is very well and he will I doubt not still do better when a more concerning argument is managed by so excellent a hand Sir be pleased when the Book is printed in case you think it fit and that it be approved by authority to send me a Copie of it into the farre distant place of my retirement that I may be recreated with the worthiest productions of my friend for it will be instruction and refreshment too to Your very loving friend and Brother J. T. TO THE Reader THe Prince of peace knows who bequeathed peace as his last Legacy to all his followers that I am not a man of contentions or have loved to strive this being the first time that ever I set pen to paper in a contestation with any man And to this kinde of any other I have been most averse because I have found by experience in falling upon and passing through the controversies Theological the ardour of devotion hath been abated and many hours that might have been better spent in piety and the study of necessary fundamental doctrines surreptitiously stollen from me When therefore I had set up my resolution to meddle no more with the Polemicks I was awaked by an importunate Letter in which finding many foul aspersions to be cast on my Mother or rather the Catholick Church I mean not the Romane for I never did nor do acknowledge her to be worthy of that name in whose steps the Reformed Church of England hath troden in her Doctrine and Discipline legally constituted I thought my self bound according to my Talent to vindicate her in her constitutions If any man shall say this needed not it having been so often so vigorously done by abler pens yea and confirmed to be wisely constituted by the distractions and divisions which have fallen upon it since those foundations have been shaken and removed by aery brains then which there cannot be a stronger plea for the necessity of that Discipline which is here opposed and vilifyed I must confesse this is true and that by all wise and sober men our Mother hath gained hence thus much advantage that Plus colitur placet atque viget laudatur amatur Yea and her greatest Adversaries were they unbiassed might come to know quae recta sunt although Athenian like for some reasons they are all for news and therefore facere nolle Yet being provoked I held my self bound to answer yea though I did but say over again those things which Wise Learned Pious men had said before me for I intended not to impose upon my Reader which is usual by obtruding that for my own which indeed I have but borrowed from other men Easie it had been for me to vary phrases and in other words so to have dressed up the judicious determinations of the Learned before me who have in this discourse said so much that little can be added that men might have attributed something to me But neither the subject upon which I was to write would suffer it nor yet mine own inclination For suppose I should magisterially deliver the self same truth as from my self with those Worthies yet when were I able to do it with the same vigour and eloquence how could an equal credit be given to my words as to their grey hairs and impartial relations of Church-practice who were eye-witnesses of what they have delivered Besides it more sharply strikes the mind and more deeply seizes upon the understanding and wins belief sooner what the Pillars of the Church have left to us in their Monuments then what I or Cluvienus shall set down And this is the reason that where I found any thing opposite either in Ancient or Modern Divines I have expressed it in their own words and not in such as I could easily have disguised And in this I have followed the judgment and authority of the gravest men who have taught me that in eo laborare quae semel rectissimè dicta sunt nova orationis forma enunties intempestivae est ostentationis Moller praefat in Psalm Therefore whatsoever the Reader shall observe in this Apology spoken to the point in hand I desire he would not attribute it to me but to those who have laboured before me upon that subject whose Disciple I willingly professe my self to be and a Pigmy upon their shoulders Only if the Reader shall find their allegations more aptly and vigorously applyed and pressed home or more perspicuously opened and closely laid together or some defects here supplied and looser discourses fortified I have my aime This Apology had not appeared in publick had not the publication of the Admonitory Epistle call'd it forth For my intent in it was first to satisfie my friend that sent it an old acquaintance though alwayes of a dissenting judgment which yet I hoped had been better bottomed and then to put into the mouths of my brethren of the Clergy to whom I understood the Copy was sent as well as to my self what to reply But when I found it abroad I conceived my self bound to let the World know what might be returned to the imputations for I conceive to the considerate Reader they will appear no more after he hath perused the Reply So fairly I have dealt with the Admonitor that I have not here and there catched at pieces or taking any advantages by wresting any expressions in the letter But deduced the whole into parts and the parts into several paragraphs and resolved every paragraph into distinct propositions framed in the very words of the Letter which the writer cannot deny to be his own assertions and annexed a several answer to them that so the Authour of the Admonitory should not complain that any wrong is done him or his sense mistaken as is usual among Litigants in this kind And I hope withall I have so demonstrated the Truth where the matter was capable of a demonstration that there wil be left no more just cause to wrangle And my hope is in part confirmed by this that the first part of it being sent to the Authour of the Admonitory more than sixteen months since it received no return which gives me just occasion to suspect it is not subject to any notable exception The other two parts have lien by me ever since that was sent and that they were not made companions with the first some reasons there are which I hold it not necessary to make known From any bitternesse of language though sometimes justly provoked to it I dare say the frowardst adversary will acquit me Sarcasms you shall meet with none Astîsmi now and then and that cannot be imputed for it was the honour of Socrates the gravest and wisest of the Philosophers that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What Tully said of old age cannot be disliked in any stile severitatem in senectute probo acerbitatem nullo modo That sharpness which having over-much of the sowre will distaste being brought to a right temper pleaseth the palate and
AN APOLOGY FOR THE Discipline OF THE ANCIENT CHURCH Intended especially for that of our MOTHER THE CHVRCH of ENGLAND In answer to the Admonitory Letter Lately published 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazianz. Ephraim feeds on winde Hosea 12.1 By William Nicolson Archdeacon of Brecon LONDON Printed for Willim Leake at the Crown in Fleet-street betwixt the two Temple-gates 1659. THE COPY OF A LETTER Written by a Divine A Friend of the AUTHOUR SIR I Thank you for the favour you did me in imparting those papers to me composed by our learned friend in defence of the Ecclesiastical Government under which the Church of God hath liv'd ever since it was establish'd by the Preachings Apostolical I see and love his zeale and honour his learning but am most pleased with his method and order of argument for having prosperously defended and illustrated the Doctrine of the Church of England in his material and grave discourses upon the Church Catechism he does to very good purposes proceed to defend her Government that as it already appears that her Doctrine is Catholike so it may be demonstrated that the Government of the Church of England is no other than that of the Catholike Apostolike Church she by the same way being truly Christian and a Society of Christians by which all Christendome were put into life and society that is became collective and united bodies or Churches And indeed they are both of them very weighty and material considerations For more things are necessary to the being of a Church than to the being Christian First the Apostles preached Jesus Christ and him crucified and every day winning souls to Christ did adopt them into his Body and joyned them to that Head and there they had life and nourishment But until their multitudes were much encreased they were no Body Politick they were so many single persons till the Apostles according to their places of abode gathered them under one Pastor and they grew into Communion and were fastned to one another by the Masters of Assemblies This Government with the alteration onely of some unconcerning circumstances hath continued in the Church of God and the Church of England was baptized by it at the same time it was baptized into the faith of Christ onely of late some endeavours have been to rifle this Government and to dissolve her being a body Politick and almost reduc'd her onely to the being Christian which because it seemed also to be in some danger Being and Unity having so near relation to each other I suppose it very advisedly done of him first to do what he thought fit for the securing the Doctrine and then by the method Apostolical proceeding to the immuring of that Doctrine by the walls and towers of Government and I finde he hath done it well His arguments are grave and close not florid but pressing his observations choice his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and little by-discourses pleasant and full of instructions his refutation sharp and true his returnes pertinent and nothing trifling but his adversarie who because he speaks but weak things ministers not occasions worthy enough for this learned man to do his best But he hath made supply I perceive and by taking little occasions by the hand he hath advanced them to opportunities of handsome discoursings and to my sence hath to better more full and excellent purposes than any man before him confuted the new fashion of Congregational and gathered Churches which must now needs appear to be nothing but a drawing Schisme into Countenance and Method and giving a warranty to partialities it is a direct crumbling of the Church into minuits and little principles of being just as if the world were dissolved into Democritus his dreame of Atomes and minima naturalia Every man loves Government well-enough but few of the meaner sort love their Governours especially if they think themselves wise enough to governe for then they are too wise to be governed Now this Independant or Congregational way seemes to me the finest compendium of humouring and pleasing all those little fellowes that love not that endure not to be subject to their betters for by this meanes a little Kingdome and a royal Priesthood is provided for every one of them a Kingdom of Yvetot and some had rather be chief but in a garden of Cucumers and govern but ten or twenty absolutely so they do than be the fifth or the twentieth man in a Classis or inconsiderable under the Apostolical and long-experienced government by those Superiours which Christ by himself and by his Spirit and by his blessing and by his providence and by the favour of Princes hath made firme as heaven and earth never to be dissolved until the Divine Fabrick of the house of God it self be shaken I pray give my service to the good Man and I do heartily thank him for my share of the book by which I have already had some pleasure and some profit and hope for more when my little affairs will give me leave strictly to peruse every unobserved page in it When I onely heard of it I was confident he would do it very well and now I see it is so very well done and in that grave judicious manner if you had not told me I should have been confident it had been his Vox hominem sonat I pray God that he may finde encouragement according to the mertt of his labours and acceptance according to his good intentions and that his book may not receive its estimate according to the cheap and vast numbers of others but according to its own weight The strength that was put to this would have resisted a stronger adversary but it could not readily have supported a worthyer cause and because I beleeve it was done with as much charity as learning I hope it will have the blessings of God and of the Church and the peace of all good men I onely have this to adde further I wish that this worthy man would enter into no more warre but against the open enemies of mankinde that he would dispute for nothing but for the known Religion of Jesus Christ that he would contend for no interests but the known concernments of the Spirit in the matter of good life which is the life of Religion and my reason is not onely because I finde that he calls his adversary Brother and it is not so good that Brethren should contend but because men are wearied with disputes and the errors of this or any age after the first batteries and onsets by the Church are commonly best confuted by the plaine teaching of positive truths and the good lives and the wise governments of our Superiours and after all I believe that though he does manage this contest prudently and modestly yet the spiritual warre against direct impiety he would manage much more dexterously and prosperously and for his auxiliaries he would be more confident of the direct and proper aides of the Spirit of God This
good look some pity some regard Why flie you from her I cannot conceive you think her so dishonest as some Separatists report or that you will fasten upon her the name of a Whore if you should I should grow angry and tell you that in her Constitutions she came nearest the Apostolique Church of any Church in the Christian world and this I openly professe to make good against any Separatist whatsoever Many ungracious sonnes I confesse she had and they brought an aspersion upon her and the vials of Gods wrath have been justly justly I proclaime poured upon her for their iniquities The constitution was good and sound the execution passing through some corrupt hands too often subject to reproof Let not her then who had declared her minde by rules and cautions against all abuses and taught what only she would have done be charg'd with her sonnes irregularities Set in Gods Name the Saddle upon the right horse and let not your Mother beare the whole blame 1. But if yet any will say she was blame-worthy then either it must be in manners doctrine or discipline The manners of her children might be unmannerly and unchristian and are all the sonnes of your Combination bene morati were all at Corinth so all at Thessolonica at Corinth there were incestuous factionists c. at Thessalonica disorderly walkers but I read not that the Apostle adviseth them for such enormous persons to separate to combine and confederate into a new Congregation Such were to be separated by the Authority of the Church and no man farther to separate from the Church for these then by dislike by disclaiming by disallowing and discountenancing of their evil deeds which was done by all good men in the English Church I never learned yet that corruption in good manners was a sufficient cause of separation from a Church Calvin disputes it strongly Lib. 4. Instit cap. 1. Sect. 13 c. will you hear Austin There are saith he bad fish in the net of the Lord Austin Ep. 48. Read Cyprian Epist 51. from which there must be a separation ever in heart and in manners but a corporal separation must be expected at the Sea-shore that is at the end of the world and the best fish must not tear and break the net because the bad are with them 2. To come to the second head Doctrine In this you confesse that the Church of England was not faulty in that you approve her doctrine Catholique as expounded by me in the Catechisme your Salvo will fall upon the third Yet suppose that in her doctrine there had been some errour yet this had not been sufficient to give countenance to a separation For it is not every light errour in disputable doctrine and points of curious speculation that can be a just case of separation in that admirable body of Christ which is the Church nor of one member from another I shall go one pin higher It is not an errour in a fundamental point and yet that amounts to an heresie by conviction that can justifie a departure Perkins in Ep. Jude At Corinth there were that denyed an article of faith the resurrection At Galatia they fouly were mistaken in that great and fundamental doctrine of justification and yet the Apostle dedicates his Epistles to them as to a Church as to Saints and perswades not to separation Christ gave his natural body to be rent and torn upon the Crosse that his mystical body might be One and he is no way partaker of divine Charity who is an enemy to this Unity Now what errours in doctrine may give just cause of separation in this body or the parts of it one from another were it never so easie to determine as I think it is most difficult I would not venture to set it down in particulars lest in these times of discord I might bethought to open a door for Schisme which surely I will never do except it be as a wise man said to let it out Among your Combinational Churches this seems to me to be one of the easiest tasks among whom there have happened so many unhappy Schisms Browns collected Church that went over to Middleburge Bayly pag. 14. fell to such jarring among themselves that they soon broke all to pieces the most turn'd Anabaptists At Amsterdam Ainsworth and Johnson could not agree page 15. which rent the Brownist Church into three fearful Schisms page 16. Ainsworth excommunicating Johnson and Johnson Ainsworth and all his followers and that for trifles Mr. Smith not agreeing with his Church at Amsterdam gâ—â— him to Ley in Holland and accused his Church of Idolatry and Anti-Christianisme of Idolatry for looking on their Bibles in time of preaching and their Psalters in time of singing Of Anti-Christianisme because in their Presbytery they joyn'd to Pastours other two Officers Doctors and Ruling Elders At Leyden Mr. Robinsons small company by divisions was well neer brought to nought pag. 54. pag. 57. pag. 61. pag. 75. pag. 76. pag. 77. pag. 79. Mr. Cotton patronized it in New England but fell into grievous errours and heresies as did the Independents of New England At Roterdam Mr. Peters erected his Church was the Pastour but he was either quickly weary of them or they of him and then Mr. Ward and Mr. Bridge succeeded at what time Mr. Simson came thither who divided the Church upon a trifle and Mr. Simsons separation burst out again to another subdivision and the Schisme grew irreconcilable At Arnhem in the Church the spirit of errour did predominate and protruded most abominable errours I have given you a taste onely of these things that you may see what sober and grave men will be very loth to do that is make a rent into the Church your hot and fiery spirits have done even for slight causes almost in all your Collected Churches It would be well considered what Doctrine that must be for which a man is bound to separate from a Church before he makes a rent 3. And now there is nothing left but discipline that may be a sufficient cause of separation And this hath divided you among your selves as well as divided you from us For the power of the Keys radically and originally you place in the Congregation without any subjection to any superiour and by this you make the Church remedilesse to suppresse any disorder or heresie in any other Congregation Bayly pag. 109. 110 111. because there is no superiour over them but themselves who can have authority to restrain them which is the cause of many Sects among us at this day In the Congregation you say the power is they may elect ordaine depose excommunicate Officers to judge and determine without any appeal But upon the passage and setling of the power you differ for Johnson would give all these acts of power to the Eldership but Ainsworth would reserve it in the Congregation adhuc sub judice lis est though as
Mystery there is an Indument and a stripping Rom. 13.14 Gal. 3.27 which the ancient Church reduced to two words Credo Abrenuncio In the first there is the putting on of the Lord Jesus Christ For as many as are baptized have put on Christ First as Lord acknowledging no other Master whose voice to hear whose doctrine to rely upon but onely his Secondly as Jesus assuring themselves that there is no other Name given under heaven whereby they may be saved Thirdly As Christ as well their anointed King submitting themselves to his will giving their names in to fight under his banner and swearing themselves his subjects As also their anointed Priest resting in his one sacrifice as the onely sufficient in his sole intercession as the onely powerful Secondly In the Abrenuncio or stripping part they renounce and forsake the Devil Gal. 5.20 and all his works the pompes and vanities of the wicked world the sinful lusts of the flesh among which are all Heresies and Schismes 2. For the forme it is by our Saviour appointed in the name of the three persons of the indivisible Trinity and so it is performed neither of Cephas the sirnamed Rock nor of Paul a great Apostle Mat. 28.19 1 Cor. 1.13 The reason wherof you may read in my exposition of the Church Catechisme page 172 173. 3. For the end they which are baptized are thereby made the sonnes of God by Adoption and Grace invested with an inheritance everlasting Gal. 3.26 Rev. 1.5 Mal. 1.11 Rom. 12.1 Col. 3.5 made Priests to God to offer and slay To offer that mundâ—m oblationem pure offering or living sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is their reasonable service viz. the cleane and unbloody sacrifice of prayers and thanksgiving and then to slay themselves mortifying their affections and lusts Yea but men may be minded of all this by a new Covenant and upon a second engagement made more watchful to keep their first vow Be it so for this also the Church had provided without this separating combination when she ordained that all baptized children when they could say their Catechism should be brought to the Bishop to be Confirmed which order were it in use and restored to its original purity the wrangle about the formality of a Church Covenant and collecting of members might be quieted and composed There being in Confirmation the substance of what is so much and so hotly contended for and that farre better grounded and bottomed than any new device can be as I shew you in my Catechisme page 6. Thirdly This Elogy you give to your Combinational Church that it is their opinion and practice quietly and cordially to subject their earthy erring and unruly wit to the heavenly infallible and uncontrolable will of Christ That so it should be I confesse and desire but how it is we see and feele ever since the Combination But what now is this but an opinion and onely commendable I thought it had been necessary de fide that it must be so and could not be otherwise For Opino is eutis vel non eâ—tis You shall have it in Amesius words Assensus ille qui praebetur veritati contingenti propter rationem pracipuè probabilem ab intellectu apprehensam Medulla 1. Thes de fidei divina unitate opinio vocatur The truth must be contingent and probable onely of which a man retaines an opinion it may be it may not be if no other reason can be produced for it but a Topical But that all men must subject their earthy will to the heavenly Will of Christ is so certain that it cannot be denyed by any good Christian Hereafter let it passe then for necessary and let it be a principle of faith which is more than opinion 2. But you go on and say This hath been the commendable practice of your Combinational Church But here you must give me leave to think for if I would say what I know I should fetch blood and perhaps pay for it too Your Combination was for the worship of God and that cultus naturalis institutus Amesius so divides it the principles of the first are faith hope charity the acts hearing of the Word and Prayer under which is an Oath Of the last Gods prescribed Will or his Word This is the Rule but what 's become of the practice I will not meddle with your faith which yet you know in many of your Combinational Churches is not sound nor in the Socinians nor Antimonians nor in the Brownists Familists nor the Anabaptists nor the Quakers nor the Singers These you le say are not of you but are gone out from you yet you cannot deny that these are Combinational Churches The practice then of all the Combinational Churches is not commendable in Gods worship in this respect Your hope may be great but I fear it may be presumption when the foundation of faith upon which it should be built is so uncertain and tottering As for the charity of your party in general I finde it dying rather â—uite dead charity teacheth a man to love his neighbour as himself charity to be just and to do to all men as he would all men do to him Amongst your Combinational Churches what 's become of this charity this justice Religiously observant a man may find divers of you of three of the Commandments of the first Table but of the third your practice shews you make little accompt and as for the second Table he who shall lay to heart your actions must needs conceive that you esteeme it but for a cypher I will no farther rake into this wound I wish you had not given me occaâ— on to do it when you affirmed that it was the commendable practice of your Combinational Church to subject their earthy erring and unruly will quietly and cordially to the heavenly infallible and uncontrolable will of Christ to which I finde their practice so contrary I pray presse me not for instances for I am resolved not to give theâ— you but if you are desirous to be satisfied of the opinions and practice of the Combinational Church I aime at be pleased to reade a book written by Robert Baily a Scot entitled A Disswasive from the Errours of the times Printed in London 1645. and published by Authority Where he makes a large Narrative of the opinions and practices of your Churches in New-England and whether he sayes true or no you can best judge because you were upon the place If true all is not gold that glisters 2 A Presbyterial Church THis is your other Epithet and I suppose you mean by it a Church to be governed by Presbyters The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is equivocal and therefore till it be distinguished nothing can be concluded from it 1. Presbyter in the Old Testament properly belongs to the Elders of the people either in a common notion or as members of the Sanhedrim not any body or persons peculiarly
strong as you may read in Rutherford and Bayly out of him yet this one drawn from this Apostolike Synod I suppose were unanswerable No Synod can impose Decrees upon any Combinational Church That 's your own Maxime But this Synod did impose her Decrees upon those Churches which you say were Combinational This proposition is evident in the Scripture Acts 15. and verse 22 and 35. Therefore now if this Church of Antioch were subject to the authority of Synods what Church might plead a freedome from the like subjection and consequently none is Independent Thus have I as it were in a Table presented you with the plain face of Truth and sent it you bare and naked as Truth should be If the visage seem old the better 't is as I intended it that hinders not but she may be comely venerable amiable for he that will reverence and love truth he must do it because she is an Ancient Matron For Quod primum verum sed enim in omnibus veritas imaginem aniccedit pâ—stremo similitudo sucoedit Tertull. Praes c. 29. cap. 31. Ex ipso ordine manifestatur id esse Dominicum verum quod sit prius tradijtum id autem extraneum falsum quod sit posteriùs immissum A rule which that learned father often inculcates but nowhere more clearly then in this fourth book against Marcion where he hath these words by aggravation Tertull. l. 4. adversus Marcion c. 5. In summa si constat id verius quod prius id prius quod est ab initio ab initio quod ab Apostolis pariter utique constabit id ab Apostolis traditum quod apud Ecclesias Apostolicas fuerit sacrosanctum which Chapter is worth your reading for there the learned man refers the Original of Bishops to the Apostles intimates their succession which in many Churches he doth more clearly in the thirty second Chapter of his prescriptions This prime Truth I have here represented with her Ancient Officers about her the Bishops with a Presbytery of which in wisdome she thought fit to raise some higher not in Office but in Degree ne quid detrimenti Ecclesia capiat And this advancement was no new device neither for we read of Metropolitans and Primates before the Nicene Council as I have prov'd after of Patriarchs Yet all this while the Church remain'd a pure Virgin Thebulis being the fiâ—st that corrupted the Church Hegesipp apud Euseb l. 4 c. 21. Tertull. because he could not be a Bishop as did afterwards Valentinus and Marcion upon the same occasion and I had almost said Tertullian himself This certainly shewes that the Office of a Bishop even then was no contemptible dignity For certainly the rejection of such men from the over-sight of a Congregational Church could never work such men to so great discontent Of such parties they were the chief even after they had failed of their expected hopes No question they were of Diotrephes minde John Epi. 3.10 they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they desired to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Primates so old is that word in the Church to which because they could not be admitted they corrupted it with their doctrines Ambition is by Charron call'd the shirt of the soul Charron of wisdome being the first garment that it puts on and the last that it puts off for men while there be men will be of aspiring minds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Even a beggar will strive to be chief of his company and a tradesman to be Master over those of his own profession this cannot nor ever will be avoided Such thoughts have alwayes tickled Church-men Now to satisfie this desire God hath appointed higher places in his Church and so they be desired in a fair way and to lawful ends it is commendable 1 Tim. 3.1 ver 31. Conc. Afric Chalced. Sardic Naz. in Athanasij vitâ This is a true saying saith the Apostle If a man desire the office of a Bishop he desires a good work and again in the same Chapter they that have used the office of a Deacon well purchase unto themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a faire step to ascend to a higher degree as first to a Presbyter then to a Bishop And it is written of Athanasius that he ascended by all these steps till he became Patriarch of Alexandria then he was set upon the highest step and yet this advancement of his or any other cannot hinder the government of the Church for being Aristocratical but confirms it rather since in this eminence he was to guide the Church not according to his own pleasure but according to the prescribed Canons of Synods and Councils from which if he erred he was liable to answer to the supreme Court of an Oecumenical Assemblie I have you see laid the foundation of the Churches government in Aristocracy of which Monarchy and Democracy are the extremes If you can shew me any Church that hath deviated from the middle way I shall confesse it to be corrupt And for the first it is easie to instance viz. the Romane Church whose Patriarch affects a Monarchy and his Courtiers and learned Rabbies the Jesuites plead stifly for it But then you must not take that way you do to prove it for the erection of Cathedral Parochial Diocesan Provincial and National Churches through his Patriarchate will never do it Since these were from the beginning in other Patriarchates and in his too when no Monarchy was ever dream'd of or challeng'd That his challenge I acknowledge to be a corruption And if any Church shall affect Democracy I shall say it is corrupted also in that it observes not that Apostolical rule of government and discipline which was then used as I have demonstrated It is then a great mistake in you to make the Presbyterial or Combinational Church to be the sole pure and Apostolical Church and that all Churches that are fallen off from that government are corrupted This if you can confirme fairely and firmly by unanswerable arguments as you make shew of then you have reason to fasten your degeneration and corruption on Cathedrals Parishes Diocesses Provinces and Nations but if this can never be done as I am assured it cannot then I shall affirme that the casting the Church into Cathedrals Parishes c. was not errour since by that the discipline of the Church might be better administred and the Aristocratical government far advanced and furthered And so having express'd unto you my thoughts in the general I now come to examine what you lay to the Churches charge in particular in the discussion of which I hope you will give me leave to prosecute my own method and I shall begin with the Cathedral which you say was the second degree but I conceive it the first Of this your words are SECT III. The words of the Letter The second degree of the Combinational Churches corruption
the Combinational was not in the erection of either because the combinational never was before either What was it precedent to Saint James his Cathedra in Jerusalem I marvail when it should begin His was then set up before the Apostles departed to preach to the whole world and under him it is not possible to conceive the Church could be Combinational Acts 1. 2. Acts 4.41 Acts 4.4 Acts 5.14 Acts 6.1 for upon necessity in that Church at that time there must be more than one Congregation for from 120. to 3120. to these were added 5000. which makes 8120. and yet more multitudes of men and women were added and still the number of disciples were multiplied And out of doubt the increase staid not here God adding to the Church dayly such as should be saved That so many thousands should meet together in any house to performe their Christian duties was impossible they must be divided into several Congregations Had these been Combinational then Saint James had been by the Apostles made Bishop of Jerusalem to little purpose for he could nor must not have taken the over-sight but of one of them the rest had been out of his jurisdiction which I suppose no wise man will ever think since the Apostles no question had the same charity and would have the same care of the rest as of that one and then would have set up as many chaires as there had been Congregations But of such we hear not of this one we do which is a sufficient evidence to me that all the Christians of that City at least if not of all Palestine were under his jurisdiction and subject to his Cathedra Out of which it will necessarily follow That the Cathedral Church was the prime institution not the Combinational and that therefore the Combinational Churches corruption was not the Cathedrals generation but rather the contrary which we have lived to see that the Combinationals generation is the Cathedrals corruption And what I have said in particular of the Church of Jerusalem is as true of all other Churches the Apostles planted and in others planted by their patterne Antioch Corinth Atheus Rome c. for the same reason holds in all these Cities where the multitudes of beleevers grew so numerous one Congregation could not hold them I aske now had the Apostles put case Peter or Paul there present had they jurisdiction over them all or had they not If they had then the Combination and Independency of Churches is at an end in the Primitive Church If they had not I wonder they should stay for divers years in one place having no more to do than to supervise one single Congregation besides that then there must be as many as there were Pastours in those Churches of equal power in their several Churches with the Apostles which he that can beleeve may digest any thing Ephesus was a great City Rev. 2.3 and had in it those who took upon them to say they were Apostles the Angel be it Bishop or Colledge of Presbyters is commended for trying them and finding them lyers if they were not of his own Congregation what had the Angel to do to try them if your Tenet be true he deserves no commendation at all but rather reproof for being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But that they were is more than ever you can prove I am apt to beleeve that if it had been so the Epistle had not been directed to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus but to the Angel of such or such a Congregation in Ephesus Verse 24. And the like may be said of the Churches of Pergamos and Thyatyra Verse 18. the last being reproved for suffering the woman Jezabel calling her self a Prophetesse to teach and seduce For if the Angel had not power over all the Congregations of that City say that this Jezabel had taught in another Combinational Church which is very possible and not in his the answer had been easie Jezabel is out of my reach out of my jurisdiction and therefore you have nothing against me for her misdemeanour This that I have said destroyes clearly the subject of your Proposition the Combinational Church and that being gone what you affirme of it will fall of it self I shall therefore hereafter desire you to lay your foundation deeper before you go about to build or to speak more properly to destroy any thing upon such a groundlesse supposition which you and I have reason to suspect were it onely but for this that all the Churches of the Christian world East West North South for these 1600 years and more have been of another constitution Were it Rome alone I should suspect but when all are otherwise none Combinational no not those who scarce ever heard of Rome and all Cathedral I cannot be perswaded that the love of Christ hath been so cold to his Catholique Church to suffer this Cathedral corruption as you call it so long so universally to over-spread her face It seemes to me contrary to his promise behold I am with you to the end of the world And so I end what I had to say to this Proposition I now come to the next in which you tell us what this corruption was viz. Proposition 2. A presumption to alter and to elevate the places and appellations of the Teacher Pastour Ruler and Deacon into those unscripture-like Titles of Lord-bishop Deane Chancellour Arch-deacon TO this I in the first place shall returne you the words of Zanchy Quid quod in Ecclesis etiam Protestantium non desunt reipsa Episcopi Archiepiscopi Zanchy append de fide Aphorism 11. quos mutatis bonis Gracis nominibus in male Latina convertimus vocant superintendentes generales superintendentes Sed ubi etiam neque illa vetera bona Graeca neque haec nova malè Latina nomina obtinent ibi tamen solent esse aliqui primarii penes quos est authoritas De nominibus ergo fuerit controversia verum eum de rebus convenit quid de nominibus altercamur This first 2. Next to your Distribution I say that perhaps by Teachers and Pastors you may intend two sorts of Ministers in the Church for so I know some distinguish that Pastours in Saint Paul were such as had not onely the office to preach the Word and administer the Sacraments but had also the Church and care of souls committed to them Teachers those who laboured in the Doctrine but received no charge of Sacraments or souls Some make the Teachers to be publike professors of Divinity and Governours of Ecclesiastical Schooles but Pastours to be the Ministers of particular Congregations which I will not deny but it may be true but I shall remember you that four of the Fathers Jerome Austin Chrysostome Theodoret were unacquainted with the nicetie for they thought the Apostle express'd what belong'd to the Pastoral office under two names that the Pastour was to be Doctour to remember he must
his deeds i. e. as all Expositors agree by his Apostolical power to proceed against him From the Apostles I descend lower First to the Angels of the Churches who were commended for not bearing with them that were evil and for trying them who said they were Apostles Revel 2.2.6.20 1 Tim. 5.19 20 21 22. Tit. 3.10 but found upon tryal lyars and again blamed when they neglected their duties They were neither worthy of praise nor yet blame-worthy had they not had authority in their hands Timothy is commanded to do the like at Ephesus Titus at Crete Yea but perhaps it may be replyed these directions were not given to Timothy and Titus as single Bishops but as chief of a Presbytery well then the conclusion will hence easily follow that a Bishop with his Presbytery may excommunicate If so then I pray tell me what usurpation it can be for Bishops assembled in a Synod or Council to do the like They being chief cannot want that authority which the Presbytery hath and why then should they not use it From an inferiour to a superiour power the argument follows strongly The Justices may punish such or such a Malefactour much more the Judges but much more the Superiour that empowred them The reason is the same The Bishop with the Presbytery may cast a scandalous person out of the Church therefore much more the Bishops themselves assembled in Councils because among them there is a subordination And what a lesser power may do that a higher may which is empowred to that end Thus have I wrestled with your assertion and foil'd it I come next to grapple with your reason and if that prove to be weak your affirmation will fall of it self You say Proposition 4. That this was contrary to what was practised in the Orthodox pattern Acts 15.24 which was laid down and left as well for the imitation as information of after-ages FIrst I thank you that you grant this Synod to be a pattern for after-ages to imitate and be informed by For first then we have from this a sufficient authority to call Synods and Councils Secondly a pattern to imitate in making Decrees that it be by way of deliberation declaration and decision Act. 15. ver 7. For the acts of this Council which the Presbyters and brethren used were disputative or in genere deliberativo they disputed Saint Peters act was declarative and when there had been much disputing Verse 12. Ver. 19. Peter rose up and said c. and the like was that of Barnabas and Paul But Saint James his act was decisive wherefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I judge or give sentence Thirdly There ought to be a President in a Council who is to moderate the whole action and to pronounce the sentence Fourthly That the Synodical decrees materially and Ecclesiastically are obligatory Ver. 22.23 Acts 16.4 Acts 21.25 and tye the absent as this did the Churches of Syria Cilicia yea and all the Churches of the Gentiles who had no Commissioners in that Synod as well as those of Jerusalem and Antioch Fifthly that the chief man of a Council is that you say by Scripture-proof to confute soul-subverting positions and to confirme Christian doctrines as it was in this But this was not the sole end for another there was viz. to cast out of the Church Disturbers and Hereticks as I shall by and by make good unto you and so your position of usurpation in Bishops of the rod will not prove true But this you say was contrary to the orthodox pattern how so I pray if a contrariety then it must be opposite and I have never yet heard that subordinate ends come under any species of opposition A man bindes his son Prentice his end is that he learn and be skilful in his profession but yet he hath a farther reach which is that he may get a livelyhood the first he intends lesse principally the last chiefly and can a man say now that these two ends are contrary or thwart one the other when indeed they are but subservient the one to the other and the like is to be said of all intermediate ends For that rule of the Civilians is most true finis principalis non tollit accessorium to apply this the chief end of the Apostolical Synod was to confute false positions and establish the truth suppose now that they had there pronounced an Anathema against those Jewish Christians who would be still zealous for circumcision and the observation of Moses Law after the publication of their decree had this been contrary and opposite to their first and prime intent you cannot say it Neither is it then contrary when a company of Bishops meet in a Synod or Council to illustrate and hold forth the truth and condemn heresies that they passe also a censure upon the Hereticks I can finde no contrariety or opposition in this Yea but you 'll say here 's no pattern for it Neither is it necessary it sufficeth that here is a pattern set to compasse the chief end of all Councils as for the accessories they may be regulated by prudence A Prince calls a Parliament in it there be good Laws established for the peace of his Territories and not one delinquent punished or censured Must this particular Session be such an absolute pattern to all following Parliaments that shall onely make good Laws and never call to question or passe sentence upon any offender I hope you will not say so neither can you say it in this case For I find the Apostles singly as I have proved and out of Council to have done it and therefore I doubt not that if being in Council assembled they had done it it had been no errour Yea but this you 'll say could not be done For it follows Proposition 5. To censure any mans person is the expresse priviledge of the Presbyterial Church 1 Cor. 5.4 5. 2 Thes 3.15 PRiviledges and Prerogatives are tender things and it behoves those who stand for them to produce infallible Records lest it appear their claim be louder than their right A Corporation struggles hard for a priviledge fees a Lawyer to plead their Charter he picks out some weak words in it that may look that way at last the Judge tells him that he hath betrayed his Clients cause for the words in the Charter carry no such meaning The like I must say to you A priviledge you plead for your Corps the Presbyterial Church the evidence you give for it is out of Gods great Charter 1 Cor. 5. 2 Thes 3. Now if you had studied to betray your case you could not I believe have lighted upon two more weake evidences For doth Saint Paul assert a priviledge of the Presbyterial Church in that place of the Corinths where he makes himself the Judge where he passeth censure himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have decreed or judged he asketh not their consents he prayeth not their aid he referreth not
tollitur corruptione nisi rotati quam vocant interitum Ecclesia non tollit partialis corruptio sed infirmat Ecclesia Romana omnia habet corrupta sed non omnino haet non interitus est fed partialis corruptio ejus disendu est And therefore to your accusation it is fit for them to answer not for me who maintain none of their corruptions God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ grant by his eternal Spirit that Spirit of eternal Truth that all the deceits and fallacies of Satan being laid asidet we may daily grow up in Christ and his Church and in the truth of Christ and his Church and that we may confirme and establish one another more and more by unfeigned Charity and the bonds of peace to his glory and the common salvation of our selves and all Christians Amen A KEY to open the Debate about a Combinational Church and the power of the KEYES The Third Part. HItherto you have held forth the doctrine in your Letter now you come to the use and application and that you may be the better understood you have thought upon five heads and upon every one of these fastned either a bitter or a joculary Epithite one is vile and virulent another is violent a third is haughty and horrible the fourth is idle and addle and the last an odde head The Spaniard gives us this caution that he whose head is of glasse ought to take heed how he casts up stones into the aire left by chance they fall upon his own pate and crack his crown Before then you made your self so merry with these heads you should have considered whether some ridiculum caput could not have created to himself and others laughter at the invention of more heads in your Combinational Churches than yet you could finde in the Catholick and tell you that you are a Monster of many heads that the Presbyter is a vile and virulent head the Independent a violent the Anabaptist a haughty and horrible the Notioner an idle and addle the Quaker an odde head You perhaps will ask him how it will be proved I will answer for him on the same day when you prove your words true of these Churches you jest at 'T is but the imagination of your own head it is so and I know not anybody that is bound presently to fall down and worship it But I come to your Letter The words of the Letter MAy not any one to whose inwards the knowledge of these particulars is come ingenuously confesse that his very soul is clearly convinced of the mighty and wonderful corruptions which have crept into are cherisht within and contested about by many yea by too too many Christians of too too many Churches The Reply Those indeed who are convinced that they are mighty and wonderful corruptions in ingenuity can do no lesse but confesse it But it is not a bure relation or recital without any proof as you for the most part have done that will convince any ingenuous man You must set to work again and fortifie your words with plain Scripture or sound domonstration yea and remove those blocks I have cast in your way before you shall convince any one who is not of a weak and servile judgment If they crept in you must shew when and by whom which you have not done your bare affirmation being of no validity That they were cherished was well because no corruptions as I have shewed That too too many Christians and too too many Churches contest about them I am sorry for it Better it were we were at peace with our selves and imploy'd our forces against the common enemy to whose entrance by our dissensions we have opened too wide a gap I fear me we shall contest so long that his words will be verified who said at his death Venient Romani The words of the Letter ANd may not I though a stranger to my nearest friends because an Exile newly arrived in the Land of my Nativity safely appeal to any person either of conscience or common sense whither Christ Jesus our supreme Lord Protectour upon whose shoulder the government of the Churches is laid hath not of late years bo n a loud witnesse against every one of those five aforementioned kinds of deformed Churches and that in these very Countries which are counted and commonly call'd Christendome If so God forbid that there should be any Christian man and more especially any Clergy man so carnal or so carelesse in all those coasts as not to be both able and willing to conceive and to conclude himself to be called upon for to consider and lay to heart the great and grievous desolations which his hand hath made amongst the most and mightiest of the sonnes of men The Reply And here I shall with teares in my eyes Eccho back unto you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God forbid it should be otherwise Oh never let any Christian of what rank soever add that talent of lead to that sinne which hath so highly provoked our good God to pour out the vials of his wrath against this our Church and these three Nations that I mention not the other of Christendome as not to lay it to heart Conceive not there can be so much carnality or carelessenesse yet left in any person imbued with conscience and common sense who hath not considered what God hath done unto us in the fiercnesse of his wrath Mic. 2.3 Lam. 2.17 Dan. 19.14.12 Psal 79.1.2 3 4. We do acknowledge that Gods Word hath taken hold of us that the Lord hath devised a device against us and hath done that which he devised that he hath watched upon the evil and brought it upon us for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem O God the people are come into thine inheritance thy holy Temple have they defiled and made Jerusalem an heap of stones the dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat to the foules of the aire and the flesh of thy Saints unto the beasts of the earth their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem and there was no man to bury them we are become a reproach to our neighbours a scorne and derision to them that are round about us Gods sinking the gates his destroying the walls his slighting the strong holds of Zion his polluting the Kingdome his swallowing the Palaces his cutting off the horne of Israel Gods hating our Feasts his abominating our Sabbaths his loathing our Solemnities Isa 1. Gods forgetting his footstoole his abhorring his Sanctuary his suffering men to break down all the carved work thereof with axes and hammers Psal 74.6 Lam. 2.6 are all evidences to me that in the indignation of his anger he hath despised the King and the Priest Neither are we so carnal nor carelesse neither but to consider why this is done Justly justly we suffer For the Lord our God is righteous in all his works
you will wish again for those worthies of the National Church to fight your battles These were the men that stood up in the gap these have bore the burden and heat of the day these have beaten these Philistims at their own weapons from the blood of the slain from the fat of the mighty the bow of Jonathan turned not back and the Sword of Saul returned not empty Verse 22. Rejoyce not therefore at their fall since after ages may have occasion to say if we had been in the dayes of our fathers we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the Prophets Matth. 23.31 2. Yea but you say Christ hath bent his brow against this National Church as being next in naughtinesse Next to what to the Romane Church That 's to be proved And 't is more than ever you shall be able to make good that quâ National or quâ a Church in her constitution she was naught It was the acknowledgment of that great and learned Casaubons then whom there was none more skilful in all the Records of antiquity that there was not any Church in the Christian world that came nearer in her Doctrine and Discipline to the Primitive than this of England His words in his Epistle Dedicatory to King James are these before his exercitations to the Annals of Baronius Casaub Ep. de die ad Annales Tuum est proprie tuum pro veteris Ecclesiae disciplina pugnantes regii clypei quem pro sincere pietatis defensione gestas umbone propugnare Qui Ecclesiam habeas in tuis regnis partim jam olim ita institutam partim magnis tuis laboribus ita instauratum ut ad florentis quondam Ecclesiae formam nulla hodiè propiùs accedat quam tua inter vel excessu vel defectu peccantes mediam viam sequita This man lived in and was brought up in the Reformed Church in France and might be therefore thought to encline to a Presbyterial Discipline and yet after he came into England and took notice of the constitution you hear what he attests that was no question able to judge that had seen and read so much And in this point he stands not single nor alone for from Alexandria we have like approbation from Cyril the Patriarch there in his Letter sent to my sometimes Lord George Abbot Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Cyril Litt. ab Aegypto missae 1616. Fix not then this naughty terme upon the Church of England because National The naughtinesse that was in her I have confessed and for which we justly suffer under the hand of a just God and for which when you come to be as naught as we think not you shall escape 'T is not your Combination shall priviledge you from the Cup of Gods wrath Think you that those Galileans on whom the Tower of Siloam fell were greater sinners then all that dwelt in Jerusalem I tell you nay but except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish 3. You go on to the British King Placida compostus pace quiescat Soyle not his ashes Invincible he was not nor any man ever thought him so For thine O Lord is the greatnesse and the power and the glory and the victory ◠Chr. 29.11 and the Majesty for all that is in the heaven and earth is thine thine is the Kingdom O Lord and thou art exalted as head above all But whereas you say that he was a violent head was therefore less victorious and more vincible you are a little too quick with your ergo More can never be in the conclusion than is in the premises and say he had been a violent head which I shall by and by prove he was not yet it will never necessarily follow that thence he should be lesse victorious For how many violent heads in your sense meaning National Churches have their bene who yet have obtained victories Sometimes God punisheth a people for the transgression of a King sometimes a King for the transgression of his people Israel is smitten with the pestilence for Davids sinne and Eli is cast off and the Ark taken for the sinne of his sons Where therefore there may be divers causes of a discomfiture is overmuch rashnesse to fix upon one nay to imagine that to be the cause which was not viz. because he was 4. A violent head For what I pray is it a sinne for a Prince to be the head that is the governour of a National Church so you seem to affirme Beware look about you and consider with whom at unawares you joyne for the Jesuite will make you a low Congee and thank you that you shall assert their rebellious position that Princes and supreme Magistrates have nothing to do in the Church in temporal things supreme and Lords they are but in spiritual matters they may not meddle The difference lies onely in this that they would draw the Supremacy to one even that man of sinne and advance him to the head-ship You draw the Supremacy to the Pastours and Elders in every Combinational Congregation and so there should be as many supremacies and heads as there be of these Churches For which his Highnesse the Lord Protectour hath little reason to thank you for of what Church will you make him a governour Not of the National that was the Kings sinne a violent head he was and God forbid that according to your tenet any should come into that place again His headship and government can extend no farther than the Combinational that very Combinational of which he is a member in which he must act not as Protectour or the Supreme in the Nation but as an Elder only In all other Combinationals he hath nothing at all to do for they have a supremacy among themselves He may not then order National Fasts nor dayes of Thanksgiving he may not make Ordinances to eject scandalous and ignorant Ministers he may not set up Approvers of Ministers for the whole Nation he may not punish Papists imprison Blasphemers ask any man out of his Combination why he doth so or so if your position be true 'T is violence 't is usurpation 't is tyranny Supreme he is now in the Nation and by the power of the supremacy all these things are done and you and I or any body else would be smiled at if not frowned upon that for this should call him a violent head And what did the British King more than this It may be thought that I have put in this plea in favour of the British King he needs it not for he hath long ago answered for his violence if there were any I tell you plainly I plead for his Highnesse and for as many who are supreme in any Nation be they Potentates Princes or governours over any Christian Church For the cause is alike in all and they have external government of the Church in charge and to say the contrary is to open a sluce to the over-flowings of impiety
cheated out of their native rights and inheritantes as they must if you deny a National Church for that power is in vain which hath no subject to work upon on the Church National it cannot because in your opinion it is not on the Combinational it may nor because that is absolute and to be order'd and disciplin'd by its own Elders non datur tertium and so the supremacy which all Superiours challenge is frustrated To this the British King did never yield nor would and I beleeve his Highnesse will be as little perswaded by you For this you make him lesse victorious and more vincible but you cast up your accompt too soon for had you said for the male administration of his supreme power this had fallen upon him that might have carried some colour of sense with it which will also happen to any that shall not use it as they ought but to affirme that the claim to the power and exercise of that power was the cause of his fall is rash false inconsiderate dangerous But you go on and endeavour to make it good by two reasons Mr. Matthews The Admonitory Letter 1. Partly because the head not only of a very Uncanonical but also of a very unspiritual corporation BY Corporation I conceive you mean the body of Professors within this Land or at least the Clergy upon whom you bestow these two Epithites that they were very uncanonical very unspiritual How can you be ever able to make good this charge Had you said seemingly only such it might have been passed over but that they were verè truly such is a high part of presumption in you for peremptorily to prononounce such a sentence belongs to a higher judicature The judgement is Gods alone But to remit unto you that slip of your pen Why I pray uncanonical Those are uncanonical who reject and throw aside the Canon either in judgement or practice Why unspiritual Those are unspiritual who have not received the Spirit neither of which you can with a good conscience more affirme of this corporation then of your own 1. For what other Canon can you name for Christians then the books of Canonical Scriptures Gal. 6.16 Phil. 3.16 2 Cor. 10.13 which appellation was taken up after St. Paul who thrice calls the Scripture the Canon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet more plainly he saith we stretch not our selves beyond our measure meaning the doctrin of the Gospel but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the measure of the rule or Canon which God hath distributed to us And Chemnitius hath observ'd that the word is derived from the Hebrew word Chan Chemnitius Exam. Concil Trid. part 1. de script Can. which signifies that perpendicular line which Masons use in building by which the exorbitancy or evennesse of their work is prov'd And the Metaphor is very apt For the Church is the house of the living God the builder is God the Ministers of the Word the Architects that then their work go evenly and conformably on they had need of a Canon or a rule by which the Architects examine their work lest the building should just too far outward or lean too much inward and so deviate from the just order and proportion For the proof of this the Master Builder hath left to his under workmen his line and level which is the Canon of the Scriptures the doctrin of the Prophets and Apostles whatsoever agrees to this rule is right and sound and Apostolick what is not every way conformable to it but either in excesse or defect swerves from it that is supposititious adulterine erroneous And now I pray hath not this Corporation you mention professed to the world that they receive the books of the Canonical Scriptures and only those books for their rule and Canon do they not confesse that they fully comprehend all things that are needful for our help that they are the sure and infallible rule whereby may be tryed whether the Church do swerve or erre and whereunto all Ecclesiastical doctrin ought to be call'd to account and that against these Scriptures neither Law The English Confession art 10. nor Ordinance nor any custome ought to be heard no though Paul himself or an Angel from heaven should teach the contrary How unadvised then and inconsiderate is this Epithite of yours by which you brand us for an Uncanonical Corporation who stick so close to the Canon and have and do maintain it against the Church of Rome who would with it as if it were imperfect obtrude another Canon upon us God give you repentance for this your uncharitable Censure and make you as Canonical as we are In doctrine I am sure as for the practice we have both too much to answer The Lord have mercy upon us miserable sinners 2. Now you thought it not enough to put us out of the Canon except you deprived us of the Spirit also We are in your judgement an unspiritual corporation What Sirs have you such a Monopoly of the Spirit that none can partake of it except he be a member of one of your corporation Pray shew your Charter produce your Grant that the Spirit would not descend upon any nor impart his gifts and graces to any except he were within your Church Covenant For if that be not the sole impediment I see no colour why you should call us unspiritual The graces of the Spirit are by all Divines reduced to two heads either they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The one peculiarly call'd Graces the other more properly stiled Gifts The Graces are media salutis immediata such by which the good will of God shapes the heart within freely justifies a sinner by the imputation of Christs righteousnesse wonderfully converts a heart of stone into a heart of flesh clears the conscience towards God and settles a welcome peace These are gratiae gratum facientes are bestow'd upon all Gods Saints The Gifts are media mediorum which it pleaseth the wisdome of God to use as fit means to perfect in all his those former gifts of grace such as are gifts of prophesie eloquence utterance knowledge of tongues depth of learning wisdome in government functions and ability to discharge these functions c. And now consider which of these endowments whether gifts or graces of the Spirit hath not been as eminent and evident in our National corporation as ever it was or ever will be in your Combinational I cannot therefore with any patience heare that you should call us unspiritual and you had you had any of the meeknesse of the Dove in you would not have done it since you know that those who have not the Spirit of Christ are none of his and that you cut us off from Christ can you think that we can take it patiently There was lesse charity in this word then when you writ it I believe you were aware of
time being not taken as it is now with us strictly for one determinate Town as London Bristol c. but for a whole people which enjoyed the priviledges and immunities of that republick as in A hens Lacedaemon Corinth c. and is now at Florence Venice and divers other places A holy Temple you say it is and what of that must it therefore be of necessity a Combinational Church this would shrink your Combination to a small number nay to principium numeri to one alone if you presse the Metaphor too far for St. Paul asks every Christian Know you not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you If any man defile the Temple of God 1 Cor. 3.16.17 2 Cor. 6 16. him shall God destroy for the Temple of God is holy which Temple ye are You see then out of this Metaphor you cannot conclude a Combination Yea and much lesse out of that which followeth a spiritual house For the house of God is taken for the whole Church nay a National Church Moses was faithful in all his house Heb. 3.2.5 and that I am sure was a National Church Again judgement shall begin at the house of God 1 Pet. 4.17 what shall judgement the judgment of afflictions begin at the Combinational Church only I have hitherto thought it the cup of which all that are of Christs houshold must taste for datum est vobis pati for our Saviours words must be verified Philip. 1.23 Joh. 16.33 In the world you shall have tribulation And to return to this very house of which the Apostle speaks that of the Ephesians over which Timothy was appointed the Bishop St. Paul writes his Epistles to him that in case he tarry long he might know how to behave himself in the house of God which is the Church of the living God which is the ground and pillar of the Truth St. Paul calls the Church indefinitely without addition 1 Tim. 3.15 either of National or Combinational the house of God and who can conceive that the Combinational as put case that of Swansea Ilston c. should be the pillar to hold out or the foundation to support the Truth This is somewhat worse then those of Rome who plead these words for their Church with more colour with more reason and yet we believe them not because they are but a particular Church and why then should we believe you Observe farther the absurdity that would follow upon your collection The Church of God is a house therefore it must be a Combinational Church Possibly it may fall out that a house may consist of two persons only Tota domus duo sunt an old man and an old woman and thus much you confesse when you bring your proof for it when two or three are gather'd together Now say that one of these two trespasse against his brother what will become of Dic Ecclesiae to whom shall the Plaintiff complain where be the witnesses he shall bring with him who shall be judge Do not then use to presse Metaphors too far for they will bring you into inextricable difficulties I shall therefore put you in mind of an old rule Kecker 1. Syst log part 1. c. 4. Similitudo seu parobola adaequetur principali scopo intentioni declarantis atque extra eam non extendatur To which had you had a regard you would never have brought these comparisons of a City a Temple a house to prove your Combinational Church Similitudes do very well in a Pulpit they are of excellent use to illustrate to amplifie a doctrin but they are of little use in the Schools because they prove nothing that is not true without them The position must be true in proper and plain words before it can have any truth at all in the improper and Tropical As for example it must be true that the Minister was not to be debarr'd of his just allowance and maintenance before St. Paul could prove it by that text out of Moses thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the Co n. And so you must prove there is a Combinational Church before you produce these allusions to prove it Then indeed I shall give you leave to illustrate your position by them and descant as you please by these excellent Metaphors upon them but not till then For nulla Theologia symbolica est argumentativa and the reason is Chrys in Mat. hom 65. because omne simile est etiam dissimile Whence saith Chrysostome excellently In parabolis non oportet miniâ in singulis verbis curá angi sed cum quid per parabolam Dominus intendat dicimus inde utilitate sumptâ nihil ulterius anxiis cogitationibus investigandum And so as I have shew'd out of your Metaphors is nothing prov'd SECT III. The words of the Letter Of the Provincial Church and its haughty head the Arch-bishop THirdly did not Christs own mouth marvellously condemn the prevailing corruptions of the Provincial Church whereof the chief Prelate or Arch-bishop was the haughty and horrible head which was therefore so much the more absurd and bold head because of its base and blasphemous blindnesse in daring to take up and ascribe to its self such a stile and title as is not communicable to any creature but is proper and peculiar to Christs own sacred person being that besides himself none can be safely said to be an Arch-bishop or chief Shepherd if one of the Eminenst of the Apostles may be believed whose words imply no lesse 1 Pet. 5.4 When the chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive an incorruptible crown of glory Who was that Church Minister what was his name or where did he dwell who came once into a capacity to be accounted such a Superlative Counsellour or Comforter as was indued either with ability or authority as to confer a spiritual Crown on any one of the sincere Elders of a Church of Saints which is such a matter as a dying sonne of man should not dare to have much lesse to make any mention of without some measure of amazement in his very soul The Reply Two of your heads I have considered already and now out of your own shop you present me with three more for I never heard any one of them call'd heads before And the first of these is the Arch-bishop about whom you are pleased to open your purse and very liberally to bestow your benevolence presenting him unto me for a haughty a horrible an absurd and a bold head He is haughty that is puff'd up with pride horrible that a man cannot without some amazement approach absurd that acts against reason bold that will attempt any thing I will not deny that it is possible to meet with such an Arch-bishop but then blame the man fly not upon the Office Only before you be over hasty to do it look at home And perhaps you may find that true which hath been
the Parish Parson being turned out of dores all the ill-favourednesse and unholinesse went out with him 3. Against this poor Parson you are very bitter arraigned he must be brought to the Bar to take his trial And him you endite for luke-warmnesse like he is to the Angel of Laodicea not hot nor cold and therefore condemned he is to lye under the lash and take his correction kindly 'T is manifest indeed that all luke-warme hypocritical Professours shall be spued out of Christs mouth for vomitum faciunt Deo To him they are as luke-warme water to the stomach that procures a vomit and if so 't is good counsel you give him or any other in his case to receive what ever correction shall be as a cordial of love administred unto him for preventing of what may follow But here I must put you to it to prove your enditement the punishment he is under will never do it careat successibus opto Quisquis ab eventu facta notanda putet This will prove him culpable and guilty and so I admit he was but whether he were hot or cold an hypocrite or otherwise is more than you can ever know For zeal and sincerity in Religion are qualities that lye very much inward and he that is cold in it may seem to be very zealous as did Jehu and he whose heart is not upright may pretend to be very sincere as did the Pharisees Now how can you passe your judgment in such a case And it seems you cannot for you confesse there may be hypocrites luke-warme men even in your Combinational Churches which if you knew you would cast out from among you and so would we do spue them out after Gods example Forbear therefore hereafter these harsh and uncharitable censures especially against a whole order of men For they must â—and and fall to their own Master Were they ignorant and scandalous so were these But now I remember it this is no signe of luke-warmnesse in the Parish Parson since they who were truly ignorant and scandal â— were for the most part kept in and those who were knowing and blamelesse were cast out 1. But now I pray tell me in what sense it is that you accuse them is it for being Parsons or for preaching or for preaching Parsons Take it in what qualification you will beware upon whom this blow will light and what a company of precious ones you will presently endite to be like the luke-warme Angel of Laodicea For how many of your Preachers are now become Parsons you know they have the fattest Benefices of this whole Country If plurality were an argument of the Parish Parsons luke-warmnesse it is theirs If non-residence an argument they are guilty of it If handling the flesh-hook too much none more guilty If neglect of Catechizing they cannot be excused If frequent preaching they exceed If forbearance of Sacramental administrations this by them is seldome done That I say not that in life and example they are no whit better In Gods name therefore since in luke-warmnesse they are so like the old odde head the Parish Parson let them lye down under the lash with him and with shame and confusion of face to themselves receive a sharp correction that they may prevent the spuing of their names out of Christs mouth as it is manifest by what is foretold Revel 3.19 One thing onely I may not forget that whereas the old odde head you mention did least harme this last Parish Parson you have imposed upon us does all the mischief 4. In your conclusion yet God be thanked you shew more charity to the Parish than to the Parson of it you say that the whole half-blind political body doth yet appear not to be utterly uncurable You do so load your sentences with strong words that they passe my capacity I know not what to make of this political body of a Parish for I never understood they were under any other policy then that of the Common-wealth or Church in which they lived nor that they were any Corporation at all I profess I understand not what you mean if you intend any thing besides this But whatsoever you intend by it this I finde that you affirme the whole was half-blind they have not yet then lost their sight altogether that little light they have may in good time make them see how they have been deluded and so free them from all the fallacies that have been put upon them which when it happens both you and I are in hope of their cure But that you say must not be expected so long as they remain in their present condition For in respect of its present posture and numerous abominations it is altogether unapprovable and I say the same too and upon the very self same ground because it rejects the Commandments of God that it may observe the traditions of men For what is the whole constitution of your Church but the tradition of men what 's your plea all this while but a tradition of men That a company collected under a Covenant without either Pastours or Elders is a true Church is a tradition of men That they may create elect ordain their Pastours and Elders is another tradition of men That the power of the Keys subjectively and authoritatively to invest and devest is in them is a third tradition of men That there must be Lay-Presbyters which must be Ruling Elders in the Church is a fourth tradition of men That the erection of the Cathedral Parochial Provincial National Church was the corruption of the Combinational is another tradition of men That the Supreme power in any Nation is a violent head the Arch-Bishop a haughty horrible head the Diocesan an idle and addle head the Parish Parson an odde head is another of your traditions That there may be no set forms of prayer used in the Church no singing of Psalms in mixt Congregations That the Scripture may not be read in the Church except expounded That those Rites which you call but falsly Romish and Humane may not be used in the Church That Godfathers and Godmothers may not be used in Baptisme nor the children of those who are out of your Combinational Church baptized That those whom you usually call profane ignorant scandalous persons may not be admitted to the Sacrament That there must be an upper seat erected for the Elders to sit in their ranks as Aldermen upon the Bench in the Church That there must be Tables set up for the maintenance of the Ruling Elders All these are the traditions of men and doctrines of men and therefore I give this counsel to the whole half-blinde political body of the Parishes where you have prevailed most that while they are curable they tender their health and to beware of the Scribes and Pharisees who in vain worship God teaching for doctrines the Commandments of men and to beware lest any man spoile them through Philosophy or vain deceit through the tradition of men
c. This is a holy watch-word and a wholesome warning and I desire it may be heedfully hearkned unto by such as are your Church Officers for then I doubt not but that they who have so much power and have such an influence on the multitude might be excellent instruments in this cure and quickly be able to bring back the multitude of Church hearers from those many above-named observations and aberrations into which they have been cunningly and in simplicity of heart drawn as those poor Israelites were to follow Absolon That it be speedily amended I wish with all my heart but say it be not but these poor simple souls seduced by and through Philosophy do not amend so timely as is desired my charity will not permit me to damne them eternally and that they shall partake of the judgment of those who worship the Beast that they shall drink of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the Cup of his indignation and that they shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb and that the smoke of their torment shall ascend for ever and ever as you threaten out of Revel 14.9 c. This is a harsh sentence and though it may affright and terrifie those who for doctrines teach the commandments of men and make the Word of God of none effect through their traditions which is a wilfull obstinate presumptuous sinne yet I have great reason to hope that those who have simply and ignorantly and weakly followed such Teachers may finde mercy especially if they shall call to God with David Who can understand his errours Cleanse thou me from my secret faults Psal 19.12 13. keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sinnes let them not have dominion over me Then shall I be upright and I shall be innocent from the great offence But because this danger lies as you say in the observation of Traditions it will not be amisse to set down that about this point Dr. Whites Orthodox cap. 4. p. 3. Sect. 1.2 which may satisfie any sober man which because I am not able to do better then Dr. Frauncis White hath done I shall transcribe the Summe of what he delivers The word Tradition in general signifies any doctrin or observation deliver'd from one to another either by word or writing Acts 6.14 2 Thess 2.15 cap. 3.6 1 Cor. 15.3.4 The Protestants simply do not deny Tradition but first we distinguish of Traditions and then according to some acceptions of the name we admit thereof with a subordination to holy Scripture 1. First the Romanists maintain there be doctrinal Traditions or Traditions that contain Articles of Faith and substantial matters of divine worship and religion Decret prim 4. Sess Syn. Trident not found in the holy Scripture and that these are pari pietatis affectu ac reverentia sucipiendae ac venerandae with Scripture and to be believ'd no lesse then the prime Articles such are Purgatory Transubstantiation Invocation of Saints the Popes infallibility c. These and all other such Traditions containing new parts and additions to religion the Protestants simply condemn and renounce 2. But secondly the name of Tradition in the writings of the Primitive Doctours and Fathers is taken in three other senses First for external Rights and Ceremonies of decency order and outward profession of religion not found expressely in the holy Scripture but used as things adiaphorous being not of the substance of divine worship but only accessary as the sign of the Crosse and many of those you in your following words mention and these we say may be used or disused according to the Laws of every Church as they serve for aedification or otherwise Secondly The report of the Primitive Church concerning matter of fact and concerning the practice of the Apostles is another Tradition as that the Apostles did baptize infants that they admitted none to the Lords Supper but those who were of years to examine themselves that they ordain'd such and such in several Churches to be Bishops That that very Canon of Scripture which we now maintain was the Canon at that time with many other which can be best prov'd by Tradition And therefore we willingly admit of these Traditions also deliver'd unto us by the Histories and Records of the Church because such reports explicate the meaning or confirm the doctrin of the Scripture Thirdly The summe of Christian faith as the Creed and the explication of Christian doctrin in many principal parts thereof concerning the Trinity Incarnation descent of Christ into hell c. is oftentimes call'd Tradition being receiv'd from hand to hand as the Apostles lively teaching and such Tradition found unanimously in the Fathers we admit also because it gives light to the doctrine found in Scripture But in the admittance of these we require two Cautions 1. That the holy Scripture be the rule of all Traditions whatsoever thus far that they be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 up on examination conformable to the Scriptures and every way subservient to the same 2. That they have the Testimony of the primitive Church in the prime age thereof and descend to our days from the same by the stream of succession through ages following and were received as Apostolick in the Catholick Church The Question of Traditions being thus stated unto you easie it will be to answer to your two alleag'd Texts of Tradition Mark 7. Col. 2. For they make as much to your purpose as Ecce duo gladij doth to confirme the Popes claim to the Temporal and Spiritual power or Pasce oves to uphold his Supremacy Or God made two great lights to prove the Popes power to be above the Emperours as much as the Sun exceeds the Moon or that Parson who would undertake to prove the Parish must pave the Church and not he because it was written in the Prophet paveant illi ego non paveam For how doth that place of Mark 7.7.9 pertain to the spiritual historical or interpretative Traditions of the Christian Church It was of the Scribes and Pharisees of whom our Saviour there spoke and of their Traditions of washing of pots and cups and many such other like things of their Corban And in their washings they placed not decency and civility but made a matter of Religion of it and by their Corban they took away the duty of the fifth Commandment Look into the place you urge and tell me whether I say not truth and this it seems you saw and that made you skip over the 8. verse and never mention the 11. which if you had done and weigh'd you would not for shame have equall'd our Traditions with theirs or judged us as superstitious for observing our Traditions as they were for theirs We have a command for the institution of our Ceremonies let all be done decently in order and to edification we have good
a blasphemer of God a hinderer or slanderer of his Word an Adulterer or be in malice or envy or in any other grievous crime bewail your sinne and come not to this holy Table c. and in charity he is bound to believe seeing he cannot search the heart that he who after this admonition comes is a true penitent And therefore from hence there can arise no pollution 'T is possible indeed evil company may draw to an imitation of sinne and so pollute But if not so for I know no good man will therefore be profane because a profane man is admitted to the Sacrament the very keeping company with them in these sacred meetings is far from being a sin It is only a clear acknowledgment that they are of the number of the redeemed whereof yet some are damned 2 Pet. 2.1 then that they joyne with them in the profession of Christianity which certainly I may do with all Professours lastly a confederating in vow to live a Christian and sincere life and that I may lawfully do in the company of them that are not sincere And for this practice I conceive we have the Apostles example among the Corinthians 1 Cor. 5. 1 Cor. 3.3 of whom there were fornicatours incestuous carnal persons and yet I read of the incestuous only excommunicate with him they might not eat with the rest they are not prohibited from which I conclude that to communicate with such is not unlawful in a Christian Church And to make this point yet more clear if to communicate with profane person be unlawful because their sinful company would pollute it is because the sin is patent or latent because it is open and notorious say they but this is a strange thing that in natura peccati an open sin should have a stronger infection in it than that which is secret it is as if you should say that plague-sore will lesse infect which is hid and kept secret than that which is discovered no no secret or known is all one if per se the sinne that is not consented to nor imitated infects another only by the approach Hypocrisie a hidden sinne shall as much pollute as any notorious wickednesse and then God be merciful to all Communicants since it is not possible but that in the purest Church they may approach the Lords Table with hypocrites The pollution then which is so much feared by admittance of scandalous and notorious sinners to the Lords Table is no intrinsecal pollution which cannot be while a mans own conscience is not defiled Nor is it a bare pollution by evil example for so the good are not defiled But a pollution or defilement there is which is meerly extrinsecal to this businesse wherewith the whole Church and fellowship may be said to be stained discredited disgraced by scandalous and notorious sinners which was imputed by Celsus a Heathen to Christian Religion that it admitted all sorts Publicans sinners Harlots That then such spots and blemishes be not suffered to the disparagement and danger of the whole body Christ hath provided us a remedy he hath left the power of the Keys with the Governours of the Church that they may exclude from thence all inordinate walkers and proclaim to all that Christianity is not a doctrine of security licentiousnesse and impunity to all profane persons and impenitents but of strict precise and exact purity and holinesse and therefore when Christs Name is or may be blasphemed and evil-spoken of for such Miscreants to recover her own reputation and the good name of Christian Religion and to warn and admonish others not to incur her displeasure she ejects them and debars them though not from their right yet from the use of their right in the Ordinances Which is not done lest the good should be polluted by their presence among the profane as they that toucht the unclean thing were polluted under the Law which is the common errour of the proud fastidious Pharisees of all ages but for those ends I named the recovery of the Churches honour and a fair caveat to others And for the execution of this Discipline it is that all those former alledged places of the Apostle tend purge out the old leaven c. In which the Scripture commands excommunication that is an exclusion from the Church and society of the faithful in general therefore from the Sacrament also If then you shall now ask me who are to be excluded at Christs Supper Feast I answer briefly 1. None but those whose incapacity is either natural or moral as children Idiots distracted persons 2. Nonâ— but such who are under the censures of the Church iuridicè convicted under two or three Witnesses 3. All other professours of the visible Church must not be deâ—â—â—ered from their right nor use of their right by any single Minister becâ—â—se the power of the Keyes was not committed to him but 〈◊〉 the Governours of the Church yet we require in him so much pray that in prudence discretion and charity to the soul of a scandalous and notorious person he withdraw the Sacrament from 〈◊〉 for a time till he give in evidence of his amendment So that you see our labour is to admit to Christs Supper Feast such as in the judgment of charity we are bound to take for Christs faithful friends and followers because we finde no Church conviction to the contrary nor can till they renounce their profession we deliver it to none but such whom we are perswaded may be fed and physick'd by it of which two you may read if you please at full in my explanation of the Chatechisme à pag. 200. ad pag. 204. Thus have I considered of your whole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I might well have passed over because you directly impute not these corruptions to the Parochial but insinuate them only which is flily to disprove them But I was willing to remove out of your way every straw at which you might stumble So careful I have been to reduce you to a right understanding in these things and if I may obtain my end I shall think my pains well bestowed However I have done what I could and I leave the successe to God Your Letter calls upon me to follow you and so I am unwillingly drawn for I finde it thus by you written The words of the Letter YEt the meer sight of a Monarchical Pue to stand in the stead of a Ministerial Pulpit is a strong plea of a strange Apostacy from the commendable practice of the primitive Christians Your adversative particle Yet made me start for I must tell you that I understand so much in act that when it follows any long concession as it doth in this place it intimates that all things were light that went before in comparison of that which followeth he being but little versed in the Art of Rhetorick who will grant to his Adversary any thing of which he cannot make his advantage This
and Pastour and your reason you here give and your practice also confirms me in it For your Teacher you say must dispense the word of knowledge and information to the judgment and the Pastour the word of wisdome and exhortation to the will and affections Pray tell me what should hinder that one and the same man may not teach and inform the judgment and make wise to salvation exhort and move the will and affections in the same houre Were it otherwise you your self preach by a wrong method who explain and apply who raise a Doctrine out of your Text by which you inform the understanding and then labour to apply it and make it useful to the will and affections of your Auditors Tye up your Teacher to these strict terms and he shall only study positive Divinity and your Pastour no Art more than Rhetorick especially that part that concerns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for he must be his master in that before he shall work kindly upon the will and move the affections of men Ille movet dictis animos pectora mulcet Besides were these two Offices so necessary the Teacher should never stretch himself beyond his tether but stint and end when he hath given forth and proved his Doctrine and then your Pastour should enter take his Cue and begin upon what is taught But why do I trouble my self in battering this Trivial since among you it is not strictly observed for I dare say it let a Scrutiny be truly taken and it will be found that not in one among ten of your Combinational Churches a man shall meet with these two distinct Officers your Teacher and Pastour As for us we dislike them not and where conveniently they might be had and maintenance for them they were in use witnesse the Professours of Divinity in our Universities and the Publique Lectures and Readers in our Cathedrals but to binde every Parochial Church to this or else it must be defective in an integral part is more than ever you will be able to prove yea or any man else Next you insist upon your Ruler And whoever yet denied that Rulers were necessary in the Church yea and for that end though not the sole you name But none will content you except they be of your own election and ordination none except the Lay-Elders this also must be proved by you For you know we had and assigned others and upon better grounds then you will be ever able to disprove Your last Officers were Deacons and Widows whom you make to be Receivers of the weekly Contributions and dispensers of it to three uses In the Primitive Church such I grant you there were as is evident out of the Texts you alledge that to the last use they imployed the collected mony But that any of it was imployed to the two first uses either for the maintenance of the Table of the Lord or for the Tables of the Church Elders I put you to prove again And for this last I am perswaded it was not these being likely if ever there had been any as now among you of the richer and abler sort and therefore no reason their Tables should be furnished out of the poor mans box But if you will take Elders for the true Presbyters of the Church such who were to labour in the Word and Doctrine I shall easily grant you that they had their maintenance till there was other provision made for them out of these Collections and Contributions though not from the Deacons but the Bishops appointment These Deacons and Widows are not in our Church now and thereupon infer it wants of its integral parts No such matter for these Officers were but Temporary taken up according to exigence of those times for the necessity being over the Office was at end When once Christian Princes and charitable men provided by wholsome Laws away of relief for the poor and assigned Officers to that purpose where Hospitals Alms-houses Nosecomia c. were erected and endowed to that end there was no farther use of these Officers neither is the Church defective in an integral part though now it want them as I before shewed out of Aretius You have then taken a long day for obtaining mercy and settlement of peace to the Church if neither of these may be enjoyed untill it be reformed and refined in the essential and integral parts according to your fancy For what can she not have her Officers but of your appointment no Rulers except your Lay-Elders no Members but such visible Converts as you will be pleased to admit Lastly be bound to her duty by no Oath but by your explicite Covenant upon this you insist this you labour to prove to the purpose and as if you intended to convince any opponent you here heap Text upon Text out of Old and New Testament which I shall now consider how far they make to your purpose The first is out of Jerem. 50.5 They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward saying Come and let us joyne our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that shall not be forgotten Saint Peter teacheth us that unstable souls wrest the Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a speech borrowed from those who put a man upon a rack which causeth the man to speak what he never meant And this is the fault of too too many who strain the Scriptures to a wrong sense Whereas they should first consult the Scriptures and make them the ground of their conclusions they first harbour a strong conceit of the conclusion and then seek out Scriptures to confirme it And this for the most part befalls not yours alone but all other wanderers from the Truth they blot their books and margents with variety of quotations out of Gods Word as if by the inspection only of their Copy this way they purposed to affright the unlearned Reader or Hearer into their opinion who being astonished with the fearful noise of the Chapter and Verse as the Frogs were upon the fall of the Log into the plash of water might presently stoop into a veneration of what is taught Here I meet with seven places alledged for your explicite Covenant but I adjure you as you will answer it at the great day whether you are fully perswaded in your soul and conscience that either the Prophets or Apostles had an eye to it when they wrote those words and what assurance you can give us that this must be the sense and no other For if you have not a certainty of faith in this behalf you do very ill to produce these Texts presse them upon tender consciences and to maintain a Rent a Schisme a Separation in the Church of Christ That which makes me and should you suspect your sense of these places is that having consulted with the best and wisest Expositours I have upon them I finde not one syllable that sounds to that you intend and collect from thence What Masters are