following Treatise proues the contrarie then it vvere good for euery church that will auoid communion with profane men to meete in priuate and then to shut their dore when their own compagnie is meet together else I cannot see how they can auoid hauing communion with wicked men to wit if beare hearing be an acte of communion Secondly as this hearing is not against any Article of their faith so likewise it was not in the iudgement of the church esteemed as a thing that might not be borne withall The letter you shall find after the Treatise this may appeare by a copy of a letter which we haue heer following published where the church in the counsell which they giue to the church of London do sufficiently make it appeare that their iudgement did manifestlie differ from those which now haue made this breach and which is well to be marked by the reader how that the church when this letter was write enioyed the Pastor and their company was fiue tymes greater then it was when this breach was made because these men in his their error are vvilling to retraine it and not being able to make any sufficient reply to the answere made in this Treatise to their obiections though the manuscript therof hath bene in their hands for many yeares yet because they will find somthing to say more then others haue done heretofore though of lesse force therefore they haue ioyned some new obiections which both the seducer and the seduced do thinke are vnanswerable therfore it will not be amisse for vs to propound them and to giue some answere to them that so if their stomachs serue they may reply to all at once First they obiect and say that we hold the church of England to be a false church and the Ministers thereof to be Antichristian and yet we go thither to worship the true God Before we answere directly to this objection we shall intreate the Reader and themselues to consider of this that followes First A church may be said to be false in diuers respects and according to those respects vve are to haue diuers Considerations thereof as first a church may be said to be false in respect of outward order to vvit vvhen a church is gathered together not according to the rule of Christ neither in their outward gouernement do they conforme therevnto now this church cannot be said to be the church of Christ being thus erected and gouerned contrary to the rule of Christ but is false and Antichristian and yet notwithstanding the faith professed by this church and the doctrines taught in this church may be sound and according to God Secondly a church may be false not onely in respect of outward order but likewise in respect of faith and doctrine Now to this latter vve counsell no man to go because from thence no good can be expected and that is the esteeme vve haue of the church of Rome But now as in a true church in respect of outward order there may be manie false doctrines taught so in a church that is false in respect of outward order there may be manie sound and seasonable truths taught and this esteeme vve haue of the preaching in England Namelie that the doctrine there taught according to the Articles of their faith is sound and the effects of it hath appeared in the vvorking of faith in the hearts of manie thousands For the outward order or meeting there as a church that concernes themselues and those that are in vnion vvith that church estate but not all that heare them Now that worshipping of God which consists in hearing his word is warrantable for vs to doe in England we proue it by this argument That preaching which ordinarily begets 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 proued out of Rom 10. where the Apostle telling what is the ordinary vvay God vses to beget men to the faith of Christ telles vs it comes by hearing of the vvord of God preached if faith comes by hearing the vvord of God preached to vvit 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 cannot deny it no more then a man at noon day can deny the sunne to shine for if any man make question whether faith comes ordinarily by the preaching and hearing in England it is a great question vvether they euer had faith or no yet because some are so grosse as to deny this we will therefore proue the contrarie by this Argument That preaching and hearing which makes them which were altogether carnall and so not capable of a church-estate to become saints so fit for a church-estate That preaching must needs beget men to the faith But the preaching and hearing in England made them that were vnfit carnall to become saints and so fit members to the true church which were not so before Therfore the preaching in England and hearing the same doth beget men to the faith That the preaching and hearing in England hath done this Witnesse the church of Leyden and of Amstelredam Let them tell vs where they receiued their faith if they say they had it not till they ioyned in these bodies how could they then be true to their owne grounds that none but visible Christians are fit matter for the church vvhereas none can be so esteemed except in the iudgement of charitie we iudge them to haue true faith But some of these that haue made this diuision haue not denyed but faith is wrought by the preaching and hearing in England and yet which is wonderfull contradiction they say it is not the vvord of God as it is there preached so that it seemes there is something besides the vvord of God which is an ordinary meanes to beget men to the faith and there is another vvord besides Gods vvord that vvill do it the like absurditie hath sildome bene heard from any that professe them selues to be Christians and that they may not seeme to say this vvithout some reason marke the reason that they bring to proue it say they we do deny that to be the vvord of God as it is there preached by a false Ministry though the vvord it selfe be of God yet as it is by them preached it is none of Gods vvord so Gods vvord here stands at fast and loose it is Gods vvord and it is not Gods vvord as if they should say it is Gods word if M r. Canne shall preach it but if another that is a Minister in England preach the same it is none of Gods vvord so
A TREATISE OF THE LAWFVLNES OF HEARING OF THE Ministers in the church of England penned by that learned and Reverent deuine M r. Iohn Robinsz late Pastor to the English church of God in Leyden Printed according to the Copie that was found in his studie after his decase and now published for the common good TOGETHER WITH A LETTER written by the same Authore and approued by his church vvhich followeth after this Treatise IOHN 7. 24. Iudge not according to pearance but Iudge righteous Iudgment Printed Anno 1634. THE PRINTERS TO the Christian Reader CHristian Reader How euer the verie naming of the Author of this following Treatise vvere sufficient reason for vs to publish this same vnto the vvorld in regard of those large abilities aboue many others vvhich the Lord had bestowed vpon him and in regard he being now at rest with the Lord and so hauing finished long since his course in this his pilgrimage vve cannot expect to haue any more vse of his helpe this waye and although it were great pittie that such a vvorke as this should be concealed for so long time considering the worke vvas perfected and vvritted by his owne hand and so found after his death which is nine yeares since in his studie yet haue we thought it good all this while to conceale it in respect of that desire vve had to the peace of that church whereof the Author of this Treatise vvas for so many yeares a Pastor In regard vve did perceiue that some though not manie vvere contrariâ— minded to the Authors judgement expressed in this Trtatise And this vve judge to be a sufficient reason of our so long delaying of publishing this Treatise to the world Yet to our griefe vve haue now just cause to put this same on foote For as vvhen a citie is in danger of enemies to be surprized it is then high time to take vp all those vvarrlike Munitions vvhich happily before that time vvere cast aside and not regarded that so they may the better maintaine their citie and the priuiledges of it against their enemies so vve judge it as necessarie if not more vvhen vve see the enemies of Gods church to incroach vpon the priuiledges of the same especiallie vvhen they ayme at the vtter ruinating of it that then it is high time for vs to defende the cause of Christ and it vvas the vvisdome of Iehojada the High Priest perceiuing the malice of Athalia seeking to destroy the vvhole seed of Iehosaphat to hide Ioash the right heyre of the Kingdome and vvhen he sawe a fit opportunitie then to reueale him and make him knowne so vve vvho haue obserued Athalias spirit in part to be in some vvho haue laboured to assume the power to themselues vvhich is proper to the church and so Diotrephes like vvould cast out vvhom they please and retayne vvhom they thought good and rather then they vvill be hindred in this their attempt they vvill labour to rent that church in pieces in vvhich they haue liued for manie yeares together and that vve may not seeme to accuse them of any thing vvithout just reason vve desire the Christian Reader and themselues to consider this that followes First their schisme or as they call it their leauing of the church doth arise vpon this occasion to wit that 2. which vvere members of the same church with them hauing vpon some occasion heard some of the Ministers in England preach and it coming to the knowledge of some of these vvho haue now made this rent the church they vvould presently haue these persons dealt vvithall as for sinne and if they did not repent after dealing they vvould haue the church to proceed to excomunicate them ipso facto vvhich the church not willing to consent vnto these men could not be satisfied but they vvould haue their owne vvilles done or els they vvould rent from the church vvhich proceeding of theirs if it vvere approued of and followed no church could long continue together in peace for vvhat these foure or fiue men haue done that may any other man doe so that if any man do conceiue any of his brethren to vvalke in any such sinne vvhich he judges doth deserue excomunication if the church will not thereto consent he may rent himselfe from the same Although the Author of this Treatise haue taught them otherwise to vvit that if the church see not that to be sinne vvhich I see to be a sinne I hauing informed the church thereof according to my place I haue disscharged my dutie and the sinnes lyes vpon the church if it be a sinne and not vpon me but it seemes these men do looke for that in the church on earth vvhich is onely to be found in heauen for themselues haue affirmed and that before diuers witnesses that there is no sinne small or great that is to borne vvithall and that the verie speaking of a vvord through fraylty about worldly businesses vpon the Sabbaoth day should haue as seuere a sentence as he that shall openly prophanely transgresse against the 4. Commandement the verie naming of with their opinion is sufficient to discouer their weaknes that we may yet further discouer these mens folly to the world more fully we will shew you how contrary they are to themselues in this their iudgment for as they say and do affirme that there is no sinne vvhich is to be borne withall in the church yet themselues or at least the chief of them do practise the contrarie as for example one in stead of manie may serue the turne The chiefe of Author of this trouble doth hold and so hath for manie yeares together to vvit that it is vnlawfull for the members of one church to haue communion with another church and yet not vvithstanding this his judgement he can beare vvith one vvho hath contrary to this his judgement practised and so professeth still to do vpon occasion and yet not vvithstanding his so practizing and so professing he is receiued among them and is their chiefe if not their onely Teacher which they haue So that vve may here easily perceiue that though this man doth vse Iehu's peace against the sinnes of others with whom he desires to be alienated yet he can beare vvith as great sinnes in others in his judgement vvith vvhom he desires to vvalke we could shew manie more reasons to proue his partialitie but then vve should exceed the bonds of an Epistle onely vve desire to giue the Reader to take notice of those two things First that this practize of hearing the Ministers of the church of England is not against any Article of faith vvhich is by this church professed vvhereof the Author of this Treatise vvas a Pastor it being no Act of Church Communion for if hearing simplie vvere an Act of Communion then euerie hâ—â—â—tique or Atheist or whatsoeuer he were that should come into the church of God should haue Communion vvith them vvhich if it vvere true as this
that mens outward callings true or false makes the vvord to be the vvord of God or not to be the vvord of God an assertion rather to be pitied then refuted being litle better then blasphemy that which they bring to make this assertion good to vvit that any man hauing an outward calling vvhich is vnlawfull makes the vvord of God vvhich he preacheth not to be the vvord of God and this say they to proue it it vvas true incense vvhich Nadab and Abihu tooke Lev. 10. 1. to offer vp to the Lord but because they tooke strang fire and not the fire vvhich vvas from the Altar as the Lord had appointed therefore the Lord sent a fire to destroy them so say they it is the true vvord of God which is preached in England but because they preach the same by an vnlawfull office therefore the Lord abhorres it A stranger collection I thinke can hardly by heard for here strang fire is opposed to an vnlawfull outward calling vvhich nothing can be more absurd for Nadab and Abihu had a true outvvard calling to offer they vvere the sonnes of Aaron saith the text therfore if any thing hence might be concluded in iust proportion it must be to the doctrine taught and not in the least to the calling so that vve may from thence gather thus much that if a Minister in regard of his outvvard calling true shall teach any thing that is not from the Lord they are to expect Gods iudgement for the same and more cannot hence be collected further let it be shewed that euer any prophet in the old or new Testament vvas euer termed a false prophet in respect of his outward calling but allwaies in respect of his doctrine vve can find that such as had true outvvard calling in the true church yet vvere false prophets in regard of their doctrine in many perticulers as Christ teaches concerning the Scribes and Pharises for their false expounding of the Law let them shew the like for outvvard callings Thus haue vve thought good hauing bene eare vvitnesses of these things here propounded to set downe our censure of them desyring the Lord to make this vvhole vvorke for the generall good now set forth take effect in those that loue the Trueth Fare you wel OF The lawfulnes of hearing the Ministers of the Church of England by Iohn Robinson AS they that affect alienation from others make their differences as great and the adverse opinion or practise as odious as they can thereby to further their desired victorie ouer them and to harden themselues and their side against them So on the contrarie they vvho desire peace and accord both interprete things in the best part that reasonnablie they can and seek hovv and vvhere they may finde any lavvfull dore of entry into accord agreement vvhat others Of vvhich latter number I professe my selfe by the grace of God both a companion and guide speciallie in regard of my christian countrimen to vvhom God hath tied me in so manie inviolable bonds accounting it a crosse that I am in any perticuler compelled to discent from them But a benefite and matter of reioiceng vvhen I can in any thing vvith good conscience vnite vvith them in matter if not in manner or vvhere it may be in both And this affection the Lord and my conscience are my vvitnesses I haue alvvaies norished in my breast euen vvhen I seemed furthest dravvne from them And so all that haue taken knovvledge of my course can testifie vvith mee and hovv I haue still opposed in others and repressed in mine ovvne to my povver all sovver zeale against and peremptorie rejection of such as vvhose holie graces chalenged better vse and respect from all christians And in testimonie of mine affection this vvay for the freeing of mine ovvne conscience and information of other mens I haue penned this discourse tending to proue the hearing of the vvord of God preached by the Ministers of the church of England able to open and applie the doctrines of faith by that church professed both lawfull and in cases necessarie for all of all sects or sorts of christians hauing opportunitie and occasion of so doing though sequestring themselues from all communion with the Hierachicall order there established Three sorts of opposites I make account to meet vvithall The first of them vvho truly desire and carefully endevour to haue their whole course both in religion and othervvise framed by the holy and right zeale of Gods Word either for their confirmation in the trueth or reformation vvherein through humane frailtie they step aside And vnto them especiallie I direct this my discourse begging at his hands vvho is the Father of lights Iem 1. 17 and from vvhom commeth downe euerie good and perfect gift for them as for my selfe that as he hath giuen vs to set our faces tovvards heauen and to seek him vvith the vvhole heart Psal. 119. 6. so he would not suffer vs to vvander from his commaundements to the right hand or to the left A second sort is of them vvhose tender and scrupulous conscience makes them fearefull and jealous of euerie thing vvhich hath in it the least appearāce or shevv of euil least comming too neare it they be defiled by it one vvay or other This their godly zeale and tender nes of heart is to be loued of all men and cherished by all good meanes Onely such are to be intreated for their ovvne good to take knowledge of a distinction most vsefull for their direction in things lawfull in their kinde and good in their right vse Of vvhich some are onely naturallie good in their kinde but not simply commaunded of God as to get and keep the riches and credit of the vvorld to enjoy outvvard peace or other bodly comfort Others are morallie good in their kinde and commaunded of God as to heare the vvord of God obey the Magistrate and the like Novv in things of the former sort it is verie requisite considering both their nature and ours that vve keep a jealous eye and strait hand ouer our selues and our waies For them they are not in their kinde enjoyned as the other neither do the scriptures any vvhere require of men to be rich or the like as they doe to hear Gods Word obey authoritie c. And for our selues we are proue and in danger to ouerstraint for the getting and enjoying of them as being naturallie pleasing good things So as if out of a godly jealousie ouer our hearts tovvards them vve keep not our selues from going too neer the side for the getting or keeping of them vve shall by one storme of temptation or other be blovvne in to the ditch of sin and destruction But now for the practise and performance of duties simplie morall and commaunded in their kinde as is the hearing of Gods Word speciallie by Gods people vve ought to strain to the vtmost and to go as neer the vvinde as may be seing
nothing but apparant sin in the vvay can excuse the vvithdravving from it vvhen occasioÌ„ of enjoying it is offred Oh that there vvere not to be found vvho being verie scrupulous of comming neer to any thing amisse in outvvard ordinances or to any person failing in them yet make no scruple of complying and conforming vvith the vvorld so farre in the eagre pursuit of wordlie profits immoderate vse of vvorldlie delights and fulfilling the lusts of the vvorld and flesh dvvelling in them as that there appears scarse an hayr-breath or difference betvveene them and meer vvorldlings vvhich know not God Which latter euils are both vvorse in themselues as being expreslie condemned by the lavv of God and light of nature and more odious in the persons as being more personall free and voluntarie then those in the other to vvhich they are carried by the violent courrent of the times A third sort of opposites I make account to meet vvith more vntractable then the former and more vehementlie bent against the thing propounded by me out of prejudice and passion then the other by scruple of conscience or shevv of reason To them I can hardlie say any thing it not being their manner to read or vvillinglie to hear that vvhich crosseth their prejudices yet something I must saic touching them out of the vvofull experience of manie yeares taken of them though not much I thanke the Lord amongst them vnto vvhom I haue ministred Some of these I haue found carried vvith so excessiue admiration of some former guides in their course as they think it halfe heresie to call into question any of their determinations or practises We must not thinke that onely the Pharisees of old and papists of later times are superstitiously addicted to the traditions of the elders and authoritie of the church In all Sects there are diuers speciallie of the vveaker sort vvho being the lesse reall in their conceptions are the more personall that rather chuse to followe the trodde of blinde tradition if beaten by some such foregoers as they admire then the right vvaie of Gods Word by others to be shewed them aftervvards Some again are as much addicted to themselues as the former to others conceauing in effect though they vvill not professe it the same of their owne heads vvhich the papists do of their head the Pope viz that they cannot erre or be deceaued and this speciallie in such matters as for vvhich they haue suffred trouble and affliction formerlie and so haueing bought them deare they valew them highly But it is to marchantlike to striue to ouer fell a thing vvhich vve haue formerlie ouer bought vve must buy the trueth and not fell it at any rate but must account nothing either true or good according to the valuation vvhich vve haue set vpon it but God There is also a third sort highly aduanceing a kinde of priuatiue goodnes and religion and vvho bend their force rather to the vveaking of other men in their courses then to the building vp of themselues in their owne and in trueth rather to seperation from men not onely in euill but euen in that vvhich is good for some other euill conceaued in them then to vnion vvith God and his people in his holie ordinances and halfe imagining that they draw neer enough to God if they can vvithdraw far enough from other men Great zeale they haue against the false church ministerie and vvorship so being or by them conceaued so to be and against any appearing euill in the true but litle for that vvhich is true and good as their practice manifests but euill is as contrarie to euill as good is to euil and so is that zeale plainlie carnall vvhich carries a man further against euill then for good seeing no euill is fo euill as good is good Fourthly there are some to be found so sowred vvith moodines discontentement as they become vnsociable almost Lukanthropoi Werewolfs as they speake if they se nothing lamentable they are readie to lament If they take contentment in any it is in them alone vvhom they finde discontented If they read any bookes they are onely invectiues speciallie against publique states and their gouernours All things tending to accord and vnion any manner of vvay are vnwelcome vnto them They haue their portion in Ismaels blessing Genes 16. 12. Lastly there vvant not vvho as Iehu in his fierce marching couered his ambition crueltie and zeale for his owne house vnder the pretext of zeale for Gods thinke to couer and palliate their own both grosser and more proper and personall corruptions vnder a furious march not onely against the failings but the persons also failing of infirmitie in matters of church order and ordinances Who if they vvere vvell acquainted and duly affected with their owne both more voluntarie and greater sins vvould slack their Iehus peace yea turn their course though not to vvalke vvith others in euill vvhich God forbid yet to apply accommodate themselues vnto them in that which is good so far as possiblie they could obserue any vvay by the Lord opened vnto them I could instance in and name diuers perticuler persons monstrouslie growne out of kinde this vvay But that course I leaue vnto them vvho rather desire the disgraceing then the bettering of them against vvhom they deal or perhaps conceaue in their leauened hearts that there is no other vvay of bettering speciallie persons of meant condition then by shameing and disgracâ—ing them Genes 49. 5. 6. But let not my soule come in their secrete in vvhose habitations are such instruments of cruellic These things thus promised the objections follovv vvhich I haue either heard from others or can conceaue of my selfe most coullerable against the practize by me propounded And they are of two sorts Some of them are framed vpon supposition that the ministres in that church are in themselues lawfull of God but not yet to be heard by reason of the abuses and euills to be found in their ministrations Others vvithdraw hearin those the more vpon the contrarie supposition to vvit that the very order and constitution of that church and ministerie is papall and vnlawfull Novv the examination of the grounds of the one or other I vvill not in this place medle vvith but though both cannot be true vvill for the satisfieng of the vvithdrawers on both parts graunt for the present to either part their ground and so examine distinctlie vvhat exceptions they can or doe build herevpon But first for the former Supposing a church and the ministerie thereof essentiallie lavvfull it cannot but be lavvfull for the members of other churches in generall vnion and assosiation vvith it to communicate therevvith in things lavvfull and lavvfullie done seing the end of vnion is communion God hath in vain vnited persons and states together if they may in nothing communicate together But he who vvould haue vs receaue the vveak in faith vvhom God hath receaued vvould not haue vs
vvith the said church For the better clearing of things let vs in a fevv vvords consider distinctly of religious actions according to the seuerall ranks in vvhich they may rightly orderly be sett Some such actions are religious onely as they are performed by religious persons And of this sort is hearing and so reading of Gods vvord The scriptures teach and all confesse that hearing of the vvord of God goes before faith For faith comes by hearing Rom. 10. 17 as by an outvvard meanes Hearing then being before faith 1. Tim. 1. 5 and faith before all other acts of religion invvard Rom. 10. 10 or outvvard Gal. 2. 20 it must needs follovve that hearing is not simply or of it selfe a vvork of religion and so not of religious communion Hearing is properly and of it selfe a naturall action though it be the hearing of the very vvord of God And I call it a naturall action in it selfe in a double respect First for that the light of nature teacheth euery man to heare and listen to another that can and vvill teach and inform him in any thing for his good diuine or humane Secondly for that a meer naturall man levv Turk Infidell or Idolator lavvfully may yea necessarily ought to hear Gods vvord that so of naturall he may become spirituall In the seacond rank I place preaching Psal. 50. 16. 17. prayer which are properly acts religious Pro. 15. 8. and spirituall as being to be performed the one by a gift Ioh. 9 31. the other by a grace of Gods spirit Of a third sort is the participation in the Sacraments vvhich ordinarily at least requires a member shippe in some perticuler and ministeriall church in the participant they being publique church ordinances In a fourth order I set the power of suffrage and voyce giâ—eing in electing of officers and censuring of offenders for vvhich there is requisite an interest of the person so voteing in that perticuler church as a member thereof Of the last sort is the ministration of Sacraments which requires vvith the rest fore mentioned a publique state of ministery in the person administring them Novv for preaching by some hearing by others vvhich tvvo alvvaies go together they may be and oft are performed vvithout any religious oâ— spâ—â—â—tuall communion at all passing betvveen the persons preaching or hearing When Paul preached to the superstitious Athenians shal vve conceaue he had spirituall communion vvith that heathenish assemblie Act. 17. 22. Hovv much lesse had they spirituall and religious communion vvith him vvho performed not so much as a religious vvorke in their hearing As God gaue any of them to beleeue they came into invisible or invvardly spirituall personall communion vvith him as they came to make personall manifestation and declaration of their faith they came into outvvard personall communion vvith him Lastly as they came to joyn in or vnto some perticuler church in to church communion vvith him els not So when there comes into the church assembly vnbeleuers 1. Cor 14. 23. heathens Turks Ievves Atheists excommunicates men of all religious men of none at all and there heare vvhat spirituall communion haue they vvith the church or state of the teacher or one vvith another either in regard of the nature of the act done or by Gods ordination and institution Hearing simply is not appointed of God to be a mark and note either of vnion in the same faith or order amongst all that heare or of differencing of christians from no christiaÌ„s or of members from no members of the church as the sacraments are notes of both in the participants The hearing of the vvord of God is not so inclosed by any hedge or ditch deuine or humane made about it but lies in common for all for the good if all The perticuler objections follow 1. OBIECTION No man may submit his conscience to be wrought vpon by an vnlawfull and Antichristian ministery neither hath God promised or doth afford any blessing vpon it neither can any haue the sanctified vse thereof ANSWERE It cannot be said properly that the office of ministerie vvorkes vpon the conscience of the hearer The office onely giues povver and charge to the teacher to teach in such or such a church state And as it resides in the person of the officer alone so the communion lavvfull or vnlavvfull vvhich any hath vvith it is in regard of the lavvfull or vnlavvfull ecclesiasticall relation and vnion foregoing betvveen the persons and not in any vvorking of the office vpon the conscience of any Secondlie though God blesse not the vnlavvfull office of ministerie vvhich is not of him selfe yet he may and doth blesse the truthes taught by the officer Genes 4â— 5. 6. vvhich are of himselfe and from heauen To deny this of many in the church of England is Balaam-like to curse vvhere God vvould haue vs blesse 2. OBIECTION To heare such a minister is to honour approue and vphold his office of ministery ANSWERE 1. If this be simply true then vvhen the heathenish Athenians heard Paul preach or vvhen an vnbeleuer comes into the church assembly and hears the preacher he approues honours and vpholds the office of ministerie vvhich vvhat it meanes he is altogether ignorant If any reply But vve know the ministery of the church to be as it is I ansvvere that the knowing of it makes not our act the more or lesse an act of approbation If I do an act wherin I indeed approue of a thing if I know the thing I really approue of it vpon knowledge if I know it not I really approue if it but ignorantly 2. If I approue of the office simply because I heare the officer preach then I much more approue of all the doctrines vvhich hee deliuers because I heare him deliuer them If the latter seem vnreasonnable so is the former much more except I be in church communion vvith the officer and then indeed I really approue of his office as I also doe of his doctrine if it be according to the confessioÌ„ of faith made by mee for then I am in former vnion vvith him in the one or other and so haue communion in the acts therof If this vvere a good ground that euery one approues of the euil done in matter or manner where he is present none could liue with good conscience in any society of men vpon earth Persons so minded are best alone for vvith others they vvill keep no peace no nor vvith themselues neither if they be true to their ovvne ground But they plainly balke themselues in their courses either in vveaknes of judgement or partialitie of affection or through vvant of due consideration of their vvaies 3. OBIECTION By this then it seemes a man may be present at any act of Idolatrie and do as others do that practice idolatrie yet not approue of it And so the three Nobles in Daniell needed not to haue put themselues vpon such pikes
for the preuenting in some and remedying in others of that inordinate and broken course And first I demaund of such what is this course of hearing such ministers as vvhose stare of ministerie they approue not Is it any perticuler ordinance left by Christ and enjoyned all christians in all ages and places Verily no. It vvere to be vvished that no church-ministerie vvere to be found vvhich is not approueable by the Word of God notwithstanding any good act performed by them that posses it This hearing is onely a vvork of naturall liberty in it selfe as I haue shewed and sanctified to beleeuers by their faith It is lawfull to vse it vpon occasion as it is to borrow of other men but to make it our course is to liue by borrovving vvhich no honest man that can do othervvise possibly vvould do Yea what differs it from a kinde of spirituall vagabondry in him that can mend it though vvith som difficulty to liue in no certain church-state and vnder no church-order and gouernment To print deep in our hearts the conscience of our duties this vvay let vs briefly consider how many bonds of necessity the Lord hath layd vpon vs to vvalk in the followshippe vnder the ordinances of the ministeriall and instituted-church First vve haue lying vpon vs the necessite of obedience to Christ our Lord in the commission Apostolicall enjoyning that after vve be made disciples as the vvord is Mat. 28. 19. 20. and baptised vve be vvithall taught to obserue vvhatsoeuer he hath commaunded It must not then suffice vs that vve are disciples and christians but we must joyn hearewith the entire obseruation of al the ordinances of Christ as vve can finde meanes from the greatest to the least And let vs beware that like the Scribes Pharisees Mat. 5. 19. 20. vve call none of Gods commaundements litle because vve vvould make our selues and others beleeue that litle and light account is to be made of obseruing them lest vve our selues bee called litle that is be indeed none in the kingdome of heauen Our sinnes of ignorance and humane frayly alas are to many let vs not adde therevnto presumptuous sinnes either of commission or omission to prouoke God vvithall 2. The church and ministrations therein are not needlesse but most needfull meanes sanctified of God and giuen of Christ for our saluation and edification therevnto Act 2. 47. vvhich he that despiseth that is Eph. 4. 11 doth not submit his soule and body vnto as he hath meanes and conuerse therein vvith good conscience though in affliction persecution despiseth not man but God and Christ to the depriuing of himselfe of the fruit of Gods most gracious presence in his house and temple 1. Tim. 3. 15. vvhere he hath promised to dwell and of Christs ascention into heauen for the powring out of all kingly gifts and largesses vpon men for the vvork of the ministery 2. Cor. 6. 16. 3. Our great infirmities vvhereof both the scriptures euery vvhere and our owne experience vvarn vs shew in vvhat great need vve stand of all the Lords holy ordinances and institutions for the supplying of vvhat is vvanting in vs and correcting of vvhat is a misse and continuing and encreasing of vvhat is good vnto the cōming of the Lord vvhere vve must also take knowledge and remember that it is on note of difference and the same very cleare betvveene the vvisedome of the fleshe and the vvisedome of the spirit that the former vvilbe sure to prouide for the body and outvvard man vvhat may bee though vvith danger and prejudize of the spirituall the other vvill take care and order for the spirituall state though the outvvard pinch for it And if any out of the view and persuation of his ovvne strength of grace come to conceaue that he stands in no such need of Christs ordinances or of any christian follovvshippe for the dispensing of them let such a man consider that the lesse need he hath of others by reason of his greater plenty of grace receaued the more need others haue of him for their supply But vvhatsoeuer any imagine of himselfe the Apostle vvho vvas not partiall teacheth that the very head the chiefe and highest member can not say to the feet the lovvest and meanest members I haue no need of you 1. Cor. 12. 21. 4. And lastly it is necessarie for our sound and entire comfort vvith the Lord our God that our obedience be entire in respect of all his holy commandements vvhich vve do or can discern to be such and to concerne vs according to that of the man of God Psa. 119 6 Then shal I not be ashamed vvhen I haue respect to all thy commaundements That so vve may haue our part in the testimonie giuen by the holy Ghost of Zachary and Elizabeth Luk. 1. 5. 6. vvhich vvas that they vvere righteous before God walking in all the commaundements ordinances of the Lord blamelesse That is both in the morall precepts and sacred ceremonies and institutions of the Lord Whose examples vve in our place and times are to followe not balking vvith the Lord in any thing great or small nor seeking starting holes vvhereby to escape from him in his word which is vvholy good and pure Good as comming from our good God Pro. 30. 5. Heb. 6. 5. good in it selfe and good for vs if vve conuerse therein as vve ought in good conscience tovvards God zeale for his ordinances modestie in our selues and charitie tovvards other men specially towards them vvith vvhom God hath joyned vs in the most and best things taking heed lest by any vncharitable either judgment of or vvithdrawing from their persons for such humane fraylties as vnto vvhich into one kinde or other all Adams sinfull prosterity are subject vve sinne not more by our course held against them then they by theirs in them vvhich God forbid To conclude For my selfe thus I beleeue with my heart before God and professe with my tongue and haue before the world that I haue one and the same faith hope spirit baptisin and Lord which I had in the church of England and none other that I esteem so many in that church of what state or order soeuer as are truly partakers of that faith as I account many thousand to be for my christian brethren and my selfe a fellow-member with them of that one misticall body of Christ scattered far and wide throughout the world that I haue alwaies in spirit and affection al christian fellowshippe and communion with them and am most ready in all outward actions exercises of Religione lawfull lawfully done to expresse the same withall that I am perswaded the hearing of the word of God there preached in the manner and vpon the grounds formerly mentioned both lawfull and vpon occasion necessary for me all true christians with drawing from that Hierarchical order of church gouernement and ministery and the appartenances