Barnabas coÌ„ming among them is not said to have ioyned theÌ„ vnto the Lord but to have exhorted them which were ioyned to coÌ„tinue with the Lord. vers 23. and to have perswaded others to ioyn themselues unto the Lord also vers 24. but that this course ordinary set by Christ should be held in the replanting of Churches after the vniversall apostasie of Antichrist is a thing impossible There were then no Ministers but popish Priests and are they the Lords meanes Mr Bernard Shall the man of sin be consumed by himself or by the breath of the Lords mouth Are false Ministers the Lords ordinary means of planting Churches Or are popish massepreists or the popish Bishops from whom they have their authority and so the Pope himself from whom they have theirs true Ministers And is the Church of Rome a true visible Church For it is not possible there should be a true Ministery in a false Church These are the inconveniences and discommodities Mr Bernard speaks of by which he sayth we would wring the truth from him But it is certayn they are such playne demonstrations as do evince his pretended truthes of popish and popular errours And for the gathering of a Church M. B. I do tell you that in what place soever by what means soever whether by preaching the gospell by a true Minister by a false minister by no minister or by reading conference or any other meanes of publishing it two or three faithfull people do arise separating themselves froÌ„ the world into the fellowship of the gospell and covenant of Abraham they are a Church truely gathered though never so weak a house and temple of God rightly founded vpon the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets Christ himsef being the corner stone against which the gates of hell shall not prevayl nor your disgracefull invectives neyther Indeed * the Pharisees thought bycause they had Abraham for their father and did descend of him by ordinary succession were the formall Teachers of the Church that therefore God could not possibly cast them off or have a Church without them even so it is with the Pharisaicall formall clergy in Rome and England they think that Christ hath so tyed his power and presence vnto their ceremony of succession that without them he knowes not how to do for a Church but must needs have it passe through their fingers But as Iohn Baptist told the old Pharisees that God was able of the stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham though they all every one of them like vnfruitfull trees should be cut downe and cast into the fâ—râ— so say I vnto their children the Pharisees of our â—yme that though the Lord reject them and every one of them for their apostacy and rebellion yet can he by the seed of the word cast with what hand soever rayse vp vnto Abraham children vnto himself a Church They that are of the faith of Abraham they are the children and seed of Abraham and within the covenaunt of Abraham though but two or three and so of the same Church with him by that covenaunt Your last argument to prove the officers the Church Math. 18. and directly to disprove our supposed popularity is that it is against the dignity and office of the Ministers who represent Christs person vnto the Congregation 1 Cor. 4. 1. having authority from him to preach administer the sacraments vse the censures which none but such as represent him can give them which the body of the people do not by office nor take from them c. This indeed is the thing the dignity of Preisthood is it which goes nearest you and that you keep last as Iacob did Beniamin whom of all his sonnes he was loathest to part with Gen. 42. 4. 43. 14. But first if your meaning be that the Ministers by their office represent Christ in his office it is little lesse then blasphemy for Christ is the husband and mediatour of his Church by his office and herein not to be represented by any other man or angel The ministers in publishing the gospell and word of reconciliation are in Christs stead and therein to be obeyed as himself but what if they speak the vision of their own hart and publish heresy false doctrine or lead a scandalous and prophane life their office is no dispensation for them neyther are they now any longer in the stead of Christ but of the Divel whom they resemble as children their father and are so to be reputed Besides there is no force in your argument bycause the body of the Church represents not Christ by office as the Ministers do therefore it is no way equall with the Ministers nor may medle with them but the contrary May not a man as well argue thus Bycause the wife no way represents her housband in office for she is in no office the same may be sayd of the children aâ— the steward and the bayliffe doe therefore the wife is no way superiour vnto them she may not reprove or displace them in her husbandâ— absence what evil soever they doe in their office or persons but on the contrary they may rebuke her and turne her out of doores and her children with her if there be cause For they represent the maister in office she not Now wee know well the Church is the wife and spouse of Christ the Ministers stewards Thus having cleared the way of such obiections as wherewith Mr Bernard would stumble the reader I come in the next place as I have formerly ordered my course to declare that the Church Math. 18. 17. is not the officers but the whole body meeting together for the publique worship of God and that 1 Cor. 5. proves the same by practise which is in the former place enjoyned by rule Onely I must needs by the way make a step into his 2. book amongst his score of reasons there against popularity and so remove as it were with my foot such of them as are tumbled in by him to make rough the playn wayes of the Lord. And they are as the authour numbers them the 7. 12. 13. 17. 18. The 7. Reason is that if a sort of persons professing Christ together without officers haue the power of such officers in themselves they may do all the officers may do Wee say not that the Church hath the power of the officers but the power of Christ as is expresly affirmed 1 Cor. 5. 4. 5. and 2. it followes not that bycause the Church hath the power of Christ for all things therefore it can injoy all things without officers The power is one thing which is inseparable from the body the vse of the power an other thing which in many cases it may want Civil corporations have the Kings power and charter as well without as with officers and yet it may be there are liberties in their charter they cannot enjoy without officers they
Math. 22. 21. but we are bidden stand for the liberty wherwith Christ hath freed vs that is the whol liberty of the Church to let no man iudge vs that is ecclesiastically no not in meaâ—s drinks though civilly men may commaund iudge vs in them And vpon these grounds truely layd by the word of God an answer may be framed on this manner In civill affayres we may and ought to obey for the authority of the commaunder yea though we know not any good but on the contrary much harm to our bodily estate comming vnto vs by the same but in matters ecclesiasticall which are subordinate to the souls good we must obey onely for the ends of the things coÌ„maunded and as they tend to the edification of our selves and others 1 Cor. 14. 26. To conclude this poynt since the Apostles expresly commaunds that all things in the Church be done to the edificatioÌ„ of the same I would demaund of Mr. B. with what fayth or good conscience he or any other maÌ„ can do or enterprise any one thing in the Church which he or they are not perswaded by the word of God which is the rule of fayth tends to edification These things being thus there is no cause why Mr. B. should account it curiosity to serch particularly into every thing for satisfaction the differences formerly layd down being observed neyther doth this holy care of Gods servants as he further addeth work vpon mens wittes to bring distinctions but on the contrary men of corrupt mynds and vnfaythfull least they should be reformed by the word of God do get distinctions like excuses after their owne hearts Much lesse is it eyther truely or christianly affirmed which followeth that the more men seek in doubts for resolution the further they are from it For howsoever it may be thus with M. B. many others which seek the truth as cowards do their enemyes with a fear to fynd it least it trouble theyr carnall peace yet have other men better yssue of theyr labours and by seeking have found that hydden treasure for the purchase whereof they are content to sell all they have and to buy it In the next place come in six rules of directions how to settle the consâ—ience to prevent scrupulosity and perplexity 1. Keep all mayn truthes in the word which are most playnely set downe and are by law of nature ingraven in every man First you are much mistaken Master Bern. if you imagine that all mayn truthes in the word are engraven in every man by the lawe of nature For the gospell is the more principall part of the word which notwithstanding is wholy supernaturall and above the created knowledge of man or Angel Mat. 11. 27. Ephe. 3. 10. Secondly if in commending mayn truthes and such as arâ— playnely set downe you do insinuate that there are any truthes so meane which we may eyther neglect to serch or having found them to obey therin you should deceive by promising liberty make your selfe wiser then God and crosse his ordinance appoyntment 2 Tim. 3. 16. Deut. 4. 1. 2. And for things left more dark in the Scriptures they must be vnto vs matter of humiliation in our naturall blyndenes and of more earnest meditation and prayer with all good conscience 2. Beleeve every collection truely necessarely gathered by an immediate consequence from the text This is good but not sufficient For collections truely made though by mediate consequences one after another are to be receaved though the fewer the better and the lesse subiect to daunger And we must not curtall the discourse of reason soberly vsed and sanctifyed by the word so short as Mr. B. would haue vs. When the Lord Iesus was to deal with the Saduces about the resurrection he took his proof from that which is written Exo. 3. 6. I am the God of Abraham c. which words do no way conclude the resurrection of the body which was the question by any immediate consequence and yet the collection was good and necessary The 3. and 4. direction I omit as questionles and come to the 5. in order 5. Enterteyn true antiquity follow the generall practise of the Church of God in all ages where they have not erred from the evident truth of God It cannot be denyed but that is best which is most auncient and that truth and righteousnes were in the world before syn error but neyther the one nor the other did continue long eyther amongst men or Angels And he that but considers what monstrous errours and corruptions sprang vp in the Church of the new Testament whylest the Apostles lived which planted them wil not think it strange though almost all were over-grown with such bryars and thornes in a few ages following And what not onely vnsoundnes in doctrine but vncertaynty in story is to be found in the most auncient writers no man though but even meanely exercised in them can be ignorant And yet if we would take vp these weapons it were easy to make good our part against the Church of England in the mayne differences But we have the word of God which is to vs a sure testimony and if he be onely to be heard of whome God from heaven hath testified as the onely Prophet and Doctor of his Church we are not then so much to regard what any man hath practised before vs as what Christ hath commaunded which is before all And we must in the first labour to have our harts seasoned with the word of God and according to that taste must all mens both perswasions and practises be savored by vs taking heed of those preposterous courses commonly held some at the first corrupting their harts with the thorny subtilties of the school-men more witty then sound sayings of the fathers and others prejudicing and forestalling themselves by the present and sensible state of things before theyr eyes or by the generall and partiall practise of tymes past and so comming in the last place to the word of God haling that in to back and support theyr exalted forestalled imaginations 6. If thou suffer let it be for knowne truth and against knowne wickednes for which thou hast examples in the word or of holy martyrs in story suffering for the same or the like But beware of far fetched consequences c. We are to forbeare evills not onely known but suspected doubted of And he that knowes what a heart meaneth truely softened and made tender with the blood of Christ had rather suffer all extremityes then approve that as good eyther by word writing or practise which he but doubteth to be evill and to displease God except by fayth he can overcome that doubt in some measure And for vs though we had no example eyther in the word of God or other story of any martyrs suffering in the same or the like particulars with
be begun without officers Yea even where officers are if they fayl in theyr duetyes the people may enterprise matters needfull howsoever you will have the minister the onely primum movens and will ty all to his fingers And to let passe the godly Kings of Iudah which were no Church officers about whom the question is which sundry tymes set the Preists a work other with them in Church matters as 2. Chro. 17. 7. 8. 9. and 29. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. c. and other instances in the old Testament which in the handling of the particulars will fall into consideration Peter himselfe was called by such as were no Apostles or other officers to render a reason of his going into men vncircumcised which he also did to Gods glory and the Churches satisfaction v. 18. Now how soever they which so contended with him erred in the matter and it is like dealt too contumeliously with him in the manner yet had it been simply vnlawfull for them to have propounded and begun a matter of that kynde Peter would have reproved and broken off theyr disorderly course and not have pertaken with them in their sinne by vndertaking the answer of the matter which in the generall he doth approve by his orderly and satisfactory answer Furthermore where the Lord Iesus Math. 18. 19. directs a brother in case order to tell the Church of his brothers offence what can be more playne then that he enioynes a private brother to begin a Church matter Yea though there be Elders in the Church yea though the Elders alone yea the chief of them onely as Mr Bernard would have it be the Church yet must the matter be brought to and begun in the Church by him that is offended and his witnesses To presse this yet a little further if any puliquely scandalous or notorious sin be committed in the Church by a brother and the Elders neglect all means of redressing it yeâ— put the case the Elders themselves be in the transgression and by name that they preach haeresy or both preach and practise notorious Idolatry and that the body of the Church also be corrupted by them and joyn hands with them in their mischief what now must a private brother doe in this case whose heart the Lord establisheth in the truth and whom he plucks as a brand out of the fyre must he goe on and ioyn with that Idolatrous assembly in theyr wickednes God forbid And leave them he may not till he have dealt with them about this Church matter and convinced them of this Church sinn for if Christ would not have a brother cast of his brother til he have dealt with him nor the whole Church to cast of a private member till he refuse to hear it Math. 18. much lesse will he have one brother to forsake all the brethren and officers also or a private member to disclaym the whole Church till he have by the best meanes he can affoard in himself or procure otherwise and after the best manner convinced admonished and exhorted both the Officers and people and so found them obstinate and irreclamable To proceed The Apostle Paul writes to the Church at Rome to observe such as caused divisions and scandalls contrary to the doctrine they had learned and to avoid them and to the Church at Corinth to deliver to Sathan or excommunicate the incestuous person agayn that vpon his repentance they would forgive him and confirme their love towards him and agayn to the same Church that they would have ready their collection for the saints at Hierusalem and gather it on the Lords day desiring further that they might abound in that grace as in faith love and the like to the Colossians that they should say to Archippus look to thy ministery which thou hast received of the Lord that thou fulfill it so writes Iohn to the Church at Pergamus that they should not suffer the Balaâ—mites and Nicholaitans to teach and to deceive as they did and to the Church of Thyatira likewise not to suffer the woman Iezabell calling her self a Prophetesse to deceive Gods servants Now it seems by Mr BERNARDS doctrine that if the officers withdraw in these things and will not endeavour the reformation of them or if they dy or fall away that the silly multitude must beare all evill and forbeare all good they must not mark and avoyd haereitcall and schismaticall whether teachers or others they must not put out the old leven that they may become a new lump nor confirme theyr love to any penitent person or forgive him though his repentance be never so ful or publique nor make any collection in the Church for theyr brethren the saynts nor have any part in that grace nor put their Minister in mynd of his office that he fulfill it nor medle with false Prophets for theyr conviction or restraynâ— but may suffer them to deceive without gaynsaying these are all Church matters Apostles onely and Apostolick men must medle in them both to begin and end them And thus the Ch without the officers help though it caÌ„not possibly be had as a deaf a duÌ„b a blynd a lame yea a liveles senseles body it must both have the eyes put out and the eares stopt and neyther see nor hear it must be tongue-tyed from speaking fast bound hand and foot from doing any thing for the generall and joynt good yea it must not be saved without the officers for other ordinary way of salvation know I none by the revealed will of God in his word but in the vse of the ordinances which Christ hath given vnto his Church ¶ It is the stewards duety to make provision for the family but what if he neglects this duety in the maysters absence must the whole family starve yea and the wife also or is not some other of the family best able to be imployed for the present necessity It is the Pilottes office to guide the ship but what if he ignorantly or negligently or desperately will run the same vpon the rocks or sands must the rest of the mariners forbeare to intermedle and so perish It is the Captaines office to lead the army but what if he or they perfidiously will betray the same into the hands of the enemy may not the body of the army make the best head they can to defend themselves and to offend their enemies vsing the best meanes they have for their present direction Yea even in the most peaceable best governed coÌ„mon-wealthes a private man may in a case of necessity become a Magistrate for a mayne work and that which ordinarily is the Magistrates peculiar The Lord hath given the sword into his hand for the good of him that doth well to take vengeance on him that doth evill and to him it apper teynes to defend the innocent But if this innocent person be assaulted by a theif murtherer or other enemy
instability pride contention and the like evils but specially in your second book where with a scurtilous and prophane spirit you nickname them Srmon the Sadler Tomkin the Taylour Billy the Bellowes maker as you shew whose child you are Ioh. 7. 48. 49. in so speaking so doth the Spirit of God give an other testimony of them Act. 2 41 42. Phil. 1. 6. 7. 1 Th. 3. 5. 6. 7 8. 1 Pet. 1 7 8. In deed as I formerly sayd no mervavl though such multitudes as yours are be vnstable and variable and ready to change their religion with their Prince yea though it be to Popery as appeared in Queen Maries dayes vniversally scarce one of ten thousand excepâ—â—d onely the mischeif was that the Praelates and Priests were as vnstable as the rest yea their ringleaders also But for our selves Mr Bern. and that whereof we take experience in this our popularity as you terme it I tell you that if ever I saw thâ— bâ—aâ—â—y of Sion the glory of the Lord filling his tabernacle it hath bâ—en in the manifestation of the divers graces of God in the Church in that heavenly harmony and comely order wherein by the grace of God we are set and walk wherein if your eyes had but seen the brethrens sober and modest cariage one towards an other their humble and willing submission vnto their guides in the Lord their tender compassion towards the weak their â—â—rvent zeal against scandalous offenders and their long suffering towards all you would I am perswaded chaunge your mind and be compelled to take vp your parable and blesse where you purposed to curse as Balaam did Numb 23. But whatsoever you and all others do these our experimentall comforts neyther you nor any other shall take from vs. Your 7. and 8. Reason are of one nature and may for brevity sake be contracted into one the sum whereof is that the sheep flock are to obey and depend vpon their sheepheard Heb. 13. 17. 1 Pet. 5. 2. the children to be subiect to their father 1 Cor. 4. 15. the work to be ordered by the workman 1 Cor. 4. 12. the corne by the seeds man and not the contrary and ther cannot be shewed in the old or new testament any example that ever the people had commaund over their Pastours or power to â—ast them out These things are popular and may deceive the simple and credulous but though the fool beleeve every thing yet the prudent will coÌ„sider his stepps Wee deny not then but the flock both severally and ioyntly is to obey them that have the oversight of them Heb. 13. 17. to know them and to have them in singular love 1 Thes. 5. 12. 13. but it must be in the Lord and for their works suke and wherein they watch for their soule as is expressed in the same places But what now if the officers will reign besides the Lord if their works be such as deserve hatred and not love if in stead of watching for the peoples soules they take a course eyther to starve them through negligence or to poyson them with heresy or evill life must they stil obey them or hath the Church no remedy against them The Churches of Galatia were bound to receive and submit vnto such Ministers as brought the doctrine of Christ and yet if any man yea though he were an Apostle or above an Apostle should bring any other doctrine they were to hold him accursed and so to cast him away as an accursed thing The Collosians were bound to obey Archippus in the lawfull exequution of his Ministery and yet they might say unto him look to thy Ministery and if they might so admonish him certaynly they might go further with him if there were cause The Pilate is to guide the ship and all that are in it yea though the King himself be there but if he eyther ignorantly or desperately will run vpó the sands he may be displaced by his passengers and the fittest put in his room as I have formerly observed Now not onely the Church is commonly and fitly compared to a ship but the very word vsed 1 Cor. 12. 28. â—or the governâ—â—â— of the Church is borrowed from the government and guidance of a ship in the originall And if nature teach this liberty in bodily daunger how much greater liberty doth the Lord give in the spirituall daunger both of soule and body also And your quaestion of examples for the peoples casting out their officers is frivolous if there be a commondement or rule for it What example have you but grounds for the baptizing of infants Or where read you of any officer excommunicate by any And certaynly if the body of the Church may not cast out the Pastor for obstinate sinne no person nor persons vpon earth may do it But the vanity of your opinion I do thus manifest First you affirm pag. 88. that to separate from is all one in substance with to excommunicate though called by a name lâ—sse odious Whence it followeth that if the body of the Church may not excommunicate their officers they may not separate froÌ„ them no not though they prove Papists or Atheists or never so abominable oh the hellish bondage wherein these men would enthrall the Lords people to their destruction If the Congregation may chuse and elect their governours then they may reject and reprobate them for they that set vp may pull down but this liberty as streyt as you are to the multitude you your self graunt them pag. 97. and if you denyed it the scriptures assure it them Act. 1 and 6. 1. 2. 3. 4. 14. 23. But if in these words the people have no coÌ„maund over their Pastors nor power to cast them out you would intimate that they might depose them but not excommunicate them it would nothing avayl you For as it were a straunge thing that men should haue no commaund over their servants as I haue ofâ— times shewed the Church Officers to be the Church servants so were it aâ— strange if the putting of servants out of their Office should not argue power over them And besides deposition if any such ordinance be to be vsed in the Church is not of persons obstinate in sinne but of such as having by grosse idolatry or some other notorious crime so scandalously faln as they cannot be reteyned in their Ministery with the safety and credit of the Church Gospell no not though they repent but not withstanding their repentance and continuance in the Church vpon the same they are to be disseyzed of their Ministery and to beare their iniquity and shame But this is nothing to men obstinate in sin who may not vpon their deposition be continued in the Church and to deal with them a new for the sinne for which they have been formerly censured or to censure them twice for one sin is an idle and unwarrantable course They are therefore to be cast out
their making as presentation election examination ordinatioÌ„ with imposition of hands and that the exceptions wee take are but about circumstances onely and same manner of doing which do not make a nullity or falsity of the deed done As we do except against the very office it self and against the mayn and most principall works of it by law required as works of will-worship and voluntary religion so do our exceptions against the very calling and enterance of your Ministers evince them sufficiently not to be the true Ministers of Christ. No man takes this honour vnto himself but he that is called of God as Aaron No Christ himself took not this honour to be made the high Prâ—â—st but he that sayd vnto him thou art my sonne this day begate I thee gave it him And if Christ the Lord of his Church did not take vpon him the solemn administration of his office till by the Father he was called thereunto from heaven it is great presumption for any man and he a bold vsurper that so practiseth to take vpon him any office in the Church not being chosen and called thereunto by them which under the Lord haue received this Charter thus to call Ministers which are onely his Church and people And by this doctrine of Mr Bern that faylings in circumstances and manner of doing make not a nullity or falsity of the deed it should follow that if a company of Papists Arians Anabaptists or of any other Haeretiques or idolaters should chose and call a minister though it were a child an idiote yea a woman that after the most prophane and superstitious manner that could be yet this made no nullity or falsity of the action for all were but errours in circumstances and manners of doing Yea by this trifling murther adultery and all the mischeifs in the world might be defended If a private person should take upon him without lawfull authority to be a judge and should condemn the inocent and justify the guilty person all the evill were but in the circumstances of persons judging and judged If a man gaue his body to the wife of another man the evill were but circumstantiall he might haue done it to another person namely his own or proper wife What coÌ„fusion would these excuses of circumstances onely manner of doing things bring over all estates if they were admitted of Of this mischeif I haue spoken pag. 21. 22. 23. 37. The 3. consideration in this matter is about such devises as Mr Bern. hath found for the shifting off such places as prove that the people ought to choose their Ministers The scriptures are Act. 1. and 6. 14. 23. to which also might be added Numb 8. 9. 10. Act. 11. 22. 1 Cor. 16. 3. 2 Cor. 8 19. vvith many others His ansvver is first that these places testify that such examples of practise were then but that there is no praecept for the perpetuity of it This is an vngodly evasion making the commaundements of God of none authority by mens traditions tending to the abolishment of the testament of Christ which he hath confirmed by his death vvherein he hath not onely by practise but also by the doctrine of the Apostles vpon which he hath founded the Church or temple of God for ever established this ordinaunce as a part of the nevv testament and that not vpon some extraordinary temporary and changeable occasion as some thing have been ordered and decreed by the Apostles Act. 15. 1. 2. 28. 29. but vpon ordinary constant grounds and vpon reasons and causes of perpetuall equity such as concern all Churches in all places to the vvorlds end as shall appear hereafter When the Lord Iesus sent forth his Apostles to gather Churches he gave them in charge to teach them to obserue all things whatsoever he had commaunded theÌ„ promising vvithall that in so doing he would be with them alway vntill the end of the world And that amongst other doctrines they taught the people this that they were to choose their officers the scriptures cited do fully testify See Act. 1. 15. 16. 16 23. 6. 2. 3. 5 6. 14. 23. Answerable vnto this is that which the Apostle Paul protesteth to the Elders of Ephesus at Miletum that he was pure from the blood of all men in that he had kept no thing back but shewed them all the counsel of God one part of which counsayl was that the people were to chuse their Officers which by Mr Bernards own graunt they observed to which also adde that the same Apostle writing vnto the Church of Corinth about a matter of order avoweth the things which he writes to be the coÌ„maundements of the Lord and chargeth all them as wilfully ignorant which do not so acknowledge them With what conscience then or colour of reason â—an this man say that this power and right of the people to chuse their Ministers was onely a matter of practise but not of praecept no immediate right from Christ but a graunt vnto them from the Apostles or vpon their exhortation for the tyme It is true he sayth in the same place 1. that the people did not elect or chuse but when the Apostles were amongst them 2. that they did it vpon their exhortation And for the first who denyes but that where faithful and godly officers are the people are by their direction government according to the will of Christ to vse their liberty in this and all the other affaires of the Church So for the second it was so the Apostles exhortation as it was also a divine institution by the spirit of God never reversed but by those vnclean spirits of Divels which like froggs came out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the Beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet part of the counsel of God never altered or departed from but by them which take counsayl but not of God and lastly one of the commaundements of Christ which the Apostles were bound both to teach and exhort the people to observe never disannulled but by the counter-commaund craft and violence of Antichrist who as one of your own Prelates hath truely observed never ceased till by cursing and fighting he had gotten all into his own hands The insinuation therefore which you make against vs in assuming this liberty vnto vs as a right of our selves is vnjust considering we have it conveyed vnto vs from Christ in the writings of the Apostles wherein they do as expresly teach it vs and as effectually exhort vs vnto it as if they were personally present with vs. And that which the people might then doe in their presence vpon their speach they may now do vpon their writings in their absence and in the absence of all other officers also if the particular Churches be for the present vnfurnished of them Now where he further addeth that the
institution adde of â—heir owne devise Now as the forenamed scriptures like a gratious charter given to this spirituall corporation the Church by the King thereof Iesus Christ do clearly plead the peoples liberty and power of the choise of their Ministers so will I adde vnto them certayn Reasons to prove this order and ordinance to be of morall and perpetuall equity The first is bycause the bond between the Minister and people is the most streyt and near religious bond that may be and therefore not to be entered but with mutuall consent any more then the civill bond of mariage between the housband and wife It makes much both for the provocation of the Ministery vnto all diligence and faithfulnes and also for his comfort in all the tryals and temptations which befall him in his Ministery when he considereth hovv the people vnto whom he ministreth have committed that most rich treasure of their soules in the Lord yea I may say of their very faith ioy to be helped forward vnto salvatioÌ„ to his care and charge by their free and voluntary choise of him It much furthers the love of the people to the person of their Minister and so consequently their obedience vnto his doctrine and government when he is such a one as themselves in duety vnto God and love of their own salvation have made choise of as on the contrary it leaves them without excuse if they eyther perfidiously forsake or vnprofitably vse such a mans holy service and ministration Lastly it is agreable to all equity and reason that all free persons and estates should choose their own servants and them vnto whom they give wages and maintenance for their labour and service But so it is betwixt the people and ministers the people a free people the Church a free estate spirituall vnder Christ the King the Ministers the Churches as Christs servants so by the Churches provision â—o live and of her as labourers to receive wages Thus much of the 4. Argument The 5. followeth the summe whereof is that bycause the Ministers of the English assemblies teach true and sound doctrine in the root and fundamentall points of religion they are therefore the true Ministers of Christ. And that sound doctrine is the triall of a true Minister Mr B. would prove from these scriptures 1 Tim. 4. 6. Ier. 23. 22. Of the vnsound doctrine of your Church and that more specially in the fundamentall points of religion others have spoken at large formerly and something is by me hereafter to be spoken for the present therefore this shall serve that since Christ Iesus not onely as Preist and Prophet but as King is the foundation of his Church and that the visible Church is the kingdome of Christ the doctrines towching the subiects government officers lawes of the Church can be no lesse then fundamentall doctrines of the same Church or Kingdome Which how vnsound they are with you appears in your Canons ecclesiasticall composed for that purpose Which if your ministers preach they preach vnsound doctrine and strike at a mayn pillar of religion viz the visible Church of God which is the pillar and ground of truth as the Apostle speaketh if not then are they schismatiques in and froÌ„ your Church whose solemn doctrines they refuse to publish Now bycause Mr Bern. every where beares himself big vpon the sound doctrines taught by the ministers in England and in this place brings in two scriptures to warraÌ„t their Ministery vpoÌ„ this grouÌ„d let vs a litle consider of the scriptures and of the intent of them and what verdict they give in on his side In the one place the Prophet Ieremy reproves the Preists and Prophets for not dealing faithfully with the people in laying before them their abhominations and Gods judgements due unto the same that so they might haue turned from their evil wayes and from the wickednes of their inventions but for flattering them on the contrary in their iniquities and for preaching peace vnto them for the strengthening of their hands in evil Now if the Ministers in England be measured by these mens line they will appear to ly levell with theÌ„ in a great measure For first the greatest part of them by far declare not the Lords word at all vnto the people but are tonguetyed that way some through ignorance some through idlenes many through pride And of them which preach how many are there mere men-pleasers flattering the mighty with vayn and plausibly words and strengthening the hands of the wicked and with prophane and malicious spirits reviling and disgracing all sincerity in all men adding vnto these evils a wicked conversation by which they further the destruction of many but the conversion of none And lastly for those few of more sound doctrine and vnblameable coÌ„versation let these things be considered First they are reputed schismatiques in the Church of Engl are generally excoÌ„municated ipso facto so wil appear to be to any that compares their practise with the ecclesiasticall lawes of that Church 2. They do with these sound doctrines mingle many errours yea the same things which in the generall they teach and professe they do in the particulars but specially in their practise gainsay deny 3. As they declare the Lords will vnto the people but by halves and keep back a great part of his counsel which they know is profitable for them wherin they would walk with them were it not for fear of persecution so are they ready to de silenced to smother the whole counsel of the L. not to speak one word more in his name vnto the people vpon â—hâ—ir Lord Bishops inhibition which were they perswaded in their consciences they were sent of God I suppose they durst not do Of which more in the seventh Argument Now for that in Tim. 1. Epist. 4. ch ver 6. if the doctrine of the Ministers agree with the doctrine and practise of the Ch they will appear liker to them of whom Paul speaks ver 3. then to Timothy ver 6. If it be sayd that the Church of England forbid not mariage vse of meates absolutely but in certayn respects I answer no more doth the Church of Rome but to certeyn persons and at certeyn times against whoÌ„ notwithstanding all Protestants do apply this scripture and so doth the Church of England forbid them though more sparingly as good reason the daughter come something behind the mother as mariage to fellowes in Colledges and to Apprentices and to all at certeyne tymes especially at Lent during which holy time the eating of flesh is also forbidden and abstinence commaunded and that in incitation of Christs fâ—â—ting for our sakes fourty dayes and fourty nightes and that for a religious vse namely the subdâ—ing of the flesh vnto the spirit for the better obedience of godly mottoâ—s in righteousnes
more then tyme I come to the mayn controversie about succession which might be layd down summarily in these words whether the reformed Churches were bound to submit notwithstanding their separation from Rome vnto such ministers onely as were ordeyned by the Pope and his Bishops but for the better clearing of things I will enlarge my speach to these three distinct considerations First whether the Ministery be before the Church or no. 2. Whether the delegated power of Christ for the vse of the holy things of God be given primarily and immediately to the Church or to the Ministers 3. Whether the Lord haue so linked the Ministery in the chayn of succession that no Minister can be truely called and ordeyned or appointed without a praecedent Minister Touching the first of these Mr Ber affirmeth as in his former book that the Officers make the Church and give denomination vnto it so expresly in his 2. book that the Ministery is before the Church And noting in the same place a two fold raysing vp of the Ministery the first to beget a Church the second when the Church is gathered he puts the Ministers in both before the Ch in the former absolutely in the latter in respect of their Office and ordination by succession from the first In which discourse he intermingleth sundry things frivolous vnsound and contradictory Now for the first entery I desire the reader to observe with me that the quaestion betwixt Mr Bernard and me is about ordinary Ministers or officers of the Church such as were the first Ministers of the reformed Churches and as Mr B and I pretend our selves to be and not about extraordinary Ministers extraordinarily miraculously or immediately raysed vp as were Adam and the Apostles by God and Christ whom he produceth for examples Admit the one sort being called immediately and miraculously may be before the Church yet cannot the other which must be called by men and those eyther the Church or members of the Church at the least Besides the word Minister extends it self not onely vnto Officers ordinary and extraordinary but even to any outward means whether person or thing by which the revealed will of God is manifested and made known vnto men for their instruction and conversion Yea it reacheth even to God himself so far Mr B. stretcheth it where he makes God the first preacher Gen. 2. 3. As though there were a controversy between him and me whither God or the Church were first I see not but by the same reason he might avouch that the Ministers of the Church could not all dy or be deceived bycause God is free from these infirmityes It is true which Mr B. sayth that the word is before the Church as the seed which begetteth it and so is that which brings it yea whither it be person or thing which may also be called a Minister and be sayd to be sent of God as it is an instrument to convey and means to minister the knowledg of the same word will of God vnto any So if any private man or woman should be a means to publish or make known the word of God to a company of Turkes Iewes or other Idolaters he or she might truely be sayd to be their Minister and the Lords Ambassadour vnto thē as you speak Yea if they came to this knowledg by reading the Bible or other godly book that book or bible as it served to minister the knowledg of Gods wil in his word might truely in a generall sense be accoūted as a Minister vnto thē But what were all this to a Church-officer about whō our quaestiō is These things Mr B. shuffles together but the wise reader must distinguish them so doing he shall easily discover his trisling The particulars follow And first he affirmeth that God made Adam a Minister to whom he gave a wife to begin the Church and as Adam was before his wife so is the Ministery at the first before the Church If Adams wife began the Church then is your mayn foundation overthrown namely that the ministers make and denominate the Church except you will say that Eve was a Minister Secondly it is not true you say that God made Adam a Minister before Eve was created In the same place you make and truely a Minister and Ambassadour which brings the word all one vnto whom could Adam eyther minister the word or be an Ambassadour to bring it before Eve was formed There was nothing but bruit beasts and senceles trees and to them I suppose he brought it not The truth is Adam and Eve were the Ch. not by his but by her creatiō which made a company or society thus we are in the first place to consider of them and of Adam as a teacher in the second place the speciall calling here and ever following after and vpon the generall Of the same force with your first proof is your 2. which you take from Ephes. 4. 11. 12. where it is sayd God gave some not onely to confirm the Church but to gather the Saynts to make a Church To let passe your boldnes with the words I except against your exposition application of them The word gathering vpon which you insist is in some bookes turned repayring and is the same in the Greek with that which is restoring Gal. 6. 1. of which I have spoken formerly Againe Paul in that place speaks not onely of Apostles other Ministers of the first raysing vp for the begetting of Churches but of Pastours and Teachers which were taken out of the Church and of the 2. raysing for the feeding of the flock You will not deny but the Apostles and brethren at Ierusalem were a Church of God Act. 1. 15. 16. when as yet no Pastours or Teachers were appointed in it and how then can your doctrine stand that the Ministers spoken of Ephe. 4. 11. 12. amongst which were Pastours and Teachers were before the Church out of which they were taken and raysed vp of God to beget a Church Yea it is evident that the very office of Pastour vvas not then heard of in the Church whereby the falsity of your other affirmation is discovered to wit that the Office of such Ministers as are of the second raysing which are taken out of the Church is before the Church Thirdly the Apostles themselves howsoever extraordinary officers immediately called and sent forth to beget other Churches both of Iewes and Gentiles were Christians before they were Apostles and members of the Church before they were Officers And the scriptures do expresly testify that God ordeyned or set in the Church Apostles amongst other Officers and this their setting in the Church doth necessarily praesuppose a Church wherein they were set as the setting of a candle in a candlestick praesupposeth a candlestick as in deed the Church is the Candlestick the officers the candles lights and starres which are set in it
together with their answers layes them downe in his 2. book Of the first Argument I have spoken in another place The 2. is that if Christs ministeriall power be by succession to the Pope Bishops or Praesbytery then the Ministery of Rome is a true Ministery Mr Bern answer is that he meanes true succession which is both personall and hath with it a true office true doctrine true sacraments and prayer about which Christs true ministers are exercised but for the Romish Ministery it is idolatry and superstition and the men appointed there to ordeyned sacrifising Preists This answer of yours Mr B. puts me in mind of a practise of children who when they have a long while busyed themselves in drawing the best formes and figures they can in dust and ashes do at the last with one dash of their hand deface all vndo what they haue formerly done And that this childish dealing you use no reader that considers the quaestion in hand can be ignorant of The quaestion then between him me is not of such a succession personall as hath joyned with it successiō in a true office true doctrine true sacraments prayer wherin the minister is in any measure faithfully exercised but generally whether succession of persons be of such absolute necessity as that no minister can in any case be made but by a minister more specially whither the first ministers of the reformed Ch or of such as come out of the confusiō of Antichrist must of necessity be ordeyned by the Pope his Bishops or minister by vertue of their ordinatiō so received And that this succession by from the Romish ministery is that Mr Ber pleads for his writings manifest as first that as in all the Apostles time the Ministery was by succession ministers as it were begetting Ministers by ordination so after their tyme the like succession hath been kept frō tyme to tyme Bishop after Bishop and Ministers ordeyned by them which the Catalogue of thē stories of tymes on which we must rely where the script cease to make further relation do witnesse for the continuation of which succession to the worlds end he alledgeth Math. 28. 20. odiously perverting to the Pope and his shavelings the promise which Christ there made to be with his Apostles other faithfull ministers teaching the things which he had commanded and dispensing his other ordinances accordingly Answerable vnto which is his other saying in which his termes and meaning do well suit that Church-men ever ordeyned Ministers not the lay people To this also let his inferēce be added in another place pag. 311. that if we receive and hold our baptism from Rome why not our ordination also And in his former book most clearly condemning our Ministers for being made by such as are no Ministers contrary to the constant practise of the Church of God from the dayes of Adam hitherto And agayn that this custome of ordeyning Ministers did continue in the times following the Apostles tymes as before it had done in all the Churches of Christendom as ecclesiasticall wryters do make mention and so through pure impure Churches and that God in the last reformation of his Church would not break this order but choose men who were Bishops ordeyned even in the Popish Church so that they might ordeyn fit persons afterwards And this he tels the Reader he speaks of the Church of England as in deed he may wel for other Ch departed frō Rome would be loath to joyn in his plea. And lastly he chargeth vs with great praesumption for daring to break this order of God continued five thowsand and six hundred years Novv what can be more vayne The very poynt which MR. BERNARD is to prove and from which he brings his historicall narration from Adam to this day is that God hath continued the course of succession in the Romish Ministery and that from and by it successively the Ministery in England hath been and is at this day continued And yet in his answer to Mr Smyth he is driven to affirm that he hath no referēce at all to the Romish Ministery which he accounts Idolatry and superstition but meanes such a personal succession as hath ioyned with it a true office true doctrine and the like He will haue succession continued from the dayes of Adam hitherto and this to haue been the order of God for five thowsand and six hundred yeres and that he chose Bishops ordeyned in the Popish Church to ordeyn fit persons in the Church of England and yet Mr Smith is to know he speaks not at all of the succession in the Romish Ministery which is idolatry and superstition Now that the more simple reader may not loose himself in this mans maze and that he may the better know the state of the quaestion and judge of it I will here interpose some few thinges touching succession and ordination accordingly First then wee acknowledge that in the right and orderly state of things no Ministers are to be ordeyned but by Ministers the latter by the former in the Churches where they are and over which the holy Ghost hath set them And so the Apostles being generall and extraordinary men vnto whom the Evangelists also were joyned for assistance to water where they planted and to finish the works by them begun as they had the care of all the Churches committed vnto them and were charged with them so were they also to ordeyn the Elders and Bishops in them and the people bound to wayt theyr comming for that purpose as Mr Ber. truly affirmeth as were also these Bishops or Elders to ordeyn others in the Churches over which they were set so others after them in the order appoynted by Christ in his Apostles with whō also he promised to be alwayes till the worlds end in this and the like their holy ministrations But is the consequence good that bycause the Apostles and Evangelists were to ordeyn Elders in the Churches by Cōmission from Christ and that the people converted from Indaism or Paganism were to wayt till they came to ordeyn them theyr ministers therefore the Pope and Prelates vnder him have cōmission from Christ to ordeyn his priests and that the people converted from Antichristianism are to wayt 〈◊〉 they come to ordeyn them their Ministers or till they send them such as they have alwayes in store ordeyned to their hands or that bycause the Apostles and Evangelists had Christs promise to be with them alwayes that therefore the Pope Cardinalls Lord Bishops and Lord Suffragans have interest in the same promise It might asvvell be concluded that as the Lords people were bound to obey and submit vnto the former in their times so are they now to submit vnto and obey the Pope and his vnderlings And yet is this the very mark Mr Bernard aymes at in his long drawn historicall narration this is the force of his argument and his
manner of arguing If this lyne hold from Peter to the Pope and from the Pope to his clergy and so successively to the Ministery of England then it stands vpright if it break then doth the ministery of England which as Mr Bernard truely honestly confesseth is thus raysed fall flat to the ground as indeed it doth according to the foretelling of the Angel it is fallen it is fallen Babylon the great City But here it wil be demaunded of me how the Lords people comming out of Babylon separating from Rome are to obteyn and enjoy Ministers Surely one of these three wayes Eyther by the extaordinary immediate or miraculous designation of God or by succession or by the same peoples choise or appointment to which they are to minister To expect ministers by the first meanes were fancy and presumption so that by one of the two other wayes they must come necessarily The power of the holy things of God so specially of erecting the minstery is eyther tyed to the order of office so to the order of to the Popeship Praelacy under it or els to the faith of the people of God forsaking BabyloÌ„ joyning together in the covenant of AbrahaÌ„ fellowship of the gospel The former of these though Mr B be driveÌ„ to plead it in the proof of succession yet in the defence of it he is forced to disclaym disavow yeelding the Romish Ministery to be Idolatry and superstition and that he speaks of such a succession as requires with it a true office true doctrine true sacraments and prayer pag. 188. and agayn that he meanes by succession a continuance of Gods ordinance by persons elected thereto from tyme to tyme being of spirituall kindred by the fayth of doctrine by which the ordinance is vpheld and true succession mainteyned pag 190. With which graunt of his I might rest as indeed wherein he yeeldeth the whole cause and cutts off as it were with his own hands the cord of true succession in the Ch of Rome making it to fayl when the truth of doctrine and of election fayled in the same Ch But bycause it is so common a thing with him to say and vnsay and to say agayn the same things eyther forgetting himself or thinking others forgets or bycause he would say something to every thing though never so contrary both to the truth and himself in another place I will presse Mr Smythes other Arguments The third of which is that by the doctrine of succession men are bound absolutely to sin in joyning to the sinns of the Minister This is sayth Mr B to take vnproved a principle of Brownism to overthrow a truth namely that a man cannot receive the holy things of God but he must needs sin with others And is it so indeed Doe not the scriptures every where teach men to avoyd reiect and hold accursed false teachers haeretiques and idolaters and not to partake in the sinne of others eyther by practising them or giving consent or countenance vnto them Wherevpon it followeth that the doctrine which binds the Ministery and other holy things of God vnto succession and thereby to partake with haeretiques and false teachers or at least with such in their ministration as have received the power and authority by which they minister froÌ„ the Pope and his Praelacy bynds men to sinne in joyning with the sinns of the Ministers Of the Iewish Church Preisthood which Mr Berâ—here objects I haue spoken formerly and do now adde that as no man is now so tyed to any Church or Ministery in the world as was every faythfull person in the world then to that one temple and Preisthood at Ierusalem so neyther could any man then without sinn communicate with an â—aereticall or idolatrous Preist especially ministring in a false office and by the like calling and coÌ„mission which the Ministers both in Rome and England doe In the 4. Argument Mr Ber deales dishonestly Mr Smiths inference vpon the doctrine of succession is that then the Lord hath made the Ministers Lords over the Church so that the Church cannot have or enjoy any of the Lords ordinances or holy things except they will consent vnto them for the holy things are in their power Now Mr Ber. onely trifles about the word Lord and passeth by the substance of the inference which is most sound vpon the doctrine For if the Lords ordinances and holy things be tyed to the Ministers then without their consent there can be no vse of them And so where Ministers eyther are not or not willing to coÌ„municate them there can be no Church no electioÌ„ of Ministers no keyes of the kingdom and so no salvation as I have formerly manifested vpon Math. 16. 19. The sum of Mr Smithes 5. Argument is that then the Pope may excommunicate the whole Church vniversall the Bishops their whole Dioceses and Provinces and the Praesbytery the particular Church whereof it is Your answer Mr Bernard is that this were to do the Pope a great favour to prove him to have an vniversall power c. and 2. that by this sequell of Mr Smythes this absurdity would follow that the Bishop might cast out the Church out of the Church It is you that do the Pope this great favour though you would not own it For if the Ministery make the Church and that Rome be a true Church then must the ministery of Rome be true specially of the Pope from which the other is derived as from the head Agayn if the ordinatioÌ„ by the Bishops in the impure Church of Rome be the Lords order as you expresly affirm p. 145. of your former book then must the Popes vniversall power by which the Bishops doe vniversally ordeyn be the power of the Lord which from him he hath received for that purpose They which hold that the power of the keyes was given first immediately to the Apostle Peter so to the Popes of Rome his successours they hold that the Pope may excommunicate the whole Church so they which hold the Bishop or his substitute to be meant where Christ sayth tell the Church they must necessarily hold that the Bishop or his substitute may excommunicate his whole Province or Dioces and so of them which hold the Praesbytery to be the Ch there spoken of for the particular assembly over which it is The Church there meant may excoÌ„municate any brother or brethren whom or how many soever that refuse to hear her as the Church of Corinth to whoÌ„ Paul writ might judge all them which were within and not without vnder the Lords iudgement The substance of the seventh last objection is for the 6. hath no weight in it that the doctrine of succession overthrowes it self and the Reason is bycause one POPE doth not make another by ordination whyles he lives but the Cardinals do by Election make the new Pope after the death of the former So that the Pope receiving his
ministeriall power from the Cardinals cannot give it to them and so to the rest of the Clergy in Rome and England neyther can it descend from Christ through the Apostles and so through him to the other inferiour ministers but as in a chayn if the highest link be broken the rest which hang vpon it must needs fall So if there be a breach of this chayn of succession from the Apostles to the ministery of Rome and of England which descends of it lineally in the higest link the Pope all the rest of the chayn that hangs vpon it except it be otherwise vpheld must needs fall flat vpon the ground It is true which Mr Ber answers that election and succession by ordination may stand together in the ministery but in this case it cannot except the Pope should by the election of the Cardinalls or others ordeyn his succession whilest himselfe survived Now in this last answer Mr B challengeth his adversary to be wilde in wandering and to have lost his quaestion in concluding that the doctrine of succession is a false doctrine where he should prove that Christs power is not given to the principall members But this challenge is both vnjust vnadvised Vnjust bycause succession from the popish Church and Clergy is made by M Ber in his former book the foundation of the ministery of England and so of the Church the Church by his affirmation being made by the ministers and the Ministers by such Bishops as were ordeyned in the popish Church Vnadvised bycause these two poynts do depend ech vpon other necessarily For if Christs power be tyed to the officers whether principall or inferiour then must it come to the ministery and Church of England by succession if it come not by succession from or by the Pope and his Clergy then must it come by the same successioÌ„ of fayth doctrine vnto the children of Abraham two or three or more faithfull persons joyned together in the covenant and fellowship of the gospel And for the quaestion in Mr Bernards own words remitting the Reader to such places as prove that a company of faythfull people in the covenant of the gospell though without officers are a visible Church that they haue immediate right to the holy things of God and that the keyes for bynding and loosing were given to Peters confession I will adde onely one Argument and so proceed It hath been sundry tymes observed and proved by the scriptures that the officers of the Church are the servants of the Ch and their office a service of the Lord and of his Church Wherevpon it followeth necessarily that what power the officers have the body of the Church hath first and before them the very light of nature coÌ„mon sense teaching it that what power or authority soever the the servants of any body or persons have the body or persons whose servants they are must have it first and they by theÌ„ And for this purpose let it be further observed that no power at all came vnto the Church of the Iewes by the Levites not the vse of the sacrament of circumcision no nor of the very sacrifices which were offered by the first born in the family and that even after the peoples comming out of Egypt vnder the hand of Moses till Levi was called to the Preisthood Ex. 13. 2. 24. â— I proceed If the Ministery of the reformed Churches must be by succession or ordination by Popish Bishops then must the same office of Ministery be continued from the one Church to the other as indeed it was withall the Ministers of the Church of England at the first who without any new eyther calling or ordination which depends vpon it continued their office and place formerly received there being onely a reformation of some of the grossest evills like the healing of Iobs soars as Mr B. speaketh as the office of Iustice-ship or the like in the common wealth may be continued the same in the same persons individually though by edict of Parliament or other superiour power there be a surceasing of some mayn act of it Further to ty the Ministery thus to succession is to ty the Lords sheep to submit to no other sheepheards but such as the wolves haue appointed And if a company of Gods people in Rome or Spayn should come out of Babylon and no consecrated Preist amongst them they must by this doctrine enjoy no Ministers but such as the Romish wolves will ordeyn do according to their Popish prophane order To these things I might also adde that look what power any of the Popes Clergy receive from him the same he takes from them deprives them of where they withdrew their obedience or separate from that Church as also that the ordinations in Rome by their own Canons are very nulliâ—yes and many the the like exceptions pleaded by learned protestants against the Romish preisthood and this Romish doctrine of succession but that which hath been spoken is sufficient in the generall and I hasten to the third and last meanes of the three by which Gods people after Antichrists defection are to injoy the ministery and other of Christs ordinances And for our better proceeding herein I will first consider what ordination is and 2. how far the brethren may goe by the scriptures and the necessary consequences drawn from them in this and the like cases in the first planting of Churches or in the reducing of them into order in or after some generall confusion The Prelates and those which levell by their lyne do highly advance ordination and far above the administration of the word sacraments and prayer making it and the power of excommunication the two incoÌ„municable prerogatives of a Bishop in their vnderstanding above an ordinary minister But surely herein these cheif ministers do not succeed the cheif ministers the Apostles except as darknes succeeds light and Antichrists confusion Christs order Where the Apostles were sent out by Christ there was no mention of ordination their charge was to go teach all nations and baptize them and that the Apostles accounted preaching their principall work and after it baptism prayer the scriptures manifest And if ordination had been in those dayes so pryme a work surely Paul would rather haue tarryed in Crete himself to have ordeyned Elders there and haue sent Titus an inferiour officer about that inferiour work of preaching then haue gone himself about that leaving Titus for the other But bycause Mr Bernard with whom I deal when he writes most advisedly preferrs preaching to the first place and the administration of the sacraments and prayer to the next passing by ordination as not worthy the naming amongst these principall works I wil therefore leave it to be honoured by them whom it most honoureth and for whose ease and profit it best serveth and will consider in what place he setteth it He then pleading that as well the ordination as the
of truth nor cause vs to forbear this most excellent and comfortable ordinance of the Lord Iesus wherein is to be seen and heard the variety and harmony of the graces of God for the aedifying of the Church v. 4. and gayning of the vnbeleevers v. 24. 25. That the Apostle in this Chapter directs the Church in the vse of extraordinary gifts is most evident neyther will I deny but that the officers are to guide and order this action of prophesying as all other publick buesinesses yea even these wherein the brethren have greatest liberty but that he also intends the establishing of so takes order and gives direction for an ordinary constant exercise in the Church even by men out of office I do manifest by these reasons First bycause the Apostle speaks of the manifestation of a gift or grace common to all persons as well brethren as ministers ordinary as extraordinary and that at all times which is love as also of such fruits and effects of that gaace as are no lesse coÌ„mon to all then the grace it self nor of lesse continuance in the Churches of Christ to wit of â—dification exhortation comfort v. 3. compared with 1 Thes. 5. 11. 14. Secondly verse 21. he permits all to prophesie and speaks as largely of prophesying as of learning and receiving comfort But now least any should object may women also prophesie the Apostle prevents that obiection and it may be reproves that disorder amongst the Corinthians ver 34. by a flat inhibition inioyning them expresly to keep silence in the Church in the presence of men to whom they ought to be subiect and to learn at home of their housbands v. 35. and not by teaching the mâ—â— to vsurp authority over them 1 Tim. 2. 11. 12. which the men in prophesying do lawfully vse Now this restreynt of women from prophecying or other speaking with authority in the Church both in this place to the Corinthians and in the other to Tim doth clear the two former obiections In that Paul forbids women he gives liberty to all men gifted accordingly opposing women to men sex to sex and not women to Officers which were frivolous And againe in restreyning women he shewes his meaning to be of ordinary not extraordinary prophesying for women immediately and extraordinarily and miraculously inspired might speak without restreynt Exo. 15. 20. Iudg. 4. 4. Luk. 2. 36. Act. 21. 17. 18. The Prophets here spoken of were not extraordinary bycause their doctrines were to be iudged by other Prophets and their spirits to be subiect vnto the spirits of others v. 29. 32. where the doctrines of the extraordinary Prophets were neyther subiect to nor to be iudged by any but they as the Apostles being immediately and infallibly inspired were the foundation vpon which the Church is built Iesus Christ himself being the cheif corner stone The Apostle vers 37. makes a Prophet and a man spirituall all one whom he further describes not by any extraordinary gift but by that common Christian grace of submission vnto the things he writes as the commaundements of the Lord. Vnto whom also ver 38. he opposeth a man wilfully ignorant teaching vs that he doth not measure a Prophet in this place eyther by the office of ministery or by any extraordinary propheticall gift but by the coÌ„mon christian gift of spirituall discerning It is the commaundement of the Lord by the Apostle that a Bishop must be apt to teach that such Elders or Bishops be called as are able to exhort with sound doctrine and to convince the gainsayers Now except men before they be in office may be permitted to manifest their gifts in doctrine and prayer which are the two mayn works requiring speciall qualification in the teaching Elders how shall the Church which is to chuse them take knowledge of their sufficiency that with faith and good conscience they may call them and submit vnto them for their guides If it be sayd that vpon such occasion triall may be taken of mens gifts I do answer first that mens gifts and abilities should be known in some measure before they be once thought on for officers and 2. that there is none other vse or tryall of those gifts but in prophesying for every thing in the Lords house is to be performed in some ordinance there is no thing throwen about the house or out of order in it and other ordinance in the Church save this of prophesying is there none wherein men out of office are to pray and teach which therefore they ought to covet v 39. and in it to be excercised and trayned vp that when officers want the Church may not need to set vp men as it were to play their prizes nor send them like school-boyes to be posed as your fashion in England is And that minister that is not called vpon the Churches experimentall knowledge of his sufficiency in these things comes not in by the dore which Christ hath opened nor may be accounted a true minister of Christ and his Church Lastly eyther men not yet in office being accordingly qualified may preach the truth of Christ or it is not possible that the people should be taught in lawfull manner eyther in nations vniversally heathenish or vniversally apostate vnder Antichrist before there be true Churches gathered by which the officers are to be chosen for as it is not very like that heathenish or antichristian preists will sincerely teach the truth neyther is it lawfull for them to administer or for any to joyn with them in their administrations by vertue of any heathenish or antichristian calling or ordination Rev. 14 9. 10. 11. 1 Tim. 5. 22. And howsoever the Church of England hath preferred a dumb masse and profane preisthood with a service-book before this ordinance yet the truth of Christ is otherwise and so the Church of Christ is taught to practise which you also Mr B might do well in modesty to acknowledge though you want liberty to vse it I haue insisted the longer vpoÌ„ this point both for it self and bycause it serveth effectually to prove the other point in hand For if the brethren have liberty in this ordinance of prophecy they haue also liberty in the other ordinance of excommunication for they are both of the same nature Look to whom Christ gave the one key of doctrine to them he gave the other key of discipline and they that may handle the one may have a finger vpoÌ„ the other they that may bynde loose by doctrine reproof comfort they may also bynde or loose by application of the same doctrine reproof or comfort to the person obstinate in sin oâ— penitent for it As the one of those doth necessarily establish the other so take away eyther and the other cannot stand And here I gather an other argument agaynst your exposition of Math 18. Lastly as the Elders principally to be imployed in teaching cannot
accounted doth pronounce ipso facto excommunicated all that do affirm eyther the ceremonies of the Church or goverment by Arch Bishops Bishops Deanes Archdeacons and the rest to be Antichristian or the bookes eyther of common prayer or of consecrating Bishops Preists and Deacons to conteyn in them any thing vnlawful or repugnant to the word of God Your third distinction I passe by as impertinent and the fourth as being already handled saue onely that in the end of it you bite at vs as you go for separating froÌ„ Gods ordinaÌ„ces in the Church for some wicked mens sake But you know Mr B. that wee do not deem your Church-government worship ministery and ministrations to be Gods ordinances nor your Church in that confusion wherein it was gathered consisteth to be rightly possessed of the ordinances which it injoyes no nor that any person how godly minded soever can haue the right vse of Gods ordinances in your assemblies as they are publick joynt exercises of the communion of the body In the fifth and last difference you speak of godly mens breaking society with themselves bycause of some wicked persons To which point I answer thus much since the L. Iesus hath given his Churches both power and charge to put from among them such wicked persons as do arise and appear incorrigible and hath also taught by his Apostle that the neglect of this duety levens the whol lump that they which countenaunce and continue in the Church such wicked persons against the godly zealous which endeavour their reformation that they I say do break the society of the godly with themselves and do rather make choise of the society of the wicked whom they thus bolster and bear out In the 3. place we are to consider of the matter entreated of and found fault with by the Apostle 2 Cor. 6. which you say is in summe thus much beleevers are not to be with the wicked in their vnrighteousnes in the state of their darknes nor to partake with them in their evils and so to agree together which no way helps our separation from light righteousnes c. It is true that the particular matter the Apostle findes fault with is the beleeving Corinthians communicating with the vnbeleevers in the idol feasts but withall it must be considered that the Apostle vpon this particular occasion delivers a generall doctrine then which nothing is more vsuall both in the old new testament The same Apostle in his former Epistle to the same Corinthians takes occasioÌ„ from the fornicatour among them to forbid them the companying or commingling not onely with fornicators but with covetous persons Idolaters raylers drunkards extortioners all other wicked men whomsoever ch â— 1. 11. so in this place he takes occasion from their coÌ„municating with Idolaters in the Idolathytes and the vncleannes thence arising to enjoyn them separation from all other vncleannes whether of persons or things as the whole tenour of the scripture manifesteth More particularly though the Apostle as you would haue it did onely forbid partaking with the wicked in their evils yet even therein did he forbid all religious communion with them since their very prayers and other sacrifices are their evils wherein whylst the godly do communicate with them what do they els but acknowledge their common right and interest in those holy things But that the Apostle in this scripture forbids communion not onely in the evill works of wicked men but with their persons and that he commaunds a separation not onely reall but personall doth appeare by these Reasons First bycause the scripture hath reference to the yoaking of the beleevers with the vnbeleevers in mariage as the occasion of that spirituall Idolatrous mixture which he reproves Now this ioyning was not in an evill or vnlawfull thing but with wicked and vnlawfull persons 2. The very terms beleevers vnbeleevers light darknes Christ Beliall do import opposition not of things onely but of persons also for the things sake So the faithfull are called righteousnes light as they are light so are the vngodly darknes and so not onely their works but their persons are called 3. The Apostle forbids all vnlawful communion in this place but there is an unlawfull communion of the faithfull with the wicked in things lawfull as with excoÌ„municates Idolaters heretiques or any other flagitious persons in the sacraments prayer other religious exercises in the respects formerly by me layd down whervpon it was that the Iewes were to separate themselves not onely from the manners of the heathen but even from their persons Ezra 9. 1. 2. 10. 2. 3 Nehem. 9. 2. 10. 28. 30. and that Paul reproves the Corinthians Epist. 1. Chap. 5. for having fellowship not in the persons incest but with the incestuous person whom therefore they were to purge out to put away from among theÌ„selves vers 5. 7. 13. Fourthly the Apostle enjoyns such a separation as vpon which a people is to be reputed Gods people the temple of the living God may chalenge his promise to be their God to dwell amoÌ„g them to walk there And as for the temple where the Lord promised to dwell the tymber and stones whereof it was to be built were to be selected and separated from all the trees in the forâ—est and stones in the rock and to be hewed and squared accordingly and so to be set together in that comely order which was prescribed so that this spirituall house or temple the Church now may have the promise of Gods presence and dwelling there it must be framed of spirituall stones and timber first separated from the rest then fitted and prepared by that ax or sword of the spirit the word of God and so coupled and combyned together in due order and proportion Besides it is evident that the holy Ghost hath reference in this place to the people of the Iewes which was separated from all other peoples and persons in the world as appeareth Lev. 20. 24. and 26. 11. 12. therein noting out what must be the course and condition of the Israel of God to the worlds end But here Mr Bern. excepts against our exposition of these places of Levit and the like as miserably wrested and falsly applyed to our separation For by Gods separating them from other people is meant sayth he a setting apart of Abrahams posterity to a speciall service of God and therein to be a people differing from all the world And by other people is meant such as worshipped not the true God which is nothing to them that worship Iesus Christ c. but no Israelites to separate from other Israelites which were even then when Moses thus spake of separation a corrupt people aâ—â—â—g themselves And is this your righting of our wrestings Mr B Els-where you tell vs that the Lord separates a people from others and takes them to be his before
other impietyes and this both the practise of your Church and your doctrine pleading for succession and ordination from Rome Romish Bishops do necessarily confirm All the massepreists ordeyned in Queen Maries dayes for that end were vpon their conformity to the orders then continued Ministers in their severall congregations in Queen Elizabeths dayes by vertue of their former ordination And so are such masse-preists at this day though ordeyned at Rome received and continued amongst you vpon the aforenamed conditions Now it is your own constant affirmation every where that ordination makes the minister Wherevpon it followes that no new ordination no new minister but the old massepreist reformed of such impieties wherein Rome exceeds England 2. it is your doctrine in your first book that the ministery makes the Church gives denomination vnto it in your 2. book that the Church of Rome is a true Church wherevpon it followeth necessarily that the ministery in the Church of Rome is a true Ministery except a false ministery can make a false Church And if any order of ministery be it is that of the parish preists for they are the likest the Pastours in their severall charges Whence I do also conclude that since the Romish preists office is a true office though vnder corruptions as it was true Iob overshadowed with byles eyther the English preists must haue the same office with thē though with the byles cured or els they are not the true ministers of Christ. And for the name preist at which you say we catch you do idly draw it from the Greeks since it is most evident that with the office the name was tanslated vnto you from the Latine and Romish Church their sacerdos being your Priest in your books of ordination and common prayer which you haue from them otherwise why do you not turn the Greek words praesbyter proistamenos preists in your English Bibles which are translated from the originalls The sum of the 2. Arg. is that the Ministers of the Church of Engl are Pastours and Teachers that is good sheepheards such as do keep feed and govern the flock and as are qualified with gifts and vnderstanding and instruct them that are vnlearned If in stead of Pastours and Teachers you had put Parsons Vicars your writtes of presentation and institution would haue proved it But that you are Pastours and Teachers such as Paul speaks of Ephe. 4. by holy writ you can never manifest 2. though the things were true you speak both for your power and practise yet except you administred those things by a lawfull calling in a lawfull office and to a lawfull assembly you were not true Pastors and Teachers But it is not true you say of your selves that you play the good sheepheards in feeding that is in providing pasture for the sheep and in governing ordering them to fro at it Your Prelates govern or rather reign but teach not your parish Preists some of them that can list teach so much as they dare for feare of their imperious Lords but govern not Your 3. Arg for your Ministers is that they are called sent of God of his Ch therefore are true ministers Their calling sending of God you make his preparing of them with gifts graces to be able to exequute in some measure the office wherevnto he doth appoint them But herein you are greatly mistaken the Lords inabling men with gifts is one thing and his calling them to vse them in such and such an order is another thing and though the Lord calls none but he inables them yet he inables many he never calls Many counsellers judges lawyers and others in the land are very able to discharge the office of ministery but are not called therevnto of God if they be it is their sin not to obey the heavenly calling and to become ministers And as a man may be qualified with gifts for the ministery and yet not called of God to vse them so being qualified accordingly he may be a true Minister of the Church though he be never called of God at all as we now speak So was Iudas who was never inwardly called of God that is perswaded by the work of Gods spirit in his heart in the zeal of Gods glory and love of the salvation of men to take vpon him the office of an Apostle And what true calling of God the Ministers in the Church of England haue to take vpon them their offices charges as they do appeares in their easy forsaking them vpon a litle persecution yea before it come near them Of which more hereafter Now for the calling of the Ministers by the Church albeit we put of the more full handling of it to the 4. Arg. yet something must be sayd for the present And first though it were true you say that the Church of England were the true Church of Christ yet were not your Ministers called and sent by the Church except a Lordly Prelate be the Ch of England for by such a one is every Minister amongst you called and made 2. I deny here as alwayes your nationall Ch to be the true visible Church of Christ and that which in this case you say is largely proved I hope is sufficiently refuted But here a demand you make in your answer to Mr Sm must be satisfied namely why true ministers may not arise as well out of a false Church as a false ministery out of a true Ch The latter I agree vnto for the Church may erre and through errour or otherwise chuse a man uncapable of the Ministery by the word of God Whereupon it followes that the Minister makes not the Church as you erroneously affirm for then the Church should in the very instant become a false Church when she sets vp a false Minister But your inference I deny For first evil may arise from good though by accident without any externall cause comming between as sin did from the angels in heaven and our first parents in paradise but so cannot good from evil 2. the officers are 1. of 2 by 3. in and 4 for the Church 1. of it as members of the body and so must be members of a true Church before they can be true officers 2. by it in respect of their calling as Gal. 1. 1. and therefore except they can eyther be true officers by a false calling or that a false Church can give a true calling they cannot be true in it 3. in it as the accidēts or adjuncts in the subject without which being true they can have no more true existence then reason can have without a reasonable soul or subject 4. for it and therefore since the Lord hath appointed no ministery for a false Church there can by the word of God be no true ministery in it and this I wish them to consider which still adhere to the Church of England though they wholy dislike
Bishops of God which have obteyned the principall order and office in your Church for a lesse principall work namely government and are preferred to the highest first place not for the teaching of their Dioseces Provinces which were impossible though they desired it but for ruling of them You say they are the successors of the Apostles but the cheif work of the Apostles Ministery was the preaching of the gospel not ruling much lesse Lording wherein your Bishops office standeth The order which the Apostle Paul hath left is that those Elders which labour in the word and doctrine should have speciall honour and aboue them which are imployed in ruling but this order Antichrist hath subverted as being a course not onely too base and laborious but even impossible for him to honour his Ministers by as he desired and hath effected hath procured not double treble but an hundred fold greater honour to be ascribed to ruling and government then to preaching And this is not the least part of that confusion wherein you stand and against which wee testify 2. If the office of Ministery consist principally in preaching how can your office of Ministery or order of Preisthood be of Christ which coÌ„sists not at all in preaching as I haue shewed but may stand without it by the Canons Lawes of your Church not requiring it necessarily as any essentiall property for the being but onely admitting of it as a convenient ornament for the well-being commending in deed the person that vseth it but no wayes justifying the office which requireth it not Yea most evident it is that the Ministery of the Church of England considering it not onely in the state cariage of things but specially in the civil and ecclesiasticall lawes wherein it is founded consists more principally in the wearing of a surplice then in the preaching of the gospel To conclude this point as the examination of such with you as are to be ordeyned by the Bishop and his Chaplayn is no triall of their gifts of knowledge zeal or vtterance or that they are apt to teach but a devise like the poseing of schoolboyes without eyther warrant fro the scriptures or good to the Church so the onely examination which the word of God approves of is that just and experimentall knowledge which the Church by wise observation is to take of the personall gifts and graces of such men as the Lord rayseth vp amongst them manifesting themselves in the publick exercises of the Church in their places as there is occasion though you Mr Bern. be bold to abuse 1 Tim. 3. 7. to the justification of your letters testimoniall vnto the Bishop which any vngodly person may procure from other persons as ill as himself and thereby may find acceptance with some Bishop or other as evill as eyther of both The Apostle Peter directing the disciples or Church about the choice or nomination of one to be chosen into the room of Iudas tels them they must think of such a man as had companyed with them all the tyme that the Lord Iesus was conversanâ— among them And the same Apostle together with the rest by the same spirit directs the Ch afterward to chuse from among themselves seven men iustly qualified to take vpon them the administratioÌ„ of the Church treasury And vpon the same ground it was that the Apostles Paul Barnabas did not streightway vpon the gathering of the Churches of the Gentiles ordeyn them officers but a good space after even when the people had made good proof and tryall of the gifts and faithfulnes of such men as by their free choice and election the Apostles ordeyned over them And whom doth it concern so nearely to make proof or to take observation of them that are to be called into office as them that are to call or chuse them and to commit their soules vnto them Of which election it followeth we consider in the next place And the first thing I purpose about it is to sum vp and set together a few of Mr B. sayings which like so many waves driven by contrary winds do dash theÌ„selves asunder one against another First then he affirmeth pag. 133. and 138. that the Church iâ— tâ— separate and câ—â—se 〈…〉 amongst others for Ministers such as are found fit in so saying what doth he but graunt that the Church is before the Ministers They that chuse must needs be before the that are chosâ—nâ— How them do the Ministers make the Church 2. In his 2. book he reproacheth Mr Smyth as an impudent gaâ—nsayer of the tâ—â—t for saying that the Church did elect Mathias Act. 1. where the Lord did make the châ—ise and yet in the same book pag. 295. 296. he graunts that such examples of practise were then in vse for the peoples chusing Ministers and quotes this very scripture with some others for that purpose 3. he affirmeth in his former book that the guides and governours of the Ch were to chuse the Officers alledgeth to that end Act. 14. 23. Neyther remembring what he had formerly written in the same book namely that the rest of the congregation were to chuse the principall to be their mouth and to stand for the whole Church nor yet caring what he was to write in his 2. book to wit that the people were to chuse their ministers for which he also bringeth the same scripture Act. 14. 23. If this man had been in Iohn Baptists place the Iewes might well haue answered Christ that they had gone out to see a reed shaken with the wind But to leave his contradictions of himself to come to his oppositions against the truth And first it is erroniousâ—y written by him and the scriptures Act. 13. 1. 2. 14. 23. sinfully perverted to the justification of his errour that by the Church which is to chose officers â—s meant the guids and governours thereof That which I haue formerly noted out of both his books espetially his quoting the latter of these scriptures for the peoples liberty in chusing their ministers doth give great cause of suspition that in this case he thus writes for his purpose against his conscience and is in deed condemned of himself And for the other place which is Act. 13. 1. 2. I may as justly yea much more reprove Mr B. for bringing it for the governours chusing of Paul and Barnabas as he Mr Smyth for bringing Act. 1. for the peoples chusing of Mathias For first Barnabas Saul were Apostles as well as Mathias and therefore not to be called to their office by man but by God Gal 1. 1. and so were of the Holy Ghost as immediately separated by name as was Mathias by lot 2. Mathias was at that time first called to the office of Apostleship which before he had not but Paul and Barnabas were Apostles long before and at that tyme designed
if there be any in that Ch by and to which the latter are called so neyther doth the age wherein you first instance draw any such straight line of succession or conclude any such necessity of ordination by praecedent officers as you praetend And that you may more clearly see this you must take notice of your errour in affirming that God raysed vp extraordinary Teachers till the law The first born in the families were the ordinary Teachers ordinarily succeeding til the Levites were appointed the office of Preisthood being annexed to their birthright In which respect it was that God told Cain his brothers desire should be vnto him and that he should rule over him For which purpose see also Gen. 21. 9. 25. 31. 32. 33. 34. 49. 4. with Deut. 33. 8. Adde vnto this also that the Lord would haue every first born amongst the chidren of Israel consecrated vnto him that the Priests or as it is better turned the administers of the holy things which come neare to the Lord should sanctify themselves and that Moses sent the young men of the children of Israel to offer burnt offrings and sacrifices vnto the Lord. But most evidently doth this appear in that the Levites were appointed to teach the people and to offer sacrifices and to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation for the first born that openeth the matrice among the children of Israell And as the first born were the ordinary Teachers successively before the law in whose stead the Levites afterwards were appointed so was this order in sundry persons and vpon sundry occasions broken and interrupted As in CAIN for his murder in TERAH for his Idolatry in ISMAEL for his mocking in ESAV for his prophanenes To descend lower When the order of succession in the Preisthood was so far estalished as that it did divolve by the word of God from the parents vpon the children as by an haereditary right yet then wee see it was sometimes for the sinns of men broken off and interrupted Take for instance Eli and his house The Lord God â—f Israel had sayd that his house the house of his father should walk before him for ever but now the L saith is shall not be for them that honour me I will honour and they that dispise me shal be despised Behold the dayes shall come that I will cut off the arm of thy fathers house c. then he addes and I will stir me vp a faithful Preist that shall do according to myne hart and according to my mynde c. which was also especially accomplished in Salomons dayes when the Preisthood was translated froÌ„ Abiathar to Zadock 1 King 2. 35. To the same purpose tends that which the Prophets Ezechiel Hose threaten and denounce against other Preists of Israel for their idolatrie and other iniquities The Levites sayth the Lord which went back from me when Israel went astray shall bear their iniquity and they shall not come neare vno me to do the office of the Preist vnto me c. And againe by Hose bycause thou hast refused knowledge I wil also refuse thee that thou shalt be no Preist to mee and seing thou hast forgotten the Law of thy God I will also forget thy children I will change their glory into shame For the shutting vp of this point the Lord Iesus himself comming to repayr the decayed places of Sion to enlarge the walles of Ierusalem did not chuse his Apostles out of the nuber of the Preists other ordinary Teachers but els where They in deed supposed as the Prelates Preists now do that the Lord could neyther propagate nor mainteyn his Church but by them bycause they were the childreÌ„ of AbrahaÌ„ but Iohn Baptist tells them all other with theÌ„ that hang vpoÌ„ the same or like lyne of personall succession which they did that except they prevent the Lords wrath and bring forth fruits worthy amendement of life he will with the ax of his wrath hew them down cast them as vnfruitfull trees into the fyre raysing vp vnto Abraham seed and children of the very stones If now the Lord haue thus ever and anon from the beginning of the world chaunged the course and current of succession for these sinns namely murther idolatry persequution profanenes and the like is it possible that the stream should still run by the Lords appointment without stop or change for so many hundred yeares in the Romish Church where these and all other sinns and iniquities haue abounded and where they all as so many members coÌ„pact together make the man of sum coÌ„plete Is the Lord lâ—sâ—â— zealous now a dayes then in times past of the honour of his name and ordinances Or hath S. Peter procured some Charter of impunity for his successours the Popes of Rome what impieties soever they haue faln or can fall into Or doth this man think by any plea he can make for them to hold them in possessioÌ„ of that right which they haue so notoriously forfeyted so many wayes and for so many yeres and whereof the word of God hath so evidently disseyzed them For conclusion of this particular the Apostle Paul foretelling the generall apostasy of that man of sin the child of perdition advancing himself above all that is called God or is worshipped addeth that the Lord will destroy him with the spirit of his mouth In which words we are to observe first the vniversality of the apostasie advancing it self above all that is called God and secondly the manner of restauration of the Church which is to be by the Lord the spirit of his mouth where if it were to be by the ministers of Antichrists making or the Popes calling theâ— should the man of sinne consume himself Ioyn with this scripture another of the same nature wherein the H Ghost speaking by the mouth of Iohn of the same generall apostacy foretells how God would rayse up his two witnesses which should prophesy against the beast which came out of the bottomelesse pit and against all the abhominations of Antichrist whereas by the doctrine of successioÌ„ no witnesses should be raysed up against Antichrist but by himself Now by these scriptures instances it appears that the stream of succession hath not run so currantly from the dayes of Adam hitherto as Mr B praetendeth but that it hath sundry tymes been stopped and turned by that most specially in the Romish apostasy The thing I purpose in the next place is to prosequute certayn Arguments of Mr Smythes and the rather bycause himself hath in a measure forsaken this truth with others adding also some others vnto them to prove that the ministery and so other the holy things of God is not tyed by Christ to the succession of office or order but of faith The Arguments I vvill take vp as Mr Bernard
there is the right of calling and ordeyning the ministers of the gospell bycause we must fly the enemyes of the gospell as an Anathema And besides sayth he if wee should desyre of them the ceremony of ordinatioÌ„ they would not giue it except we would bind ourselves to renounce the true doctrine other wicked boÌ„ds would they cast vpoÌ„ vs. Neyther therefore ought the true Ch to be without Pastors without the keyes without the voyce of the gospell without forgivenes of â—inns bycause the tyranny of the Bishops eyther drives away or refuses to appoynt fit Ministers And agayn it is the confusioÌ„ of order to seek sheepheards froÌ„ the wolves And lastly this hath ever been the right of the true Church to chuse and call out of her own assembly fit Ministers of the gospel Thus far hâ— In the third place Peter Martyr shall speak who vpon the book of Iudges ch 4. vers 5. sayth thus Touching the ecclesiasticall Ministery we have signified before that it may not be committed to women that they are not fit for it But now wee adde that in the planting of Churches anew when men want which should preach the gospell a woman may perform that at the first but so as when she hath taught any company that some one man of the faythful be ordeyned which may afterwards minister the sacraments teach and do the Pastours duety faithfully 4. Zanchy vpon the fifth to the Ephesians treating of Baptism propounds a quaestion of a Turk comming to the knowledge of Christ and to sayth by reading the new Testament and withall teaching his family converting it and others to Christ and being in a countrey whence he can not easily come to Christian Churches whether he may baptise them whom he hath converted to Christ he himself being vnbaptized He answers I doubt not of â—â— but that he may and withall provide that he himself be baptized of one of the three converted by him The Reason be gives 〈…〉 bycause he is a Minister of the word extraordinarily stirred vp of Christ so as such a Minister may with the consent of that small Church appoint one of the communiâ—ants and provide that he be baptized by him Adde in the fifth place Tilenus who being demaunded of the Earl of Lavall from whom Calvin had his calling answered from the Church of Geneva and from Farell his praedecessour who had also his froÌ„ the people of Geneva who had right and authority to institute and depose Ministers which thing he also confirms by Cyprian Ephes. 14. The sixth and last I will name is Sadeel who writing a treatise of purpose touching the lawfull calling of Ministers against such as agreed with the reformed Churches in the doctrine they taught but excepted against them in this that they had not their Ministers by ordinary succession sâ—ewes that amongst and above other things the ecclesiastical Ministery of Rome is corrupted makes it a shamelesse thing that any boasting of the pure knowledge of God should obiect against them that they did not draw the pure reformation of the ecclesiasticall Ministery out of the drâ—gges of Popery The first argument he vseth to justify the calling of their Ministers is that they are called chosen and received of these assemblyes which do appear by manifest signes and arguments to be true Churches as having the true doctrine of fayth the pure administration of the sacrameÌ„ts the right and sincere â—â—vocation of Gods name observing religiously the discipline instituted by Christ and his Apostles and lastly testifying by the duties of love constancy of Martyrs and reformation of the whole life that they are by the great mercy of God adopted into the number of the faythfull as members of the Catholick Church c. And thus much of the Ministery both yours Mr Ber ours and more particularly to prove that an assembly of faythful people separating themselves from Heathenish or Antichristian idolatry have right within themselves to call and appoint their Ministers Now from this conclusion thus manifested do arise sundry others worthy the noting down for the common controversy As first that such an assembly though without officers is a true visible Church the kingdom of Christ City of God And I suppose it needs no confirmation to any good conscience that the choise of Church officers is a Church action a mayn part of the administration of Christs kingdom and a priviledge of that spirituall City the new Ierusalem and that such an assembly hath the power of Christ and from him authority and commission without vvhich it were intollerable usurpation to praesume to choose his officers especially the cheif officers in his kingdom as are they which administer the word sacraments of whom we principally entreat 2. That the people have power to censure offenders for they that haue power to elect appoint set vp officers they hav also power vpoÌ„ just occasioÌ„ to reject depose put them down so are part of that Church where officers are and the whole Church where they are not of which Christ speaketh Math 18. 17. where he sayth tell the Church Besides that the calling of officers and censuring of offenders are the two mayn administrations of the kingdome of Christ and so both of one nature 3. And lastly that the brethren out of office whether in a Church furnished with officers or vvithout them are not mere private persons as you Mr Ber and others would make them in the exercise of prophesy calling of Ministers and judging of offenders for scandalous sinns Considering them in deed severally one by one or in opposition to the publique officers they may be called private persons but take them joyntly and in these and the like acts of their communion and they are more then so and as the Church is a publique body so are they members of the body and parts of the whole and of the same publique nature with it and not private parts or members of the publique body which were a senseles contradiction and contrary to the rule in ReasoÌ„ The whole and all the partes ioyntly taken are the same When the brethren made choyce of Ioseph and Mathyas to be presented and afterwards of the seven Deacons after that of the Elders in every Church did they make a private choise of publique officers or could they as private persons merely make a publique choise When the Apostle Paul wrote to the Church of Corinth which you graunt to be the multitude or body of the Church about the censuring of the incestuous person did he will them to judge and censure him privately for his publique scandalous sin or could they as persons merely private passe a publique judgement The thing then is that when the Church is gathered or come together in one for the administration of the word sacraments censures and other exercises of religion parts of Gods worship the officers if there be any