c. This is a holy watch-word and a wholesome warning and I desire it may be heedfully hearkned unto by such as are your Church Officers for then I doubt not but that they who have so much power and have such an influence on the multitude might be excellent instruments in this cure and quickly be able to bring back the multitude of Church hearers from those many above-named observations and aberrations into which they have been cunningly and in simplicity of heart drawn as those poor Israelites were to follow Absolon That it be speedily amended I wish with all my heart but say it be not but these poor simple souls seduced by and through Philosophy do not amend so timely as is desired my charity will not permit me to damne them eternally and that they shall partake of the judgment of those who worship the Beast that they shall drink of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the Cup of his indignation and that they shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb and that the smoke of their torment shall ascend for ever and ever as you threaten out of Revel 14.9 c. This is a harsh sentence and though it may affright and terrifie those who for doctrines teach the commandments of men and make the Word of God of none effect through their traditions which is a wilfull obstinate presumptuous sinne yet I have great reason to hope that those who have simply and ignorantly and weakly followed such Teachers may finde mercy especially if they shall call to God with David Who can understand his errours Cleanse thou me from my secret faults Psal 19.12 13. keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sinnes let them not have dominion over me Then shall I be upright and I shall be innocent from the great offence But because this danger lies as you say in the observation of Traditions it will not be amisse to set down that about this point Dr. Whites Orthodox cap. 4. p. 3. Sect. 1.2 which may satisfie any sober man which because I am not able to do better then Dr. Frauncis White hath done I shall transcribe the Summe of what he delivers The word Tradition in general signifies any doctrin or observation deliver'd from one to another either by word or writing Acts 6.14 2 Thess 2.15 cap. 3.6 1 Cor. 15.3.4 The Protestants simply do not deny Tradition but first we distinguish of Traditions and then according to some acceptions of the name we admit thereof with a subordination to holy Scripture 1. First the Romanists maintain there be doctrinal Traditions or Traditions that contain Articles of Faith and substantial matters of divine worship and religion Decret prim 4. Sess Syn. Trident not found in the holy Scripture and that these are pari pietatis affectu ac reverentia sucipiendae ac venerandae with Scripture and to be believ'd no lesse then the prime Articles such are Purgatory Transubstantiation Invocation of Saints the Popes infallibility c. These and all other such Traditions containing new parts and additions to religion the Protestants simply condemn and renounce 2. But secondly the name of Tradition in the writings of the Primitive Doctours and Fathers is taken in three other senses First for external Rights and Ceremonies of decency order and outward profession of religion not found expressely in the holy Scripture but used as things adiaphorous being not of the substance of divine worship but only accessary as the sign of the Crosse and many of those you in your following words mention and these we say may be used or disused according to the Laws of every Church as they serve for aedification or otherwise Secondly The report of the Primitive Church concerning matter of fact and concerning the practice of the Apostles is another Tradition as that the Apostles did baptize infants that they admitted none to the Lords Supper but those who were of years to examine themselves that they ordain'd such and such in several Churches to be Bishops That that very Canon of Scripture which we now maintain was the Canon at that time with many other which can be best prov'd by Tradition And therefore we willingly admit of these Traditions also deliver'd unto us by the Histories and Records of the Church because such reports explicate the meaning or confirm the doctrin of the Scripture Thirdly The summe of Christian faith as the Creed and the explication of Christian doctrin in many principal parts thereof concerning the Trinity Incarnation descent of Christ into hell c. is oftentimes call'd Tradition being receiv'd from hand to hand as the Apostles lively teaching and such Tradition found unanimously in the Fathers we admit also because it gives light to the doctrine found in Scripture But in the admittance of these we require two Cautions 1. That the holy Scripture be the rule of all Traditions whatsoever thus far that they be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 up on examination conformable to the Scriptures and every way subservient to the same 2. That they have the Testimony of the primitive Church in the prime age thereof and descend to our days from the same by the stream of succession through ages following and were received as Apostolick in the Catholick Church The Question of Traditions being thus stated unto you easie it will be to answer to your two alleag'd Texts of Tradition Mark 7. Col. 2. For they make as much to your purpose as Ecce duo gladij doth to confirme the Popes claim to the Temporal and Spiritual power or Pasce oves to uphold his Supremacy Or God made two great lights to prove the Popes power to be above the Emperours as much as the Sun exceeds the Moon or that Parson who would undertake to prove the Parish must pave the Church and not he because it was written in the Prophet paveant illi ego non paveam For how doth that place of Mark 7.7.9 pertain to the spiritual historical or interpretative Traditions of the Christian Church It was of the Scribes and Pharisees of whom our Saviour there spoke and of their Traditions of washing of pots and cups and many such other like things of their Corban And in their washings they placed not decency and civility but made a matter of Religion of it and by their Corban they took away the duty of the fifth Commandment Look into the place you urge and tell me whether I say not truth and this it seems you saw and that made you skip over the 8. verse and never mention the 11. which if you had done and weigh'd you would not for shame have equall'd our Traditions with theirs or judged us as superstitious for observing our Traditions as they were for theirs We have a command for the institution of our Ceremonies let all be done decently in order and to edification we have good
authority that our Traditions are Apostolical we observe them in obedience to the Command Honour thy father and mother who have authority in indifferent things And therefore your imputation is rash for we reject no Commandment of God by receiving the commands of men Besides you know we never maintain'd these as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doctrins which was the Pharisees superstition but only as Rites and Ceremonies not placing Religion but the decency of Religion in them That other place in the Colossians you understand not it is a difficult place I shall labour to give some light to it Good Ant. lib. 1. c. 12. Some conceive the Apostle in this chapter intends the Essens who were a strict Sect among the Jewes and in many passages the Apostle seems directly to point at them vers 16. Let no man condemn you in meat and drink Let no man bear rule over you through humblenesse of mind and worshipping of Angels why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 18. why are you subject to such Ordinances ver 20. The Apostle useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Essens applyed to note their Ordinances Aphorisms Constitutions In the 21. vers he gives an instance of some touch not taste not handle not Now the Junior company of Essens might not touch their Seniours and in their diet their taste was limited to bread salt water and hysop which Ordinances they undertook 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Philo a love of wisdome but the Apostle concludes that the observation of this had only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a shew of wisdome this their doctrine was as Philo saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a kind of Philosophy receiv'd from their Fathers by tradition and therefore St. Paul bids Christians beware of it Beware least any man spoile you through Philosophy Some other refer these words to some Philosophers who mingled their saecular Philosophy with the Religion of the Jewes deliver'd at that time many false dictates Estius in loc of God of Angels of the Son of God of the eternity of the World of purgation of souls which were partly receiv'd from the Platonicks partly invented out of their own brains Of which kind was Simon Magus from whom descended the Sect of the Gnosticks Touching this Philosophy and these Traditions the Apostle gives his caveat Beware least c. Zanchy Aretius Daven in loc Others without reflecting upon either Essens or Gnosticks more simply expound the words as a Caveat given against all Sophistical Philosophy Pharisaical traditions and all Mosaical Ceremonial Rites Philosophy the Apostle here condemns not as all note upon the place but as it had vanity and deceitfulnesse added to it for a man may condemn the sophistry and knavery of any art that likes the art well enough The Traditions of men he utterly dislikes such as were accompanied with superstition and folly as were those of the Pharisees disliked by our Saviour mentioned before And so also the Mosaical ceremonies which may well be call'd Elementa mundi as they are Gal. 4.3 and also vers 9. weak and beggarly rudiments Elements such as A. B. C. for children to begin with but now by Christ being utterly abolish'd Now if any man say Touch not that man he is unclean taste not that meat it is forbidden handle not that cup it is defiled beleeve him not Tertul. Here then the Apostle gives us a Caveat against three sorts of men or rather against their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their doctrins the Philosophers the Pharisees the Jews The Philosophers were Patriarchae haereticorum and he means the Gnosticks vain and deceitful arguments they bring beware you be not spoil'd by them The Pharisees are a sort of superstitious hypocrites they have Traditions taken up by themselves which Moses never deliver'd beware of them The Jews walk not after Christ their dictates are that you yet are bound to keep Moses Law hearken not unto them when they say unto you Touch not taste not handle not subject not your selves to their Ordinances after the commandments and doctrines of men c. This is the true intent scope and sense of St. Pauls words as the wise and judicious Interpreters have taught me And that therefore the word Traditions that you here catch at is but a shadow in laying hold of it to serve your turn you put upon the unlearned a vain parologism a dicto secundum quid ad dictum simpliciter the Pharisaical Traditions are forbidden therefore all Traditions the doctrines of those men therefore all other doctrines that the Church shall teach for which there is not a manifest and expresse text in particular For let the Question then be proposed whether it can be proved from these places that all Traditions and external Rites brought into the Church by men ought to be exploded ejected condemn'd And I answer No partly for that these texts aim at another matter partly because there must be power granted to the Governours of the Church to institute rites for order and decency the Apostle himself being the Authour of it Let all things be done decently and in order 1 Cor. 14.40 Heb. 13.17 and partly because we are bound to obey them in all things that are honest Austin hath left us a good rule about Rites and Ceremonies which were it observed Austin ad Januarium Epist 118. cap. 22. would settle much unity and peace in the Church In his nulla melior disciplina prudenti Christiano quam ut eo modo agat quo agit Ecclesia ad quamcunque devenerit quod enim nec contra fidem nec contra bonos more 's injungitar indifferenter est habendum But here three Cautions are to be observed 1. That no man prescribe external Rites with that mind to hope for justification by them or remission of sinne For this is Jewish 2. That these adiaphorous rites be not impos'd as if they laid alike obligation upon the conscience with the Laws of God so that a damnable guilt should be incurr'd upon the breach of them although it happen without contempt of those who are in authority and command or without the scandal of others 3. Heed must be taken that they be significative Dr. Ham. tract of superstition à . Sect. 35. ad 43. few wholesome significant that they be not empty Few that they impose no yoke upon the Disciples necks and wholesome that they edifie In obeying and observing such Ceremonies impos'd upon me by a lawful power I shall never fear to be damned for rejecting the Commandments of God and observing the doctrines of men nor to incur that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with our Saviour out of the Prophet Isaiah in the Chapter cited by you fastens upon those Pharisaical hypocrites Mark 7.5 This people honoureth me with their lips but their heart is far from me SECT 6. The words of the Letter Of divers other things jeerd at by the Epistler IF there were nothing amisse
5. That these Presbyters teaching and ruling Elders must be of the professing members own voluntary Election and regular Ordination 6. That their Office-extent reacheth from Christs ascension to the Creations dissolution This is granted in a right sense 7. And for all this you bring your proofs out of the Scripture Acts 6.5 Acts 14.23 c. This is the Analysis of the whole and I descend to examine it by the parts and shall open the Scriptures as I conceive they referre to the proposition Proposition 1. That the Church of the last and longest constitution was a Presbyterial or Combinational Church THat the Church you meane viz. the Church of Christ is to be last is easily granted but whether to be the longest or no is more than you or I or any man else can tell But to let this passe Hic opus est Oedipo for I conceive not well the sense of your proposition because you phrase it Presbyterial or Combinational since these two by the contending parties are made Disparata and then must really differ I know not therefore what to make of this Or whether it be here a Divisive or an Explanative particle If you make it Divisive then it seemes not to agree with your following words for you know that those of the Presbyterial Church though they will allow your professing members liberty to elect yet they stoutly and with open mouth decry their power to Ordaine and you allow the Church you speak of to do both If you make Or Expositive then it can but onely declare the sense of the former word Presbyterial and will be farre from your intent which is if I mistake not that all the professing members of a Church be combined in a Church Covenant which you know the Presbyterial Church will never admit For although Presbyters can be content to be in their own sense Covenanters yet they abominate to be in a Church-Combination and again though the Church combiners will joyne in a Church Covenant yet they will not yield to be Presbyterial Covenanters These Disparata then are not hansomely coupled in this place neither can I guesse at any other intent you have in it except it be to Umpire betwixt the two parties by finding out a Church that should be both Presbyterial and Combinational which hitherto the heat of zeale would never suffer the learnedest of both sides to do For the Presbyterians condemne your Combination by a Church Covenant as a Chimera a fancy a novelty a meere humane invention contrary to Christs Ordinance and destructive of all Church power And the Combiners on the other side judge as harshly of the Presbyterian Elderships in the whole reformed Churches as of the Prelacy nay and worse too if Bastwicks words be true which he hath in the Postscript of his second part page 6. viz. The Presbyterial government not suiting with the humour of the Independents they abhorre it and all such as endeavour to establish it and wish rather that the old trumpery were brought in again and professe they had rather have the government of Prelates That which follows I forbear that I offend not Thus Bastwick which if true 't is not possible that a Presbyterial and a Combinational Church should be all one as you seeme to make it And therefore you must forgo one of the termes and make it onely Presbyterial or onely Combinational if you will speak intelligibly in this question But I shall make the best sense I can of your words and in order speak to them both And first of the Presbyterial Church which you call also Combinational upon what ground I know not for I meet with neither of these Epithets fixed to the Church of Christ in the Scriptures nor in any antiquity The first of these is new and and the second naught for I never read of a Combination in a good sense Why can we not speak as good Christians have done before us and call it the Christian Catholick and Apostolical Church but must please our fancies with these new termes of Presbyterial or Combinational Act. 20.28 c. Col. 1.24 and 13. Act. 11.26 Ephes 2.20 I often read in the Scriptures of the Church of God and that this Church is the Body of Christ the kingdom of Christ to whom because it was united by faith it was called Christian And that this Church was built upon the foundation of the Prophets Apostles Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone Whence it was called Apostolike And again that this Church is Totum integrale Ames medulla lib. 1. c. 31. Sect 19. of which the parts quae totum integrant are all several and particular Churches diffused in all Nations in all places at all times whence it was called Catholick But of a Presbyterial or Combinational Church I hear not Good Sir consider how harsh it sounds to stile Christs Church the Presbyters Church and the number of the Professors that are united by faith to Christ to be combined in I know not what But now I shall take into consideration these termes severally and first I will begin with the last 1. A Combinational Church The first Author whom I meet with it is Amesius and he defines it to be Parochialis vel unius congregationis cujus membra inter se Combinantur lib. 1. c. 39. Sect 22. cap. 2. Sect. 4. there 's your word ordinarie conveniant in uno loco ad publicum religionis exercitium This your Synod at Cambridge in New England chose rather to call Congregational for the word Independent they like not though I see no cause of dislike if the particular Congregations must not depend one of another but remaine in full liberty as Ames delivers in the same chapter Sect. 20. 26 27. And thus you there define this Congregational Church to be a company of Saints by calling united into one body by a holy Covenant for the publick worship of God But I pray you tell me what needs this combination by a second Covenant would not the first in Baptisme have served if heeded and kept to have done all this and it seemed it did by the very text your Synod produces to prove it Acts 2.42 For the Penitents and beleevers pricked to the heart by Peters sermon gladly received the word and were baptized and continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayer c. where we read of their Baptisme and continuance in Church-fellowship and in the duty of that fellowship but that this is done by a combination a confederation or holy Covenant a Vow other than that made in their Baptisme we read not 2. And indeed it needs not for what is it that Professors can binde themselves unto by Covenant when they are admitted into the Congregation that they have not in their Baptisme bound themselves to before Whether you shall consider the Mystery the Form or the end 1. In Baptisme for the
in the last for Parishes as they after were restrained and are constituted at this day you must shew that your Church had the priority of them which you are never able to do else you cannot say that they corrupted it And indeed your allegation that follows is so weak that any man who reads and considers it will suspect that you have little to say for your cause 3. At that time this was when ceasing to elect and ordain either a Teacher a Pastour a Ruler a Deacon or Deaconesse or Widow in conformity to the heavenly Canon Rom. 12.7 15.4 16.1 compared with 1 Tim. 3.1 Titus 1.5.6 it was well content with a Parson a Vicar a Warden an Over-seer of the Poor and a Midwife THE time of this corruption you point out and set it to be when it ceased to elect and ordain a Teacher c. Here again you commit the same errour supposing I am bound to trust and beleeve you on your bare word Ceasing to do any thing presupposeth that there was a time when one might or did do it Now it behoveth you to shew the time when Parishes in general for particulars will make no rule and few very few are to be given did ever elect their Pastour I am sure to ordain him in antiquity you can produce not one example 'T is not possible since the Records of the Church are open and he that runnes may read them that at first the Teacher and Pastour sent to any Church was sent and there placed by the Bishop The instances are so many and the practice of the Church so universal that it were lost labour to produce them yet here I shall ask you onely one question if this were a corruption I wonder why by your pure Presbyterial Church it is retained why are men now elected approved sent and setled to be Parsons and Vicars in Parish Churches who you know are neither elected nor ordained by that Church over whom they are set Remove this beam out of your own eye before you see the mote in you brothers Well but what was the errour this that the Parish contented it self with a Parson and Vicar for a Pastour Teacher and Ruler as if the Parson and Vicar might not be all these might not feed teach and rule his flock what should hinder him for call him by what name you please his office and duty is the same and a Parson and Vicar is bound as much to feed teach and guide his flock as is your Pastour Teacher and Ruler and must answer the neglect of it as well as they this is to seek a knot in a rush Be pleased to translate Parson by a Latine word and you shall alwayes finde it rendred by Pastor or Rector Ecclesiae and how then is the man or his name changed and if the Latines may content themselves to be under the Pastor or Rector I see no reason but the English may as well be content with their Parson He because in case of necessary absence disability of body age or other casualties which may be when the Parish was of a very large extent assumed unto him a helper who because he was vices ejus supplere was called Vicarius this was the original of Vicars and that you look not so strangely at the name in the old Law the High Priest had his Sagan Casaubon Exerc 13. Num. 9. who in case of the High Priests pollution performed his office such was Zephaniah 2 Reg. 25.18 and nAnas unto Caiaphas the Chorepiscopi were of the same kind to the Bishops of old And the Protosincelli to the Patriarchs of Constantinople And in this there was no hurt that came in from Rome when by appropriations of the revenues of the Church to Abbies Monasteries Selden of tyths cap. 12. Sect. 1. c. perpetual Vicarages were erected But this was so late that no injury could be done to the Combinational Church by it since that was corrupted and gone when Parishes were erected many hundred years before and then there were none of these Vicars in rerum natura I see not then to what purpose this name is here inserted except to make up the tale and the same may be said of the Parson also for it is no ancient name A Deacon we retain though in another employment and probably in the very office that Timothy puts Vide sis Aretii loc Commun loc 66. de Diaconis and indeed instead of those that served Tables we have Wardens and Over-seers of the poor which at first was but a meer secular but charitable employment as was a Deaconesse and putting honest men into such an employment though under another name is no corruption of any Churches constitution for it marrs not the matter nor form of it How your Mid-wife comes in I must professe I am to seek for I never heard any man more look upon her as an officious and useful hand-maid of the Church then upon the Mid-wives of Egypt About these two last the Deacon and Deaconesse Aret. in Tim. 1.3 Aretius in his Commentary upon 1 Tim. 3. hath a very good observation that these were very necessary in the first planting of the Church and before there were Christian Magistrates but after that Kings became nursing fathers and nursing mothers to the people of God they took a care that the poor Christians should be relieved in another way than by the Church-stock There were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 erected in Hospitals Almes-houses c. they were provided for then they made Lawes for a common-stock to be collected in every Parish for that purpose and appointed by Statutes Over-seers of the poor and other Officers We saith he therefore have not in our Churches such Deacons and Deaconesses as they had neither is it requisite we should have because the duty is so wisely ordered by the political Magistrate To this purpose that grave and wise Expositour But this you say should be done in conformity to the heavenly Canon and many texts you cite for it but I can finde no Canon at all in any of them for what you aime at Rom. 12.7 I read he that hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him wait upon it But I have told you it is of gifts the Apostle there speaks not of functions 2 Cor. 4.1 6.3 Rom. 11.13 or if of functions the words is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the doctrine of the Gospel is adorned with this title and the Ministers in what degree soever called passim Diaconi Col. 1.7 4.17 1.23.25 1 Cor. 3.5 2 Cor. 3.6 The next citation Rom. 15.4 passeth my reach for I see not how it can be drawn to say any thing to this purpose therefore I passe it by You urge Rom. 16.1 and that indeed speaks of Phaebe as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a servant of the Church of Cenchrea Be it so that una hirundo non facit ver were it
the Parish Parson being turned out of dores all the ill-favourednesse and unholinesse went out with him 3. Against this poor Parson you are very bitter arraigned he must be brought to the Bar to take his trial And him you endite for luke-warmnesse like he is to the Angel of Laodicea not hot nor cold and therefore condemned he is to lye under the lash and take his correction kindly 'T is manifest indeed that all luke-warme hypocritical Professours shall be spued out of Christs mouth for vomitum faciunt Deo To him they are as luke-warme water to the stomach that procures a vomit and if so 't is good counsel you give him or any other in his case to receive what ever correction shall be as a cordial of love administred unto him for preventing of what may follow But here I must put you to it to prove your enditement the punishment he is under will never do it careat successibus opto Quisquis ab eventu facta notanda putet This will prove him culpable and guilty and so I admit he was but whether he were hot or cold an hypocrite or otherwise is more than you can ever know For zeal and sincerity in Religion are qualities that lye very much inward and he that is cold in it may seem to be very zealous as did Jehu and he whose heart is not upright may pretend to be very sincere as did the Pharisees Now how can you passe your judgment in such a case And it seems you cannot for you confesse there may be hypocrites luke-warme men even in your Combinational Churches which if you knew you would cast out from among you and so would we do spue them out after Gods example Forbear therefore hereafter these harsh and uncharitable censures especially against a whole order of men For they must â—and and fall to their own Master Were they ignorant and scandalous so were these But now I remember it this is no signe of luke-warmnesse in the Parish Parson since they who were truly ignorant and scandal â— were for the most part kept in and those who were knowing and blamelesse were cast out 1. But now I pray tell me in what sense it is that you accuse them is it for being Parsons or for preaching or for preaching Parsons Take it in what qualification you will beware upon whom this blow will light and what a company of precious ones you will presently endite to be like the luke-warme Angel of Laodicea For how many of your Preachers are now become Parsons you know they have the fattest Benefices of this whole Country If plurality were an argument of the Parish Parsons luke-warmnesse it is theirs If non-residence an argument they are guilty of it If handling the flesh-hook too much none more guilty If neglect of Catechizing they cannot be excused If frequent preaching they exceed If forbearance of Sacramental administrations this by them is seldome done That I say not that in life and example they are no whit better In Gods name therefore since in luke-warmnesse they are so like the old odde head the Parish Parson let them lye down under the lash with him and with shame and confusion of face to themselves receive a sharp correction that they may prevent the spuing of their names out of Christs mouth as it is manifest by what is foretold Revel 3.19 One thing onely I may not forget that whereas the old odde head you mention did least harme this last Parish Parson you have imposed upon us does all the mischief 4. In your conclusion yet God be thanked you shew more charity to the Parish than to the Parson of it you say that the whole half-blind political body doth yet appear not to be utterly uncurable You do so load your sentences with strong words that they passe my capacity I know not what to make of this political body of a Parish for I never understood they were under any other policy then that of the Common-wealth or Church in which they lived nor that they were any Corporation at all I profess I understand not what you mean if you intend any thing besides this But whatsoever you intend by it this I finde that you affirme the whole was half-blind they have not yet then lost their sight altogether that little light they have may in good time make them see how they have been deluded and so free them from all the fallacies that have been put upon them which when it happens both you and I are in hope of their cure But that you say must not be expected so long as they remain in their present condition For in respect of its present posture and numerous abominations it is altogether unapprovable and I say the same too and upon the very self same ground because it rejects the Commandments of God that it may observe the traditions of men For what is the whole constitution of your Church but the tradition of men what 's your plea all this while but a tradition of men That a company collected under a Covenant without either Pastours or Elders is a true Church is a tradition of men That they may create elect ordain their Pastours and Elders is another tradition of men That the power of the Keys subjectively and authoritatively to invest and devest is in them is a third tradition of men That there must be Lay-Presbyters which must be Ruling Elders in the Church is a fourth tradition of men That the erection of the Cathedral Parochial Provincial National Church was the corruption of the Combinational is another tradition of men That the Supreme power in any Nation is a violent head the Arch-Bishop a haughty horrible head the Diocesan an idle and addle head the Parish Parson an odde head is another of your traditions That there may be no set forms of prayer used in the Church no singing of Psalms in mixt Congregations That the Scripture may not be read in the Church except expounded That those Rites which you call but falsly Romish and Humane may not be used in the Church That Godfathers and Godmothers may not be used in Baptisme nor the children of those who are out of your Combinational Church baptized That those whom you usually call profane ignorant scandalous persons may not be admitted to the Sacrament That there must be an upper seat erected for the Elders to sit in their ranks as Aldermen upon the Bench in the Church That there must be Tables set up for the maintenance of the Ruling Elders All these are the traditions of men and doctrines of men and therefore I give this counsel to the whole half-blinde political body of the Parishes where you have prevailed most that while they are curable they tender their health and to beware of the Scribes and Pharisees who in vain worship God teaching for doctrines the Commandments of men and to beware lest any man spoile them through Philosophy or vain deceit through the tradition of men
such time as the Parochial Churches of the Nations become truly Presbyterial and so reformed in their essential parts consisting of visible Converts and an explicite Covenant which are the matter and form of a Church witnesse Jer. 50.5 Ezek. 20.37 Isa 44.3 Acts 2.47 Rom. 14.1.2 Cor. 8.5 9.13 And untill also they be refined in their integral parts which are the Organs and Officers thereof that as eyes mouth and hands are to see speak and act in their behalf untill they both desire and endeavour to be endowed first with a Teacher to dispense the word of knowledge and information to the judgment Secondly with a Pastour to dispence the word of wisdome and exhortation to the will and affections Thirdly with a Ruler to dispense the word of rebuke and admonition to the irregular in life and conversation And fourthly with Deacons and Widows to receive and dispense the weekly contribution that is belonging and also brought to the King of Saints from his subjects in Covenant toward the maintenance of the Table of the Lord the Tables of the Church Elders and the Tables of such of the fellow-members as be in lack And all this in obedience to what is enjoined in his revealed will namely in Rom. 12. 2 7 8. 16.1 1 Tim. 3.2 5 10. 5.10 20. Vntill I say that the Parochial Churches be thus qualifyed can you upon good grounds expect as to them either the manifestation of sure mercy or the enjoyment of solid peace knowing that Combinations are properly appertaining to vile and violent sinne-loving sinners as 't is shewed by the Oracles of God Psal 5.5 11.5 6. Rev. 12.10 22.15 And that Church-promises and Church-priviledges as well as Christs Consolations are peculiarly applicable to such Covenant-makers with God and men as through the strength of their surety are Covenant-keepers with both which Covenant-making and Covenant-keeping is expressed and perceived by a regular walking toward them who are without as well as them that are within according to what is written Isa 55.3 Gal. 6.16 1 Tim. 4.8 If you can tell any such tydings as a heavenly promise to unheavenly persons or a holy priviledge to the souls or seed of unholy parents that you would finde in your heart to give me some notice thereof and to acquaint me with any one of those good grounds of any lively hope that they will be everlastingly happy is the last of these motions which I make bold for to leave with you to consider of and meditate upon A heavenly motion for my self This motion is my heavenly motion for my self the granting of which will engage me yet further to be to remain and also acknowledge my self Your thankful Remembrancer In his nearest Approaches To the Throne of Grace From my lodging this 22. of the 8. Month. 1656. The Reply This is the recapitulation of the whole which I have shewed partly not subject to so harsh a censure partly built upon a weak foundation and therefore I shâ—ll need to say the lesse to it Yet because I may not leave you unsatisfied in the least I shall give you some short animadversions upon this also 1. You here set down your whole plat-form shaping it into the fashion of a natural body which hath essential and integral parts and till the Parochial be so qualifyed you afford it no mercy nor hope of solid peace Your constitution of a Church I allow of both in the essentials and the integrals for 't is a body and must be so composed and when organical if perfect it must be intire In the General then I shall agree with you but in the special assignation of your parts will lie the difference For what Church is there of what Sect soever that doth dissent in general terms from this assigned and necessary constitution that you may know that it is no special Character of your Combinational or as you call it here the Presbyterial Church The Brownists Barrowists Anabaptists Presbyters Socinians Episcopal men will allow you visible men for your matter a Covenant for the form and Church-Officers for the integral parts of your organical body And for your matter the Brownists Barrowists Anabaptists Socinians will agree with you that they must be visible Converts meaning thereby a company of faithful people every one whereof in the face of the whole Congregation hath given so clear tokens of true grace and regeneration as hath satisfyed the minds of all This is to be proved by you for Episcopal men with the Presbyters require no more of visible members than that they professe one Lord one Faith one Baptisme as I have proved before for all that carry the name of Christians whether in sincerity or otherwise they reckon in the bosome of the Church as in the type the Ark of Noah there were clean and unclean Beasts in the net good and bad fish Judas among the Apostles Ananias and Sapphyra Simon Magus Demas c. among the baptized In your form also the explicite Covenant the four fore-named will agree with you for your doctrine is that this company must be incorporate by Oath and Covenant to exercise all the parts of Christian Religion in one place under one Pastour to which they wll admit no more people then commodiously may with their ease convene in one meeting house This is endeavoured to be proved by you but how weakly I shall make it appear when I come to examine your texts you alledge for it The Presbyters though they like not your engagement yet came somewhat near to it in imposing their solemn League and Covenant upon the consciences of many tender souls who chose rather to be undone then to yield to their incroachment and how pleasing this was to God you may judge by the successe which is your own common argument Now for the Episcopal men they admit of a Covenant also but that is Baptisme which they say is the Sacrament of Admission into the Visible Church and this I have proved to be sufficient and another Covenant more than needs In the enumeration of your integral parts your Teacher your Pastour your Rulers your Deacons your Widows for the general I know not any man that will gain-say you and some of your Texts do well prove it But in the Misnomer of these and their absolute necessity there is not a full agreement For Mr. Cann at Amsterdam thought his Church sound enough when in his Church there was but one Pastour Bayly pag. 15. and could not agree till very lately of any other Officer and in the year 1645. they lived without an Eldership as they did before without a Pastour And first touching your Teachers and Pastours I have before shewed you that it is not necessary that they be distinct persons both the duties being possible to be performed by one man as it fell out at Geneva where Calvin and Beza men of great abilities thought they might and did supply both places both of Teacher
thou that judgest another mans servant ver 4. Imitate good then and shew this weak brother mercy assume and receive him to friendship and communion first then help and cure him from his former defect or disease and labour to bring him to perfect growth and health in Christianity This is the full scope and intent of the Apostle that charity be shewed to a weak brother Now was this Weakling in the Church before the Apostle writ or was he not it were against reason and the purport of the Epistle to say he was without Chap. 1.7 13. Ver. 10.14 21. the Epistle is written to the Saints at Rome in this very Chapter he is said to be in the faith and five times called a brother And if he were within to what purpose do you urge the reception of him that was received already Received then he was to be for instruction for information for cure as you do and may do those who are already in the bosome of your Church and yet I hope you will not be over-hasty to conclude that then he was first received When a Mr. bids one of his better Scholars take such or such a Boy to you and instruct him perfectly in the meaning of this or that Rule will you say that the child was first entred into the School The case is the self-same and therefore you can conclude nothing from this Apostolical direction and much the lesse if you take to consideration the following words take him not to any doubtful disputations take him then to you but not by vain disputes and cavils to raise more doubts in his head but to allay and satisfie those which are already raised But well to grant you more than I need or ever you can prove that the man was to be admitted and to be received now into the Church was there no other way of entrance but your explicite Covenant this you must prove or else this Text will never suit to your purpose which will then be done when any of Anaxogoras Scholars will prove the snow not to be white But I go on as you lead me to 2 Cor. 8.5 And this they did not as we hoped but first gave their own selves to the Lord and unto us by the will of God The Reply It is of the Macedonians that the Apostle here speaks and of their ready minde and liberal hand to contribute to the necessity of the poor Saints at Jerusalem Ver. 3. From a people in no plentiful condition such a liberality could not be expected yet saith the Apostle this they did praying us with much entreaty to receive the gift Ver. 4. and take upon us the fellowship of ministring to the Saints their Alms their Contribution they brought to Saint Paul and entreated him earnestly to take the care of it and finde a way to see it disposed of to the Saints necessities Now saith the Apostle such was this their readinesse and bounty that they gave far more than ever we could have hoped from so indigent a people And that you marvail the lesse at this their liberality a thing of a greater price they had than their money their souls their bodies the whole man and this they gave also even themselves first to the Lord then to us to the Lord whose due it was to us as the Lords servant and Minister aliter domino aliter servo to the Lord under whose pover by right we are Muscul in loc being our Redeemer and Saviour but to Paul as the Lords servant and Apostle when they yielded themselves to obey and be lead by his Doctrine These three things chiefly may be collected from this place that fulnesse of piety consists in this First that we give our selves to God Secondly that we give and yield our selves to his Ministers as is the will of God Thirdly that we love the Brethren and according to our abilities supply their necessities All which was done before the Combinational Church was heard of or entring by a Covenant thought of yea and perhaps better too for let it not displease that I whisper in your ear that I never heard any great good report of any of your Combinational Churches for their liberality and bounty to the poor distressed Saints it is observed that you are quick-handed with the Rake but very slow with the Fork But what is it that in this verse you catch at Is it dederunt scipsos nobis 'T is an argument of a desperate cause when men lay hold on any thing that may but seem to make for them as you do here as if you thought that because with such annotations you carry the Vulgar into a belief you must have all other for your followers There be that can tell you and make it good that good Christians may give themselves to Paul and be â—bedient and obsequious to his Ministers and yet never come within the Walls of your Combinational Churches nay I am bold to say it the lesse they come there the more docible and ducible they will be ever since they have came among you they have taken out Corabs Lesson 2 Cor. 9.13 Whiles by the experiment of this Ministration they glorifie God for your professed subjection unto the Gospel of Christ and for your liberal distribution unto them and unto all men The Reply The end of the example of the Macedonians liberality proposed by the Apostle was to stir up the Corinthians to the like beneficence and it had the hoped effect as is evident in the former and this Chapter of which when the Saints of Jerusalem should have experiment they would glorifie God first for the Gentiles profession of the Gospel and their subjection to it then for their liberal distribution and charitable benevolence which they bestowed upon their needy brethren This is the plain sense of the words And he had need to have a very sharp and piercing brain that can fish out any thing from hence in the favour of a Combinational Church or an explicite Covenant What can there be no profession of Christianity or no subjection to the Gospel except in such a Church so you seem to say in your following words of which I shall consider hereafter O poor Grecians oh miserable Armenians Melchits Russians Cophties Aethiopians that I name not the Reformed Churches that are not within and most of them never heard of your Covenant for by your Rule they are no Professours of Christ neither were ever subject to the Gospel And in what a damnable condition then they are let the world judge I must professe ingenuously unto you that when I read these your proofs for your explicite Covenant that had I been educated among you and one of your Church it would have made me doubt of your whole plat-forme when the very formal cause which is the main principle that gives essence being and operation unto anything is built upon so sandy a foundation a foundation that is not laid upon any pregnant
the Combinational was not in the erection of either because the combinational never was before either What was it precedent to Saint James his Cathedra in Jerusalem I marvail when it should begin His was then set up before the Apostles departed to preach to the whole world and under him it is not possible to conceive the Church could be Combinational Acts 1. 2. Acts 4.41 Acts 4.4 Acts 5.14 Acts 6.1 for upon necessity in that Church at that time there must be more than one Congregation for from 120. to 3120. to these were added 5000. which makes 8120. and yet more multitudes of men and women were added and still the number of disciples were multiplied And out of doubt the increase staid not here God adding to the Church dayly such as should be saved That so many thousands should meet together in any house to performe their Christian duties was impossible they must be divided into several Congregations Had these been Combinational then Saint James had been by the Apostles made Bishop of Jerusalem to little purpose for he could nor must not have taken the over-sight but of one of them the rest had been out of his jurisdiction which I suppose no wise man will ever think since the Apostles no question had the same charity and would have the same care of the rest as of that one and then would have set up as many chaires as there had been Congregations But of such we hear not of this one we do which is a sufficient evidence to me that all the Christians of that City at least if not of all Palestine were under his jurisdiction and subject to his Cathedra Out of which it will necessarily follow That the Cathedral Church was the prime institution not the Combinational and that therefore the Combinational Churches corruption was not the Cathedrals generation but rather the contrary which we have lived to see that the Combinationals generation is the Cathedrals corruption And what I have said in particular of the Church of Jerusalem is as true of all other Churches the Apostles planted and in others planted by their patterne Antioch Corinth Atheus Rome c. for the same reason holds in all these Cities where the multitudes of beleevers grew so numerous one Congregation could not hold them I aske now had the Apostles put case Peter or Paul there present had they jurisdiction over them all or had they not If they had then the Combination and Independency of Churches is at an end in the Primitive Church If they had not I wonder they should stay for divers years in one place having no more to do than to supervise one single Congregation besides that then there must be as many as there were Pastours in those Churches of equal power in their several Churches with the Apostles which he that can beleeve may digest any thing Ephesus was a great City Rev. 2.3 and had in it those who took upon them to say they were Apostles the Angel be it Bishop or Colledge of Presbyters is commended for trying them and finding them lyers if they were not of his own Congregation what had the Angel to do to try them if your Tenet be true he deserves no commendation at all but rather reproof for being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But that they were is more than ever you can prove I am apt to beleeve that if it had been so the Epistle had not been directed to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus but to the Angel of such or such a Congregation in Ephesus Verse 24. And the like may be said of the Churches of Pergamos and Thyatyra Verse 18. the last being reproved for suffering the woman Jezabel calling her self a Prophetesse to teach and seduce For if the Angel had not power over all the Congregations of that City say that this Jezabel had taught in another Combinational Church which is very possible and not in his the answer had been easie Jezabel is out of my reach out of my jurisdiction and therefore you have nothing against me for her misdemeanour This that I have said destroyes clearly the subject of your Proposition the Combinational Church and that being gone what you affirme of it will fall of it self I shall therefore hereafter desire you to lay your foundation deeper before you go about to build or to speak more properly to destroy any thing upon such a groundlesse supposition which you and I have reason to suspect were it onely but for this that all the Churches of the Christian world East West North South for these 1600 years and more have been of another constitution Were it Rome alone I should suspect but when all are otherwise none Combinational no not those who scarce ever heard of Rome and all Cathedral I cannot be perswaded that the love of Christ hath been so cold to his Catholique Church to suffer this Cathedral corruption as you call it so long so universally to over-spread her face It seemes to me contrary to his promise behold I am with you to the end of the world And so I end what I had to say to this Proposition I now come to the next in which you tell us what this corruption was viz. Proposition 2. A presumption to alter and to elevate the places and appellations of the Teacher Pastour Ruler and Deacon into those unscripture-like Titles of Lord-bishop Deane Chancellour Arch-deacon TO this I in the first place shall returne you the words of Zanchy Quid quod in Ecclesis etiam Protestantium non desunt reipsa Episcopi Archiepiscopi Zanchy append de fide Aphorism 11. quos mutatis bonis Gracis nominibus in male Latina convertimus vocant superintendentes generales superintendentes Sed ubi etiam neque illa vetera bona Graeca neque haec nova malè Latina nomina obtinent ibi tamen solent esse aliqui primarii penes quos est authoritas De nominibus ergo fuerit controversia verum eum de rebus convenit quid de nominibus altercamur This first 2. Next to your Distribution I say that perhaps by Teachers and Pastors you may intend two sorts of Ministers in the Church for so I know some distinguish that Pastours in Saint Paul were such as had not onely the office to preach the Word and administer the Sacraments but had also the Church and care of souls committed to them Teachers those who laboured in the Doctrine but received no charge of Sacraments or souls Some make the Teachers to be publike professors of Divinity and Governours of Ecclesiastical Schooles but Pastours to be the Ministers of particular Congregations which I will not deny but it may be true but I shall remember you that four of the Fathers Jerome Austin Chrysostome Theodoret were unacquainted with the nicetie for they thought the Apostle express'd what belong'd to the Pastoral office under two names that the Pastour was to be Doctour to remember he must
labour in doctrine as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which often signifies to rule And then your third word Rulers will come under that notion also and so Teachers Pastours and Rulers will not denote three distinct sorts of Church Officers which I have some reason to think you aime at but one and the same man qualified both to teach and to rule At Geneva Calvin and Beza were made both Pastours and Readers of Divinity being men so able to discharge both and yet no man did say that they did not content themselves with their pastoral votation or alledge against them He that teacheth on teaching or he that exhorteth on exhortation For as I have often told you and have proved Lay-Ruling Elders except you mean Arbitratours there were never any in the Primitive Church The last word you use is Deacon Hieron ad Evagrium Epiph. lib. 1. Tom. 1. de adventu Christi in carnem And under that name are properly comprehended those who by the first institution were onely mensarum viduarum Ministri who if we beleeve Epiphanius were chose out of the seventy of which two of them did preach Stephen and Philip they were more than Deacons they were Evangelists and so Philip is stiled But he that shall heedfully consider Saint Pauls precepts and the conditions required by him in those that should be Deacons would easily collect that their Office was not onely a charge to look to the poor but that they were to attend the sacred services and Assemblies and even to be a step to the Ministry of the word I shall therefore willingly admit of the distinction that there were in the Primitive Church two sorts of Deacons One of the first institution who were to have a care of the poor and of a second kinde deputed by the Church who were to attend on the Church give unto eve y one present of the sanctified bread and wine to command the people silence attention Concil Ancyr Can. 2. Cypr. lib. 3. Epist 9 â—ust Apol. 2. Ignat. ad Heronem and devotion all which may be collected out of the Council of Ancyra Cyprian Justin Martyr and Ignatius who mentions his own Deac Heron at Antioch and Stephen to be the Deacon to Saint James at Jerusalem Thus much it was necessary to premise before we joyn'd issue now you charge us with presumption in removing the Landmarks that we have altered the places and appellations by bringing in of new names unscripture-like titles So belike it is not lawful to use any titles of honour or command but such as are used in Scripture The Jewes then belike offended when they used these unscripture-like titles of Reschignim Tsadikim Chasidim and so after the captivity they divided the people The Reschagnim were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wicked the Tsadikim their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their just men the Chasidim their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their good and holy men And yet Saint Paul serves himself of this distinction for questionlesse he alludes to it Rom. 5.6 7. amplifying the great love of Christ dying for us Scarcely for a righteous man will one dye yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to dye the gradation is this Some peradventure would dye for one of the Chasidim the good men scarcely for one of the Tsadikim for the just or righteous men But for Reschagnim or ungodly none would dye In this then appeared the love of Christ that when we were Reschagnim ungodly sinners Christ dyed for us A man is a Ruler of an Army and he shall not call some Majors some Colonells some Centurions Pentacurions Decurions c. because these are unscripture-like titles Nomen is rei notamen invented it was to denote the thing neither do I know which way it is possible to understand and distinguish but by names vox being rei conceptuum signum and therefore must necessarily be admitted if we will not confound our selves in the understanding of things But now to the names you mention Lord-Bishop Dean Chancellour Surrogate Arch-Deacon The end of two of these I finde in Scripture Bishop and Deacon but you 'll say the syllables Lord and Arch are unscripture-like I must confesse that I finde not Lord before Bishop in the Scripture nor Arch before Deacon but this will not prove that we have altered the places and appellations for what place have we altered either of Bishops or Deacons by calling one Lord-Bishop or the other Arch-Deacon Still the place and office is the same for the Lord-Bishop hath no other power than he had at first which is potestas clavium nor the Arch-Deacon any more than he had to be oculus Episcopi and see that all be well administred that concerns the poor and service of the Church To be offended with a title is to pick straws especially when the substance is observed For how have we alter'd the places when we have yet in our Church Bishops who are Pastours Teachers and besides these publick Professours of Divinity Doctours Catechizers whom Saint Paul saith Saint Ambrose meant by Teachers such as were in the Churches of Alexandria Clemens Pantonus Origen Hicroclas As for those other three appellations Dean Chancellour Surrogate no Scripture can be brought for them nor needs it it being lawful no question to give fit names to things though no text can be produced otherwise your parties were to seek who call him who is to preside in a Synod by the name of a Proloquutor and those that govern in your Combinational Churches Lay-Elders and are not these unscripture-like for I finde no such titles in the Scriptures As for the name of Deane it is ancient and it signifies no more than that Presbyter who was the chief in any Collegiate Church and was to have a care that the Statutes of the Church were observed being like the the Principal Warden or President of a College and you may as well be offended with any of these Appellations as with this with which yet it is evident many of your party are well pleased for they enjoy it and the honour and profits notwithstanding the names are not found in Scripture And should any man lay this objection against any of them I dare say he would answer him with a smile I am confident he would who being a prime man among you at this day enjoyeth a Deanery and doubtlesse hugs himself applaudÃt sibi ipsi domi Aha I am warme I have been at the fire That you like the name nere the worse it was fetcht from the Militia The Romane souldiers were when drawn to their winter quarters to lodge by companies and so many as lodged together being commonly ten were called Contubernales the chief over them was called Decenus or decurio Hadrian Junius being praeses manipuli dexinier en guerre Gall or the Corporal from the Italian word Caporale or Spanish Corporal We in Enlglish Corporal