28. P. Piâ—s the second u Abbaâ— Vespersâ—nâ—is p. 443. and Others In conclusion then seeing the hearing of vnlawfull Ministers is flat against scripture articles as we haâ—e partly manifested and God willing more will doe we â— must 〈◊〉 as Ierome x in Mat. 23 speakes it though it should in the meane time be iustified and practised by many Churches and people The second thing which he desires may be noted is that this hearing was not in the iudgement of the Church esteemed as a thinge that might not be borne with all Answ 1 The doctrine of the Nicolaitans which was a Trenan l. 1 27. Epiphanc 1. Tom. 1. Eâ—â—â—â— 3. 29. that adulterie and fornication were no sinnes and that men might communicate with the sacrifices of Idolaters in their idol temples was not in the iudgment of the Churches at Pergamos and Thyatira esteemed as a thing that might not be borne withall was the same therfore good indeed such a conclusion we must either here gather from his wordes or conclude he knew not well what he wrote 2. To the iudgement of that Church when they wrote to London I may oppose their former and better iudgment ffor with reverence to the Phrase from the beginning this was not soe ffor in their constitution and many yeares after they held * Remember therfore from vvhâ—nce thou art fallen and repent and doe the first vvorkes Reu. 2. 5. hearing of vnlawfull Ministers a very vnlawful practise And so much appeares in sundry passages Published to the world by the Pastor himselfe And for the Readers better satisfaction I thinke it not amisse to sert downe their Owne words Those b Munumission to a manuduction pag. 5. who partake in the worke of Preaching of one sent by the Bp DOE PARTAKE IN WHAT LYETH JN THEM IN THE AVTHORITY OF THE SENDER Againe The authorite of Ministers in their Parishionall Churches c Page 4. may not be by Gods people partaken with no not in actions otherwise Lawfull vnder the paines of Babilons Plagues Againe in another booke d Religious Communion pag. 20. thus they write Let all them that feare God consider that when they come to worship in the Parish Assemblyes they joyne themselues where God hath not joyned them and doe acknowledge that societie for the Church of God and communion of saints which he hath not sanctifyed for that purpose and in saying ourfather with them they acknowledge them for the children of God who in the perswation of their consciences are of their father the divel And in the same booke a little after e pag. 32. Their very administrations by vnlawfull calling are the sinnes and so to PARTAKE WITH THEM IN THEIR ADMINISTRATIONS IS TO PARTAKE WITH THEM IN THEIR SINNES contrary to Timot. 5. 22. Reu. 14. 4. In their answere to Maister Barnerds booke thus they write largesie of this point f Justification of Separat pag. 78. 79. 80. â—e also page 17. 162. 276. 433. Some of which is as followeth But the thing which most grieves Mr. B and at which he hath greatest indignation Pap. 62. is that we will not heare his sermons though he preach nothing but the true word of God And so he desires to heare of vs where the hearing of the true word of God onely preached is sinn and forbidden by Christ or the Prophets or Apostles For answer hereof I would know first whether Mr. B. speaking here and in many other places of the true Word of God do means that God hath a true word and a false word or rather bewray not an accusing conscience that they in England have not the true word truely taught that is in a true office of Ministery Now for the demaund referring the reader for more full satisfaction to that which hath bene published at large by others I do answer that as it was vnlawfull to * Nâ—mb 16. 2. Câ— 26. 1 King 12. communicate with Corah or with vzziah though they offered true sacrifices so IS IT VNLAWFVL TO COMMVNICATE WITH ADEVISED MINSTERY WHAT TRVTH SOEVER IS TAVGHT IN IT Secondly the Lord hath promised no blessing to his word but in his owe ordinance though by his superaboundand mercy he oft tymes vouchsafe that which no man can chalendg by any ordinary promise Thirdly * no man may partake in other mens sinns â—â—m 5. 12. but euery Ministery eyther devised or vsurped is the sinn of him which exerciseth it Rev. 18. 4. And as no good subject would assist or communicate with any person in the administration of civil Justice to the Kings subjects no not though he administred the same never so equally and indifferrently except the same person had commission from the King so to do so neyther ought the subjects of the kingdome of Christ to partake with any person whomsoever in the dispensation of any spirituall thing though in it self never so holy withot sufficient warrant and commission from the most absolute and sovereigne King of his Church Christ Iesus And where Mr. B. speaks of hearing the true word of God only preached he intimates therin that if we would heare him preach it would satisfy him well and so teacheth vs with himselfe and others to make a schisme in the Church in vsing one ordinance and not an other It is all one whether a man communicate with the minister in his pulpit or with the Chauncelor in his consistory both of them minister by the same power of the Bishop The Chauncelor may iudge justly who knowes whither or no the Minister will teach truely And if he doe not but speak the vision of his owne heart what remedy hath the Church or what can they that hear him do May they rebuke him openly according to his sin and so bring him to repentance or must they not beare his errors yea his heresyes also during the pleasure of the Bishops even their Lord his And would you Mr. B. be content your people should heare a masse-Priest or Jesuite though he professed as loud as you do that he would teach the true word of God And think not scorne of the match for you haue the selfe same office with a masse Preist though refyned If he be ordayned by a Bishop though it be the Bishop of Rome he may minister in any Church of England by vertue of that ordination Andbesides masse-Preists preach some and those the mayne truthes and the Ministers in England neither do nor dare preach all no nor some which it may be the others do Is it not better then for the servants of the L. Iesus to exercise and aedify themselves according to the model of grace receaved though in weaker measure then to be so simple as to come to your feasts though you cry never so loud vnto them thinking that because your stoln waters are sweet and your hidden bread pleasant that they have no power to passe by but must needs become your guests And here
make a true Church That the Archbishops and Bishops of England deriue their lineal successions and Episcopal dignitie from St. Peters Chaire and the verie Sea of Rome and that we should not acknowleidge them for Bishops in case they either did not or could not doe soe That the Pope of Rome or papacy is not the Antichrist nor Antichrist yet come or reuealed That Crucifixes and Images in Churches are lawfull and necessarie comlie ornaments That Christ is really present vpon earth on the high Altar and Communion table That Communion tables are Altars Ministers of the Gospel Priects serving at the Altar the Sacrament of the Lords supper the Sacrament of the Altar and may yea ought so to be phrased That men ought to bow to Altars Communion-tables and to place rayle them in Altar-wise at the east end of the Church and come up to them and receiue when there is a Sacrament and that Ministers must read their second seruise at them when there is none That auricular confession to a Preist and absolution are very fitting and necessarie That the Lords day is no Sabbath That it is lewish to call it or keepe it as a Sabbath That it is not of divine but humaine institution not with in the morality of the 4. commaundement That two howres only of it is to be sanctified not the whole day That Morises dauncing sports and pastimes yea labours of mens calling not speciallie prohibited by 〈◊〉 â—â—maine lawes even out of cases of necessitie are lawfull on it That men may fall totally finally from Grace That they haue freewill and may exactly fulfill the Law of God if they please themselves That men are justified by workes yea by charitie and not by faith alone That men are elected from the foresight of faith and workes and reprobated only out of the foresight of their sinnes That there is a vniversall grace given to all men whereby they may be saued if they will That Christ died alike for all men whatsoeuer That preaching is an extraordinary thing * VVelfare the Bishops vvho are true to their ground for it is an extraordinary thing vvith them to proach only for extraordinary times and belonging to none but extraordinary men That one Sermon in a month is enough and better then two a day That reading is properly preaching That Archbishops Bishops Episcopall jurisdiction and degree aboue other Ministers is jure divino That the Ministers know more then the Lay-people the Bishops more then the Ministers the Archbishops more then the Bishops And therefore what ever the Ministers shall teach or prescribe the people what ever the Bishops the Ministers people what ever the Archbishops the Bishops Mininisters people too are bound to beleeve obey without further question or dispute That the Popes Lawes Decrees Canon Lawes are still in force our Church ought to be governed by them our Ecclesiasticall Courts proceed lecally according to them That Bishops have power to make publish Articles Canons Injunctions Oathes Rites Ceremonies in their owne names rights and to enforce both Ministers people to obey them That they may silence suspend excommunicate yea deprive imprison Ministers at their at their pleasure without any legall cause That Bishops are not bound to preach so much or so oft as other men though they have greater wages and so should doe more worke That they may Lawfully and laudablie neglect their spirituall functions to mannage temporall Offices and affaires exercise both Swords at once and rule both Church and State together Now that the Reader may be sure what I here set downe is true let him peruse a Booke entituled the Quench-Coale and there he shall finde all these Assertions affirmed in an Epistle written unto the King 5. Whereas he saith in a Church that is false in respect of outward Order there may be taught many sound and seasonable truths This I grant for Iesuites and other Heretickes deliver oft-times many true Doctrines And what of this may we therefore Lawfully heare them In no cause For as one a Vsus est Nabuchodonosor Musicis InstrumeÌ„tis in erectione statuae ut homines ad ejus honorem venerationem excitaret Pintus Comment in Dan. cap. 3. pag. 195. saith of the Musicall Instruments which Nabuchadnezzar had in the plaine of Dura they were brought thither that men thereby might be the sooner drawne to honour and worship the goulden Image So truly are the Truths taught in false Churches a bewitching Musick to lead people unto them and to cause them to fall downe before the Idols of the place set up by Worldly Princes against the expresse Commaundement of Iesus Christ Againe howsover the Priests he pleads for Preach sometime sound truths notwithstanding otherwhile they speake vaine and foolish things Mr. Fox b Acts Monum pag. 1027 reports of one Hostius who being in Gaunt was tould that a certaine Fryer there used to preach good and sound Doctrine But when he came to his Church he heard him justifie Transubstantion and nothing else And the like comes many times to passe that men reputed rare Preachers make whole Sermons in defence of grosse Idolatry and speake most reproachfully against the way and worship of God This being so I would know of the Pist if a man be present when such blasphemous Positions are delivered whether he offend If he say No then it followes that a man may heare any one and any where and his distinction between hearing this Priest and not that is nihil adversum impertinent and idle If he say Yes then it must follow from his owne grant that no falâ—e Minister is to be heard unlesse a man know before hand that he will not speake perverse things SECTION 4. THat the Church here pleaded for is Antichristian and false the Epist doth acknowledge Yet saith he that worshipping of God which consisteth in hearing his Word is warrantable for us to doe there And so much he undertakes to prove by this Argument That Preaching which ordinarily begits men to the faith of Christ may lawfully be heard But the Preaching of many Ministers in the Church of England hath and doth ordinarily beget men to the faith of Christ Therefore the Preaching of many Ministers in England may lawfully be heard The first part of this sillogisme is proved out of Rom. 10. Where the Apostle telling what is the ordinary way God used to beget men to the faith of Christ telles us it comes by hearing of the word of God preached if faith comes by hearing the Word of God preached to wit if that be the outward meanes then there is no question but that a man may heare such preaching and any man may blush for shame that shall deny this So that the major part of the Argument is cleare And for the Minor parte they can not deny it no more then a man at noon day can deny the sunne to shine for if
respect of fayth and doctrine If he grant this as needes he must vnlesse he haue their spirit whome the Apostle h 1 Pet. 2 10 termeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prosumptuous and selfe-willed note then the consequence as his respects are foolish so the Church he pleads for hearing in is false in both his two respects The reason is because the Israelites when they worshipped at Dan and Bethel were not in respect of faith and doctrine to vse his termes more corrupt then the other now is And because he vndertakes nudo capite bare-faced and bouldlie to defend Antichrists cause we shall exspect in his next Pistle-making some thing from him which hitherto no man hath attempted that is to answere M r. Ainsworth i Iâ—roboamâ—â—â—pology in his Arrovv against idolatry and the non-conformists k Course of Conformity p. 161 162 who affirme that the Apostate Jewes could justifie their way and course of religion as well if not better then the other In short therefore if he can shew vs what essentiall truths his disordered Church retaineth or grosse errours reiecteth wherein we cannot manifest that the other went as farre For my part I will freelie confesse my errour in beeing a long time perswaded omnia similia that they are both alike one no better then the other 3. Are the Lords ordinances with the Pist only matter of order What is the Church of Christ his ministerie the right administrations of the Sacraments Censures no points of fayth oh fearefull saying Not only is there wrong here don to the scriptures but also to many worthy Christians For were this true they haue sunne in vaine their suffrings haue been invaine I meane our predicessors and others who haue suffered joyfullie the spoyling of their goods spilling of their blood c. I say for this which according to his writing is no point of faith and doctrine But we need not wonder that Gods house and his Ordinances are thus slighted of him doe not all adulterers after they haue sett their vncleane affections on strangers thinke meanlie of their own wiues disgrace them what they can so doe Idolaters c. Now I doe not know this gentleman excluded one man that hath affirmed that the whole outward worshipp of God to be no point of faith Cartwright speaking of this termes it the substance of the Gospel k T. C. l. 1 pag. 48 Pag. 26 And in the same answere to Whitgyfe he writes thus You say that in matters of faith and necessarie to saluation it holdeth which thinges you oppose afterwards and sett against matters of ceremonies orders discipline and Government as though matters of discipline and kind of government were not matters necessarie to saluation and of faith The case which you put whether the Bishop of Rome be head of the Church is a matter that concerneth the Government kind of Government of the Church aud the same is a matter that toucheth faith and that standeth vpon our saluation Excommunication and other censures of the Church which are fore-runners vnto excommunication are matters of discipline and the same are also of Faith and Saluation The sacraments of the Lord his Supper and of Baptisme are ceremonies and are matters of Faith and necessarie to salvation So Fenner l Difence of Eccles discipl pag. 33 certaine points of discipline are of necessitie to salvation in such absolute degree of necessitie as is of any ordinarie outward meanes Of which sore is the ministerie of the word and of the sacraments and of the censures of the Church Others of the Non-conformists I could alleidge which say the same as Parker m De pol. Eccles l. 1 c. 11 pa. 30 Traverse n Necessitie of discip p. 21. Vdal o Demonst discipl pref Baines p Dioces Trial. pa. 50. Bates q Pa. 60 Yea and Conformists too as Bilson r Perpet Govern ch 1 p. 3 Whitgyft s Treat 2 c. 1 divis 2. pa. 80 Sutclift t Câ—â—t Bez. c. 2 p. 32 Loe u Compl. of the Church p. 60 Adde to these Scultingius x Hierar Anacr l. 9. p. 1 the Papist Who cals Ecclesiasticall Politie the soule joynts and synews of the Church Besides howsoever the Pist puts out the whole externall worship of God from beeing points of faith yet the Reformed Churches in France y Art 25 and the Low cuntries z Art 30 doe put this in as an article of their faith To be short that which he cals order is in the Treatisers a Iustif separ p. 348 opinion absolutely necessarie to the Church an essentiall propertie And as D. Ames b De consc l. 4 c 24. p. 214 saith it cannot be a true Church that wants it For by this the parts and members thereof are knit together And this is true as in divinitie so in Philosophie For Forme according to Aristotle c 3 Phis 3 5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the reason of the essence Another Euerie thing is senceable by matter and intelligible by forme d Averr in 1. de Calo. As thinges by the light are decerned so we vnderstand the matter by its forme e Boeth de vnit It is a knowne Tenent Forme guies to things being distinction and operation So Keckerman f Syst Theol. l. 1. c. 17. p. 161 Timpler g Metaph l. 3 c. 2. Prâ—bl 71 72. Câ—â—rlm h C. 6 pag. 35 Scallger i Ex. 6 S. 3. and others 4. Seeing he holds it vnlawfull to goe vnto any Church which is false in respect of order and doctrine it must needs follow that all Antichristian Assemblies are to be wholy left because they are false in both these respects And touching the Church of England here pleaded for what notorious errours and abuses she mainteaneth and practiseth may be seen in her Convocation-Canons visitations Articles the English masse booke their manner of making of Bishops Priests and Deacons To let passe the many scoores of heathenish Iewish and poopish superstitions which the Nonconformists * See Souldier of Barvvick Table haue in printed bookes branded her for And that the measure of her iniquitie Syons pleà may come to a speedie fulnes Admonitions to the Parliament Altar of Damascus and other of their bookes Let the Reader obserue the multitude of grosse errours which she hath added latelie to the former And these not onelie in printed bookes the high commission sermons in the court city vniversity cuntry averred but also allowed them by publick authority among sundry other Romish erronious positions these p Sec Chovvne Reeve Pocklinton Heylen B. VVhite B. Mountagùe Shelford Pâ—imerose Laurence Studly Coale from the Altar Bishcp VVren other Prelates their visitation Articles The Church of Rome is a true Church That she hath neuer erred in fundamentals no not in the worse times That personal succession of Bishops is requisite and essential to