do all this viz. to ordain Bishops and Elders because he himself had the power given unto him by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery 1 Tim. 4 14. at which Ordination or laying on of hands Paul had his hand upon Timothy's head with the Priests or Presbyters 2 Tim. 4.6 suitable to the practice of the Church of God unto this day where there are Clergy-men or Presbyters and these with the Bishop or Superintendent ordain Ministers by Prayer and using the Ceremony of laying on of hands in that time the Bishop laying on first as chief and by that Ordination they have power to ordain others and they others to keep up the Apostolical Succession in the authoritative way of teaching Now let us go to the Church of Ephesus and ask those Elders or Presbyters that were in every City what power and Authority they have to dispense the Word and Sacraments c Since there is a Church constituted by what Authority therefore do you you you The Answer will be I had it from such a one he from him and he from him and he from him and he from such a one and he from Timothy and he from the Presbytery where Paul was present But now we call to mind What Authority had Paul to ordain for Christ ordained none but his Disciples could Paul therefore give that Power to another which he never had himself Is not Paul in this irregular presuming to ordain Timothy a Church-officer he having no such power given unto him by Christ For the understanding of this cast your eye upon Acts 13.1 2. in which place we finde that after Saul or Paul hath given good experience of the truth of his conversion for the Church was at first afraid of him Acts 9.26 we finde a meeting of the Church of Antioch and as they were ministring to the Lord or exercising their Ministry let it be in preaching and praying for the Text will hold it out the holy Ghost calls saying Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them And when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them they sent them away c. These two were called before by God for the Work of the Ministry that the holy Ghost witnesseth in these words for the work whereunto I have called them In a word qualified they were for that work and of their Abilities the Church had sufficient experience but now that that order might not be subverted which in the Church by Christ and his Apostles had been constituted Separation that is a solemn setting of them apart from all other Members by constituting them Church-officers is required by the holy Ghost that in their going thorow the World they might have power to constitute others and also be looked upon by the Church as men sent of God in an authoritative way for preaching of the Word delivering the Sacraments and exercising the power of the Keys not onely by their inward Qualification but by external Ordination that Law being established When a gifted-Brother who boasts of an inward Call can give as good testimony to the Church as Paul is able to do touching his power none but beasts will move their tongues against them and when they can shew their Abilities to the Church to be deserving I dare promise to any that they may have Ordination which Paul though I suppose as well qualified as they after trial received and had and that by especial order the Church it seems being backward by reason of his former being a persecutor and desirous of further trial from God to prevent irregularity or any breach though in so eminently a gifted person of that Law which Christ had appointed in his Church Thus Timothy can make good his Ordination to be Apostolical in each part Bring this line down again By the Ministers and Prophets of Antioch was Paul ordained he ordains Timothy and Timothy again gave this power to other faithfull men sometimes ordaining them Deacons and sometimes Priests and so throughout the famous Church of Ephesus though afterward it languished Rev. 2.9 and whether Timothy be the Angel that that Epistle is sent unto is uncertain but certain that all the Presbyters and Deacons in the Church of Ephesus are able to produce their power as Church-officers from the Apostles who were as before was said the Masters of our Israel and he that would be owned a Church-officer shall be owned by me producing his power from them or deducing that power from them to himself according to that Apostolical way constituted in the Church of Christ and in all the Churches of the Saints But of Ordination by Gods help we shall speak more at large when we come to that Ordinance in particular For the present know that by this succession of Ministers Priests or Bishops were the Hereticks known from Catholicks the antients knew no other division in the Church and whence they derived their power to administer the seales by putting them to show their succession from the Apostles who instituted the way of Ordination to be a standing Ordinance for ever in the Church Thus Ireneus confuted Valentinus Cerdon and Marcion we are able saith he to reckon up those that were appointed Bishops by the Apostles in their severall Churches unto our time he then reckons up such as succeeded Peter and Paul in the Church of Rome to them succeeded Linus who sat eleven years in that Chair to him succeeded Cletus who sat twelve years to him Clemens who sat nine years c. By this Ordination which from the Apostles is received in the Church the publishing of the faith hath come even to us which being able to show consundimus omnes cos qui quâ—quo modo vel per suam placentiam c. we put to silence all that through vaine glory or ignorance broach new Doctrin in the Church for none of the Hereticks can derive their succession from the Apostles nor show how their doctrines were received by tradition from them And indeed the rise both Old and New Hereticks and the time that they were first received and oftentimes the first broacher or Authour of them is known The Doctrine of the Nicholaitans was not for 50. Years after Christ. The Menandrians for 68. The Ebionites in the year 71. were first heard to preach their Doctrine the Millenaries or Fifth Monarchy men did frame theirs An. 108. The Valentinians theirs An. 130. the Manicheans theirs An. 275. the Arrians theirs An. 310. this did almost drown the World The Donatists theirs An. 315. the Photinians theirs An. 350. the Macedenians theirs An. 360. the Pelagians theirs An. 415. the Eutycheans their An. 447 with an infinite number more The Ananabaptists first broke out An. 1520. the wildest Hereticks of all that had gone before them The Ubiquitaries An. 1580. the Arminians An. 1612. All these having their Rise in the Church from their several Patriots after the Apostles had confirmed and declaâ—ed
constituted these extraordinary calls are no warrant for men in our dayes to assume that office for Christ now and afterwards more plainly appoints them to give power to others for the execution of those things having made it an Ordinance and from them and by them to continue to the end of the world And now as these people have constituted themselves a Church and have in that notion by man or woman received the Ordinances of the Church cast out and took in in the times of a Church long agoe constituted we pronounce them to be no Churches but nurseryes of Faction and prusumptuous Boasters That they are no Churches we shall endeavour to prove so clearly as we hope any indifferent or unprejudiced reader will not long halt between two opinions They appear to be no Churches For 1. They have no Bishops Preists Ministers or Teachers call them what they please deriving their authority from the Apostles of Christ. The Apostles were the masters of our Israel ordained by Christ to preach the Gospel to all Nations and where they Taught they Ordained and appointed Ministers for the Ruling and Governing of that Church and gave them power also to Ordaine others For this cause saies Paul to Titus I left the in Crete the same place now called Candy that thou shouldest set in order things that art wanting and ordain Elders in every City as I had appointed Tit. 1.5 The word Elder in the original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presbyters or Priests he must ordain Priests he cals them Bishops v. 7. Titus was therefore left in Crete to Ordain Bishops or Priests in every City that the Gospel might be purely taught and the Sacraments administred Thus holy Polycarpus Saint Iohn's Disciple was placed by him in the Church of Smyrna Ignatius that had his name given ab igne charitatis he was also called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as being born of God was the second Bishop of Antioch next Peter For Peter ruled that Church 7. years and afterwards came to Rome An. Christ. 71. The succession of Bishops I would have none offended at the word suppose what other name they will only this is the antient Word from Peter or any other Apostle was a certain sign of a true call into Holy Orders among the Antients Let us suppose a man Ordained by the present Bishop of Canterbury and let it be inquired what power he had to do it he shews it from Abbot Whitgift and so upward for a thousand Years the Records of that Sea being known until you come to Augustin the first Bishop of Canterbury Then ask who gave him power to Ordain for that Office he names you Gregory a holy Catholick Bishop Rome not yet being Antichrist servus Serverum Dei as he called himself He again was Ordained by Pelagius he by Benedictus he by Iohn he by Pelagius the First he by Vigilius he by Sylverius he by Argapetus Anno Christi 535. and so upward for 400. years or more until you come to Alexander the great An. Chr. 121. He was Ordained by Evaristus he by Anacletus he by Clemens he by Cletus he by Linus and he by Saint Peter the Apostle of our Lord the First Bishop of Rome who after he hâ—d ruled the Church of Antioch 7. year in which City the Apostles and Disciples were first called Christians Acts 11.26 came An. 67 in the 14. Year of Nero the Emperours Reign to Rome by whom he was crucified with his head downwards and all the Bishops after him until Elutherius were put to death by Heathen Emperours for he was the first of 13 Bishops that dyed a naturall death It is said of him Est Primus Episcopâ—rum Româ—norum qui non perjit morte violenta By this Bishop Lucius who Reigned in England Anno Christi 180. had some knowledge of the faith and Doctrine of the Gospel Bring this succession down again from Peter to Linus from him to Cletus from him to Clemens and so down for 400 years to Gregory who sending Augustin into England set up his Bishops seat first at Dover then removed it as the Gospel prospered unto London whence he was removed to Canterbury where his continued succession remains unto this day In all those places he taught the Gospel and Ordained Priests or Ministers and gave them power to Ordain others Planted Teachers in Winchester York Carlisle and from these again as from fountains came the Authority of Ordination to water other dry parts of the Nation about them and so from age to age was it delivered untill it came upon the Authours head by unquestionable Authority Now let us ask one of these Mechanicks By whom were you constituted and appointed a Church-Officer to exercise the power of the Keys if you say from Christ we deny it for he Ordained none but his Disciples if from his Disciples show or produce your Warrant for Ordination was given to them and by their hands given to others that the succession might be preserved unto the end of the World So Saint Iames the Apostle sate Bishop in the Church of Ierusalem Evodius was Bishop of Antioch next Peter next to him Ignatius and to Theophilus and downward If we had the Register of the Church of Crete in which place Titus was set to Ordain Elders in every City and then ask one By whom were you appointed to dispence the Word and Sacrament and exercise the power of the Keys by such a one he by him and he by him and so you should fal on Titus himself And Timothy who was Ordained by the same Apostle the First Bishop of the Church of Ephesus had a charge in the Epistle sent unto him to commit the Doctrine to faithful men that they might be able to teach others 2. Tim. 2.2 Which Commitment is by laying on of hands that being the Ceremony for translating the power viz. the Authoritative of Teaching from one person to another as afterwards shall be discovered which Commitment Timothy must not be too rash in but weigh and examine what manner of man he is 1 Tim. 5.22 For a Bishop must be blamelesse sober apt to teach 1 Tim. 3.2 Or if it be a Deacon that Tim. so Ordain the lowest authoritative Office in the Church he must be grave 1 Tim. 3.8 Which Office of Deacon-ship if they use well they may be through their faith in God receive a higher Office called a purchasing to themselves a good degree 1 Tim 3.13 Which may truly bear this construction that good degree though a low one shall make them esteemed of God and esteemed so wel of his Church as to make him a Presbyter or a Bishop for that that Office was made a step to that of the Priest-hood is clear both in gospell and Church-History A Deaconship being only a Probationers place for it and according as the Church gave them a Benegessit for the one they received the degree of the other But what authority had Timothy to
the doctrine of Christ and appointed a way for the publishing of that viz. by Ordination were known not to be Catholical As the Church grew by her continued succession of Teachers she found Heresies to grow by her side and by casting her eye back by succession she found them to be no Teachers and finding by Tradition no such Doctrine taught by the Apostles as those men held out still as they appeared condemned them as heretical having no Disciple for the Author of their Doctrine taught nor no Apostolick man whom they did succeed as Teachers The Church usually spoke to those upstarts in appearing in this or the like language Quando unde venistis quid in meo agitis non mei shew when and whence you came what make you here since you are none of my Sons none of my Teachers knows you no such Doctrine hath been taught them by the Apostles who put them in their places and Offices Polycarpus was placed Bishop in the Church of Smyrna by S. Iohn unto whom no such Doctrine was taught as is by you Valentinians and Anabaptists Linus was made Bishop by Peter of the City of Rome who was taught no such Doctrine as you Novatians Arrians and Quakers do teach and from them downward in a right moral succession they were found but starcups by the way side God suffering in every Age some Heresie to grow whereby the faith and stedfastness of the Saints might be known and tried This Succession was one thing amongst many that kept S. Augustine in the bosome of the Catholick Church Multa saith he in Ecclesiae gremio me justissime tenent The succession of Priests from S. Peter's Chair keeps me of right in the Church Tenet Catholic ae nomen For whereas all Hereticks would be called Catholicks yet if they be demanded by a stranger where the Catholick Church is at which they meet that is where is that Catholick Church that teacheth as you do and where had it beginning they having neither Doctrine nor Teacher of hers all being upstarts there is none that dare undertake to do that In a word Catholick Ministers in all Ages could shew the very Places Chairs wherein there was not onely a moral succession in purity of Faith and Doctrine but a local Succession of Priests or Ministers from the Apostles themselves who were immediately called by Christ as the Church was in constituting and by him directed to be given to others by them as they did and enjoyned those to give it to others as in the Epistles of Timothy and Titus and so to keep it in the Church constituted until the end of the World He himself not once offering to alter that estâ—blished Rule as in the case of Saul though he was furnished with all inward Graces and naturâ—l Abilities for the Work yet he must have an external Call by Ordination and those seven men that were of good report full of the holy Ghost and of wisdom Acts 7.3 could not or did not exercise the Offices of Deacons the lowest Offices of the Church and therefore by our upstart-Preachers never medled withal without Ordination or Imposition of Hands Now Reader weigh but with indifferent judgement the above-named Succession and let me ask thee if any Mechanick Tradesman or every Lâ—y-person ought or should assume to themselves the Power of exercising in an authoritative way any Office in the Church in the least degree of it without this external Call of Ordination now the Church is constituted that way Or ought they to receive that power from the People For from the beginning the Church had never such power given to her Ordination is an act of Authority and the power of ruling was never in the People but in her Officers Every one or any two or three gathered had no power to constitute Elders but Timothy onely and such as were deputed by him Ought then according to the Scriptures any of our Hereticks to be looked upon as Gospel-Ministâ—rs not having this Gospel-call Or ought he so to look upon himself because of his Holiness Parts Abilities Graces Gifts doth he finde the Spirit prompt him call him furnish him with whatever belongs to that Office in an inward way and the Spirit to assist him at all times in an eminent way so had Saul so had the seven Deacons yet they must be ordained and by those that had the power given unto them from Church-Officers of an Apostolical nature viz. by Ordination And though some few Members of the Church should out of their over-much zeal choose one to be a Teacher to them to be râ—led guided taught and instructed yet this can never give them authority to dispense the Sacraments or exercise the Keys or make him to be owned as a constituted Minister no more than when two or three give up themselves to be advised ruled commanded by another man which their so doing makes him not a Constable Judge or Justice in respect the power of making such Officers was not given at all to them So here though their rash zeal will have a Lay-person to teach them yet they ought not to own him nor he to esteem himself as a Church-officer since Ordination makes onely that which the People had never in their power and therefore cannot give that Office unto any When Christ was taking his leave of his Apostles and going to the Father Matth. 28.20 he promised to be with them to the end of the world Now Peter and Thomas and the rest being dead it cannot be personally understood of the Apostles but successively in their followers and they were to teach whatever Christ commanded But the Apostles never taught such Doctrine to their immediate Successors as our Hereticks teach now particularly this That people might ordain or that men by reason of their Gifts or Graces might assume to themselves the authoritative Act of reaching binding and loosing nay of exercising a Deacons Office which is the lowest which I cannot remember any of our Hereticks to go about once to touch though it be the passage to the oâ—her Offices of the Church by Apostolical Constitution but jumps immediately from the Shop into the Pulpit by his Gifts judging himself sufficiently qualified and because of the peoples call sufficiently ordained for such an Office unto whom that power was never given Neither do I envie any mans gifts would all the Lords People were Prophets let these men shew me their Succeâ—sion and let me perish if I give them not the right hand of fellowship And seeing they give out themselves for lawfull constituted Teachers in the Church as Paul as Timothy as Titus or as the seven Deacons give me leave to ask them how they came in and how they got thâ—t power if they came not in by this door they must pass for thieves and robbers and therefore no Teachers and those people that ordain them for rebels and traytors for setting up Governors and appointing Officers in another way than he
Churches constituted for they have no Sacraments this follows upon the former and rises morally from it where there is no Minister or authoritative Officer there can be no Sacraments they being the Seals of the Covenant of grace which is made unto believers either when they are incorporated or confirmed in the body of Christ which is the Church Ephes. 1.23 Thy are also called broad seals of heaven that of the spirit being the private by which the receiver is assured of the pardon of his sins Now to the private Christian did Christ never give the keeping of or the power of delivering those seals The People were never Lord-chancellours of these things whether singly or collectively taken therefore they cannot give nor dispence them to another Iohn the Baptist was called from God immediately to baptize so were the Apostles by Christ who Ordained none nor Baptized none but them while the Church of Christ was constituting God was pleased so to do but after the Baptists death and the Apostles call no such extraordinary acts but all must receive now that power from the hands of the Apostles by Ordination The Church may say to those men when they come to dispence the Seals Peter I know Paul I know Stephen I know Nicanor I know Timothy I know Titus I know but who are you if you say you were or are Ordained by Christ he Ordained none but his Disciples if you were Ordained by his Disciples show it by your Commission wee shal know whether Baptisme be from Heaven that we may believe or from men that we may not be mistaken in it Possibly the peoples Election and deputation is produced for this authority which is to be equally regarded as he who should come with a Commission from a mans own son for the Father to execute the power or Office of Justice of the peace which is to be scorned his Son having no power to grant such Orders or give such Offices The power of Ordination search the Scriptures was never granted to the people neither in the Old nor New testament We find indeed Micha Iudg. 17. having a House of Gods and an Ephath and a Teraphim consecrating one of his sons for a Priest though of the tribe of Ephraim of which tribe Mosâ—s spoke nothing touching the Priesthood He afterwards Consecrated a Levite to be his Priest verse 12. which was an Office peculiar to the Sons of Aaron not to the Levites in common but who gave Micha the power of consecration how can he consecrate any Priest at all this moved him vers 6. In those days there was no King in Israel but every man did what was right in his own eyes there being no Magistrate or Governour to keep the people in awe An Ephraimite may consecrate and offer Sacrifice and the Worship of God being contemned through the disorder of the times a Levite is forced to wander for a place and assume the Priesthood The want of Government was the cause of this and other evils that followed upon it The self-same cause is the reason of the irregularity that hath lately been in England touching Micha's even Peoples ordination of Priests which power was never given to him nor them In one thing Micha is to have his due applause he would have none to offer Sacrifice in his House a priestly Office before he were consecrated i.e. before he were ordained Priest he had read in the Law what Sacrifices Duties were appointed in the designation of men into that Office his Son nor the Levites not being of that line unto whom by a natural succession the Office belonged he saw a necessity of making them Priests for he must worship God and if they be Priests they must be consecrated he knows nor how or where to procure another â—â— therefore takes the Authority to himself of Consecration And truly such Priests as he made and himself that made them and the Worship they gave by him and the gods they worshipped too were suitable to each other Even such are they though in this particular worse who will offer to design or depute any to be their Priest or Minister who are not of that line to whom by a moral Succession that Office onely belongeth by their being deputed and set apart for that Office by the Sacrifice of Prayer and Supplication and with the ceremony of Imposition of Hands by those who have received that power by Apostolical Tradition Possibly he may produce his own Gifts of Holiness Utterance Aptness to teach Courage Zeal with all other Gifts that are possible to qualifie men inwardly for that Office and indeed may shew a Call from God which he supposes ought to be sufficient to testifie that his Baptism is not of men or to demonstrate that he is a man sent from God authoritatively to teach and administer the Sacraments to his Church But the Church values not those in this nature for so Paul was qualified also and Barnabas qualified and called of God for that Office yet God will have them to be constituted authoritative teachers in the sight of the Church by the Laws that were by him appointed for the Church viz. by Ordination or Imposition of hands Act. 13.3 So Stephen Nicanor Philip c. Acts 6. were men of honest report full of the Holy ghost and wisedome yet the lowest Office in the Church cannot they neither do they offer to perform in that Ordination from the Apostles Upon this ground the Church hath reason to deny their Authority and we deny that they have power to administer Sacraments the bread that they brake is not the body of Christ the cup they offer is not the Communion of the blood of Christ shed for the remission of sins they have not received this power of the Lord because not from his Apostles of causing Bread to be by faith beheld as the body of Christ nor Wine to represent the blood of Christ. In a word let us see how or when they received power from the Apostles otherwise they must passe for counterfeits and cheats and the offence so much the more hainous as it 's a counterfeiting the Great Seal of Heaven to bring Christs Spouse and her children in an errour in matters of so gâ—â—at concernment as the Seal of the Remission of their sins but she knows his hand and though they should come with never so much show of humility nay confirm their calling by miracles she is not she will not believe it Christ her Husband hath forewarned her that such should come and charged her not to heed them not follow them but shun them and avoid them 3. Should we Church those segregated Congregations as now constituted we must and are to un-Church all the Churches that now are or that ever have been in the Christian World They taught and teached the contrary they maintained and dyed for the contrary they walk Autipodos to one another there is a great diversity in their walking thus constituted as
between the Summers heat and the Winters Frost All the Christian Churches in the World have been or are Synagogues of Sathan if these segregated Congregations be the Churches of Christ the Church of Ierusalem was no Church the Church of Antioch was no Church the Church of Crete was no Church the Churches of Corinth of Galatia of Philippi of Ephesus of Smyrna of Philadelphia of Sardis were no Churches if these be See the Confession of Faith of all Reformed Churches now in Christendom of Helvetiae Bohemia of France of Basil of Belgiae of Auspurge of Saxony of Wirtemberge of Swedeland of Scotland of England all of them do with one joint consent teach the contrary Doctrine of Separation of Ordination of Sacraments of the Keys unto those Congregations Cast your eye upward to the Writings Sermons Expositions Epistles Disputes of the most Ancient Worthy Learned Godly Patriarchs Martyrs Fathers that lived in any age of the Church or in all the Centuries of the purer times that immediately followed the Apostles and you shall by the whole Body of the Church see these mens practises and Doctrine as they have constituted themselves to be doomed judged sentenced as schismatical or heretical there being no such Doctrine touching those points they maintain in reference to the Ordinances above named taught by the Apostles or their immediate Successors Saint Iohn the Apostle taught no such Doctrine to Polycarpus whom he ordained Bishop of Smyrna Anno Christâ— 71. about forty years after Christs death nor Peter to Linus whom he made Bishop of Rome Anno 70. Neither did he teach any such Doctrine to Evodius the Second nor to Ignatius the Third nor to Theophilus the sixth Bishop of Antioch after himself who lived Anno 170. These would have been faithfull in delivering that Doctrine if they had received any such command frâ—m the Apostles But they teach the contrary and to Posterity deliver the contrary and from Generation to Generation it hath been taught until it came to the very Age wherein we live Cyprian Bishop of Carthage who lived anno 240. Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria anno 376. Hilarius Bishop of Poicttiers in France anno 355. Optatus Bishop of Millaine anno 365. Basilius the great Bishop of Caesarea anno 370. Gregory Bishop of Nazianzum anno 370. Epiphanius Bishop of Salamine in Cyprus anno 370. Ambrose Bishop of Millain anno 374. Gregory Bishop of Nâ—ssa anno 380. What shall I do I might weary myself in copying out the worthy Champions of the Church that lived in other times as Hierom the best of Presbyters Chrysostome Augustine Cyrill who all before a Papist was heard of taught the very self-same thing that we are now proving viz. That such as separate themselves from the Catholick Church upon the account of mixture and assume to themselves the power of executing in an authoritative way the Ordinances Seals Censures of the Church upon what account soever be irregular persons unlawfull Assemblies and ought to be curbed suppressed and punished by all in authority unto which consent the Reformed Churches To Church these men and to sentence their Doctrine for truth at the same breath we must unchurch all Churches that are that have been in the Christian World and before we condemn them let us sentence these And we do by these Presents censure them as proud boasters blasphemers disobedient to Parents the Church is their Mother whom they ought not to forsake because she is old unthankfull unholy to be without natural affection to be truce-breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good all the Army of the noble Worthies that have gone before us traytors heady high-minded lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof 2 Tim. 3.2 3 4. And Lord have mercy upon their souls This may be thought a harsh censure yet it is no other than upon my own knowledge I am able to justifie having an unhappy curiosity a long season to be frequently at the meetings of several sorts of Hereticks where I saw more and heard more than ever I should have believed from any other 4. Should we hold them to be rightly constituted Churches we should never be sure of a right Church in the World which is expresly contrary to the ninth Article of our Creed for there we believe the holy Catholick Church that is that there is was and shall be a Châ—rch whereof we believe our selves to be Members For that with us may be accounted as the true and onely Church this day and wherein we intend to live and die and by prayers and tears seek its preservation The next offence we take at some party or other of that Church or next turn or new Religion that is turned up we are of another mind and we conclude that the Church of Christ is onely those that hold that opinion which for the time past we have spoken against and if we would walk in the mind and agreeable to the will of God we mâ—st be of that society that holds such an opinion and so from one Congregation to another still keeping from the Doctrine of the Catholick â—od in justice suffering few of them to come back until through pride we be puffed up That we hold it needless to be of any Congregation or create our selves one which the better to procure some new opinion is broached the novelty whereof the giddy heads of men being taken withal brings disciples in a short time to that teacher which is the very cause that scarce shall we finde one Heretick maintaining one heresie but hath with that some other mingled There being therefore such a mixture of Religions in every one that its hard from which to give him his name yet for a mark of distinction he gets a denomination from some opinion that he principally holds hence one is called a Quaker though in many points he agree with the Anabaptist and the Anabaptist with him and the Millenaries or Fifth Monarcy men with them both and each Heresie maintaining stifly that that is the Church makes him that goes from the Catholick to doubt of the very being of a Church which doubt is the immediate parent of those turnings and windings in points of Religion and opinion as the looseness and iniquity of late years hath cleâ—rly discovered to any understanding Christian. Of all those Congregations or Opinionists that have revolted from the Apostolick Catholick Church I should chuse to be of that society known by the name of Seekers they know that there is no Church visible in the World no Ordinance at all and therefore they spend their days in seeking one out and enquiring after one which makes them of all Opinions the most uncertain and yet there is great hopes that for the future they may be of some certainty Some of them affirm the Church to be in the Wildernesse others are seeking her in the smoak of the Temple where lest I lose my self
carriage without and some their deportment within the Pulpit we shall see only the chief of them In a Minister there is required 1. Courage Tit. 2.15 2. Sobriety 1 Tim. 3.2 3. Liberality 4. Docibility or aptness to teach 5. Temperance 6. Patience 1 Tim. 3.2 7. A Lover of good things and of good men 8. Holiness 9. Justice 1 Tit. 7.8 We must note that some of these cannot be known by the quickest eye No Bishop is omniscient to know the heart and therefore may ordain a man that wants many of these and also we must observe that a person may come for ordination with many or all of these and yet may backslide which takes not away the force of ordination The Angel of the Church of Ephesus fell from his first purity and love yet was an Angel still Rev. 2.4 5. he may loose his patience his temperance his holiness yet a Minister still and the power of preaching and administring the Sacraments and exercising the keys abide with him these ordinances not depending upon the quality of him that doth administer them more then the force of the Broad Seal of England depends upon the merits of my Lord Chancellour as shall God willing be proved in its own place To all these qualifications above named must be joyned competency of knowledge It is not every man that is just holy or patient must be ordained he must be of understanding competent for the work which competency appears in these particulars from Tit. 1.9 viz. 1. His adhering to the truth known not opinionated 2. In his ability to teach and that soundly for the edification of the Church according to that truth 3. In his dexterity in maintaining of that truth stopping the mouth of Gainsayers he that is so qualified cannot be refused ordination We say competently qualified ' For who is sufficient for these things SECT III. Let us see who they are that must thus ordain whose hands they be that by their laying on the person is qualified in an external way for the publick preaching of the word 1. Not their own Heb. 5.4 It is against the practise of the whole Church of God in all ages for any man though never so well gifted to separate himself or ordain himself as is clear in the examples of Stephen Nicanor c. Nay if it were in a mans own power to separate himself for the work of the Gospel Paul needed not to have left Titus in Creet to ordain Elders in every City Tit. 1.5 It is a practice beyond a president in the Church of Christ for one to ordain himself We read indeed how Frederick the second upon Easter day through necessity crowned himself with his own hands King of Ierusalem in Ierusalem but that ever man made himself a Priest in Ierusalem save Saul Ieroboam and such prophane Wretches whom God did curse even for so doing we read not Neither in old or new Testament is there any instance of one who set himself apart for holy functions or that thought himself qualified in an authoritative way to reach the Gospel upon the sufficiency of gifts as Courage Holiness Knowledge and the like if so Stephen Philip Prochorus c. needed never have been ordained Deacons Acts 6.3 4 5. Nor Paul nor Barnabas Apostle or Evangelist Acts 13.2 nor Timothy a Bishop or E'der 1 Tim. 4.14 2. Not the multitude Never did God give the power of ordination to the people in general before nor after Christ if so where two or three would please to meet they might ordain which in few dayes would make the Church of Christ conâ—ist of Shepherds rather then of sheep yea would make all Apostles all Teachers c. We find the contrary practised For when the multitude had chosen and nominated persons of honest report full of the holy Ghost and Wisdom thâ—y set them before the Apostles who prayed and lâ—id their hands on them Acts 6.3 6. yea as was said before the inhabitants of the Cities of Creet might have ordained Elders Titus might have gone forward with Paul In summe God never giving the people the power of ordination since the creation they can never deliver that power to any untill the dissolution of the world Presumptuous are they therefore that will take ordination from them impudent before the Lord therefore they that will presume to give that authority in matters of so great concernment as the word and Sacraments to any of their own body 3. Only Church officers or the Apostles successors they are only to teach and to baptize unto the end of the world Paul and the Presbytery ordains Timothy he ordains others and they others and so by a moral succession from the Apostles is the Ministerial office upheld but of this we have spoken It were too great a task for me to offer to wade into that troublesome discourse touching Episcopal or Presbyterial ordination least I should drown my self being but of small standing in the Church of Christ yet by vertue of that Proverb It is good to be sure Episcopacy is much to be preferred that being the most ancient way since if not before the Apostles departure from the world and albeit it hath some ruptures or breaches in some of the reformed Churches yet the Acts and Lawes of England make no ordination valid but what originally is Episcopal SECT IV. We are to behold the man thus separated for the Lords use For the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ Ephes. 4.12 We say we are to see what his duty is and what he is to perform amongst men The very naming of his ordination shewes you what he is to do and the distinction above named discovers his duty but to be more particular yet not large 1. He is to take all advantages and opportunities of preaching that word the preaching of which he is separâ—ted for 2 Tim. 4.1 2. The more wicked the times be he lives in the more bold and confident he ought to be 2 Tim. 4.3 yet this excludes not but that he may flee persecution Acts 9.25 3. In preaching of the Word he is to observe the proportion of faith Rom. 1â—2 6 4. He is to teach the word according to the capacity of his people 1 Cor. 14.9 the other parts of his duty are clear and obvious SECT V. Questions resolvedâ— Quest. 1. Whether ordination may better a Ministers gifts Quest. 2. Whether a Minister may renounce his ordination Quest. 3. Whether the Ministerial office be to continue alway in the world Quest. 4. Whether it be lawfull to hear an unordained man preach Quest. 5. Whether an ordained person may bear an office in the Common-wealth Quest 1. Whether Ordination may better a Ministers gifts Though this sacred ordinance be of no account with some yet to the conscionable Receiver it may be very advantageous For 1. It is an odinance of God alwayes practised in his Church it may appear at
the practise of the Church was warrant enough for him to follow and obey that custome whatsoever it were and to think it good and that he would believe that the Apostles Creed was made by them such reverence I bear to the Churche tradition they are his Majesties own words untill other Authors should be certainly found out and 2. it is of all humane testimonies the greatest in respect of the Wisdome Gravity Learning Prudence Godliness of those men that lived about the first centuries and were Governours in the Church of Christ but no waies is their authority to be taken or ought to be taken as the ground of a mansfaith and assurance since it is but the testimony of men Quest. 2. Whether the Church hath power to ordain ceremonies upon her members that are not ordained by God For the cleering up of this Question wee shall premise 1. That the Church hath no power to impose any ceremonies that are in their nature impious Exe. 20.18 nor 2ly such as may cumber men and hinder them in the cheerefull execution of the essentiall parts of worship like the Jewish constitutions there is a rule against that Luke 11.46 But if the rulers of a Church impose Ceremonies which are not contradictory to the Canon of faith or rule of the Word they have a power that will defend them in their so doing and no private person in the least ought to speak against the execution of that power In generall what ever may tend or what ever in their judgements will tend 1. To the edification of the Church 1 Cor. 14.26 there is a power given to put that in Execution Let all things be done to edifying Or 2. whatever in their judgements may be comely in the Church they have a Power to put that in execution 1 Cor. 11.13 Iudge in your selves Is it comely that a Woman pray unto God uncovered By this Text whatever is by the Officers judged to be uncomely may be removed and whatever is comely in their judgements by this power may be enjoyned in to the Church Or 3. What may in their judgements be orderly or make for an uniformity they have a power to put that in execution 1 Cor. 14.40 Let all things be done decently and in order Now that ceremonies of this nature may be imposed by Church officers upon her members and that lawfully and religiously may be proved in particular by these following Arguments 1. From the Apostles practice in the Church who besides other things as the changing of times and places for their assembling together and touching the administration of the Lords Supper sometimes at midnight and then at daytime we find in particular that Paul injoyned that in the Church women should be covered 1 Cor. 11.6 Which one might think a ceremony that might have been forborn And indeed in imposing of it the Apostle is not authoritative but persuaâ—ive He leaves it to the Officers themselves and to their own judgements A ceremony possibly that gave as great offence to some coy and fine Dames as c. And so be appointed a known Tongue in the Congregation if he had been in England he would have found some to have told him that he took away their Gospell liberty in the time when strange tongues were not an unusuall gift Now from this very action we may conclude the truth of that position now under defence for by the prohibition of the one it should seem to be practised and by enjoyning the other it should seem to be neglected The former might seem a needlesse ceremony what matter were it whether women are covered or no the other might be thought in some sence hurtfull that they might not speak with those tongues which God by his Spirit that bloweth where and when it listeth did furnish them withall in the Church but the Apostles had power and they give the Officers of the Church power to rectifie that errour or in any other that in their judgments should have a tendency to the robbing of the Church of that order that ought to be in it But further 2. From the Apostles Counsells and warnings to the Officers of the Church There are generall precepts given to the Officers of the Churches which are gravidated with this power and demonstrates that they have a commission to impose such ceremonies as they shall think fit for the good of that Church whereof they are Governours Saint Paul not knowing what should befall him at Ierusalem whether he was going from Miletus sent for the Elders of the Church of Ephesus and charges them when he was gone to take heed to the Flock over which the Holy Ghost had made them Overseers soreseeing that grievous Wolves should enter the flock Act. 20.28 From which precept or caution given by this holy Apostle I may truly argue without offence to any that whatever these Elders thought or in their judgments supposed might tend to the good of their Churches though not particularly commanded in the Word might be injoyned by them and the church of Ephesus was bound to obey them in that particular And a sin that was or would have been in any private person to have murmured grumbled against much lesse oppose the practice of and usage of them So from that precept to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 14.40 Let all things bâ— done in decency and in order we may truly draw the same argument that what time was thought fittest what gesture was thought fittest by them to preach in to pray in to receive Sacraments in or to administer Sacraments in what garments what gestures to give or to receive them in might be imposed on the people of that place by the Church governours through vertue of this generall precept Moreover Paul writing to the church of Philippi with it's Bishops and Deacons Phil. 1.1 Among other directions as Bewarâ— of dogs beware of evill-workers chap. 3.2 comes and desires them chap. 4.8 that whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report Think on these things Now here is such an Epitomy of all good works as none are comparable to it It may be called an abstract of the whole Bible and this written to the Bishops and Deacons let none be offended at the name Bishop I mean no body hurt Shall it be understood that this full pithy Exhortation reached only to their own private capacity as Christians and not to their publick as Deacons without question what in their judgements were lovely and of good report if used in the Church might be commanded by those Deacons to the Church by vertue of this precept as Church officers In that Epistle to Titus Paul shews him the end of his leaving him at Crete chap. 1.5 That he should set in order the things that are wanting c. Concerning the Ordination of Elders the Apostle had given him in charge at the first but let Churches be
or her pleasure openly expound and preach the Gospel that it was no lawfull for a Minister to have humane learning or that it was unlâ—wfâ—ll to hear such that it was and would be unlawful for Ministers to prepare themselves to preach by study that it was unlawful for a Gospel-Minister not to have some handy Trade and work in a Mechanick way for his living Ought they not since it was known to have been long used by Gods people before the Law and by his people after the Law to have told that to receive Tythes now was to deny that Christ was come in the flesh why was it not told us that the whole â—â—sterity of man whether of Heathens or Christians during their Infancy are pure and holy there being no Originall sin why did not that wise Master builder lay his foundation aright and show us that to enter any into thâ— Church by Baptism without declaration of Faith and Repentance though born of holy parents was a sin and also if any such thing were done in the name of the holy Trinity wherein consists the essence of Baptisme with the application of the spirit which is not hindred by Infancy yet that they ought to be baptized again Why did they not inform the Church that though God was pleased to receive the Children of the Jews so far into his favour as to give them the outward sign of his Covenant with the Fathers viz. by circumcision yet would not have the Children of Christians to receive the outward sign of his Covenant with their Fathers viz. by Baptism Why did they not inform us that there were none baptized nor none should account themselves baptized except they were plunged or dipped in a River And that any member of the Church might do that why did he not tell us that it was and would be a sin for one to teach his child to say the Lords Prayer or call God father since they had no faith in Christ Why do they not shew us that to be in a place hearing his word with those that were not all holy was a great sin before God and that there should be a parity in the Church of God That no civill Magistrate hath any power at all to be command any thing to be done in the Church of God and that no Christian ought to pray in a set form and therefore that the Lords prayer was not to be used yea was as abominable unto God as Swines flesh unto a Jew as I have read some of them do however we know it is disused by them all Why was it not told us that to receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper was either a vain thing or an indifferent thing or to eat it with unholy persons a sinful thing and also that any one that had gifts might administer the same or that the profit of the Sacraments depended upon the goodness or holynesse of him that gave it or did administer them These with a thousand more are the Principles that our Hereticks walke and teach by and if they be true doctrine how long hath the Church been without truth and in matters of greatest concernment as Preaching the word and Sacraments Why did not the Apostles once at least encourage Christians to persevere in Holiness upon the account of Christs comming personally to Reign upon Earth and why would they not tell that it was a decent holy seemly thing to hear a woman Preach It seems strange that neither by word nor by Epistle this was made known that any man might assume the office of the Ministry unto himself though he were not outwardly called as was Aaron why would they not tell us that Ordination was but a toy and was not to continue longer then themselves But what am I doing If these be true Churches and this Doctrine true Gospel the Apostles have been faithlesse and unjust I speak it trembling for no such thing did they ever teach but the contrary we finde them often times in the Scripture handling those very points and laies down contrary conclusions particularly Heb. 5.4 speaking of Priest-hood in generall and of Christs in particular who is the high Priest of the Gospel saies no man taketh this honour to himself but he that is called as was Aaron And that Aaron had an outward call for that Office and was deputed and set apart for that function in a publick way is clear from Ex. 29. and Levit. 9. Rom. 5.12 where the Apostle handling the infectious nature of sin maintains That by one man sin entered into the World and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all had sinned viz. by the sin of that one man I can find here no exception of Infants which if true doctrine the wisedome of God would have discovered in such an apt and proper place And truly that Infants should dye having no sin since death is the wages of sin Rom. 6 23. is a Doctrine that either charges God with unjustice or St. Paul with a falshood or at least a grosse mistake Of Baptizing of Infants we shall speak in it's own place and touching receiving the Sacrament of the Lords Supper with a mixed Congregation in its propper season and of Dipping when we come to the Font. Touching the peoples Ordination let the Scripture be produced that gives the people power for to set apart a Lay or Mechanick or any person and to constitute him a Church-Officer in the least Let the Scripture be produced that gives a power to a multitude so to do or that approves of a mans assuming to himself the power ministerially to teach Baptize give the Sacrament of the Lords Supper show or produce me that Scripture that gives authority to a Lay-man such a one we count him that is not Ordained by an Ecclesiastick person according to Apostolicall Tradition to bind or lose to cast out of the Church by judicial Excommunication or â—o receive in by authoritative absolution I say again let any of our â—ereticks produce me that Scripture show that text and I here promise them to renounce my Ordination forsake my calling and deny my Baptisme For I am not ignorant that the whole stream of the Scripture goes smoothly in another Channel If these or any of these be Churches then the candle hath never been upon a candlestick the City hath never been upon a hil Kings have never been her Nursing Fathers nor Queens her nursing Mothers except Iohn Buckhold alias Iohn of Layden with his fifteen Wives which Iohn being a Botcherly Taylour was by a mad crew of Anabaptists despisers and otherwise opposers of all government appointed King at Munster in Germany An 1534. where wearing Royall Robes of Embroidered work Spurs of gold Scabbards of gold and two Crowns of gold he had his Chancellours Cup-beares Carvers one holding up the holy Bible and another a naked Sword the handle whereof glistered with gold and pretious stones went before his Botcherly Majesty
near as hot as hell he must believe the least point of Reliques with as strong a faith as the greatest mysteries of the God-head and if he deny any of the former he is no lesse an Heretick then if he had denied the latter and he that believes not the Churches tradition to be as necessary to be believed as the Epistles of Paul he cannot be saved Indeed there is not an Article of the Church of Rome that is Catholick wherein reformed Churches differ from her but in those Articles that are but of Yesterday such as those above mentioned they stand at a distance praying for her but loth to touch her she being not sick of a small Ague but hath running sores Ulcers Infections Pestilential humours within her which makes them write over her as if she were visited Lord have mercy upon her but dare not make themselves one body with her H. The Apologist of the Church of England declares That we have Renounced that Church wherein we could not have the Word of God sincerely taught being mixed with tradition nor the Sacraments rightly administred the one half of the Lords Supper being but given to the people and Baptisme being given to Bells c. Nor the Name of God duly called upon praying to the Saints and Angels and in a Latin tongue which the people understand not To conclude we have forsaken the Church viz. of Rome as it is now not as it was in old time past c. and come to that Church viz. of England wherein all things be governed purely and Reverendly This overthrowing of the foundation thou maist call Heresie in dâ—ctrine Yet by caution take not the manners of the people for doctrine let the people be what they will the man what he pleaseth it is neither the good lives of men nor the bad lives of men that makes or unmakes Churches but false and corrupted doctrine Much loosenesse was in the Church of Corinth and Prophanenesse particâ—larly about the Sacrament of the Lords Supper yet the Apostle gives no ground at all for separation only exhorts to a more orderly peaceable walking and a more holy and prepared celebration Neither must we take things indifferent for doctrine nor every blemish for fundamentall Heresie It is an errour in our age to take Circumstances and outward Ceremonies for essentiall parts of worship There was much corruption in the Church of the Jews in our Saviours time and much false glosses put upon the Law yet in regard the fundamentals were not razed he commanded his disciples to hear even the Pharisees who yet were thieves and robbers being none of those appointed to expound the Law which justified not their manner of teaching but the truth of the doctrine taught who sate in Moses chair Matth. 23.1 2 3. but gives them a Caveat to beware of the practices and leven of the Pharisees that is hearken and obey to those truths and fundamental precepts that they give out teach to be in my Fathers Law first taught by Moses as cirumcision the way and manner of the Sacrifices which in the Jewish Church were necessary points but refuse those things they lay down as from tradition as Corban washing of cups for not these but the other are commanded you to do Moreover you must be sure not to separate your selves from those who possibly are ignorant of the depths of Sathan in that particular doctrine delivered for Christ pities such and speaks comfortably to them Revel 2.4 nor from others whom you can perceive in the least to disown that corrupted doctrine though privately being troubled at the razeing out of necessary principles How many poor souls are led away from the truth by those that creep into houses in our days that are ignorant possibly of the designes of their prime Teachers following them as much as the people followed Absolon viz. in the simplicity of their heart these giving great encouragement to those that so teach makes them bolder to go on against the unity of the faith showing the Number of their Disciples loving to hear those Doctrines that either add to or take from the infallible and unalterable rule of the Word in both which the Church of Rome is erroneous and therefore the separation from her justifiable 2. We may lawfully separate our selves from a Church when she enjoyns those acts of worship as necessary not enjoyned by Christ when a Church preacheth corrupted doctrine as from God we may separate from her so may we nay so ought we to do when she injoyns false worship to be performed to God whether it be in worshipping him after a false manner or giving another besides him true worship Deut. 10.20 This is another cause of the reformed Churches separation from Rome their Beads their Ave Maries their Fastings a great part of worship with them their praying to Saints as those that have the plague must pray to St. Rochus those that have the tooth-ache to Apollonia those that are poysoned to Saint Iohn those that are in Captivity to Saint Leonard those that have the Fistulâ— to Saint Quintin Women that are in labour must pray to Saint Margaret but especially to the Virgin Mary besides those common prayers that you must make in common to all the Saints and to the Angels also must prayer be made There is a little Book published by the Authority of Pope Pius the V. in which almost at the beginning that all might prosper the better you have this Prayer Precibus meritiâ— beatae Mariae semper Virginis omnium sanctorum perducat nos Dominus ad Regna Coelorum The Summe of which Prayer is this that God would be pleased to lead bring the Petitioner unto Heaven by the intercession praers and merits of the blessed Virgin and of all the Saints I do wonder that Christ should be left out by whose merits and intercession alone we are saved but I marvail most whether all these shall be a distinct Company by themselves for of the whole company of the Virgins they cannot be the foolish Virgins had no Oyle the wise had but enough to save themselves where is there any of their merits then left for me yet this is better then Tu per Thomae sanguinom c. These with many more of the like nature as praying for the Dead offering or burning up of incense praying in an unknown Tongue that common people know not what they pray their Ordination of the Hoast their holy water their penance their Pilgrimages their oyl or Chrisme salâ— and spittle used in Baptism was the cause of that separation made from her by the reformed Churches these points and this kind of worship being not Catholick for as before they separate not from Rome in any point of worship that she holds in Common with the Châ—rch of Christ but these being brats of her own begetting they deny them entertainment or Countenance and separate themselves from her and their separation is justifiable
Church for though every one that are members of the visible are not of the body of the invisible Church yet he is not of the invisible that acknowledgeth not himself a member of the visible he that hath God for his Father hath the visible Catholick Church for his only mother and must have her if he would be saved She is like the Ark of Noah as all without that was drowned so all without this is damned In the judgement of Charity we must indeed suppose that God hath his own among the heathen and by working upon them by his Spirit in an extraordinary secret and hidden way brings them unto the knowledge of his Son by which they are ingrafted into his body and so made members of the Catholick Church for as before out of it there is no salvation the reason is out of it is to be out of Christ for that is his body and to be out of Christ is to be without God and to be without him is to be without eternal life For this is eternal life to know thee to be the only true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent Quest. 12. What are the marks of a true Church General notes and marks are set down by the Church of Rome whereby it is pretended that the true Catholick and Holy Church may be distinctly and perfectly known from all false Congregations or Churches as 1. Visibility 2. Antiquity 3. Durability 4. Prosperity 5. The name of a Catholick Church 6. Agreement with the ancient Church 7. It s union with the head viz. the Pope 8. Holiness of Doctrine 9. Efficacy of Doctrine 10. Holiness of life 11. The glory and power of miracles 12. The gift of Prophesie 13. The acknowledgement or confession of her enemies 14. The unhappy and unfortunate success of her enemies 15. A succession of Bishops With several others which in their own nature are either separable from the true Church or may agree to a false and may constitute a Synagogue of Satan as well as a Church of Christ for which with many other reasons they are rejected of the Reformed Churches as proper Characters of that body whereof Christ is the head that being able to consist pure holy and visible without some of them though in some points they agree to her also in that but not as essential or Characteristical and knowing also that many of them are forged by and in Rome that she may appear the better and stand the firmer in her Pontificalibus The proper and essential Characters of a true Church whereby she is differenced from all false also from the Church of Rome and which gives her her esse vivere sentire are these viz. 1. The pure dispensation of the Word Act. 2.4 Where the Word is taught in a pure manner according to the institution of it without detraction from or addition to it wherever that is taught what Christ commanded and the Gospel holds out so farre there is a pure Church and where that is mixed and mingled with mens Inventions as points of doctrine so far the Church is impure 2. The pure Administration of the Sacraments Matth. 28.19 30.1 Cor. 11.23 That Church that keeps to the institution of those Ordinances appointed as Seals of the Covenant by Christ putting nothing to them nor taking nothing from them as necessary for the making of them Seals so far that is a pure Church and where that is not done it is so far impure Some adde Church discipline but that holds out rather her well being then her being in times of persecution she hath wanted that and may want it and yet a true Church by the keeping pure of the Word and Sacraments which a visible Church cannot consist without hence we behold and look upon Ierusalem Galatia Thessalonica Corinth Colos. and once those famous Churchs of Asia though the gospel was taught in them in a glorious and a pure dispensatory way yet for the present wanting those two we eye them not nor number them among the Churches of Christ. The same teacheth the Reformed Churches of Helv. Art 14. Behem Art 8. France Art 27. Belg. 29. Ausp Art 7. Sax. Art 11. Wirtem Art 32. Swed or the 4. Cities Art 15. Sâ—ot Art 15. and of England Art 19. That Article it self is this Art 19. of the Church of England The visible Church of Christ is a Congregation of faithfull men in which the pure word is preached and the Sacraments be duly administred according to Christs Ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite for the same c. All which considered it follows 1. That the Church of Rome is no true Church or pure Church making the Scriptures to be imperfect for salvation without their own Tradition They will not suffer the Church to be clean through the word that Christ hath spoken The Church is only tyed to the Gospel For if an Angel from heaven teach any other Doctrine he is to be accursed by her 1 Gal. 9. With her Baptismal water she adds oyl salt and spittle as essential parts of Baptism and useth this holy Ordinance upon Bells Stocks and wood With the Sacramental wine she must mingle water of which the Lairy must not taste With her Sacramental bread she visits the sick salutes Emperors makes Procession it must be also a wafer Câ—ke and it must not be broken with both these Elements she maketh a Sacrifice for the dead and she teacheth that a Priest may give it to himself alone that the vertue or efficacy both of that and Baptism depends upon the intention of him that doth administer and yet the efficacy must not be questioned but believed and forasmuch as they are administered in Latine which the common sort may not understand they must act implicite faith 2. That those segregated Congregations in England are not true Churches The word preached by many that are not men in Sex nor Ministers in Office prayer being preached down and preaching only to be heard from men of their own principles teaching for Doctrine not Traditions but fancies blasphemies affirming the nullity of Apostolical Ordination c. The Sacraments are either abused as re-baptizing those that were baptized before making dipping necessary to that Ordinance and the Sacrament performed by a Laick person The Sacrament of the Lords Supper being either preached down altogether or grosly abused in nature It s vertue depends upon his goodness that gives it a sin to receive it with any that we conceit not to be holy or know him to be prophane though he be never admonished by them and if he were yet he is not to be eaten withal least I eat and drink damnation to my self through his sin the Elements not consecrated through which that only is an Ordinance and the body or blood of the Lord they are not consecrated for he that often attempts to do it hath no power so to do wanting Apostolical Authority viz. Ordination 3. That the
God touching those blessings that he will give his children and a full of Will God wherein are all the duties he requires of his people recorded and inserted 2. In respect it was confirmed by the death and sufferings of Christ he was the Lamb slain before the beginning of the World Revel 8.31 Matth. 26.28 For this is my blood of the new Testament c. For where a Testament is there must also be a Testator Heb. 9.17 Having therefore the blood of Christ sealing this his last will it is called a Testament 3. In respect there is no addition to nor no diminution oâ—ght to be made of it When the Testator is dead there is nothing oâ—ght to be took from his Will nor nothing put to his Will Now Christ having fulfilled both Law and Prophets with his blood hâ—th sealed them by his death and hath threatned them that adde to or take from it Rev. 22.18.19 it is called and that fitly a Testament Quest. 10. Why are there some things in Scripture hard â—o be understood and whether the Scripture can dwell richly in those that cannot read That there are in Scripture some things hard to be understood is both arrested by S. Peter 2 Pet. 2.3.16 and known by the experience of the Saints who dayly pray that their eyes may be opened to behold the wonderous things therein written Psal. 119.18 which yet sufficeth not to maintain as the Church of Rome the imperfection of the Scripturâ—s For 1. It is but some things it is not all hard to be understood we easily understand the whole meaning of the Law and Prophets In loving the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and our neighbour as our selves Matth. 22.37 2. Every thing that is necessary for salvâ—tion is most easie it is plain before us This commandement which I command thee this day it is not to hide from thee says God Deut. 30.11 And who dare say it is otherwise but observe when any thing is said to be hard in Scripture or obscure as the doctrine of the Trinity of the incarnation or the resurrection it is to be understood either in the mâ—stâ—ry it self or in the manner of its delivery now the mystery is in it self inscrutable cannot be understood nor fathomed by the wit of man we are not able throughly to apprehend the grâ—at mystery of the three persons the glory of heaven the proceeding of the Holy Ghost the nature of Angel the eternal decrees but the manner of their handling that is that these things are so is clear and manifest and held out to us for to believe which last is necessary to salvation not the other we may be happy though we cannot comprehend the nature of the Trinity yet we must beliâ—ve it The resurrection is an Article of our Creed that is we believe it and the ground of our belief is clear in Scripture though the thing it self be above our â—â—prehension 3. We ought to expect some hard things in Scripture it is no wonder to hear God speaking like himself he is delivering his own mind and sometimes he will speak according to his own conception yet that makes the Scripture no more imperfect then a man who knows not how the souls acts his bones grow nor how the watery humour of his eyes keeps a fixed place moves and how his soul by that humour discerns colours how the soul by the self same eaâ— jâ—dges of diversity of sounds is to be judged not a perfect man There are in nature many hidden mysteries and shall men wonder to find some in the book of God to come to the Question he purposely in his Scriptures conceals something from us and speaks soâ—e thing therein which is hard to be understood 1. To keep us humble knowledge is often times a cause of puffing up God foresees that men would be apt to be conceited and raised up should they comprehend his meaning therefore in divine things he wisely orders that all shall not be understood to keep down pride and bridle arrogance 2. To stir us up to diligence by this doing God intends to set us a working that by searching and praying for the spirit we might the better be brought to know what God would have us to do 3. To hold up the dignity of his word were it plain men would quickly contemn it Ministers would be slighted whose office is to open it to save his word therfore from being vilified he is pleased to wrap up some of it in the clouds of prophesies dark sentences visions that we may set the greater value upon it and men in their reading may have the more reverend thoughts of it which brings us to the second part of the Question whether it may dwell richly c. Which we shall answer briefly There are four wayes by which Christians may come to the knowledge of Scripture that is by reading by hearing by remembring by discourseing he that cannot read may have the Scriptures dwelling richly in him to salvation by the oâ—her three means Yet 1 Whose fault is it thou canst not read thy unwillingness or crosseness or thy parents neglect or carelesseness if thy self be in the fault the greater is thy sin be the more earnest unto God in acts of contrition and repentance 2. Hast thou not spent as much time in toys and in sin as thou mightest have learned to read in supposing thou wert brought up in ignorance if so redeem the time by a double diligence 3. Be more humble before God the less help thou hast of thy self call to God for more those that read must have Gods blessing before they profit and grace before they be righteous Thou shalt have grace if thou beest humble Iames 4.6 4 Be more diligent in other Ordinances if thou hast not skill to read yet hast thou ears to hear Faith comes by hearing Rom. 10 17. and by hearing of the word it may dwell richly in the salvation 1 Cor. 15.2 But this brings us to the second direction above proposed for the Words in dwelling viz. Of hearing the Scriptures that is to suffer our selves to receive the knowledge of the Scripture by its being opened taught or expounded this is done two wayes 1. Authoritatively and pâ—blickly proper to the Gospel Ministry which is commonly called preaching 2. Charitably and privately common to all believers called in the Text teaching we shall first speak of the publick proper to the ordained Ministers of the Gospel and in Order to it handle three Ordinances contemned in this age which are as adjuncts or circumstances to this Authoritative way of teaching these are 1. The time of preaching 2. The place of preaching 3. The party that preacheth The party that doth or should teach is the Minister of the Gospel appointed and separated thereunto by Apostolical Ordination the place of teaching is that which commonly and authoritatively is called the Church we shall speak of these in Order beginning with the
the first sight to the carnal Christian but a low and poor device to gather some men together and pray and lay their hands upon anothers head to make a man an Ambassador of Jesus Christ to make him a steward of the Mysteries of God a Planter a Waterer a Builder and a Watchman to the Church by the same kind of Logick the other ordinances of God might be abused What force may the same Creature say hath a Morsel of bread and draught of wine in the Sacramnnt of the Lords Supper to assure men of heaven to foagive their sins to confirm faith to qucken hope to preserve love and so contemn that We ought in those cases to look to the institution and approbation of God and practise of the Apostles and to keep and hold up Gods ordinances in purity is a means of being ever happy This therefore of ordination being one to receive it to come to it may procure much profit to the party that hath it and to the Church for whom it is given him 2. It imboldens him in that imployment by this he may shew both his gifts and commission which two may make his face as brass against the Irony faces of perverse wicked men There may be some whose imprudence may carry them out to preach without this commission yet when they read the Scripture and see this ordinance practised so constantly both in Law and Gospel their conscience if they have one must needs accuse of that of which the Pharisees were by ouâ— Saviour even for Thieves and Robbers Iohn 10. by entring thâ— Church not by the door of ordination for of the Pharisee preaching God gave no commission 3. The solemn prayers of the Church with which that exercise is attended may bring the holy spirit to him that is ordained The gift of utterance Gal. 4.3 The gift of Wisdom 2 Tim. 1.7 being asked God may send them down Prayes availeth much and in an act of so high concernment both to Christ and to his Church it is not Christian like to suppose those prayers to be barred from the ears of God he that is ordained may be a prophane sinner yet as men will give the Nurse good things for love of the Children God may give him giâ—ts for the good of his Church Iudas bore the Bag by which Christ relieved the poor 4. It binds him to that function he that is once brought to the plow of the Scriptures and hath put his hand to it to till the ground of the hearts of men is not through the unevenness of the path or hardness of the soil to forsake that imployment knowing that what ever happen however the world go this must be his work it may and without question doth make him set himself to his work and study how to go through bad report and good report c. but this leads us to the Quest. 2. Whether a Minister may renounce his Ordination It hath been the practise of some persons for the pleasing of a factions generation of late years to contemn quit deny or renounce their ordination but it savoured not of godliness 1. The nature of Ordination is against it That is a setting a man apart by the Church for that peculiar exercise and office he is separate from otheâ— imployments to follow this and therefore it is not in his own power to renounce it at his pleasure or for any cause whatsoever 2. That Assertion of our Saviour â— Luke 9.62 condemns it He is not fit for the kingdome of God that puts his hand to the plough and looketh back he that makes an entry either upon the preaching of Christ or professing of him must never come back to the world for the renouncing of either 3. The Ministerial office should fail if this were granted It is unknow what the thoughts of a Minister are in his troublesome going through the parts of his office and allow him power to forsake his calling in a few years we might see Pulpits empty the least cross affront persecution might be arguments strong enough to induce him for the forsaking of his people study calling and betake himself to some other honourable profession or whatever seemed good in their own eyes 4. The Laws of the Church will not suffer it to go unpunished if it be done Those that are Church-officers themselves know what strong reasons may induce men to forsake and quit their callings to put a chain to them that are otherwise without conscience the Church of England orders No man being admitted a Deacon or Minister shall from henceforth voluntarily relinquish the same nor afterward use himself in the course of his life as a Lay-man upon pain of excommunication c. Quest. 3. Whether the Ministerial Office be to continue alwayes in the World There are spirits gone out amongst us crying down the Ministry as Antichristian affirming th light within or the witness within is only now to be heard but these spirits when tryed are not of God for that office must and shall continue 1. For Christ hath promised to be with it unto the end of the world Mat. 28.20 Unto that time therefore it must endure It is spoken to the Apostles the first Teachers who are dead it must therefore be understood with them that are their successors in that office which are now in being and those that shall come after us who are not yet born 2 From the imperfection of the Church Eph. 4 11 12. Untill all the members of the Church come in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a pâ—rfect man unto the measure of the sâ—ature of the fulnesse of Christ God will give Pastours and Teachers admit that many were now perfect that were of age yet for them that are young the ministry is necessary there is dayly a young generation coming up belonging to the Election of grace and therefore the Church is not peâ—fect and therefore the Ministery must abide that this Scripture might be fulfilled 3 God hath appointed this office to be the ordinary meanes of salvation so long as their soules on Earth this office must remain there being no way shown by God since the fall but this that can bring a man to glory repentance faith and good workes must be tauâ—ht by them and while â—he world stands this dâ—ctrine will be necessary 4 The Sacraments must be received by the members of the Church untill Christs second coming Mat. 28.19 1 Cor. 11.26 It is these men that have this power derived from the Apostles to administer the seales of the word which seales untill the end of all things and unâ—ill the coming of the Lord by the whole body of the Church must be received by consequence therefore there must be Church-officers to deliver the same untill the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. 5 From the practise of the holy Apostles and disciples of the Lord They constantly
ordained Elders and left them in Churches which they had planted And sure to the end there shall be as much need of oâ—dained Priests or Elders for they are one as then men will be perverse wicked sinfull Impenitent unruly ignorant despisers of dignityes ununregenerate unholy and still there will be some ignorant of the Misteries of God therefore care must be taken to plant and leave Elders in every City and in every country for the cure of those evills It is easie to behold how soon a parish or a village will grow loose disorderly and indeed loose the very face of religion if they want a setled Minister but a few moneths the like we may judge what would befall the world should it want Church officers Though people were wicked yet an orderly keeping of the Sabbath c. conscience in some sort will bring them to it but in unsetlement they have arguments to stop consciences mouth which by degrees brings them quickly to be Heathens the Principles of religion not taught them that are young makes them regardlesse of God or his word either when they come to years of maturity and so their profession comes to be prophane and their conversation to be Ungodly which in a great measure is prevented by a setled Minister though but of weak parts or abilities Quest. 4. Whether it be lawfull to hear an unordained man Preach We must stand at the doore of this question avoid errour and distinguish of Unordained Preachers before we go forward 1. There is a preaching by way of tryall to ordination their gifts their knowledge their uprightnesse their utterance cannot be known but by preaching the Church generally will have a tryall of their parts before she separate any for that worke thus Paul preached before his ordination 2 There is a preaching by way of opposition to ordination so there are some that will presumptuously execute all the offices of a minister and slight ordination desiring possibly not to be bound nor tyed to that calling that though their errours might be detected yet their irregularity might passe unpunished of these latter sort the Question is to be understood and that it is unlawful appeares 1 Because to hear such is to goe out of Gods way and practise the Pharises that taught sound doctrin in some points yet were but theeves and robbers coming not in at the door but climbing up some other way these the sheep hear not Never did God give a power to any to ordain themselves Stewards in his house and therefore we are not to go to them for bread left we be thought strivers against him he never intrusted them with his broad seale and therefore we are not to receive the seales from them Christs knows Paul and Stephen and Timothy but these he knows not therefore his people are bound to esteem them not as Ministers of God 2 It encourages them in their irregular proceedings when they behold giddy heads ignorant persons curious spirits flocking after them imboldens them and hardens them in their errour whereas to withdraw from them might in time make them ashamed of their doings 3 It gives an evill example when the weake Christian seeth one that is strong going to those upstart teachers the weak may follow him he may go out of wantonnesse or curiosity and the other may go out of conscience and frailty 4 Errour is ever sooner believed then truth It is experimentally known that an Heretick may broach that doctrine in a day which truth cannot overcome in a year there is a certain connaturality between the nature of man and falsehood It is best therefore to withdraw from them the very foundation of whose teaching is erroneous in as a much as the authority they pretend to have goes contrary to that authority that ever God invested his Church withall 5 Experience shews that God is offended with mans hearing or following of them for we shall seldome see men giving eares to their doctrines but what through ignorance of justice they are brought to believe a lye which mkes them hop from one opinion to another untill faith and religion be lost and conscience it self be baffled or stifled that they sit down in the seat of the scornful and mock at laws established by either God or man Quest. 5. Whether an ordained person may have an office in the Common wealth There are that maintaine this Popish tenet and yet would be thought no Papists that the Church hath nothing to do with the state or that the government of the Church is a distinct thing from that of the state a distinction framed upon his holinesse anvil at Rome and received here by them that are no good willers to the Catholick clergy to be short an ordained person that is a man separate for spirituall offices may exercise judiciall offices in the Common-wealth and state 1 From the practises of those that were of old separate for the Lord Melchizedek was both a Priest and a King Gen. 14.18 a great part of the government of Israel was in the hands of the Levits we find them judges In all the businesse of the Lord and in the service of the King 1 Chron. 26.29 and ver 19. Zecharia is a wise counsellour They are also appointed together with the Princes For judgement of the Lord and for controversies in Jerusalem between blood and blood c. 2 Chron. 18.8 9. so also Samuel a Levit was both judge and priest in Israel 1 Sam 7.15 and if ignorance make any boast of Samuels being a prophet It may be answered that his sonnes were Levits set a part by God for the service of the Tabernacle Yet their Father made them judges in Israel 1 Sam 8.1 his own circuit was yearly while he had strength and failing he allotted circuits to his three sonnes throughout Israel Who by reason of perverting judgement through bribes are complained of by the people ver 5. by the same rule it will follow that those that are separate now for the work of the gospel may be in businesse of the Lord and also of the King 2 From the abilityes of some persons that are ordained It may be known that in all matters of controvesie in both kindes of the Law the Clergy may have more understanding then many Gentlemen that are justices in the Country and the presence of the Clergy may be helpful in that respect to the most judicious judge 3 From that apparent necessity that there seems to be of it the ordained person is not free from trouble from Law-suits from warrants taxations in which he may receive much wrong if there be none but Lay-persons there who usually may look over the inferiour sort of the Clergy with an unregardfull aspect nay possibly the gentleman may be both judge and harry of himselfe A minister may have stronger presumptions to be redressed of his wrongs which are seldome of the smallest magnitude when he hath some of his own function upon the bench 4.
we defend that baptisme can only lawfully be Administred by the Gospel Minister thereunto appointed by Apopostolical Ordination For 1. Those only have a commission to baptize who have a visible commission to teach Matth. 28.19 Go ye and teach all nations baptizing them or as it is in the Original Disciple all nations batizing them c. teaching them That the Apostles were outwardly visibly called by Christ though extraordinarily to preach to the world the things concerning the Kingdom of God whereof baptisme is one and after their call that Christ called no other in that exordinary way is clear from Scripture whereof Paul is an eminent instance And that the Apostles might be encouraged in this great work he goeth on saying I am with you alway even unto the end of the world Now the world is not yet ended and Peter and Iames are gone with you therefore must be understood to be meant not of the whole multitude of believers but of them that are outwardly visibly called to preach all things that Christ had commanded in an authoritative way as the Apostles were And as it is said that Kings never dye that is regally and successively though personally they do so the Apostles never dye that is successively though personally they do for to the end of the world so oft as any is visibly and outwardly ordained and commissioned to teach and baptize the Apostles are not dead but alive and Christ prospering and blessing the doctrine of any so ordained in his being with his Apostles that is with them who are outwardly commissioned to teach to the end of the world To the multitude of belevers then was never the power to baptize given because not the power of teaching because not thereunto ordained as hath at large been discovered above unto which for brevity sake the Reader at present is referred 2. The nature of the Ordinance is against it baptisme is a declarative sign of the parties admission into the Church and not only so but an outward sign of the parties inward regeneration and a seal of the covenant of promise a manifestation of the forgiveness of sin Heb. 10.22 Acts 2.38 39. Tit. 3.5 And therefore to be given by none but by them unto whom the power of keeping the seals are given and in no age in no time in no place in no Text did ever God give the power of his seals to a multitude or appointed them to be used by any that â—â—d indeed real gifts without an ordinary call even outwardly after the constituting of the Church Stephen Nicanor c. Acts 6.3 though full of the Holy Ghost presume not to exercise the office of Deacons without an ordinary call from the Apostles by imposition of hands the Church being constituted in their Election So Paul and Barnabas though full of worth and eminent in gifts yet must be set apart having given testimony of their abilities by ordination for teaching and baptizing by the Church Acts 13.13 2. Thus also was Timothy set apart for the same work by a Presbytery 1 Tim. 4.14 The baptisme therefore of these Lay persons or gifted brethren whence is it From Heaven or of men if from Heaven shew it from the Apostles for since them Christ ordained and set apart none and we shall believe it if of men let them Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand or produce the Text that gives power to uncommissioned men purely upon the account of their gifts to exercise the power of the keyes and Administer the seals of the Church and that constantly and then their baptisme shall not be speak against The ability that a man hath to be a Minister is one thing and his putting into the office of the Ministry is another thing Saint Paul thanks God that he had both 1 Tim. 1.12 and we know by the Scriptures he had both by inspiration was he inwardly qualified and by ordination outwardly called he was separated unto the Gospel Rom. 1.1 by fasting prayer with laying on of hands Acts 13.2 3. 3. It is not to be found in all the New Testament implicitely or explicitely that ever any baptized upon the account of their gifts without an outward call from Church officers when those of this perswasion produce a man baptizing in the Church allowed of by the Church upon the account of his gifts then it may be a good argument for him that hath gifts to baptize without a visible commission 4. It would open a door to all irregularity and to all confusion imaginable Once make it lawful for any to baptize upon the account of his gifts we should find that Sacrament to be attempted by many that have no gifts at all what will not arrogance and pride puss men to what will nor ambition cause men to act this doctrine hath taken grace away from some and shame from many each Heretick laying a foundation for a new heresie by this man we are taught that preaching is not tyed to the Gospel Ministery and therefore not baptisme but the spirit that bloweth where it lifteth makes men sitted for that work and by it sufficiently called This being granted by another teaching is not tyed to men but common also with them to women since in Christ there is neither male nor female c. It is time for thee O Lord to work for they have made void thy Law Psal. 119.126 5. It is against the Doctrine of the Reformed Churches of Helv. Art 24. Of Bohe. Art 9. Of Pran Art 23. Of Belg Art 30. Of Ausp Art 14. Of Wirtem Art 21. Of Irel. Art 71. Of Scot. Art 22. and of Eng. Art 23. The Article it self is this Article 23. Of the Church of England IT is not lawful for any man to take upon him the Office of publicke Preaching or Ministring the Sacraments in the Congregation before he be lawfully called and sent to execute the same And those we ought to judge Lawfully called and sent which be chosen and called to this work by men who have publicke Authority given unto them in the Congregation to call and send Ministers into the Lords Vineyard SECT VI. Questions Resolved Quest. 1. VVHether Dipping be essential unto Baptisme Quest. 2. Whether Infants ought to be be baptized Quest. 3. Whether Baptisme is or ought to be readministred Quest. 4. Whether witnesses at Baptisme according to the Law of the Church of England be to be approved Quest. 5. Whether the Cross at Baptisme according to the Law of the Church of England be to be approved Quest. 1. Whether Dipping be essential unto Baptisme That dipping is lawful is not questioned by the Church of Christ but whether it be essential that is If Baptisme be not Baptisme without it or whether none is or cannot be baptized without he be dipped is the ground of our Quere It is to be denied Dipping is not essential to that Sacrament for 1. The word baptize used in the Scripture for that Sacrament signifies not
Secondly their stubbornness in opposing those Laws made by lawful power and when punished eâ—ey call out of persecution They held it an undervaluing of themselves to crave this examination of their people by any Law made by the Church and yet no presumption to press it upon them by vertue of their own association in the mean time producing no Scripture wherein directly these things were either to be done by them or obeyed by the people Thus far have we gone touching the doctrine referring to the Sacraments the second part of that work which in the begin-was by us undertaken FIDES CATHOLICA OR THE DOCTRINE OF THE CATHOLICK CHURCH Referring to Prayer With a farther defence of the Book of COMMON-PRAYER Of the Church of ENGLAND By W. A. Presbyter LONDON Printed for Edw. Brewster at the sign of the Crane in St. Pauls Church-yard 1661 To Mr. Francis Winton Robbert Downs Richard Dogget Church-wardens And to all other officers and Inhabitants of the Town and Parish of Leighton c. Gentlemen and in Christ dearly Beloved WHat I first entered upon about three years ago in another place I brought to perfection within these few days in your audience and truly for their sakes for whom the foundation was layed was the roofe chiefely fitted and squared I am emboldned to affix your names to this treatise judgeing that as your patience and charity gave it hearing from the pulpit attentively your zeal and affection will entertaine it from the presse kindly It happened to be your lot after the nations unsettlement to receive orders for providing me a book of Common-prayer as a means judged by our superiors for the Churches tranquillity you hâ—ve here in a few words that book defended by which our submission not for necessity but for conscience unto it may be justified and God be praised that he was pleased to give you that honour as in the least to be helpers in a publick way of that distressed Church into whose doctrine you were baptized Enter into this treatise and learn how to behave your selves in prayer to God and men and for men to God and to some men chiefly for God and to all men in God that with all Saints you may be glorified by God unto which end he shall further contribute his prayers and endeavours who is Your Minister in the Lord Jesus Will. Annand Of PRAYER CHAP. 1. 1 Thes. 5.17 Pray without ceasing GOd who at all times is rich in mercy and ready to forgive yet will have his people to call upon him for that mercy and make known unto him their desires or suits in that particular to signify not his straitnesse or backwardnesse unto them but their duty and dependance upon and towards him This is the third ordinance we undertook to defend cryed down in this generation by some that pretend to the Spirit and therefore to be held up by all that give attention to the word The misapplying of the word in our dayes The neglecting of the Sacraments hath raised such division and broached such foolish questions which gender strifes 2 Tim. 2.23 that the gift or spirit of prayer thoâ—gh mâ—ch boasted of was never lesse possessed that chiefly consisting in love and Charity Yea that gift of prayer that was became much spoyled not to speak of them that altogether threw it down as a thing of naught by some mens unnatural uncharitablenesse heedlesse impertinencies strange extravagancies apish gestures ugly faces and ridiculous tones which yet was no more to be wondered at then to see a stranger wander that either willfully hath left or cruelly murthered his guide Their flighting or disgracing that rule of prayer given to the Church by our Lord and Saviour was without question the ground or stem upon which these errors grew and stood and the matrix or wombe wherein their Heteroâ—lite petitions were conceived and bred but for the present to let them passe In prayer there are three things 1 Petition Iohn 17.51 2 Confession Psal. 51.5 3 Thanksgiving Rom. 6.17 We shall chiefly speak of the first the other two naturally following it will come and present themselves to our meditations freely without a particular summons for which cause it is by way of eminency called and 〈◊〉 for the present be entituled prayer In which we shall 〈◊〉 1 Its Nature 2 Its Ground 3 Its Parts 4 Its Rule 5 Its Hinderance 6 It s Form 7 Resolve some questions SECT 1. The Nature of prayer shall not be unknown to him that exerciseth his understanding about the parts of this description It is an immediate hearty calling upon the true God through Christ according to his will for the obtaining of any blessing to or diverting of any judgment from our selves or others for whom there is hope God will be entreated 1 It is an immediate c. This excludes praying either to Saints or Angels and according to the rule of prayer shews that immediately it ought to be made to our Father which is in heaven without making any direct prayer to Saints besides God or indirect by Saints to God though they be in heaven 2 It is an hearty calling c. It is not only a speaking lip but a praying heart that shall be accepted when the mouth is pleading and the mind not closing there is a more just cause of Gods complaining then of Delilahs Iuâ— 16.15 How canst thou say I love thee when thy heart is not with me he that would have God to have a pittying eye and a powerfull arme must in himself have a praying heart hence it is called a lifting up of the soul Psalm 25.1 and a pouring out of the soul 1 Sam. 1.15 In a word quod cor non facit non fit that prayer that is not hearty is but babling not praying an act of disobedience not duty heighting sin not removing judgment nor procuring mercy 3 Upon the true God Daniel and his companions prays unto the God of heaven Dan. 2.18 David to the Lord God of Hoasts Psal. 84.8 Moses Comes in the name of the Lord God of the Hebrews Ezek. 7.19 The God of Abraham The God of Isaac and The God of Jacob is the God of the Christians and to him the vow only is to be performed there is God can deliver after that sort he doth let prayer therefore be made only to him and daily let him be praised let none say any more to the work of mens hands ye are our Gods for in him only the fatherlesse findeth mercy Hos. 14.3 4 Through Christ before the fall men might have worshipped without a mediator but since we must make Christ as the Tyrians did Blastus Act. 10.20 our friend he is the eye by which the Father sees the miserable the ear by which he hears the humble the hand by which he helps the impotent the feet by which he hastens to relieve the oppressed and the heart by which he delights in the prayers of his people 5 According to his will This
Church of England is a true Church as it is now constituted her Doctrine being pure she holds nothing nor injoyns nothing upon her members in matters of salvation by way of precept neither doth she add to nor take any thing from the nature of the Sacraments that the Lord Christ hath left behinde him in the Church by way of practice she doth and may injoyn and she hath power to ordain several Ceremonies to be performed in the receiving of them which in themselves being not contrary to the Scriptures nor taught by her as necessary for salvation urged only as edifying for their meaning and decent for the service performing her Members may and they do give her all due obedience and their obedience is justifiable You need not here be put in minde of that caution formerly given viz. not to take manners for doctrine it is a high errour to conceit the vertue power efficacy of an Ordinance to consist in or depend upon the goodness of him that doth administer the same A prophane person a known Swearer may purely dispense the Sacraments for that lies not as God forbid it did in the purity of any mans conversation but in the pure adhering to our Lords Institution The pure preaching of the word hangeth not upon the purity of him that speaketh but in the purity of the word spoken of The purity of Doctrine lies in the agreement of it unto Scripture and not in the agreement of a mans life unto the word if so how many had Christ converted what multitudes of people had Paul brought to the knowledge of the truth more then he did The same Doctrine teacheth the Reformed Churches and the Church of England Art 26. To conclude this Chapter in all Instituted Ordinances it is neither Pauls goodness nor Apollo's graces nor Iudas's wickednesse that is the cause of the plants fruitfulness or barrenness from the grace of God must we look to receive the promised reward 1 Cor. 3.7 In natural as in prayer sometimes it may be otherwise Iames 5.16 CHAP. II. Of the Scriptures COL 3.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. HAving viewed this beautifull heavenly and holy building for it is Gods 1 Cor. 3.9 which is as Ierusalem a City compact together we shall now behold the foundation upon which it stands The Builder of it was skilfull in all kind of cunning Work and a Fabrick of this height or altitude required a foundation suitable deep strong and sure he therefore founded it upon a Rock Matth. 16.18 by which the several parts of it stand firm the carved and polished work thereof knows no shaking the least vessell therein though earthen yet being chosen for the Masters honour knoweth no falling down by tottering The foundation of this glorious Metropolis Royal Edifice or House of God is in truth and nature but one yet since Scripture speaks of it as two we shall speak in that Language and shew you that the Church hath 1. An increated essential foundation which is that holy thing whose name is Jesus Christ the Lord Matth. 16.18 begotten before the beginning of the world it is the Lamb of God the Rock of Ages it is he that is holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners the only begotten Son of the Father who taking upon himself to deliver man did not abhor the Virgins womb it is he whose name is wonderfull Counsellor the mighty God the Prince of Peace the everlasting Son of the Father the Man who is Gods Fellow Zach. 13.17 2. A Created Doctrinal foundation this is the Law and the Prophets Ephes. 2.20 It is the word written which is profitable for Doctrine and reproof for correction and instruction in righteousness that the man or Church of God might be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works In summ it is that word that was spoken by the Fathers by the Saints by the Prophets and Apostles who were the servants of God Phil. 1.1 Of these two we may say as Ioseph said of Pharaâ—hs doubled dream Gen. 41.26 They are but one yet not one so but that the preheminence is given to the first under the notion of a Corner stone Isa. 28.16 that giving both strength to the building and directions to the Builder And indeed the Prophets and Apostles laid no new Foundation but added to that corner stone laid to their hands daily such firme Christians as they had fitted for this holy superstructure taking directions in their building from its posâ—ture for unto it all the building fuly framed together groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord Ephes. 2. ult No foundation being laid therefore but what is united to this strengthened by this supported by this and directed by this shews that properly there is none but this Saint Paul who was a wise and excellent Master builder himself 1 Cor. 3.10 understanding there was a Church builded at Colos. a City of Phrygia the greater in the continent of Asia the lesse so called from one Phryxus a King thereof had no desire it should stand empty left the evill spirit which hath been cast out should take possession again as at this time he was like to do whether by their falling back to Paganisme and Heathnish customes again or by being taught the necessity of imbracing the doctrine or Ceremonies of Jewisme would have the Word of Christ dwell richly in them This Country of Phrygia had once in it a King named Gordius who of a Plow-man being chosen King tyed or hampered his Plow-Tacklings in such a knot that he predicted that none should untye them but he that was to be Conquerour of the World it was called Nodus Gordianus this Prophesie was fulfilled in Alexander who because he could not untye it by Art cut it asunder with his Sword and for afterward conquering the World was sirnamed the Great At this time there was among these Phrygian Colossians some that hampered their understandings by a counterfeited humility who with their dark Axiomes would have intruded upon them worshipping of Angels which knots to untye that they might be great the Apostle sends them or recommends unto them the Sword of the Spirit Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly In this Country also was the City of Midaium where Midas the son of this Gordius lived and dwelt he as the Poets fain asked of Bacchus who was his Guest that what ever he touched might become gold his great riches was the ground of the Fable his â—ute was granted by which he turned Mountains into gold but finding that he could neither eat nor drink but Goblets and Viands of Gold he recalled his wish and by washing himselfe in the River Paâ—tâ—lus communicated that virtue to the River which afterward brought up golden sand The River that comes from the Mount Tmolus brings with it abundance of gold and