teaching them to observe what ever I have commanded and I am with you alwaies to the end of the world The promise is as the charge to the Apostles and their successours and not to the people in businesse that concernes them not Againe I will give thee the keyes of the kingdome of heaven saith Christ to Peter in the name of the rest and therefore makes good his word to them all he sent them inspired them and then said whose sinnes ye remit or retaine shall be remitted or retained It would be strange after this commission to heare of a power of governing in the people especially seeing for the executing of it Christ gave officers to his church and not to his church power to make them hee gave them to his church to bee in Christs stead to direct and rule by his word and not to bee directed and ruled by it Therefore if any thing be out of order he blameth them not the people I contended with the Rulers and nobles saith Nehemiah and to the Angels of churches speakes Christ sharpely for things amisse And for the people Christ would not have them rule but to be subject to magistrates and spirituall overseers This I am confident of that there cannot one precept or practise be given that the people should or did rule in the church but under their guides and teachers except Corah and his accomplices who were swallowed up in wrath As for that text tell the church and that other of the incestuous person we shall meete with them in their proper places In the meane time know that the sonne of man hath left his house and given authority to his servants for edification not for destruction and not to his house which is the church The people are still called sheep brethren houshold of faith spouse and children but their teachers are knowne by the name of Elders Overseers and Fathers on whom the governement lies But say the Brownists the saints are answereable to the kings of old who are to have power ecclesiasticall in their hands Indeed they are so called but not in respect of any outward power over others more then before but of inward power to rule by the annointing of Christ over their own pride and corruption This they will not doe and so speake evill of them in authority and advance themselves above the pitch which God hath given there It is a brave thing to rule and who would not doe so But if they were Davids weaned childe they would rather bee subject by doing and suffering then lift up themselves to high places of governement from whence they may fall to their shame and sorrow Lastly whereas they put into the end of their assembling not onely the exercise of governement whereof they have none and preaching prayer sacraments which are good indeed if done by right persons and in right manner but prophecying too surely herein they walke not with a right foote according to the truth of the scriptures They make prophecying an act of some private persons whereby as the spirit moves them they put in in publicke their verdicts with their Pastours and Doctours about the sence doctrine and application of the scriptures propounded but how Christs word makes this good to them I cannot see nor ever shall Indeed the Apostle speakes of prophecying but as of an office of some persons then not of an ordinary gift now He saith let the prophets speake two or three and I am sure that prophets have an office to prophecy Hee saith also prophecying is a speaking to men to exhortation edification and comfort and I pray what can the highest gift of preaching doe more If they may preach why may they not administer the sacraments seeing both goe together They cannot say that to preach is an act of office and to prophecy is an act out of office For where the Apostle speakes expressely of prophecying according to the proportion of faith hee doth speak as plainly of offices as of gifts If therefore they will prophecy let them shew their calling to that office and then vent their gifts Doe they doe it by vertue of their generall or speciall calling They deny any speciall calling and wee denie that they doe it by vertue of the generall calling of a christian because that gives not the office How much better were it for them to follow the word of Christ no man taketh this honour to himselfe but he that is called of God as Aaron then by jumbling ordinary and extraordinary gifts and offices together to utter things for want of knowledge wisedome reading and doctrine unworthy of the great God of assemblies Thus have I considered the foure parcels of which the Brownists make up a true visible None of which singly nor all jointly can make our blessed church not to be so because they are made up of divers falshoods already discovered Let us now take better view out of Gods word what a true visible church is that in it we may see our owne A true visible churth is men called and united in the profession of the truth according to the scriptures This is alwaies where there is a true visible church either planted or continued or restored If it be nationall it is a company of people professing truth in an whole land as the churches of Iudea Samaria and Galile with those of Asia If it be Parochial it is a company of people professing the truth in a towne or parish as in those where the Apostles ordained elders in every church If it be domesticall it is a company professing the truth in a family as in Philemons house and others It is true that the truth may bee more purely professed in one church then in another more purely in Smyrna and Philadelphia which were praised and lesse purely in Ephesus Sardis and Laodicea which were dispraised It is true also that some churches may be in infancy and so lesse perfect as that in Creta where Titus was left to redresse things amisse and those churches of the Gentiles which must not bee troubled for feare of a rent and some of riper age as that at Ierusalem where Iames was Bishop and the Apostles held a councel and so had a more setled forme of governement and that of Philippi which had their Bishops and Deacons But if they joine to professe the truth of Christ they are true visible churches First they ramble as sheep without a shepheard without God without Christ Christ makes himselfe knowne unto them by the preaching of the word They assemble as those that professe to seeke salvation that way some more closely some more loosely They publickely submit to the word of God and Sacraments and calling on the name of the Lord. These persons thus professing make up a true visible church either in a kingdome city town or
supersowing of Satan into wickednesse in life and doctrine and so became as these Tares which grow up together with this good seed till the Harvest Thus the Text is cleare Next for examples looke to all the visible Churches that ever were and they stand for a mixed company In Adams house there was a Cain in Noahs a Cham and in Christs a Judas But say they these were cast out It is true some way or other but while they were in they were true members of the visible Church as those that could plead Wee have eate and drunke in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets Have we not by thy Name prophecied and by thy Name cast out Devils Yet in the Harvest because they were onely outward not inward members they shall heare depart from mee I know you not to wit to save you and bring you to life As the Temple in Christs dayes was the house of God and yet by the mixture a denne of theeves so may the visible Church now be Gods Temple and the habitation of Devils In the Church of Corinth there were carnall people an incestuous beast denyers of the Resurrection and drunken and uncharitable partakers of the Sacrament of the Lords Body and Bloud yet a true visible church of God then yea and after when of all these wicked ones none was cast out but that one incestuous person So in the Church of Galatia there were false brethren that crept in revolters from the Faith of Christ who bewitched others with false doctrine against the foundation yet was it saluted and was a true Church of God If it seeme strange to men who would ingrosse all religion to themselves yet it doth not to Christ who would have done otherwise but did not for these causes First in respect of the Gospel it is the sweet message of salvation which cannot but allure all sorts Who doth not desire salvation so long as they like the termes and conditions they come heare and receive and though they had rather have it upon their owne conditions yet they desire salvation by Christ and so all sorts are mixt Besides the Gospel hath a double use to be a savour of life unto life out of Gods intention and to be a savour of death unto death out of mans abuse So long as God intendeth his grace that bringeth salvation and appeares unto all men and man abuseth it to sin that grace may abound there cannot but bee a mixt company Secondly in respect of God He is willing to manifest his divine goodnesse to all both Iewes and Gentiles in tendring the meanes of grace He would have a ground of his mercy to spare wicked hypocrites for the godlies sake and it is fit that he have arguments of justice within the Church that the godly may feare and not sinne So long as this goodnesse of God holds and the reason of Gods state and government there will be a mixed company Thirdly in respect of the godly They must be tryed and exercised in faith wisedome and patience Heresies must bee amongst theÌ„ that they that are approved might be knowne As the Canaanites were left among the Israelites to prove them so are wicked professors among those that are good yea the goodnesse of the godly by this meanes is made more perspicuous As it is a more grievous fault not to bee good among the good so it is an high and excellent praise to bee good among those that are wicked as Zachary Elizabeth Ioseph the blessed Virgin Symeon and Hannah in bad times and in a corrupt Church Fourthly in respect of Satan and ungodly men God will not banish Satans malice no not out of the Church here therefore as of old so still he permits him to sowe his tares And hee would have the wicked to have many cords to draw them to Christ to bee more justly confounded If the Word Sacraments Prayer and the Examples of good men in the communion of goodnesse prevaile not with them their sentence will be manifested to be more just when it shall be said binde them hand and foot cast them into utter darknesse where shall be wayling weeping and gnashing of teeth So long as God hath godly men in the Church to be tryed and to be glorified so long as Satan hath malice and the wicked are under arguments of just conviction there will bee a mixed company Lastly in respect of the Church and the use of the Supper whereunto it is invited Christ hath committed unto his Church the exercise of censures according to the severall carriages of members If there were to be none but good loosing would be enough but seeing there are to bee good and bad binding is necessary also And that this is provided for members is certaine For saith Paul what have I to doe to judge those that are without And for the use of Christs supper whereto wee are invited it is to give both the unions with Christ The union of profession and outward covenant when men professe themselves to be Christs and therefore come to the covenâ—nt in the word and seales of it in the sacraments from which yet alas men for their sinnes are daily cut off and the union by power and inward covenant when men in Christs wayes are Christs indeed and therefore come to the covenant and seales with an humble purpose to abide with him for ever So long as the church hath censures to exercise upon her unruly members and both these unions with Christ hold true there will be a mixture in the visible Church But say the Brownists it is true there may bee a mixture admitted to the hearing of the word but not as members of the Church yet And why so Surely if they heare and consent unto it though in hypocrisie God accounts them in covenant and then who shall deny them to be members Moses lâ—id before the face of Israel all the words which the Lord commanded him and the people answered all that the Lord commands we will heare and doe This many of them did in hypocrisie and therefore God complaines O that there were such an heart in them yet marke what the Lord said to Moses and Moses to the people To Moses God said write these words for after the tenour of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel and to the people Moses said thou hast avouched this day the Lord to be thy God and to walke in his wayes and the Lord hath avouched thee to be his peculiar people Say I pray which of our members doe not thus readily professe who will say that he will not heare God and do his will If they doe it in hypocrisie woe unto them if they doe it in profession they are in outward covenant as Gods people if they are in covenant who can denie them to bee
admits of no falshood But to cleare this more fully I shall by Gods assistance consider three things 1 What they say true of their owne members and ours 2 What they say false of the members of a true visible church 3 That their dreame of pollution is from their owne braines not from Christs ordinance This they say truely that the members of a true church are saints by calling Profession of saving truth as I have shewed makes such true members and all that so professe themselves though there be much chaffe among the wheate are such saints by calling He that professeth so much knowledge either actually or foederally as admits him to baptisme hath put on Christ And he that hath put on Christ though as an elect vessell as Paul or as one in Christ bearing no fruit and therefore justly to be cut off is certainely a saint by calling There are two sorts of saints by calling such as are sanctified by habituall infusions and actual expressements and such as are so by baptismal profession and many gifts of the spirit and so by consecration to God This may fall upon those that are justly rejected for their hypocrisie and wickednesse These two sorts have ever and ever shall to the end of the world make up the true members of a true visible church This secondly they say falsely that the members of a true visible church are onely such saints as are so regenerated as they have actual communion with Christ in all the acts of saving grace If they would spâ—ake of the Catholick Church It is the number of all faithfull people which are united to Christ by the union of the body head spirit and faith of truth By the first all members are knit together with the head in one body and so receive grace from the head according to the measure of everie member By the second it hath but one head As the body is but one so the head is but one from whence it receiveth the grace of life By the third the whole Church is directed and governed by one spirit which is the spirit of sanctification And by the fourth the whole church receiveth the doctrine once given to the saints which it cleaves unto for ever that in this foundation and love of union it may receive from Christ all saving doctrine with the comfortable fruits of it If they would speake of this catholick church let them draw up the members to that sanctitie which the word and world will affoord Nay if they would speake of such members of the visible church who shall from Christ receive al spiritual blessings in heavenly things and be jointed into the body of Christ till they come to a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ let them speake of all holinesse too so far as our knowledge in part can reach unto in this kingdome of heaven upon earth If further they would speak of such members as are fittest to beare rule in the visible church surely though Iudas be in as well as Peter by Christs his call and yong Timothy can worke the worke of the Lord as Paul doth yet surely they that are best and of ablest gifts are fittest for highest places in the visible church Which because the Brownists perceive therefore they having set up to themselves a governement of all the members which they cannot make good they thinke not onely the holiest persons to bee the fittest but the onely members of their visible churches If lastly they would speake of those that are the greatest comforts and ornaments of a visible church then surely holy persons are For Davids eies runne over with water when members in the church as well as others kept not Gods law yea and it is a fearfull reproach and tending to corruption to them that favour it But when they speake of such members onely in the visible church who are so holy as they imagine to whom if others joyne themselves in spirituall communion they are unchurched this surely hath no ground but in their owne braine This is an undoubted rule that it is Gods will that a mixed company be invited to the wedding of Christ the feast of the gospell which makes up a visible church The wedding of Christ is either compleate in heaven or begunne in the church To that in heaven a mixed company is not invited but conditionally for no uncleane thing shall enter into the kingdome of heaven To this in the church a mixed company is invited and thorough the power of the sweet word of grace comes both to the word and sacraments as Symon Magus to baptisme and the drunken and factious Corinthians to the supper of the Lord. And that it is Gods will to invite a mixed company appeares by texts examples and reasons The text is cleare in Gods commission Goe ye into the high-wayes and as many as ye finde invite to the marriage and also in his servants execution they went and gathered together all as many as they found both good and bad All these were members of this feast till God came and made the separation and when he did come hee blamed not his servants for inviting and guests for being in communion with the unworthy but friend how camest thou in hither But say they what is this kingdome of heaven Is it not the world Doth not Christ himselfe so expound it in opening the parable of the tares The Field is the world It is true hee saith the field is the world but hee saith not the kingdome of heaven is the world Surely the whole world lies in wickednesse and is farre different from the kingdom of heaven in the church· Therfore doth not Christ say the kingdome of heaven is like to the world but it is like unto a man this man is the son of man who raiseth to himselfe a visible church heere This he raiseth not in Jury onely but now the separation wall is broken downe in the world Here by vertue of his Gospel he doth sow the children of the Kingdome according to that promise of old I will sowe her to mee in the earth But the Devill that envies Christs Kingdome not the world sowes the Tares which are the children of that wicked one These Tares grow up in the Kingdome of Heaven which is in the field of the world with the good seed and so long as the Divell is the Divell and envies it will be so And it is Christs Judgement concerning them Let them alone till the harvest least while ye pluck up the Tares yee pull up the Wheate Surely they were other than the weeds of the world out of the Church These might have been plucked up without dangering the Church They were blasted Corne upon one stalke which from the power of the Gospel were called into the Church but degenerated by the
the full advantage of their plea. But if all this were true it doth not follow that wee are not the true ministers of Christ nor that our Church is not his true Church Not the first because that exposition of Christs words is their owne and not Christs If Christ had said unto us that hee would have such a governement erected in every parish then wee should dishonour our master and rob Gods people not to preach it Others have with prayer care and conscience looked upon those words of Christ as well as they and yet some finde in that Church mentioned by Christ onely the Iewish Sanhedrim some the Pope and his conclave some the presbytery of mixt elders some the consistory of preaching elders and some Bishops and superintendents who have the highest oversight to punish Church scandals under the Magistrates under whom they live But these men as if they would exclude other mens discourses and binde up their consciences to their interpretations will have their meaning to be the true sence and no other Neither doth it follow that our Church is not the true Church of Christ What though-something that Christ hath commanded to be observed be not taught nor observed doth it therefore follow that such a Church is not his What Christian is there that hath all Christs observations taught in every congregation where hee comes or if hee have them all doth observe and doe them as he ought And yet I hope he may be a true Christian and saved in the day of Christ As in a Christian wee must observe what gives him saving fellowship with Christ to wit Repentance from dead workes and Faith unfained and how he walketh worthy of this fellowship in the way of life to wit by deniall of himselfe taking up of the crosse and following Christ so farre that no wilfull nor deliberate sinne raigne in him and then though he do not observe every outward forme and rule yet I hope Christ may be his Christ and he Christs member to life So in a church must we observe what gives it true ecclesiasticall fellowship with Christ to wit the Apostles doctrine and fellowship breaking of bread and praier and then if it professe to know these and to continue in them so far as it is come though it observe not every thing that other men thinke it should yet I hope it is a true church of Christ But say they we have not the Apostles doctrine and fellowship for want of this popular governement Let them prove once that this is any part of the Apostles doctrine and fellowship Indeed they tell us as before that Christ said goe tell the Church and so forth but how this Last serves their feet comes next to bee discussed If this church were every congregation and if one man may bind and loose it is certaine the whole congregation may doe so also and so have the greatest power of church governement in their owne hand but whether the text will conclude for such power is the thing in question Learned men of most ages have much looked upon that text and have applied it either by way of allusion or properly to church discipline some way or other Some churches in this last age have looked upon it fully and as they thinke have squared an exact discipline according to it though I cannot finde that they cut their course fully according to their owne sence Some particular persons finding this to bee the strongest hold for that new discipline have sought to overthrow it so as utterly to roote out excommunication from the church and others finding the good use of that censure for the well being of the church have beene as eagar to maintaine this hold But discipline and that censure hath hold strong enough from other texts though that of Christ bee set in its proper sence For when wee looke to that promise of Christ to his disciples in the name of Peter and how he made it good to his Apostles lay together the rules practises of the apostles especially in the epistles to the Corinthians and to Timothy which last are spent in rules for the well ordering of the governing and the governed we shall find ground sufficient for church governement either in patterne or precept generall or speciall though we suffer this text to appear in its own colors Let me tell them then that as Paul saith Forbeare one another and forgive one another if any man have a quarrel or complaint against any so Christ in that chapter gives a remedy against private contentions This is plaine to everie eye that is not wilfully blinded that Christ in that chapter tells of the danger of scandals and thereupon he gives a double direction first to live so as not to give scandal to others and secondly to carry themselves aright to others that give scandal to them and that all this is to bee referred to private offences the unbroken course of the chapter shewes as Saint Basil hath observed many hundred yeares agoe That which moved Christ to this discourse was the present state of the Iewish disciples under the Romane Empire The Romanes had no governement over them and the authority of their edlers was much diminished For many of the Iewes became servants to the Romanes as their Publicanes to gather in their tribute such were Zacheus yea and Matthew These were freed from the authority of the Iewes as all other Iewes were that were freemen of Rome which made Paul when hee saw oppression before him to appeale to Caesar and to plead that he was free borne This was a great vexation to the Iew in recovering of right and defending himselfe from wrong Therefore Christ to moderate the Iewes passions arising one against another directs them what course to take you must not deale saith hee one with another presently as with Publicanes Heathens who are out of Iewish power and cannot bee impleaded any where but before a Romane barre but to cut off al differences betwixt you and your brethren yee must proceed in a gentle way Why what must they doe If thy brother a Iew shall trespasse against thee a Iew right thy selfe by degrees First deale with him fraternally according to the rule of charity tel him his fault betweene thee and him alone If that will doe no good to gaine him then secondly deale with him legally take with the one or two more that may heare the difference convince him of errour and perswade him to peace for this is Moses law that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word bee established If that will not yet bring him home then thirdly deale with him Iewishly tell it unto the Church complaine to the Sanhedrim tell the seventy elders who sit yet by Gods approbation to heare harder causes and to decide greater doubts against peace and charity If yet hee bee
and the sacraments of his covenant rightly administred and thus by degrees wee fall to publicke profession of Christs truth by union of lawes consents and practises What then is the want in our entrance which doth make us no true church The Brownists heere plead foure things 1 All our members entred not upon knowledge 2 They made not a covenant for Christ 3 They were not voluntary professours 4 They were baptized when they were the seede of those that were not members of the visible church by actuall profession That all our members entred not upon knowledge is false were they in planting from no church or in reforming from a corrupt church Surely the knowledge of the doctrine of salvation by the blessed trinitie is sufficient for the receiving in of members For Christ saith Goe teach all nations and baptize them And whâ—t must they bee taught That which they must bee baptized into their faith in the father son and holy Ghost which was Christs first creede that made churches Had not the members of our reforming church this knowledge where was the seede of our many hundreds of Martyrs and where is these mens charities Even the darkest times that our church hath suffered hath preserved this knowledge and the profession of looking to bee saved by Iesus Christ the sonne of the living God which is that Rocke against which the gates of hell shall not prevaile Yea but they say secondly put case they had this knowledge yet they entred not into our visible church by covenant Indeed it is lawfull for christians that have beene disjointed in the service of God to make covenants betwixt themselves to serve him better So Asa and his people entred into a covenant to seeke the Lord God of their fathers yea and they sware unto the Lord. So wee reade of the Princes Levites and Priests that made a sure covenant writ it and sealed it Surely this was a good way to tye up the unruly colts that were among them to Gods service if they had but naturall conscience and the Prophets did not condemn it From whence I conclude that it is lawfull to helpe our selves in the service of God by any meanes not forbidden though it bee not precisely commanded in the word yet is their practise a binding law to us so far as to unchurch us if wee doe it not How many glorious visible churches doe wee reade of in the scriptures which never tooke this course nor were bound unto it and yet entred covenant with Christ too when they were admitted members They were made Christs disciples by teaching and receiving the word which is the word of reconciliation And this word given to his people is Gods covenanting with them and his avouching them to bee his peculiar people and their receiving it is their covenanting with him and taking God to bee their God Then doe they goe to the seales of the covenant the sacraments according to Christs rule which doe knit us rogether in an holy league for the service of Christ to our eternall good if wee doe not deale falsly with God concerning his covenant If therefore they denie not as they cannot that our first members had the true word of God and sacraments neither can they deny that they have entred into the church by covenant Hee that is baptized putteth on Christ and baptisme is Christs seale of the covenant upon them that are baptized as those that were circumcised were said to bee borne to God by covenant which if we breake we renew againe so oft as we come to the supper of the Lord. Yea but they say thirdly put case that they entred covenant with God by baptisme yet were they forced to keepe his covenant in a better way then they had done by the edicts lawes and proclamations of princes They were not voluntary servers of Christ as the members of a true visible church should be Put this case to them also yee are the sonnes of your mother who was forced by the authority of her father or guardian to marrie your father will yee say that yee are bastards not lawfull heires or not true members of the family because your mother was not married to your father freely and willingly with what will soever shee was married shee afterward lived in love faithfulnesse and obedience and brought forth much fruit unto him Such may bee the case of a true visible church Shee may come to Christ her husband as a Beare to the stake being forced by conviction and the power of naturall conscience she may bee drawne before shee runne after him yet afterward shee remembring his love more then wine may live in obedient love and bring forth fruit unto God Though this bee a sufficient plea yet let them know that the first members of our church in planting were a willing people for ought they know and for our first members in reforming I answere foure things First that the free acts of the leaders of the people are accounted by God as the acts of all when Moses was bid tell the children of Israel and hee did but tell the elders of Israel and they answered all the people are said to answer together in them So Ioshuah called twelve choise men out of every tribe a man to carry twelve stones and the children of Israel whom they represented are said to do it So Asa tooke away the altars of the strange Gods and brake the idols and cut downe the groves willingly and though hee commanded his people and ruled by power yet they obeying are said to seeke the Lord and to prosper Thus far then our first reformers were willing members they were willing in their guides and leaders who willingly put themselves on to advance the kingdome of Christ Secondly not onely the governours but the people were willing covenanters in generall body It was done by the free proceedings of the house of parliament where Knights and Burgesses were chosen by the free vote of the commons and they being knowne to be able men doe refer themselves to their determination in the Lord. What though some submitted out of feare of power Thus many in Mardocai's time became Iewes for feare yet were so accounted And many in Hezekiahs time were brought by postes as it were by the sound of the trumpet to the passeover and yet their service was accepted Thirdly put case the lawes and proclamations of our Princes forced some to bee members who were willing to doe worse It was not in the first planting of a church where faith is not to be forced the kingdome of heaven suffers violence but faith suffers not compulsion but it was in the reforming of a church and in such a case God did blesse the compulsion of Hezekiah and the people were not rejected as no members though they were not purified according to the purification of the sanctuary Did not Manasseh after hee
given to whelps This is true if we can helpe it But every wicked christian is not a swine or dog nor any alien from the coÌ„mon-wealth of Israel as the Canaanitish woman till her new faith made her a prosilite Not one of ten thousand of theÌ„ whom they so highly judge wil dare to trample the sacrament under their feet and all to rent the giver of it unto them But put case that some such miscreant might bee found because these reputed dogges and swine abuse it to themselves will you abuse it too in separating from it which exhibits so much good But they say perhaps the ministers might keep them away from it but do not By what authority might they Put case they had the authority of a judge which is false heere may a judge hang a thiefe before his trial So nor may hee discommon any from the Lords table till trial and sentence bee past If any wicked christian should say I am not excommunicate I will receive shall they disturbe Christs sonnes for the unmannerlinesse of such a servant Noe God is not the God of confusion but order Let them come at their own perill to our misery not to our sinne when wee have warned But say the Brownists we shall partake in other mens sins and so be polluted with such communions To make this vanish it is the third and last point propounded that remaines in this section to bee considered That their dreamed of pollution is from their owne braines not from the ordinance of Christ They account all then polluted that are in spiritual communion in the worship of God with wicked and ungodly men But the Prophets reproved many abuses and never taught any pollution neither did God appoint any sacrifice to expiate such pollution There was a sacrifice for the whole congregation to satisfy for their sinnes of ignorance but not to take off the guilt of pollution by a mixture in the service of God God tyed them all to the kingdome priesthood and temple and hee doth not tye men necessarily to sinne The godly people in the time of the law were never reprooved for the worship of God though wicked men were present Indeed the priests were blamed highly as violaters of the law because they put no difference betwixt the holy and the profane nor have shewed difference betwixt the uncleane and cleane and that justly too because God had made them teachers of the people and they neglected the sabbaths and because he had made them ordinary Iudges in these other cases according to his word But they never judged the godly polluted for not separating from the wicked in Gods service Againe Christ and his Apostles reproved many corruptions in churches yet never taught or practised separation upon a conceit of pollution Yea Christ commendeth the church of Thyatyra for living wel where corruption was Iezabel was suffered there yet as many as have not this doctrine nor knowne the depthes of satan hold fast till I come and he that overcommeth shal have power over the nations Surely the best were not polluted by the worst nor taught separation but constancy in good and reward at last But not to bee too large consider thoroughly but these three conclusions First God doth acquit the godly from the sinnes of the wicked though they bee mixed in the ordinances of God They that walke in my statutes and ordinances shall bee my people but they whose heart walketh after detestable things I will recompence their way upon their owne head The soule that sinnes shall dye not he that is guiltlesse The wicked shall die in his iniquity but warne him and thou shalt deliver thy soule I am confident saith Paul that you will bee no otherwise minded but hee that troubleth you shall beare his judgmeÌ„t whosoever he be To the pure all things are pure but to the impure nothing is pure All there were in spirituall communion together yet God doth not cast the sinnes of the guilty upon the innocent but doth acquit the one and accuse the other Yea but say the Brownists God doth not acquit them that consent to the wickednesse of others This is most true we must neither sinne nor have fellowship with sinne nor consent to sinners If we doe we make other mens sinnes our owne Now we may be said to consent to sinne both in things lawfull and in things unlawfull In things unlawfull when wee have fellowship with wicked doers and are accessary to their offences and this may bee divers wayes whereof some are proper to superiours and some common to all Superiours may bee guilty of other mens sinnes two wayes by command and by connivence By the first if they injoyne that which is evill all the evill that is done upon their injunction is theirs whether it bee publike or private Nebuchadnezzar by law and edict was guilty of all the Idolatry and cruelty which did insue upon it Therefore woe to them that decree wicked decrees and write grievous things Saul was guilty of that murther done upon the Lords Priests and David of the death of Vriah because they commanded them By the second if they wincke at faults which are in their power to redresse Iehoasâ— tooke not away the high places and so was guilty of his peoples incense Ahab wincked at Bâ—nhadad and let him go when God had given him into his hands for death and was guilty Pilate wincked at the cruelty of the Jewes and notwithstanding all his washing was guilty David displeased not Adonjah from his youth nor said Why dost thou thus and so was guilty of his riot and rebellion All may be guilty of the sinnes of others both before the offence be committed and in and after it Before the offence by provocation counsell approbation and silence when called to speak By provocation either when men rage the heart and fire the passions by thwarting and daring words or actions as Iezabel who provoked her husband Ahab or when they allure and entise with sweet words as that Harlot Come let us fill our selves with love until the morning or with infecting and evill words By Counsel when men advise to any sinne Thus Ionadab was guilty of the incest of Amnon Herodias of the bloud of Iohn Baptist Demetrius of the uprore against Paul and Balaam of Israels Baal-peor By Approbation when men doe not onely doe such things as are worthy of death but favour them that doe them This may be done directly either by word of deed as when Saul consented to the death of Stephen and kept the garments of them that stoned him or by interpretation when a man is bound to withstand another mans sinne and doth not either by word or deed Moses hath given us a precept to speake in our places and told us the danger of silence To speake ill doth draw men into
immediately did excell those that were called by men And among those that were called by men where might bee a rising to an higher degree according as they profited in faith and godlinesse Therefore Paul saith that they that use the office of a Deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree Therefore may wee lawfully maintaine a superiority in the ministery of Christ now But it may be they would not stand so much upon this because for ought I can finde there is some inequality betwixt their pretended Pastors and Doctors but that there is a Iurisdiction in our Bishops not onely over the flock but over the compresbyters their brethren It is true there is so and that justly without which wee should have as many religions as parishes and for that I say this Such jurisdiction as is patterned or prescribed in the epistles to Timothy and Titus is worthily exercised in our church of Christ If it bee said that that jurisdiction was personal in them this takes away the comfort of doctrine in all the otheâ— epistles for it may be as well said that the rules of faith and doctrine in them are personall and belong to that age But as this cannot be said so nor that for those rules tended to the government of the house of God and were to be kept to the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ Now that that jurisdiction patterned or prescribed in those epistles was episcopal appeareth thus Set aside matters matrimonial and testamentary which are the wise donation of princes for the conscionable ordering of such affaires and the jurisdiction of Bishops doth stand in two things principally First in ordination for the ordaining of ministers Titus was left in Crete to ordeine elders and the Apostle would have Timothy lay hands rashly on none that is ordaine But say they these ordeined not as Bishops but as Evangelists But this they must prove that they were Evangelists strictly so called Evangelists were immediately called so waâ— not Timothy for according to his good report and the prophesies that went of him for his great use of the church hee was ordained by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery Yea but say they that Paul bids him doe the worke of an Evangelist True but may they not as well prove Timothy to be an Apostle because hee did the worke of the Lord as Paul did know therefore that Evangelist may be taken three wayes for a penner of the Gospel by divine instinct so the Apostles were Evangelists For a preacher of the Gospel by divine instinct so they are accounted so properly And for a preacher of the Gospell by ordinary diligence and assistance and thus Timothy an Evangelist may be a Bishop to ordaine though not properly as a preacher yet as made a great overseer for that use But say the Brownists Bishops claime ordination to themselves alone so did not Timothy and Titus who did it with the eldership Whether these did it alwaies with the assistant presbyters is not yet proved there being no set law knowne to us then nor I doubt ever will Indeed for our Bishops they ordaine Deacons alone and so they may according to ancient custome and neither I nor they know any thing against it But for the ordination of Presbyters as it was in the primitive Church so our Lawes require that the Bishop should have his assistants the power of ordaining being in him and the liberty of approbation in these Secondly the jurisdiction of Bishops stands in redressing things amisse Titus was left in Creta to redresse things amisse not onely in the people but Presbyters Over Presbyters I say they had a power to command as Paul saith to Timothy I left thee at Ephesus that thou mightst charge some that they preach no other doctrine to judge therefore he saith against an Elder receive not an accusation under two or three witnesses which was a juridicall proceeding and to silence as occasion is offered for whose mouthes must be stopped saith Paul to Titus Which power if it be onely by verball conviction as every Minister of the New Testament is bound to doe as he is able and not by reall suspension as hee is over Presbyters the precept is altogether in vaine and idle For words doe but breed words and contentious spirits will never have an end But say they the Apostles would not suffer themselves to be silenced no more should wee If we cannot doe our office in publike we should doe it private This is true of the Apostles and they did well in it but there are two sorts of Preachers such as were immediately called who had their gifts and matter and calling immediately from Christ these none but Christ can silence they are his elect vessels as Paul to carry his Name And such as are immediately called who have their matter and gifts by reading and industry and their calling by and from the testimony of man Now because some mens sinnes goe before and some mens follow after they that gave power and testimony according to appearance may according to after appearance take testimony away from the unworthy except they could prove themselves Apostles But yet say they grant all this true yet are there divers exceptions against our Bishops what such as may justifie a separation Let us heare them Put case Timothy and Titus were Bishops yet were they not such as ours that is Diocesan Bishops what then were they parish Bishops I wish them read in Church stories of the best times without which they can never understand some passages of scriptures of the practise of the Church I am sure this they should finde that Timothy and Titus had some compasse of jurisdiction allotted wherein there were Churches at least according to cities wherein there were many presbyters to be overseene and ordered and what was this but a Diocesse which as the Church increased increased with it But these say they for all that had no princely authority and Lordly command over their brethren That is true neither is this absolutely necessary to the calling or of the essence of it yet doth it not overthrow it but adorne and strengthen it when it is well used If a Bishop were called a beggar it doth not overthrow his calling so neither if he be called a pallace who knowes not that that proceeded from the favour of our Princes that they might be Barons of the parliament to direct the conscience in deepe matters of state But say they this is against the word of God Be not Lords over Gods heritage saith Peter and saith Christ the Lords of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them and they that are great exercise authority over them but it shall not be so among you but whosoever wil be great among you let him be your minister and whosoever would be chiefe among you let him bee your
how David did sort and divide the Priests and Levites for their severall workes Did not Solomon by soveraignety deprive Abiathar and induct Zadoch yea and appoint the Priests and Levites to their severall service as David Did not Hezekiah the same and that not by instinct as a type of I know not whom but still after the example of David who was not checked for it Why then should our Christian kings lose their rights which they partly execute by themselves and partly according to the lawes by their delegates and officers both in Church and Common-wealth It is true we may reade of the people to have some hand about Church officers in the scriptures as when Matthias was chosen and when the Deacons as they call them there were yea and in after times too till uproares tumults and seditions followed for want of those graces which the people in the Apostles times had but let them duely weigh that Christ hath left no precept for that no nor established practise in all Churches Yea such elections never were but when the Apostles were present with them yea the people must be confessed then to have extraordinary gifts they were baptized and the Holy Ghost came upon them and so to bee able to be assistant in choyce Yet these people did never assume it as a right in themselves but come to it upon the Apostles exhortations for the time being How slender therefore are such grounds which fell out in unimitable cases and when there was no Christian Magistrate to carry with them a continued right let good consciences guided by the Word of God judge I know not what the Brownists will say to this but I am sure they loade us with fresh burthens which presse us downe from being a true Ministery at least in the guilty They finde in many of our congregations wicked and ignorant Priests who pollute the whole worship of Christ and are these the true Ministers of Christ They are true Ministers of Christ if they minister the things of Christ truely true Word true Sacraments true Prayers according to the measure of the gift of Christ. There is a difference betwixt a good man and a true man so betwixt a good Minister and a true Minister I wish from my soule that this distinction need not and that all Presbyters and Bishops were both unreproveable in life and able to teach that so neither Brownists nor Atheists may have occasion to stumble at them But so long as Satan and hypocrisie are in the Church there will bee such annoyances Yet Gods people must not abhorre the sacrifices for the wickednesses of Elyes sonnes if they doe they sinne as God hath said Put case they be wicked Priests yet may they performe the true service of Christ Iesus Disciples baptized sufficiently I hope and Iudas was one of them yet himselfe was a Divell The Priests and Levites of old offered sacrifices celebrated Sacraments whereby the faithfull had their faith confirmed yet too many of them were too wicked Christs ordinances have their efficiencie from him not from them that serve about them The garden may bee watered and made fruitfull by water that runs thorow a woodden gutter yet that not a whit the better but the worse for it The Sunne may give us comfortable light thorow a sluttish and noysome window yet that never the better by it The field may bring forth a goodly crop though sowed with a durty hand The Bell may call us to the Church though it never enter it selfe but by the sound The Well may yeeld excellent water though it have much mud Therefore though such Preachers are odious yet how can the people refuse the holy things of God which come truely from them They will if they deserve hanging receive the Kings pardon whosoever writes or brings it to them They have deserved worse Hell will they refuse the seale of a pardon from a wicked Priest Put case they be ignorant Priests though blessed be God that cloud was never better blowne over I hope they know how to preach the Word and administer the Sacraments truely The Disciples were not such excellent Clearkes when they baptized Though they were initiated in Christs Schoole examine whether they did not doe it before they were sent to preach They baptized before Iohn was cast into prison and Christ did not begin to preach himselfe publikely before Iohn was imprisoned and after that he sent his Disciples to preach what they were that went with Peter to Cornelius let them certainly tell me The Text calls them certaine brethren yet when Peter had preached to Cornelius and those about him hee commanded them to be baptized who baptized them As yet there was no communion betwixt the faithfull and the Gentiles and onely certaine brethren went with Peter and no Deacons chosen but them at Ierusalem I doubt they will not find such clearkship in them Thus I answer them not to uphold an ignorant ministery I abhorre it from my soule or to beare with private persons medling with the holy things of God for our Church government is against it But partly because the Word saith that God hath set in the Church helps or helpers to be assistant in reading and in ministring of the Sacraments to teachers and partly because none should thinke no Sacraments true Sacraments except administred by learned Clearkes fully able to teach But now to let all things passe which are gone for this time the Brownists will have about with our Ministery if it be but for our maintenance Our maintenance is a Jewish and ceremoniall maintenance namely Tythes which are fitter for the ministers of Antichrist whose Religion hath a mixture of Judaisme in it then for the Ministery of Christ They will not deny that they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel this Christ hath ordained and not man Nor will they deny that the Apostle proves by the Law and Leviticall practice that the Ministers of the Gospel must have maintenance from the Church Neither will they deny that he that laboureth in the Word and doctrine is worthy of double honor must be communicated unto by him that he teacheth in all good things But yet they doe not love to heare of these Iewish Tythes I would aske them this one question They say they must doe nothing about the worship of God or for the support and maintenance of it but what they must have a particular warrant from the Word of God for Well then seeing God doth require that Pastours should bee maintained honourably by a communicating in every good thing let them tell me how they will satisfie their consciences in the particular quantity they must bestow upon them Some men will say one thing some another but how will conscience be satisfied that it may dye in the peace of justice and charity The Scripture speakes not of any other particular quantity but