ministerie such assemblies are no true Churches orderly gathered or established Now looke saith he vpon the Donatistes of England Antichrist hath bene exalted according to the prophesie of Paule he hath sat in the Temple of God c. This man by his whole former discourse present Argument it semeth herein chiefly compareth vs to the Donatistes that as they made all their quarrell for Caecilianus his vnmeetnes for his office so we make our quarrell for that Antichrist reigned or doth reigne as hâ— after expoundeth it in the Church of God wherein he affirmeth that they which submitted or stand still in subiection vnto his decrees iurisdictioÌ„ ordinances ministerie are yet notwithstanding the true apparant Church of God First we answere that we take not the word Antichrist to be vnderstood of one mans peâ—son but of all the falsly called Fathers of the Sea of ROME and more generally of all that exalt themselues aboue the ordinances of CHRIST and his Church establishing their owne deuises in place thereof or giue life vnto the image of the Beast for if the same markes of pride blasphemie and tyrannie erection of a strange ministerie lifting vp themselues aboue CHRISTS Testament ordinances and worship be sound emongst your spirituall Lords in England we see not but Antichrist spoken of by Paul may be also found amongst you Now if M r. GIFFARD had considered Caecilianus his estate who at the hardest was but vncapable of that lawfull office and to that lawfull administration as it was on both sides supposed and concerning the outward order or maner lawfully ordeyned there can be no comparison betwene him and Antichrist And for Antichristes sitting in the Temple of God M r. GIFFARD must know that manie times the Church is called the Church not because yt remayneth still vnder the outward couenant but because yt sometimes did so yea and at the first creeping vp of that man of sinne while the iniquitie wrought in a mysterie yt was the Church out of which he sprang and in which he sometimes sat The holy Ghost giueth vs then hereby to vnderstand that this Antichrist who should change the holy ordinances should be an Apostata he should be neither Turke nor Pagan but the bottomlesse pit should be opened by him in more subtile and strange delusions out of which smoke all your ministerie is proceeded But when he had changed the ordinances destroyed euery greene thing caused all high and low rich and poore to receiue his marke in their hande or foreheade and suffred none to buye and sell which would not fall downe and worship him the sunne now couered with sackcloth the Moone turned into blood the starrs fallen from heauen the true worshippers murthered if any one stood vp Gods curses threatned to all that worshipped the Beast or his image or receiued his marke in their hand or foreheade we hope this man will not say yt was now the apparant Church of God lest he coÌ„demne not only the scriptures but al whome God commanded to come out of her calling her the mother of fornications the harlot that sitteth vpon many waters hold of all vncleane spirits cage of all vncleane and hatefull birdes confused Babell c. So that if M r. GIFFARD had anie salt of grace he would better pervse the booke of Reuelations which with all the prophesies of the Prophets of CHRIST himself and of his Apostles make manifest this generall Apostasie and defection vnder Antichrist and not now tell vs a tale of Caecilianus Doth he not see in the whole Booke the false Church true lyuely described the one worshipping the Beast the other following the Lambe the one persecuted the other persecuting in most bloody murder of the Sainctes Well saith he but Antichrist is disclosed by the glorious light of the Gospel his damnable doctrine cursed idolâ—trie and vsurped tyrannie are cast forth of this land the true doctrine of faith is published c. First we must here demaunde whether these assemblies were then the true Church when they were ledd by those damnable doctrines and lyued in that cursed idolatrie bowing downe to the Beast and persecuting the Sainctes Secondly as we are not vnthankfull for the abandoning of the POPES person supremacie with much of his damnable wares we demaund of you what you thinke of those persons which set opeÌ„ his shoppes againe keepe his Courtes and exercise like vsurped power and tyrannie that was before But to answere directly Antichrist is not discouered in your assemblies his daÌ„nable doctrines cursed idolatries vsurped tyrannie are not cast forth the doctrine of faith is not sincerely published Againe what is al this to the prouing of a true Church a lawfull ministerie true worship and holy gouernment of CHRIST Your parish assemblies were receiued from the Popes hand without anie conuersion by repentance or orderly gathering by doctrine into any communion the Popes ministerie set ouer them the worship though a litle changed out of latine into english some of theirs left out but al y t remayneth either takeÌ„ froÌ„ his Portesse or mens deuises these assemblies still gouerned by those Courtes Officers and Canons that before What place hath now Christes Testament amongst you how is Antichrist discouered or his damnable wares cast forth Is it not made subiect to these Antichristian ordinances ministerie worship gouernment It is not limited stinted and aportioned no further to be opened then to vphold these execrable orders idolatries sacrileges yea is not only the bare name therof vsed as a stale and doctrine therof peruerted to the deceiuing of the people in this estate Moses law was read euerie Sabboth day in their Synagogs when they crucified CHRIST But you should haue proued you had such assemblies such a ministeri such a worship such a gouernmeÌ„t as the Gospel prescribeth Being then the same assemblies contynuing in false worship vnder the same ministerie gouernment al the Atheistes Papistes Hereticks Antichristian officers c in one coÌ„mixture that the POPE left we may wel affirme you to remaine stil the marcked seruantes of Antichrist not speaking here how many Antichristes are here exalted leauing the damnable doctrines cursed idolatrie false preaching of the Gospell to our lardger discourse in due place But now M r. GIFFARD beholding these things that they haue made no separation nor draweÌ„ the people vnto the ordinances
discipline to execute neither belong CHRISTS ordinances to your Antichristian ministerie Babilonish assemblies which we denie to hold the head CHRIST in this their subiection to Antichristes ministerie ordinances worship It is but then your ignorance to make comparison betwene the Donatistes and vs. To the Worship THat the Donatistes did separat themselues from as corrupted a worship as the Brownistes doe Mr. GIFFARD wil stand to affirme Saith he there were prayers oblations for the dead then significatiue ceremonies superstitious signing of themselues with the signe of the Crosse c. To which we answere that Mr. GIFFARD affirmed in the 6. page of his booke that the Donatistes departed disorderly out of the Church condemning yt not for any poinct of doctrine for therein the other Churches they did agree Now here he would make comparison betwene them vs in disalowing the worship But it seemeth Mr. GIFFARD holdeth not anie doctrine to be contayned in the worship which indeed ought to coÌ„teine nothing els and sure it is a strang worship that is not grounded vpon doctrine The second thing in this place we will note is the time of these corruptions in the worship namely as he reckoneth within two hundreth yeares after CHRIST If their worship were then as corrupted as ours is now we merueil how you will defend the platforme of your Church gouernment from that tyme that was so corrupt calling yt the primatiue Church Your fellow Priests Argumentes from the primatiue Church as thy falslie call those times will be of small weight if you make their worship as corrupt as this deriued from Antichrist In the 44 page he graunteth as much of the gouernment that it was then thus corrupt when our tyme-seruers will only cleaue to that paterne and neither he nor they to the Testament of CHRIST Thirdly he hath forgotten his scope Argument He should by his promise haue prooued that the Doâ—â—tistes we were of one iudgment in this poinct and that they made the false worship one principal cause of their separation as we do so that he hath forgotten himself in this place as a man not knowing where to make shew of somthing Next where Mr. GIFFARD grantes that in those assemblies where the worship is idolatrous it is lawfull to separat a mans self he contrary to those expositions of the 2 Corinth 6. and other places to that effect now granteth a separation in body and minde both I will not rebuke him nor charge him of inconstancie because I perceiue him to contradict his holy Pastors of these tymes where he seeth them to erre But he by and by returneth to his vomit againe thus Ther are many great corruptions in the worship before it come to that where certeine fundamental poincts of doctrine are holden the worship cannot be idolatrous but in the deepest defection in poperie ther were certeine fundamentall poincts holden as he faith in an other place wherby they were stil in the Church and vnder the Conenant therfore ther is no idolatrous or blasphemous worship that may in the Papistes Church be separated from Mr. GIFFARD may be a good subiect but sure his groundes of doctrine are popish and pernitious We here demaund of Mr. GIF whither such corruptions errours as he speaketh of might be of the godly that knew them such be offered vp by themselues or communicated with in the Church And Mr. GIF must giue vs leaue to say it cannot be their worship was so corrupt as yours consisting of so manie patched deuises of your learned Popes so long hatched and by so manie heades as haue out of that fordge of Sathans minting howse contriued yt euen out of Antichristes treasurie of deceites As for errours that haue no good foundation we may shew him twentie for one Hitherto then Mr. GIFFARD his bretheren that haue separated from the Church of ROME as they would pretend yet retayning still that worship are bretheren with the Donatistes as he pleaseth to deride that holy name of bretheren To the Ministerie THe Donatistes cried out that the Churches from which they separated had no true Ministers but that they were all false Prophets Iudasses persecutors of the iust generations of vipers because they said they had their ordination from them that were such The Brownistes lift vp their voyces with all their might call vs Baalls Priestes the marked seruantes of Antichrist false Prophets seducers and such lyke because as they say we are ordeyned by Antichristian Bishops therfore we be Donatistes Mr. GIFF. his Argument is denyed Ieremie our Sauiour Christ and diuers of the Prophets against Israell did in this maner pull off the visardes of the false Prophets disclosing their wickednes to y e people were they therfore Donatistes or Schismatickes Calvine all of you cry out against the Popes ministerie at ROME are you therfore Donatistes and Schismatickes The matter then must be considered for which they so called them The Donatistes for no other cause then for that some of them were ordeyned by Iudasses and traytours the Brownistes for that these are ordeyned by Antichristian Bishopps which exercise an other spirituall gouernment then CHRISTS Wherein if you had eyes to see there is no comparison betwene their cause ours First the person that did ordeine satâ— in a lawful office as the Donatistes supposed did also ordeine as they thought in maner according to the rule of the word the partie that was ordeined meete for the ministerie the office to which he was called lawfull the administration wherein he was to administer holy and good for anie thing they sawe The contrarie of all which we finde in your ministerie and the thing wherein you would haue vs likened together was neuer our reason which is the wickednes of the mans person that doth of his sole authoritie ordeine for manie Churches which we neither approoue in the Donatistes or you Our exceptions in this case I say hath neuer bene against the person of your Ordinarie although we might iustly Take next time your matter together and looke whose kingdome you administer in what calling office Leitourgie flock and be ashamed of your comparison by so much as your ministeri is more wicked Again you here put the cause of our casting of the Bishops their traine into the lake to be for that they exercise an other discipline then CHRISTES as though this were some small matter which if you put the word gouernment of the Church you shall finde it the denial of CHRIST to reigne in his kingdome a suppression of at his lawes ordinances euen the whole Testament and erection and practising of an other Let him that readeth consider what state all stand in that remaine in this kingdome erected against Christ and what ministerie the seducers in this foraigne priesthoode exercise of God or of the Deuill for CHRIST hath but one ministerie one Gospell one gouernment ouer his Church Now seeing ther is no comparison
ROME and yet keepe their gouernment worship therfore the Church of England are Schismamatickes and Donatistes and an other poinct that ther can be no true Sacramentes no true Church vnder a false gouernment And Mr. GIFFARD is yet further out of his way To the Argument of manie Churches HE granting that we herein differ from the Donatistes in that they condemne all Churches in the world we do not will needes notwithstanding haue vs Donatistes in this poinct also For saith he though they shoote not their arrowes at them yet their arrowes strike them their Argumentes vpon consequence will reach so far yea runne thorough the sides of all Churches This we answere you must first cleare your selues of those thinges wherwith you are chardged and pressed and trouble not your self with other mens matters seing you make this but a cloke for your wickendnes to shrowde your self vnder other meÌ„s persons with whome we haue not to deale We vtterly refuse to enter into this controuersie of the estate of other Contries we know the word of God is neere vs thankes be to God by which if your cause be good suffer it to be tryed As for the consequence of our Argumentes they are but your owne collections to passe ouer your owne sinnes and sett the strife betwene vs and other Churches which we wil not be drawen vnto And all men may here behold this sower of wordes and strife maker will counterfeit not only consequence but Argumentes of his owne head to raise quarrell In all which he hath forgotten his promise to compare our writinges and theirs together and flyeth to his owne collection In this part of his stage-play he beginneth thus The Church of ENGLAND is esteemed reuerenced emongst the Churches as a sister and so coÌ„municated with yet they all know what her faultes be in her assemblies in her worship in her ministerie gouernment in asmuch as they are apparant Vnto the first we suppose your worship ministerie Church gouernment are not so apparant vnto them as you gyue out Secondly we doubt yea I may say it is vntrue that they iustifie your ministerie worship or gouernment Thirdly admit they should thus sinne either of ignorance negligence or infirmitie standing otherwise orderly gathered to the practize of CHRISTES ordinances they are not for this sinne till after due convincement and admonition they remaine obstinat to be presently iudged no Churches But what I thinke of their estate you shall here pardon me I wil not intermedle till I be called As for your harmonie of Confessions if it be not the harmonie of the Prophets CHRIST and his Apostles it skilleth nothing vs what coÌ„sent you make Againe it is not an accord in certeine general Articles that can satisfie this matter when in the perticulars you discent to the ouerthrow of al Such an harmonie you may very wel make with your mother Church of ROME and a great deale more large Neither do their Confessions agree with you in the estate of the ministeri Church gouernment nor worship Scotland Geneua France c haue an other ministerie offices choise ordination and ministration an other gouernment worship but it were too large to discusse And now hold to your Argument and see what wil follow The Church of ROME haue the same confession of faith which you call your Apostolick Crede that you haue yea the Lordes prayer as you cal it Athanasius Crede c therfore they and you agreeing in this harmonie of confession are one body one Church Againe these Churches you say hold you the Church of God and you hold the Church of ROME to be the Church of God therfore you are one body al and then you al the Churches Schismatickes from your mother Church If the Church of ENGLAND be Antichristian idolatrous and worship the Beast c then the Churches which perfectly know the same and yet acknowledg her a sister are partakers of her sinne and so to be condemned with her The same Argument we thus returne you If the Church of ROME be Antichristian idolatrous worship the Beast theÌ„ the Church of ENGLAND which perfectly knoweth the same yet acknowledgeth her a sister as Mr. GIFFARD doth say is partaker with her sinnes and so to be condemned with her Al those Churches saith he which know the Church of ENGLAND in this estate do yet reuerence her as a true Church of CHRIST do coÌ„dempne those as heretical Schismatickes which cal yt Antichristian separat themselues from yt We answere that all those Churches he speaketh of do not approue the church of ENGLAND in this estate neither condempne vs in the thinges we withstand therein and receiue it againe thus At the first coÌ„ming out of papacie all the Churches in the world did approue the Church of ROME and condempne those as heretical Schismatickes which caled it AntichristiaÌ„ separated from yt Let Mr. Giffard put to what conclusioÌ„ he wil. I take it Mr. Giff. must now leaue the bare title of Church ministerie c and flee to the proofe of their profession orderly walking by the word of God which if he do not yet do we buyld therevpon as vpon a most sure foundation As to Mr. CALVINE we refer you to his confession of faith printed in the latter end of his owne Catechisme and if he be coÌ„trarie to himself in his other writinges look you vnto it we do not for the holynes of the man iustifie anie of his errours as no man is without neither for his errors reiect any truth he held knowing of the one God hath had mercy as we hope and for the other Gods word approueth it so that we beleiue not any thing because such a man said so but because by the word Spirit we heare CHRIST himself speak And you do greatly abuse his writinges in vsing them after your owne â—ense in his name contrarie to his minde and purpose and by your leaue wrasting them to your owne iudgment deceiuing others therby In his confession he affirmeth ther is no true Sacrament with promise as I do remember but where the Minister hath a lawfull office and outward calling to administer so that all his Argumentes must be vnderstood of such a Church as haue a lawful ministerie in office entrance and administration and cannot be applyed to yours Moreouer he reasoned against the Anabaptistes and such as held an integritie and perfection in the Church and separated for euerie sinne coÌ„mitted without due seeking of redresse And if he erred in these or anie other doctrines we do not therfore hold them presently to be no Church in which he was Minister or which did in like ignorance receiue the said doctrines it is obstinacie in error that only deserueth casting off and that by due order As for most of your places expouÌ„ded by his mouth now receiued by you to maintaine open sinne to coÌ„municate with the open knowne transgressours they are so coÌ„mon
stale that euery infant in the faith can shew you your vanitie if in your owne name you durst propound them Your learned bretheren haue gyuen them ouer as sclender collections you will now reuiue them put them in your owne name ells we haue nothing to say the man being dead whose steppes God giue you grace to follow in that which is good But this is a simple course to iustifie your owne wayes by mens names and writinges when Gods word convinceth you of sinne and wickednes For that place of the Epistle to the Corinth 11. Let a man examin himselfe and so let him eat of that bread drink of that cup yt doth not discharge vs of any dutie to others by admonition due censure for the same God hath said Admonish one another tell thy Brother his fault if he repent forgiue him goe firstâ— reconcile thy self to thy Brother then bring thine offring If anie that is called a Brother be a fornicatour c be not comâ—ingled together with such an onâ— eat not So that our examination must be whether we do follow these rules also and Mr. CALVINE himself saith it is sacriledg for the Pastor to gyue the Sacrament to the opeÌ„ vnworthie What coÌ„munion is ther then betwene him that openly standes vnder the wrath of God the Minister that coÌ„mitteth sacriledge and vs in that banquet We may better reason thus then we are coÌ„manded to examine our selues and so eat therfore I must examine my self also with whome what and howe I do come to receiue But what haue wee to do to reason what is to be done in the Church to the preuenting of Gods wrath and reprofe of sinne when our question is of the vtter forsaking of the false Church with all her wares and stolen waters So that wee conclude al Mr. Calvines Argumentes must be enforced against such as separate themselues from the true Churche otherwise himself and you all shall be found Schismaticks from the Church of Rome As for the Church of Corinth and Churches of â—alatia they were separated from Idolatours orderly gathered established and governed by CHRISTES lawes true Ministerie worship and stood not obstinatly to maintaine and retaine open grosse sinne and to murder the messengers sent early and late to reproue them as you doe So that ther is no comparison to be made betwene you and them for thus the Papist might pleade with you Ther were sinnes and corruptions in the Churches of Corinth and Galatia but it was not lawfull to separate from them therfore it is not lawfull to separate from the Church of Rome wherein stil you see your selues concluded Schismaticks Donatistes But because wee will not intermedle with Calvine nor other Churches Let vs returne againe to your comparison betwene the Donatistes vs from which you are so farr and so long digressed as a man litle regarding wherein hee busieth himself Concerning the Magistracie IN this matter he first termeth vs Donatistes for that we crye out of persecution and of the false Prophets that incence the Magistrates herevnto Wee answere wee complaine not of impatiencie nor yet for revenge only as duty bindeth vs wee seeke to the lawfull Magistrates for some redresse of our miseries which wee wrongfully sustaine and shewe the people the vngodlynes of their woefull guydes or rather wolues and if you had anie grace you would rather be moued with pitie then compare vs to either Schismatickes or hereticks for our iust complaintes But herein our cause differeth from the Donaâ—istes that wee are persecuted by the Clergie which is armed according to the order of their bloodie predecessors with ciuile power together with their popish ecclesiasticall iurisdiction both in one person contrarie to the lawe of God which vnlawfull power they only vsurp to keep CHRIST out of his office suppressing his lawes offices people worship with al force in all vnmercifull crueltie so far as their hornes will reach pushing poore Israel And howsoeuer her Ma â—â—e and her honorable Councill see not their wickednes or suffer them and winke at their doinges which God grant it be not layd to their chardge yet wee finde this Antichristian prelacie both the false accusers and hatefull molestours of Gods children so that the persecution is chieflie by that broode And whether haling vnto and shutting vp in most straite close imprisonment till they haue murdered them without trial whom they get into their clawes neuer loosing their hold till eyther they dye in prison or reuolt from the truth so that manie are made to blaspheme denie the holy wayes of God though their mercilesse tyrannie whether this kind of tyrannising without anie free conference or iudicial proceeding thus pulling the husband from the wife Father from children seruant from master c al from their lawful callings trades be not barbarous persecution let al men consider If we diserue death let vs dye in due execution if banishment banish vs but first by order convince vs of some crime or errour worthie therof if you will cleare your selues Mr. Giffard after this Ismalitish derision of our persecution proceedeth to accuse vs of some doctrines derogatorie to the Princes aucthoritie As first that Princes may not make lawes 2. that wee should hold the Prince ought not to reforme the Church by their authoritie 3. That none of the godlye Kinges of Iuda did compel anie to the Couenant 4. That the people of CHRISTES kingdome be spoutanei c. In al which besides that ther is no comparison betwene the Donatistes and vs in these poinctes hee doth but followe the steppes of that olde peruerter of the truth We wil theÌ„ first shew briefly how we hold this doctrine and how far we are from that hee would insinuate into the Magistrates eares as though we sought to diminish their lawful iurisdiction power or rule For lawes making we hold that Princes are limited by the law of God as he himself in an other place confesseth ought not to proclame any law that hath not warraÌ„t from Gods law either in expresse words or necessary collection from general rules stil keeping within the equitie For reforming we hold that y e Prince ought to supresse all transgressioÌ„ of Gods law and punish al persons without partialitie according to the offence within the Church or without the Church within their owne dominions as wel for the transgression of the first Table as the second and to defend the obseruers therof in al equity and y t whiles we walke in the wayes of God we are not afraid of y t powre but gyue God glorye them due obedience whether they be of the Church or no. To the 4. we hold that none can be receiued into the Church but y t willingly maketh publick confessioÌ„ of his faith for neither may the Church receiue nor they be holden of the Church without this repentance and confession Yet we grant that the Prince may coÌ„mand and compel her subiects to
the hearing of the publick doctrine prayer of y e Church but to enter Couâ—nâ—t or be receiued a member it is to be done by doctrine faith and repentance Neither did the kinges of Iuda compel the Priestes to receiue anie vncircumcised or Idolatours into y e fellowship of the Church Faith is the gift of God wrought by his Spirit word The Prince may coÌ„pel to the meanes therevnto but not enforce faith The Donatistes resisted the Magistrate so far as they durst saith he and wheÌ„ Iulian the Apostata shewed them fauour their circumcellioÌ„s made reuel in companies walking with clubbes staues did spoile beate such as lighted in their hands c The impatient heare of Browâ—istes is not vnknowen c. Let this lawlesse man shewe where euer anie of vs haue resisted the Magistrate or spokeÌ„ euil of the ruler of the people or gone about to reuenge our selues by any violence or vnlawful meanes As for his prophesie what we would be if we had power it layeth open himself to be a malicious false Prophet to incitate the Magistrate with lying dreames Let him better consider and he shal find that this Antichristian Prelacie hath bene not only the procurers but shedders of much innocent blood vsurping ciuile power And how they haue behaued themselues towards their soueraigne Kings Princes let y e Records be searched in your Church are found dayly treasons bloodshed c and most plentifull in your mother Church of Rome This then is but the false report of Sanballat and Tobia to hinder Gods Temple Nowe admiring Mr. Giffards clearing of the Donatistes of errour affirming they differed not from the other Churches in doctrine as also manifest or al least protest our innocencie from these and all other errours in the perticular course handled or els where to be found I will set downe three or fower grosse errours before him which we detest in the Donatistes as That he which or deineth a Minister as it seemeth they allowed ordinatioÌ„ by one maÌ„ is the head of him ordeined yea the fountaine and the other the riuer therfore if the head be holy the other is therby made holy and so on the contrarie if the first be wicked That the conscience of him that gyueth may wash the conscience of him that receiueth That when hee which baptiseth is manifest a good man hee gyueth faith hee is the original the roote the head of him that is by Gods spirit renewed That those which are baptised by a wicked man though in a lawfull office ought to be baptised againe That it is lawfull in some respectes to kill themselues That the Magistrate cannot compel vs to that which is good That we haue free wil after regeneration I wil not now iustifie Mr. Giff. explaining of their mindes whether in these or anie other wee handled I take al in this matter from his record which I hope hee will not affirme to be false As for his learned Fathers how they haue wrasted the scriptures new Testament and old in more then twenty false expositions and flat contradictions of the scope of the whole Canon of the worde to iustifie opeÌ„ iniquitie by slightes and tollerat it in the publicke assemblies with all their doctrines of separating in heart and not in bodye at comon meates and not at holy communion that all nations should be the apparant Church c wee leaue them al denying to enter controuersie with dead men wishing Mr. Giffard to spread such deceites in other mens names no more but to come orderly to some christian triall by the Booke of God In the meane tyme hee seeth wee neither hold of Donatistes nor of Augustine but followe faith in a pure conscience to our knowledge readie to be instructed wherein wee erre And when hee hath made such a lardge discourse to proue vs Anabaptistes Montanistes Arians Pelagians Nicolaitans c we shal in stead of conflicting with a beater of the ayre and vnconscionable sclanderous rayler demand the end and vse of his labours and nowe leaue him to his accompt for his defacing and blaspheming of the truth wishing all men to beware of such methodes of imposture I. G. FINIS A FEWE OBSERVATIONS OF Mr. GIFFARDS LAST CAVILLS ABOVT stinted read prayers and deuised Leitourgies HAving heretofore written an answere to Mr. George Giffards pretended defence of stinted read praiers deuised Leitourgies and since receiued an emptie replie wherin he doth nothing lesse theÌ„ yeild to any sound reason alledged but vngodlily cauilleth at and peruersly wrasteth the sence of so much as he toucheth I seeing no cause of further strife his former convinced to intermedle againe with perticular handling of his chaffe smoke his reasons in effect the same before answered haue only thought it my dutie to illustrate vnto the Readers some few brief poincts abused by him that they may the better be able to iudge of the former writings wherevnto with these few helpes following I refer the trial WHERAS I alledged out of the 8. to the Rom. and out of the 4. to the Galath that in the verie time action of our praiâ—ng to God the spirit of God was the only instructor and the only help no other help mentioned or that can be collected in the Scriptures Mr. GIFFARD hauing granted that reading prayer is not praying doth now answere that how soeuer the Scripture doth extol magnifie outward helpes meanes yet when they are compared with God which worketh all in all by them or when the scripture will set forth the efficacie worke to be his alone they are either not mentioned or els if they be mentioned so cast downe as if they were nothing God buyldeth his Church saith he by the ministerie of men yet Paul is said to plant Apollos to water but God to gyue the encrease 1 Corinth 3. and therfore to gather from those places Rom. 8. Galat. 4. that there neede or may be no outward help or meanes in the verie action and instant of praying is far awrye In which answere it euidently appeareth he is so bent to turne away all truth raise new strife as ther can be no expectation of agreement There is no sequence neither doth the Scripture alledged proue his owne reason so that nothing hangs togeather No man doubteth but that sometimes and in some places of Scripture the outward meanes of begetting and encreasing faith is only recited and sometimes the secret work of Gods spirit only sometimes both when yet they are not diuided but goe together and all of God both inward worke outward meanes though in way of coÌ„parison I neuer so read but rather the one repeated for both For shal I say that wheÌ„ the word of God preaching therof is â—hewed to be the power of God vnto saluation that the inward worke of the Spirit is therfore not mentioned because the other is of God theÌ„ both inward outward meanes being of God Gods owne worke
vvrship to bynde the conscience to seeke righteousnes forgeuenes of sinne merit in them or against such rules of gouernment as God hath set to be perpetuall This is true but this is not all for the lawe is generall against all inventions traditions constitutions vvhatsoeuer God hath not commanded as the second Commandment doth also teach Thou shalt not make to thy self so y t God hath left nothing to be layde vpon his Church by coÌ„mandement which he hath not coÌ„manded And therfore that place of the Apostle to the Gal. 3. 15. must be better pervsed If it be but a mans Testament vvhen yt is confirmed no man doth abrogate yt or superordeine anie thing to yt CHRISTS Testament then being much more perfect his vvhole minde for the ordering of his house manifested therin it is wicked presumption to alter the ordinances thereof or to holde them vnmeete or vnsufficient for anie age or estate Well Mr. GIFF. coulde nowe bee content thus far to limit the povver of the Church namelie to haue her subiect and obedient to his voice but that he supposeth there may be lawes ecclesiastical made of things in themselues indifferent that where the scripture hath commanded such things to be vsed at our libertie for order for comelynes edification and glorye of God as matters of place time and such circumstance But hee here mistaketh his text for the Lorde commandeth by the Apostle in that place 1 Corint 14. that those publique busines and exercises of the assemblies shoulde be done in order in comlynes to edifijng and doth not leaue somthing to bee commanded vvhich the maister buylders hath not prescribed For to binde those thinges by lawe vvhich God hath not bound in his worship wee are to add new traditious to bring vs into bondage of the creatures vvhich the same Apostle denyeth euer to bee brought into bondage vnto 1 Corint 6. 12. in his owne person teaching vs so to walke the Lord see in his wisdome cause to leaue them in our libertie knowing there vvoulde bee no end of such perticular lawes especially if he had left it to mans wyt to make and vnmake lawes therin For the orders you speake of then meaning circumstances of time place kneeling sitting standing c there can be no further lawes of them then the Apostle hath set and as the Minister of CHRIST prescribed that al be donne to edifying in comlynes order c. Of theis to set perticular lawes vvere to break these general lawes of God whereby he teacheth vs the true vse of them and leaueth them in the Churches libertie as need requireth to vse them or not vse them Neither can all assemblies bee bound in these thinges to the same in perticular that being needfull and decent in one that is not in an other And in that you woulde haue them no further commanded then they bee needfull convenient decent c you condiscend that there can bee no setled lawe in perticular layde vpon the Church in them For to vse them so far as they bee convenient necessarie and to edifijng is the lawe and commandement of God and to vse them further at anie mans commandement were both a breach of Gods lawe and making the creatures stumbling blockes Idolles bondages and euerie way sinnefull And when the Church commandeth them so far to be vsed as they are commanded of God the Churche doth but ratifye and see Gods lawe executed so that you haue lost your selfe whiles you shoulde haue proued your bold assertion That the Church hath power to ordeyne lawes for to create or make lawes which you see the folly of being nowe driuen to another shift that in the perticular thinges vvhereof God hath giuen generall lawes wee may make setled lawes and yet but for the tyme they be convenient Wheras in deed Gods lawe is the same and nothing ells But because they bee necessarye in one place that bee not in another at one tyme that bee not at another of some persons that bee not to other ther can bee no lawe sett in the perticular one daye for all assemblies in such thinges Neither shall anye disagreement bee such amongst the seueral Churches as need anye contention for them vvhiles euerie assemblye doe that vvich is to themselues most meet most convenient and necessary in such things for the present tyme. The Pastor and Elders vvere of small discretion if they might not haue these thinges in their libertie and euen these doctrines and examples are in this point against your selfe vvhich you haue alledged from other Churches But my purpose is not to contend about mens writings nor to be draweÌ„ into coÌ„trouersie with other Churches wheÌ„ I am to deale with your present sinne for the auoiding wherof you thus rage If your cause be good plead it by y e scriptures and I wilbe so farre from casting out darts against al Churches as I wil not deale with their estate till I be further occasioned the rather may I omitt this labour for that you haue alledged one place of scripture which you suppose wil beare â—p all your matter If yt helpe you not I see not how you wil deâ—end your assertion In the 15. of the Acts where it is said the Apostles Elders and brethren at Ierusalem met about the question of Circumcision and other Ceremonies of Moses lawe which some would haue burdened the Gentiles with we see there saith he that the Apostles themselues did decree some thing for y e time which afterward were to be altered when the occasion vvas taken away namelie that the Gentiles should absteyne from blood and from strangled for auoiding offence to the weak Iues. First let vs see what the decree was and then it will appeare how litle yt serueth Mr. Giff. his purpose these be the wordes Act. 15. 28. 29. It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to vs to lay no more burden vpon you then that vvihich is necessary of these thinges to absteyne from Idolothytes and from blood and from strangled and from forâ—iâ—â—tion froâ— vvhich keeping your selues yee doe vvell For one of these which is fornicatioÌ„ we haue here no question it being by the moral lawe alwayes forbiden For the other Mr. Giffard would thus reason The Apostles themselues did decree them for the tyme therfore the Church hath power to make and ordeyne lawes in things of themselues indifferent about the worship of God and publick exercises For our answere wee vvould haue Mr. Giff. first learne that he in saying y e Apostles themselues did this by the direction of the holy Ghost hath ouerthroweÌ„ himselfe for these were the Maister builders appointed of God to be law makers for the whole Leitourgie and vvorship of CHRIST to all posterities euen all the lawes and ordinances of the newe Testament confirmed by miracles from heauen deliuered by their ministery vnto vs It vvill not follow then if the Apostles had made and ordeyned some lawe here that therefore euerie Synode or anie Synode
discipline CHRIST hath giuen which cannot be ioyned vnto exercised or preserued by anie other lawes then God hath made as by due examination in perticular of the least or best thing they thus deuise and enioyne will appeare CHRIST that great Architect of his house hath left vs a most absolute exact paterne of all things belonging therevnto vnto which no humane deuise can more be added or ioyned then heaueÌ„ earth can be commingled Wherefore we may by better right esteeme M r. G. a corrupter of CHRISTS discipline or rather a fordger of a newe discipline for making bringing in new lawes into the church other then Gods lawes Then he may pronownce vs denyers cutters off of CHRISTES discipline for allowing and receiuing no lawes for anie action in the Church but Gods lawes HIs other reason is this Princes ought to establish the whole christian religion to punish idolaters wicked despisers heretickes schismaticks blasphemers But this caÌ„not be donne but by lawes made established Therfore Princes ought to make lawes for the Church And I in denijng this denie a great part of that power which God hath giuen vnto Princes His first proposition is no more then I haue professed in mine answere If he vnderstand his second proposition of other lawes then God hath made I then denie yt as most false vntrue whereof vntill he make proofe he hath not obtayned his purpose nor convinced mine answere And therfore til then must withdrawe his triumphant conclusions I hold that Gods true religioÌ„ is only founded vpon and established by his owne holie worde lawes and not vpon or by mans lawes And that the Prince may aswel make a newe religion as newe lawes for religion Furder as I hold in Gods worde sufficient rules directions for all actions of the Church So hold I in the same most iust iudgments meete punishments to euerie transgressioÌ„ So that the Prince can no way better advance establish true religion then by yea can no way establish by but yt the promulgation and due execution of Gods lawes calling all men of all degrees to the hearing sincere practize thereof in their calings and dulie punishing al such as transgresse the same after such order proclamed established God hath incommended inioyned the booke of his lawe to all Princes therbie the gouerne both the Church common Wealth in al things as we plentifullie reade Deut. 17. 18. 19. 5. 32. 29. 9. c. and 4. 6. Ioshu 1. 8. 1 Kinges 2. 3. 1 Chron. 28. and in sondrie other places The Kinge is not made the Lord but the Minister of Gods lawe to which he is bownde and for the transgression therof shall answere vnto God as anie other person He is placed in the seate of God and the worde of God committed vnto him not to alter or neglect the least part thereof Not to make newe lawes but to keepe see obserued those lawes which God hath made Greate then is their ignorance that thincke not that God hath giuen sufficient instruction direction in his holie worde for all actions of his Church And greater their wickednes that knowing this dare giue mortal men leaue to make lawes for Gods Church If they say that the Princes lawe must be consonant to Gods lawe Then I answere they haue warrant groundworke in Gods worde which if they haue then are they Gods not mans lawe For Gods lawe extendeth as farr as the equitie of his law extendeth But what lawes soeuer haue no warrant of groundworke in Gods worde those cannot be said to be coÌ„sonant to Gods wil because there we haue the whole minde of CHRIST and so are to be auoyded as superfluous burdenous and contrarie to Gods word how necessarie or expedieÌ„t soeuer they may seeme to humane wisdome AND now let the christian reader iudge what cause M r. GIFFARD had to pronownce this mine answere to the Bishopps question Anabaptistical when I therein acknowledged the whole lawe of God the place office and whole power of Princes that God hath giuen them all which the Anabaptistes vtterlie denie Or with what conscience he hath chardged vs as seduced by Brownes writing And to hold that Princes ought not to compel their Subiectes to the true worship of God Neither ought to reforme the Church All which sclanders this my answere which he here endeuoreth to confute refuteth to his face FINIS A BREIFE REFVTATION OF Mr. GEORGE GIFFARD HIS SVPPOSED CONSIMILItude betvvene the Donatists and vs wherein is shewed how his Arguments haue bene and may be by the Papists more iustly retorted against himself and present estate of their Church Mr. GIFFARD a man inexpert in discerning the times seasons hauing long skirmished with vaine titles and assuming the matter in question vndertaketh now to deface all Gods inuiolable ordinaÌ„ces with a certayne dialogue betwene Augustine and the Donatistes and to make CHRISTS ordinances and our persons odious as he supposeth to all men therby to heale the wounde of the Beaste and dawbe vp the whole rable of the Romish Ministerie lawes worship gouernment which al men of anie iudgment know to be receiued from the Pope He taketh vpon him to compare vs to the Donatistes and without considering the causes persons from which and from whome they separated as also the times and ages He sclanderously wresteth some perticular doctrines about separation and wee therevpoÌ„ must needes be Donatistes But we haue learned that we ought al to take heede to the most sure word of God and that he that speaketh ought to speake as the wordes of God and to this lawe and this testimonie if anie speake not it is because there is no light in him We refuse vtterly to be drawen into this kinde of fruictlesse strife and will not intermedle either with the Donatistes not Augustines persons nor yet with their causes or maner of pleading them but only shewe in a fewe breif notes how vniustly this godlesse quarrelous man hath dealt herein euen in the thinges he hath set downe leauing the better veiwe thereof to such as will bestowe their tirne that waye and those to due consideration and vnpartiall triall by the worde and spirit of God AT his first entrance into his discourse he denyeth vs to be Christians saying all that are gathered by CHRISTS doctrine only vnto Christ alone as yt is written one is your Doctor euen CHRIST Math. 23. are only by his title called Christians But we are wicked Schismatickes therfore we must be called by the first Aucthors or chief maintayners thereof To which we answere that M r. Giffard his Collegiates haue giuen out for vndoubted doctrines that such as hold the fundamental doctrines of iustification by faith in Chrâ—st alone are to be holden Christians and to cleare our selues a litle further we seeke to be gathered and ruled by Christs doctrine only and by Christ alone as our King Priest and Prophet yea