answer I may err iudgment so may others even whole churches therefore let euery man look how he iudgeth and how he deâ—endeth on other men and let evey mans â—udgment be tried by the scriptures For this cause we say vnto you seing we haue fought for the judgement of other churches but can get no answer procure you some reasons from them in defence of your church ministerie worship and ecclesiasticall gouerâ—ment and if by Gods word they can justâ—fy those things and evince that we haue done evil to depart from you we will returne vnto you Otherwise if they reioyce neuâ—r so mâ—ch for your estate we are verâ—ly perswaded that both they and you haue more causâ— to mourne for the many abominations that are amâ—ng 〈◊〉 To conclude consider in an example the weight of your argument for by the like reâ—son the envious ministers in Pauls time mought thus haâ—e justâ—fied themselues That mâ—nisterie and ministration for which the Apostles of Christ reioyce is true to be obeyed and continued in But our ministery and minâ—stration is such as for it the Apostle Paul reioyceth yea and will râ—ioyce Philip â— 16.18 If you Answer the Apostle reioyced for the preaching of Christ not forthe envious affection of the preachers who might be damned themselues notwithstanding their true doctrine it is true And so minde I for the reformed churches They reioyce for the many truthes you profesâ—e against Popery as we also doe the like yet may you neverthelesse perish for your false constitution idolatrous worship popish hierarchie and other transgressions that are among you Amend your liues therefore and turne your feet into the wayes of peace for if you rely vpon man anâ— make â—lesh yoâ—r arme and will not heâ—r the word of the Lord that condemneth your iniquities you shâ—ll perish in your sinns other châ—rches shall not be able to excuse of sâ—ue you ARGVMENTS That the PREACHERS of the best assemblies of the church of ENGLAND are true ministers of Christ. I THâ— prâ—achers after whose publick powerfull doctrine of the word do ordinarily follow repeÌ„â—ance conuersion to God sauing fayth in Christ loue to the brethrâ—n and oâ—heâ— fruits of the spiâ—it Gal. 5 6 22. in the hearers are true ministers of God and of the visible châ—rcâ— But â—fter â—he dâ—ctrine of Gods word taught by the preachers of our best asseâ—bliâ—s doe ordâ—narily appear the fruites of the spirit in the hearers Thâ—refore thâ— preachers of our best assemblies are true ministers of Christ. The â—roposition is proued because onely the word that God doth send in the 〈◊〉 oâ— his ministers is ordinarily effectuâ—ll for these things Ier. 23 22 Esa. 55 11. Mat 7 20 Luk 1 76 Ioh. 10.1 2. 1 Cor 9 1. â— 4 15. Thâ— assumption is proued by the answer to the assumption of the 4 argumeâ—◠〈◊〉 thâ— churcheâ— Answer OVR separation is from your Church consisting of many assemblieâ— all compact into ore bodâ—e and from all your Ministerie both prelacie and priesthood We cannot tel which assemblies or ministers be best for they that seem best may proue worst because they most deceiue the simple the wolf that comes in a sheeps coat is no whit better than he that commeth in his natiue hiew but he may doe more harm in that he is disguised Reason would perswade vs that the Bishops are the preachers of your best assemblies for they haue greatest dignity fatherhood and authority in your church they preach in the highest and most honorable assemblies of the land they are most carefull to obserue their oath of due obedience to keep the canonâ— orders lawes and ceremonies of your church and set themselues against such as secretly vndermine the state of the church and ministerie of England yet openlie stand members and professed friends of the same They and their assemblies are best ordered after the constitution and lawes of your church So that to speak as I think I know not which assemblies be best where the Leven hath sow red the whole lump though I can guesse which you doe mean but plain dealing about your ministers and asâ—emblies would haue beseemed you best Tel vs therefore when you next write what ministers you mean whether the Bishops Deanes Doctors c. that are in the cathedrall churches or the Doctors and Diuines that are in your vniuersities or thâ— Parsons Vicars Lecturers that are in your Parishes Again what Ministers they be whither Apostles or Prophets or Evangelists or Pastors or Teachers for all these are ministers Eph. 4. and meet it is to know your meaning for though Apostles and Pastors be both ministers ordeined of Christ yet if one will say everie Pastor is an Apostle he is but a liar So you see it is needfull that we ransack these your ambiguous and generall termes Now for your argument first I answer to the proposition that though these fruites you mention doe many times follow the doctrine of Christs ministers yet not theirs onely nor alwaies Not onelie because other men that are not in office of Ministerie may by excercise of their gifts work such fruites as appeareth 1 Cor. 14.1.31.3.24 25. c. I appeal also to your selues whether you thinke not that your best ministers though silenced or degraded from all ministeriall office may not when they teach work repentance fath and other fruites of the spirit Neither doe these fruites alwayes follow the doctrine of true ministers for Noah preached 120· yeares yet followed there not faith and repentance in the old world Christ himselfe preached to Chorazin and Bethsaida yet left the woe vpon them and complaineth in Esaias that he had laboured in vayn among the Iewes and of Israel it is said All the day long haue I stretched out my hand a disobedient and gâ—ynsaying people To reason therefore from the effects this man wrought faith by his teaching therefore he is a true minâ—ster or this man wrought not faith by his teaching therefore no true minister is vnsound and vnconcludable by the scriptures The â—roofs of your proposition being examined wil be found to light for your purpose if you mean that the officers doctrine onely or alwayes is effectuall for these thinâ—s to weet repentance faith c often I know it is and alwayes it hath effect eyther to life or death in the hearers Your scriptures are Ier 23 22. which sheweth what true prophets should labour to doe namely to turne sinners from their evill way c whereas the false prophets did otherwise Eze 13 22 but proueth not that the prophets onely did this for the Priests and Levites did it also Mal 2 6 yea priuate men may often turne their neighbours from evill Leu 4 27.8 19.17 Prou. 31.26 Mal. 3 16 Mat. 18.15 Iam. 5.19 20. neyther proveth it that the prophets alwayes did this for Esaias crieth Lord who hath beleeued our report Isa. 53.1 and it is written that the Lord testified to Israel by all the Prophets
of al men by that word if men eyther will not trie nor giue sentence at all or doe judge amisse we are not bound to wayt vpon them but must liue by our own faith The reformed churches haue been wrâ—â—ten to by vs for we know and acknowledge them to be true churcheâ— and our brethren in the Lord they giue vs no Answer Shall wee coÌ„tinew still â—n boÌ„dage to Antichrâ—st til they bid vs com out What scripture teacheth vs so If they or any convince vs of error or evill and we yeeld not leâ— vs be esteemed accordingly otherwise if we walke in the truth and they will not approue it be it vpon them as they shal answer befâ—re the Lord. Mr. Iunius whom you mention to reply so sharply neyther approueth your Church nor condemneth our practice no not though he were instantly vrged the writings between him and us are extant to the world let the reader judge what both sides haue sayd Your censure of Mr Barrow or scoffing rather at him neyther hurteth him or vs nor helpeth you His playn dealing in reprouing the corruptions of these times you call rayling it is marvel you say not also the prophets rayled on the people of Israel when they vsed sharp rebukes for I suppose you can hardly shew any hard speech that Mr. Barrow ther writeth which the Prophets and Apostles haue not vsed before But if he were overcaried with some seuere speeches in a good cause‘ neyther we not himselfe euer iustified that infirmitie we know that we are frayl men let the sharpnesse therefore be his but the trueth which he sharply teacheth Gods And why carp you at the manner of his writing and meddle not with the matter That book with others haue discouered the idolatries of your church which neyther by you nor any haue euer yet been answered refuted by the scriptures For your self let the reader iudge what you â—aue sayd The 7 Consideration 7. THe great and grosse disorder and partiallity in administring of your disciplinâ— which George Iohnson sheweth cheerly besides the wants of sunctimony and common duties of godlynes which he sayth are to be found in farr greater measure in the câ—mmâ—n professâ—rs of the church of England and saith further that the Dutch churches take you for a most vnquiet conâ—entious and disorderly people Answer THis article you obiect vnto vs vpon one mans report that was for lying and slandering false accusation and contention himselfe cast out of our Church By what rule or word of God can you admit of the testimony of an excommunicate against a whole congregation Reason also might teach you that no man standing against a church to excommunication will ever speake wel of that church in the cause wherein he standeth But grant that this all were true which he reporteth what would you vrge vpon it that therefore Christianitie which we professe is evill so perhaps a Turk or Iew would doe with as much reason as you can conclude that our separation from you is euill Was there ever any truth think you that men did walke in it as they ought or any Church in the world wherein the discipline as you call it was administred as it should Iulian the Apostata that wrote so much against Christ reading the testimonies of Moses the Prophets and Apostles Deut. 9.7.22.24 Isa. 59 3 4 5 c. Mic. 3.9.11 1. Cor. 5.1.2 11.21.22 c. 3 Iohn 9.10 had as good ground to blame the Israelites and Christians for their manners discipline and consequently to disswade them from their faith as you do vs yea he might allege faithfull and vndeniable witnesses whereas you rely vpon a slanderer Finally what ayme you at in all this but to draw vs back vnto your church and there it is like we shall find discipline without disorder or partiallity to weet in your Bishops courts for there the discipline of your church is to be seen Of which we need say nothing the voyce almost of al the land crieth out of their abominations Onely we obserue how pregnant your perswasions are to make vs beleeu that because there ar sinns in Sion there be none in Babylon The 8 Consideration 8. GOD neuer witnessed for you nor gaue testimony of his approuing your separation whether we consider your ministerie or people For hardly can you shew any one person conuerted by your ministery from papistry or atheisme or other open wickednes as by Gods blessing multitudes haue been by ours but onely haue you seduced and wrought vpon the tender consciences of such as by our ministery were first begotten vnto Christ But which is specially to be obserued from your distracted and devided congregations multitudes haue fallen away to euery kind of impiety herisie reigning in the world Answer IF God approue our seperation and our ministerie by his word as we are surâ— he dooth it is yenoâ—gh though our ministery haue not conuerted any Your reason is as if a Câ—inite should haâ—e sayd vnto Nâ—ah God neuer witneâ—sed for thee nor gaue testimony of his approuing thy building of the Ark for hardly canst thou shew any one person converted by thy precahing or Ark building these 120. yeares Our ministery belongeth to our church the assemblies whereof Papists Athâ—ists such like wicked ones vse not to frequent and how is it poâ—sible â—ur ministery should conuert such as come not to heare it If we wâ—â—ld obiect vnto you that few Turks and Saracens haue been converred by yâ—ur mâ—â—isterie what would you answer Yet where you say â—e can harâ—ly shâ—w my c. we can if need wer shew you many that wer sometime profâ—in irreligious whiles they were of your church but coÌ„mâ—ng and heâ—râ—ng by Gods providence the doctrine of our church haue been reclâ—ymed from their lewd life doe walk holily in the faith with vs. It is true in â—eed that our cause hath wrought most vpoÌ„ such as being somtimes vnâ—er yoâ—r ministery had tender consciences pliable to the truth others of more corrupt consciences haue set against blasphemed it Tâ—e â—â—â—â—ideratioâ— of this in any wise mans iudgment wil rather lead vnto â—hen â—rom our cause when the better sort by your own confession do come vnto vs the worser and refuse remayn stil with you Your last poynt which you would haue specially to be obserued that multitudes haâ—e fallen from vs to every kind of heresie and impietie is indeed worthy to be obserued For first the scripture is fulfilled which sayth mâ—ny shâ—ll â—leaue vnto them faynedly Dan. 11.34 Secondly being fallen if they had com to a more holy faith better walking wheÌ„ they were gone out from vs it might haue importeâ— ours to be evil but now that they haue fallen to grosse heresie impietie it argueth Gods hand so be heavy vp on them because they continued not in the truth with vs. And this the scripture confirmeth saying of such as receiue not the loue of the truth
himself and the Conformists of farr greater esteem in this church then the Reformists Whether this be not a playne schisme and Mr Bern a factious person thus to carry hâ—mselfe in a church let himselfe say as also whether he be not fâ—r this ipso â—acto excommâ—nicated by force of theâ—r own Canon which sayth Whosoeuer shall hereafter separate themselues from the Communion of Saincts as it is approued by the Apostles rules in the Church of England and combine themselues together in a new brotherhood accounting the Christiâ—ns who are conformable to the doctrine gouernments rites and ceremonies of the church of England to be profane and vnmeet for them to ioyne with in Christian profession let them be excommunicated ipso facto and not restored but by the Archbishop after their repentance and publick reuocation of such their wicked errors Into like danger doth he come by Canon 11 and 12. The il meanes by which our cause is mainteyned he makeâ—h to be strange expositiâ—n of scripture c. First Mr Bern. here walketh still in the Papists steps who obiect the like vnto the Protestants Let an indifferent reader say they peruse the learnedst book of these reformers and he shall see in them false allegations of Fathers corruptions of scriptures fathers and councels c. Secâ—â—dly I answer our expositions may seeme strange to such as are themselues strangers from God but the Godly wise can discerne to whom if they haue read our books I leane the iudging of this probability Now thâ—s old calumniatioÌ„ which SataÌ„ layd vpoÌ„ the Sainct how truly Mr Bâ—rn hath layd vpon vs let his proofs shew which are in these two particulars First that one of us sayth All the truth is not taught in the Church of Eâ—gland and to proue this Act. 20 21. is cited Which one of vs thus citeth Act. 20 and where Mr Bern. nameth not Good cause we haue to suspect his faithfulnes for in his book he chargeth vs with some errors which we hold not as after shall appear And he that would so iniury the whole what may we think he wâ—ll doe for a part I suppose therefore the party cited that scripture to proue the whole truth ought to be taught which because it may be questioned whether it be needfull at all times therefore the Apostles example is brought As for the Priests of England 〈◊〉 they preach not the whole truth is proued by their dayly practise who balk many truthes touching the church ministery worship governmenâ— c. as all that obserue their doctrines know very well It is proued â—lso by the lawes and canons of their church which excommunicate â—ll such as shall by the truth reproue the falsehoods and abominations that are among them as before in this treatise is shewed And Mr Bern. is very silly if he exspect any scriptures to proue what is now taught in his church Furthermore if it be granted him that Act. 20. were by some one of vs alleged for the purpose he pretendâ—th yet it is no more lâ—kelihood that our cause is evill then that his brethrens cause and plea against vs is evill for they without all doubt doe allege scriptures for to proue things done in Engl which it is not posible by the scripturs for to shew See before in this book pag. 43. c 44. But what speak I of others Mr Bern himsefe is fayn to vse such colours els would the glory of his church soon fade for in the 48 page of his book he allegeth God for witnes that they are his people 1 by giuing them his word Psa 147.19 20. 2 by his effectuall working thereby Ier 22 22 therefore there is the voyce of the sonne of God Ioh. 5.25 c. If these be found and sufficient proofs that England hath Gods word because Israel had it and so in the rest then why may not men allege like Scriptures and proofs against them saying They are stayned with their own works and goe a whoring with their own inuentions Psal. 106 39. from the Prophets of Ierusalem is hyprocrisie gone forth into all the Land Ier. 23.15 I haue not sent these Prophets sayth the Lord yet they ran c. Ier. 23.21 and the like So then Mr Bern. must eyther bring better reasons for himselfe or els he may blush to blame others for that wherein himself is more faulty then they if they be faulty at all The other particular which he specifieth is that places setting forth the inuisible church c. we bring to set forth the visible church by as namely 1. Pet. 2.9 10. But Mr Bern. shewes his reader no reason at all why that Scripture must be vnderstood of the inuisible church as he Sayth and it is an easie matter for him to find faults without reasoÌ„ in any maÌ„s writing That place of Peter as the wise reader may perceiue Speaketh of and to the visible or Sensible church for th' Apostle wrote to the visible christians the strangers that then dwelt in Pontus Galatia c. and this which he speaketh to them in Chap· 2 9.10 is as Moses of old spake to the visible church of Israel Exod. 19 6. Againe he mentioneth the end of their calling to this dignity vidz to shew forth the vertues of him that had called them out of darknes into his maruelous light which whether it appertaynes not to the visible church I leaue it for euery true member thereof to iudge And such as these are the exceptions that D. Allison to whome he referreth us tooke heretofore which because they are vnworthy a Dr. of Diuinity we haue though best to passe by as vnworthy of reply till further occasion The 4. likelihood is that we haue not the approbation of any reformed churches Churches for our cause This is much like his first probability before answered and seemeth to be a mayn propp to vphold the church of England which loue to make flesh their arme The reader may see this poynt thrise vrged before in this book and thrise answered I referr him also to our Letters vnto Mr Iunius whome Mr Bern. mentioneth finally to the Apologie of the church of England where themselues say vnto the like obiections of the Papists thâ— truth of the Gospel of Iesus Christ dependeth not upon councels add also nor vpon Churches nor as S. Paul sayth vpon the iudgements of mortall creatures The 5. is the condemnation of this way by the Diuines of England both liuing and dead c. But this is no other likelihood then it is like Mr Bern. if he had then liued would haue alleged against Christ himselfe when the learned Priests Rabbines and Diuines of Israel condemned his way and doctrine Ioh. 7.48.49 19 7. c. If these learned English Diâ—ines haue confuted vs let Mr Bern. or any shew the scriptures and reasons by which they haue done it if they were our aduersaries without reason as some of them he
vnlesse perhaps he hath blessed some of their youthes with the Sacrament of Confirmation how many of their soules he hath conuerted yea let them say whether euer he saw their faceâ— As for the Bishops Deputies the parisâ—h priests many of them are dumb by nature and cannot preach many are made dumb by their spirituall Lords power and silenced for disobedâ—ence so preaching wexeth geazon and people perish for want of Instruction In the mean tyme this painful Clergie feedeth the Lay weekly with their mattings Euensong and Homilies and sometimes in a year with sermon and reading the Bishops canons They discipline their notorious sinners with reading curses and Comminations out of the pulpit till the Lent penance which is much to be wished be restored agayn they solemnize the holy dayes of Angels and of Saincts they giue ech man the sacrament at Easter deuoutly vpon his knees they baptise with water and a signe of the crosse in the aâ—er they wed their parishioners with a ring teach the man to worship his wife in the name of the Father and of the Son of the holy Ghost they church the women after childbirth they visiâ— the sick and absolue him from all his sinns and howsel him with a Communion and last of all they bury the dead in sure and certayn hope of resurrection to eternall life And this is yenough for priests to doe in the country parishes but in the Cathedrall churches where Bishops Deanes and other great Doctors do reside there the Queristeâ—s and Organ-pipes make sweeter melody Mr. Bern. confesseth that the Lord onely prescribes the duties to be done in euery distinct â—ffice now he that knowes not these dutiess to belong to Christs ministers or these works to be a faythfull performance of ministeriall office let him read Mr Bernards book for there he hath quoted many scriptures the end of all which is to raise an euident proof of the truth of their ministery and administration as if one should cite the second commandement for to vphold idolatrie The effects of their administration in conuerting sowles is but a vayne boast as their idolatrous estate with the lamentable ignorance and profanenes of the people every where sheweth The reasons brought by others for Mr Bern bringeth none to perswade such effects are before in this treatise answered It maketh also against the estate of this church and ministery for if these preachers haue conuerted and wrought faith in some of their hearers then it followeth that before that conuersion they were infidels yet were they of the church and had this ministery set ouer them as all men know Which how it can stand with the râ—les of Gods word hath neuer yet bene shewed The example which Mr Bern. allegeth of th' Apostle 1 Cor 9.1.2 helpeth him nothing For Apostles were sent to conuert heathens but Pastors are set for to feed conuerted Christians And the Priests of England challenge to be Pastors I ween and not Apostles Agayn the work and seal of Pauls Apostleship was seen in Corinth by separating the beleeuers from infidels and gâ—therâ—ng the Saints onely into the communion of the church vnder the officers giâ—en of Christ but in England the vnbâ—leeuers and wicked were receiued and are reteyned in the church So that Mr. Bern. is but a â—alse Apostle as his work shewes if he be any at all But in the end he tels vs we forget to iustifie the lawfulnes of our own ministers who are made â—iâ—istâ—rs â—y sâ—ch as are no ministers contrary to the constant practise of the church of God from the dayes of Adam hitherto c. In which dispute Mr. Bern. teacheth playn apostasie from the Gospell unto Poperie from whâ—ch he deriueth the minâ—stery of his church of Engl. For seing all the examples that he allegeth from scriptures are of Diuine persons and approued ministers of the true church and comming to his church of England he fetcheth her ministery out of the Popish church and from the Prelates thereof it cannot be if his last words agree with his first but the poâ—ish church is a true church and their prelates true ministers Otherweise hâ—s reasoning is absurd to say God ordeyned Adam Moses odeyned Aaron Christ ordeyned the Apostles the Apostles ordeyned orther mâ—nisters in churches therefore Antichrist of Rome his synagoâ—ue of Satan hâ—s eldest sonâ—es the Prelates must or may ordeyn miniâ—ters in the church of Christ. If this be a good consequence let al men iudge if â—â—â—s it be not then Mr. Bern. holdeth the popish church and the â—opish ministers true ministers and so himselfe and his church of England must needs be schismatiks for leauing that church of Rome When he hath cleared himselfe of this his absurd doctrine then if he cannot see that the church of Christ hath power to ordeyn her own ministers it shal be shewed hâ—m by the scriptures Tâ—ll then what should we do folowing of a wauering reed whome we cannot tell by his writing whether he be Papist or Protestant And that the reader may see into what an intricate Labyrâ—nth the ministers of England haue brought themselues about this matter of their ministery by writing as they haue doâ— both of the Papists and of us I will set down a Papist argument against them from which how handsomely they can defend themselues I would fayn see There came out in anno 1602 a book called A detection of diuers notable vntruthes c. wherein the author hauing to deal wit Mr Sâ—â—cliff who as he sayth had reasoned thus The true church is a societie of faithfull people vnder lawfull Pastors c But the Church of Rome hath long wanted true Pastors and Bishops for the Romish Bishops haue no authority â—r missioÌ„ but froÌ„ the Pope to whome also they swear feally but he hath no authority to send them or ordeyn them â—eing himselfe no Bishop c. This argumeÌ„t of Mr Sutcliffs the Papist retorteth vâ—oÌ„ theÌ„ thus The true church of Christ hath alwayes true Pastors and Bishops but the English Congregation wanteth true Priests and Bishops Therefore the English congreagation 〈◊〉 not the true church of Christ. The fiâ—st proposition sayth the Papist he must not deny being of his own making c. The 2 proposition is apparant according to Mr Sutcliffs diuinity For most certaine it is that their first Bishops receiued their orders and consecration from our catholik Bishops as his brother Bel confesseth Suruey pag. 201. And the thing it selfe speaketh seing when Lâ—ther begun there was not any protestant Bishop or Priest c. And if Mr Sutâ—liffe dare deny that their Bishops were câ—nsâ—cratedlâ— ours then let him name who they were that did lay hands vpon Mr Parker the first of Cant. that deriued not their mission authority and consecration from the Bishop of Rome Certayn it is thâ—t â—yther none at all can be named or els none bâ—sides therefore if our Bishops be
COVNTERPOYSON CONSIDERATIONS touching the poynts in difference between the godly ministers and people of the Church of England and the seduced brethen of the Separation ARGVMENTS That the best assemblies of the present Church of England are true visible Churches That the Preachers in the best assemblies of Engl. are true ministers of Christ. Mr BERNARDS book intituled The SEPARATISTS SCHISME Mr CRASHAWES Questions propounded in his Sermon preached at the Crosse. Examined and Answered by HENRY AINSWORTH Lord God the strength of my saluation couer thou my head in the Day of battel Psal. 140.7 RIGHT RIGHT Printed in the yeare 1642. A fore-speech to the Christian reader THE truth and church of God by multitude of enemies hath euer been dâ—sgraced and troden down in the world that many which haue seemed to loue and seek after it haue stumbled at the reproch oppotision of the same Yet the godly wise haue vnderstood discerned things that differ It is a great help vnto the weak and simple when the deceits and snares wherewith the adversarie seeketh to destroy the sowl are oâ—enly discouered by the light of Gods word and for this cause haue I endeauoured according to the measure of knowledge and grace giuen vnto me to make answer vnto such reasons cauils and calumniations as are giuen out against that part of the truth which this church witnesseth vnto the world touching our separation from the Church of Engl. the Considerations Arguments first answered were written by Mr Spr a Minister of Glocestershire in them as I suppose the summ and weight of that which may be sayd for that church is comprised Mr Bernards booke hath rather shew then weight of reason as the iudicious reader may perceiue and seemeth to be penned by him rather for disgrace of others then defence of themselues But no better fruit can be exspected from such as rebel against the light which themselues once seemed to regard Mr Crashawes questions are rather to stumble at then to direct the ignorant as hauing neyther weight of argument against vs nor for themselues Yet as by al these meanes the truth is oppugned so by all contrary good meanes it should be defended that wisdome may be iustified of all her children and others left without excuse How weak and insufficient the aduersaries reasons are in partiular the answers vnto them more parâ—icularly will shew Here I will briefly obserue some generall things whereby falshood endeavoureth to vphold it selfe and how it may by the prudente be discried Vntruth hatâ— sought to preuayl 1. By perseâ—uting such as haue spoken against or forsaken her iniquitie iniquitie This the blood of Gods martyrs shed in all ages proclaimeth vnto all men And thus haue the chief Pastors of the Church of England dealt with Christs lambs in these our dayes For hauing gotten into their hands the sword of the Magistrate they there with haue smitten such as with the word the sword of the spirit they could not conuince In which they fulfill the measure of their Fathers for so haue the Papall Prelates vsed to feed their flocks 2. By blaspheming and preaching against the faith witnesses therof For they that hold forth the truth are exposed to the reproch venim of the tongue and many vniust calumniations come forth against their persons especially the principall of them whom evill minded men doe most maligne Also the cause it selfe is often wronged whiles the truth thereof and reasons that vphold it are svâ—pressed arguments feighned and confuted which wer neuer made or otherwise made then the aduersaries pretend and sometimes such articles and errors imputed as from which it is altogether free How others heretofore haue caried themselues this way all records shew how men at this day haue dealt with vs and the truth which we imbrace many pulpits in Engl. can witnesse besides priuate calumnies innumerable and some publicke pamphletes The stinch of their reprochfull mouthes hath caused many to distast the sweet sauour of the Gospell and caused also for a while a dislike in sundry of vs till God in mercy visited and saued vs from the deceitfull tongue 3. Yet is not this yenough but men seek to bear down the truth by writing against and to the defamation of the same with all exquisite cunning and frawd to disgrace it and by plausible reasons to perswade vnto error If any would see this let the generall arguments vsed at this day against vs consonant and agreable to the reasons of Papists other ancient adversaries of the Gospel be obserued 1. The Papists haue continually exclaimed against them for leauing their mother the ch of Rome that bare them crying out the Church the Church the Catholike church and saying that Luther and all the pack of their first fathers were children of their mother the Catholike Church and are gone out from them And when the Protestants obiected her sinns for which they left her it was pleaded againe will ye forsake your mother because shee wanteth perfect bewty or because there is some deformity in her c Moreouer they would allege to proue them schismatiks how in that ch thâ—y had been regenerated and made hâ—r citezens and members by baptisme c that from her they had their first faith and knowledge yea euen the Bible it selfe which treasure their church euer had the custody of and many such like These are the mayn reasons obiected to vs at this day they tel vs the Church of England is the mother of the faithfull that the ministery thereof hath begotten vs if euer we were truely begotten in the spirit asking us where els we were regenerate â—f not in the womb of that their church c. And if we tell them of their transgressions for which we forsake them they answer though there were in our church these wounds you speake of yet doe they not come neare the hart they be not deadly they may blemish the bewty but endanger not the life of our church c. thereforâ— your separation from vs is scismaticall and vniust and many such like pleas they pretend 2 For the châ—rch of Rome it hath by her Mediators been alleged that in her is reteyned the pâ—ofession of Christ authorety of scriptures and Apostolike doctrine as touching all the chief or capitall articles of religion and that the church is to be esteemed by the foundation thereof which is Chrst on which foundation though they that came after builded wood and hay and stubble instead of siluer and gold and precious stones yet haue they not by and by departed from the foundation c. Now who knoweth not that this is the bulwarke of the church of Eng. now against all batteries and one of the chiefest reaâ—ons whereby they reteyn many simple and wel affected people among them and that may be also seen in this book following pag. 43.105 119. 123. and in many other of their writings 3.
Vniuersall consent agreement and applause of Churches in al nations of Synodes and Councels of Fathers and learned men haue been the continuall boast of Papists in all their books against the Protestants now they in Enâ—l to beare out their estate vrge agayn and agayn the like against vs that when Gods word will not vphold them yet mans word at least may honour them before the people See after in this treatise pag 9. 22. 44 5. 89 91.92.128 4. Whereas the truth hath brought for her defense the evident scriptures papists haue been wont to carp at the allegations and interpretations of them and chalenge their aduersaries for corrupting them the formall protestants in Engl. haue done the like against the Reformists and they now use the like colour against vs but how truely let the particulars shew after in this book pag. 90.91.97 5. To reuile and calumniate such as forsooke them hath been the coÌ„mon practise of Papists calling them heretiks schismatikes Lutherens Calumists c. and matching them with wicked heretiks heretofore now liuing The same way doe our aduersaries now walke in proclayming vs to be Schismatiks Seduced Brownists Donatists c. and to make vs the more odious vnto the people they enroll vs sometime with the most vile blasphemers that they can mention For he was esteemed a forward â—reacher amâ—ng them who to grace his own cause by disgracing the truth would needs ioyn vs with the blasphemer Hacket sometimes a brother of the reformists and hot mainteyner of their cause to make his malice the more remarkable he puts in the margine of his book The brownest and Hacket of an euill spirit and that which he writeth besides is so fraudulently set down that the simple reader who knowâ—th not our cause may thinke that this Hacket was one of vs. This abuse we suâ—fer because forsooth we were thought to hinder their couÌ„terfeyt reformation which Hacket would haue set vp by force for which they beare their reproch at his hands that wrote English Scottizing for discipline but this man most iniuriously would turn it vpon vs. These and the like arguments doe euill men continually vse against the truth which presseth them and which they seek to suppresse but all in uayne for it will preuayl mangre their opposition and that which they thinke to hinder the Gospell bâ— God will turne to the furtherance of the same and confusion of his aduersaries Against these and all other like colours wherewith false churches aâ— adorned two meanes haue been vsed for to discouer the falshood thâ— one manifesting the fact or estate of a person or people the other the lawfulnesse of the same The commandement of God is a lantern and the law a light to declare what is good or euill and evidences there are of euery publick estate and action For in al ages God hath moued some to obserue and speake against the abuses reigning and some haue recorded things for their glory which turne vnto their shame â—y this meanâ— the skirts of the whore of Rome haue been discouered whiles some that loued and othersome that loathed her haue painted out her filthinesse which being compared with the chastitie of Christs spowse set forth in holy writ hath caused righteous men as was foretold to iudge her children after the manner of harlots and of murtherers and the very hornes of that beast to hate the whore and burne her with fire And we at this day that witnesse the truth against the remainders of that whores cup are driuen to breake silence to plead for Christ in publik because the aduersaries so importune vs by continuall preaching and writing against vs and seeking to bear out all with the cloke â—f the gospel and to hide the iniquities vnder a vaile of professing truthes fundamentall they will hardly be a known of the manifold euils and grosse corruptions that preuayl in their assemblies Therefore also are we forced to produce their own writers for to witnes with vs who both heretofore and to this day complayn of the sinns that reign among them And worthy it is to be obserued how the ministers of England are come to contradict and depart from their own grounds for to mainteyn their corrupt estate For now they vtterly deney the visible church to be a company of faithfull people that truely worship Christ and readily obey him coâ—traâ—y both to all the scriptures and to their own Articles d of religioâ— Aâ—d Mr Bernarde in the name of all the diuines in their church yea if we â—ay beleâ—ue him of all the reformed Churches in Christendome telleth vs with a marginall note also to haue it wel obserued that the true word of God preached and true sacraments of Christ administred are infallible tokeâ—s of a true church I say not saith he the word truely preachâ—d nor the sacrâ—mâ—nts rightly administred but thus the true word preached the true sacrâ—mâ—nâ—â— administred Now lay these things together and see what a holy communion they will make the church of God to be namely if not a roâ—t of miscreants yet at least a mesceline multitude of beleeuers and infidelâ— holy and profane Among whome it the true word be preached though neuer so curruptly falsly peruersly by any Popeling Baalist or Balaamite if the true sacraments be administred though neuer so superstitiausly profanely and disorderly to the open wicked c. yet there must needs be a true church Such heauenly doctrine or rather such hellish error is now taught by the transformed ministers for to make meÌ„ keep communion with Belial Against these and other like impostures haue I endeauoured to bring out the truth though naked and destitute of all wordly ornaments and by it to manifest the present aberations of my country from the primitiue faith of Christ I haue also produced their own testimonies a-against them that the Saincts on eart may say their rock is not as our Rock euen our enemies being iudges And if they will yet resist the world may see they are condemned by themselues But my harts desire and prayer for my brethren is that they may be saued turning from darknes to light and from the power of Satan vnto God that they may receiue forgiuenes of sinns and inheretance among them which are sanctified by faith in Christ. Hâ—nâ—y Ainsworth A Direction to some principall things conteyned in this book Administration of the Ministers of Engl scanned with the effects pag 14. c. 58. c. 60. c. 62. c. 109. c. 110. c. Antichrists kingdome not ouerthrowne by the ministers of Engl. pag. 61. c. Begetting of faith how it is pag. 5 6 It is no essentiall note of a true church p 6. It should be before the planting of a church p. 40 41 146. Building of the church and how it is performed in England p. 33 34 c Christ not the head Mediator Prophet Priest or
King of the church of England p 74. c. not the spowse of the same pag 42. c Compulsion to the faith and church vsed in Engl. but vnwarrantable pag 120.78.131 c.. p 133 Constitution of a church pag 98.99 K. Edwards reformation of religion and how it was accepted pag. 120.133 Foundation Christ and Fundamentall truth pretended and discused pag 34.123 c. 126.117 c Gifts proue not a true ministery pag 13 c. Matter of the church of Engl. pag 106. Ministery of the church of Engl. pag 108 c. A Papist argument against the church of Engl. pag. 111. Pattern of planting a church pag. 44. Popular gouernment obieâ—ted and answered pag. 101 c. Popes authors of many ordinances now in Engl pag. 137 c. Positions concerneng a true church pag. 65 c. Profession in Engl. contrary to their estate and praâ—tise pag 124 c Reformation by the Kings of Iudah p. 134. c Reformed churches alleged for approbation of the church of Engl. and answered pag. 9 10.22 c. 48 51 â—2 c. 128 129. Repentance not truely preached or practised in the church of Engl. pag. 45. c. 56. c. Separation proued necessary p 5 22 granted by our aduersaries pag. 1 Synns suffred how they defile the church pag. 101. c. Spirits of the Prophets subiect to the Prophets scanned pag. 28.29 Testimonies of the ministers of Engl. against the estate of that church concerning The people pag. 2.107.108.59 60 62.122.125 126.127 The ministery and ministers pag. 3.11.112.81 114.119 136 142 143. The worship pag 3 The church gouernours pag 4 Worship of God in the church of England polluted pleaded for against pag. 137. c CONSIDERATIONS Touching the poynts in difference betvveen the godly 〈…〉 people of the Church of England and the seduced brethren of the separation A Separation we deny not from the corruptions of the Church wherein we liue 1 in iudgment 2 profession 3 practise 1 of teaching euâ—ry part of truth and righteousnes 2 of performing the things we teach 3 of reprouing every part of sin and error 4 and absteyning from all corruptions of life and dâ—ctrine for which particulars so many of both parts haue suffred and doe suffer so many things But the difference is we suffer for separating in the Church you out of the Church And this to be true you know vnlesse you will cauill against your own conscience and knowledge Answer WHO so examineth these your Considerations and weigheth them in the ballance of equitie may finde them wanting in many poynts touching the differences between your Church and vs that separate froÌ„ the same and insufficient in the poynts that are handled to perswade any wise hart to returne vnto you You ouerpasse 1 the hierarchie of your spirituall Lords the prelates with their vnder officers which reign ouer you 1 and the forme of Gods worship by your Leitourgie or seruice booke set vp and vsed in all your parishes These are two mayn exceptions that we make against you though you dissemble them in this your writing and insist vpon other two 1 the people and 2 inferior ministerie as I conceiue you as if these onely were the poynts of difference between vs and you Which whether you haue done of ignorance or of fraud rather to deceiue your reader I leaue it vpon your conscience to consider of Againe the two things that you take vpon you to handle you for down in these termes the godly Ministers and people of the Church of England whereas our separation is from your Church in generall wherein many vngodly ministers and people are to be found standing in commixture or confusion rather as one body with those which are estemed more godly and religeous and therefore you deale not syncerely to make our separation to seem but from apart and those the godly Agayn whereas there is a scisme in your Church by two contrary factions at warr with your selues Conformitans and Puritans as you stile one another you deale not plainely to tell vs whither party you meane to defend but lead your reader into clowdes and mâ—st speaking of godly miâ—isters and people not naming who or where they are That thoâ—gh one may gueâ—se whome you mean yet you write so generâ—lly covertly that if danger or in conuenience come by any thing you haâ—e sayd yoâ— may sâ—ifâ— it of to eyther side for your best aduantage A 〈◊〉 you deny not from the corruptions of the Châ—rch whâ—rein 〈◊〉 liue yet 〈…〉 not what those corruptions are which behooued you to haâ—e done if you woulâ— haue effeâ—ted oâ—r retâ—rne vnto you For we are uerily perswaded that they are nothing bâ—t your corruâ—tâ—ons 〈◊〉 we haue separated froâ— and therefore cannot reioyne our selues vnto you till they be remoued And seeing you may minde some things to be corruâ—tions in your Châ—rch and we othersome it cannot be we should well accord till particulars be related which therefore if you write agayn we pray you in your next to set downe Yet for the present it is well that the truth hath wrung out such a testimony from yovr own mouth and pen whiles you grant and deny not such a separation in generall as you mention to the branches whereof if you will stand and abide also by whâ—ch you haue heretofore wrâ—tten I doubt not but the discreet reader will see your bat ell is â—ot so much against vs as against your selues the sword which you haue dra◠〈◊〉 slay svch as be vpright of way doth enter into the verie hart of your own Church the bâ—wes which you haue bent at us are broken For â—e forsake your Church for this mayn corruption that all sorts of profane and wicked men haue been and are both they and their seed receiued into and nourished withâ—n the bâ—some of your Church contrary to the first couenant of our redemption wherein God with his owne mouth proclaymed perpetvall emnity and warr against the Serpent and his seed which the women and her seed should wage though with the brusing of the heel thereof Gen. 3. Contrary also to the example of all Gods Churches since the world begann who alwayes were seperated from the vngodly as the scriptures shew Now that this is a corruption aâ—ong you your selues haue taught saying and complayning that in the Church are swarmes of Atheists jdolaters Papists erroneus and hereticall sâ—ctaries witâ—hes charmers sorcerers murtherers theeues adulterâ—rs liers c Also that among you the holy Saccraments are communicated with the Papists the holy misteris of God profaned the Gentiles enter into the Temple of God the holy things are indifferently communicated with clean and vnclean circumcised and vncircumcised Againe that there be thâ—wsands which be men and women growne which if a man ask them how thâ—y â—halbe saued they cannot tell As for wickedness in pride envy haâ—red and all sinns that can be nâ—med almost it deth ouerflow and yet
more to separate from theâ— being maynteyned in a false vnleâ—se a false Church haue more privâ—lige tâ—en â— crâ—e And we consider that our separation is from the corrâ—â—ptioÌ„ of â— false Church 2. The scrâ—ptures also are playn that we must separate and forsake all false Churches as well as corruâ—tions in a true 2. Cor. 6 17. Come out from among them and separate your sâ—lues saith the Lord and touch no unclean thâ—ng and I will receiue you Reuelation 18 4 Goe out of her my people that ye receive not of her plagues Hosea 4.15 Come not ye vnto Gilgal neither give vp to Bethâ—ven and many the like How rightly then doe you allege scriptures as if they taught vs separation in a Church onely and not out of it also when it is false and Idolatroâ—s 3. Yoâ—r selues are a president to vs of like practise in separating not in but out of the Church of Rome as yoâ— haue dealt with the mother so doe we with the daughter because like mother like daughter according to the prouerb Eze. 16.44 4. You allege thâ— examples of all the prophâ—ts yet shew you not any that â—alâ—ed by your râ—le to seâ—arate in the Church and not out of it Wee are sure they called the people out of the Church of Israel when it was idolatrous aâ—d forbad them to come at their aâ—semblies Hos 2.2.3.4 4 15.17 Amos. 5.5 And how they coâ—ld themselues joyn with that Church from which they separated others is strange uÌ„to us especially coÌ„siâ—erinâ— that Israel in that estate is noted by the proâ—het Azariah to be withâ—ut the true God without Pâ—â—ist to teach â—nd wihtâ—ut law 1 Chro. 15.3 and may we thinke he separated not from that Church The Israelites thâ—n sacrâ—â—iced to Divils not to Gâ—â— Deut. 3â— 17. Chron. 11.15 and wil yoâ— sâ—y the prophets separated not from them 5. The like I Answer to the examples of Christ and his Apostles who as tâ—ey absteyned from corruptioâ—s in the Ieâ—ish Church so were they qâ—â—re sepâ—râ—teâ— from all false Churches as the Samâ—ritans and other like Mat 10 5. Ioh. 4.22 Act. 2.40 199 so theâ—r examples also doe approue our practise 6. Wâ—ere as you would haue noted that those Churches which Christ and hâ—s Apâ—stles coâ—â—unicated with were Antianosaicall as yours we â—ay ar◠〈◊〉 I 〈◊〉 tâ—e comparâ—son For â— the Iewish Church consistâ—d it all 〈…〉 the same Leuit 20 21.16 of a people separated not onely from heathens but also from fâ—lse professors heretiks and idolaters and were children of the prophets aâ—d couenant of God Iohn 4.9 Act 3.25 But your Church câ—nsâ—steth â—f an vnseparated people children of Idolatrous Priests strangers from the couenant of God 2. The Iewes then had their sacrifices seruices and solemne feasts according to Moses Law Mat 8.4 Mar 14.12 Luk 9. â—O 2.21 24 and Chrâ—st himselfe jâ—stâ—fâ—ed theâ—r worship Ioh. 4.22 but your seruice worship and fâ—stivalâ— are after Antichrists law translated out of his masse-booke 3. Theâ—r Priests were according to Moses instâ—tution of Aarons line Luk 1 5. with 1 Chro. 2.1 10 their Scribes and Pharisees sate in Moses chaâ—re Mat 23.2 your Priests after the Popes institution your prelates fit in Antichrist chair So they wer not so much against Moses as you are agaâ—nst Christ and that your Church reteyneth not the foundation Christ shal through his grace anone be proued The 2. Consideration 2. OVR Church hath the essentiall notes of a true church able to beget a true sauing faith to worke the fruites of the spirit to make a man a true and perfect Christian and last of all to saue him To the which also Christ hath tied his gracious promise and blessing to the end of the world Rom 10 13 17 Mat 28 19.20 Act 20.32 2 Tim. 3.15.16 1. Tim. 4.16 Iam. 1.21 Isa 55 11. Answer THese notes which you propound 1 are not the essentiall notes of a true Church a neyther if they were are they ordinariely found in your Church 1. These are not essentiall notes because 1 One man may haue al this you speake of and no one man is or can be a Church for that consisteth of a multitude or nuÌ„ber of persons it is an assembly or convocation joyntly together it is a body and euery one severally is but a member 1. Cor 12 20.27 That one man may haue all your esâ—entiall notes may appear in Pavls exaâ—ple who was able to bâ—get a true sauing faith to worke the fruites of the spirit and so the rest 1. Cor. 4 â—5 Gal. 3 2 5. 2. An Angel may haue all the notes you mention and no Angel is a Church For example the Angel Gabriel who was sent to giue Daniel knowledge and understanding and preached liuly of Christs death the benifits thereof Dan. 9.21.22 c 3. A wicked man may doe al that you speake of but no wicked man is a true church Iudas sent forth with the other Apostles to preach and work miracles might bring others to saluation by his doctrine though hâ—mselfe were a reâ—robate Mat. 10.5 6. c 4. A true Church is the spowse hous of Christ bringeth him forth a sâ—irituall seed But as God gaue the blessing of multiâ—lying childreÌ„ onely to lawfull maried estate yet often it commeth to passe through hâ—s almighty power and goodneâ—â—e that harlots also are partakers of this bleâ—sing and doe bring forth children so the blessing of spirituall propagation is peculiar to the true Church yet God which brought light out of darknes causeth some children to be borne and brought vp vnto him in false Churches For example the Church of Rome the mother of whordoms and abominations of the earth hath doubtles since she was wedded to Antichrist borne and brought vp by the generall true grounds of Chrstian relâ—geon taught in her many children of God and heyres of saluation This I sâ—ppose your selues will not deny neyther yet wâ—ll you say that Rome is Christ true Church Your reason then is as if Thamer should haue pleaded I am able to bear câ—ildren to nourse and brâ—ng them vp to mans estate c. therefore I am my Father Iudahâ— true and lawfull wife Gen. 38 15.18 c. 2. Now if these were essentâ—all notes which you haue set down yet helpe they you nothing for I deny that they ar ordinarily found in your Châ—rch For though I doubt not but the doctrine of your Church hath saued many yet that is Gods extraordinary blessing not the ordinarie effects of your Church This is the thinâ— you should haue proued by comparing yoâ—r Church and minâ—sterie with the Lawes and promises in Gods word which because you haue not done but onely quoted some scriptures generally which men of all religions may doe likeweise I will by one or two of the scriptâ—res that your selfe here ciâ—e shew how vnlike you are to a true Church and Ministery In Rom. 10.3.17 th' Apostle treateth of two things 1 of calling on
the name of the Lord and 2 of faith by hearing his word 1. Whosoeuer call th upon the name of the Lord shal be saued This we are to understand according to Dauids exposition whosoeuer calleth vpon him in truth Psa. 145 18. for God is a spirit and must be worshiped in spirit and trâ—th Ioh. 4.24 but the worship and calling vpon God which your Church vseth in reading the prayers letanie collects and other like things of your Leiturgie translated out of AntiChrâ—st masse-booke is carnall false Idolatrous for such a manner of diuine service you haue no commandement or warrant in the scriptures And this popish worship begetteth not but destroyeth faith and the true caling on Godâ— name and deceiueth mens sowles for in vayn they worship me sayth Christ teaching fâ—r doctrine the precepts of men Mat. 15.9 and they that wayt vpâ—n lyâ—ng vanâ—ties forsake their own mercy Ionah 1 8 2. For the other poynt Faâ—th is by bearing or by report saith the Apostle and proueth it by Isa. 53.1 Lord who hath beleeued our beâ—ring that is our report Now no man can truly and faithfully report â—nlesse God hath first spoken vnto â—â—m neâ—ther can aâ—y man fruâ—tfully hear other report or doctrine then the Lords and so hearing is by the word of God iâ— the mouthes of such as are sent as he sheweth in the 15 verse But youâ— Ministers are not truly and lawfully sent for they cannot shew eyther calling ordination or office according to Chrâ—sts Testament therefore they cannot truly and lawfully preach his word and consequently cannot beget ordinarily a true sauing faith The next scripture also Mat 28 19 20 playnly condemneth the state of your Church and ministerâ—e for 1. There is a lawfull calling authorizing and sending of ministerâ— from him that hath all power in heauen and in earth saying Goe therfore and teach but such a sending your ministers haue not for as your selues haue sayd they enter not in by Chrict but by a Popish and vnlawfull vâ—cation 2. There is a commandement to teach or make disciples before they be receiued into th' Church by baptisme for oâ— them that ar taught such onely as gladly receiue and beleeue the word are to be baptised and admitted into the Church as the practise of th' Apostle sheweth Act. â— 40 41. but your Church was not thuâ— gathered or plaÌ„ted by th' preaching of the Gospell but by the commandement of the Magistrate neither weâ— onely the willing beleevers receiued and others refused but the whole profane multitudes wer admitted or rather compelled into your church wher they and their seed are still retâ—yned 3. There Gods Ministers are willed to teach Chrâ—stians so baptised to obserue all things whatsoeuer Christ commanded his Apostles verse 20 so they haue his gracious promise and blessing to the end of the world but in your church many things are obserued which Christ neuer commaâ—ded Yea the Ministerie and goâ—erment appoynted in his TestameÌ„t are held and confirmed by practise among you not to be perpetual not necessary nor fitting for your state but an other pompous minâ—stery and Lordly ecclesiastical gouerment after the manner of the court of Rome And as for power and liberâ—y to obserue Christ commandements that is farr from your people which al are in bondage to the Bishops and their courts hauing not chrâ—stian freedom to censure sinne or sinners or practise the ordinances of the Gospel as the Apostles did vnlesse Princes and Parliaments will permit or command them The like may be sayd and returned vpon you from the other scriptures by you alleged all which doâ— concerne the true church and ministerie as your selues will not deny and so will helpe you nothing vntill you proue your church and ministerie such Boast not therefore of a true sauing faith and fruites of the spirit when such bitter fruites and works of the flesh doe reign among you for faith without works 〈◊〉 dâ—ad Iam. 2.26 Now then if you will giue us leaue to consider the state of your Church aright we would mind it thus your Church hath the essentiall notes of a false Church namly a confuse prophane worldly people with an Antichrâ—stian Prelacie and preisthood over them able to beget ordinarily but a vayne and dead faith through want of the true ministery of the word in Christs ordinance and by meanes of the false worship and false doctâ—nes that are in your Church to worke the fruits of the flesh as the idolatries and other sinful actions abounding in your Church doe shew to make a man a very Antichristian by resisting persecuting and blaspheming the true way of Christ and practise of his Gospel which alas too many doe and last of all to destroy him if he repent not of his sinneâ—â—nd find mercie with the Lord. which we desire you all may finde for the saluation of your soules The 3. Consideration OVr Church and ministerie are approved of and rejoyced for of all the pure reformed Churches in the world Our confession by them placed in the Harmonie of Confessions giâ—ing vs the right hand of fellowship as also by all the godly learned and most sound and excellent fathers lights of the churâ—h that euer liued in or meddle with our church Bucer Marâ—yr Fagius Alasio Knoxe who liued â—n our church Caluin Beza Bullinger Gualtâ—r â—ymlâ—r Zanchius Iunius Rolocus c. with others verie many who haue giuen their testimony and approbation to our church and ministerie Wherin if our errors were fundamentall damnable and Antichristian as you terme them these churches and persons had vndoubtedly the spirit of discerning and could not be deceiued all at once 1. Cor. 11 16. 14.33 â— 15 10.15 14.32 37 2. Thes. 1.4 Answer THough you come against vs with horsemen and charrets yet we will â—emember the name of the Lord our God by whose word alone all doctrines must be tried all persons must â—udge and be iudged It is incident to the best men and purest churches to erre and be deceiued wherefore their sentences and approbations must be examined by Gods word If you say otherweise you teach corrupt and popish doctrine With such weapons as these haue the Papists long foâ—ght against you and where you can bring one they can bring many to witnesse for them and their Romish superstitions Antiquity vniversality and sâ—ch lâ—ke popular reasons they seek to vphold their kingdome withall 2. The word of God condemning your church and ministerie as we haue often proued and our proofes ly vpon you yet unanswered though all churches in the world should aâ—proue of you your case wer â—o whit the better for all men are vanity 3. The Iewes obieâ—ted as weighty aâ— argâ—mâ—nâ— agaâ—â—â—t Câ—riâ—t him selfe wheâ— they sayd dâ—th any of the rulers or of the Phariseâ—s 〈◊〉 in him but this people which know not the Law are â—ursed Iâ—h 7 1â— 19 4. If the reformed Church's apâ—roue so well of youâ— Church and
not the discipline nor teach their people to keep and obserue the same yea they blame us for practâ—sing Christs lawes withouâ— the Magistrates leaue as if Christ wer not head of the church Prince of all the Kings of the earth Again they administer not their doctrine sacraments and discipline as this realm hath receiued neither reuerently obey their Ordinaries but resist preach and write against the Bishops their canons rites and ceremonies as much as they dare Thus halt they between two opinions and practise neither the discipline of Chrâ—st nor of the prelâ—tes whiles yet they would seem to practâ—se both being in this poynt like to the Saâ—aritans which whiles they would both fear the Lord and serue theâ—r images also they neither feared God nor did after their orâ—inances as the scriptures sayth What then may we esteem of your ministers pâ—wer and authority in teaching Aâ—aine câ—nsider you if some Absolom Adoniaâ— or other vsurper should say I haue 1 sanctification 2 knowledge 3 spirit of dâ—scerning 4 of â—tteraâ—ce 5 of power and authoritie in iudging 6 effectual ordinâ—rie decidind ending of controuersies c therefore I am a lawfull King Iudge or Magistrate and God hath giuen witnesse by these vndâ—â—bted testâ—monies of the truth of my Magistracie whether this â—lea woâ—ld serue him or these testimonies approue his office yet are these most â—regnant proofs of your Minâ—stery 6. The 6. and last testimonies is their effectual ordinary calling and bâ—getting to the faith of God c. This I haue before touched and shewed that ordinarily they beget not but hinder the true faith they keep the people in blâ—ndenes and idolatrie whâ—ch is a worke of darknes and of the flesh and if by their preaching any be brought to the true faith I account it Gods extraordinary work which I doubt not but is also aâ—oÌ„g the Papist Againe if this were granted them I would know what office they would claym iâ— the church hereby whether Apostleship of some other function For in the Church of Corinth were many teachers and instructours yet begat they not their â—eople to the faâ—th for the Apostle Paul challengeth to be their father only and to haâ—e begotten them in Christ through the gospel 1. Cor â— 15 So there may be a lawfull Pastor or Teacher in a church which neuer begat any of them to the faith but onely nourisheth and increaseth faith in them that were begotten afore He is chosen to feed the flock 1. Pet. 5. â— not to begett the same the flock is a company of faithfull people begotten before they haue a Pastâ—r The begetting of faith was first and chiefly by the Apostles and Evangâ—lâ—sts that went about preachâ—ng the word to them that had not heard it Rom. 15 20.21 It â—s also by the ministers of churches or prophets though not in office of ministerie whâ—n vnbeleeuers come into their assâ—mblies 1 Cor. 14.24.25 It is also by all Christians priuately meâ— and women which preaching and witnessing the truth of the Gospell reading talking conferring of the scriptâ—res doe conuert many unto God informe their children and families in the faith and saue their soules Act 8.4 18 â—6 1 Cor. 7.16 Eph. 6 4. Deut. 6.7 Sâ— the begetting of faâ—th is no certaine testimony of a true Minâ—sterie Whereas therefore you conclude that your Ministery begat us also if ever we werâ— trâ—ly begotten in thâ— spirit we may answer yov with Moses â—e take to muâ—h vpon you yâ— sons of Levi. For know you not the wind bloweth where it liâ—teth and you hear the sound thereof but cannot tâ—l whence it commeth or whether it goeth and so is euery man that is borâ— of the spirit It seemeth you count nothing preaching but that which is in the pulpit nothing the word of God but that which commeth out of your Ministers lips but thanks be unto God that hath giuen vs better to discerne the worke of his grace and hath breathed vpon vs with his holie spirit whiles your Ministers stood lik the 4. Angels in the corners of the earth holding the windes that they should not blow The 6 Consideration 6. ALso our godly people haue all the marks and tokens of Gods people and elect 1 which the scriptures set downe 2 which the people in the timâ— of Christ and his Apostles had 3 which the professors of any church that is now in the world haue 4 yea which your selues in your supposed perfection can boaâ—â— of which is sealed vnto them 1 by the care peace and testimony of a good conscience in all things 2 by suffring for sundrie parts both of righteousnes and 〈◊〉 3 by effectual comforts in such sufâ—rings 4 assâ—rance of faith of hope of remission of sinns Gods dear loue vnto them 5 by spiritual loue and thâ— fruits thereof 6. by the progresse and daylie growth in knowledge strength and godlinessâ— c. Answer THAT many of your people are Gods elect I vndoubtedly acknowledge and I would to God such were the estate of you euery one Yet the constitution of your people in your church is not a Communion of Saincts with which we may participate but a confuse mixture of all sorts of men from which the godly must separate as touching the worship of God In this your defence of them you begin thus Our Godly people Buâ— who ar they can we tel are not al your people godly of the true church it is written thy people shal be al righteous if your people be not such why make you not a separation from the vngodly that will not be reclaymed or why cast you them not out from among you Thus ought you to doe by the Testament of Christ. 2. Cor. 6.14.17 1. Cor. 5.13 If you doe it not you profane Gods everlasting couenant I deny not but many hypocrites and reprobates wil creep into the true church and much vngodlinesse will their break out as in any assembliâ— in the world but when it is seen the sinner is presently to be reproued and eyther must purge himselfe by repentance or be excommunicate Luk. 17.3 Mat 18.15.16 17. Thus still the church continueth a comâ—union of Saincts an vnleauened lump a holy nation 1 Cor. 1 5. â— 1 Pet. 2 9. Now for your works and tâ—kâ—ns you say they have all 1 which the scriptures set â—râ—w This is denied and had you searched the scriptures you might easilie haue seen it otherweise For They are not a separateâ— people called out from the world which is oâ—e prâ—ncipal â—ark as before I haue shewed vrged often in the scriptures 1. King 8 53. Isa. 52 1â— Ier 15.19 Ioh. 17.14.16 Reu'18 4 They are not the Lords free people injoyâ—ng the libertie of the gospell but in thraldom to strange Lord aâ—d lawes ecclesiastical Contrary to Lâ—uit â—5 42.55 1 Cor. 7. â—3 Ioh 8 32 36 Gal. 5 1. They walk not in the truth of the gospel but in many things ar corrupted with
by it Rome had been kept agaiâ—st 〈◊〉 and â—ther â—neâ—ies and that therefore Rome had got the Empâ—râ— of all provinces and parts of the world because it worshiped and served 〈◊〉 â—oâ—s that were in the wâ—rld even the vnknown Gods also I would wish you therefore to minde better ground for the truth of religion and remeâ—ber what is written of the ancient Babylonians after their victories Thâ—n shall they take courage transgresse and doe wickedly imputing this their power vnto their Gods Habak 1.11 2. The long continuance of the gâ—spel among you will make the more agaâ—nst you at the day of your accounts because you yeld no better obedience to the gospell as your present idolatrous estate sheweth The gospell was among the men of the old world 120 yeares taught by Noah a preacher of righteousnes yet at last they perished by the stood for their disobedience therefore though it hath been with you about halfe that time you also â—ay perish if you repent not But note you take it for granted which is yet to be proued that the gospel is among you whereas the true peachâ—ng and practise thereof you cannot endure The sound of the Gosâ—el by thâ— fâ—et of them that puplish peace is this Thy God o Sion reignetâ— â— Iudah keep thy solemne feasts perforrme thy vowes for the wicked shall no more passe through thee he is utterly out off Isa. 52 7 Nahum 1.15 with Rom. 10 15. but Christ reigneth not yet among you by his own officers and lawâ—s as hath been confeâ—sed by the best of your Ministers you keep the solâ—mn feasts of Antâ—christ as your Christmas Câ—nâ—elinas Hâ—lloâ—â—as Eaâ—â—â—r and many the like and the wicked at still in the midds of you and wâ—lk on eâ—ery side yea are exalted which Daâ—id saith is a forme for the sons of mâ—n Psal. 12.8 3. The strange iudgâ—â—nts on â—nimies and persecutors are good warnings for you that you persecute your bâ—ethren no longer we haue seen minded some vpon no mean men â—mong you but wish not to see more we rather desire the conuersion of our enimâ—es 4. The power and blessing in casting out Diuils though it may be questioned whether it be so or no in your Church is a thing that the Papists can boast of more then you See their late supplication 37. reason of religion Secondly such Diuils as are said to dwel in Babylon Reu. 18 2. we playnly see you haue no power to cast out 3 I would wish you to remember the words of Christ Many will say to me in that day Lord Lord haue we not by thy name proâ—hesied and by thy name cast out diuils c. and then will I professe to them I neuer knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity Mat. 7.22.23 5 For your prayer heard both in spiritual and earthly things take heed you deceiu not your selues many years haue you prayed fasted for your discipline and pretended reformation but how you haue bene heard your present state sheweth As for earthly things if God giue them vnto you it is no sound proof that he approueth your praiers much lesse your church Some evil mens eyes stand out for fatnes they haue more then the hart desireth but their wealth is not in their hand there forâ— the councel of the wicked be farr from me God heard the praier of the King of the Philistims Gen 20.4.6 he answered at the sacrifices of the sooth sayer Balaam Num 23 3 4 15 16. c shal we think God therefore allowed of their religion Againe what people in the world is not perswaded and will not say that God heareth their praiers EueÌ„ the hethens would boast thus of their false Gods as Iulian protested that Aesâ—ulapius had often healed him being sick and Ovid that he had often seen Iupiters anger appeased with incense c. See you not then that as the Saincts when they walk vpright before the Lord haue assurance and sound comfort thereby that be heareth their praiers which they make according to his will so hipocrites and ethniks haue also their false perswasions that their praiers are heard and vaine comforts according Vaunt not therefore of your praiers being â—eard so long as you doe works which are to be abhorred but remember how it â—s written whosoâ—uer we ask we receiue of God because wâ— keâ—p his 〈◊〉 and doe those things that are pleasing in his sight Heb. 3.21 6. Your throwing down the church of Antichrist and building the church of God by â—reaching c. is according to the prouerb Clowdes and wind without 〈◊〉 Let your brethren be witnesses Of the first they say Antichrist raigneth amongst you Of the latter that as yet you are scarse come to 〈…〉 a church rightly reformed and againe that the wals of Sion he euen with the ground Yet now you vaunt of throwing down Antichâ—â—â—â—s â—hurâ—h and building Gods The Martyrs in Q Maries daies did indeed by their faithfull testimonies and patient suffrings throw downe a great part of Antichrist church but sithence that time what haue you doen unlesse it hath been to repayr Iericho For many grosse abuses which those Martyrs abhorred are now stâ—fly mainteyned and practised in your church but farther theÌ„ they went haue you not stepped a foot if some of your inferiour ministerie haue spokeÌ„ or writteÌ„ against a few foolish ceremonies yet others of your chiefest ministers haue written as much for them that what superstition your church pulleth downe with the left hand it setteth vp with the right The Prelates and their side haue written against you that seek reformation of Babel and they both haue set against vs that make separation from Babel and yet you heer offer to our consideration how you haue builded Sion But the Lord wil visit both you your building then shall your reword be according to your works In the end you ease yoâ—r stomach against vs as they that throw downe Gods church raise dissention with many moe greeuous calumniations which in your distempered affection you throw forth More wisdome and much more modestie had it been if you had spared these reproches til you had convinced vs of such things But I see how your zele did carie you Ezekiah threw downe the idolatrous places in Israel and reduced the people vnto Gods true worship 2 Chro 31.1.2 c. 30.1.2 c. Rabsaketh reproched him for this as hauing done sacrilege against his own God Isa. 36.7 We by the word of our testimonie throw downe your idolatrous high places superstitions ceremonies false worship and mâ—nisterâ—e you charge vs wâ—th throwing downe Godâ—s church and lode vs with many criminations But it is your selues that trouble Israel for doe we â—eproue you for any good thing in doctrine or practise or haue we left any truth that is among you And if by our testimonie of the gospel dissâ—ntion be raysed and your church rent the
not slanders but matters known to all that are acquainted with the course and state of your Church Answer ALl this being true it sheweth the badnes of some men not any badnes in the faith we professe An infidel might haue obiected vnto Israel as you doe here The Lord hath testified against you by giuing ouer ouer very many of your people to Carnall life Sedâ—mitrie Peorisme Bautisme many other idolatries with strange Gods The Papists may and doe obiect the like things to your selues at this day much more iustly then you do to vs. For when any such haue appeared among vs we presently cast them out if they repented not whereas with you such are stil reteyned in the bosome of your Church yea such hereticks and vicious persons as we haue excommunicate you doe entertayn as is knowen to all that ar acquainted with your estate Wherefore the Lord hath testified for vs not against vs whiles by the light of his word such hypocrites haue been discouered and avoyded but you are condemned by your own doctrine whiles such miscreants and flagitioius persons are kept in your communion The 6. Consideration 6. THE churches and godly learned persons that euer heard of your separation did not approue of it which was the quarrel that Fr Iohnson had with Mr Iunius and he sharply replyeth on him Nay Mr Barrow plainely rayseth at Caluin and the Geneua church and euen at al churches in Christendom in his Discouerie and counsels not with other reformed churches about their separation but Answers as Mr Iohnson doth the word is neer vs we need not go ouer the seas to seek it as if the Spirit of the Prophets were not subiect to the Prophets and himselfe as the Pope had infallible rule of inâ—erpretation of the scriptures in his brest Answer THE strength of this reason is quelled before in the answer to the third of your first Considerations thither I refer the reader Further I answer here that you teach such doctrine as standeth not with Christian freedom or truth whiles you would forbid vs the profession and practise of the Gospel til we haue consulted with and be approued of other persons and Churches For though I grant ther is a good use of aduising with other Churches if conueniently we can eyther when cases are difficult or when in any respect it doe concerne them yet that in all matters of religioÌ„ ChristiaÌ„s should be bouÌ„d thus to walke when the finne to them is euident which to other Churches not wel acquainted with their estate is not so perspicuous this were to abridge Christian liberty and to bring our consciences in bondage vnto men that though God forbid vs al communion with idolatrie yet we may not separate vnlesse they approue it It is contrary to the word of God which teacheth vs that Gods commandement is not hid from his people neyther is far off not alost in heauen nor beyond the sea but in our mouthes â—â—rts to doe it But you to deceiue your reader allege this as if it were Mr. Bâ—rrows or Mr Iohnsons reason and not the doctrine of Moses and of the Apostlâ— The colâ—â—r that you bring for your selfe is that saying of the Apostle the spirites of the prophâ—ts are sâ—biect to the prophâ—ts 1 Cor. 14.32 which scripture considered by the words and circumstances of it will in no weâ—se proue your purpose Fâ—r first it may be qâ—estioned whether the meaninâ— be that the spirits of the prophets are subiect to other prophets or to thâ—mselves For the Prophets among the gentiles such as the Corinthians naturally were were sâ—bject unto caried and ruled by their spirits and not their spirits subject to them so that they could not choose but sâ—eâ—ke as Sâ—bylla wâ—tneâ—seth of her selfe neither could they lin or cease speaking when they would themselues yea and in holy scripture we see how Balaam prophesied good to Israel and bleâ—sed when he would haue cursed thâ—m Saul also and his messengers prophesied as it were by constreynt being ouermastered by the spirit soo as he could not coâ—teyn himselfe buâ— stripping off his clothes propheâ—â—eâ— all that day and all that night when he had no purâ—ose thus to doe Now therfor where as the Apostle here had ordeyned that if any thing were reâ—eled to another that fare by the first prophet should hold his peace because almight prophesie one by one if any should allege that they could not hould their peace but must speak so long as their spirit moued theÌ„ he telleth them that the spirits of thâ— prophets are suâ—iâ—ct to the prophets so intimating that they may if they will giue others leâ—ue to speak shewing also a reason hereof because God is not the author q of confusion but of peace And if thus wee understand the Apostle his words make nothing for that you say Vnto this also may be added that he speaketh this affirmatâ—uely they are subject and not by way of ordinance let them be subject as els where he vseth and as other things in this place are spoken as Let the prophets speak Let the first hold his peace Let women be silent But be it granted which I will not deny that he meaneth their spirits wer subject to other Prophets because when they had spoken others were to iudge yet those oâ—her were the Prophets of â—he same church and there present not in other churches For Paul meant not that the spirits of the Prophets in Corinth were subiect to the prophets in Rome or Iudoea and so must send to them for approbation but appoynteth like order in this as was in all other the Churches of the Saincts And if they were bound as you would haue us to send and submit to other churches and others likeweise to them then no Church hath no power in iâ— selfe to aprâ—â—e of her prophets or Ministers or of their doctrine without the good likâ—ng of others Which how farr it is from the Apostles mind I leaue it for the dâ—screet reader to judge neither thinke I but your owne brethren will distaâ—t yâ—â—r so collecting from this place Howsoeâ—er they doe it is verie like if you had liued in Ahabs dayes and should haue heard 400 prophets at once prophesying good vnto the King and Micaiah onely prophesying evill you would with Zidkijah haue smitteÌ„ him on the cheek as now you do vs in reproch told him that his spirit must be subiect to the prophets especially they being so many and he but alone But if it were further granted vnto you that we must be subiect to the prophets of other churches yet I suppose you wil not deny but al prophets and churches must trie and iudge euery thing by the word of God according to which if any man speak not his iudgment is not to be regarded And we haue offred and doe still offer our doctrine and practise to the triall
your labours and blesse you for them as Moses blessed the builders of the tabernacle Exod. 39.43 Your first argument therefore is to weak to vphold your church or best assemblies and the assumption of your profyllogisme is denyed The 2 argument 2. THose Churches whose true members are onely espowsed to Christ a true visible Churches Ephe. 5.30.32 2. Cor. 11.2 But the true members of our best assemblies are espowsed onely to Christ. Therefore c. Proof of the assumption They are espowsed onely to Chrisi which are indued with true sauing faith Eph. 5 30.31.32 with Iohn 15.3 4.5.7 17 20.21 But the true members of our best assemblies are indued with a true sauing faith confessed by Mr. Iohnson in Iakob pag. 7· Look also in the confirmation of the 5. argument folowing here Therefore c. Answer HEre agayn you haue gott an other starting hole whiles you plead but for the true members of your best assemblies yet neither tel you vs which are your best assemblies nor who be the true members of them that how to follow or where to finde you we cannot tel As is the way of an eagle in the aire such is the way of an adultrous woman it is hid and cannot be known But I will see if I can discouer your falsehood though I cannot find your footing First I deny that the true members of your best assemblies are espowsed onely to Christ. for as the prophet sayd of Israel lift vp your eyes uÌ„to the high placs behold wher you haue not plaied the harlot Now whils a church doth play the harlot Christ willeth vs to plead with her that she is not his wife neyâ—her is he her husband Idolatrie is spirituall whordome as the Prophets testifie Psa. 106 39. Ier. 3.9 Deut. 31.16 but the true members of your best assemblies commit idolatrie in their daylie worship according to their Romish leiturgy or book of commoÌ„ prayer an idol of your own inuentioÌ„ How are they theÌ„ espowsed to Christ alone Yes they are say you because they ar indued with true sauing faith I answer Faith is in the hart as it is writen with the hart man beleeueth Rom. 10.10 The hart no man knoweth but God alone as agayn it is written thou Lord onely knowest the harts of all the children of men 1 King 8 39 So then I ask you how you know that your members haue true faith your answer must needs be vnlesse you wâ—ll make your selfe a God you know it not but by their words and works Wel theÌ„ let vs bring these to th' trial their confession and theâ—r practise leauing their faith to God that knowes it The confâ—ssion of theâ—r faith is set downe in their service book the 12. articles of the Creed But this Creed the Papists also confesse and read in their church and if it will proue your people to haue true faith it will proue theirs to haue likewise you say no more for England then for Rome Agayn the Apostle sayth there are some which professe that they know God but in works doe deny him and are abominable and disobedient and to euery good work reprobate So then words are not yenough to proue true faith But we must come to the Apostle Iames his triall shew me thy fayth out of thy works for faith without works is dead Now the works of your people are apparant to be evil they standing in communion or confusion rather with the vnclean profane and wicked whereby al Gods holy things are defiled as it is written Num. 19.22 Hag. 2.14 submitting their soules to Antichristian prelates and priests and hearing their voyce contrariâ— to Iohn 10 5. worshiping God in vayn after their own invented seruice book which is a high transgression of the second commandement Exo 20 And these things are general and publick the particular and more priuate inâ—qâ—ities will not easily be numbred Whereas therefore you would perswade vs your church is espowsed onely to Christ although her fornicatâ—ons are so manifest between her brests because she sayth she beleeveth only in Christ it is with no more colour then as if Bilhah wheÌ„ she was known to lie with Reuben should haue pleaded yet am I an honest woman and espowsed to Iaacob onely for my loue and harty affection is towards him alone But the wise man teacheth vs these be but the tricks of an adultrous woman she eateth and wipeth her mouth sayth I haue done no iniquity Pro 30 20. The scriptures which your selfe allege doe also make against your chvrch Eph 5 30. We are members of Christs body of his flesh and of his bones Fâ—rst your church can shew no covenant that was made between Christ and her at any time the gathering and planting of your church having been by the Magistrates authority not by the word of Christ winning mens soules unto his faith separating them from the vnbeleevers and taking them to communion with himselfe Secondly in saying his body the Apostle excludeth al other bodies as more plainlie appeareth in the other scripture 2 Cor. 11.2 where he prepared the church as a pure virgin for Christ which cannot be whiles she defileth her self with others as doth your church with the abominations of the Papists compaÌ„ying also in the bed of loue with the Prelates whom the better son of you haue confessed to be Antichristian and their inferâ—our priests who work vpon mens consciences by their jurisdiction ministery doctrines canons c. being as the bridegrooms of your church not the friends of the bridegroom which stand and heare and reioyce for the bridegrooms voyce for that Christ should speak and rule vnlesse it be according to their own canons they cannot endure The other places in Iohn 15. 17. will confirme also that the true members of your best assemblies are not espowsed onely to Christ For Christ sheweth that his Father is the husbandman who caleth and bringeth vnto and planteth in him the true vine all the branches that is the particular persons of the Church But the true members of your best assemblies are as yet the branches of that false Antichristian vine your confused church of England not separated from but liuing and growing in one stock body and communion with the idolatrous and profain So that you cannot say as did the Israel of God Thou hast brought a vine out of Aegypt thou hast cast out the heathens plaÌ„ted it Christ sheweth that his branches were purged of the Father by the word spoken vnto theÌ„ your members ar not yet purged or clensed by the word of Christ from their idolatries and profane communion with the ympes of Satan The word of life the word of separatioÌ„ from the serpeÌ„t his seed hath not yet sounded in the eares or at least not sunk into the harts of your people Christ branches bring forth much fruit through their abiding in him being able without him to doe nothing your
appoynted them These Elders called generally Bishops or Ouerseers had charge of their particular flocks and might not goe from them as did the Apostles but attend and feed them These now could not properly be sayd to beget their peoâ—le to the faith as the Apostle noteth to the Corinthians but to feed and instruct them and therefore are not called Fathers but Feeders or Pasters and Pedagogues Child-leaders or Instructeurs From which I gather that people must regenerate and borne again before they may be admitted into any particular church or haue officers ouer them and that ordinary ministers which feed their flocks cannot be sayd to beget them as is the common vawnt of you Ministers in England which me thinks even reason it selfe might shew you For you that are now over your parishes how found you your people at first a church or no church If you say a church then you begat them not but entred vpon other mens labours that were before you if you say they were not a church then you condemn the state of your parishes as they were planted before you were their Ministers Now then to come to your â—roposition In whatsâ—ever churches that is assemblies for so I vnderstand you to vse the werd generallie as the Scripture sometime vseth Ecclesia is such an ordinance of God in publick vse and force by which there is ordinarily made an vndoubted new birth c. they are true visible churches of Christ This I denie for in the assemblies of the heathens in the Apostles daies as before is proued there was such an ordinance of God sometimes in publick vse and force as by it ordinarilie there was made an vndoubted new birth as th' fruit of th' Apostles preaching sheweth· yet were not those assemblies of heathens true visible churches of Christ. but such onelie as were converted to God and separated from the rest that beleeved not and joyned in a holy communion togither were true visible churches Whereas you assume that in the best of your assemblies is such an ordinancâ— of God c this also I denie for your ministers are not Gods ordinance he hath not called or sent them they execute no lawfull office in your assemblies But your assumption you say is manifest because by that ordinance â—f preaching which is in publick vse and force there is ordinarily made an vndoubted new birth I answer first in verie many of your assemblies there is no such ordinance of preaching in publick use as you here bâ—ast of but bare reading onely yet those assemblies are by the Constitutions of your church to be reputed as true visible churches as the other SecoÌ„dly in those other other where preaching is I deny that there is ordinarily madâ— an vndoubed new birth Your proof is because thâ—re do ordinarily appear in many the undoubted fruites and testimonis of Gods spirit c. I answer first if this be so yet what will these many help the moâ—t and greatest â—umber in whom such fruits appear not When many of the hethens beleeued the Apostles word did their beleef bring the other that beleeued not into the church did not the Apostles separate the beleeuers from the rest and teach them to come from among them Yet you for the faith of some will vnite all the assemblie vnto Christ and his church contrary to the Apostles practise and to all the scriptures Secondly I deny that there doth ordinarily appear in many such vndoubted fruits of Gods spirit after your ordinary preaching as for which we may esteem them true visible churches Some fruites I knâ—w there doe appear so doe there among the Papists yea they take occasion for such things to reproch you that there follow not so many good works after your preaching as after their doctrine but among neyther of you are those fruits seen whâ—ch by the testimonie of scriptures will proue you true visible churches So we haue here but your bare affirmation to rest vpon and though I might thus end with as bare a deniall tâ—l you bring further proof yet for to help the reader I wil shew that ordinarily there appeareth not a new birth after your preaching Because of your publick idolatrous estate whereâ—n you stand subiect to Antichristian Prelatâ—s and canons whiles you haue your publick worship after the Romish idolatrous manner and are stil comming led in one bodie with the profane and serâ—ents seed with many other evils among you which plainly shew you want the new birth and are stil in your old mothers womb This the scriptures which you allege in your proposition will confirme for the Apostles shew Iam 1 18 1 Pet 1 23. that Christs church is a people begotten of God with the word of truth that is the Gospell but your church was first begotten gathered constituted ordered and is still continued by the Magistrates word and authority which if it did not inforce the people the estate wherein you now stand would soon be changed your church dissolved and eyther be better or Worse And where you learned so to inforce fâ—â—th and constrein men to be members of your church I can not tel vnlesse you follow Mahomets doctrine who taught that men should be compelled to the faith by warr and sword Againe the Apostle addeth this for a testimony and end of our new birth that we should be as the first fruitâ— of Gods creatures This men are not till they be as was Israel hallowed to the Lord Ier 2 3 which was by separation from the world Levit 20.26 and a willing covenant with the Lord Exod. 19.5 6.8 Dâ—ut 26 17 18 19 And that the like must be of vs Christians an other scrâ—pture confirmeth saying These are they wâ—iâ—h are not defilâ—d with women for thâ—y are virgins this implyeth a seâ—arâ—tâ—on from the world â—hâ—sâ— fâ—llow the Lamb whithâ—rsoeuer he goeth this argueth a couenant and communion with Chriâ—t and in the next words both poynts are repeted these are 1 bought from men being the first fruits 2 â—nto Gâ—d and to the Lamb after this followeth the fruit and in their mouth 〈◊〉 found no guile for they are without spot before the throne of God Whereas therefore you haue stood so long against vs for separation and would mainteyn a meer confusion of all sorts of people in a Câ—â—rch vpon an imaginary separation made in the clowdes of your own fansies whiles outwardly and indeed you are one body with the wicked you are vndoubtedly â—ot yet borne a new your Church hath not strength to bring forth your ministers are vnskilfull midwiues and the saying of the Prophet coÌ„cerning the people of Ephraim is verified also vâ—oÌ„ your people be is an vnwise son els would be not stand still such a time even in the breaking forth of the childâ—en Hos 13 13. The 4. Argument IN what churches soeuer all things needfull to saluation by publick authoryâ—y and gâ—nâ—rall approbation are ordinarily and
publickly taught they are true visible Churches But in the best of our assemblies are c. Therefore true visible churches Proof of the assumption In what churches soeuer ar ordinarily and publickly taught the doctrines whâ—â—by the people of God were conuerted and saued in the time of Christ and his Apostles in those churches are all things needfull to saluation taught But in thâ— bâ—st of our assemblies are c Ergo c. Proof of this assumtion appeareth out of Luk. 1.77 78. with Mar. 1 4.15 Luk. 24 47. Act. 2.37 38 41. Act 11 17 18. Act 16.30.31 and 20.21 If it be oâ—iâ—cted that the poynts in question betwen vs. be needfull to saluation it is thus disproued Al things needfull to saluation are cleerly set downe in the scriptures to the vnderstanding of the spiritual 1 Cor 2.15 Dan 12.10 Pro. 8 9. â—nd the things that are not open to the spirituall are not needfull to saluation But the pâ—ynts in question between us are not cleerly sâ—t down in scripture to the vnderstanding of the spirituall as appeareth both by thowsands of â—inistâ—rs and peoâ—le of the church of England and oâ—her forrâ—yn churches among â—hâ—me are the cheefest lights of this age as Caluin Beza Iunius Fiscatâ—r Gualter Zanchius with others which were vndoubtedly spirituall are of câ—ntrary iudgement to the Separatists as also in that it is not agreed vpâ—n among themselues what is the discipline and order required by the word in â—ueâ—y pâ—ynt nor in â—any other poynts of difference among them namely touching the diffâ—rences of the office of Doctor and Pastâ—r c. Answer FIrst wishing the reader to remember what is answered to the fiâ—st part of your former Syllogisme I wil with out further reâ—etition proceed pâ—oceed in answer of this where the groâ—nd and proposition of your first argument is vnperfect so that which you build thereon is vnsound For whereas you speake of all things nâ—â—â—full to sâ—lauation c. to be publickly taught you should haue added also are obserâ—ed or done according to Christs saying ye are my freinds if ye doe whatsoever I commaund you If men hear truth taught and obey it not it avayles them nothing Therâ—fore as the Apostle saith be ye doers of the word and not hearers onely dâ—ceiuing your selues Your assumption also is denyed for in your best assemblies all things needfull to saluation be not taught much lesse done or practised To giue an instance to be separated from the vnbeleevers and to be ioyned togither vnto a holy comâ—union and church is needfull to salâ—ation 2 Cor 6 17.18 Act 1 47 Isa 65.9 Reu 21 24. This is neither taught not practised in your aâ—semblies but oppugned by all the cauils you can Your proof of the aâ—sâ—mâ—tion is a compâ—rison of your church with those in Christs time and th' Apostles I answer you agayne your church is not like those in dâ—â—trine or in practise of things needfull to saluation Then you say the proof of this assumption appeareth out of Luk. 1.77 c. This is a strange proof of your assumption which is this But in the best of our assâ—mblies are taught c. Doth Luk 1 77. shew what is taught in your aâ—semblies and why doth not Mat 15 9. and 23 16 17 c. shew what is taught there also The places that you allege shew what doctrine was taught in the Iewish and Apostolick churcheâ— not what is taught in yours It must be therefore your own writings sermons doctrine practise and estate that must proue your aâ—sumption But you will say perhaâ—s your doctrines and practises agree with those mentioned in these scriptures That I deny and would therfore that you should haue made application of the particulars Which because you haue not done I will doe for you You allege Luk 1 77.78 with Mar 1.4.15 where knowledge of saluation is giuâ—n unto Gods people by remission of their sinns through the tender mercy of our God c. this was done by preaching the baptisime of amendement of life for râ—mission of sinns and beleef in the Gospel So in Luk. 24 47 repentance and remission of sinns should be preached in Christs name among all nations The same things are also taught in all the other places which you cite as the reader may see in the texts Now these things you will say are taught and obserued among you I shew the contrary thus First you giue knowledge of saluation though faslly vnto other then to his that is to Gods people in as much as you giue the sacraments which are the seales of our saluation vnto the profane and wicked and their seed thus prostituting the most holy things even Christ hâ—mselfe vnto hatâ—rs aâ—d blâ—sphemers of God aâ— you cann â—r deny but a number of yoâ—r church are and such as make a mock of religion and herein you arâ—uâ—ty of high sacrilege agaiâ—st God Secondly the doctrine of repentance is not truly taught nor obeyed in yâ—ur Châ—rch For vnto true repentance is required 1 a knowledge or notice giuen and taken of sinns Isa 58 1 Lam 2 14 3 39 40. 2 an acknowledgment or confession made of sinns as a testimony of true sorrow of hart with asking mercy Leu 4 13 14. c 5 5.6 Psal. 32 3 5 3 and a forâ—aking of sinns or amendement of life Prou. 28 13 Psal 28.21.2 Cor. 7 11. Eze. 18 21. Nâ—w the sinns of your church haue not by your Ministers been signifieâ— to yoâ—r people as namely their confuse estate and commixture with the wicked though it be a sinne every where reproued in the scriptures as before is shewed The great transgressions which your people dayly commit in Gods publâ—ck worship whiles you haue your own wilworship and stinted prayers withâ—â—t warrant from Chrâ—sts testament read in place of Gods true spirituall service these are not preached against reproued or cast out by your ministers doctrine but contrariwise they haue by word writing soâ—ght to mâ—inteyn the same The seruâ—le subiection that both ministers and people are in vnder your Lords the Bishops and their courts is not discoâ—ereâ— by your minâ—sters to be a sinne and bondage which you must depart from if you wil be subiect to that onely Lord maister Chrâ—st though secretly they haue sought to vndermine that jurisdictâ—on of Bâ—shops whâ—ch how caâ— they doe if it be of Christ or how may aâ—y staâ—d vnder it if it be of Antichrist This being the sinfull state of your church as we wel know and you ar neuer able to iustâ—fy your selues your ministers not teaching repentaÌ„c for these things nor being suffred by your Church to speak against them teach not repentance truely For It is not yenough to cry out of Idolatry or to preach repentance from sinns in generall for so they doe among the Papists but the perticuler sinns of euery people and persâ—n muâ—t be reproued yea every sinne that is seen and discerned or els your preachers doe not
their dutie Gods word teacheth uâ— tâ—at â—f a man walke in any one sinne though he doe not all he shal nâ—t liue but die the deâ—th Ezek. 18 11 13. Wâ—en Gibeah was giuen oveâ— to the Sinne of Sodom if the Priests and prophets should haue preached against idolatrie swearing breaking of the Sabbath and such like evils and not against that particular filthynes which the people followed should they haue preached repentance truly When Israel followed Iereboams calues at Dan and Bethel if the ministers then had preached against Sodoâ—ie whordome drunkennes and the like and not cried out aâ—ainst that present idol worship but pleaded rather for it shâ—uld they haue tâ—uâ—ht repenatnce truly Even thus it is with your best minâ—sterâ— they will thâ—â—deâ— out in their pulpits against Popery and idolâ—try in â—eâ—erâ—ll aâ—ainst theft whordome prâ—de coueteousnes and mâ—â—y oâ—her iâ—qâ—â—â—ieâ— but the sinne which cleaueth so fast to the bones of â—oâ—r Church tâ—e heynous enormities in Gods worship amongst you these they meddle not with neither vpon payn of excommunicatiâ—â— draw the people to repentance for them as after I will further shew Perhaps now and then they will glance at the Bps. or some other corruptions but bring the people from vnder these iniquities they doe not nay they plead for them rather and cry oâ—t vpon vs which haue forsaken so grosse abâ—minations Now there being no notice giuen by the ministers or taken by the people of the siâ—ns wherein they liue the other two parts of true reâ—entance doe also fail among you for farr you be from confessing your sins which though you offer the sacrifice of fools yet will you not know that you doe evill and most farr from amending them when with so high a hand you doe maintain them although the testimonie and sâ—ffrings of vs your disâ—ised and persecuted brethren against them haue sounded in your eares now manâ—e a day Thus teach they not repentance aright As for faith it cannot be sound and true where it hath not ground oâ— the couenant and promise of God Gods couenant and â—romise of saluation you haue not without repentance as Christ sayd Except ye repent you shall all likewise pâ—rish for surely God will wound the hairie â—ate of him that walketh in his sinnes To preach faith therefore and aâ—ply iustification by faith to an vnrepentant people is to â—rofane that holy doctrine and turne the grace of God into licentâ—ousnes But to giue the seales of the righteousnes of faith baptisme and the Lords supper to the wicked blasphemers irreligious and to their seed it is a sinne of sinâ— for which your ministers shall giue an heauy account to Christ at his appearing as haue counted the â—recious blood of his testament an vnholiâ— thing and washed and fed therewith eâ—en doggs and swine as the scripture calleth such vngodly â—ersons And thus you haue not truly taught among you eyther repâ—ntance from dead works or faith towards God which are the doctrine of the beginning of Christ and the very foundation as the Apostle saith I will now also compare the practise of the Apostles in the placâ— which you cite with yours that the reader may see how your right eye is blinded to bring scripture so playn against your selues In Act. 2 37 c the manner of gathering and planting that church‘ is thus described There was first the word preached by the Apostles verse 14 c which being heard pricked the harts of the â—eople verse 37. there was repentance taught not for adultery theft worshiping of Idols oâ— the like whereof it may be that people was not knowen to be guilty but for their particular trespasse in refusing of Iesus Christ into whose name they must be baptised if they would be saued verse 38 then followed a playn separation from such as frowardly resisted the truth vers 40 and none were baptised or ioyned to the church but such as gladly receiued the word verse· 41. After this followed a contâ—newing notwithstanding the imminent peril of trouble and persecution for the truth sake in the Apostles doctrâ—ne and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayerâ— verse 42 If you had walked in this primitiue churches steps you should before the constituting of your Church haue preached vnto the poor ignorant and idolatrous Papists which was the generall face of the land at Q Maries death repentance for their sinns in all their idolatries wâ—ll worships and superstitions subiection to Antichrist his prelacie priesthood and gouernment c. To such as had their harts pricked with your doctrine you should haue shewed the true way of the Gospel faith and holy walking therein You should haue taughâ— them a separation from the profane and obstinate and haue gathered into the Church such onely as gladly receiued the word and with them you should haue walked in a holy communion and practise of Christs ordinances thâ—ugh Princes and Parlâ—aments thoâ—gh men and Angels should haue forbidden threatned you for it Thus had your church beeÌ„ the daughter of thâ—t mother church in Ierâ—salem whereas now by neglecting this patterne and reteyning the Popish confuse multitude and a great part of their ministery and worship you haue imitated Bâ—bylon â—e mother of fornications aâ—d â—re as vnlike Sion as you are like your selues The objection which you feared and therefore would prevent with answer is yet of more weight then will be eased by your syllogisme the aâ—sumption whereof I deny For the true constituting of a Church by the word perached callâ—ng men to a willing holy covenant with God sepâ—ratinâ— them from the wayes of Satan Antichrist his false idoatrâ—â—s worship priesthood and government vniting them togither in the comâ—union of the true faith and bond of loue and peace which ar the controuersies between you and vs these poynts are cleerly set down in scriptures to the vnderstandâ—ng of the spirituall as the history of all the Bible and the practâ—se of the Apostles and primitiue churhes already alleged doe plainely shew and I am sure you will not deny but they were spirituall Whereas you would â—roue they are not clearely set downe to the vnderstand of the spirituall because thowsands of ministers and people of the churâ—h of Englâ—nd are of contrary iudgment to vs first we haue many testimonies of your own minâ—sters for the things that we defend against you as in this and other books we haue manifested Secondly if we had no such testimony yet what doe you but make your selues iudges in your own cause that though we bring never so playn evidence against you from the word yet if you see it not or wil not see it must not be needful for saluation More vnsound and popish doctrine hath seldome been taught But I leaue vpoÌ„ you the saying of Christ vnto the Pharisees If you â—ere blinde ye should not haue sinne but now ye say WE SEE therefore your sin remayneth Iohn 9 11. And whereas
continew in taking heed to themselues and vnto learning 1 Tim. 4 16. 4 feed the flock willingly of a ready mind as ensamples 1 Pet. 5.4 5. turne many soules to righteousnes Dan. 12 3.6 Ezâ— 1 3. Thou shalt saue thine owne soule But these things doe the ministers of our best assemblies Ergo. Answer THe assumption of this argument I deny and will consider the 6. reasons that you bring to proue it 1. Are faithfâ—l â—nd wise stewards c. but your ministers are your Lord Bishops stâ—wards or bayliffes not the Lord Chrâ—sts by them theâ—r mâ—uthe are â—â—ened and shut a 〈◊〉 For let them shew when wherâ— how God gaue the stâ—warâ—shiâ— and key of the howse to them as he did to Eâ—akin Thâ—s should be first cleared before they presume to administer as stewards Did not the Bishop after they had â—romised their reverend obedience vnto him say vnto ech of them Recâ—ive the holy Ghost whâ—se sinns thou doost forgiue thâ—y ar forgiuen c be thou a faithfull dispensour of the word of God c Thus haue they their stewardship or â—ffice of dispensâ—tion frâ—m their spirituall Lord and reverend Father the â—relate who by his presuming to giue the Holy Ghâ—st should seem to be Christ or rather as I think Antichrist but say you whether he be when you next write As is their calling such is their administration for they feed not Gods houshold but confuse assemblieâ— wherein are many â—rofane â—uch as Christ caleth dogs swine vnworthy to be at his table tho your stewards admit them to the table of your church to your most holy actions Neyther giue they them meat in due season for such diet as is meet for them to rebuke them for their idolatrous estate they giue them not false doctrâ—nes many they giue them to feed on and such meats Christ never left for his houshold Finally if the Bishops silence them set vnpreaching priests in their places they feed their flocks no longer but leaue them to the wolf And are these your faithfull stewards They are such as was the steward Shebna to whome the Lord sayd what hast thou to doâ— hâ—râ— I will driue the from thy station Isa 22 15 19. 2 Build golâ— siâ—uer or stuble on th'fouÌ„daâ—â—oÌ„ First ther is not yet a good foundation layd of your châ—rch what then is your building There is no good foundatâ—on because your church neuer yet stroke a holy and orderly couenant with Christ according to the rules of his testament Sâ—condly they haâ—e not been called or sent of God to build but eyther have intruded themselues or els by the Bishops the Lords of your haruest haue these yâ—ur laborers been thrist forth Thirdly they buâ—ld much stubble indeed little gold or siluer that will endure the sâ—re let the frame and constitution of your church the worship ministery and gouerment thereof be brought to the triall of Gods word and it wâ—ll burne these thinâ—s to ashes Yet if your minâ—sters will be content their works shall burne and will vpon the true foundation build better they â—ay through the mercy of God be saued which I hartely wish vnto them al Otherwise thus sayth the Lord Because thâ—y hauâ— deceiued my people saying PEACE and there was no peace and one built vp a wall and behold the others daubed it with vptempered morter say vnto them which daub it with vntempered morter that it shall fall I will destroy the wall that ye haue daubed with vntempered morter and bring it downe to the ground so that the foundation thereof shal be discouered and it shall fall and ye shall be consumed in the midds thereof and ye shall know that I am the Lord. 3. Continew in taking heed to themselues and vnto learnâ—ng First these words were spoken to one that had a lawful office calling and entrance and so serueth nothing for your ministers that want all these Secondly by learning is meant teaching of the people as the words following also shew which he willeth Timothee to continew in but this your ministers doe not for the doctrine that is most needful for the present state of the people they teach not besides if their Lords the Bishops forbid them they continew not with their flocks nor their flocks with them but another hirelâ—ng comes in their place 4. Feed the flock willingly First Christs flock is of sheep not of carnall worldlings atheists blasphemers and other lâ—ke wild beasts of the forrest Christ would not haue his childrens bread to be cast vnto dogs as your ministers apply their word and sacraments to the most profane and their seed Secondly to feed importeth also to rule gouern but that your ministers doe not both they and their flocks are subiect to other Lords gouernoâ—rs the Prelates which loue preeminence and haue authority ouer your church to suspend silence and excommunicate priests and people If the flocks of your Minâ—sters werâ— Christs sheep they would not hear the voyce of strangers Iohn 10 5· But the people of your parishes if the Bishop depose their shepheard and set a wolf or a blinde guide over them they submit vnto him and take him for their priest and their former sheepheard feeds no more but giues place to the stranger O idol shepheard that leaueth the flock Zach 11 17. 5. Turn many soules to righteousnes The contrary is true they hinder many sowles from righteousnes by preaching against the truth and witnesses thereof by pleading for Baal and toleration of the evils that are among you 6. Eze 3. Thou shalt saue thine own soul. This was conditionall if he warned the wicked of the evill way wherein he walked vers 18.19 c. which your ministers doe not as before is shewed but strenthen the people in an evill way How then shal they saue their soules Agayn this was spoken to Ezekiel who had a lawfull office calling sending from God vers 1.4.11 c. and you should first haue proued that your Ministers haue these and then you might haue spoken of their administration But seing they haue neyther true office lawfull calling nor good administration your conclusion is amysse for the premisses doe not proue it The 3. Argument THose ministers by whome the Saints are gathered which doe the work of the ministery which edify the body of Christ are the ministers of Christ. But such are the ministâ—rs of our best assemblies Ergo The propâ—sition is made manifest by Eph. 4.11 12 where it approues that these works are proper effects of the publick ministery giuen by Christ also none can ordinarily build vp Gods church but such as God giueth to this end 1 Cor. 3.5 6 9 10. The assumption is proued because the ministers of our best assemblies doe gather the Saints from the reprobates making a manifest separation and being gathered doe build the body of Christ in godlynes by their ordinary preaching in these assemblies
haue not consumed or abolished the Antichristian prelacie and other abominations of that man of sinne nay it is evident they maynten Antichrist for haue they not al receiued their ministery from the prelates promised obedieÌ„ce to their ordinaris yet your preachers wer woÌ„t to say the prelats ar AntichristiaÌ„ Agayn if your ministers had in them the spirit of the Lords mouth they would ere this time haue made a separatioÌ„ from the wicked popish sinful generation for God sayd vnto Ieremie if thou take away the precious from the vile thou shal be as my mouth But this doctrine of separation your ministers wil neyther teach nor suffer to be taught but lock vp the kingdome of heauen as much as they can that men may not enter they blame vs for nothing so much as for separation when nothing is more needfull to be done if we will keep the couenant of our God and maynteyn that war which his own Maiestie first proclaymed between the womans seed and the serâ—ents Gen. 3 15. so vnlike your ministers be to the mouth of God As vnlike they are also to those Angels and witnesses Reu. 18. 14. 11. whâ—ch cried the downfall of Antichrists pompous church and ministerie and called al Gods children out of it saying Goe cut of her my people but your ministers cry that men should tarry within as the potters that contrary to Gods commaundement dwelt with the king of Babel for hâ—s work and such as are gone out they labour to bring back agayne saying that with them is the true doctrine of saluation their errors ar not fundamentall their corruptions abolish not from Christ all reformed churches apâ—roue of theâ—r church and ministery and many such Babilonian songs haue we heard among them And whereas in Reâ— 14 there followed an Angel that with a lowd voyce threatned all those that worshipped the beast and his image and receiued his mark in forehead or in hand your ministers themselues stand vnder that wrath whiles the mark of the beast is so open in theâ—r foreheads by that false ministery of priesthood which they haue receiued from the Bishops whose vnlawfull authority and iurisdiction they submit vnto and teach men to doe the like in whâ—ch respect they cannot excuse themselues from worshipping the Beast seing that hierarchie and prelacy‘ is by the light of Gods word and by the aâ—teâ—tation of the Christian reformed churches and by your own confession heretofore found to be Antichrâ—stian if the Pope be Antiâ—hrisâ— Râ—me be the throne of the Beast Thus men may see that your ministers are far from overthrowing Antichrist kingdome your selfe haue shewed a good reason why Satan cannot cast out Satan The 5. argument THose ministers which are the sauiour of death to the wicked and life to the godly are the true ministers of Christ 1 Cor. 2.16 Such are the ministers of our best assâ—mblies Ergo true ministers of Christ. Answer THis naked argument hath not a ragg to help to couer the falsehood of the aâ—â—umption wherefore â—t may soon be stript and let goe I disprâ—ue that which you haue asâ—umed thâ—s Your minâ—sters are not the saviour of death to the wicked because they suffer them in the bosome of theâ—r church by their sacraments and blessinâ—s confirme them in their sinns doe not excommunicate the profane or vicious liver but let them remayn in mixture with the rest and plead for such a people to be the true church of God They are not the sauour of life to the godly because they preach not the way of lâ—fe trâ—ely by separating from idolaters and idolatry and gathering to a hâ—ly communiâ—n in the faith and obedience of the gospel Bâ—t whileâ— they persecute preach and write against Gods children which prâ—ctise the orâ—inances of his couenant and by fayr pretexts and tolorable reasons seek to draw them back to their confused assembliâ—s they are lâ—ke those whome the Lord reproued thus And will ye pollute me among my people for handâ—uls of barly and fâ—r peeces of bread and to stay the soules of them that should not die and to giue life to the souleâ— that should not liue in lying to my people that heare your lyes Ezek 13.19 The 6. Argument THese ministers that are hated of all men for the sake of Christ are the true ministers of Christ 1 Cor. 4 9 10.11..12.13 2. Cor. 6.4.5 6.8 Mat. 10 â—2 Such are the ministers of our best assemblieâ— Therefore true ministers of Christ. The MINOR is proued for that thâ—y are hated of the most part and of the most evil of all sorts as were the Apostles and desciples of Christ. Consider what I say â—nd the Lord giue thee understanding in all things 2 Tim 2.7 Answer THis your last reason comes al too late and wil help your ministery nothing For by the discussing of your former arguments We haue seen that your ministers câ—nnot proue their office calling or entrance into the sheepfold by Christ neyther administer they according to his testament but after their owne invented leitâ—rgie lawes and Cannons So that if they be hated of all men in respect of their ministery they are not hated for Christs sake seeing they haue none of his ministery hated it may be they ar of many so are Frâ—ars and Monks and the rest of Anti-christs clergie so it is written that the ‡ whore shall be hated made desolate and naked her flesh eaten and shee burned with fyer but it is the cause not the suffering which makes the martyr Whereas therfore your minor is proued by a bare affirmation onely that so it is as is your manner of disputing you must take a better course and proue things otherwise ere we will yield for the Arrian and Anabaptists and all sorts of religion wil Plead that both they and their ministers are hated for Christs sake but every tree is knowne by its fruits Yet haue yea no such cause to complayn of hatred for the ministry of your Church is aproued and reioyced for as your selfe while are sayd of all the forreyn reformed Churches in the world and at home wee know how it is reuerenced honoured and obeyed Your cheifest ministers being acknowledged for spiritual Lords and right reverend Fathers the inferiour priests as sound and excelent Divines followed and flockked after by the people And how they are provided for by rich Bishoppricks fat benefices al ouer the Land besides their dayly intertainment at great and rich mens tables who is there among you that knoweth not These are not signes of hatred Therefore let him that readeth consider indeed what you haue sayd and the Lord giue him vnderstanding in all things O England ISRAEL thy Prophets are like the foxes in the wast places Ezek. 13.4 Positions concerning a true Church INtending to set down some arguments against the corrupt estate of the present church of England I thought it profitable to prefix some few positions as a
guilty of the body and blood of Chrâ—st as were the wretcheâ— that crucified hâ—m Also Baptisme which should be an ingraffing into Christ his death buriall and resurrection and a sâ—gne of washing away mens sinns in his blood is giuen to the seed of the vngodly blasphemers and enemies of Christ vnto whom by no right it doth apperteyn Which sacrilegious prophanation of the holy misteries sheweth a manifest contempt of Christ represented in them who as he communicateth not himselfe with such wicked persons so neyther the signes and seales of himselfe and the redemption that he wrought for his elect For by his suffring he consecrated them onely that are sanctified that by faith doe eat his flesh and drinke his â—lood the wicked which haue no portion in his death and oblation when they participate in these seales of grace doe but eat and drink iudgment to themselues the ministers which so prostitute Christ vnto the teeth of his enemies and tread vnder foot the sonne of God if they repent not shall not escape his hand whâ—ch sayd Vengeance is myne I will repay the people which by an imaginary separation are or seem to be sundred from those profane and yet communicate together in such things doe even by that action shew that they are one body with them for so it is written we that are many are one bread and one body because we all are partakers of one bread 1 Cor 10 17. This bringing of Satans seed into the church unto the alter of God may further be minded as a high degree of violating the second commandement whereby all images idols and simillitudes whatsoeuer of the Diuils or mens inuention or forming are seuerely forbidden to bee brought into Gods howse or vsed in his worship Now such images or Idols are these wicked persons For as children are the images of their parents and all faâ—thfull people called the children of God are Gods liuely images in Christ whose image and simillitude they carry himselfe being truely and properly the sole image of the invisible God his Father and they all being borne a new of him are changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord being renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created them so Satans children as wicked worldlings be called in scripture are his liuely images hauing lost the first image of God wherein they were created and into the image of the Serpent are changed dayly by his spirit that ruleth in them and him they represent in his malycious nature and actions As it is sinne and so esteemed to haue images and representations of beasts of fowles of fishes c. brought into the church and worship of God so would and wel might it be esteemed more horrible if in any Christian congregation there should be brought in pictures of the Diuill or other like helish representations Yet men will not see the horror of this sinne that the liuing images and pictures of the Serpent even wicked and profane people his seed and children should be brought into the Church and worship of God to haue part and interest in Christ and his couenant whether he will or not to be offred vnto God layd vpon his alter for spiriritual sacrifices though they be much more abominable then vnclean beasts were vnder the law as the substance or figured thing is more then the figure and shadow But doubtlesse God who abhorreth all idols and religious images of humane devise and Christ who would not offer the bloody sacrifices of idolaters abhorreth this confusion of Satans images within his church neyther will the high-priest after the order of Melchisedek offer such to his Father or be priest vnto them Otherwise he should not be so faithfull in the house of God as wâ—s Aaron nor the sacrifice of the Gospel be so holy as the shadowes of the law which were vnblemished Finally all that haue Christ for their Prâ—est are by him to bring their sacrifices for their sinns vnto God that so attoÌ„emeÌ„t may be made through his intercession For every high Prâ—est is ordeyned for men in things perteyning to God that he may offer gifts and sacrifices for sinnes and every man is appoynted of God to present his sacrifice by the Priest who is to make attonement for him concerning his sinne that it may be forgiuen him But the church of England in asmuch as it persisteth in sinne and will not repent of the many transgressions dayly committed in their publick worship and aâ—ministration of holy things refuseth reconciliation by him who is the high Prâ—est of good things to come and able perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him This their impenitency appeareth not onely by their perseverance in evill doinâ— notwithstanding all the aâ—monitions and reproofs that haue sounded in theyr eares these many yeares but aboue al by their vngodly Canons constitutions made by the whole representatiue chuch of Engl and submitted vnto by the rest of the people Whereby they publish vnto all the world how they are hardned in their evils that excommunicate pâ—nish and persecute all that sâ—eak against or refuse to communicate with their people prelacie priesthood worship ceremonies c. wherein are so many sinns and idolatries For asmuch then as the publick seruice and sacrifice of this church is idolatrous the holy mysteries of Christ profaned the people vnsanctified and their sinns vnrepented of there is no word or promise in scripture that Christ is the Priest or sacrificer of such worship or worshippers Therefore the Church of England is not the true Church of God EVery true church of God hath Christ for the King thereof For of him the Father sayth I haue set my King vpon Zion my holy mountayn and he must râ—ign till he hath put all his enemies vnder his feet and shall sit vpoÌ„ the throne of Dauid vpon his kingdome to order it and to establish it with judgement and with justice from henceforth even for ever Isa. 9.7 But the church of England hath not Christ for the King thereof first because it hath not these officers which he hath appoynted to gouerne his church vnder him namely Pastors Teachers and Elders but in stead of them it hath the hierarchie or Prelacye of Antichrist Archbishops Lord Bishops Chaneâ—llors Archdeacons Commissaries c. who reign or tyrannize ouer the sowles of men by their vnlawfull jurisdiction ruling ouer many Churches making them constitutions and canons prescribing them words both for prayer and doctrine summoning censuring censuring excommunicating absoluing both priests and people making and deposing ministers giuing the holy Ghost excercising also civill offices in the common wealth and carying the titles both of Christ and of the Gods the Magistrates into whose places they intrude‘ hauing no warrant for their spirituall Lordships in the
them which also he was willing a gentleman should haue printed in his own name that M Bern. might haue slept in a whâ—le 〈◊〉 whither himselfe I say and his fellow Reformists who are disaâ—oyntâ—d of their hope be not sorry for this prosperitie let themselues say As for vt we haue learned not to fret or enâ—y when we see the wicked flourish for they shall soâ—n be cut down as grasse and wither as the green herb Sory we are indeed for their lamentable estate and desire that they may find mercy at the hands of the Lord. Our foâ—rth kind of sinne he sayth is our abusing of the werd misaleging and 〈◊〉 it c. This was the third of his probabilities before answered and is here for a shew mustred agayn among our sinns but nakedly and without all proof I leaue it therefoâ—e to the reproof of God and to the godly iudgements of all that shall read our writings and allegations of the scriptures The 5. sinne is our wilfull persisting in our schisme This is agayn to beg the question first let it appear to be schisme that we are in let the reasons aâ—d grounds of our separation be orderly dealt in and soundly convinced by Gods word then if we yeild not let vs be holden wilfull Otherweise to persist in wel doing is good And as easily do the Papists cal Protestants schismaticks as they vs. Whether M Bernard with all the helps that he hath had from other men hath conuinced vs of schisme let the godly judge If reproching of vs and idle excursions into by matters be a conuiction doubtleâ—â—e he hath done it better then any before him The 6. syn is our rayling and sâ—â—ffing and as he sayth Henry Barrowes blasphemies who hath â—grâ—giously abused all their holyest exercises of religion c. I answer if such sinne be in any of vs it is even by our selues condemned and â—f by humane infirmity any haue been ouertaken with vnseasoned speeches we desire the Christian reader to bear with and pardon it in vs as himselfe would haue pardon of God The like hath Mr. Barrâ—â— earnestly intreated in his Preface to his Discouery as the reader may see so farr was he from delighting in such wayes Secondly I answer howsoeuer I will not justify all the words of another man nor yet mine own for in many things we sinne all that many of the thâ—ngs which this man counteth raylings scoffs and blasphemies are no other speaches them the holâ— Ghost hath vsed before vs in the scriptures and applâ—ed to like persons and seemed as harsh to men of those times as these doe to men now Thirdly it is lâ—kely that some be rather the printers fault vnlesse Mr. Bernard hath forged them himselfe then Mr Barrowes Fourthly the Reformists themselus amongst whome Mr Bern. sometimes seemed one haue uttered as hard speeches against the Prelateâ— other corruptions of their own church though now like time seruers they gloze with their reuerend Fathers as this man maketh the first of Mr Barrowes raylings scoffs and blasphemies to be his caling the Bishops Antichristian But how many volumâ—s haue themselues heretofore written of this argument And who amongst vs hath euer dealt as did Marâ—in Marprelate among themselues Finally Mr. Barrow did sharply in 〈…〉 against the reforming preachers as being the greatest deceiuers of the people vnder shew of holines This maketh them aâ—ayn so eâ—er agaiâ—st him but whither he spake not right of them may in part be seen already time will shew more they can no longer halt as hitherto they haue but eyther they must recâ—ncile them to thâ—ir Fathâ—rs or quite forsake them and a bleâ—sed work of God it is that the most dangerous seducers should thus first be discouâ—â—â—d THe third and last sort of reasons which M. Bern. vseth against vs is Our errors and as he sayth the matter of our sâ—hisme The errors which he reckneth vp and vndertaketh to confute arâ— ten The first of them is that we hold the constitution of their church to be a false constitution To this he sayth 1. That we cannot proue this simply by any playn docâ—rine of scripture c. 2. That it is against the euidence of the scriptures which maketh the word Mat. 28.19 Mar 16 15. 2 Cor. 5.19 11 2. Iob 23.23.24 Act. 2.14.37.38 16.32.33 the externall profeâ—sion Act. 8.12.37.38 and Sacraments Mat. 28 19. 1 Cor. 10.16 the visible and true constitution of a company so gathered and knâ—t together and so was theirs constituted as that book of Mr. Ber. sheweth and as in another ere long shal be plainly manifested c. First Mr Ber. setteth down barely this as our position and doctrine not nameâ—ng place or boâ—k where it is written nor the proofs that we make of it but peremâ—torily sayth we cannot proue it Whereas it hath in many books by many playn doctrines of scripture been euidently proued so as Mr Bern. and all his fellow priests could neuer yet make a playn and direct answer And if when book is writen after booke no refutation be made but a bare deneyall as here M. Bern. sayth we cannot proue it I say the ministers of Engl. may so turne away any thing but with what credit or conscience the wise will judge Secondly for M. Bernards reason it selfe wanteth a good constitution being to confuâ—edly set down as a man knowes not what he makes the constitution of a church or how he would conclude that their church is constituted aright He pretends the word to be the Constitution of a church whereas the scriptures that he quoteth and reason it selfe might teach him that the word is the instrument or meanes of Constituting conseruing the church constituted so also be the sacraments But as the constitution of a common wealth or of a city is a gathering and vniting of people togither into a ciuill polity so the Constitution of the common wealth of Israel as the church is called and of the city of God the new Ierusalem is a gathering and vniting of people into a diuiue politie the form of which polity is Order as the heathens acknowledged calling polity an order of a city which Order is requisite in all actions and administrations of the church as the Apostle * sheweth and specially specially in the constitution thereof so that next vnto faith in God it â—s to be esteemed most necessary for all holy societies Wherefore Paâ—l rejoyced for these two things in the Church at Colâ—ssâ— euen their order their stedfast faith in Christ. Now whereas to the constitâ—tioÌ„ of a châ—rch there belong â— a people as the mattâ—r whereof and 2 a calling gathering and vniting togither as the form whereof the church consisteth in both these the Constitution of the Church of Engl. hath in sundry treatises been â—roued false For with them all sorts of profane worldly and wicked â—ersons are receiued as the matter whereof
the church is builded contrary to the â—layn and manifest doctrine of the scriptures Leu. 20.24 1 Kin 8 53. Act. 2.40 and 19.8 â— Iohn 17.16 2 Cor. 6.14 â—7 18. The form and order of their vâ—iting is alsâ— strange for these profane people euen all persons in a famâ—ly anâ— all families in a parish are vnited into one parish church as it is called not voluntarily â—as ought to be in the true châ—rch but by constreynt not by any due profeâ—sion of repentance from â—ead workâ— and faith in God but by the priests readinâ— a Confession absolution and such like popish stâ—ff as is to be seen in their seruice book not vnder the guidance of Chrâ—sts officers but of a Parson Vicar Curate or other like creature of the Bishops who in many places can but read English vnto them And this with the other Parâ—shes of the Dioceâ—â—e so gathered also are vnited into one See or Dâ—ocesâ—â—â— church vnder a Lord Bishop and his Coâ—rtiers and all the Dioces into two Proâ—inciall churches the Prouinciall into one nationall church called the Church of England ouer all which there is a most reuerend Father and spirituall Lord Archbushop Primate and Metropolitan vnder whome al Bishops and Priests of the land are subiect and all people and parishes in the land bound to obey the dead canons and decrees which he the Ach Lord with his brethren of the gouerning clergie agree of in their repreâ—atiue church in the Conuocation howse if once the Ciuill Magistrate giue life vnto them This forme and order of a church is not to be found in Chrâ—sts Testament but receiued it is from the church of Rome by heritage or succession as the Papists boast of to the dishonour of Protestants when they say A religion c. that distinguished the multitude into pâ—rishes â—roportioÌ„ed â—he tithes annâ—xed thâ— Glebeland fonÌ„ded the Bishopricks â—mitted the Dioceses c So as the mother is the daughter is false in her câ—stitutioÌ„ though in the doctrin which she profeseth she is far better purer theÌ„ that whoremother of Rome The discussing of thes things as Mr Bern. refereth to other places books so also do I seing in thiâ— place â—e hath brought nothing of weight to proue his coÌ„stitutioÌ„ For the scriptâ—re that he alegeth the 3. things that he colecteth from theÌ„ do make against his purâ—ose The word is not by Christs mâ—nistery riâ—htly reached applyed to the people but vnsufferabley abused to the maintenance or the confusion and idolatries that are among them the sacraments are highly profaâ—ed and prostituted to the most vngodly and thir seed and popishly administred and the externall profession which the people make is by constreynt and therefore nought worth besides it is corrupt and idolatrous being a mixed profession partly of the truth of God partly of their own inuentions as appeareth by their Communion book Canons and the like Our second error should be that we hold their Constitution a real idol and so them idolaters To confute this Mr Ber. sayth that he hâ—th perused in any scriptures and can see none that take an idol or idolaters in any such sâ—nse agaâ—n that Marlorat mentioneth 47. idols and not one of them in â—he sâ—nse Whether this article be of Mr Bernards own forginâ— or where he hath had it I cannot tell his reader must take all of his credâ— for he lets not down his author As for his confutation hereof it is very slender that becaâ—se he seeth it not or Maâ—lorat nameth it not therefore it is no idol For it is no sure position that Mr Bernard seeth all that â—he scriptures teach and both he and Marlorat may as soon number the hayres of their heads aâ— all the idols that are in the world Wel therefore yet may â—t be a real idol for oâ—ght that this man hath sayd to saue it And if it be a false constitâ—tion as before is proâ—ed set vp in stead of a true what is it better then a very idol In the end he tâ—rneth and renteth vs for making oâ—r own constitution as he sayth an idol or goddesse and feighneth that we may say Great is the Goddesse Constitution great is Diana of the Bâ—â—â—nists Bâ—t seing this is but a reâ—roch of a scorner and the reproch reacheth vnto Christ himselfe who hath appoynted the frame order and constitution of hâ—s own châ—rch which we haue laboured for I leaue him for this calumniation vnto his rebuke who will teach him one day no more to blaspheme And whether may we think tendeth the inuectiue of this vayn man who thus skoffeth at the Constitution of Christs church but to bring in a mere ataxie or confâ—sion worse then was at Babels tower-building for take away the orderly framing and constituting of a church and there will be but a Tohu as the scripture speaketh a rude indigest heap or confute Chaos more beseeming the wild beasts of the wood then any humane much lesâ—e diuine polâ—ty That such as are not of a particular constituted church to weet such a one as ours is are no subiects of Christs kingdome Neyther is this position set downe in our words to my knowledge neyther doth Mr Bâ—rnard take away but confirme rather the thing that we hold for he granteth that they offend God which may and doe not ordinarily hauing 〈◊〉 canes offred liue in a church rightly constituted and we grant that many of Christs subiects for want of meanes doe not liue in a true constituted church If therefore he were not a caviller he would not haue reckned this among our errors That all nor in our way are without and we apply against them in Engl. 1 Cor. 5 12 Eph. 2 12. The first part of this position you must impuâ—e to Mr Bernards charity who wâ—ll needs frame our assertions for vs because he thinkes we cannot speake for our selues we might leaue it vnto him to frame an answer also But if he would let vs tel what we hold it is that all not in the way â—f Châ—ist are without and if this be an error let him make the most of it The applying of those scriptures against them he must be content to bear til he or his brethren can proue theÌ„selues a true church for though there bâ— great differences of peoples professing religion some with more truth â—ome with lesse yet all not wâ—thin Christs church are without as thâ— Aâ—ostle speaketh Mr Bernards exception that those places are meant of sâ—ch as neuer professed Christ at all is childish why doth he not except aâ—aâ—nâ—t the holy Ghost himselfe who apâ—lieth against the false Christâ—ans of the Râ—mish Church words and sâ—eaches meant first of heathen Babylon that profeâ—â—ed not God or Christ at all His boasting of the word sacraments effects and deliuerances are before in this traatise taken away And Mr Bernards proofs are but a begging of the question which he blameth in otherâ— as
vnderstood of the ordinary cathedrall parish assemblies of England which all are by one line For defense of these churches Mr Bern. refers the reader to an other treatise after and so doe I to the answer of the same following Yet least he should seem â—o say nothing Mr Ber excepteth 1 That they haue no false head for they hold Iesus Christ. I answer so might Ieroboam haue pleaded for himself his people that they had no false head but the true God which brought them out of the Land of Aegypt Yet were they a false church The Papists Papists and Anabaptists at this day hold and professe Iesus Christ yet such errors are among them as Christ in deed is deneyed the parishes of England professe him also but such is their estate otherweise that they haue him not truly for a head prophet priest or king vnto them as befor is proued But it is yenough for Mr Bernard to affirme without proofe and correction with him is a needfuller argument in this case tâ—eÌ„ iâ—struction For when the Priests liâ—s preserue not knowledge how should men be answered but by the gaole or gallowes 2. The matter sayth he is not false and to shew this he noteth a difference between No matter true matter and false matter No matter are thâ—y which make no profession of Christ at all as Iewes Turks and Pagans True visible matter are all such as openly professe this mayn truth that Iesus the sonne of Mary is the sonne of God Christ the Lord by whome onely alone they shal be saued And false matter is contrary to this true matter I answer this false matter is very rawly set down for being contrary to the former true it may imply Iewes and Turks whome he made no matter and then it confoundeth his own distinction But if he mean that they which professe not Christ rightly and truely as he setteth downe are a false matter then say I â—t will euince the matter of their Churches to be false seing there is not aright and true profession of Chrâ—st made by their parishes But Mr Ber. leauing out this word rightly truly tels vs they all professe this fayth as is apparent 1 by the doctrine of their church vidz that in the Harmony of Confessions 2 by the same publickly preached 3 by the same mainteyned by their lawes writings and blood of holy martyrs I answer if all this were granted yet will it not proue Mr Bernards purpose for some may write and preach the truth the Magistrate may establish it by law and some may seal it with their blood and yet not al the nation be a true matter for Christs church except they also make lâ—ke profession Which that the parishes of England doe not the profanenes of the multitudes shew But least I be thought to speake of envy let vs hear the testimony of their own ministers and such as were no fauourers of vs at all as their malicious writings of vs sheweth Mr Nichols esteemed a forward preacher among them sayth We finde by great experience and I haue now fiue and twenty yeres obserued it that in those places where there is not preaching and priuate conferring of the Minister and the people the most part haue as litle knowledge of God and of Christ as Turks and Pagans To confirme this he giues vs an example in his own flock For I haue been in a parish sayth he of fowr hundred communicants and maruelling that my preaching was so little regarded I tooke vpon me to conferre with euery man and woman before they receiued the communion I asked them of Christ what he was in his person what his office how firme came into the world what punishment for sinne what becomes of our bodies being rotten in the graue and lastly whither it were possible for a man to liue so vprightly that by wel doing he might winn heauen In all the former questions I scarse found ten in the hundred to haue any knowledge but in the last question scarse one but did affirme that man might be saued by his own wel doing and that he trusâ—ed he did so liue that by Gods grace he should obtâ—yn euerlasting life by serâ—ing of God and god prayers c. Now then this being so tell me I prâ—y yâ—u sayth Mr Niâ—hols first for Athâ—isme whether these be any bettor then Aâ—hâ—isâ—s whiâ—h know not Christ And tell me I pray you Mr Bernard whether thâ—â—â— be a â—rue matter such as Christs church consisteth of But you would â—aâ—â— vs beleeue the Bishops and Priests of Engl. are wondrous men for iâ—â—hey write books or preach sermons to the people their whole Dioceses and Parishes must needs be estemed conuerts and profelytes Such effect grace was neuer heard of before since the world began More absurd it is to say that the good lawes of the Magistrate doe make a profane idolatrous multitude true professors but most of all that because some few were martyrs therefore they that killed the martyrs professe Christ truly If these be not pregnant reasons then M. Bernards book is little worth 3. But he proceedeth and sayth The visible form is not false which is the vniting of vs unto God and one to another uisibly This he would proue by 3 reasons 1 because the word is preached and offred to the people 2 Because of the peoples open profession of their fayth vnto the doctrine God working in them a will to receiue it 3 because the Lords supper is in vse among them Sundry scriptures are alleged to shew that thus the primitiue churches were planted and constituted all which we grant but when he comes to apply these to themselues he barely assumes that thus is their case neyther answering any reason of ours to the contrary nor shewing any reason of his own to confirme that which he sayth And what cause in the world what church is so bad but may thus be pleaded for He knowes wel that we except and the visible estate of that church their own monuments records complaints c. doe bear witnes with us that they were planted in this religion and profession by force of the Magistrates law that multitudes are profane that many thowsands want the preaching of the word that they ar al compelled to come to church be baptised receiue the communion and the like and what profession the poor ignorant people make is before manifested If he would heare more of their profession and subiection to the word and ministery Mr. Nichols shewes it thus How little haue they esteemed the godly and learned ministers How content they be with simple and ignorant men How hardly are they drawn to pay duties which law hath appoynted How many quarrels they pick against painfull ministers And how little reuerence they giue to any that are faithfull How they follow their couetousnes and pleasures How they fil al sorts of courts with brawles foolish and
wilfull strifes and sutes and demurres in law with murthers whordomes dronkennes and all disorder Loe this is the commendations of the professant people of the Church of Engl whome Mr Bernard pleadeth for As for their constitution and vniting together into parishes dioceses proâ—inces and at last in to one nationall church with an Archbishop his high court ouer all it is before shewed to be a Râ—misâ—â—â—tâ—oâ— and antichristian nâ—t iustifiable by the law or testament of Christ. 4. Lastly the visiâ—le properties are he sayth not false â—ut true namely thâ—se 1 Conâ—inuance in heariâ—g of the dâ—ctâ—ine of Christ receiued and vsing of thâ— sacraments and prayer 2 The holâ—ing out of this truth an◠〈◊〉 sacraâ—ents as 〈◊〉 displâ—â—ed against the eneâ—y 3 A care for the welfare of all and euery one for 〈◊〉 and ech for oâ—her But all this buildâ—ng is on a sâ—ndy ground for their estaâ—e as before is mâ—nifâ—sted beâ—ng euill the longâ—r they continew in it the worse it is fâ—r them Contâ—nuance to read â—he seruice book and homilies to â—rostitute tâ—e Sacraâ—ents to the profane to administer them after a â—opish mâ—nnâ—r by a false mâ—nâ—sterâ— these are the banners and ensignes of Antichrist disâ—layed â—n al his aâ—â—emblies that poor sowles haue cause to complayn aâ— in the Psalm they haue sâ—t vp thâ—iâ— banners for signes As for the care of the welâ—are of all c. which Mr. Bâ—rn boasteth of let Mr. Nichols foresayd complaynt of the people on the one hand and the Bishops Preists open neglect contempt of the people on the other hand shew what care they haue one of another For how many sowles are miserably famished by dum negligent and non resident priests evill beasts and slow bellies How many preachers are put out for not subscribâ—ng and using the ceremonies c. These that I gâ—ue no other instances shew what care there is of mens sowless amâ—â—â— them which he that commendeth shewes himselfe carelesse what he speakes or writes OVr 9. error is that we say Al thâ—â—r ministâ—rs are false ministers Against this Mr Bernard allegeth for the truth of their ministery that they are sent of Christ according to his ordinance in his church as is manifested by thâ— thâ—t thâ—y are quallâ—fiâ—d with good gifts they are called by the church such also as dâ—e diligently and faithfully preach and so preach Christ as many thâ—reby doeth ar and belâ—eue euen confirming their calling by the blessed successe and effâ—ct of thâ—iâ— labâ—urs Rom. 10.14.15 1 Cor. 9.2 First if Mr Bernard would indeed haue refuted our error if such it be he shoulâ— haue answered the reasons which in many writings we haue brâ—ught aâ—â—inst theâ—r minâ—stery Bâ—t he found that all too heauie Theâ— for the reasons that â—â—msâ—lfe allegâ—th they are naked and without all coâ—firmâ—tiâ—n such as Paâ—istâ— Anabaptists or any other Antichristians might â—llege for theâ—selâ—es Fâ—r a Papist wil â—oast as wel as he that their Priests are quâ—lifiâ—â— wiâ—h goâ—d gifts called by the church doe deligently anâ— faithfully preâ—ch so as 〈…〉 hâ—â—r anâ— beleeue Bâ—t I will answer ech of â—is partâ—câ—lâ—râ— Their qâ—alificatioÌ„ is wiâ—h Good gâ—fts is no proffe of a lawful ministâ—ry seing â— many priuate men haâ—e as good gifts as they â—vsurpers and intrâ—derâ— may alâ—o haue as excellent gifts as lawfull officers â— Iesuites Sâ—mmâ—ries and ther instuments of Satan are knowen to be as learned and well furnished with gifts as Mr Bern. and his brethren 4 Moreouer I deny that the principall ministers of England are qualified or able to execute their office the Archbishops Bishops Arch deaâ—ons c. that haue whole Dioceses and Prouinces vnder their charge cannot possibly performe the duty of true ministers vnto them 5 And fiâ—â—lly a number of ignorant Sir Iohns can read their Leiturgie vnto their parisâ—es and haue no other good ministeriall quallity The second thing their calling by the church which afterward he explâ—yneth thâ—s beiâ—g examined found fiâ— and so are elect and ordeyned this 〈…〉 vpon the sands for the church of England not being a true châ—rch of Gâ—d as is before manifested hath no power from God to call and â—rdeyn miâ—isters But besiâ—es this I would fayn learne of Mr Bern. what Châ—â—ch it is that examined elected and ordeyned his Lords grace of Canterbâ—â—y for Arâ—hbâ—shopâ— then whether the same or some other châ—rch examined elected and ordeyned the Diocesan Bishops the Deans the Archdeacons and the rest of that Lordly priesthood then what church ordeyned the parish Priests and Deacons These things if he dare vndertake to deal in and bring to the triall will be found more agreable to the Canons of the Pope then to the testament of Christ. Their office it selfe Mr Bern. balketh quite and tels vs not what functions this pompous clergie haue to execute yet is it most needfull to be known for how els shall men discerne their administration To beginâ— therefore with his Arch Lord of Cant. the Angel of the church of Engl. what office â—ath â—e to execute of a Pastor or of a Pope If he be Pastor of this â—â—â—rch what be the inferior Bishops pety Pastors or Pety popes what offices 〈◊〉 the Suffragans Chancellâ—rs deanes Archdeacons Commissâ—â—â—s â—ffiâ—ials Dâ—ctors Proctors and the residew of that army what offices haue the Prebâ—ndaries Canons Pâ—tiâ—anons Chanters Subchanters and other like bâ—rds of the cloister what offices haue the Bishops bay lifts the Priests the half priests or Deacons the Parsons and Vicars the Churchwardens Clerks Sextius Mr Bern. affirmeth that the Lord onely ordeyneth offiâ—â—s in his church 1 Cor. 12. and that the church it selfe cannot doe this but Iesus Christ both Lord and King Now seing he hath ouerskipped in this book al the stately offices that are in his church let him in his next shew if he can the offices that Christ in his testament hath appoynted this troup of horsemen and charrets vnto Now for their administration he telleth vs they preach the true doctrine or Christ administer the sacraments performe their office faithfully and liue câ—nsâ—iâ—nably and Christ doth assist such graciously in conuerting soules and â—hâ— peâ—ple doe approue of them Fayr words and such as it seemeth Mr Bern. useth to feeed his flock with but if one deny that thus it is he must tary for proof till an other treatise come forth it was yenough in this to affirme it so to be and for his Lords grace to confirme it Wel to let passe the multitude of complâ—ints and testimonies to the contrary in their own books let him shew how it is possible for the Archbishop of the church of Engl. or the inferior Bishops to preach and performe their office faithfully vnto so many hundreds of parishes thowsands of people as are vnder their charge Let the infinite number of soules that are famished vnder them speake how often their Chief-shepheard of Cant haue fed them with the word and sacraments
beleeue to be saued by him alone and by this colour men continue in transgression and idolatrie stil. which is as if a theef dronkard whormaister blasphemer or other vicious liuer being blamed by the lawes of God which condemne these sinnes should say These are petty faults I confesse but they are not fundamental for the onely fundamentall truth and ground of all Gods law is Loue and that is the fulfilling of the law Rom. 13.8 9.10 Gal. 5.14 1 Tim. 1.5 Now this foundatioâ— I hold for I professe to loue God aboue al and my neighbour as my sâ—lfe on which ground as Christ sayth the law and prophets doe depend and this I doe howsoeuer I cannot keep my tongue from swearing lying and â—iâ—auldrie nor my hands from picking and stealing nor my body chast c. yet my hart is good I loue God and my neighbour and hope to he saued as well as the precisâ—st puritan of them all And now what will these ministers say to theâ—r profane parishioners if thus they pleaded for doe not themselues thus plead for the transâ—reossins of the first table and violating of the testament of Christ in their own false ministery idolatrous rites ceremonies and forged worship But as euery true Christian hart knoweth that such profane ruffians howsoeuer they say they loue god yet in deed they hate him and howsoeuer the sâ—mme and end of all the Law is Loue onely yet that loue implyeth obedience to every particular precept and he which breaketh the least commandement and teacheth men so shal be called the least in the kingdome of heauen as Christ sayth so know they likeweise or should know that such superstitious idolaters false and Antichristian Prelates and priests howsoeuer they boast of true fayth yet by theyr works they deney it and although Fayth in Christ be the foundation of Christian religion yet in imâ—lieth necessarily obedience vnto the ordinances of his Testament euen whatsoeuer is commanded them therein and as the curse is denounced against all the transgressors of Moses law in any part thereof so they shall not escape vengeance that wilfully despise the law of Christ or any part of his testament confirmed with his precious blood And if thus we vnderstand not and interpret those scriptures which sum vp al christianity in Christ we must needs confesse that many false churches euen Rome it selfe is a true church seeing they doe professe such generall grounds of Christ as by playn evidence of scripture seem sufficient vnto saluation as appeareth by Council Trident. Seâ—s 3. compared with Rom. 10.9 Act. 8.37 38. 1 Ioh. 4.2 Mark 16.16 also Rhemes testam annot on 1 Tim. 2.5 wher they professe Christ by nature to be truely both God and man to be that on eternall priest and redeemer which by his sacrifice and death vpon the crosse hath reconciled us to God and payed his blood as a full and sufficient ransome for all our sinns c. How beit that these ministers stumble no more at that we professe let them know we hold euery generall head and ground of doctrine more necessary to be known then ech particular branch of the same an error ouerthrowing a whole ground of religion to be much more wicked then that which ouerturneth but a part thereof Also that many of Gods church are ignorant of sundry particular doctrines of the Gospell yea all of vs in some for none is perfect yet that in some generall grounds ignorance is damnable and further that the wilfull and obstinate refusall or contempt of the least evident truth of the Gospel is deadly and damnable of it own nature Neyther see we how we should beleeue otherweise vnlesse with the Papists we think some sinns veniall some mortall As for Mr Barrowes words from Ioh. 16.13 which also these ministers mistaking doe mislike it is evident by his own writings to the contrary otherwhere that he meant not so erroniously as they collect But that promise made to the Apostles he applieth vnto all the members of Christ by proportion though not in like measure Which that it may be done we learne of the Apostles themselues in other like cases 2 Cor. 4.13 from Psalm 116. Heb. 13.5.6 from Ios. 1 Psal. 118. c. Their last reason is from the approbation of all the known churches in the world which acknowledge this church of Engl. for their sister and give vnto them the right hand of fellowship This poynt is handled before in this treatise pag. 9. c. 48 51. c. vnto which places I refer the reader Many scriptures and reasons these ministers allege from the primitiue churches examples that reioyced for and saluted one another of and of the comfort that a church may haue in the communion and approbation of other churches All which we grant and dâ—e obserue how fast â—hey can cite scriptures for things that we deny not But they say nothing for the controuersie between them and vs. which consisteth of these 3. poynts 1 whither a people may not separate from euill and professe and walke in the truth vnlesse or vntill other churches allow them 2. whether it be a necessary and vndenyable argument that whomsoeuer other churches approue they are true churches and so must be esteemed of all men 3 and whither the reformed churches at this day doe approue of the church of England in all or any of the differences for which we sâ—parate from them The first of these is proved by all Gods commandements which require euery man particularly to refrayn all evill and doe that which is good Exod. 20. The second is disproued by themselues in their writings against the Papists who pressed them with such reasons Let councels sayth Mr Whitaker be esteemed as they deserue let their decrees be examined by Gods word and if they agree let them be receiued for that agreement if not let them be reiected for the contrary To this agreeth their own Bishops Articles ano 1562. Art 21. and also their Apoligie before alleged in this treaâ—ise and finally Mr Bernards own counsel though perhaps he knew no more then Caiaphas what he sayd saying See into the glasse of the word by thine own sight without other mens spectacles c. For the latter poynt we know the reformed churches as their constitution and writings shew are for vs and against them of which see before pag 10 c. and it shall hereafter be further confirmed if these ministers will deny it Hitherto of the reasons alleged by the godly ministers wherein how they haue proued and setled their first position let the godly wise judge Next follow their answers to the obiections made by vs. And these they make two First that their church of Engl. was not gathered by such meanes as God in his word hath ordeyned and sanctified for the gathering of his Church Secondly that they communicate together in a false
and idolatrous outward worship of God which is polluted with the writings of men vidz with read slinted prayers homilies catechismes c. Here let it first be obserued that whereas Mr Barrow whose books they would seem to answer hath giuen 4. causes of our separation namely the 1. false worship 2. profane people 3 false ministery and 4. Antichristian hierarchie these godly ministers like the vniust steward that set down fifty for fiue skore haue contracted the 4. causes into 2. for what cause let him that readeth consider Secondly in the two which they professe to answer they keep not the words by Mr Barrow there set downe as to begin with the first he sayth For that the profane vngodly multitudes without exception of any one person are with them receiued into and reteyned in the bosome of the church These ministers set down the poynt to be about the not gathering by due meanes Whereas if it were granted that they had due meanes of gathering yet the exception made is of force against them rather more then lesse for they that haue the true meanes of gathering a church and yet gather it amisse the greater is their sinne Now to the particulars whereas Mr Barrow had first shewed by many scriptures and reasons what manner persons were to be the matter of Gods church and then compared here with the people of the church of Engl. where all sorts of wicked persons are admitted kept in communion to this the ministers answer First that they might lawfully be accounted a true church though it could not appear that they were at the first rightly gathered For euen as the Disciples might be wel assured of Christs bodily presence amongst them when they saw and felt him though they could not haue discerned which way or how he could possibly come in so may we esteem them a true church of whose present profession and faith we are wel assured though we cannot see by what meanes they were first gathered This answer of theirs is full of errour and frawd for not to speake how they corrupt Mr Barrowes words in the places which they quote by leauing out things of speciall importance first they blamed because all profane wicked persoÌ„s ar of the mater their church they tel us they may esteem them a true church of whose present profession and fayth they are wel assured If this answer be direct and to the purpose then we must beleeue that the godly ministers are wel assured of the present profession and faith of all the lewd profane irreligious and wicked persons in the realm which are members of the church of Engl. Against these was the exception made for these the answer is giuen vnlesse they answer their own fansies and now what assurance the ministers have of such mens faith let the faithfull iudge Secondly the similitude which they bring is a great abuse of the reader whome they would blinde with a false comparison which if it were duely made would make against them thus As the disciples might be wel aâ—â—ured of Christs bodily presence when they saw and felt him c. so men may he wel assured of the wickeds bodily presence in the church of Engl when they see and feel them as who doe not But now as these men haue made the parable what likelihood of truth is there in it for iustifying the vngodly If a man seeing a Priest in bed with one of the Popes courtizans should blame him for this fornication and an other to defend him should plead thus As we are sure that Sarah was Abrahams wife though we cannot tell when or how they were married so may wee esteeme these two of whose present chascity we are wel assured to be lawfull man and wife though we cannot tel how they came together would this be a sufficient defence Yet loe when Mr Barrow blamed the Priests of England for linking themselues in the bed of spirituall loue with the idolatrous Papists and all other wicked of the land at the beginning of Q. Eliz. and continuing in like sinful commixtur vnto this day these Ministers now to saue their credit tel vs an example of Christ presence c. as before is seen Yea the indignity of it stayeth not here for as the Apostle by the Ministery of the gospell prepared the church of Corinth as a pure virgin for her husband Christ so these men pretending to be true Ministers will haue Papists Atheists profane and wicked persons to be Hephzi-bah people in whome God delighteth they will bring this sinfull and adulterous generation even all the vngodly in the land vnto the bed of Christ in his church whether he will or no Which high transgression is the ouerthrow of the mayn ground of the gospell which euer since it began to be sounded in the world hath proclamed a separation of the children of God from the children of Belial as before hath bene proued This being thus obserued how these ministers haue missed at first oâ— the question the further they goe the further they stray and run themselues out of breath in vayn For neyther the examples of Melchisedek Iob Cornelius c. nor their reasons following of 2 other meanes of gathering the church then by the preaching of the Gospel 3 of the preaching of Mr. Wickliff c 4 5 of the course that Q Elizab. took for bringing the Gospell in agayne c. none of these I say will proue eyther that open profane and wicked persons may be receiued and kept in the bozome of the church or that there be not multitudes of open profane and wicked members of the church of England Their present lamentable estate proclaymeth this latter to all men that haue conscience their own writings also heretofore doe strongly confirme it and all the scriptures cry out against the former teach a separation as before in this treatise and in sundry other books is manifested As these ministers have thus passed by the mayn controuersie so haue they in their pretended answers inserted some things corruptly and fraudulently which I will briefly touch First for to bolster out the constreyned profession of faith and ioyning to the church which their people are compelled vnto they plead that Synce Kings became noursing fathers c. to the church their lawes haue been means to bring men to the outward society of the church and the parable proueth that men may be compelled to come Luk. 14 23. This doctrine openeth a dore in the church to all the profane in the world contrary to the scriptures Isa 25.2 35.8 9.2 Chron. 23.19 Reu. 21.27 Leuit. 10.14 Zac. 14.21 2 Cor. 6.14 17. Act. 2.41 19.9 For if a prince may compel some of his subiects to be members of the church he may compel al and if one prince may doe it all may So if there were such an Emperor as Augustus that commanded all the world to be taxed he might
vpon the sands for the profane popish multitude had not receiued the gospel before but as hath been shewed werâ— constreyned by K. Edw. against their wills to hear English Mattins in their churches where they were wont to hear Latiâ— Latin masse and were glad with all their hearts when their old blind devotion did agayn take place and they might suck the blood of such as spake against it So they cannot rightly be sayd to fall from the gospel which they neuer receiued And what secret congregations there were in Q. Maries dayes I know not but if they were so secret as onely they met now and then in priuate and ordinarily went to church openly with Papists they were not a true church of Christ. And that constreyned vnion of Papists and of Protestants at the beginning of Q Eliz reign vnder Archbishops Bishops Priests c. with most of the same mattins even-songs rites ceremonies c. that before had been imposed this order can neuer be warranted by the testament of Christ nor such a commixture proued to be a true church And whereas it is noted for an other vntruth that Mr. Barrow and Greenuâ— should say that in one day by the blast of her Maiesties trompet at the Beginning of her reign all sorts of men were drawne to a profâ—ssion of the gospell without any further means vsed these ministers may be seen to be mere cauillers and bent to depraue For the words euen as themselues haue set them down whereby the reader may espy their falshoode were these where such profane multitudes were all immediately from publicke idolatry at one instant receiued or rather compelled to be members of this church in some parish or other without any due calling to the fayth by the preaching of the Gospell going before or orderly ioyning together in the faith there being no voluntary or particular confession of their own faith c. Now these men to reign an vntruth yea an other vntruth when nonâ— was afore haue among other things changed without any due calling to the faith into without any further meanes vsed and then to conuince this their own fictioÌ„ they tell vs of sundry preachers sent betweeÌ„ Nouember Midsommer that called many But his neyther cleareth them of corrupt dealing nor proueth that the whole realme which at Midsommer was compelled to this church worshâ—p ministery c. was duely called vnto the fayth much lesse that they orderly ioyned together in the same So that the vntruth must rest in their own bosome This being proued say these ministers that there was a true Church in thiâ— land before her Maiesties reign the question must not be whether the meanes she vsed were the right meanes for the first calling and conuerting a people in the faith but wether she took not a lawfull course for the recalling and reuniting of her subiects vnto those true professors whose fellowship they had forsaken Loe how these men run on as if they had proued that whereof we haue yet heard scarce any shew of proof And altering closely the question they say there was a true church in the land whereas they must prouâ— a true church of the land as now it is and long hath been esteemed the Church of England hauing an Archbishop and other officers ouer it which â—re in their Conuocation house the Representative Church of England So it noâ— not being a true church the examples they allege of reformation by the Kings of Iudah fit not their turnes for Iudah was a true church though some corruptions had crept in as will easily doe into the best Abijah the predecessor of Asa mainteyned Gods true religion and worship against idolatrous Israel both by word and sword So Asa found not his kingdome a false church as K. Edw Q Elizab. found England yet vsed he that great care for reformation mentioned 2 Chro. 14. 15. and his son Iehoshaphat after him greater care both to reforme and teach the peoâ—le 2 Chron. 17. Afterwards when abominations had ouerspread the land Hâ—zekiah laboured a godly reformation and opening the dores of the Lords house he brought in the Priests and Leuites not the Chemarins or Baals Priests as the popish clergie which their own notes on Reu. 9.3 acknowledge to be the Locusts of the bottomlesse pit were brought in or rather reteyned still in this church as Mr Fox sheweth Hezekiah sent ouer all the land to conuert the people from idolatry who laughed the messengers to scorne and mocked them howbeit divers submitted themselues and came to Ierusalem and it was God that gaue Iudah a hart to obey the King and rulers according to his word Neyther were any admitted to the Passeouer but such as had voluntarily yeilded repented and eyther sanctified themselues or els being preuented through want of time were healed or clensed of the Lord at the Kings prayer The other disobedient Israelites God punished by the sword and slauery of Asshur because they would not obey the voyce of the Lord their God Finally Iosijah purged the land of idols false worship reduced his people vnto the true seruice of God which they with himselfe had couenanted to walke in These examples we acknowledge al Christian princes should folow hauing equall power with these Kings of Iudah to abolish all idolatry within their dominions yea and to punish obstinate idolaters and not suffer any superstitious worship among their subjects but to procure their conuersion by the word yet not to compell them to be members of the church because they cannot giue them faith and repentance which is the onely dore into Christs kingdome and cannot be opened to any but by God alone Which doctrine and practise these ministers if they would not learne out of holy writ mought haue seen set forth in their own book of Martyrs where when Ethelbert King of Kent was conuerted and Christened and after him innumerable other daylie came and were adioyned to the church yet the King sayth Mr Fox compelled none for he had learned that the faith and seruice of Christ ought to be voluntary and not coacted I acknowledge the Godly and gratious disposition and care of K. Ed. Q Eliz. at the first for restoring of the Gospel to be worthy of purpetuall praise and memory and the error that was in reteyning the popish profane multitudes the Antichristian clergie the Romish worship worship turned into English some few grosse things left out and thâ— other euils yet to be seen in the ecclesiasticall estate these I iudge are rather to be imâ—uted vnto the false clergie men which were trusted too much in thes matters dealt not according to the trust reposed in them but sought to inrich themselves with the spoyles of Bable and of Iericho the Bishopricks benefices and other like Romish reuenues rather theâ— for the build the howse of God vpon the foundations of Sion And
their Lords the Prelates which were the other two â—eads of error excepted against in the forenamed books But in both these they are silent and reason there may be for it for the inferior ministery hangs vpon the superior the hierarchie and now the godly ministers are in a great strayt for eyther they must loose their ministery and then what boots it to plead for the same or els they must though they be loth be buxome and submit to their Fathers the Bishops and when this is done it may be we shall see some such defense of two later as we haue already of the former Mr Bernard himself hath begun fayrly for whereas a while since he was hot against the Bishops he now cannot endure they should be called Antichristian proud prelates or the like and thinks it can neuer be proued that the entrance into the ministery by the Prelates is a false entrance So it is not to be thought but his Ordinary and he will agree wel yenough Wel howsoeuer it be God I doubt not wil turne all things to his own glory and furtherance of his truth yea euen the writings of these aduersaries shal be a meanes to stir men up vnto a consideration of their wayes which God giue them grace for to doe and to turne their feet into the pathes of life and peace that they may finde rest vnto their sowles AN ANSWER TO Mr. Crashawes 4. questions propounded in his sermon preached at the Crosse Febr 14 1607 and printed 1608. Mr. Crashawe preaching vpon Ier. 51 11. We would haue cured Babel but she would not be healed c. took occasion to inueigh against such as haue separated from the Church of Engl. as from Babel in to a couenant and communion as he sayth of their own deuising To conuince this bitter as he calleth it and schismaticall separation he asketh but 4. questions wherevnto if they can giue him satisfaction he promiseth he wil be one of them Now though this promise be not in his own power to performe for it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy yet shall it not be amysse to labour for his satisfaction herein for who can tel but there may be giuen him an vnderstanding ear and tender hart for to conuert that God may heal him if not that his own writing may be a witnes himselfe is one of those whome we would haue cured in Babel but he would not be healed I will not stand vpon his interpretation of the scripture treated of whether it be the direct and proper meaning of that place but will come vnto the demands by him propounded HIs first question consisting of many branches is summed vp by himselfe in this one Wherein are we deadly and incurably wounded Your demaund being as the particulars shew of the wounds of sin and corruption I answer First we deny not but all your sins are curable as we trust in the mercy of God if you repent of them and beleeu his promises neyther haue we euer thought your wounds in this sense to be deadly or incurable Secondly the sinns that your church lieth in which if they be not repented of and pardoned in the mercy of Christ are deadly and will destroy the sowl for euer haue heretofore by such as would haue cured you been set before your eyes in large and ample treatises shewing these capitall transgressions 1 Your confuse people 2 false worship 3 antichristian hierarchie or church-gouernment 4 and false ministery therefrom deriued that strange it is you should yet ask what deadly wounds you haue and it makes vs fear your state is like his that sleepeth in the midds of the sea in the top of the mast sayth they haue stricken me but I was not sick they haue beaten me but I knew it not You haue also here in this treatise arguments to proue that Christ is not the head Mediator Prophet Priest King of your church which if it be so no Christian can doubt but your wounds in then selues are deadly Though this were yenough for Answer to your question in generall yet because the particulars which you further demaund are stembling blocks vnto the weak I also wil labour to remoue them away Q. What fundamentall wound is in our doctrine A. This among others that you teach and mainteyn both by word and practise that all sorts of people though profane and wicked are to be receiued into and reteyned in the church which is contrary to the foundation of the Gospel layd by God himselfe Gen. 3 15. That such is your doctrine both your sermoris and printed books and the estate of your church since the planting thereof to this time doe confirm Q. What deadly corruption is in our discipline such as eâ—â—s out the hart and life and being of a church A. First they which execute it as the Prelates Commissaries c. are antichristian so iudged proued long since by the reformed churchs by thâ— better son of your own ministers hertofore now liuing by others Seconly in the executioÌ„ of it the good ar consured excommunicated the wicked fauoured and tolerated That the good are censured appeareth by the late Canons of your church for in them it is enacted against such as blame or resist any of your vngodly ceremonies ordinances wil worship c. in your Communion book book of ordering Bishops Priests and Deacons c. that they shall be excommunicated ipso facto and not be restored vntill they repent and publickly reuoke such as you call them their wicked errors That the wicked are fauoured and tolerated though experience may teach euery man yet your own testimonies wil be most pregnant Mr Bradshawe one of your fellow Ministers in his 11. Argument against the ceremonies of your church complayneth that the 〈◊〉 missions of your ceremonies make a minister by your law more subject to depriuatioâ— and suspension then the commission of the sowlest crimes euen drâ—nkeâ—â—â—s blasphemie grosse ignorance and vncleannes Which he proueth by 〈◊〉 such â—iâ—e persons as he sayth that are ministery Some that haue been 〈◊〉 to be carryed home in a wheel barrow Some that comming home drunkeÌ„ from the market town haue been found sleeping under a hedge in their own filth Some that knowing and consenting to their wiues filthines that he might swear he knew no such matter by her since he maried her maried her agayne the morning before he was to answer it vpon his oath Deliuering the sacrament to a filthy woman instead of Take eat sayd Turne thee turne thee c. To another that would take it in her hand he put it in her mouth and sayd Cob Cob or Daw Daw he knowes not whether Dr Henry Parry tels vs of a 〈◊〉 of â—aterpillars the very trash and riff raff of our nation c. that haue like 〈◊〉 of idle
and dissolute quallity onely moued thereto in a lazy speculation layd wicked sacrilegious hands on the Lords ark taken his vndefiled testimonies in their defiled mouthes disgraced defaced and defamed the glory and Maiesty of diâ—ine rites and mysteries c. they run like hungry companions with an eye onely to the flesh pots so sel both themselues and their people for morsel of bread and messe of pottage to the Diuill He mentioneth also accursed and simonical patrons who haue sodered simoned the walls of their houses with the very blood of sowlâ—s some others among you speaking of that a miserable vulgus that woâ—fulâ— crew that racked regiment of dunsticall and vnlettered Sir Iohns which haue euen couered the land like the froggs of Aegypt leading many thow sands with themselues into the ditch and â—he same not still graced countenanced by the Prelatâ—s as being their creatures And others complayn that whol swarms of idle scandalous popish non-resident Ministers are tolerated euery where amongst you Your selfe Mr Crashawe in this very sermon tel in of little petty Babylons namely incurable sinns among you 1. That great sacrilege and church robbing as you call it committed by Impropriations in which case you affirme at this day almost halfe of the kingdome is wherby it comes to passe that an ignorant and vnpreaching ministery is set ouer a great part of your people which is the sourse and fountayn of all other euils in your church 2. The vngodly players enterludes so rise in the nations which you call a bellish deuise the Diuils own recreation to mock at holy things by him deliuered to the heathen from them to the Papists and from them to you And these you say bring religion and holy things vpon the stage And hypocrisie a child of hel must bear the names of two churches of God Nicholas S. Antlings Simon S. Maryâ—veries which churches by these miscreanâ—s are thus dishonoured you say not on the stage onely but euen in print To this you add â—heir continuall profannesse on their phrases and sometime Atheisme and blasphemy their continuall profanening of the Sabbath which generally in the country is their play day and oftentimes Gods diuine seruice hindred or cut shorter to make room and giue time for the Diuils seruice Many other like testimonies might I allege froÌ„ your own mouthes of exceeding impiety openly practised not by the people onely but by the Priests and Clergie and how doth your discipline heal these corruptions when by your own grant such caitiffs are graced and countenanced by the prelates when your law punisheth the conscionable ministers more then such as your selfe say of your petty Babilon of Impropriations this deep wound was once curable yenough c. but now alas how incurable it is he obserues but little that sees not And vnlesse the K. Maiesty vouchsafe to take the matter into his hands otherweise it is incurable Agayn you say of that horible abuse of the Sabbath c. that est is hath been complayned of and some haue endeuoured to heal it but it is 〈◊〉 of Babylon that will not be healed but rather it creps 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 though the whole state from the foot to the head and if you would yet haue more add herevnto Mr Iacobs testimony who hath so manfully stood for your church The right and true discipline ecclesiasticall sayth he in â—ch proper visible church is one mayn part of the ordinary meanes of saluation appoynted by God for euery sowl and this we in England vtterly want Now let the reader iudge whether there be not deadly corruption in your discipline which euen in a true church would soon eat out if it wer not healed the hart and life and being of a church according to your demaund But you proceed and ask vs. Q. What book of Canonicall scripture receiue we not what hold we for Canonicall that is not A. What book of Canonicall scripture receiued not the idolatrous Isâ—elites what held they for Canonicall that was not The like I ask for the Arians Anabaptists and sundry other heretikes of these times and shall these or any of them be therfore true churches Agayn in your own church there is read for holy scripture erroneous books and lying stories as Tobie Iudith and other Apocrypha Your Homilies citing thâ—Ì„ call them holy scripture and say the holy Ghost speaketh so in the scriptures the chiefest ministers of your church sometimes preach and take texts out of them If this be not to hold them canonicall I know not what you count canonicall Q. What sacrament that Christ ordeyned doe we want and what haue we more then Christ ordeyned A. What sacrament wanted Ieroboam the son of Nebat what had he more then God ordeyned Or the Anabaptists at this day Yet if one would stand with you he might by your Communion book proue Confirmation to be a sacrament but who ordeyned it I cannot tel vnlesse Pope Clement Agayn Mr Bradshaw a man of your own church and profession hath proued against you in print that your Crosse in baptisme ring in mariage surplice c. are sacraments in your church and not of diuine institution Q. What article of faith deny we or what hold we for an article of faith this is not A. Suppose that the Papists should ask you such a question what would you answer For all the Creeds that are in your communion book are they not with euery article neyther more nor lesse in the masse book and other popish pamphlets The Papists and you both confesse Christ in words both deny him in practise Q. What fundamentall heresie doth our doctrine maintayn A. The vnlawfull commixture of the children of God and children of the Diuell in one church and communion is a fundamentall heresie being stifly mainteyned All the scritures condemne it all wel reformed churches avoyd it nature it selfe teacheth to abhorr it yet in such profane communion your church abiderh and you wil not endure to bâ—â—r of a separation Q. What haue we in our church that ouerthrowes the being of a church A. A popish Clergie and Laitie Q. What is necessarily required to make a church that wee doe want A. You want both matter and forme of a true church namely a people called of God separated from the world and vnited with Christ and one with another according to the rules of his eternall Testament Q. I will end as I began wherein are we deadly and incurably wounded A. The sinns before mentioned are deadly wounds of Satan the onely cure is by repentance and faith in Christ Iesus â—ut as yet you be farr from cure for loe you make questions of your diseases and will not beleeue that you are sick Herevpon you refusâ— all salues and medicines and will neither haue physician nor chirurgian to meddle with your sores If any Leech come with a curing tongâ—e and words that be leaues of the tree of
people had in Babylon But that I suppose will not satisfie you but it was you will say by your church and ministerie Therefore I distinguish and consider of conscience in generall and in particular General lie when men so farr as they are taught and see doe walke carefullie this I confesse we had through Gods grace by means of your church this also I acknowledge many among you haue walking conscionably so farr as they see and know The same I am perswaded also of many Papists and other misbeleeuers But as a conscionable Papist or Anabaptist when a further light of the Gospel ariseth vnto him must leaue that church wherein his conscience was so farr informed because it is not the true church of God so must a conscionable Protestant doe with your church when God giueth him to see the false estate wherein you stand although you worke many good effects in a mans hart and conscience Particularly a good conscience is to be considered in this or that particular action as for example in this particular of our separation and so we had not this good conscience from or by your church or ministenistery for you thought to corrupt our consciences and keep vs still in Babylon we had not I say this good conscienâ—e by your meanes vnlesâ—e it be by accident and against your wils and so no thanke vnto you as he that would haue kild his enemie and vnawares cured him of an impostume thus indeed many of vs haue been brought to this good coâ—science of separation For whereas heretofore many of your ministers vnawares haue discouered the vnlawfulnes of the prelacie priesthood leitourgie and other enormities of your church wee haue herevpon thought how it could be the church of Christ which thus lay vnder Antichrist and pressing you with your own doctrines we haue found that you cannot but eyther goe from that whâ—ch before you taught or elâ— yeeld vs our separation which you so earnestly condemn Of which thing there is before spoken in this treatise THe third question is How haue thâ—y sought and sufficiently endeauoured our healing and til they haue done all that possible can be done for our healing how dare they forsake vs I answer we haue sought your healing euen as by your own doctrin the faithfull Iewes sought the cure of Babel and as you selues haue soâ—ght the healing of Râ—me The meanes which the Iewes and your selues haue vsed to cure Babel you shew in your sermon to be three Instruction example prâ—yer By instruction you say laying opâ—n their errors discouering their impieties and lâ—ying before them the excellency of true religion Thus say I haue we done with you witnesse besides our speeches and conferences the many books of this argument which are publised in print 2 By example you say practising their own religion â—uen before their very faces nor fearing their scornes and rebukes c. And to say I haue we practised our religion amongst you and before your faces not fearing your scornes and rebukes And for proof hereof not one man as Daniel in Babel hath been taken in prayer but very many â—f vs haue been apprehended sundry times when we were praying and excercising in the word of God and from our publick meetings haue been caried to your loathsome gaoles and prisons and there deteyned many a day till some were carâ—ed out vpon the Bere vnto their graues some caried to the tree and executed Which to vse your own words had been sufficient to haue driuen you into deeper and better considerations had you not been incurable and it is to be hoped that the sight hereof hath done good on some of you 3. Thirdly they endeauoured you say to heal them by their prayers praying continually and desiring God to heal them Thus also haue we endeauoured to heal you alwayes mentioning you in our prayers that God would vouchsafe yoâ— mercy and this we professe and promise to doe for you still howsoeuer you reward vs for it so long as we liue on earth Thus haue we dealt with you according to all the duties that your selfe haue shewed both from the Iewes practise and from your own For whereas you allege a fourth thing that your selues haue done namely by devising and enacting good and wholsom lawes against their errors superstitions impieties c. seing this cannot be done by subiects or priuate men but onely where a common weal and magistracie is established and so neyther was nor could be done by the Iewes in Babel nor by vs in Engl I suppose you will not impute this as want to Duty vnto vs which if we had attempted to doe mought iustly haue been esteemed rebellion in vs and so our suffrings should haue been as malefactors Whereas then we haue vsed all lawfull meanes to cure you that we could as your selfe haue layd them down before vs I hope you will be satisfyed or if not yet any indifferent reader will thinke you are sufficiently answered THe 4. and last demand is If they Will needs leaue our church whether will they goe To leaue one thing for another no better is seely but for a â—orse â—s folly and madnes c. I answer We haue left Babylon for to come vnto Sion we forsooke your confused assemblies which consist of all sorts of people and an vnlawfull mixture with the profane and wicked that we might haue communion with the people of the Lord that willingly and gladly professe to beleeue the gospel and walke in it Now where you vrge vs to ioyne to some other church in other countries first you passe the bounds of your text from whence you can gathâ—r no such doctrine for the Iewes forsaking Babel ioyned not to any other nation or church then their own Secondly it is also contrary to your own practise who when you first left Poperie in K. Edwards daieâ— and Q. Eliz. ioyned not your selues to any forreyn church but one to another among your selves And where you tel vs of the approbation of other churches and quote their Harmony of Confessions I answer that book was set out long after your separation from Rome and communion among your selues besides also how farr they approue of you is before in this treatise considered of Pag. 10. Thirdly we could not ioyne to any of those forreyn churches becausâ— We vnderstood not their languages nor they ours and therefore vnlesse we would haue builded a new Babel with strange tongues we must ioyne into communion among our selues Thus haue I answered your 4. demaunds and for your further satisfaction if it may be will yet giue you a view of your own dealings with vs and the Babylonians dealing with the Iewes of old as they are collected by your selfe in you sermoon They of Babel obiected as you say that their own religion was general and vniuersall ouer the world and the Iewes but in a corner and agayn they say Look into the
mentioneth shew little or none at all wise men will esteem them accordingly But if such a Diuine as Bredwel doe but call our curse a by-path this sentence is authentik yenough for Mr Bern to put in his book The 6. is the Lords iudgement giuing sentence with them of England against vs. These things as they are before more prudently urged both for the good successe of the English ministers and bad ysâ—ue of many of vs so I leaue the reader vnto the answers before made pag 13. c 23. c. Onely I would advise Mr Bern. to look better to his words when he next write and not to set down such positions as may tend to Atheisme or Iudaisme as wherein his brother Boltons case that hanged himself he Sayth which end the Lord letteth not his speciall instruments to come vnto c. A Iew vpon this graunt would trouble Mr Bernard to defend Christianity seeing Iudas hanged himself who was a farr more speciall instrument of the Lord being an Apostle then Bolton that was but a ruling Elder and not the first brocher of this way as Mr Bern. very vntruely vpon Mr Giffords report if he so reported doth allege Besides that Iudas after a sort repented and acknowledged his sinne and was not that we know of excommunicate yet came to that woefull end wheras Bolton for revolting from his faith at Paules crosse was dealt with excommunicated and so died for ought that is knowen without repentance a member of Mr Bernards church See before pag. 23. The 7. is the ill successe it hath had these very many yeares being no more increased The naturall man perceiueth not the things of God but iudging by the outward appearance giues vnrighteous iudgement If M. Bernard had liued in Noahs dayes and seen his 120. yeares labours and preaching spent in vayn how would he haue stumbled at the work of God that gaue his word no other effect in the world And loe it is written as it was in the dayes of Noe so shall it be in the Dayes of the Son of man But had Mr Bern. bene in the dayes following when Israel very few in number walked from nation to nation from one kingdome to an other people and notwithstanding the promise of multiplication yet in 200. yeares and moâ— had increased but vnto 70. sowles and as many moe yeares were in Aegyptian bondage and had he in the mean while seen the Princes of Israel and Dukes of Esau with the Kings that raigned in his land before any King in Israel how would this man may we think haue gathered likelihoods or rather haue concluded out of doubt against the poor afflicted church of God But it is no new thing to hear this pleading from such carnall gospellers Wel not totell him of Gods gracious work in bringing many to this truth and causing moe to listen after it dayly let Mr Bern. look to himselfe and his fellow Reformists and if his right eye be not blent let him acknowledge Gods hand aâ—ainst themselâ—es who heretofore had so many fautors and that not of the meanest in the land yet now are repressed as troublers of the church and their counterfeyt reformation further from all likelihood of effecting then was at the first And this much of his vnlikely likelihoods Of his REASONS HIS reasons now follow of more force as he pretends then his bare probabilities These are three fold taken 1 from the evill of the entraÌ„ce in to this way 2 from our persons so greueously sinning in this way 3 from our opinions which are altogether erroneous and false The first sort of reasons haue this foundation The entrance is very sinful and cursed Because of these 2 great evils 1 That we doe not onely condemn corruptions and the notorius wicked but also forsake all former Christian profession amongst them A man must cast off that word there with them which made them aliue also the faithfull messengers of God the Fathers which begat him yea he must renounce all fellowship of the godly there c. But we may with the Prophet truely complayn of this man that his mouth is full of cursing and deceit and frawd for how often haue we in our publick writings protested our consent in all the holy doctrines that themselues professe onely because we cannot enioy them without Antichristian abominations which the Prelates impose and the Priests and people practise we haue separated from those assemblies where idolatry is publickly set vp and maynteined from those blinde guides that would seem to make concord between light and darknes Christ and Beliall and vnder shew of many truthes seduce mens sowles vnto destruction Did the church of England forsake all former christian profession among the Papists when they left the Pope and some of his Prelates Masse images c. If not then neyther doe we that haue left but the remnants of Popery yet reteyned and doe walke in the truth to our knowledge and utmost power as God inableth vs not casting off any jote of his word nor any faithfull messenger of his or other godly person as this adversary calumniateth His hart knowes better though it sendeth forth such bitter waters 2. Next this he sayth with such a renunciation of truth must be reteyned much vntruth the particulars are 1 that men must beleeu our way to be the truth of God 2 and then condemn their church as a false church Whether our way be not the truth of God let the Godly iudge by his word by it also let them try the estate of the church of England But Mr Bern. begging the question will haue things to be taken for untruthes before triall or due conviction To help himselfe he seekes advantage by that we haue published as he sayth vnder our hand that the differrences between vs and them are onely such corruptions as are by vs set downe Though the word onely be not ours but Mr Bern. own yet to let this passe as ordinary with him what gathers he from it Corruptions saith he doe not makâ— a false church but a corrupt church make the worst of it that can be as corruptions in a man maketh but a corrupt man and not a false man First let the reader obserue that he speaks not a word of those corruptions which we set down neyther indeed is he able with our corruption to plead for them Secondly it is very corrupt and grosse that he would perswade no corruptions can make a church to be false for then rebellious Israel though they corrupted al their works was a true chuch still but Moses foretold that for corrupting themselues they should be none of Gods children but a froward and crooked generation Now let Mr Bern make the best of it he can His simillitude of a man is not fit in this case A man is a substance but a church consisteth in relation
or reference to Christ as a wife to her husband But if a mans wife play the whore neuer so often and openly she may be by Mr Bern. doctrine esteemed a corrupt but not a false wife Such distinctioÌ„ he may cary to the stewes Corruptions there may grow in churches and they yet be true churches as at Pergamus Thyatira c. corruptions also there may be that will make true churches false as in Israel and Rome where first wre assemblies of Saincts afterward they became whores and habitations of Diuils And there may be such corruptions in the constituting of a church that embraceth much truth as will make it from the first a false church as in Samaria 2. Kin. 1â— 27.28 c HIs second sort of reasons is from the greeuous sinns that are among vâ— by reason whereof from our own ground we may not sayth he be ioyned with The sinns he reckneth 6. First that woefull entrance before named I answer that Mr Bern. entred into this reason with vntruth and continued in it with begging the question as before is shewed So that this his obiection is very wofull aâ—d the man deserâ—eth rather to be pitied then answered in his iâ—le 〈◊〉 made without proof THe second is a hie degree of vnthankfulnes both to God that begat vsâ—ly â—is word and to our mother the church of Engl. that barâ— vs. I answer 〈◊〉 thank God for that knowledge of him whâ—ch we atteyned vnto in the Church of England and are thankfull also as is meet to all the instruments which God hath vsed to bring vs vnto knowledge but now when God hath shewed vs a further truth as what châ—lâ—e of his seeth not more dayly we should shew great vnthankfâ—lnes if we would not walk in it much more if we should blaspheme and persecute it as Mr. Bern. and many of his fellow Priests doe strugling against the light that shineth vpon them A papist may haue occasion of thankfulnes vnto Gâ—d aâ—d men for the knowledge of God and Christ which he hath get in thâ— Roâ—ish church farr aboâ—e that which he could haue had among Pagans yet if vpon sight of the errors in Popery he forsake that false church and ioyne to some other true no man can without vngodlynes condemne him of vnthankfulnes The Papists heretofore haue vsed such reasons as these agaâ—nst the Protestants now they for want of better apply them aâ—â—inst vs. Tâ—e third sinne imputed to vs is that we are full of spirituall vnchariblenes First toward thâ—m that will not goe our way nor be inclinable to vs whome he sayth we deeply censure and deadly condemn First this also is an old popish cauill vsed often against the Protestaâ—ts One telleth them they deserue the punishments of Parricides for scoffing taunting contemning and reviling their forefathers 2. Our vncharitablenes if such it be is this that we pray for and wish vnto all as to our own sowles even life and peace we seek to couer a multitude of sinns which then is done when sinners are converted from going astray And for this cause we speak that which we beleeue and know though the world therfore hate vs. 3 Câ—nsuâ—â— or condemn those that go not our way we doe not we know every man shall stand or fall to his own master It is the sinne onely which we condemn the sinner we seek to saue leauing him to the Lord who shall iudge both him and vs at the last day 4. But how charitable the ministers of England are vnto vs let theiâ— continuall reproches and vituperies in pulpit and in print shew and how they censure and condemn vs and all that will not goe their way let Mr. Bernards own book speake where by the sentence of his godly ministers every one is damned as cutting himselfe off from Christ whosoeuer wittingly and continually separateth from the church of EnglaÌ„d where yet so innumerable abominations and idolatries doe abound 2. Secondly our vncharitablenes as he sayth is a most vngodly desire as ever was heard of to haue the wâ—rd vtterly extinguished among them Aegyptian darknes to come over them rather then that it should be preachedly such as doe not fauour our course c. Our desire is that the Aegyptian darknes which now couereth the land by meanes of the false Prophets that are therein were done away and that the true light of the Gosâ—ell were risen vnto them We are sory to see the prophets which haue night for a vision and darknes for a divination as was threatned of God â—o to deceiue the people by preaching lyes in the name of the Lord when he neuer sent them Christ hath no need of such falsers to help up hâ—s kâ—ngdome he hath wayes and meanes yenough by his own ordinaÌ„ce minâ—stery to build vp his â—hurch though Antichrists clergie be sent back to the bottomles pit from whence they came We know men gather not grapes of thornes nor figs of thistles Lamentable experience these many yeres sheweth what hurt and misery commeth by this false hierarchy and priesthood which vpholds idolatry profanenes and humane traditions pleads for sinne and against the truth to the destruction of mens sowles We wish people therfore to beware of false prophets though they come in sheeps clothing and to seek the Lord by his own ministery not by Ant christs for the theefe commeth not but to steal to kill and to dâ—stroy Let them see by the lamps of God in his own Sanctuary and Candlestick and walke in the light of Ierusalem his church which hath the glory of God arisen vpon it leauing Vr of the Chaldees and walking no longâ—r in the light of the fire and sparks that men haue kindled to themselues least they lie down in sorow 3. The last poynt of our vncharital lenes whâ—ch M. Bern. sayth is the highest degree of all is that we are sorry and enâ—ious that the good things of God doe prosper with them c. That the good things of God doe prosper with them and the truth preuail manger all opposition we haue cause to reioyce for and doe reioyce Yea and we doubt not but the enuious writings and dealings of Mr. Bern and his fellowes against the gospell God will turne to the furtherance of the same and the generation of the righteous shal be blessed which the wicked shal see and fret and gnash their teeth and pine away when their desire shall perish But what are the good things Mr. Bern. meaneth Not the truth of God indeed for that he blasphemeth and writeth against as Schisme and Brownisme Nor the reformists cause called Puritanisme for that prospereth not as all men see but decreaseth dayly The Prelates are the men that prevayl for a whâ—le their canons are confirmed their ceremonies flourish and their hornes are exalted Whether M Bern himselfe who wrote not lâ—ng since a book against