the dead especially tended For which purpose let any man of a reasonable judgment consider whether it be more convenient to bring a dead Corps in a dumb show to the grave and cover it with earth then to hear those Lessons and Psalms sounded in their ears that may put them in minde of their estate and condition both now and hereafter At that time our hearts softned with mourning are become more malleable and the Lessons then heard and exemplified by the sight of our departed brother may make the deeper impression Say then there were no more but this in it viz. a discharge from the imputation of rudenesse and incivility which Christianity teacheth no man to those bodies which shall have their part in the resurrection yet I see no cause why these exiquies should be so cast aside reviled imputed to us David himself followed the Beire of Abner and lift up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner and the King lamented over Abner and said dyed Abner as a fool dieth 2 Sam. 3.31 32 33 34. c. where we have not a dumb shew but words of commendation expressed over the dead I never conceived that the mourning for Jacob at the threshing floor of Atad was a silent spectacle seven dayer it continued Gen. 50.10 11 and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation insomuch that the Canaanites called the place Abel-Mizraim Now that such mournings may be accompanied with words is evident by the Lamentations of Jeremy which was composed as it were a Funeral Sermon for the good King Josiah For Jeremy lamented for Josiah 2 Chr. 35.25 and all the singing men and singing women spake of Josiah in their Lamentations to this day and made them an Ordinance in Israel and behold they are written in the Lamentations God never ordained that his servants should be laid in their graves with the burial of an asse And the fear that some men conceive that we be thought to pray to or for them over whom or near whose Hearse or toward whom we thus pray is a mormo fit to scare children When 't is sufficiently testified even by the prayers set out to be then read that we pray not for the dead but comfort the living with hope of the resurrection and expectation of the consummation of all things 7. Idol-sureties of Godfathers and Godmothers Of the antiquity and benefit of these sureties Godfathers and Godmothers I have said sufficient in my Catechisme pag. 11. whether I refer you But now I wonder why you should call them Idol-sureties If you had only noted them for their idlenesse and carelessenesse in that they take so little care for the Religious education of those for whom the Church accepts them as sureties I would not have gain-said you but lamented it But that you make them Idols is unsufferable for what is an Idol it is nothing in the world a meer invention and fiction of mans brain set up to be an object of adoration and were these brought in for any man to worship what child was ever encouraged to adore his Godfathers and Godmothers But to make the best of it the calmest meaning of this odious word can be but this that many have given these an higher estimation than they deserve So you have done to many things to Preaching to Ruling Elders to your Combinational Church to your Ministerial Pulpit and yet I know it would sound very harsh in your ears if we should fix the name of Idol before them How would you storme to hear of Idol-preaching Idol-Elders Idol-Combinational Church Idol-Ministerial-Pulpit And yet there is as much reason for the one as the other For if the estimation of any thing beyond that it ought will presently make it an Idol you have made Idols of all these and so are equally guilty of Idolatry with us 8. Or groundlesse application of publick or private Baptisme unto the infants of profane parents Mr. Matthews and if none but Christs faithful friends and followers were admitted to be fed or physick'd at his supper feast The Reply That this popular exception put in as a a bar of applying the Sacraments to infants of Christians and other persons may be removed necessary it is that we fetch our principles farther then at the first view may seem requisite for we must look as farre as Abraham when God renewed his Covenant with man the words are I will establish my Covenant betwixt me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting Covenant Gen. 17.7 to be a God to thee and to thy seed after thee That is whereas other Nations have their several gods yet I will be thy God thou shalt have no other Gods but mâ— and I will be a God unto thee for I will reveal my will unto thee according to which thou oughtest to live for I will write it in thy heart Heb. 8.10 11. Secondly I will pardon thy transgressions and be merciful to thy unrighteousnesse and sinnes ver 12. Thirdly I will give grace or strength which though it may not enable thee to live without sinning yet such as is sufficient to performe what is necessary under this Covenant Rom. 10.8 Deut. 30.11 14. This Covenant I make with thee but not with thee only but with thy seed Now can we but know who was this seed we might easily discern to whom this Covenant doth extend In the primary sense thereof it was Christ Gen. 3.15 Gal. 3.16 For this Covenant was made in Christ sealed in his blood and in him made Yea and Amen verifyed and ratifyed Secondly thy seed takes in all men whether Jew or Gentile as Saint Paul evidently proves Rom. 4. For Abraham had two kind of sonnes ex carne or ex fide of the flesh and under the Law as the Jews Rom. 4.8 9. of faith and under the regiment of the Spirit as the Gentiles also For is this blessing come on the circumcision onely or the uncircumcision also For we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousnesse and that it was reckoned so to him when he was in uncircumcision evident it is that it belonged to the uncircumcised as the Apostle argues The Covenant we see and with whom it is made Abraham and with his seed the Jew and to all that are a farre off even as many as the Lord our God shall call as Saint Peter openeth the promise Acts 2 39. Now let us see upon what conditions this Covenant was made with Abraham that is expressed also Gen. 17.1 Walk before me and be thou perfect which is also required of all his seed if they mean to have benefit by the Covenant They then are to walk before God in faith and obedience as Abraham did and be perfect not that either can be exact and perfect in this life but it is required by this Covenant that we become new creatures renewed in sincere honest and faithful obedience to the
whole Gospel In a word the condition required of us is faith hope charity self-denial repentance a careful and industrious husbanding of Gods grace daily prayer for daily encrease and attending diligently to the means of grace To strengthen the faith of Abraham and his seed in the assurance of what was promised and for a memorial of what was to be performed it pleased God to have a seal set in his flesh and in the flesh of his seed for that time which was circumcision To this seal all the males of the Jews had a right and this seal was cut into them yea and as many Proselytes also who were content to become proselytae foederis Proselytes of the Covenant The other whom they call'd the Proselytes of their gates they entred them into the Covenant and bound them to the observation of the seven Commandments of Noah by a kinde of purification by water and the blood of oblation in the same kinde as they admitted their women The Covenant is the self-same under the Gospel that then God made with Abraham on the same conditions of the same extent only it hath another seal theirs was circumcision and ours baptisme the cutting of the flesh gave entrance to them the washing by water gives an entrance and admission to us And about this the question is whether it be to be with-held from the children of any who bear the name of Christians And it is observable how this question fiâ—st grew and what progresse it had At first some good-minded men set it on foot being occasioned by the children of professed Pahists living among them whom they conceived to be Idolatrous and consequently out of Covenant this caused Farel to write to Calvin about it Calvin Ep. 149. whose answer to him is this but not sound Where both the parents are Popish we think it an absurd thing for us to baptize them which are not members of our body and sith Papists children are such we see not how it should be lawful for us to administer Baptisme unto them But sounder by much is that answer of the Ecclesiastical Colledge of Geneva unto Knox who scrupled at the same and grew more rigid and wrote to them that he held it not only unlawful to baptize the children of Idolaters but even Bastards Ep. 283. and excommunicate persons till reconciled to the Church To whom they returned this sentence that wheresoever the profession of Christianity hath not utterly perished and been extinct Ep. 285. infants are beguiled of their right if the common seal be denied them which conclusion as I will by and by prove is sound But I go on for the mistake staid not here for when it came to Mr. Cartwright Anvil he beat it broader for he asserted that none might receive the Sacrament of Baptisme but they whose Parents at least the one of them are by the soundnesse of their Religion and by their vertuous demeanours known to be men of God Hook lib. 5. pag. 155. and by this rule the children of those they called Hereticks Misbelievers and Profane livers also came to be excluded Next the Brownist took it up and conveyed it over to you of the Combinational Church both imparting Baptisme to very few infants Burtons vindication pag. 62. viz. to those alone whose immediate Parents are members of their Congregation Out of you arise the Anabaptists and they peremptorily deny the Baptisme of all infants born to the members of the Combination or to any other till they are able to give an accompt of their faith and enter into a Church Covenant for themselves At last the Shaker comes upon the Stage and gives out of his Cup of trembling a vomit to all Ordinances these are outward Rites Baptisme the Eucharist needlesse seals to any old or young since he and his company are inwardly sealed by the Spirit This was the stratageme of that old Serpent for had he presented this bewitching position to the world at fiâ—st in the last ugly shape it now appears he knew that all men would have with honour heard it therefore he insinuated it and caused it to be taken down by certain gulps steps and degrees that the potion might be swallowed and the poyson not at all perceived Now this errour that I call it no worse in some hath been nourished in that they have not fully weighed the purport of this distinction of the mystical and visible body of Christ This is but one and we usually call it the Church which contains in it two sorts of people either outward Professours or true inward believers These last belong to the mystical body of Christ which therefore is called mystical because the mystery of their conjunction is altogether removed from sense in these their love is sound and sincere and comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned and they no doubt do and shall obtain whatsoever was made over by the second Covenant Those outward professours who either before Christs coming or since his appearing in the flesh have been called by the name of Christians we call the visible body because being Jews or Gentiles they are incorporated into one body have but one Lord whose servants they professe themselves to be have one faith which they all acknowledge one Baptisme by which they are all initiated For although we know the Christian Faith and allow it we are then but entring entred we are not into this visible Church till our admittance by the dore of Baptisme and who they are that enter that way is very well known even to the eye whence we usually call these the visible Church which is not so to be understood as if those of the invisible Church were not visible Christians also For both moleties whether mystical or visible as touching their profession are the object of the eye easie it is for any man to say this man is a Christian that man a Heathen But this distinction ariseth from the sincerity or unsincerity of the professours because we are never able to see and discern who they are that sincerely professe the Truth therefore we call these invisible but because we are easily able to judge of the men who enter by Baptisme therefore the whole is called a visible Church In whomsoever therefore is found the profession of one Lord one Faith one Baptisme those the Church doth acknowledge for her children and all those none of hers in whom they are not found as Jews Turks Heathens c. Others for their external profession are Christians and are of the visible Church of Christ And among these there are some who professe the Truth but not wholly and entirely and these are Hereticks some that professe the whole saving Truth but not in unity and these are Schismaticks some that professe the whole saving Truth in unity but not in sincerity and sanctity and these are hypocrites and profane persons others that professe the whole saving Truth in unity
30. Bede lib. 2 c. 2. Galfr. Monum lib. 11. cap. 12. Godw. page 45. But the answer which the British Bishops gave to Austin being summoned to give him a meeting where by perswasions threats and all manner of means he endeavoured to draw the Britaine Bishops to an entire conformity to the Church of Rome is so clear an evidence that I cannot see how it can be evaded for the answer was short and peremptory that they might not submit themselves to him having an Arch-Bishop of their own c. And in a second meeting being offended with his pride Sir H. Spelman Conc. Britan An. 590. ex Manusc Saxon. Bed lib. 2. c. 2. Bale Cent. 1. fol. 35. Bede lib. 2. c. 2. because he would not rise to them at their coming into the Assembly they gain-said him in every thing for say they si modo nobis assurgere noluit quanto magis si ei subjici ceperimus nos pro nihilo contemnet This repulse occasioned the slaughter of the Monks of Bangor over whom Dinoth was the Caenobiarcha as Bale calls him who as it is supposed was that holy man in Bede that taught them how to discern whether he was sent of God to them or no. For saith he if he be a meek and an humble man it is an evident signe that he bears the yoke of Christ and offers the same to you but if he be stout and proud he is not of God you may be sure and his deportment was such as I said which alienated the Bishops minds and the Monks with them Our adversaries of Rome take it very ill that Austin should be thus accused of pride and cruelty and use all their wits in his excuse They would perswade us he was dead when this Massacre was committed but Bishop Juel hath evidently confuted their allegations and made it appear that in that Warre he was alive Juel defens Apolog quinta pars cap. 1. divisio prima and the instigator of it Had you then set the saddle upon the right horse and fixed those Epithites of proud and profane upon Austin you had some colour for it But to fasten it upon the whole order upon Arch-Bishops and Metropolitans for one mans sake is want of charity of which he was not the founder neither in this Land as I have proved to you Nor Fox nor any English Historians nor Evagrius say any such thing Evagrius could not for nor Gregory was Bishop of Rome nor Austin sent hither when he writ ended his History All that Fox or any other Historian can say is that Austin was the first Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and that shall readily be yielded you now when I hear how you can improve that concession to your advantage you shall receive an answer I could if I pleased anticipate your objections but I will not now do it because I hasten to what follows SECT VI. The words of the Letter THe fourth degree of the Combinational Churches infamous defection was its notably naughty enlarging it self into a National Church where and whence without controversie arose that Jewish imitation and irregularly Religious observation of five frivolo s and foundationlesse customes and traditions of which the first was of National times as the fifty yearly Festivals or holy working-dayes Cursed-Masse Candle-Masse c. The second was of National places as the Consecrated meeting houses Porches Chancels and Church-yards The third was of National persons as the Universal Preachers Office-Priests Half-Priests or Diocesan Deacons The fourth was of National pious performances as stinted Worship Quiristers singing of Psalmes with all the Rubrique Postures And the fifth was of National payments or spiritual profits as offerings tithes and mortuaries all which fruitlesse and fantastical fashions were the illegitimate legal off-spring of National Parliaments in this and in the Neighbor-Nations Witnesse the publick Acts Statutes and other Ordinances in that behalf The Reply SIr that affection which I have alwayes borne you as a friend and that duty which I owe you as a Christian moves me in plain words to tell you that the indulgence you bear to the Combinational Church hath in this Paragraph transported you beyond the bounds of moderation and truth For to omit your common Sophisme petitio principii which is the foulest in all Logick that there was at first a Combinational Church and that this did precede a National which is as if you should say the parts are before the whole when the contraty in nature hath hitherto been received for truth that omne totum sive universale sive integrale est prius partibus But to omit this you over-load your assertion with many unnecessary Epithets and those sometimes unapt whereas attributes are ornaments and where they are not decently affixed they become our speech no more than a fair gold lace doth a coarse garment or a rich jewel fastned to a straw hat Thirdly the five frivolous customes and traditions you reckon up are no proper accidents of the National Church but were common to the Provincial Cathedral and Parochial and so no distinct notes to know that the National Church was corrupted more than they should I yield them to be corruptions Lastly you say they were brought in by a Jewish imitation which if granted it would not at all help your cause as I will after make appear These are your undertakings in this Section and I shall not need to analyse it as I have done before because you have methodiz'd it to my hand for which I thank you The first thing then I shall prove unto you is that there is such a thing as a National Church and that it was before your Combinational so that it cannot be true which you affirme that the fourth degree of the Combinational Churches defection was its notably naughty enlarging it self into a National Church 1. That there is a National Church and that this was first is consonant to Scripture to reason to experience 1. FIrst it is very consonant to Scripture God after Adams fall made a Covenant with mankinde for salvation The seed of the woman shall break the serpents head The words of the Covenant were obscure and therefore God was pleased to adde light to them Gen. 3.15 Gen. 12.3 Gal. 3.8 in that promise he made to Abraham In thy seed i. e. Christ shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed That this promise was made to the Church is beyond all question and who were this Church but all Nations not to Abrahams seed after the flesh Rom. 4.13 9.8 but to Abrahams seed through the righteousnesse of faith was the promise made not to the Jewes but to the Gentiles also was the promise made and both go here under the name of Nations and what should hinder now but the Church into which both should be gathered should be called a National Church The argument is drawn à Denominatis Natio is Denominaus National denominativum Jewes and Gentiles Denominatum