life as is aforesaid For which cause as the Church is heere called the Chosen generation Matth. 20.16 22.14 24 so often in Scripture the chosen or the Elect Many are called but few chosen which is in effect the same with this Many are in the Church but few of the Church If it were possible they should deceiue the very Elect. And Tit. 1.1 the elect of God or Gods elect According to the faith of Gods elect These elect and beleeuing Iewes or Church of the Iewes are heere called first a royall Priesthood because all of them and not all of the visible Church as the Separists doe teach and Kings and Priests vnto God as Reuel 1.6 and 5.10 where those which Christ hath redeemed loued and washed from their sinnes in his blood which are the Elect and Church inuisible hee is said to haue made them Kings and Priests vnto God euen his Father 2. Cor. 10.45 As Kings and conquerors in this life they subdue and cast downe holds Rom. 8.10.13 Gal. 5.24 casting downe the imaginations and euery high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God bringing into captiuity euery thought to the obedience of Christ and doe kill sinne which before as a King raigned in them Rom. 6.12.14.21.23 7.11 and had dominion ouer them and else would haue slaine them These as Kings ouercome also this world and the Prince thereof treading him vnder their feete 1. Iohn 5.4 Gen. 3.15 Rom. 16.20 Ephes 6.12 Rom. 8.37 Hebr. 1.2 Psal 8.6.7 8. Thus are these Conquerers not onely of flesh and bloud but of principalities and powers yea more then conquerours through him that loueth them They of this chosen generation and royall Priesthood as Kings are in and through Christ heires of this world and of the things therein as of the fish of the sea the fowles of the ayre and the beasts of the earth hauing a right to that which they inherit and possesse so as they may say it is their owne and are not vsurpers as men of another generation bee 1. Cor. 3.21.22 And in the world to come all of this chosen generation and royall Priesthood as Kings and Conquerors shall raigne and inherit a Kingdome that is eternall 2. Tim. 2.12 2. Pet. 1.11 1. Pet. 1.4 reserued for them in heauen Rightly therefore are all of the Church said to bee royall persons and Kings These Kings are also Priests and are therefore called a eoyall Priesthood As Priests they offer sacrifices the spiritual sacrifices whereof we shall heare forthwith and in the life to come the sacrifice of praise and thankes to God and vnto him that sitteth vpon the Throne for the victory and conquest he hath giuen them and for all his goodnes and louing kindnesse towards them Reuel 5.9.10 The Church of the Iewes to whom Peter writ is likewise called an holy nation and in the fift verse an holy Priesthood because all the members of the Church be holy and none of them vnholy or prophane Among these there is no vncleane person neyther whosoeuer worketh abomination that is no sinner or worker of iniquity But as all their names be written in the booke of life of which we haue spoken so are they all Saints indeed their hearts being purified by faith and they sanctified and made holy by Gods holy Spirit Act. 15.9 Rom. 8 9.10 dwelling in them Holy are they in this world but more holy in the world to come In part heere but hereafter perfectly holy and without blame not hauing spot or wrinckle Holy in regard of their renued righteousnesse Ephes 5.27 2. Cor. 7.1 1. Pet. 1.15 1. Iohn 3.3 2. Cor. 6.21 which is begun in this life and perfected in the life to come And holy because of Christs holinesse which being without them is imputed to them and becomes theirs by imputation as their sinnes were his This society is further called a peculiar people or a people or company which God claimeth to be his owne in a speciall and more principall respect that is by right of redemption as being that society or part of mankind which Christ Iesus hath bought and deliuered out of that spirituall captiuity and bondage to sinne Satan and condemnation not with gold or siluer or any such corruptible thing but by his owne pretious bloud in another and more generall respect all mankind being his that is by right of creation Exod. 19.5 or as he is their Creator Of this People we reade Matth. 1.21 Thou shalt call his name Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sinnes Hereby are meant those whom God the Father hath giuen to Christ Iesus in him to haue life eternall that is the Elect which Christ meaneth by these words so oft repeated by Iohn Iohn 6.37.39 17.2.24 Those which my Father hath giuen mee And this is confirmed by the Syriake translation where for peculiar people we haue the Congregation redeemed Iesus then in dying paid not a ransome or price of redemption for all men but for a certaine congregation or company of men Act. 20.28 Costerus cap. de Iustificatione de causis et modis Iustif Apologie 44. Conterpo 158 A true description of the visible Church pag. 1. euen that wee call the Church I say not for all men as the Papists hold nor for the visible Church as the Brownists in vnderstanding this Scripture of the visible Church vnawares doe teach and in plaine words in their Confession of faith Art 17. and Master Robinson in his Iustification 115. where he saith That all of the visible Church are purchased with the blood of God Moreouer of this society it is said heere that of God they are called out of darkenesse into his maruailous light that is out of sinne and ignorance wherein they remaine vntill the time of their calling to knowledge and holinesse To the same effect are those words Act 26.18 where Paul is said to be sent to the Gentiles to open their eyes that they might turne from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan vnto God As all of the Church Ephes 14 in the eternall decree and counsell of God are chosen and appointed to life euerlasting before all times euen before the foundation of the world was laid as we haue heard so betweene this decree and the execution thereof in this world are they all in time euen in their appointed season effectually called and translated from the kingdome of darknes and the Prince thereof the Diuell Colos 1.13 into the kingdome of God his deare sonnes to be from thenceforth gouerned by his spirit and word and do walke in the light And this the Apostle teacheth in the eight to the Romans saying whom he predestinated meaning to life them also he called Veâ—s 39 Lastly Peter sheweth wherefore God hath chosen out of the stock of mankind some to life whom in his time hee calleth to be Kings and Priests vnto him
can or doth rightly professe Law or Gospell faith or repentance And what though many among vs yea the most bee dead in trespasses and sinnes Doth that hinder vs from being a true Church Bee ashamed of your grosse ignorance Know yee not that the greatest part of the visible Church are Reprobates as is manifest by this speech of our Lord Many are called Matth. 22.14 but few chosen and consequently dead in trespasses and sinnes Are not all naturall men dead in trespasses and sinnes The Apostle saith they be but all Reprobates are naturall not spirituall therefore all Reprobates are dead in trespasses and sinnes Is there any Reprobate who being dead to sinne is aliue to God In the twelfth Psalme Dauid because of the iniquity of that time complaineth and cryeth out to God after this manner Vers 1. Helpe Lord for there is not a godly man left And Isaiah thus Ah sinfull Nation a people laden with iniquity c. And a little after Isa 1. v. 2.3.4 and vers 10. Heare the word of the Lord yee Princes of Sodome hearken yee people of Gomorrha Tell mee now Master Ainsworth whether the people of the Iewes in the dayes of these Prophets were dead in trespasses and sins and many hainous abominations and whether they did rightly professe the things you speake of I hope it may be as truely said of them as of vs that they professed not aright neyther Law nor Gospell neither repentance from dead workes nor faith in God and yet were they at the same time a true visible Church We therefore may be and are a true visible Church notwithstanding our people generally faile in the practise of that holy Religion we doe professe And thus much of the visible Church yea generally concerning the Church visible and inuisible wherein godly Reader if thou wilt take the paines to informe thy selfe throughly thou shalt not need to feare those rocks wheron others haue fallen and made shipwracke CHAP. VII That the Church of England is a true Church and our Parish assemblies true visible Churches WEE will now come to apply the aforesaid Doctrine of the visible Church to the people of Enâ—land in particular and thereby we will proue the Church of England to be a true Church against all gain-sayers Papists Brownists c. but especially against Brownists who only haue caused this Treatise of the Church against whom chiefely it is intended And this is the first vse wee will make of the said Doctrine The Brownists euery where in their bookes with open mouth affirme that our Church is a false Church and our particular Congregations or Parish assemblies false visible Churches To take away this vile report and euill name which they haue brought vpon vs the people of God I will reason against them and proue the contrary first generally and then particularly Generally thus Whatsoeuer People or Nation is within the daily voice and call of God calling vpon them to repent and beleeue that so they may be saued the same is a true visible Church But the people generally of England are within the voice and call of God daily calling vpon them to repent and beleeue that they may be saued Therefoâ—e the people of England are a true visible Church The Proposition and first part of this Argument is proued by the speech of Christ Matth. 22.14 Many are called but few chosen by the first part whereof Many are called is meant the visible Church and by the latter contained in these words but few are chosen those of the inuisible Church that are in the visible All that liue vnder the voice and call of God that is who submit themselues vnto the Ministery of the Word and doe heare it whereby God calleth vpon them by his seruants the Ministers that they would repent and beleeue and so be saued all these I say are the visible Church among which saith Chrâ—st few are of the Elect and Church inuisible This is the meaning of our Lord in these words As that people which hath not this externall calling by the Word is not a visible Church or so much as within the visible Church but without as Paul speaketh 1. Cor. 5.12 What haue I to doe to iudge them that are without So that people which hath the externall calling whom God vouchsafeth to call vpon to be saued and outwardly submit themselues therunto albeit few of them be effectually called and haue the internall calling is a visible Church Against the Assumption or second part of this Argument there lieth no exception it being true that our Pastors and Teachers are true Ministers euen the Ministers of Christ and disposers of the secrets of God which as some of the learned among vs of late haue proued to the stopping of your mouthes though neuer so wide so God himselfe by the calling and conuersion of many among vs 1. Cor. 9.1.2.3 doth confirme and thereto from heauen set a scale and therefore it mattereth not though a thousand foolâ—sh men on earth doe deny the same From the latter description of a visible Church That it is a company of people enioying and submitting themselues to the true worshippe of God I argue yet further for our Church Whatsoeuer people doe enioy and outwardly submit themselues to the true worshippe of God they are a true visible Church But the people of England doe enioy and outwardly submit themselues to the true worship of God Therefore the people of England are a true visible Church The Proposition hath sufficient confirmation from the aforesaid description of the visible Church and needeth not to be strengthened any further besides you will not I know deny it and therefore in vaine it were to vse many words about it The Assumption you will and must needes deny that our diuine worship is true worship For if our worshippe be true worship then is our Church a true Church This you know full well Hereupon you as confidently affirme that our worship is false as that our Church is a false Church Counterpoys 209. Should we say quoth Master Ainsworth that a visible Church is a people that falsely worship Christ Indeed if so we held we might well returne to their Church of England for there is false worship more then enough If we can proue now that our worship is true worship then and thereby it will be manifest that our Church is a true Church and so the foundation of your building will not only be shaken but vtterly ouerthrowne and fall to the ground consequently the whole building That the worship we enioy and giue vnto God is true worship I thus proue If such as both in their life time and at their death serued God with the very same worship as wee doe haue in that worship beene saued then is the worship wee now haue true diuine worship But the first is true Therefore the second Both the Proposition and Assumption of this Argument will be made
from among vs whom wee call Brownists contrarie minded who both reiect the aforesaid doctrine as erronious and condemne our Parish assemblies for false Churches it remaineth we heare what they likewise teach concerning the Church and their Arguments whereby they would proue our Church to be a false Church that so wee may more clearely see on which side the truth is whereby the louers of the Truth shall be preserued from error and Wisdome iustified of her children THE SECOND BOOKE CHAP. I. A confutation of H. BARROW his description of a true visible Church WEE haue spoken in the former Chapter of the first vse wee make of the aforesaid Doctrine of the visible Church And there we haue seene how fitly it seemeth to iustifie the Church of England and to proue her to be a true Church now by it wee will also conuince the Brownists false doctrine of the visible Church And that shall be the second and lâ—st vse of the Doctrine aforesaid For the better vnderstanding of the Brownists doctrine concerning the true visible Church let vs heare how it is described by them It is saith BARROW a company and fellowship of faithfull and holy people gathered in the name of Christ Iesus A true description of the visible Church pag. 1. their only King Priest Prophet worshipping him aright being peaceably quietly gouerned by his officers lawes keeping the vnity of faith in the bond of peace and loue vnfained Generalâ—y coÌ„cerning this description I affirme that a Apology 44. Counterp 115. Princ. Infer 8. 10. as al the rest of the descriptions or definitions of the visible Church which they do giue so this likewise is rather a description of the inuisible Church militant then of the visible That which is hâ—ere set downe is true onely of the Elect and cannot properly and truely bee spoken of any Reprobate whereof a true visible Church may in part consist as well of the Elect for as the Elect only are faithfull and holy indeed and effectually called so Christ Iesus is their onely b Though Christ Iesus be in diuers respects King of the visible Church yet he is not King Priest Prophet of the visible but only of the inuisible Church hee cannot be said to be Priest of the visible Church but with relation had to them that be of the inuisible Church King Priest and Prophet they alone doe worshippe him aright are gouerned by his lawes keepe the vnity of faith in the bond of peace and loue vnfained But let vs brifely consider of the seuerall parts of this description That your meaning is the visible Church consisteth only of faithfull holy persons it is hereafter made manifest and appeareth also by the last page of H. Barrow his book intituled A true description of the visible Church where hee saith that into the visible Church there entereth no vncleane thing or person but all such are without how true this Doctrine is wee shall anon heare as also of the gathering heere spoken of And that the visible Church and consequently all the members thereof haue not Christ Iesus to be their King Priest and Prophet in the end of this booke it is made manifest Omitting therefore these things wee will come to that which in the description followeth In it you adde that the visible Church consisteth of a Company that worship Christ aright and to proue this you send vs to three places of Scripture the two first viz. Exod. 20.7.8 Leuit. 10.5 speake neuer a word for you The last and onely testimony you haue is Ioh. 4.23 where Iesus saith That the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and truth and that the Father requireth such to worship him And hereof our Lord rendereth a reason in the words next following saying God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and truth which in effect is this that God being of a spirituall nature requireth a spirituall seruice agreeable to his nature Of a company of such kind of worshippers say you doth the visible Church consist But how can this possibly be true seeing Christ Iesus speaking to some of the visible Church Matth. 15.7 saith thus O Hypocrites Esaias prophecied well of you saying this people draweth neere vnto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but their heart is farre from mee but in vaine doe they worship me These were no true worshippers worshipping God in Spirit and truth but only outwardly and Hypocritically whereupon Iesus calleth them Hypocrites and yet were these worshippers members of the visible Church And whereas of the visible Church the greatest part are Hypocrites or hypocriticall worshâ—ppers by this description and doctrine of yours there can be no Hipocrites in it for you teach that the visible Church is a company that worship God in Spirit and truth but no Hypocrites worshippe God in Spirit and truth therefore by your doctrine no Hypocrites are of or in the visible Church That no hypocrites doe worship God in spirit and truth which resteth only to be proued it is hereby manifest First because they doe not worship God with a true and sincere affection of the heart Secondly Because this worshipping of God in spirit and truth is that worship which God requireth to be performed to him by men accepteth of and is well pleased with but the worship of hypocrites God forbiddeth reiecteth and abhorreth Hypocrites therefore doe not worship God in spirit and truth Thirdly As many as thus worship God in this world Heb. 11.6 Psal 19.11 he will honor in the world to come and for their poore seruice done to him on earth he will aboundantly reward them in heauen now woe be to Hypocrites saith Christ And againe giue him his portion with Hypocrites This is the hypocrites reward Where you say that the visible Church is a company peaceably and quietly gouerned by Christ's officers and lawes considering the greatest part of the visible Church are reprobates and so rebels against Christ taking part with Satan against him how can this be truely said of the visible Church and consequently of all the members thereof Cain Ismael Esau Saul Absolom the Scribes and Pharisies were all of the visible Church These and thousands more such in the Church haue beene so farre from being quietly gouerned by Christs lawes that with them in the second Psalme they haue said Verse 3. Let vs breake their bonds and cast their cords from vs. The visible Church therefore is not a company of such loyall and obedient subiects to Christ as these men affirme How peaceably and quietly was Saul gouerned by the lawes of God and Church officers then when he caused the Priests of the Lord to be slaine and eagerly persecuted Dauid thirsting after his bloud and that all his life time The same may be said of Cain killing Abel of Ismael mocking or as the Apostle saith persecuting Isaak of Absalom
when he killed his brother rebelled against his father lay with his Concubines and vsurped the Kingdome of the Scribes and Pharisies traducing blaspheming mocking and putting to death the Lord Iesus and lastly of all the domesticall enemies of the Church who haue reuiled slandered imprisoned banished and murthered the Saints All these were of the visible Church and yet were none of these peaceably gouerned by Christs officers and lawes but were rebels against Christ transgressors of his lawes and despisers of his officers You speake therefore most vntruely when you say that the visible Church is a company fellowship peaceably quietly gouerned by Christ his officers laws Finally in requiring loue vnfained in all the members of the visible Church seeing this loue is an effect of faith vnfained as Paul sheweth 1. Tim. 1.5 Doe you not therein also require of them that be of this society that faith which worketh by loue 1. Pet. 1.9 euen the true and iustifying faith the end whereof is the saluation of mans soule Whereupon followeth that the visible Church is a company of faithfull indeed and consequently of such as shall be saued This that I inserre how false soeuer you feare not to teach saying They keepe the vnitie of faith in the bond of peace This loue vnfained they onely haue which loue the brethren not in word and tongue but in deed and truth as appeareth also by their quoting of Ioh. 13.34 But this loue whosoeuer haue are translated from death to life and thereof may assure themselues The whole company therefore of the visible Church hauing this loue as you teach are by this doctrine sure of life and saluation Doe you not blush to tell vs in effect that that loue is to be found in euery member of the visible Church which the holy Ghost doth giue vs for an infallible marke of the child of God and heire of saluation Another place of Scripture that in the margent is quoted for the proofe hereof is 1. Cor. 13. 4. Can that loue trow you the Apostle there speaketh of fal into the reprobate and be found in any but Gods elect coÌ„sidering the heaueÌ„ly effects it hath in whomsoeuer it is Among other things of this loue it is said that it thinketh not euill it reioyceth not in iniquity but reioceth in the truth and that it doth neuer fall away In which respect it doth excell faith and hope as is said in the last verse now abideth faith hope and loue but the chiefest of these is loue What meane you to require this loue which is proper to the elect in all the members of the visible Church of the which the most are reprobates Cain slew his brother Ismael persecuted Isaak of Esau it is said That he hated Iacob Cen. 27.41 because of the blessing wherewith his father had blessed him and therefore purposed to slay him How deadly Saul did hate Dauid and hunt after his life as one would hunt a Partridge the holy story maketh mention And as for the Scribes and Pharisies their extreame hatred against Christ and all that confessed him is manifest in the history of the Gospell their crucifying of Christ and persecuting of his members did shew the hatred that was in their hearts Hereunto we may adde the persecutâ—rs and murtherers of the Saints that haue beene in the Church almost in all ages many whereof were of the visible Church yet were they so farre from louing the brethren that they did hate them with a cruell hatred We see then men haue bin of the visible Church and therefore may be at this day who haue not this vnfained loue of the brethren nay are as far from it as hatred from loue and darknesse from light How then doe you truly describe the visible Church that it is a company of men who loue one another vnfainedly Thus in effect you teach that the visible Church consisteth of a company and fellowship of people who as they are at peace with God and among themselues so haue they vnfâ—ined loue one to another Wheras the most of the visible Church being reprobates wicked and vngodly men as they haue no peace with God according to that of the Prophet Isa 48.22 there is no peace saith the Lord to the wicked so neither are they nor can be at peace with men I meane the rest of the Church which are the elect Except you will haue peace betweene the Serpent and the woman and both their seeds The Scriptures tell vs there is and will be no peace nor loue Gen. 3.15 but perpetuall enmitie and warre betwixt these You tell vs in effect nay that these meeting together in the Church they are peaceable and kind louing vnfainedly one another you should adde as Ioab did Abner and Amasa 2. Sam. 3.27 and 20.10 whom vnder the pretence of brotherly loue he killed with the sword As Ioab kissed Amasa and Iudas Christ so vsually doe some members of the Church kisse some others Prou. 29.27 Salomon saith That the righteous are an abomination to the wicked and the wicked to the righteous but in the visible Church there are righteous and wicked men therefore in the visible Church there are some that abhorre and haue others in abomination You say nay they are all tyed together by the bond of peace and loue Iesus saith of himselfe That he came not to send peace into the earth Matth. 10.34 Luk. 12.49.51 but rather debate and a sword nay fire and what is his desire but that it be kindled Is not this sword and fire the seperation also and enmity that our Lord further speaketh of which commeth through the preaching of the Gospell to be found in the Church and betweene the members thereof But only betwixt them that are in the Church and those that are without If any be thus fondly conceited let him looke backe to the premisses and his error will be corrected As the aforesaid members of the visible Church Ismael Esau Saul the Scribes and Pharisies had not this loue vnfained so neither had they the other essentiall properties which you require in all them who be of a true visible Church They were not faithfull and holy indeed nor yet holy in the face and outward appearance which you require at least nor otherwise faithfull and holy then the most open wicked of our Land They had not Christ to be their King Matth. 1.21 Priest and Prophet They were rebels and none of Christs subiects or people all which he will saue The Diuell was their father and king and they his children and vassals doing the lusts of him their father in stead of the wil of God As he was a murtherer from the beginning so were they all murtherers in their times The like may bee said touching Christ his not being their Priest nor Prophet Worshippers of God they were indeed but hypocriticall not true and sincere worshippers of many of them Iesus said Yee worship
God in vaine Matth. 15.9 not one of them worshipped God aright in spirit and truth neyther did they liue after the lawes of God and Christ but after the lawes and customes and fashion of this world whereof they were When men spake to them of peace they were bent to warre and in stead of loue vnfained they did beare a perfect hatred to the Saints These men then were not such as be heere described yea none of them had any one of these properties which you necessarily require in euery member of the visible Church much lesse all of them And therefore by this description none of them were of the visible Church and yet by the Scripture it is plaine that they were all of the visible Church Thus we see your description accordeth not with the holy Scriptures neither hath warrant from thence but by them is easily conuinced notwithstanding you alledge for confirmation thereof sixe and thirty testimonies of holy Scripture But a thousand more so peruerted will not make good your description nor any other of your errors And because I know you will hardly leaue this hold and for that if this be battered downe and made euen with the ground you must needs betake your selues some other way I will therefore againe assault you by the force of another Argument If the visible Church be a company of faithfull and holy people that worship Christ aright are peaceably and quietly gouerned by his officers and lawes keepe the vnitie of faith in the bond of peace and loue vnfained Then none haue been at any time of the visible Church but such as haue beene faithfull and holy did worship Christ aright c as followeth in your description But some haue beene of the visible Church who were not such as be heere described as Cain Ismael Esau Saul Doeg Ioab Absalom the Scribes and Pharisies with infinite others Therefore the visible Church is not a company of faithfull people worshipping Christ aright c. The Consequence of the Proposition I doe illustrate and confirme by the like If the visible Church be a company of people professing the true Religion then none haue beene of the visible Church but such as haue professed the true Religion If the inuisible Church be the company of the elect then none haue beene or are of the inuisible Church but such as were and are elect and their names written in the booke of life The assumption your selues will grant Againe I reason with you on this manner If this be a true description then no reprobates euer haue bin are or shall be of the visible Church but only the elect for none haue beene are or can bee such as are heere described but the elect But many reprobates haue beene are and shall be of the visible Church Therefore this description of the visible Church is false The Proposition must needs be true except Christ Iesus be the King Priest and Prophet of Reprobates and that Reprobates worship Christ aright in Spirit and truth be gouerned by his lawes as their only King keepe the vnitie of faith in the bond of peace and doe vnfainedly loue the brethren Matth. 22.14 The Assumption will not be denied and it is manifest by that short speech of Iesus Many are called but few chosen This description being heretofore found fault with by some and Master Ainsworth iustifying the same it shall not be amisse to heare what hee saith in answere to them and in defence thereof Câ—unterpoys 208. They cauill at our description of a Church when we say that it is a company of faithfull people that truely worship Christ and readily obey him this say these Ministers is vtterly vntrue if it be vnderstood of the visible Church This is strange What would they haue vs describe the Church to be A company of Infidels or a company of faithfull and of infidels together when Paul teacheth that there is no communion betweene such 2. Cor. 6.14 15. or should wee say a people that falsely worshippe Christ Indeed if so we held we might well returne to their Church of England for there is false worship more then enough The Apostle writing to the visible Church of Ephesas calleth them Saints and the faithfull in Christ Iesus Will they say that this also was vtterly vntrue Their owne articles of Religion in England * Aâ—no 1562. Aâ—t 19. say thus The visible Church of Christ is a Congregation of faithfull people c. And is this also vntrue I answere you hauing respect to your owne words A visible Church is a coÌ„pany professing true faith or a company professing the true worship of God some whereof haue faith in Christ I meane true and iustifying faith and worshâ—p God indeed euen in spirit and truth the rest being the greatest part are hypocriticall worshippers void of true faith hauing only eyther the temporall or historicall faith or no faith at all but very Atheists Yet professe they the true worship of God and faith in Christ Iesus and in this respect may be called faithfull in Christ Iesus and Saints because whatsoeuer they be their profession is holy and he holy in whom they would seeme to belieue and whom they seeme to worship truly And in this sence our Church saith A visible Church is a Congregation of faithfull people that is of such as professe faith in Christ Iesus Of this sort of Infidels and counterfeit Professors were Cain and for a time Ismael Esau also Saul Absalom Iudas Simon Magus with infinite more Vnderstanding Infidels thus as they may well be called Infidels or vnbeleeuers who haue not true faith Then I say the Church is a company of saithfull and of Infidels 2. Cor. 6.14 But if by Infidels you meane the same the Scripture vsually vnderstandeth by this word such as worship a false god and doe not so much as professe the worship of the only true God or faith in him then it is true that a visible Church is not a company of faithfull and Infidels together And the hauing communion with such Infidels as these in their false worship is that which the Apostle condemneth He doth not forbid to partake in diuine worship with such Infidels as formerly I haue spokeÌ„ of wicked vngodly men void of true faith as euery where very fondly you tel vs nor yet to communicate with these Infidels he speaketh of in true diuine worship but this he condemneth and argueth against That the children of God may not haue communion with Infidels and Heathens in their false and Idolatrous worship as some of the Saints at Corinth as it might seeme did repairing to the Idols Temples and ioyning therewith their neighbours that were Idolaters in their idolatrous worship This they thought they might lawfully doe so long as in their hearts and inward affections they condemned it and kept them pure as may be gathered from 2. Cor. 7.1 And this is it that Paul reproueth and nothing lesse then
that which you doe from hence vsually collect and vrge against vs. CHAP. II. A confutation of another description of the true visible Church giuen by the Brownists Where much is said concerning the first gathering of a Church and commixture of good and bad in the Church BVt omitting this description of H. Barrowes wee will proceed to another of theirs laid downe in their Apologie Apologie 44. It is say they a company of people called and seperated from the world by the word of God and ioyned together by voluntary profession of the faith of Christ in the fellowship of the Gospell If this be a true description then whosoeuer is not called and seperated from the world by the word of God c. is not a member of the visible Church for of such a company so called and qualified it doth consist as you affirme But some not called and seperated from the world c. haue bin are and shall be of the vâ—sible Church as is euident by that which followeth this therfore is not a true description of the visible Church It is a company of people say you called by the word of God whereby you meane that by the power and force of the Word only in the Ministery and preaching therof men are brought to be of this societie that is of the visible Church and not by the call perswasion or commandement of the Magistrate or any mortall man And this you put downe in your description that thereby you might proue our Parish assemblies to bee no true but false visible Churches because in the beginning of Queene Elizabeths raigne the people then liuing were not called by the Word and gathered by the preaching thereof but all brought in at once by her commandement and proclamation Hereupon it is that in the former description of the visible Church they say It is a company gathered in the name of Christ Iesus And Master Iohnson applying this to vs saith We were neuer rightly gathered together according to Gods ordinance Defence of the Churches and Minist of Eng. 86. that is as heere he speaketh not called by the word of God meaning the preaching thereof as appeareth by his quotations of Scripture in the margent We answere If we speake of a Church when it is first planted I meane of a Nation when first it commeth to embrace and professe the Gospell and true Religion the people of such a Nation for a great part there of are called by the word of God before they come to be a visible Church By the power and truth of the Word and diuine maiestie shining euery where therein the children of men be brought to forsake their false Religion and worship and to ioyne together in the profession of true Religion whereby they become a visible Church And this is confirmed throughout the whole story of the Acts of the Apostles both in the conuersion of the Iewes or gathering visible Churches of them set downe in the nine first Chapters and likewise of the gentiles continuing from the beginning of the tenth Chapter to the latter end of that booke In the second of the Acts where mention is made of a great increase or addition to the visible Church that before that time was among the Iewes of about three thousand soules and in the fourth of the Acts of a further increase to about fiue thousand Act. 2.14 and 4.4 in both these places the meanes is specified whereby this was brought to passe and that is said to be the hearing and and receiuing of the word of God preached by Peter and other of the Apostles In the eight chapter of the Actes wee reade of a Church gathered in the Citie of Samaria by Philip his preaching Christ vnto them and in the eleuenth Chapter of the Acts of a great Church gathered by the preaching of certaine Prophets and Euangelists in Antiochia in Syria In a word where in the Acts we reade of the conuersion of a people to God as in Antiochia a Citie of Pisidia in Iconium Listra Derbe Philippi Thessalonica Berea Athens Corinthus and Rome in the same places we heare that they were called and the said visible Churches gathered by the preaching of the word But mark all these Churches were now first planted and these people newly conuerted from Iudaisme or Gentilisme that is eyther from the Iewish Religion or false Religion of the Gentiles to the Christian Religion In such a case to the gathering and beâ—ng of a Church the preaching of the Word is absolutely necessary so as without it a company of people cannot bee brought to be a Church But if we speake of a Church established or of a Country where for some time true Religion hath beene professed and God truly worshipped though sometimes interrupted broken off and discontinued which is our case then this holdeth not As vnder the Law both Iewes and Gentiles professing the Iewish religion by Circumcision so by Baptisme Christians vnder the Gospell are incorporated into the visible Church and made members thereof Are not the children of the faithfull by Baptisme receiued into the visible Church and thereby made members thereof And not by the call of the word the sound whereof many of them do not heare and if they doe they cannot vnderstand it And what letteth why some of these when they bee growen men may not thorough hypocrisie continue in the Church though in the hardnes of their hearts they neuer were affected and touched with the word many such hypocrites and hard-hearted men dead in their sinnes and trespasses and that haue consciences seared with a hot Iron haue euer beene are and shall be in the Church who neuer by the call of the word and power thereof would haue become members of the Church nor haue felt any touch that way but onely because they were borne and brought vp in the Church and not cast out either through the want of due execution of discipline or else through their deepe dissimulation and hypocrisie they being like painted tombes which appeare beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones and all filthinesse Surely it is not to be thought that Cain Ismael Esau with others that many of the fatte Bulls of Basan that many of those who in Israel killed the Prophets and stoned them which were sent vnto them that many of the Scribes and Pharisies were affected with the Word or so much as tasted of the power and sweetnes thereof and yet were they all of the visible Church How were these then called by the word of God Againe that without this call by the word men may come to be of the visible Church it is yet more euident by the scripture In the twelfth chapter of Exodus where mention is made of the departure of the Children of Israel out of Egypt it is said That a great multitude of sundry sorts of all people went out with them Verse 38. now all or most of these we may assure
Let the Christian Reader iudge of this kind of dealing But let vs heare more of your answere These examples we acknowledge all Christian Princes should follow hauing equall power with these Kings of Iudah Counterpois 230. to abolish all idolatrie within their dominions yea and to punish obstinate idolaters and not suffer any superstitious worship among their subiects but to procure their conuersion by the word yet not to compell them to be members of the Church because they cannot giue them Faith and Repentance which is the onely doore into Christ Kingdome and cannot be opened to any but by God alone And a little after Your people should haue yeelded their owne willing consent which they neuer did but were and still are compelled by law and penaltie to bee of the Church and Religion established Replie If Christian Princes haue equall power within their dominions with that the Kings of Iudah had in theirs then are they not onely to abolish all idolatry within their dominions which you confesse but also to command and by law and penaltie to compell their people to be of the true Religion and to worship God according to his word that is to professe true Religion and worship for further then the outward profession man cannot goe which maketh a member of the visible Church But the former of these is true by your owne confession therfore the latter The consequence of the proposition is grounded vpon this that the Kings of Iudah proceeded thus farre when they reformed the Church as appeareth by the premises and namely by the 2. of the Chro. 34.2 which Scripture is singular to this purpose And Iosiah did that was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God 3. For he tooke away the altars of the strange gods and the high places c. 4. And commanded Iudah to seeke the Lord God of their Fathers and to doe according to the Law and the Commandement 5. Therefore the Kingdome was quiet before him Here we see that Iosiah did not only abolish idolatry and all false worship but besides commanded his people to worship the true God called here the God of their Fathers according as he had commanded which is that wee call true worship And it is euident that therein he did well First because this is rendred for a proofe or instance of that which is generally said of him in the second verse And Asa did that was good and right in the eyes of the Lord for he tooke away the altars c. And commanded Iudah to seeke the Lord c. that is to serue the Lord in that manner he had commanded Secondly because for this very act of his God blessed him with outward peace as vers 5. Therefore the Kingdome was quiet before him Are Christian Princes only to abolish idolatry within their dominions and to punish obstinate idolaters and not to compell their subiects any further Then belike they may let their people be of no Religion euen Atheists and not punish them so long as they be not idolaters But why may not Kings compell their subiects to professe true Religion and to submit themselues to the true worship of God which maketh them members of the visible Church Because they cannot giue them faith and repentance which is the only dore into the Church and cannot be opened to any but by God alone It is true indeed that Princes though their power is great yet are too weake hereunto But we must know that profession of faith and repentance sufficeth to the making of a member of the visible Church and thereunto the Magistrate can compell That which you say of the visible Church is true of Heauen faith and repentance is the only dore into it and God in Christ only can and doth open it But is very vntruely said of the visible church especially considering your quoted Scriptures for confirmation thereof require faith and repentance indeed and speake of true repentance and sauing faith It greeueth me to see how many places of Scripture are heere peruerted by you as namely Ioh. 6.44 No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him and I will raise him vp at the last day And againe vers 65. No man can come vnto me Note heere their abuse of holy Scripture except it be giuen vnto him of my Father That which is heere spoken of the members of the inuisible Church when they are inwardly and effectually called and indued with faith in Christ Iesus That it is God and he alone who giueth them to beleeue meant hereby by comming vnto Christ you ignorantly vnderstand of and apply to all of the visible Church whereof the most haue only the externall calling and will by these Scriptures proue that no man can be of the visible Church except God call him and draw him and by his Spirit perswade him Counterpoys 134. Cant. 1.3 For which purpose also as I remember you alleage elswhere that speech of the faithfull Draw me and we will runne after thee He that seeth not this your abuse of Scripture it is because he wanteth some of that eye-salue mentioned Reu. 3.18 to anoint his eyes with The rest of your quotations for breuity I passe by together with this your doctrine the falshood whereof shall hereafter be made euident in a more conuenient place You tell vs that Christian Princes are to punish obstinate idolaters yet not to compell men to be of the Church First Because in such a case they must yeeld their owne willing consent Secondly Because they cannot giue them faith and repentance which is the only doore into the Church and cannot be opened to any but by God alone Suppose I. N. an idolater by the Kings authority be for his idolatry punished with imprisonment or losse of goods or some such like punishment and that he remaining still an idolater in the loue to his liberty or goods pretendeth great hatred to idolatrie and loue to the true worship of God whereupon after profession of his faith and repentance made he is receiued into the Church Yee cannot deny but that this man is a member of the visible Church for against such a one you cannot shut the doores of the Church and all in the Church are members thereof Tell me now First whether this man became not a member of the Church by compulsion and whether by punishment men are not after a sort compelled to doe the contrary to that for which they are punished and whether this is not intended and aymed at in punishments And so heere that I. N. being punished for his idolatry should forsake that and worship God according to his Word which makes one a member of the visible Church Secondly whether this hypocrite and deepe dissembler doe this of his owne willing consent or rather against his heart and will compelled thereunto by law and penalty Thirdly I demand whether this man hath faith and repentance and hath passed
the Church generations of Vipers Math. 3.7 12.34 23.33 who notwithstanding their shew and profession of holines are as full of malice and hatred towards the godly as a Viper of poison Moreouer where you say Thus the world and the Church betweene whom there hath beene perpetuall warre might soone be reconciled in this or such like speach by the world wee are to vnderstand the men of this world that is worldly minded men such as whose hearts and affections are set vpon this world and the things thereof whether they be in the Church or out of it and by Church the company of the faithfull members of the inuisible Church for these alone together with their head are meant by the Woman and her seed Betwixt these the World and Church thus taken is the warre or enmity you speake of foretold by God himselfe saying I will put enmity betweene thee and the woman Gen. 3.15 and betweene thy seed and her seed In stead hereof by World you vnderstand them that are without the Church and by Church the visible Church Whereby it appeares yâ—u speake you know not what such is your ignorance and rashnes Lastly say you if this be a lawfull and orderly course Counterpois 224. it is strange that Christ sent forth poore fisher-men to conuert soules by preaching and set not Princes to make Disciples by compulsion and penaltie We answere hee hath done both and this latter he hath done by giuing Kings to be nursing fathers and Queenes nursing mothers to his Church These by their authority compell men otherwise vnwilâ—ing to submit themselues to the outward worship of God whereby they come to be members of the Church or Disciples and so some of them by Preaching to be conuerted to God Thus the Magistrate in causing men to heare the Word helpeth forward and so herein is a nursing father the conuersion of soules by preaching You seeme to confound the conuerting of soules and the making of Disciples which are things different It is one thing to be turned and conuerted to God by true and vnfained repentance which is proper to the elect and inuisible Church and another to be a Disciple that is a Christian or professor of Christian Religion or member of the visible Church which is common to the reprobate with the elect There haue beene many Disciples whose soules were neuer conuerted by preaching Obiection But happely some of you will say we haue no example of this compulsion to the seruice of God in the new Testament not one in all the Actes of the Apostles where mention is made of the first planting or gathering of many Churches partly among the Iewes but chiefely the Gentiles All which were gathered onely by the Preaching of the word as your selfe haue formerly shewed and the gathering of none of them any way helped or furthered by the Commaundement and authoritie of the Magistrate Answere I answere Must all points of Religion and all Christian doctrine needes be confirmed and exemplified out of the new Testament Then the Scripture of the old Testament serueth not for probation but for some inferiour vses as to illustrate amplifie c. And who knoweth not that there be a thousand particulars whereof one cannot giue an example or instance in the new Testament why then doe you necessarily require it in this particular Secondly it is no maruell though we reade nothing thereof in the new Testament considering the Magistrates then were enemies and not friends to the Christian Religion Being not Christians but Heathens and Infidels without God in this world and strangers from the coÌ„mon wealth of Israel It is not therefore to bee imagined that they would make edicts and decrees send foorth their royall commands and threates for the erecting and setting vp or for the peaceable and well gouerning of this common-wealth But is rather to be thought that being iealous of their owne crownes and dignities and vpon some causeles feare that their owne coÌ„mon wealth could not stand with this they would set themselues with might and maine against the Church as indeede they did Obiection If you say the vntaught people in the beginning of Q. Elizabeths raigne suddenly receiuing the Gospell by commandement not by hearing could not beleeue at the first though they profâ—ssed and therefore at the first were no true Christians nor Churches and that such we continue I answere that not faith Answere but the profession thereof is necessarie to the making of a member of the visible Church and that they might be true Churches though all the members thereof were not true but many of them false and counterfeite Christians For a true visible Church consisteth as well of false and counterfeite as of true Christians of Christians in name onely as of Christians in deede as before hath beene shewed And therefore the Parish assemblies in England in the beginning of Q. Elizabeths raigne were true visible Churches seeing they all made outward profession of Faith and Christianitie and had among them some true beleeuers and Christians in their assemblies that generally they did make an outward good profession is manifest and notoriously knowne to all Christian nations and that there were then some true beleeuers and Christians in their assemblies we cannot doubt as touching very many assemblies in this land and in charitie which beleeueth all things and hopeth all things we may conceiue so of all Considering the Religion and worship of God was not then heare first established but restored againe and purged which had beene discontinued and corrupted in the dayes of Q. Mary which were not many For this cause we cannot deny true Faith and Christianitie to all these assemblies Shall we thinke that the fire had deuoured and eaten vp all the faithfull of the land No verily Exod. 3.2 No more then the bush in Horeb being on fire was consumed by the fire Whereby was signified that the Church is not consumed by the fire of afflictions Nay we are rather to thinke that as it was with the Hebrewes that the more they were oppressed the more they multiplied so it was with the Israel of God at this time in England the more they were persecuted for Christs sake the more they increased in true Christianitie So as out of the ashes of the Martyres there did spring a multitude of beleeuers besides the faithfull that were in the land before Whereof some hauing fled beyond the Seas did now returne home with ioy others hauing hid themselues as it were in caues and holes came forth These were scattered throughout the land and it is to be thought there were many thousands of them which neuer bowed the knee to Baal And these mixed with others who came vnto them and ioyned with them in one and the same profession made true visible Churches Whereby we see that albeit many receiued the Gospell for the Commandements sake yet not all Some there were that hungered and thirsted for the Gospell before it
therefore the world should hate them With this speech of Christ agreeth that of Peter It seemeth to them strange 1. Pet. 4.4 that ye runne not with them to the same excesse of ryot therefore speake they euill of you Suppose then that Iesus did not speake here onely of the Apostles nor yet solely of the Elect but that his speech was more generall and reached euent to the visible Church yet would not this testimonie proue that for which it is by you produced to wit that a visible Church is a company not mixed with but separated from the open wicked of the world Much lesse then vnderstanding this Scripture aright and as is before expounded Thus is to set the holy Scriptures not on the tenters which is euill but on the racke which is farre worse No lesse faultie are you in alledging to this purpose the 20. verse of this said 17. Chapter I pray not for these alone but also for them which shall beleeue in me through their word Where Iesus speaketh of and prayeth for the Elect onely and inuisisible Church militant and not for the visible Church But grant it were spoken and meant of the Church visible yet would it not serue to proue that for which it is by you alledged In like manner you here peruert Act. 19.9 Rom. 1.6.7 10.14 15 17. Ezek. 36.38 which for breuitie I passe by contenting my selfe to haue giuen you and the Reader a taste onely of your abuse of Scripture And here marke I beseech thee Christian Reader and forget not that this dâ—ctrine of these men is as contrarie to the Scriptures as darknesse is to light They teach you see that a true Church is a company of people separated from the world that is a separated company of righteous or godly men from all open vngodly or wicked and cannot consist of these two sorts or kindes of men of godly and vngodly good and bad holy and prophane such a mixt and confused company cannot be say they a true visible Church This mixture they condemne and vs for teaching it and euery where in their bookes cry out against it with open mouth Saying it is a a Confession of Faith 6.10.11 confused order and such societie a confused and mixed people that b Aâ—swere to M. Stone 6. lye scattered in the dust mixed with the prophane without seperation and it is an Antichristian confusion And tell vs that a true visible Church is an other manner of society That it is c A true desâ—ription of the visible Church pag. 1. a company of faithfull and holy people worshipping Christ aright gouerned by his lawes keeping the vnitie of Faith in the bond of Peace and loue vnfained Againe that it is a company of Conuerts of such as are d Apologie 37. already conuerted to God Moreouer that it is e Principles and inferences concerning vis Churches 7. a visible communion of Saints that is f Priâ—c and Ius 10. Iustification 105. of men seperated from all knowne sinne practising the whole will of God knowne growing in grace and knowledge and continuing to the end Because of this say they the visible Church is g Apologie 44. A true Description of the visible Church 1. confesâ—ion Faith 6. called a Church of Saints a Kingdome of Priests a Royall Priesthood a chosen Generation and an holy Nation And to make vp the full measure of their errour in this particular they assure vs if wee will bee so mad as beleeue them that a true visible Church hath in it onely such as if none other affirming that h A true Description of the visible Church pag. vlt. Communion of Saints into it entreth no vncleane thing neither whosoeuer worketh abominations and lyes but they which are written in the Lambes Booke of Life But without this Church are Dogges and Enchanters and Whoremâ—ngers and Idolaters and whatsoeuer loueth and maketh lyes as if none such were within the church And to put this doctrine of theirs out of all doubt and controuersie i Illud ostendere tentauerunt Donatistae â—rolatis multis testimoniis diuâ—narum Scripturarum quod Ecclesia Dei non cum mâ—loâ—um hominum commiss one futura praed cta sit August Tom. 7. collat cum Donatistis Defence of the Churches and Ministers of England 7. Counterpois 14. and 23. they alleadge for proofe thereof all most infinite places of Scripture Thus we see summarily what these men do held and teach concerning the subiect or matter of the visible Church and this part of their description thereof euen the same with the Donatists And applying this doctrine vnto vs they affirme that the Church of England is a false Church and our parish assemblies false visible Churches because they are not separated from the prophane of the land but remaine still in confused assemblies Let vs now heare what God teacheth vs in his word Certainely that which is directly contrary vnto this In the holy Scriptures wee learne that as in the barne-floore there is Chaffe mingled with Corne Mat 3.12 13.25.47 and in the field Tares growing together with Wheate and in the draw-net cast into the Sea things gathered of all kindes and as in a great house there are not onely vessels of golde and siluer but also of wood and earth some for honour and some for dishonour 2. Tim. 2.20 So in the visible Church there are men of all kindes Hypocrites and sincere good and bad holy and prophane faithfull and vnbeleeuers Nay by the Scriptures it is manifest By vnbeleeuers I meane men void of true Faiâ—h that the greater part of the visible Church are Reprobates Hypocrites vngodly men prophane walking after their owne lusts as by that which followeth doth appeare In the 32. of Numbers of the Church and people of God Moses saith that they were a company of sinfull men Verse 14 and behold yee are risen vp in your fathers stead as an increase of sinfull men still to augment the fierce wrath of the Lord toward Israel and in the 5. of Deut. Ye haue beene rebellioas vnto the Lord since the day that I knew you In the first of the Prouerbs wee haue wisedome Verse 24. that is Christ Iesus the wisedome of the Father speaking after this manner I haue called meaning by his seruants in the Ministerie and yee refused I haue stretched out mine hand and none would regard But yee haue despised all my counsell and would none of my correction And a little after they hated knowledge and did not chuse the feare of the Lord. They would none of my counsell but despised all my correction These contemners were prophane and vngodly persons and yet were they of the visible Church because they were within the sound of wisedomes voyce and call Yea marke further how some times almost all of the visible Church are despisers of the Ministerie and word of God and therefore prophane and godlesse For it is not said
In the second of Haggai the Prophet hath these words If a polluted person touch any of these shall it be vncleane and the Priests answered and said it shall be vncleane Then answered Haggai and saide so is this people and so is this nation before me saith the Lord. As heere notwithstanding the visible Church and people of the Iewes are said to be vncleane yet there were then in the Church many Saints Zerubbabel Iehoshua Haggai with many others as appeareth by chap. 1. v. 12.13 chap. 2. v. 5 6. Euen so albeit in holy writ the members of visible Churches are called Saints yet were there vndoubtedly in the same Churches not a fewe that were polluted and vncleane Neither is there any more force in this latter allegation to proue that all in the Church are outwardâ—y holy then in the former to proue that all in the Church in the Prophet Haggai his time were vncleane This might well suffice for an answere I will notwithstanding adde more therevnto that if it be possible your mouthes may be stopped But to come to a more direct answere I deny that Paul indited and writ his Epistles for and to the visible Churches in Rome Corinth Ephesus c. But to the seuerall and particular Churches that is societies of the faithfull in those and other cities and so framed his stile accordingly vnto this blessed and holy people many wicked and vnbeleeuers voide I meane of true faith ioyned themselues in the profession of the same faith and in holy Communion worshipping the same God after the same externall manner with them These latter and bad sort being all of them Hypocrites were in the Church but not of it no more then the chaffe that is mixt with wheate is wheate the first and good sort onely making the Church so much commended vnto vs in holy writ and the confused and mixt company of both these that wee call a visible Church They went out from vs saith Iohn but they were not of vs 1. Iohn 2.19 for if they had beene of vs they would haue continued with vs. Now to the Churches I say and not to the visible Churches the Apostle meant and writ at least chiefely his Epistâ—es as the inscriptions of the most of them besides many sayings in the same doe manifestly declare whereof we haue had a tast in the precedent section of which some I will repeate and adde some others To all that be at Rome beloued of God vnto the church of God which is at Corinthus to theÌ„ that are sanctified in Christ Iesus To the Saints which are at Ephesus and to the faithfull in Christ Iesus To them which are at Colosse Saints and faithfull brethren in Christ In like manner doth Saint Peter Peter an Apostle to the strangers that dwell here and there elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father vnto sanctification of the Spirit And in the second Epistle thus Simon Peter to you which haue obtained like precious faith with vs. And as in the inscriptions so in the Epistles themselues the Apostle vsually speaketh as to the Church and not to the visible Church To the Romanes Rom. 8.9.15 to whom he writ thus yee are not in the flesh but in the spirit because the spirit of God dwelleth in you Againe yee haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but yee haue receiued the spirit of adoption To them he writ at Corinthus 1. Cor. 1.7 vers 26.30 yee are not destitute of any gift waighting for the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ 8 Who shall confirme you vnto the end that yee may be blamelesse in the day of our Lord Iesus Christ 9 God is faithfull by whom yee are called vnto the fellowship of his Sonne Iesus Christ Brethren you see your calling how that not many wise men after the flesh c. But yee are of him in Christ Iesus Your bodies are the members of Christ Your body is the Temple of the holy Ghost yee are bought for a price 1. Cor 6.15 19.20 v. 27. Gal. 3.26 4 6. yee are the body of Christ To the Galatians thus Yee are all the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus Because ye are sonnes God hath sent foorth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts These speaches with infinite more of this kinde are true and can properly be said onely of the Churches and members thereof and improperly of the visible Churches and therefore mee thinketh it is very hard to vnderstand them of the visible Churches and members thereof rather then of the Churches themselues Neither can I conceiue what there is in religion or reason to leade vs from the litterall sence to your tropicall exposition specially considering these kinde of speeches be so frequent in the Epistles and few or none to be found in them which can properly be saide of the visible Churches This is further confirmed by 1. Cor. 12.28 but more plainly by Ephes 4.8.11.12 Where the ministery and Ministers are saide to be ordained for and giuen to the Church and Saints and body of Christ which body the Church or that we call the invisible Church is and not the visible And heere I reason thus To what Church or societie soeuer the ministery and Ministers of Christ were giuen to the same the canonicall Epistles were written But to the Church militant the ministery and Ministeis were giuen Therefore to it the Epistles canonicall were written The proposition is in it selfe cleare the assumption the former place of the Ephesians doeth manifestly prooue Whatsoeuer things are written Rom. 15.4 and therefore the Epistles of Paul and of the other Apostles are written for our learning or instruction who be of Gods election that we the elect of God through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope These things saith Iohn haue I written vnto you that beleeue in the name of the same God 1. Iohn 5.13 that yee may know that yee haue eternall life If Iohn write to the faithfull and to those who might assure themselues of eternall life which Faith and Life only the Church militant and elect that be on earth haue then vndoubtedly the Apostle Paul did write vnto the like seeing they were both guided by the same spirit and as pennes in the hand of the same Writer Finally as the Apostles whiles they were limited and confined to the nation and people of the Iewee were sent by Iesus to Preach to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel that is the elect Israelits Matth. 10.6 so vndoubtedly when the Apo coÌ„mission was enlarged they to Preach to all nations some of them to write they were of Iesus sent and inspired to Preach and write to the lost sheepe that is the elect of the Iewes and Gentiles And as the lost sheepe of the house of Israel were they whom Christ in his first sending and preaching of his Apostâ—es respectâ—d and of whom
he had care and pittie and not generally the Israelites or visible Church consisting of them so the l st sheepe of the Iewes and Gentiles are they whom Christ in his second sending of hâ—s Apâ—stles and in their prâ—aching and writing respected and of whom he had care and pittie and not the visible Church or Churches among them And this is further confirâ—ed yea cleared as I thinke by that speech of Paul in his Seâ—mon to them of Antiochia in Pisidia Actes 13.26 Yee men and brethren children of the generation of Abraham and whosoeuer among you feare God to you is the word of this saluation sent All they to whom Paul spake this professâ— the feare of God and therefore by them that are heere saide to feare God wee cannot vnderstand such seeing hee puâ—s a difference betwixt those in the Congregation that feared God and the rest It is one thing to feare God in deede and another thing to professe the feare of God This profession all in the Church doe make and so many of them as haue an externall righteousnesse wee are to iudge thus of them that they feare God yet onely they who be of the Church dâ—e indeede and trueth feare God the rest making a shewe of that they doe or haue not For the feare of God is a grace or giâ—t of Gods sanctiâ—ying Spirit which God of his grace giueth to all and onely to them that are sanctified in Christ Iesus It is proper to Gods Elect and them who be of the inuisible Church and to bee found in none other And this the Scrâ—pture teacheth where it s ith The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisâ—dome Prou. 9.10 And againe Blessed is them an that feareth the Lord. Psal 112.1 Now to these who haue this feare the word of saluation is sent and therefore the Apostolicall Epistles whereupon iâ— followeth necessarily that the Epistles were not sent to the visible Churches If iâ— be so that the Apostles write their Epistles to the Elect members of the inuisible Church then that they in their Epistles do ca l them to whom they write Saints I adde sanctifiâ—d â—n Christ Iesus fa thfull a chosen Generation a royall Priâ—st o d an holy Nation â—iuely stones a spiritual house the Temple oâ— God the habâ—tation of God by the Spirit the Body of Câ—rist c. maketh nothing at all to prooue this That a true visible church is a company of Saints sanctified in Christ Iesus faithfull the Body of Christ c. Neither doe these titles nor any othes of this kinde scattered euery where throughout the Epistles which be attributed to them of the invisible Church hinder this That a visible Church is a company of holy and vnholy faithfull and vnfaithfull and so your obiection is friuolous making nothing against vs. But graunt wee that the holy Apostle meant and writ his epistles to the visible churches at Rome Corinthus c. Neiâ—her will that helpe you though you imagine it doeth greatly And then I answere that Paul calleth the members of a visible Church Saints not because they were all holy and righteous men either in deede or outward appearance and caryage of themselues towards God and man as these men fondly imagine and very confidently affirme expounding thus this word Saints but in one or moe of these sences following In the 5. of Leuit those are called holy things that were consecrated vnto the Lord Vers 15. Vers 9.10.21 and in the 27. of the same booke the field whâ—ch was dedicated vnto the Lord is said to be an holy field and the beasts that were offered in sacrifice are called holy Euen so all of the visible Church are or may be called holy ones or Saints because in baptisme they be all dedicated vnto the Lord and giuen or resigned vp into his seruice Secondly Paul calleth or might call all of the vis Church Saints or holy ons because they aboue all people that are vpoÌ„ the earth are of God called or commanded to be holy Heb. 12.14 2. Thess 4.7 God saith the Apostle hath not called vs vnto vncleanenesse but vnto holinesse Hereunto belongeth that speech so oft repeated in the Law and after by Peter Leuâ—t 11.44 19.2 1. Pet. 1.16 Be ye holy for I am holy And that Exod. 22.31 Ye shall be an holy people vnto me And againe Leuit. 11.45 I am the Lord that brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God 1. Cor. 1.2 and that you should he holy for I am holy For confirmation of th s exposition serueth that Paul terming them Saints addeth by calling Paul vnto the Church of God which is at Corinthus Saints by calling Rom. 2.7 Psal 79.2 Deuâ— 7.6 14.2.21 and in his Ep to the Romans To all you that be at Rome beloued of God called Saints And in this sence the Nation or people of the Iewes are called Saints and said to be an holy people because the Lord hath chosen them to be such Thirdly all of the visible Church were or might bee called Saints because of their holy profession or holy religion which they professed Whatsoeuer they vvere their religion was holy and hee whom they in the middest of heathens and infidels confessed and professed was holy euen that holy One. Luke 1.35 In this respect because they professed holinesse and themselues to be holy all of the visible Church may fitly bee called Saints that is holy ones Euen as they are called faithfull and that with the same breath yea faithfull in Christ Iesus Paul an Apostle to the Saints which are at Ephsus Ephes 1.1 and to the faithful in Christ Iesus not that they all had faith in Christ which is true and iustifying faith but because they professed faith in him in vvhich sense we describe the visible Church to bee a company of faithfull people When therefore Paul saith To the Saints which are at Ephesus and to the Saints which are in Phillippi it is all one as if he had said To the Christians or professors of the Christian religion which are at Ephesus and Phillippi And so in the inscriptions of his Epistles to the Romans and Corinthians where he saith To all you that be at Rome callâ—d Saints vnto the Churcb of God at Corinthus Saints by calling it is as much as if he had said called or by calling Christians And thus thâ—s word Saints is often taken in the Epistlâ—s as else where in the New Testament as Romans 16.14 Phil. 4.21 Acts 26.10 compared vvith Act. 9.1 22.4 M. Bernard teaching that men are caâ—led Saints because of the profession of faith in Christ who maketh all true beleeuers holy and Saints M. Robinson answereth thus Iustif 110. It is true you say that Christ makes all true beleeuers holy and Saints but I deny that euery profession of faith in Christ argues a true beleeuer A false dissembler is he and no true beleeuer that in
word pretends faith in Christ and in deede denies him This is yâ—ur full answere and that a worthy one Hereby you impâ—y That none are in Scripture called Saints nor may lawfully be so called who be not true beleeuers holy Saints indeede their hearts being purified by faith But all in the visible Church be in holy Scripture called Saints and may lawfully therefore be so called Ergo all in the visible Church by your wise answere be true beleeuers And consequently they shall all be saued Iohn 3.16 For whosoeuer beleeueth shal not peâ—ish but haue euerlasting life If you deny that your words imply that I say then to what purpose serue they certainely they are then idle and haue not so much as the shew of answere in them which makes as little for your credit or cause But grant wee this it mattereth not much seeing but in the lease before in plaine words you in effect teach thâ— same Iustif 107. The scriptures say you doe call men Saints because they are Saints and not for any other cause Your reason followeth For what is it to be a Saint but to be holy We may well therefore thinke that you meant as much as I affirme I deny say yâ—u that euery profession of faith in Christ argues a true beleeuer So doe we A false dissembler is he say you and no true bâ—leeuer that in word pretends faith in Christ and in deede denies him The same say wee What of all this what makes this for you or against vs Nothing at all But besides the former implication it shewes that your fingâ—rs itched to bee scribbling against the profession of faith wh ch for asmuch as it may and doth often fall into dissemblers â—iues you no content and therefore in euery one of thâ— visible Church you will haue besides this profession true faith in Christ and all the members thereof true bâ—leeuers and consequently no disseâ—blers in the Church Thus you shut out of the visibâ—e Church all hypâ—crites and yet both a little before and after confesse that there bee such yea many such in the Church Reconcile But tell me M. Robinson why may not they that professe faith in Christ that holy one be therefore called holy or Saints notwi hstanding they haue no part of Christ his holinesse nor his holy Spirit dwelling in them as well as be cal ed Christ ans of Christ though they partake not vvith him in that holy annointing Againe the profession of Christ an Religion or of faith in Christ is an holy and glorious th ng and therefore vvhatsoâ—uer the persons be that thus professe be they holy or prophane worthily and fitly an holy and glorious name to wit Saints â—ay be giuen to such This saith M. Robinson is all one as if you should say The Scriptures doe not call men Saints because they are Saints but for some other causes knowne to you For what is it to be a Saint but to be holy Iustif 107. And what to be holy but to be of a sound iudgement pure affections and vnblameable conuersation Reply It is one thing to be called a Saint and an other to be a Saint one thing to be a Saint by nomination an other to be such in deede and veritie All that bee Saints indeede are Saints by nomination so called and to bee called and accounted But all that be Saints by nomination so called by the holy Ghost are not Saints indeede and so to bee reputed as you will needs haue it For then all in the Church of the Iewes were Saints or holy indeede forasmuch as they by the Holy Ghost are so called and consequently they were all saued which I trust you will not say Deut. 7.6 14.2 this is rendred for a reason why the Israelites should not conform themsâ—lues to the Nations about them neither in their religion or worship nor yet in other things of lesse moment as in cutting themselues in making baldnesse betweene their eyes for the dead For thou art an holy people vnto the Lord thy God And Deut. 14.27 Ye shall eate of nothing that dieth alone c. For thou art an holy people vnto the Lord thy God Againe Iam. 2.7 Doe not they euen those blasphemers saith Iames blaspheme the worthy name after which yee be named Hereby it is plaine that we are sometimes named or called not according to that which we be but in some other respect or as you say for some other causes else all of vs should alwaies bee such as our names pretend then vvhich nothing is more false The blasphemers here spoken of were named or called Christâ—ans yet sure you will not say they were Christians indeede They who at this day are baptised into Christ Iesus and profâ—sse faith in him haue the worthy and glorious name of Christians from Christ after whom they be so called yet all such bee not true Christians euen so all of the visible Church are called Saints and such by nomination and yet be not all Saints indeede not all of a sound iudgement pure affection and vnblameable conuersation as you tâ—ll vs. Lastly the Apostle might well call all in the visible Church Saints hauing respect and relation to those in it that vvere Sainâ—s indeede sanctified by the Spirit of God and faith in Christ Iesus the visible Church hauing this denomination of the better part by a Synecdoche all being called Saints because part of them are so indeede With this exposition maketh that those he nameth Saints are said to be sanctified in Christ Iesus Paul an Apostle to them that are sanctified in Christ Iesus Saints by calling And vvhy might not Paul in this titlâ— Saints respect only the true Saints Elect of God as well as in some other speeches of his in his Epistles 1. Cor. 12.27 6.11.19.20 and namely in these Ye are the body of Christ your bodies are the members of Christ your body is the Temple of the holy Ghost which is in you Ye are bought for a price Rom. 8 15. Gal. 4.6 Ye are washed ye are sanctified ye are iustified in the name of our Lord Iesus and by the spirit of our God Ye haue receiued the Spirit of Adoption Ye are the sonnes of God with infinite more such like Wee see a man is said to be a reasonable liuing creature of the better part the soule wherein alone is both the reason and life the body which is another parâ— wanting both Thus we vse to say Goe winnow the wheate in the barne not naming the chaffe though there bee more chaffe then wheate in the heape and that the wheate cannot be well seene for the chaffe Euen so the visible Church may bee called Saints in respect of the better part though the lesser and fewer in number be many the scripture therein ascribing to all that which is due properly and belongeth onely to some vvhich is vsuall in the holy scriptures as appeareth by the aforesaid testimonies
in the visible Church are members of it vntill by excommunication they bee cut of But by your owne confession wicked men are in the visible Church therefore wicked men are members of it Which if it bee true all your doctrine almost of the visible Church is false But to put an end to this point and part of your description By the premises it is plaine that a true visible Church is not seperated from the world that is a company of righteous and godly men onely seperated from the open wicked of the world For if a visible Church be a mixt company of good and bad godly and vngodly for which cause it is compared to a barne floore to a field and to a draw-net as hath been shewed out of the holy Scriptures againe if from time to time in the ages precedent both vnder the Law and Gospell there haue beene and remained in the true visible Church vvicked yea many wicked and open wicked as hath likewise been made manifest by the Scriptures how can it possible be true which you affirme That a visible Church is a seperated companie of righteous men not mixed with but seperated from the wicked of the world If this doctrine of yours be true the one of these doe necessarily follow either the former persons of whom I haue spoken so much Ismael Esau Doeg Saul Absalom the Scribes and Pharises were not openly wicked and men of this world or not in the Church but without or else that the Church wherein they in thâ—ir time liued was not a true but a false Church The premises considered it is very fondly done of you so often to obiect against vs the mixture of good and bad in our Church Calling it Cofusion Babel Babilonish confusion and our Churches because of it Babylon and a meere madnesse for this cause to seperate from our Church And thus much concerning this clause in your description seperated from the world The rest of your description I omit as not greatly to bee found fault with though something might bee said against it For where you say It is a company ioyned together by voluntarie profession you should raâ—her haue said ioyning together c. Wee are ioyned and knit together by loue and doe ioyne and agree in the same profession And where you require a voluntarie profession of the faith of Christ and tels vs elsewhere that a true Church consisteth of a voluntary people and that ours are confused and compelled and so a false church You must know that a man may bee of the visible Church albeit his profession be not voluntarie as hath been declared before Neither is that so fit you adde of the Faith of Christ as if you had said of the true Religion The Papists professe the faith of Christ and so doe the Anabaptists Families with sundry others and yet are they false Churches But whatsoeuer societie professeth true Religion is a true church To conclude Apology 44. Confession of Faith 11. Counterp 133. this I say that vnderstanding these words seperated from the world as Christ meaneth Ioh. 17.14.16 and 15.19 Which testimonies you here in your confession of faith and in the Counterpoyson alledge for the proofe of this and therefore must so vnderstand them without manifest peruerting of the said Scriptures then is this a description rather of the militant Church or those of the inuisible Church that are effectually called then of the visible Church CHAP. III. Of the matter and forme of the visible Church AS these men doe greatly erre in their description of the visible Church so doe they likewise in other points touching the same and namely about the matter and forme thereof Iustification 88. 82. The constitution of the Church saith M. Robinson is the orderly collection and coniunction of the Saints into and in the couenant of the new Testament wherein the Saints are the matter the couenant the forme from which two concurring the Church ariseth and is by them constituted And in another place deliuering the very same with this hee addeth And this is that which giues true being of a Church and nothing else Because of this let vs so much the more carefully seeke out the true matter aâ—d forme of the visible Church and remember that if the Separists mistake the matter and forme of the visible Church as the trueth is they doe they cannot iudge aright of the Church and therefore their iudgement and account of our Church is to be despised We hold as hath already beene saide men not Angels or any other creatures but a company of men to be the matter of the visible Church and the profession of true Religion to be the forme So that wheresoeuer there is a company of men ioyning together in the profession of true Religion the same is and may truely be called a visible Church The Seperators teach otherwise and first that Saints are the matter of the visible Church forgetting that a company of Saints are a Church by the Testimony of the holy Ghost as before hath beene shewed in the third Chapter of the first booke and therefore such a societie containeth in it as well the forme as the matter without both which nothing can be But we must know that howsoeuer the Separists euen all of them agree in this That Saints are the matter of the visible Church yet notwithstanding they disagree at least in appearance about the matter because they differ about these Saints who Instif 105. principles and Inferenâ—es 10. M. Smith in his Answere to M. Beâ—n rd 27 28. Separatists Schisme 83. Counterp 174. and what they be Saints say some of them are a people forsaking all knowne sinne doing all the knowne will of God growing in grace and continuing to the ende and these say M. Smith and M. Robinson are the onely matter of the visible Church This being conuinced by some of our side M. Ainsworth answereth thus This position meaning the aforesaide description of Saints and that such are the matter of the visi church I deny and also disclaime the errors which be gathered from it and therefore will spend no time in answering it but referre M. Bernard to them that haue so spoken or written if any be This we hold and let vs see what M. Bernard can say against it That Saints by calling are the onely matter of a true visible church For confutation of this that M. Ainsworth and the more auncient of this schisme doe maintaine that little which hath beene saide may suffice and the rather because but a litle before M. Ainsworth accordeth with vs and is as contrary to himselfe herein as we be Counterp 170. To the constitution of a Church saith he there belong 1. A people as the matter whereof and 2. A calling gathering and vniting together as the forme whereof the Church consisteth Where obserue how he contradicteth himselfe 1. Hee expressely affirmeth that a people which is the same that wee teach
the Epistles of Paul Peter and Iames there is nothing meant of the inuisible Church Because the saide Epistles were written as you say to the visible Church Also that nothing in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus are spoken either of the inuisible or visible church But of Ministers The foundation whereof is that to whomsoeuer an Apostle writ an Epistle of them all in that Epistle is spoken and to be vnderstood Secondly I deny your assumption and affirme that Peter writ to the Church whereby I meane the same which we call the inuisible Church and euen so did the rest of the Apostles those Epistles excepted which were written to some speciall person For the ministery is giuen to the Church or Saints and Body of Christ Ephes 4.11.12 Which Body the inuisible Church is and not the visible And heere I reason thus as I haue once before To what Church or societie the ministery and Ministers were giuen of Christ to the same the Canonicall Epistles were written But to the Church militant the ministery and Ministers were giuen therfore to it the Epistles were written The proposition is manifest the assumption Ephes 4.11.12 doeth clearely prooue We may remember also heere how Peter in his first Epistle writeth expressely and by name to the Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father vnto sanctification of the Spirit and in the second thus Peter to you which haue obtained like precious Faith with vs which Faith onely the elect haue and therfore is the same in effect with the former Peter to the Elect c. In answering our aforesaide and last obiection Iustif 107. M. Robinson addeth this If you would graunt that onely they are true members of the Church which by the word of God which must be the rule of our iudgement may be iudged Saints it would end this controuersie But all that professe Religion may by the word of God bee iudged Saints as before I haue shewed Otherwise Saul Doeg Ioab Absalom the Scribes and Pharisees Iudas Demas with infinite such were not true members of the visible Church which with any truth you cannot affirme See that you be now M. Robinson as good as your word let this controuersie concerning the matter of the visible church bee ended And thus much concerning the matter of the vis Church Let vs now heare what is the forme thereof The forme say we is the profession of true religion The Separists teach otherwise some that this is the forme some that M. Ainsworth writeth thus Counterp 107. Ibid. 174. To the constitution of a Church there belongs first a people as the matter whereof and 2. a calling gathering and vniting together as the forme whereof the Church consisteth We must remember here that a little after these words he teacheth that Saints by calling are the matter of the visible Church If this be true then calling is comprised vnder the matter and therefore not vnder the forme so that gathering and vniting together must make the forme or else we haue here none That gathering now and vniting together are not the forme I doe thus prooue If a people be the matter and gathering and vniting together the forme of the true visible Church then euery people gathered and vnited together is a true visible Church But the latter is false Therefore the first The proposition is grounded vpon this certaine and vndoubted trueth that where matter forme of a true vis church is there is a true church The assumption to wit that euery people gathered and vnited together is not a true vis Church is likewise true otherwise the congregations of Papists Anabaptists c. bee true Churches for they consist of people gathered and vnited together But leauing this man let vs heare what M. Smith sayeth Principles and Inferences 11. The true forme saith he of a true visible Church is partly inward partly outward The inward part of the forme consisteth in three things 1. the Spirit 2. Faith 3. Loue. The Spirit is the soule animating the whole body Faith vniteth the members of the body to the head Christ Iesus Loue vniteth the members of the body each to other The outward part thereof is a vowe promise oath or couenant betwixt God and the Saints Euery peece and parcell hereof he seemeth to himselfe and to his Disciples to proue substantially he alleadgeth no lesse then twelue testimonies of Scripture for the proofe of one point Reply The forme saith he is partly inward and partly outward Then the matter of the visible Church must bee so too except he will haue a forme without matter which I know you will not say Tell vs therefore what is the inward matter of the visible Church and what is the outward for assuredly wee know not But let this goe The inward forme is the Spirit Faith Loue. One would thinke that this was rather the forme of the Church militant considering these three Spirit Faith Loue are onely to be found in the elect and cannot fall into any reprobate whereof the visible Church consisteth for a great part And first as touching the Spirit it is proper to the chosen as is manifest by Romans 8.14.17 Gal. 4.6 Tit. 1.1 And for this cause Faith is called the Faith of Gods elect because I say it is proper to the elect of God which is further confirmed by that in the Acts Acts 13.48 1. Ioh. 3.14 as many as was ordained to eternall life beleeued And concerning Loue Iohn telleth vs that thereby wee may know and bee assured that wee are translated from death to life The spirit saith hee is the soule animating the whole body By whole body he vnderstands the whole visible Church and his meaning is that as the body of man and all the members and parts thereof are animated that is are quickened and receiue naturall or corporall life from the soule so the whole visible Church and all the members thereof haue spirituall life from the Spirit of God From whence this necessarily followeth that euery one of the visible Church hath the Spirit of God Rom. 8.10.11 quickening him to righteousnesse and holinesse of life here and to immortalitie and eternall life in the world to come For both these effects the spirit worketh in whomsoeuer it is and is there fore-called the spirit of life The which if it bee true Rom. 8.2 I meane that euery member of the visible Church hath the Spirit of God as all of you doe in effect teach and namely as oft as you doe tell vs that a true visible Church is the bodie of Christ then in the visible Church there are none dead in trespasses and sinnes no dead but all liuing stones forasmuch as the whole body and consequently euery member thereof is animated and quickned by the Spirit from whence floweth spirituall life and motion Then in the visible church there be no hypocrites nor carnall or naturall men no wicked person neither openly
Christ loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it 26. That hee might sanctifie it and cleanse it 27. That hee might make it vnto himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinckle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blame Here be diuers reasons to proue that that Church which in the holy scriptures is said to be the body of Christ and whereof Christ is the head is the inuisible Church and not the visible as you do hold For first Christ is the Sauiour of that Church or company of men which is his body But hee is the Sauiour and giueth saluation onely to the Church inuisible Ergo c. Secondly Ps 55. 11.5 Christ loueth the Church which is his body But hee loueth onely the elect and church inuisible hating all others as workers of iniquitie Rom. 9.13 Ergo c. Thirdly Christ died or gaue himselfe to death for the church which is his body But hee died onely for the elect and church inuisible Ergo the inuisible church on ly is his body Fourthly that church which is the body of Christ Iesus by his spirit in this life sanctifieth and cleanseth in part and peâ—fectly in the life which is to come at which time it shall be without spot or wrinkle holy and without blame and so a glorious church indeede But this onely Christ doth to the inuisible church and all the members thereof and not to the vis church the greatest part whereof hâ—e leaueth to the vncleane spâ—rit who leadeth them into all manner of vncleanenesse and wickednesse Therefore the inuisible church onely and not the visible is the body of Christ The seuerall Propositions of these foure arguments are euident by this present Scripture The Assumptions of them all are so cleere that you neither will nor dare deny It resteth therefore that you imbrace the conclusion Ephes 2.22.23 4.12 15.16 Col. 1.18.24 And here we learne how to vnderstand those places of holy Scripture where Christ is said to be the head of the Churth and the Church is called his body Not of the vis church as you doe but of the inuisible church or that company of the elect vvhich is by faith vnited to Christ and by loue one to another that is of the faithfull These are they which are the mysticall body of Christ whereof he is the head Counterp 127. Apologie 44. A true Description of the vis church 2. pag. 1. 1. Cor. 12.27 1. Cor. 6.19 7.23 But you will say doth not the Apostle writing to the vis church at Corinth say Ye are the body of Christ and members for your part What proofe can be more plaine then this I answere doth not the same Apostle writing to the same church likewise say Ye are not your owne yee are bought with a price If this argument of yours were ought hence it vvould follow that Christ Iesus hath redeemed the vis church and so by consequent Reprobates When Peter teacheth that only the Elect or church inuisible are redeemed with the precious bloud of Christ 1. Pet. 1.2.18 Confession of faith 26. which you likewise acknowledge From hence also it will follow that all of the vis church are in Christ Iesus and that Christ is vnto them wisedome righteousnesse sanctâ—fication and redemption because Paul writting to the Corinthians saith yee are of him in Christ Iesus 1. Cor. 1.30 2. Thess 1.1 who of God is made vnto vs wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption By this reason you may as well Prooue that all of the visible Church are the Sonnes of God and that therein is no childe of the diuell because Paul writing to the visible Churches of Galatia saith thus Yee are all the Sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus Gal. 3.26 And that all in the visible Church haue faith in Christ Iesus that is true and iustifying faith and an hundred more of most false positions will ensue of this kinde of reasoning as hath ben shewed before To make this argument good you must proue that all the speeches of Paul in his Epistles written to Church or churches were by him spoken meant to all the members of the visible Church and are true of them In the meane season for the better informing both of you and others we must vnderstand that where the Apostle writing to a Church or certaine Congregation saith that they are redeemed by Christ 1. Cor. 6.15.1 are in Christ Iesus that they beleeue in Christ that the Spirit of God dwelleth in them that their bodies are the members of Christ the Temple of the holy Ghost are sealed with the holy Spirit of promise the earnest of their inheritance Ephes 1.13 that they are all the Sonnes of God the body of Christ and euery one a member for his part and he their head Wee must I say knowe that these speeches with many more of this kinde are not spoken and meant simply of the visible Church and so of all the members thereof but of some certaine persons in the inuisible Church that is the elect These also are very probable the Apostle respected and meant onely in and by the title of Saints so often vsed in the beginning of his Epistles as Rom. 1.7 1. Cor. 1 2. Ephes 1.1 If by Saints we vnderstand Saints indeede that is such as whose hearts are purified by faith and sanctified or made holy by the Spirit of God which exposition these two last testimonies fauours much then this title he vsed onely in regard of the elect that were in the visible Churches whom solely or at least chiefly he respected in his saide Epistleâ— and for whose sake he did write them and not in respect of the visible Churches with all their members Which being so as it is very absurde to conclude from this title of Saints that none are in a true visible Church but Saints I meane Saints indeede so is it no lesse absurde to collect from this speech of Paul yee are the body of Christ and members for your part that the visible Church is the body of Christ and euery member thereof apart Yea this latter the two next verses going before these wordes yee are the body of Christ doe manifestly conuince for in them it is saide and implyed that as the members of a mans body haue care one for anoâ—her 1. Cor. 12.25.26 and such a fellow-feeling as if one member suffer all will suffer with it and if one member be had in honour all the members reioyce with it so is it with the members of the body of Christ But this care and fellow-feeling this mutiall sorrowe and reioycing is onely to be found in the faithfull and Saints indeede members of the inuisible Church they therefore are the body of Christ or at the most the visible Church is so called hauing relation to these These are they that weepe with them that weepe and reioyce with them that reioyce
Church in the one of these times this complaint was taken vp Ah sinfull nation a people ladâ—n with iniquitie c. And of the other this Helpe Lord for there is not a godly man left c. These children of wrath might I now argue with you this sinfull generation could not possibly bâ—e members of the body of Christ nor haue him for their head and therefore was not a true but a false Church And marke heere gentle Reader I pray thee how this man affirmeâ—h first That all of the visible Church are members of the Body of Christ Secondly but more truely that all the members of the body of Christ are partakers of his life and spirit so as whosoeuer doeth not participate with this life and spirit is no member But with this lâ—fe and spirit the inuisible Church onely and company of the Elect I meane so many of them as are effectually called doe partake as before I haue prooued Therefore not the visible but the called of the inuisibâ—e Church are members of the body of Christ and make that body whereof Iesus is the hâ—ad And hereby he excludeth and shutteth out of the visible Church all reprobates all hypocrites and wicked men as well secret as open wicked and maketh it to consist onely of godly or righteous men indeede or if you will of the Elâ—ct alone For saith he all the members of the true visible Church are members of the Body of Christ not dead but liuing members partaking with the spirit and life of Christ But no râ—probate hypocrite or wicked man is a liuing member of the Body of Christ partaking with the spirit and life of Christ Therâ—fore none such are of the true visible Church Againe onely the Elect and sincere or truely godly are such liuing members Therfore onely such by your wise doctrine are of the true visible Church Moreouer obserue heere that by this mans doctrine in the true visible Church there are no children of the diuell For saith he Christ hath no concord with Belial therefore not with his children Againe All the members of the true visible Church are members of Christ his glorious Body But the dead stinking and abhominable members of Sathan are not members of Christs glorious Body therefore not of the true visible church Wherevpon foâ—loweth that all of the true visible Church are the children of God and so heires of saluation for if children heires And particularly that Cain Ismael Esau Saul Absalom Iudas and the Scribes and Pharisees were the children of God and are sauâ—d for all these were members of the true visible Church And tell me M. Ainsworth yâ—u that will haue no children of Beliall no dead stinking and abhominable members of Sathan members of the true visible Church but require that all the members of the visible Church bee members of the glorious Body of Christ hauing him for thâ—ir head fâ—r which cause you condemne the Church of England for a false Churâ—h because in it there be many dead and rotten members tell me I say in your next Treatise first whether this reason of yours proues not as is in part aforesaide as well the Church of the Iewes in Christs time as also before and after in the dâ—yes of his Apostles to be a false Church as weâ—l as ours Secondly whether Cain Esau Iudas and the rest aboue named were liuing members partâ—king of Christ his life and Spiâ—it or dead stinking and the abhominable members of Sathan And this latter being true which you cannot deny whether dead stinking and abhominable members of Sathan haue not beene members of the true visible Church seeing these were no better members and yet were all of the vis church Marke also how in the former words hee requireth faith and repentance in euery member of the visible Church And so he doeth a little before The people of EnglaÌ„d in the beginning of Q. Elizabeths raigne Counterp 127. did not enter into the church by repentance faith in Christ but by the commandement of the Magistrate were compelled vnto the Church Sacraments and ministery Now the Magistrates lawe cannot worke faith in any Ephes 2.8 Rom. 10.17 seeing faith is the gift of God and by his word onely is wrought in mans heart I haue told you before and now tell you againe that not faith and repentance but the profâ—ssion of these is necessary to the making of a membâ—r of the visible church and that thereunto the Magistrates law and authoritie will drawe and perswade men Had you and the rest of your societie learned this you would neuer then haue required these graces nor such holinesse at least externall in all the members of the visible church as you doe But it is no maruell though you requâ—re faith and repentance not in the iudgement of charitie but in deede and veritie in euery member of the visible Church Communion of Saints 321. and tell vs else where that this is the doore whereby a man must enter into the Church considering you teach that the visible Church is the Body of Christ and that all the members of the visible Church are members of his misticall body and partakers of his spirit and life For no vnbeleeuer and impenâ—tent person is member of the misticall bodie of Christ You now that require true faith and repentance in euery member of the visible Church say whether any of the visible Church can be damned For the Scripture saith He that beleeueth is saued alreadie hath passed from death to life And that If the wicked returne from all his sinnes which he hath committed and keepe all Gods statutes Ezech. 18.21 that is If he repent he shall surely liue and shall not die After many friuelous lines tending hereunto that there is peace and agreement betweene Christ and all of the visible Church That in the Church among the members thereof there is no hatred or enmitie both which are palpably false you drawing to an end of the proofe of your Assumption vse these words following By this it may appeare that Christ is no head of such Antichristians Pag. 130. nor of any other prophane wicked worldlings seeing his spirit giues them not life and motion but they are carried by the spirit of Satan that possessed them neither can they bee knit vnto him by ioynts or bands as all his body and members thereof are Therefore saith hee the Church of England is not the true Church of God Thus the second time you tell vs and truely That Christ his body and all the members thereof haue his spirit giuing them life and motion wherby as by ioynts or bands they are knit vnto him the head But againe say I the called of the inuisible Church only haue this spirit by this spirit are knit vnto the head Christ They therefore onely are the body of Christ and to him vnited as the head Againe many of the true visible Church that I say not the greatest part therof haue
and sanctifieth or maketh holy that before and till then were prophane and from vnder the power of Satan and his slauery bringeth into the glorious liberty of the sons of God bestowing his free spirit vpon them All this God doth to this end that they might shew forth the vertues of him who hath chosen and called them hereunto that is praise him for his exceeding rich mercie and goodnes towards them As in the aforesaid ninth verse so likewise in the fift verse of the said Chapter this our Apostle in the beleeuing Iewes doth yet further describe and set forth the Church or rather part thereof the Militant whereby wee may the better vnderstand the same and who be of it And yee speaking of the elect and beleeuing Iewes as liuely stones are made a spirituall house an holy Priesthood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ First the company of true beleeuers all which be the Militant Church are called liuely or liuing stones as hauing spirituall life or the life of God in them from that liuing stone Christ Iesus Ephes 4.18 mentioned vers 4. who is also the chiefe corner stone of this building As these before the time of their calling and vntill they doe beleeue are as stones without life Rom. 6.13 Ephes 2.1 2. Tim. 5.6 Iohn 5.25 Matth. 7.22 dead in sinne like to the widow who liuing in pleasure was dead while shee liued and to those of whom Iesus speaketh The dead shall heare the voice of the Sonne of God meaning in the Ministery of the Word and againe Let the dead bury the dead and being thus dead haue no more power or strength to doe those actions which are pleasing vnto God which we call good-workes then a dead man to performe the actions of life as to eate drinke talke walke c. So as soone as they be called and beleeue and euer from that time forward they haue a power conueyed into them from God whereby they are quickned and made able to doe the workes of God whereupon they are called liuing or liuely stones And it commeth thus to passe I speake of the inward and effectuall calling When God calleth a man which is when he receiueth grace to beleeue in Christ Iesus then hee bestoweth his Spirit on him according to that of Paul Ephes 3.17 Christ dwelleth in your hearts by faith meaning that in all which doe beleeue Christ dwelleth by his Spirâ—t which is confirmed by that other speech of the Apostle to the Romans Chap. 8.9 If any man haue not the Spirit of Christ the same is not his This Spirit being the Spirit of life as it is called Rom. 8.2 killeth and subdueth in whomsoeuer it is sinne so as though it remaine still in man yet it hath not that dominion and command that before it had and quickneth or inableth them in some measure to lead an holy and righteous life As is taught Rom 8.10 If Christ bee in you to wit by his Spirit or if the Spirit of Christ be in you the body meaning the body of sinne as Rom. 6.6 is dead because of sinne and the Spirit is life for righteousnesse sake From hence I say it is that the faithfull who bee the Militant Church are called liuing stones 1. Cor. 3.16.17 Secondly they are said to be a spirituall house and elsewhere the Temple of God as wherein God dwelleth by his Spirit whereof the Tabernacle and materiall house or Temple built by Salomon were a type and figure Of this inhabitation of God by his Spirit we shal heare more hereafter Thirdly as in the ninth verse they are termed a royall Priest-hood so heere an holy Priesthood They are said also to offer vp spirituall sacrifices As the Priests vnder the law were to offer sacrifices so these royall and holy Priests both vnder the Law and Gospell did and should offer not Lambes Calues yong Bullockes Psal 51.17 Psal 4.5 Heb. 13.15 or any earthly or corporall sacrifices as the Leuiticall Priests did but sacrifices of another kinde spirituall and heauenly the sacrifice of a contrite spirit and broken heart the sacrifice of righteousnesse the sacrifice of praise or the calues of the lippes yea themselues for a sacrifice consecrating themselues wholly to God throughout the whole course of their liues in all their actions studying to please him It is said further that the sacrifices which these Priests doe offer are acceptable to God by Christ Iesus Wherein are implied two things First Though all the sacrifices of the Leuiticall Priests were not pleasing to God and accepted of him yet all the sacrifices which these Priests offer that is all the good workes they doe should be accepted of God Secondly That these sacrifices bee not acceptable to God for any perfection or worthinesse that is in them but in and through Iesus Christ Confession of faith 6. and to Communion of Saints 248 and 470. Apologie 44. Counterp 198. Description of the visible Church p. 2. his mediation and intercession These two places of Peter viz the fift and ninth verses and likewise Reuel 1.6 and 1. Cor 3.16 17. our brethren of the Separation vnderstand of the visible Church and members thereof as hereafter we shall heare I trust by that is already said this error of theirs is manifest Yet haue we something more to say thereunto in his due place Finally of this blessed company that is to bee vnderstood in the Creed I beleeue the holy Catholike Church Where euery true beleeuer not onely professeth that hee beleeueth and is perswaded that there is such a blessed society as is aforesaid to whom only the benefits and priuiledges following in the Creed doe belong to wit the Communion of Saints the forgiuenesse of sinnes the resurrection of the flâ—sh and life euerlasting but that he himselfe is one of them This Church is said to be holy for that it consisteth of persons holy but of this we haue spoken already It is termed likewise Catholike that is Vniuersall because of this fellowship there are some heere and there through the vnâ—uersall world as also for that it containeth in it all the Elect and such as are and shall be saued from the beginniâ—g to the end of the world so that out of this Church there is no saluation Lastly it is to be obserued that we doe not say I see but I beleeue the holy Catholike Church whereby wee know that this Church is rightly said to be Inuisible Heb. 11.2 bâ—cause faith is of things which are not seene We beleeue this Church it must needs then be inuisible And it is called Inuisible hauing reference to men who can neither sound the secrets of God nor yet which is lesse the heart of man because I say we can doe neither of these much lesse both and so cannot see or know who be Elect of which alone this Church standeth therefore it is said to he Inuisible 2. Tim. 2.19 1.
our selues were Proselites of the Iewes Religion so of the visible Church and yet vndoubtedly they came not to be such by the call of the word or by the power and operation therof but by beholding the great and wonderfull workes which the Lord wrought by the hand of Moses and Aaron and the freedom of the Iewes from those plagues which fell vpon the Egyptians When Haman was hanged and Mordecai exalted and comfortable letters sent to the Iewes that they should be readie on such a day and auenge themselues on their enemies so as vnto the Iewes was come light and ioy and gladnesse and honor it is recorded in that story Ester 8.17 that many of the people of that Land became Iewes that is turned to and professed the Iewes Religion and so were ioyned to the Church and then immediatly is shewed how that came to passe not by the call power and operation of the Word but because the feare of the Iewes fell vpon them This is manifest likewise in the Gospell where many are said to beleeue in Christ that is to professe faith in Christ and so were of the visible Church of whom it is plaine they were not drawne thereunto by the word but some by the report they heard of Christ as Ioh. 4.39 some for their belly sake to be fed by him as Ioh. 6.26 and some by his miracles as Ioh. 2.27 Seeing then this is not necessarie and generally true of all the members of the Church that they are called by the word of God very vnfitly was it placed in the description of a visible Church which if it were good would be true and each part of it of euery member thereof If it bee true that a visible Church is a company of men then thus is it also true whosoeuer is not a man is not nor can be of the visible Church and therefore no Angels no spirits or soules of men can be of this Church euen so it is in this case If this be true that a visible Church is a company called by the word of God then this is true also that whosoeuer is not called by the word and hath not felt the force and power of this mighty word is no member of the visible Church Moreouer suppose that one of the visible Church haue children and seruants that be Papists and that he after other perswasions commands and threats shall say vnto them except yee forsake your idolatry and worship God according to his word and not after the traditions and deuises of men yee shall be no children nor seruants vnto mee And that thereupon they frequent the Church assemblies and in processe of time doe in policie outwardly seeme to be religious renouncing Popery and p ofessing the true Religion when in the meane season they continue Popish still And not those to be accounted of the visible Church Yes verily for what though they haue a heart and a heart that is nothing to man we must leaue that to God Yet these children and seruants came not to bee of the Church by the call of the Word And herein this Father and Master did nothing but what in duety to God Gen. 18.19 and loue to men he ought to doe For I know him saith the Lord that he will command his sonnes and his houshold after him that they keepe the way of the Lord to doe righteousnesse and iudgement that the Lord may bring vpon Abraham that he hath spoken vnto him May and ought the Master and Father of a family doe this and may not or ought not the Father of the Country according to that authority which God hath giuen him likewise do the like by his family If he may why doe you condemne as it should seeme the proclamation and commandement giuen in this behalfe by Queene Elizabeth not long after shee came to the Crowne whereby the gathering of our Churches was hastened You ought rather to haue commended her for it When Iudah was fallen to Idolatry whereby it became a false Church the Lord raised vp certaine Kings of Iudah to restore and purge the Religion and worship of God then greatly corrupted whereby it became againe a true Church And this that they might the better effect they a 2. King 23.21 2. Chron. 14.4 and 33.16 commanded the people to serue the Lord in that manner that he had appointed them and not after the fashion and appointment of men as they had done Of Iosiah it is said That b 2. Chron. 34 33. hee compelled all that were found in Israel to serue the Lord their God Yea some of them to this end c 2. Chro. 30.5.6.10 made proclamation throughout all Israel from Beersheba euen to Dan and accordingly sent forth the postes with the said proclamations or letters and that which is more d 2. Chro. 15.12.13 calling a Parliament made this statute or law That whosoeuer would not seeke the Lord God of Israel that is serue him according to his word as it is expounded 2. Chron. 14.4 should be slaine Concerning this also they caused the people to take an oath Then it followeth in the text And the Lord gaue them rest round about Whereby is intimated that God approued of this compulsion to serue him and therewith was well pleased Yee now that so greatly condemne the gathering of our Churches and teach that all who are of the visible Church are called by the word of God and thereby onely made members of that society That God heere must perswade the heart of man Counterpoyson 72. 170. That Christs Church to wit visible is a people begotten of God with the word of truth that Gods people meaning the visible Church are a voluntary people And thereupon condemne all force and compulsion vsed herein by the Magistrate Tell me I pray you whether all the Idolaters in the daies of Asa Hezekiah Manasseh and Iosiah that reformed themselues touching their outward profession were by the force and power of the word of God then preached brought to professe the true Religion and to ioyne with others in the true worship of God and so to be of the visible Church If you answere affirmatiuely he is a foole that beleeues you and such a one sure that if you say the crow is white will likewise beleeue you If negatiuely we need no more to conuince you For it some haue come to be of the visible Church who before were not and not by the call of the word which in giuing this negatiue answere you affirme then is not the visible Church a company of people câ—lled by the word of God as you define it Secondly I demand of you why commandements proclamations threates force and compulsion being vsed by the Kings or Queenes of England in the restoring or purging of the Religion and worshâ—p of God should not as well now bâ—e lawfull and pleasing to the Lord as the like proceedings vsed by the Kings of Iudah were in
came and groned vnder the present superstitious and idolatrous worship sighing and crying vnto God day and night because of it they not a few And tell me I pray you had they not in King Edwards the word of God read in their mother tongue in euery Congregation throughout the land and preached also heere and there according to the number of Preachers then Besides they had the holy Bible in the English tongue in their houses wherein no doubt many did meditate day and night Also many godly Bookes specially against papistrie were in their hands whereof they were daily scattering and reading all the dayes of Queene Mary In her time also many in the land had their secrete meetings sometimes by day sometimes by night wherin they ioyned together in the word and prayer and administration of the Sacraments Tidings and letters went daily on euery side concerning the patience and alacritie of the Martyrs in their sufferings their constantie their graue and learned answeres and Apologies and of the rude and vnlearned replies the sauage and cruell dealing of the Prelates with them on the other side The blood of the Martyrs likewise shed before the eyes of all men preached aloud vnto them that saw and heard therof Adde hereunto the manifold conferences consultations disputaions vsed about Religion and the right way to saluation whether this or that were the way specially in the entrance of Q. Elizabeth to her throne that there was a From the 17. of Nouember vntill Midsommer more then halfe a yeare for the people to heare learne and consider before the Commaundement came and we cannot be so void of vnderstanding as to think that meere force coÌ„pulsion brought all to the holy profession vniuersally made nor of charitie as to conceiue that they all generally wanted all knowledge and all faith and were assemblies consisting only of ignorant persons and vnbeleeuers But suppose that onely the proclamation and royall commandement had brought in all And that none had had knowledge and faith in God but Q. Elizabeth who caused that proclamation and gaue that commandement and whose memoriall for that act is and shall be blessed in all ages succeeding Be it granted I say that all parish assemblies then in this land were Congregations of ignorant persons and vnbeleeuing no true Churches indeed at least in Gods account yet it doeth not followe thereupon that our assemblies be such now but this notwithstanding may be and indeede are the Churches of Christ seeing that euer since aboue 50. yeeres wee haue beene pertakers of the true word of God and Sacraments and submitted our selues thereunto and many of vs effectually called thereby as witnesseth our liues vnblameable euen our enemies being Iudges There are many men in a house but gotten into it not through the doore whereby is the ordinary passage into it but by some backe doore or through the window or happely at some breach violently made into the saide house Were it not extreame folly or rather madnesse because of this manner of entrance to deny the inbeing of the aforesaide men in the house Thus vnwise are the Brownists in denying our inbeing in the Church which is the house of God because the manner of our entrance or passage into it at the first was not such as it ought to haue beene as they affirme Apology 24 If you should finde saith Doctor Hall a company of true Christians in vtmost India would you stand vpon tearmes and enquire how they became so Whiles they haue that is necessary for that Heauenly profession what neede your curiositie trouble it selfe with the meanes Against the trueâ—h of our Church therefore to obiect as they do that it waâ— not at the first rightly gathered by the sound of the word but rather of the trumpet is nothing if it were true much more is it nothing and of no validitie that being false And heere befâ—re I ende this point let vs yet further marke how the first gathering of our Church as touching the time when it was they ascribe to the beginning of Queene Elizabeths raigne and as concerning the meanes whereby it was gathered to the proclaimation then made but both vntruly For the first conuersion of our land to the faith of Christ was long before and that by the preaching of the Gospell as is plaine by ecclesiastical stories and by the persecution and martyrdome of the Saints Act. and Monâ—m passim from time to time recorded therein At least who can deny that the Church of England was a true Church in King Edward his dayes during whose raigne many were by preaching so effectually called as the trueth which they then embraced and professed they after sealed with their blood And by the same meanes an infinite company more were then conuerted and brought to the faith that by God were deliuered and preserued from the rage and mallice of the aduersary Very vntrue and slaunderous therefore is this saying of Maister Ainsword Couâ—terp 64. The gathering and planting of your Church hath beene by the Magistrates authoritie not by the word of Christ Heere also as in a glasse wee may behold the falshood and vanitie of that speach of H. Barrow D sâ—ouery of the falsechurch 10. Iustificâ—tion 275. All the people were in one day by the blast of Queene Elizabeths Trumpet of ignorant Papists and grosse Idolaters made faithfull Christians and true professors With these men agreeth M. Robison If the body of the land in the beginning of the Queenes raigne were good and holy at all the Magistrates compulsion wrought it in men and made them of persecuting Idolaters true Christians for other meanes in tearming or comming betwixt their profession of the Masse and of the Gospell had they none sauing the Magistrates authoritie How truely is saide that all the people and inhabitants of this land were ignorant and without the know-of God Secondly Papists and grosse Idolaters Thirdly That no other meanes did intermine and come betwixt their profession of the Masse and the Gospell but the Magistrates authoritie doe thou reader iudge by the promises Obserue here thier slandering of the people of God which is a sinne a thousand fould more hainous then the slandering of one man also their vncharitablenes but chiefely their grosse ignorance who secretly heere emplies that a true visible Church is a company of faithfull and true Christians and true Professors agreeing with their description of the visible Church wherof before we haue heard This â—s taught in the parable of the sower Math. 13.2 c. matt 22.14 Whereas the holy Scriptures teach vs that the most in the visible Church are such as haue onely the name and outward profession of Christianitie being nothing lesse then that they professe and seeme to be Christians in name onely called Christians but no Christians indeede These men tels vs that all in the visible Church are faithfull and true Christians and true Professors and
because in the beginning of Queene Elizabeths raigne and likewise at this day our parishionall assemblies are no such societies as consist of such onely but had and now haue in them many false and counterfeite Christians and Professors Therefore at the first they were and so continue false visible Churches Is there any so blind who seeth not that hereby they shut out of the Church all Hypocrites For true Professors are opposite to false and counterfeite Professors which are those we call Hypocrites A true Professor is he who is the sonne in trueth that he professeth and maketh shew to be Who professing godlinesse is godly Directly contrary to this man is the Hypocrite The like may be saide of a faithfull and true Christian But a true visible Church saide those Schismaticks is a company of true Professors and Christians and not a mixt company of true and false Professors Therefore in the visible Church by their doctrine there are no Hypocrites With Barrow and Robison doth Maister Ainsworth accord Counterp 72. as being led by the same spirit The Apostle saith he sheweth Iam 1.18 1. Pet. 1.23 That Christs Church is a people begotten with the word of trueth that is the Gospell but your Church was first begotten gathered constituted ordered and is still continued by the Magistrates word and authoritie which if it did not enforce the people the estate wherein you now stand would soone bee changed and your Church dissolued And where you learned so to inforce faith and constraine men to bee members of your Church Alcoran chap. 18. 19. I can not tell vnlesse you would follow Mahomets doctrine who taught that men should bee compelled to the faith by the sword Before you teach that a visible Church is a company of people that doe repent and beleeue the Gospell and here you terme it a people begotten by the Gospel and borne a new nor of mortall but of immortall seede and so all are regenerated that bee in the visible Church and consequently shall inherit the Kingdome of heauen For can hee dye that is begotten and borne of immortall seede whereof both these Apostles speak This doctrine and all of this kinde hereafter following take it as it is by you deliuered and it is palpably false so as it needeth no confutation But your meaning it seemeth is that All in the true visible Church liue so holily righteously and soberly touching their outward carriage before men that wee cannot in equity nor charity account otherwise of them then faithfull and such as haue repented and are conuerted to God and are begotten and borne a new Principles and Inferences 7. yea Elect as M. Smith saith And for this cause as these men suppose all in the visible Church are called Saints and Faithfull As Ephes 1.1 Paul an Apostle of Iesus Christ c. But herein it must needs be they are deceiued seeing there haue beene true visible Churches in former times wherein some members and those not a few haue beene so vile and abominable as the faithfull then liuing could neither in equitie nor charitie iudge so of them as you speake Except they should haue iudged otherwise of the tree then according to the fruits nay cleane contrarie to it whereas our Lord sayth Yee shall know men by their fruits Mat. 7.16 euen as the tree is knowne by the fruits thereof That which M. Smith here affirmeth I haue answered here after in the next Chapter and thither I referre the Reader for further satisfaction Obserue besides the abuse of scripture here Note here their peruerting of Scripture The words of Iames be Of his owne will begate hee vs with the word of truth that wee should be the first fruits of his Creatures By vs who are said here to be begotten by the Gospell the Apostle meaneth himselfe and the rest of the faithfull members of the inuisible Church and not himselfe the rest of the visible Church as you fondly imagine and beare the simple Reader in hand Rom. 6.13 12.2 As the first fruits vnder the Law were dedicated to God and offered vnto him so all the faithfull consecrate and giue vp themselues wholly to God a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto him which is their reasonable seruing of God and not all of the visible Church as you in the application of this Scripture tell vs the most whereof giue themselues and their members as weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne wherein they walke according to the course of this world and after the Prince that ruleth in the ayre euen the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience Of true beleeuers and none others S. Peter also speaketh For they onely are borne a new of that immortall seede hee mentioneth which Iohn 1.12 proueth As many as receiued him to them hee gaue power to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name Againe these that are thus borne a new as 23. vers are said to be redeemed vers 18. to beleeue in God verse 21. To haue their soules purified by the Spirit verse 22. But such as bee of the inuisible Church onely are redeemed beleeue in GOD Counterpoys 158. are purifyed by the Spirit Of such therefore the Apostle here speaketh Hereby it is plaine that you speake vntruely when you say That places setting forth the inuisible Church are not by you brought to set forth the visible Church Yet Ainsworth in slandering and blaspheming our Church is worse and more intollerable then Barrowes whereof wee haue heard before Hee saith not onely that our Church was first begotten and gathered but addeth and is still continued by the Magistrates word and authoritie excluding the words of GOD as if our Church were neither begotten at first nor continued now by the Ministerie of the Word And where learned yee say you so to inforce Faith and constraine men to be members of your Church I answere Not out of the 18. and 19. Chapters of Alcoran which you by your Cotation in the margent imply but out of the sacred scriptures Not from the example of Mahomet but from the commended examples of the godly Kings of Iudah as I haue shewed Thus much you cannot tell or see The greater is your ignorance and blindnesse A spirit of errour hath put out the eye of your vnderstanding But where learne you to compare the doctrine of God to Mahomets doctrine and the examples and practise of the good Kings of Iudah which you acknowledge all Christian Princes should follow with Mahomets example and practise Counterpois 230. Cursed is that zeale which carieth a man beyond all bands of truth and sobrietie Paul being very zealous spake yet the words of truth and sobernesse The Lord lay not this blasphemie to your charge To that which hath been said I onely adde this That if a visible Church were a company of men truely and vnfainedly religious as you in your whole doctrine of the visible church
called vpon in and by the ministerie of the word that they would be saved and supp with Christ eat and drinke with him in the kingdome of his Father are the visible Church Reu. 3.20 Mat. 26.27 This cannot be denyed But good and bad are therevnto invited The visible Church therefore doth consist of these two kinds of men and not of righteous onely as the Separists doe teach Againe this mixture which we doe hould nay that the most of the visible Church are wicked is manifest by that which Iesus annexeth to this Parable wherewith al he doth knit it vp Verse 14. for many are called but few chosen Al that be vnder the call or voice of God calling vpon them in and by the Ministry of the word that they would repent and beleeue that so they may be saved and yeild an outward obedience to this call are the visible Church Of these saith Iesus that haue this externall calling and are the visible Church Ne putatetur sicut Donatistae putant quod velut vnus in turba latenter sui repsisset ignaris continuo Dominus in eodem ipso vno quem ligatis manibus pedibus in tenebras exteriores ex illo conuiuio proijci Iusfit multam societatem malorum esse intelligendam inter quos pauciores boni in conuivio Dominico viuunt significare non distulit Nam posteaquam dixit Ligate illi manus pedes proijcite eum in tenebras exteriores ibi erit fletus stridor dentium continuo subjecit Multi sunt vocatj Pauci vero electi Quomodo hoc verum est cum potius vnus e multis suisset proiectus in tenebras exteriores nisi quia in illo vno grande corpus figurabatur omnium malorum ante Domini iudicium conviuio Dominico permixtorum A quibus se boni corde interim ac moribus separant simul manducantes bibentes corpus et sanguinem Domini August Tom. 7. contra Donat. post collat cap. 20. there are many but among those but a few good and such as shall be saved And this is the scope and drift of the aforesaid Parable as is playne by the inference that he maketh thereupon in these words next following the said Parable for many are called but few chosen Wherein Iesus sheweth how this commeth to passe which before he hath taught in the Parable to wit that in the visible Church there are so many wicked and so few good so many prophaine earthly minded men and so few that doe earnestly desire and seeke after heaven and those things that lead therevnto and namely faith and holines without which no man shall see the Lord. Because saith he in the visible Church their are few elect who only can and doe beleeue and out of that faith leade an holy life the rest being reprobates and left in their naturall wickednes cannot but be wicked All in the visible Church these few elect excepted are wicked profane vncleane and an abomination to the Lord. With such faithfull ones converts such Saints righteous and holy persons as these doth the visible Church abound and overflow And this is no lesse manifest by the Parable of the seed wherein as the Minister of Christ it compared to a sower the word preached to seede so is the visible Church coÌ„pared to the field where seed is sowen and to such a field whereof three parts is naught and a fourth onely good By that which hath beene said it is manifest that in the Church visible there be not onely wicked men and extreamely or out of measure wicked but that the most therein are wicked children of Belial and few righteous therein to be found Yea the aforesaid cause and reason of our Sauiour considered how can it possibly be otherwise If therefore this be the state of our Church at this day as too true it is that in it there are many wicked and few godly yet this wickednes and vngodlinesse of the people and mixture of so many bad with so few good le ts not but that notwithstanding wee may bee and indeede are a true visible Church Tell mee now I beseech you how the aforesaid lines of yours for which you pretend Scripture and those that I haue here deliuered which all men may euidently see are grounded vpoÌ„ the holy Scriptur can possibly stand together You say that a true visible Church is a company of Righteous or godly men not mixed with but separated from the wicked of the world Wee say that it is not such a separated company but a mixt company of godly and wicked good and bad holy and profane You say that in the visible Church there is no vncleane thing that is no wicked person we say that in the visible Church the most are vncleane and wicked yea sometimes almost all be such And as this which we teach hath beene confirmed and your errour herein conuinced by the sacred Scriptures so may it be by your owne writings yea by the words next and immedâ—ately following your description of the visible Church wherein you teach this false and erronious doctrine Hauing defined or described the visible Church That is a company of people called and separated from the world by the Word of God and ioyned together by voluntary profession of the faith of Christ in the fellowship of the Gospell Apology 44. You thereupon make this inference And therefore no knowne Atheist vnbeleeuer hereticke or wicked liuer may be receiued or retained a member in the Church of Christ which is his body Now in that you say no knowne Atheist vnbeleeuer hereticke or wicked liuer you thereby imply and secretly acknowledge that Atheists vnbeleeuers and wicked men may be receiued retained members in the visible Church so they bee not openly knowne to bee such If then in the true visible Church there haue euer beene are and will be Atheists vnbeleeuers heretickes and wicked liuers as your selues according to the truth acknowledge then is the visible Church by your owne Doctrine a confused and mixt company of good and bad holy profane and not a separated company of Righteous men Saints and faithfull in your sence except Atheists vnbeleeuers heretickes and wicked liuers be righteous men be Saints be faithfull If you deny that your aforesaid inference doth imply so much as I affirme I make it plaine thus He that shall say No knowne Whoremonger may bee admitted to the Lords supper therein confesseth that a close or vnknowen whoremonger may bee admitted to the Lords supper Euen so it is in this case These men being thus conuinced and yet not enduring it may be to yeelde I knowe what will be their shift and euasion euen the same which the Donatists in the like case vsed before them Malos in ecclesia permixtos esse confessi sunt Donatistae sed oucultos cos esse dixerunt August Tom. 7. contra Donatistas post collat Cap. 7. Defence of the Churches and Minist of
If you looke vpon the outside of these men and further for certaine wee cannot goe I meane the carriage of themselues towards God and sometimes to man specially to godward in the parts of his vvorship you vvill thinke they be Saints indeede Such a one was Iudas vvhom none of the Apostles did discerne to bee an hypocrite and so like to be the traytor Iesus spake of And Demas vnknowne for a time to the Apostle Paul And all those it is probable Iohn speaketh of 1. Ioh. 2.19 such as these you accompt to bee hypocrites and none other as appeareth by M. Ainsworth vvho describing Hypocrites saith they bee such As are outwardly religious Commun of Saints in the end but inwardly wicked such as ashamed of their nakednesse couer it with Fig-leaues of their owne externall righteousnesse And againe Hypocrites saith he are they who restrained by the terrour of the Law from open wickednes doe increase outwardly in righteousnesse This kinde of hypocrites you only acknowledge Whereupon it is that Maister Ainsworth in the same place permitting Hypocrites to be in the Church doeth yet cleane shut out of the Church open wicked licentious and prophane liuers which cannot stand together if any open wicked may be Hypocrites But you must knowe that there is another sort of Hypocrites which bee not close Hypocrites and hardly discerned to be Hypocrites and consequently wicked but open or manifest Hypocrites easily knowne to be Hypocrites and therefore wicked as bâ—acke is knowne from white These are the open wicked in the Church wherewith it hath euer abounded doeth and will vnto the worlds end Of this kinde were these hypocrites oft mentioned before Ismael Esau Saul Absalom Ioab Doeg the Scribes and Pharisees and vsually they who in al ages haue murdâ—red and persecuted the Saints specially among the Iewes before the comming of Christ Of such Hypocrites as these Paul speaketh 2 Tim. 3.1 2 3 4 5. verses and Titus 1. vers 16. These you may as easily discerne to be Hypocrites as knowe a Goate from a Sheepe and tares from wheate And of this kinde of Hypocrites bee the open wicked in our assemblies whom had you knowne to be Hypocrites you would neuer haue denied our Parish assemblies to be true Churches because they consist partly of them or because of the mixture and confusion you so much speake of and condemne in our Church Considering a truâ— visible Church is a mixt company of Saints indeede and Hypocrites and that such companies be our pâ—râ—shioners assembles and therefore true visible Churches Of both these kindes of Hypocrites the Apostle speaketh 1. Tim. 5.24 Some mens sinnes are open before hand and goe before vnto iudgement but some mens followe after Of the latter sort or kind in these words Some mens sinnes are open before hand and goe before vnto iudgement of the first in these some mens follow after Obiection But let vs now come to the maine obiâ—ction that not some but all of you doe make You obiect that of the Apostle 1. Cor. 14.33 God is not the authour of confusion but of peace Apologie 44. as we see in all the Churches of the Saints By Churches say you he meaneth visible Churches the members whereof he calleth Saints Againe say you the same Apostle writing to the Church at Rome at Corinthus Ephesus Phillippi c. Writeth to visible Churches in the beginning of which his Epistles he calleth them Saints To the Saints which are at Ephesus To the Saints which are at Philippi Are not all the members then of the visible Church Saints and such as haue at least an outward holinesse Answ We answere S. Paul writing to the Church of the Thessalonians beginneth thus Paul vnto the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Iesus Christ 1. Thess 1.1 2. We giue God thankes for you all 3. Remembring your effectuall faith and diligent loue 4. Knowing beloued brethren that yee are elect of God 6. And yee receiued the word in much affliction with ioy of the holy Ghost Now by this reason of yours if it were good can I prooue that all of the visible Church are in Christ Iesus to whom is no condemnation haue this effectuall faith Rom. 8.1 diligent loue and ioy of the holy Ghost nay are the elect of God because the Apostle writing as you say to the visible Church of the Thessalonians saith thus of them yea of them all as it might seeme by vers 2. Againe thus arguing can I prooue that all in the visible Church are beloued of God because Paul writing to the Church of Rome saith of them that they all are beloued of God called Saints And consequently there are no wicked in the Church neither openly nor secretly wicked seeing God hateth all such And whereas the most in the visible Church are the children of the Diuell Psal 5.5 Rom. 1.7 one may prooue by this kinde of reasoning that they are all the children of God because Paul writing as you affirme to the visible Church at Rome saith Rom 8.16 Yee haue receiued the spirit of adoption And to the visible Churches of Galatia yee are the sonnes of God And that which is more yee are all the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus From this ground also it followeth that all in the visible Church are Saints indeede and haue the spirit of God sanctifying them and making them of prophane holy and that there is no carnall man and by consequent no Hypocrite in the Church for all hypocrites be carnall Because Paul writing to the visible Church at Rome saith thus of them Yee are not in the flesh but in the Spirit that is yee are not carnall but spirituall because the Spirit of God dwelleth in you Rom. 8.9 And writing to the Church at Ephesus Ephes 1.13 saith of them yee are sealed with the holy Spirit of promise and to the Church of Galatia Gal. 4.6 God hath sent forth the spirit of his Sonne into your hearts which cryeth Abba Father Thus also can I proue the contrary herevnto that all in the visible Church are carnall and none spirituall because Paul writing to the visible Church of Corinthus as you tell vs saith of them that they are carnall 1. Cor. 3.13 And I could not speake vnto you as vnto spirituall men but as vnto carnall for yee are yet carnall for whereas there is among you enuying and strife and diuisions are yee not carnall and walke as men He saiâ—h not onely that they were carnall and this often and that without any limitation or restraint also that they walked as men that is liued after the manner of naturall or carnall men but besides all this prooueth that they were carnall by certaine workes of the flesh whereunto they were giuen and wherein they liued Hereby wee may plainely see that this is a deceitfull kinde of reasoning and that this they obiect is of no momâ—nt
as he pleaseth to call them on the other and whether he or they mistake the question and point in controuersie wherein there is indeed great folly and want of vvisedome let vs heare vvhat it is which these Ministers haue written wherevpon this imputation is grounded The Separatists schisme 181.182.183 c. The first thing say they which they of the Separation obiect against the whole body of our Church and of our parish assemblies is this That it was not gathered by such meanes as God in his word hath ordained and sanctified for the gathering of his church And that thus you obiect they proue by two testimonies of your owne and then immediately returne therevnto the seuerall answeres here following First say they wee may esteeme them a true Church and so our owne of whose present profession and faith we are well assured though wee cannot see by what meanes they were first gathered Else may we still doubt whether Melchisedech and the families of Iob and Cornelius were true Churches or members of the Church because wee cannot finde how they were first gathered and conuerted Secondly wee might be rightly gathered to the society and fellowship of the vis Church by other meanes then by the preaching of the Gospell Thirdly our Church was gathered by the preaching of the Word which is the meanes God hath appointed for the gathering of a Church as your selues doe teach And here they bring in the preaching of M. Wicklâ—ffe Fourthly This say they being proued that there was a true Church in this land before her Maiesties raigne the question must not be whether the meanes shee vsed were the right meanes for the first calling and conuerting of a people to the faith but whether shee tooke not a lawfull course for the recalling and revniting of her subiects vnto those true professors whose fellowship they had forsaken Fiftly and lastly though the solemne couenant to renounce idolatrie and to cleaue to the truth be not absolutely necessarie yet was that also required and performed in the beginning of Queene Elizabeths Raigne Tell mee now M. Ainsworth doe you not hold and maintaine that our Church was not rightly gathered to vvit by the preaching of the vvord and therevpon doe coâ—demne vs for a falsâ— Church Yes haue not these Ministers therevnto returned a most direct answere The indifferent Reader cannot but by the aforesaid heads and summe of their answere see and acknowledge it With sinne and shame inough then doe you affirme That these Ministers haue in their fiue seuerall answeres as your selfe points them out missed the question and passed by the maine controuersie No lesse vnconscionably and vnhonestly deale you in bearing your simple Reader in hand that these said Ministers indeuour to proue by the examples of Melchisedech Iob c. and the rest summed vp before both these points following or at least one of them either that open prophane and wicked persons may be receiued and kept in the bosome of the Church or that there be not multitudes of open prophane and wicked members of the Church of England whereas they intend no such thing neither haue they a word tending this way nay abhor with their brethren to affirme either Yâ—u doe therefore slander vs when and as oft as you charge vs to say That the open prophane may lawfully be receiued and kept in the Church and to deny that there be any such in ours And in disprouing both these the one by the tâ—stimonies of our owne men the other by the sacred Scriptures what doe you else but pull down that building which your selues with your own hands not we haue erected and built vp Thus doing you haue bestowed a great deale of labour to as small purpose as he that casteth stones into the ayre pursuing your owne shadow instead of our bodies All that we maintaine here and by the grace of God will against men and Angels is That the being of open wicked men in it doth not destroy a church Against this you should haue argued or held your peace but we heare not a word to any such puâ—pâ—sâ— Iâ—stead thereof you proue the aforesaid positions which we in commâ—n hold with you Whether you now or the Ministers haue missed the question and passed by the maine controuersie as in other cases so here a blinde man may see It had beâ—n vvell you had fiâ—st plucked out the beame that is in your owne eye then should you haue seene more cleerely to pull out the mote out of your brothers eye if any be there More against this commixture of good and bad in our Church who list and hath the Counterpoyson may reade pag. 9. and 27. 28. and 60. and 70. 76. 101. 212. 213. And here by way M. Ainsworth I must needs tell you this booke of yours is falsely called Counterpoyson for it is not a preseruatiue against the poyson of false doctrine as the title pretendeth but indeede full of such poison the receiuing and beleeuing vvhereof is as daÌ„gerous to the soule of man as poison receiued is to the body Now that wee haue heard M. Iohnson and M. Ainsworth we will likewise heare what M. Robinson saith concerning this separating from the world and the causes of their separation Separation quoth he from the world and so from the men of the world Answere to a Censorious Epistle pag. 4. and so from the Prince of the world that raigneth in them and so from whatsoeuer is contrary to God is the first step to our communion with God and Angels and goodmen as the first step to a ladder is to leaue the earth Before we haue beene taught if we be so foolish as to learne of them that a visible Church is a company of people called and seperated from the world this man now instructeth vs in the meaning of this last clause That by seperated from the world they meane from the men of the world that is earthly minded men whose hearts and affections are set of this world and the things thereof So that a true visible church is not a mixt company whereof some doeth chiefely desire earth and earthly things others heauen some this world and others the world to come but all of this societie are rapt and rauished with a desire longing after the world to come and the ioyes there despising this world with the glory and pompe thereof who though they be in this world yet are not of it Thus you shut out of the visible Church all hypocrites and all wicked men as well those which be separately as openly wicked for as much as all hypocrites and men of this world to whom you deny a being in the Church because a visible Church is a company seperated from such And whereas in the visible Church there be some children of the diuell if not in appearance yet in deed and trueth and are not all the children of God adopted in Iesus Christ you tell vs that in the visible Church
there are none of the diuels children for the diuell raigneth in all his children But you say in the visible Church there bee none in whom the Prince of this world the deuill raigneth for it is a company seperated from all such Therefore in the visible Church there are no children of the diuel and so by consequent are all the children of God by faith in Iesus Christ But these things you knowe and acknowledge to be false that therefore from whence they are inferred which all of you stiffely hold and maintaine to wit that the visible Church is a company of people seperated from the world is likewise false This generaall doctrine of theirs he thus applieth to vs. Answere to a censorious Epistle pag. 5. Which seperation the church of England neither hath made nor doeth make but stands actually one with all that part of the world within the kingdome without seperation for which cause amongst others we haue chosen by the grace of God rather to seperate our selues to the Lord from it then with it from him in the visible constitution of it Answere It is true we neither haue made nor goe about to make a seperation from the men of this world and betwixt them whom Christ by his spirit ruleth and them in whom the Prince of this world raigneth This passeth our skill and power and is such as is vnpossible to be performed by vs. Our Lord Iesus onely can and will doe this by the Angels in the day of his glorious comming to iudgement And where you say that wee stand actually one with all that part of the world within the kingdome it is false and slanderous For we onely stand actually one with all those in the kingdome that professe the same religion with vs which the Pap among vs who be not a few with whatsoeuer other hereticks or schismatiks do not except it be in hypocrisie which we cannot hinder but must leane to God therfore I say we stand not actually one with all in the kingdome except there be in our land no Papists no Heretickes or Schismaticks If you obiect heere our Church Papists and say that we receiue Papists into our Church and communion with vs. It is answered already and I adde They professe to be of the same Christian Religion with vs and to forsake poperie in comming to our publike assembles and pertaking with vs there in the holy things of God If they doe this hypocritically what is that to vs But especially marke that this is one cause of their seperation yea a principall cause thereof as he saith in another place In these two respects principally Answere to a censorious Epistle pag. â— your Babilonish confusion of all sorts of people in the body of your Church without seperation and your Babilonish bondage vnder your lords the prelates we account you Babylon and flee from you And speaking of this want of seperation Ibid. 43. and confusion else where he hath these words It is not by our sequestration but by your confusion that Rome and hell gaines Your odious commixture of all sorts of people in the body of your Church in whose lap the vilest miscreants are dandled sucking her breasts as her naturall children is that aduantageth hell Wee see how this man condemneth the mixture of good and bad godly and vngodly in the Church calling it an odious commixture confusion and Babilonish confusion that principally for this and one other cause they account vs Babylon and flye from vs. And yet hath this commixture of all sorts of people beene euer in the Church as hath beene manifested out of the sacred Scripture What age then could these men haue liued in wherein they might not for this cause as iustly haue seperated from the Church and haue accounted it likewise Babylon It cannot be denied but that in Sauls raigne there were most vile men dandled as you tearme it in the lap of the Church considering he himselfe the head of that people was so vile Nay by the booke of the Psalmes it is euident that in Dauids time there were store of leawde and vile men in the Church Psal 12. 69. And so were there in the dayes of Isaiah Ieremiah and other of the Prophets Yea what say you M. Robinson to the age wherein Christ Iesus liued and his Apostles The Scribes and Pharisees then were most vile miscreants and they being principâ—l members in the Church as the eyes re in the body it must bee confessed that they did sit in the lappe of the Church and sucked her breasts as if they had beene her naturall children No lesse vile were those that had crept into the church of whom Iude speaketh Yet notwithstanding this commixture and Babilonish confusion as you call it did neither the Prophets nor Iesus nor his Apostles seperate from the Church but had religious communion with this confused society consisting of all sorts of people The commixture then in our Church you speake of is no iust cause of seperation and why you should account vs Babylon But râ—turnâ— we to M. Robison Ibid. 4. The seperation wee haue made in respect of our knowledge and obedience is indeede late and newe yet is it in the nature and causes thereof as auncient as the Gospel which was first founded in the enmitie which God himselfe put betwixt the seede of the woman and the seed of the serpent Gâ—n 3.15 Which enmitie hath not onely ben successiuely continued but also visibly manifested by the actuall seperation of all true churches from the world in their collection and constitution before the Lawe vnder the Lawe and vnder the Gospell Gen. 4.13.14.16 6.1 2. 7.1.7 with 1. Pet. 3 20.21 12. Leu 20.24.26 Neh. 9.2 Ioh. 17.14.16 Act. 2.40 19.9 1. Cor. 6.17 Aâ—swere If we speake of practise among vs your seperation is as auncient as Browne who first caused or at least greatly furthered that seperation and schisme from our Church where vpon you are called Brownists But if you speake of the doctrine August Tom. 7 contra Cresco Gram. lib. 2. cap. 34. then is it as auncient as Donatus after whom some were called Donatists or rather as some schismaticks in Cyprians time of whom Austen writing against the Donatists maketh mention That the visible Church is not a mixt company consisting of good and bad but is a company seperated from the world that is from the men of the world or a seperated company of righteous men which all of you doe hold this I say is neither founded of the Lawe nor Gospell nor any part of Gods word but in the bottomles pit by the diuell the father of lyes I meane of all lying and false doctrines and was long since publ shed August Tom. 7 Collâ—tiâ—nâ—bus cum Donatists and contended for by the former heretickes specially the Donatists who for this cause seperated from the Church of God in their times and is now after many hundred
onely erect and build further vpon that which they haue laid These discreete priuate men they alone are fathers begetting men to the faith and as for the Ministers they are but nurses to giue sucke nourish and bring vp men in it Thus you doe not onely crosse this Scripture and ordinance of Christ who hath perpetually appointed Pastors and Teachers in the Church to the aboue-named ends but doe also hereby prefer priuate mens teachings aboue Ministers For is it not a matter of great power and excellencie to conuert men vnto God then to confirme them that be conuerted and to beget men to the faith then to nourish them that are begotten Consider what I say and the Lord open your eyes that you may see your errour But leauing this hearken what further reasons we haue against your description of Saints and matter of the visible Church Thirdly I haue in the former Chapter shewed that many haue been members of the visible Church that haue wanted externall holinesse yea being outwardly and openly prophane this to a wise man may suffice for the confutation of this description yea of all that you teach concerning both the matter and forme of the visible Church Cain Ismael Esau Saul Doeg Ioab Absalom Iudas the Scribes and Pharises were all of the visible Church and yet not thus qualified Nay as contrary to these Saints as darknesse to light and as farre from this sanctimonie as heauen is from earth Such Saints then as you speake of are not the matter of the visible Church For then the aforesaid persons were not of the visible Church seeing they were not such matter which I trust you will not affirme And if such vvicked and abominable men as these openly and apparantly wicked were matter of the visible Church and vvere Saints to wit by calling or by profession which kinde of Saint-ship sufficeth to make men members of the visible Church how do you truely affirme That all Saints are men seperated from all knowne sinne doing all the knowne will of God growing in grace and continuing to the end and that such are the onely matter of the visible Church And with what truth doe you teach that all the members of the visible Church haue been are and of necessitie must be outwardly holy hauing an externall righteousnesse for which cause they bee called Saints so as if men bee not thus qualified they are not true matter neither of nor in the Church But proceede wee now from the Church of the Iewes vnder the Law to the Churches of the Gentiles vnder the Gospel and specially to the primatiue and purest Churches that haue been which you thinke are so cleere for you and against vs as nothing can bee more cleere and euident In the Church of Corinth there were many very corrupt men some in iudgement others in manners and conuersation or in both To omit diuers of their errours some held a 1. Cor. 6.12.13 fornication to be lawfull or a thing indifferent as to eate or to drinke others that which was farre worse and more dangerous that b 1. Cor. 12.20 there was no resurrection which caused the Apostle by many reasons to proue it In the same Church there was great c 2. Cor. 12.20 1. Cor. 1.11 3.3 strife enuying wrath contentions back bitings whisperings swellings discord and as about other things so namely their Ministers some depending of one some of other some despising all did call themselues the Disciples of Christ and would heare none In it there were diuers whom Paul not onely calleth d 1. Cor. 3.3 carnall but by some vvorkes of the flesh vvherevnto they were giuen proueth to be carnall and to walke as men that is to liue as those who be more naturall men not hauing the spirit In the same Church there were not onely that e 1. Cor. 6.1.6.8 went to Law together a brother I say with a brother and that vnder vniust and infidell Iudges but that did wrong and harme euen to their brethren In it there were which liued f 2. Cor. 12.21 in vncleannes and fornication wantonnes yea there could not but be many sornicators considering they held fornication to be no sinne from whence it is that Paul vseth g 1. Cor. 6.13 sundry forcible reasons to dehort them from this sin and those words chap. 5.9 I wrote vnto you in an Epistle that yee should not company together with fornicators and least they should mistake him he telleth theÌ„ that he meaneth not this of them that were without the church the Infidels but of the fornicators that were in the church that professed the Chris Relig Nay ther was h 1. Cor. 5.1 such fornication among theÌ„ as was not once named or heard of among the Gentiles that one should haue his fathers wise And that which is more the delinquent for so haynous a sin was not at all censured yea they were not so much as sorry at so great a scandall in the Church but this notwithstanding whatsoeuer things besides were amisse in their Church they were puffed vp and reioyed as though all were well and nothing amisse There were in this Church that went to the Lords table i 1. Cor. 11.17.18.21.29.30 not to their profit but to their hurt eating and drinking vnworthily not discerning the Lords body and so did eate and drinke their owne iudgement by reason of the discentions among them they would not tarie one for another and some being drunke went to the Lords Supper In it there were also that called k 1. Cor. 9.1.2.3 the Apostle his office into question despised and disgraced both him and his preaching saying That howsoeuer l 2. Cor. 10.1.10 11.6 he being absent was very bold in his letters yet when hee was present and among them he was base his bodily presence weake and his speech of no value nay ruder in speaking And thus they preferred their vaine-glorious and eloquent teachers and their Ministers who m 2. Cor. 2.1.4 came vnto them with axcellency of words and in the intising speech of mans wisedome more like orators then Preachers of the Gospell aboue the holy Apostle and his heauenly ministerie Moreouer in this Church there were that accused S. Paul of pillage and to be a craftie and subtile man that howsoeuer he did not openly take wages and charge them yet sor as much n 2. Cor. 12.16.17 he was craftie he tooke some secretly and by guilc Did I pil you saith the Apo by any of them whom I sent vnto you as I am accused to haue done Thus there were in the Church of Corinth who did not onely deny S. Paul to bee an Apostle debase his preaching but that did besides touching his â—fe and conuersation slaunder him and take away his good name as much as in them lay In the churches of Galatia there were diuers false Apostles who taught the rightâ—ousnesse of workes that man is â—ot iustified
nor secretly wicked for as much as euery member of the visible church hath the spirit Apology 44. Counterp 127. euen the spirit of life or quickening spirit vvhich in whomsoeuer it is mortifyeth sinne in them crucifieth their flesh and naturall corruption freeing them from the power and dominion thereof and quickneth or inableth them to leade an holy and spirituall life Lastly then in the vis church there bee no Reprobates none that shall bee damned for as much as euery one in the visible church hath the Spirit of God and so the spirit of life wherewith whosoeuer is indued hath not onely spirituall but eternall life begun in him and therefore shall neuer die And here we may remember that the spirit of God is bestowed onely vpon Gods children Rom. 8.14.17 all which be heares of saluation Also that the Spirit is called the seale and earnest of our inheritance Gal. 4.6 vvhereby wee learne That whosoeuer hath the spirit he hath the earnest and seale of God of his heauenly inheritance and so is sure to be saued But the vvhole body of the vis Church say you hath this spirit animating it Therefore conclude I all and euery one of the vis Church are sure to be saued and so there be in it no Reprobates nor such as shall be damned This conclusion followeth also necessarily from that you doe adde Faith vniteth the members of the body to the head Christ By body here you meane the whole visible Church and so teach first that all the members of the vis Church bee vnited to Christ as to their head Secondly that euery one of the vis Church hath that faith which maketh this vnion or vniteth him to Christ his head Doth it not now from hence follow that all of the vis Church be heyres of saluation and that none of them shall passe into condemnation Joh. 10.26 27. For who can plucke from Christ that is vnited vnto him and is as it vvere part of him Or can any member of his die seeing to euery one of them hee communicateth life both spirituall and eternall Can any also indued with this effectuall faith be condemned Hee that beleeueth hath euerlasting life Ioh. 3.16.17.36 5 24. Rom. 8.1 is saued already and hath passed from death to life to him there is no condemnation That vvhich hee saith here of the spirit animating the whole body euen as the soule doth the whole body of man if he had spoken meant it of the Church without adding or vnderstanding visible the one of the which you alwaies doe and by body vnderstood the misticall body of Christ and by a member an elect vessell conuerted and brought to the faith then had hee spoken truely but vnderstanding by body the visible Church and by a member one particular person of that societie hee teacheth that which is very false There shift and euasion I know will be this that they do not meane that all the vis Church haue indeede the Spirit Faith and Loue but only externally so far as men can iudge This is absurd For in this they secretly imply that there are some in the vis Church which haue not the spirit nor faith nor loue and in this positiue Diuinitie of yours directly teach the contrarie For the spirit say you animateth the whole body If the whole body then all the members thereof and consequently there is no member that is destitute of the spirit This therefore you may not alleadge for your selfe except you vvill contradict your selfe After these men comes M. Robinson and hee fully agreeing with M. Smith concerning the matter of the vis Church doth yet differ from them both about the forme and tels vs that the couenant is the forme Saints saith hee is the matter Iustiff 88. 82. and the Couenant the forme from which two concurring the Church ariseth Hereby he and M. Smith who makes it the outward part of the forme meane a solemne vow oath promise or Couenant made to God of those that be of yeeres of discretion to renounce Idolatry and to cleaue to God and to euery part of his truth For the discouerie and conuincing of this your errour wee must remember that the oath and couenant which King Asa and his subiects made to seeke the Lord God of their Fathers from whence these men fetch this doctrine was in the 15. yeere of Asa as is said 2. Chron 15.10 and that he reformed the Church and restored the true Religion and worship of God in the beginning and entrance into his kingdome as appeareth by 2. Chro. 14. and 1. Kings 15.14 This couenant therefore cannot possibly be the forme of the Church seeing Iudah was a true church in Asia his dayes before they made this couenant and a thing can not bee or haue existance without the forme And here we may remember that this vow and promise in effect we make and passe into this couenant in baptisme when and whereby we are recciued and incorporated into the church Goe not therefore about to deceiue men in peâ—swading them that we haue entred into no couenant with God to be his people and to obey his commandements And are therefore false churches And here not vnfitly might I produce foure arguments of Iustif 3.27 M. Robinsons taken from the in-being of the vvâ—cked in our Church vvhereby he vvill proue our congregatioâ—s to be and reâ—aine vnformed and consequent y to be no true Churches First saith he because godly and wicked men are contrariâ—s as being guiâ—â—â— and led by contrarie causes the one sort by the spirit and the other by the flesh which are contrarie one vnto other Now two contraries are not capable of one and the same forme By this reason of yours if it were ought there is no vis Church formed and consequently none at all for you will not dâ—ny that in the vis Church there be godly and by your owne confession Pag. 106. there be hypocrites all which are wicked now these be contraries as being guided and led by contrary causes the one sort by the spirit and the other by the flesh which are contrarie one vnto another and two contraries are not capable of one and the same forme The rest of your arguments being no lesse friuolous then this I for breuitie omit And let this suffice concerning the matter and forme of the visible Church CHAP. IIII. Whether the couenant of life and saluation which God made with Abraham and his seede were made with the visible or inuisible Church TO this Societie meaning the vis Church say you A true description of the vis Church 11. is the couenant and all the promises of peace of loue and of saluation of the presence of God of his power of his graces and of his protection And in your Apologie you haue these words How else should a true visible Church haue assurance of the promises and scales of Gods Couenant presence and
because in his owne nature he is holy or holinesse itsâ—lâ—e but also in respect of his effect and operation for that all those in whom he is he sanctifieth and maketh holy Hereupon it followeth that if the visible Church and members thereof be the Temple of God Then are they sanctified by the Spirit of God and Saints indeede and consequently such as to whom the heauenly inheritance belongeth For the inheritance shall be giuen to all them that are sanctified as is taught Act. 20.32 Besides we haue heard that prophane Esau and many more who haue beene vnholy and vncleane disobedient yea abhominable rebellious and reprobate to euery good worke haue beene of the vis Church We may heere also remember that this Spirit which dwelleth in euery one that is the Temple of God is called the Spirit of Life as Rom. 8.2 not onely because in whomsoeuer it is it killeth and subdueth sinne and quickeneth to righteousnesse as Rom. 8.10 But for that he who hath this Spirit hath life it selfe euen eternall life begun in him This Spirit likewise is called the seale and earnest of our inheritance 2. Cor. 2.22 Ephes 1.13 Whosoeuer therefore hath this spirit is sure to inherite the kingdome of heauen because he hath God his seale and earnest thereof For as much therefore as the inuissible Church onely and members thereof haue and shall haue this life and inherite this kingdome They therefore onely haue this spirit and consequently are this Temple And this argument one may drawe from your owne words thereby to conuince this your error Christ say you dwelleth in and gouerneth by his holy Spirit his elect Confession of Faith 34. which he hauing once giueÌ„ neuer taketh away from them but still begetteth and nourisheth in them repentance faith and loue and all Christian vertues vnto immortallity From these and some other lines of yours I argue against you thus They whosoeuer they be which are the Temple of God haue the spirit of God dwelling in them whereby they are quickened and haue the life of God in them yea are quickned to immortallitie But the Elect onely haue this spirit as your selues affirme pag. 34. of your confession of Faith whereby they are quickened as pag. 26. of the same booke therefore the Elect onely and inuisible Church are by your owne doctrine the Temple of God and not the visible Church Thus your owne sword againe helpeth to pierce your side And heere this reason may be vsed against you Those whom Peter calleth a spirituall house 1. Pet. 2.5 Ephes 222. and Paul the habitation of God by the spirit bee heere called the Temple of God but by the first are meant the faithfull who are of the inuisible Church therefore by the latter the proposition is euident And so is the assumption to them who vnderstand these places it hath also in part beene cleared and shall be further foorthwith Finally this is easily conuinced by 2. Cor. 6.19 Knowe you not that your body is the Temple of the holy Ghost which is in you whom you haue of God And you are not your owne for you are bought for a price Here we see that they who are the Temple of the holy Ghost or the Temple of God are saide to be redeemed or bought with a price But the elect onely are redeemed euen by your owne confession therefore they are of the Elect and Church inuisible who bee the Temple of God and in whome God dwelleth by his Spirit But it is no maruell though this and many other Scriptures which by the holy Ghost are meant of the members of the inuisible you vnderstand of the vis Church Description of the vis church 2 seeing you doe the like by 1. Pet. 2.9 then which there is scarce a place in holy writ Confession of faith 6. Apologie 44. Communion of Saints 248. 470. Paralleles 61. Iustification 44. wherein the Spirit of God speaketh more manifestly of the inuisible Church or those thereof vvho be effectually called and that can worse be vnderstood of the visible And this I haue shewed in the second Chapter where I speake at large of this Scripture So that it may seeme altogether needlesse to adde any thing thereunto Yet neuerthelesse I will And the rather because you being told of your mis-applying of this Scripture doe iustifie it and confidently affirme that it is meant of the visible Church and argue for the same Counterp 158. Iustification 43. For the better vnderstanding vvhereof I will set downe some verses going before Yee as liuely stones bee made a spirituall house an holy priesthood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ Wherefore it is contained in the Scripture Behold I put in Sion a chiefe corner stone elect and precious and he that beleeueth therein shall not be ashamed 7. vnto you therefore which beleeue it is precious but vnto them which be disobedient the stone which the builders disallowed the same is made the head of the corner 8. And a stone to stumble at and a rocke of offence euen to them which stumble at the word being disobedient vnto the which thing they were euen ordained 9. But yee are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar people that yee should shew forth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darknesse into his maruellous light In the fift verse of this Chapter they who are spoken of in this 9. verse are there called First liuely stones Secondly a spirituall house Thirdly an holy priesthood Fourthly as Priests they are said to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ Now these liuely stones this spirituall house and these priests offering sacrifices acceptable to God in Christ are such onely as bee of the elect and inuisible Church as I haue plainely shewed in the second Chapter and euery babe in knowledge may hereby know because the Reprobate cannot offer any acceptable sacrifice to God Therefore of the inuisible Church and not of the vis Church Peter speaketh in this 9. verse By the 6. and 7. verses it is plaine that in this 9. verse he speaketh of the faithfull euen such as doe beleeue in Christ And this alone the elect doe In the 7 and 8. verses this our Apostle turning his spâ—ech from them that did beleeue to them that were so farre of from beleeuing in Christ that they did stumble at him so as hee was to them a rocke of offence endeth the 8. verse thus vnto the which thing they were euen ordained least now the beleeuing Iewes of whom hee had newly spoken should be terrified with that he had said of reprobation and some of them in their weakenesse feare least they were of the number of the Reprobates and such as God bad ordained to iust condemnation he telleth them in the 9. verse that this he meaneth not by them neither neede they to feare this at all for as much as
they are not of that generation and stocke of mankinde which God hath ordained to destruction as the former despisers of Christ but of the generation which God hath chosen and appointed to life euerlasting which generation is that we call the inuisible Church Why the elect bee heere called a chosen generation you may reade further Chap. 1. And there also see that these titles royall Priesthood holy Nation peculiar People which these men vnderstand of the visible Church cannot be so taken But are meant of the faithfull or true beleeuers al which are of the inuisible church Both by the words themselues then of this Scripture â— meane verse 9. and also by the coherence or depeâ—dance thereoâ— with that goeth bâ—fore it is euident that this Scripture is peâ—uerted by thâ—se men and misapplyed Nay this is euident by their owne vvritings And here with mee obsâ—rue a secret ouer ruling hâ—nd of God M. Ainsworth hauing made a large Treatise iâ—tituted the Communion of Saints and there hauing spoken many excellent and glorious things of the Saints rightly vnderstood that is of Saints indeed or the faithfull sanctified by the Spirit of God and Faith in Christs who are so of the visible Church as withall they be of the inuisible Church but by him meant and misapplyed to all the members of the vis Church Saints by profession which shameth the whole Treatise making it almost as full of lies as lines Hee I say hauing done this euer and anone throughout his whole booke behold how in a conclusion which he affixeth to the said booke he conuinceth himselfe of errour touching a great part of that hee had said before and namely concerning this place of Peter which a Pag. 470. before he vnderstood of the visible Church and members thereof Thus beginneth he his conclusion b 487. 4. 88. seeing we haue receiued such grace from God so many as beleeue in the name of his Sonne Christ as that we are raised vp from the graues of sinne c. being through his mercy made a c 1. Pet. 2.9 chosen generation a kingly priesthood washed from all our sinnes d Deut. 1.5 in the bloud of Christ and e Reu. 5.10 raigning with him on earth by mortifying and subduing our earthly members what remaineth but that wee purge our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit With your owne weapons thus I fight against you All they and they only who beleeue in Christ are by his bloud washed from their sinnes mortifie and subdue their earthly members are this chosen generation and royall priesthood But onely the elect and inuisible Church beleeue in Christ are by his bloud washed from their sinnes mortifie and subdue their earthly members Therfore the elect onely and inuisible Church are this chosen generation and kingly priesthood and therefore not the visible church as these men do teach The proposition is your owne the Assumption deny if you will But M. Ainsworth by three reasons will proue that this scripture is not to bee vnderstood of the inuisible Counterp 158. but of the vis Church The first is layed downe in these words This place of Peter speaketh of and to the vis or sensible Church for the Apostle wrote to the vis Christians the strangers that then dwelt in Pontus Galatia c. In the tenth Chapter of this booke I haue answered this reason at large and shewed the vanitie of it notwithstanding something I will adde heere Be it granted that Peter writ to the vis church though something might be said against it as that he writeth to them that had obtained like precious faith with him which none but the chosen and of the inuis chureh haue yet this proues not that this 9. verse is true and to be vnderstood of the vis Church no more then it followeth that these sayings of Paul are true and to bee vnderstood of the vis Church and all the members thereof Yee are bought for a price 1. Cor. 6.20 Rom. 8.15 Gal. 4.20 3.26 Ephes 1.13 yee haue receiued the spirit of Adoption ye are the sonnes of God who hath sent forth the spirit of his Sonne into your hearts ye are all the sonnes of God yee are sealed with his holy Spirit of promise the earnest of our inheritance with many such like because the Epistles wherein these are vvere vvritten as you affirme to visible or sensible Churches The second reason followeth in these words This which Peter speaketh chap 2.9.10 is as Moses spake of old to the visible Church of Israel Exod. 19.6 I answere though Exod. 19.6 was spoken to the vis church of Israel yet it was in respect of them therein vvho were of the inuisible church and of Gods elect and is true onely of such as I haue shewed before euen so it is here Your last reason followeth Againe say you Peter mentioneth the end of their calling to this dignitie viz. to shew forth the vertues of him that hath called them out of darknesse into his maruellous light which whether it appertaines not to the visible Church I leaue it for euery true member thereof to Iudge It cannot be denied but that Peter speaketh of them vvho of God are called out of darknesse that is out of sinne and ignorance into his maruellous light that is to the knowledge of God and holinesse for which maruellous mercy receiued out of the very sense and feeling therof they praise God and indeauour all the dayes of their life to walke worthy of it which is heere called the shewing forth of the vertues of him that hath called them But the inuis church onely and company of the elâ—ct are called out of darknesse into this maruellous light being called therefore the children of the light and they alone out of a sensible feeling of this great mercy doe praise blesse God for the same and indeauour to liue to him vvho hath thus called them Of the inuisible Church therfore called heare a chosen generation doth the Apostle Peter speake in this place So this reason maketh greatly against you Counterp 158. No lesse blame-worthy are you for maintaining this That no places of Scripture setting forth the inuisible Church are by you brought to set forth the visible Church The contrary to this appeareth plainely by this Treatise To proue that they vvho be of the true vis church are called out of the world Apologie 44. Counterp 133. or seperated from the world a seperated company of righteous men vsually you quote Ioh. 15.15.19 and 17.9.14 16.20 Tell mee now who be they that beeing in this world are not of this world Are not the elect onely such know you not that they who be not of this world doe belong to a better world Moreouer doth Christ pray for the vis Church or the inuisible onely and company of the elect what meane you then to apply Scriptures concerning these things to the vis Church seeing they be spoken
in the prosperitie one of another These alone remember the affliction of Ioseph and them that are in bonds as if they were bound with them But with the visible Church it is cleane otherwise The visible Church we haue heard is a mixt company of good and bad Prou. 11.10 nay that in it there be men notoriously wicked Now when these perish saith Salomon there is ioy meaning amoÌ„g the godly And so on the other side when it goeth hardly with the godly as it doth alwayes more or lesse the wicked that bee in the Church they reioyce Of the members of this Church some forget and minde not the affliction of Ioseph others clap their hands for ioy Behold the care fellowfeeling the mutual sorrow reioycing that is between the meÌ„bers of the visi church Such it is as was betwixt Cain Habel of whom the one slew the other betweene Ismal and Izhak Esau and Iacob Saul and Dauid the Scribes and Pharisees and Christ himselfe with all that acknowledged and professed him whereof the one sort hated and abhorred the other as appeareth by the holy Scriptures Remember also what in holy writ is geneâ—ally saide that the righteous are an abhomination to the wicked Prou. 29.27 the wicked vnto the righteous This considered how can the visible Church bee the body of Christ and the particular persons of the visible Church members for their parts and this is yet further confirmed in the very same Chapter 1. Cor. 12.13 when Paul speaking of the body of Christ saith that by one spirit we are all baptized into one body and all the members of this body made to drinke into one spirit Whereby we learne that all the members of the body of Christ haue the spirit of Christ by which they are quickened and vnited to him the head But this spirit haue onely the membâ—rs of the inuisible Church who truely beleeue in Christ and by faith are ingrafted into him they therefore alone are the body of Christ The error of these men in this particular springeth from hence that those things which by the Apostle are spoken in a certaine respect and of a part of the visible Church they vnderstand simply and of the whole visible Church And that we may yet further and better see both your folly and sinne herein remember wee here First that the visible Church is a mixt company consisting of diuers sorts of people good and bad godly and wicked Saints indeede and sinners Secondly that from thence doe arise different kinde of speeches of and concerning the Church accordingly as God in his word directeth and intendeth his speech to the godly or wicked in the church When to the wicked God applyeth and bendeth his speech reproouing them or denouncing iudgement against them because of the multitude of such in the church he speaketh as if they were all wicked and no godly in it And this is frequent in the Scriptures The oxe knoweth his owner the asse his maisters scribbe but Israel hath not knowne my people hath not vnderstood 4. Ah sinfull nation a people laden with iniquitie c Isa 1.3 Heare O Princes of Sodom hearken O people of Gomorrah vers 10. Oh that I might leaue my people and goe from them for they bee all adulterers and an assembly of rebels Ier. 9.2 Trust you not in any brother for euery brother will vse deceite vers 4 5 6. The good man is perished out of the earth and there bee no righteous men they all lye in waite for blood euery man hunteth his brother with a net c. Micah 7.2 On the other side when in his holy writ God applieth and intendeth his speech to the Godly as either commaunding exhorting or comforting of them he speaketh as if all in the Church were such Of this kinde are these Yee are all the sonnes God by faith in Christ Iesus Gal. 3.26 Yee are sealed with the holy spirit of promise Ephes 1.13 1. Cor. 3.17 The Temple of God is holy which yee are knowe yee not that yee are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you You are the body of Christ and members for your part 1. Cor. 22.27 And where the Church is called Christs Spouse his Loue Salomons long Counterp 66. his Queene his Doue his Sster c. And let vs here remember a speech of M. Ainsworths and apply it to them You may saith hee much abuse any mans wordes if what hee speaketh respectiuely you will take and alleadge as spoken absolutely Thus deale you my brethren with the word of God Those things which in holy writ are spoken with respect and relation had to them of the inuisible Church you take as spoken absolutely of the visible Church Is this by your owne confession a great abuse and iniurie offered to mens writings and is it none torwe ye to deale in this manner with the holy Scriptures and writings of God In your Apologie you doe not onely tell vs that the visible Church is the body of Christ but who be the members of this body Not the Elect as one would haue thought but say you the Officers be members thereof Apologie 42. and 53. And some pages after The Church Officers are members of Christs glorious misticall body whereby Iudas comes to be a member of Christs misticall body for he was a Church officer If such be members of the misticall body of Christ then to be in Christ ingrafted into him euen a member of his body bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh is not a matter greatly to be reioyced in seeing it may fall into a reprobate which I hope you abhorre to say If you doe not speake it out Then also reprobates may be members of the misticall body of Christ For some Church Officers are reprobates and all Church Officers by your diuinitie are members of the misticall body of Christ But I will let these goe and vrge them no further If the visible Church be the body of Christ then say I againe all of the visible Church be members and not Church Officers alone And this you teach in vnderstanding 1. Cor. 11.27 Yee are the body of Christ and members for your part of the visible Church and M. Ainsworth in the 128 129. pages of the Counterpoyson In telling vs now that the Church Officers are members and therein appropriating the being of a member to an Officer and denying it to others and in another place and booke that all of the vis church are members of Christ his glorious body what doe you else but contradict your selues But to come nearer vnto you I confesse the visible Church is or may be compared to the body of man and the Officers of the Church to the members thereof thus or in this respect that as the body being one hath yet many members euery meÌ„ber his distinct office the tye to see the eare to heare the nose
head thereof for it is written Counterp 127. God hath appointed him ouer all things the head of the Church which is his body Ephes 1 22.2â— and againe to the Church of Corinth it is said Ye are the bodie of Christ 1. Cor. 12.27 But the Church of England is not the body of Christ neither hath him for the head thereof Therefore the Church of England is not a true Church This Argument M. Smith likewise vseth against our Churches and Particular Congregations Your Parish assemblies haue not Christ for their head Ergo they be false churches Paralleles 87. Ephe. 1.22.23 1. Cor. 12.27 Gal. 3.16 Ephes 5.23 Wee answere that these and all other places of holy writ wherein Christ is said to bee the head of the Church or the Church is said to be his body that by Church wee are to vnderstand that societiee we call the inuisible Church or company of beleeuers which be a part therof or if in any of them we may vnderstand the vis Church it must needs be spoken in respect of them therein that are of the inuisible Church which commeth all to one And thus Christ Iesus is the head of the church of England and it is his body and so your Assumption is false Surely it is admirable that all of you are so farre blinded as to teach that a Confession of faith 10. 52. 58. 68. Apologie 44. Communion of Saints 6. 455. 475. Description of the vis church pag. 1. The visible Church is the body of Christ and that without any limitation exception respâ—ct or restraine For shew mee one line in all your bookes tending this way And heere behold the absurditie of your Proposition Euery true Church is the body of Christ meaning euery true particular visible Church or congregation wherevpon followeth that how many particular Churches there be so many bodies of Christ and so you make a monster of Christ But how monstrous soeuer this is you wil proue it and that by Scripture For it is written say you God hath appointed Christ ouer all things the head of the Church which is his body Ephes 1.22.23 I answere You speake of euery particular visible Church and the Apostle here of the inuisible Church which is Catholicke or vniuersall part whereof is now in heauen and part on earth as verse 10. For confirmation whereof also serue these words verse 22. God hath appointed him ouer all things How maketh this Scripture then any thing for you The inuisible Church and company of the Elect is the body of Christ Your proposition is Euery true particular visible Church is the body of Christ These are different propositions and euery babe may see the former of these is no proofe of the latter and that the former being true this latter may notwithstanding be false That this Scripture is to bee vnderstood of the inuisible Church it is manifest by that hath been said Also by the words next following in verse 23. which is his body euen the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all things Whereby we learne that without the Church here spoken of Christ Iesus doth not account himselfe full perfect and entire but as it were maimed euen as a head without a body Such is his loue to this church and high account of it But this fulnesse to Christ doth the inuisible Church bring Of the inuisible church therefore doth the Apostle here speake And marke how neither of the first words of your Proposition are vsed here by Paul He saith not euery Church as you doe which might seeme to haue implyed that he had spoken of the vis Church or Churches nor true Church which had made it cleare on your side For true cannot fitly be said of the inuisible Church forasmuch as there is no false inuisible Church Onely the word Church he vseth without any such addition which word in holy writ is indifferently vsed for the inuisible and visible Church as before I haue shewed and here for the inuisible as the reasons aforesaide doe manifest This Scripture therefore is preuerted by you and maketh nothing for you But bee it graunted that Paul speakes here of the visible Church and that there is no abuse of Scripture at least that if not here yet 1. Cor. 12.27 he speaketh of the Church visible yet neither will that helpe you seeing the visible Church cannot bee saide to bee the Body of Christ but in respect of the Elect that are in the visible church now this will not profit you at all for to vnderstand these Scriptures of the visible Church as you will haue it marke how your argument must be framed Euery true visible Church is the body of Christ and hath him for the head thereof in respect of the Elect therein The Church of England is not the Body of Christ neither hath him for the head thereof in respect of the Elect therein Therefore the Church of England is not a true visible Church Thus your argument should haue beene composed and what is wanting is to bee vndeâ—stood and then wee answere you by denying your assumption and doe affirme that the Church of England is the body of Christ and hath him for the head thereof in respect of Gods elect that be in it And in this sence also as well as in the former the same may be said of vs that Paule saide of the Corinthians Yee are the body of Christ and members for your part And here I cannot chuse but wonder at the extreâ—me folly of this maâ— Who prouing that the Church of England is not the body of Christ neither hath him for the head thereof whereas he should direct his speech against the goâ—ly among vs and prooue thaâ— they are not the Body of Christ nor haue him for their head in steaâ— thereof he doth direct it to vse his owne words to our prophane people Counterp 128 mockers and contemners of Religion that blaspheame God and his holy name euen in the stretes as they walke such as call themselues the damned crewe Familists Atheists and all other sorts of miscreants and wicked liuers These children of wrath saith he this sinfull generation cannot possibly be members of the Body of Christ nor haue him for their head seeing they are not partakers of his life and spirit nor called to his faith neither admitteth he any such vnto him vntill they repent he hath no concord with Belial therefore not with the children of Belial the members of his glorious body must not be the dead stinking and abhominable members of Sathan Light and darkenesse heauen and hell will as soone bee vnited together And in this path doe tâ—ey all tread Thus can I prooue that the church of the Iewes as in other ages so namely in Dauids time and in Isaiah his time was a false Church for as much as the Iewes then were a prophane people Isa 2 3â— mockers and contemners of Religion c. Of the
not this spirit causing in them this life and motion thereby also as by ioynts or bands knitting them vnto Christ the head but in stead thereof are carried by the spirit of Satan that possesseth them as hath often been shewed Many therefore of the true visible church are not members of Christs body And therefore also the church of England may bee a true church notwithstanding there be many in and of it who be not the members of Christs body led by his spirit but prophane wicked worldlings carried by the spirit of Satan that possâ—sseth them You who teach that in the true visible Church there be no prophane wicked worldlings none that are carried by the spirit of Satan possessing them and for this cause will haue it to be a false church answere me I pray you First whether the Scribes and Pharises were pro phane wicked and worldlings Ioh. 6.70 and 13.25 and whether they were carried by the spirit of Satan yea or no and namely Iudas whom Iesus calleth a Diuell and of whom it is said that Satan entred into him Secondly whether all the Diuels children bee not carried by his spirit And let this suffice for answere to your first argument The second followeth Argument 5 Euery true Church of God hath Christ for the Mediator and Aduocate of the same For it is written There is one God Counterp 132. and one Mediator betweene God and Man which is the man Christ Iesus 1. Tim. 2.5 1. Ioh. 2.1 And if any man sinne we haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the iust Neither is there saluation in any other for among men there is giuen no other name vnder heauen wherby we must be saued Act. 4.22 But the Church of England hath not Christ for the Mediator and aduocate of the same Therefore the Church of England is not the true Church of God Paralleles 86. In like manner M. Smith reasoneth against vs The true Church hath Christ for their Mediator But your assemblies haue him not for their Mediator Therefore they be false Churches Answ I answere True it is that Christ is the Mediator and Aduocate of euery true Church that is of euery seuerall congregation or company of true beleeuers but that hee is such to euery true visible Church as you meane I vtterly deny And grant that it might be said That Iesus is the Mediator and Aduocate of euery true visible Church it must needs bee in respect and with relation had to them vvho be of the inuisible Church which makes nothing for you nor against vs. Your Proposition therefore is false neither doe the testimonies alleadged by you confirme it They onely proue that Christ Iesus is a Mediator betweene God and man and an Aduocate to the Father for him Who in their wits but you and your Disciples by man in Timothy will vnderstand the visible Church or euery true visible Church and not rather the inuisible Church and all of mankinde who be of Gods elect whose alone Mediator and Aduocate Iesus is The Papists may more probably by man vnderstand all mankinde and make Iesus the Mediator of all men as they affirme that he died for all men then you the visible Church seeing the letter of the Scripture here maketh for that exposition And surely the one is as true as the other As little doth the place of Iohn auaile you For neither doth he say That Christ is the Aduocate of the visible Church or of euery true visible Church which is that you are to proue and make your vnaduised Reader beleeue you doe proue when you doe nothing lesse Nay your Proposition may be conuinced by this Scripture so farre is it from confirming and strengthning of it For whose aduocate Christ is said here to be for their sins in the next verse he is said to be a propitiation But he is a propitiation onely for the sinnes of the Elect or inuisible Church which your selues will not deny Therfore the Aduocate onely of the inuisible Church and consequently not of the visible When Iohn had said that Iesus Christ is our Aduocate he addeth And he is the propitiation for our sinnes 1. Ioh. 2.2 and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world If by the whole world you vnderstand the whole visible Church as by your alleadging of this Scripture for proofe of your Proposition you seeme to doe you must needs doe or else cry peccaui for alleadging it then wil the whole Christian world reiect this your expâ—sition And know ye that that which is hâ—re said by Iohn is as true of the whole world as of the whole vis Church and that Christ is and shall as soone be a propitiation and aduocate for the sinnes of the whole world as an Aduocate for the whole visible Church The truth then is that by world here is meant all whosoeuer in the world beleeue in Christ Iewes or Gentiles or all Gods elect throughout the whole world For their sinnes Christ Iesus is said to bee a propitiation and for them onely is he an aduocate And this is confirmed by Paul Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that iustifieth Who shall condemne Meaning any of this chosen generation Implying that it is not possiblâ— that any of them should be damned And why Because for all of this societie as onely for them Christ died and rose againe and maketh request also for them If now one aske the question for whom Christ dâ—ed for whom he rose againe and for whom he maketh intercession the answere is readie for Gods chosen which be thâ—y we call the inuisible Church But you giue vs an other answere and say he is the Aduocate and maketh intercession for the visibâ—e church You may as well and truely say that Christ died for the visible church For by this Scripture it is cleere that hee is an Aduocate and maketh request to God his Father for them for whom hee died But he died Coâ—fession of faith 26. say you else-where for the elect onely therefore as Aduâ—cate hee maketh request onâ—ly for the elect And by consequent Iesus is not the Aduocate of the vis church as you teach except the vis church be the societie of the elect and the visible and inuisible church be all one Verse 20. In the 17 of Iohn our Sauiour saith I pray not for these alone meaning the eleuen Disciples but for them also which shall beleue in me through their word But the elect and inuisible church onely beleeue in Christ T it 1.1 Act. 13.48 wherevpon faith is called the faith of Gods elect and in the Acts it is said As many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued Therefore the elect and inuisible church onely haue Christ Iesus for their Aduocate Thus we see your first proofe of the Proposition maketh nothing for you the second greatly against you helping to conuince you
Tim. 3.5 Iohn 8.12 Christians in name or false Christians be they who professing true Religion or godlines haue denied the power thereof Or professing Christianity 1. Iohn 3.3 Rom. 2.28 and themselues to be Christians walke not as Christ after whom they are called walked As Paul saith He is not a Iew which is one outward circumcised only in the flesh so say I hee is not a Christian who is one outward Baptised alone with water And as in the same place the Apostle saith thus of one and the same man Thou art a Iew and yet thou art not a Iew A Iew before men but not a Iew before God So may we say of these men that they are Christians and yet are not Christians Christâ—ans before and in the reputation of men and yet not Christians before God and in his account A little before Rom. 2.17 to these kind of Iews the same Apostle speaketh thus Behold thou art called a Iew and restest in the law and gloriest in God 18. and knowest his will and triest the things that dissent from it in that thou art instructed by the Law 19. and perswadest thy selfe that thou art a guide of the blind a light of them which are in darknes c. Yet for as much saith he as thou breaking the law dishonorest God thou art no Iew. So to these I doe say yee are called Christians and glory in the Lord that hee is your God and yee are his people not Heathens or Infidels and seeme to your selues to know his will instructed by the Law and perswade your selues many good things of your selues yet for as much as through breaking of the Law yee dishonor God and cause his name and that holy Religion you doe professe to be blasphemed and euill spoken of you are indeed and truth and in the account of God who iudgeth according to truth no Christians All Christians of this kind be Hipocrites which of all people bee most hatefull to God Nay our Sauiour saith they bee Blasphemers Reuel 2.9 and 3.9 and therefore sinners in a very high degre I know the blasphemie of them which say they are Iewes and are not but the Sinagogue of Satan And marke how our Lord Iesus doth threaten these Hipocrites and deepe dissemblers with God and men in matters appertaining to God Behold I will make them of the Sinagogue of Satan which call themselues Iewes and are not but doe lye And heere we must remember that vsually the greatest part of the visible Church are Christians in name onely Hipocrites wicked and vngodly men reprobates which though they professe Christian Relâ—gion are in truth irreligious and though they professe holinesse are indeed prophane the lesser part of the visible Church hauing that faith in Christ that piety and holines whereof all make profession And this is confirmed by the parable of the seed The a This parable doth not onely teach that in euery place where the seed is sowen ordinâ—rily these foure different kinds of grouÌ„d are to be fouÌ„â— But besides that the greatest part of hearers and consequently of the visible Church is the worst field where this seed is sowen is the visible Church three parts wherof Iesus telleth vs is bad ground and only a fourth part good and fruitfull whereby our Sauiour teacheth vs that ordinarily the greatest part by ods and as it were three parts of foure in the Church visible be bad and vnfruitfull hearers like to the barren ground which is neere vnto b Hebr. 6.8 cursing whose end is to be burned and but a small part thereof good Wee may not vnderstand Christ iust according to the letter For as at sometimes and in some Churches there may be happily some more then a fourth part that receiue the seed of the Word into good and honest hearts where it taketh root downeward and bringeth forth fruit vpward so at other times and in some other Churches it may so fall out that nine parts thereof be bad and onely a tenth good nay why may not nineteene parts or more be naught and but the twentieth part good and yet be Churches of the Saints 1. Cor. 14.33 as Paul speaketh and so to bee called of the better part though it be farre lesse as a man is called a reasonable liuing creature Secondly this is manifest by that other speech of our Sauiour Many are called but few chosen Matth. 22.14 All that be and remaine vnder the voice and call of God that is the Ministery of the Word whereby God stretching forth his hands crieth aloud and calleth vpon the children of men that they would repent and beleeue and so bee saued bee of the visible Church Of this Church Christ telleth vs the number being great that yet few therin be good and such as shal be saued Me thinks that none of vnderstanding should deny that the former of these propositions Many are called is to be vnderstood of the visible Church and the latter But few are chosen of those of the inuisible Church who are in the visible This latter none will deny and the former is no lesse true which both the coherence or dependance of this verse with that which goeth before and also the very words doe euince and it is as if in more words it were thus said That society and company of men whom God the Father inuiteth to the Marriage of his Sonne to partake with him in his glory and the ioyes of the Kingdome of heauen is very great they be not a few but many to whom God maketh this offer and tender of saluation nay calleth vpon and is instant with them rising rarely and late first by Patriarkes then by Priests and Prophets afterwards by Apostles and their Successors Pastors and Teachers that they would be saued But in all ages among this great multitude of Iewes and Gentiles a few only be of Gods election and such as shall be saued Hereupon considering they who haue and enioy the external calling are the visible Church it followeth ineuitably that the most or greatest part of the visible Church are Reprobates such as are appointed to iust coÌ„demnation For if few in this great nuÌ„ber of the visible Church be elected many are reiected If now the most in the visible Church be reprobates then are they wicked and vngodly how holy a professioÌ„ soeuer they make This short speech Many are called but few are chosen our Lord vseth diuers times as Mat. 20.16 22.14 not so much for the certainty thereof as that we might the better learne and remember the same being iterated but chiefely that the faithfull might not bee offended and stumble at the multitude of the wicked and paucity of the godly in the Church seeing it is no new or strange thing but the very state and condition of the Church so as seldome or neuer it doth or can goe otherwise with the Church Wel and truely therefore saith a In Ecclesia etiam mali
sunt imo bonis multo plures vt in eorum comparatione pauci sint cum per seipsos considerati in gentem numerum faciant August de vnitate Ecclesiae cap. 12. AVGVSTINE In the Church there be also euill men yea many more then good that the good compared with the euill are but a few though considered in themselues they make a very great number And b Greg. in Euang hom 38. Sancta Ecclesia bonos malos indiserete nunc suscipit c. Idem in expos motal lib. 13. cap. 4. Ecclesia intra sinum c. another thus The Church comprehendeth both good and bad and more bad oftentimes then good more goats then sheepe great store of cockle Reprobates without number And heere obserue we the difference betwixt the inuisible and visible Church The Inuisible is considered from the first elect vntill the last bringing all the Chosen of all ages into one body or society The Visible according to certaine places and times for as much as she is not visible vniuersally and all at once but according to times and in her parts The Inuisible containeth none but the good the c Matth. 3.12 and 13.25 Visible containeth both the good and the bad that only the elect this as well Reprobates as elect Chaffe as well as Corne Tares as well as Wheate yea more Reprobates then elect for Many are called but few are chosen The Inuisible Militant hath in it only the faithfull the Visible all that professe faith in Christ though many of them haue no better a faith then the Diuell In the Inuisible there bee many sheepe which are neuer gathered into the visible especially assembly or particular Congregation In the Visible a great many Goats and Wolues which shall neuer be receiued into the Inuisible Matth. 10.16 Behold I send you as sheepe in the middest of Wolues This is spoken of the visible Church which then did swarme with Wolues Matth. 3.7 and 23.33 Goats Serpents Vipers fat Bulls of Basan and other such like beasts This is carefully to be obserued against them of the Seperation By that which hath beene said it is manifest that a true visible Church consisteth of both kinds of Christians aforesaid of Christians true and false of Christians indeed and of Christians in name only no better indeed then rebels against God and blasphemers of him after whom they be called and is a confused and mixt company of Elect and Reprobates good and bad holy and prophane nay many times it is so ouerspread with wicked that the righteous can hardly bee discerned no more then the wheate that lieth all hid vnder the chaffe So that there is sometime a Church without any shew of it So was it in Eliah his time who though a Prophet 1. King 19.10.14.18 and therefore such as to whom the godly should haue beene knowne yet knew he not so much as one And this was then when the state of the Church was such that God could not be visibly serued any where but among his people Israel But of this we shall haue iust occasion to speake more hereafter These things being so what meane those men who sometime were of vs to condemne our Churches and publike assemblies for false Churches because of this mixture and for this cause chiefely to withdraw themselues from vs and our Assemblies It will not helpe them at all to say as they doe that many of our Congregations be knowne wicked as shall hereafter appeare CHAP. V. Of Religion what it is and how distinguished FVrthermore we are to remember that in our description of a true visible Church I doe not say that it is a company of people professing the pure Religion of God but a company professing true Religion For the better vnderstanding whereof and so what a true visible Church is we must know what Religion is and how it is distinguished Religion is the way or manner of worshipping God which men doe vse whether it be of the true God or a false god As it hath beene in all ages past euen so it is now Some Nations worship the true and liuing God which made heauen and earth who is blessed for euer and onely to be worshipped The people of other Nations worship false and fained gods some people worship after this another after that manner some one way some another way The Pagans and those we call Infidels haue their forme of worship such as the Diuell whom indeed they worship and the wit of man hath forged 1. Cor. 10.19.20 The Turkes worshippe God according to their fashion and way The Papists worship God Father Sonne and holy Ghost after their fashion And we called Protestants worship one and the same God in Trinitie after another manner This is that we call Religion and it is eyther true or false False Religion is when eyther a false or fained god is worshipped which in time past the Gentiles did and Infidels doe at this day or the true God is worshipped falsely not in some matters of circumstance only which may fall into them which worship God truly and be of the true Religion but in the very substance and body of worship Of a false Religion and false worshippers are not onely the Turkes which none but themselues deny but the Papists likewise which some men gain-say because their worship is not onely in matter of circumstance but in the substance false and not commanded in the Word True Religion is that Religion which teacheth the true way manner of worshipping God so as whosoeuer walketh in that way worshippeth God after that maner may be saued And it is eyther pure or corrupted Iames 1.27 Pure vndefiled Religion is when the externall worship of God is in all things such as the Word requireth both in the matter and maner of worship as wel in euery circūstance as in the substance Or that is pure Religion when God is worshipped in all things as hee hath appointed without adding any thing therto or taking any thing from it This is the Religion men should be of and this is the worshippe wee should giue to God But alas partly through the blindnes that is in man partly through his corruption otherwise it commeth seldom or neuer to passe that men attaine to this sincerity in Religion and worship After this purity notwithstanding we must striue at the height perfectiō of Religion worship if we cannot attaine vnto it let vs yet draw as neere it as may be knowing that by how much the nearer we approach thereunto by so much the better is our Religion and worship and by how much the further off we be remoued from it by so much it is the worse True Religion is then corrupted when the body and substance of Diuine worship remaining sound some thing or things notwithstanding be eyther wanting therein which God hath commanded or vsed which he hath not appointed or when both these
he as the Diuell himselfe professed some true and sound doctrine so doe his Instruments as witnesse the writings of Papists Anabaptists and other Antichristians wherein they also make profession of these things But we haue learned of the Apostle Tituâ— 1.16 That there are some who professe they know God but by workes deny him and are abominable and disobedient and vnto euery good worke reprobate Seeing then a company of Reprobates may professe all doctrine needfull to saluation yet practise such things as will bring them to damnation We cannot be perswaded though all your three markes were granted to be in your Parishes that therefore they are true Churches of Christ for we know they doe the workes of Antichrist I reply Neyther Papists nor Anabaptists nor any false Church or Sinagogue of Satan professe true Religion They professe indeed some true and sound doctrine yea the Diuell himselfe did so but it is another thing to professe true Religion and enioy and submit our selues to true worship But say you A company of Reprobates may professe not only some but euen all doctrine needfull to saluation and yet practise such things as will bring them to damnation we cannot therefore be perswaded that a company professing Christian Religion make the Church of Christ You speake you know not what for hereby you imply and secretly teach that A true visible Church is a company of people professing and practising such things as will bring them to saluation Whereupon it followes that there is no Hypocrite in the visible Church for whose practise is answerable to his holy profession he is no Hypocrite Hereupon also ensueth that in the visible Church there is no Reprobate or any that shall be damned and that it is a company of Elect onâ—y and such as shall be saued For all that practise such things as will bring them to saluation shall be saued But this practise of holines ouer and besides an holy profession doe you require in all the members of the true visible Church condemning them as no members that want it and which making this profession doe practise those things which lead to damnation Therefore by your Doctrine all of the visible Church shall be saued and none therein damned And thus vnawares you confound the visible and the inuisible Church but that is vsuall with you In effect you affirme that those mentioned Titus 1.16 were without But that is more then you or any man can proue It is more probable that they were in the Church for they were professors They professe saith the Apostle that they know God Vnder the knowledge of God comprehending also their professing to feare God to loue him and to beleeue in him and to obey him And I am very sure that notwithstanding their extreame wickednes they might be of the visible Church which onely maketh you thinke they were not of it Whether those Professors were in the Church or without it mattereth not I am sure that if not these yet infinite others as abominable as these haue beene in and of the visible Church as hereafter shall bee made manifest Seeing then in many members of the visible Church as Cain Ismael Esau Saul Absalom the Scribes and Pharisies with innumerable more there was no practise at all of godlines but only a profession thereof being no better then Atheists denying God in their workes abominable disobedient and to euery good worke Reprobate why doe you necessarily require practise in al the members of the visible Church so as without it one cannnot be a member of the Church and for want of practise condemne our Parishes for false visible Churches Behold heere men deliuered vp to a reprobate sence that were of the visible Church Are any in our Parishes worse and more vile then these Were these because of their outward profession of the true visible Church notwithstanding their prophane liues And may not they in our Parishes making the same profession bee likewise members of the true visible Church albeit their liues be prophane so long as by excommunication they be not cast out of the Church Your Parishes say you we cannot be perswaded are the true Churches of Christ because they doe the workes of Antichrist Be it that we are guiltie of this trespasse that we doe some workes of Antichrist that is that some such things wee doe or yeeld vnto as Antichrist hath brought into the Church Doth it thereupon follow that our Parish assemblies are not the Churches of Christ Answ to Master Stone about the 2. pag. Verily no Except euery abomination of Antichrist make a Church to become false and Antichristian whereunto your selues answeres negatiuely and renders thereof a good reason in these words For the best Churches are subiect to errour and some abominations of Antichrist were crept into Christian Churches while the Apostles liued By this reason of yours and your owne confession the Primitiue Churches were not true Churches In the eight chapter of Iohn Iesus saith to certaine Iewes Vers 41.44 Yee doe the works of your father And againe Yee are of your Father the Diuell and the lusts of your father yee will doe If these notwithstanding they did the workes of the Diuel were of the true visible Church as the truth is then sure may we be of the true visible Church notwithstanding we doe some works of Antichrist except Antichrist and the doing of his workes be worse then the Diuell and the doing of his workes But the Answere to Master Stone proceedeth If you teach your people that profession without practise is sufficient to saluation you are but a deceiuer of their soules Who amongst vs teacheth such diabolicall doctrine The Lord knoweth and his people know that wee teach the direct contrary that it will not suffice to say Lord Lord but we must doe the will of our heauenly Father if we will enter into the Kingdome of heauen yea yee your selues know this What meane you then to vse these words whereby you would eyther intimate to the Reader that we vse this cursed doctrine and so slander vs or at least that you doubt thereof whereas you certainly know the contrary Take heed your selues proue not the deceiuers of soules Nay as sure as the Lord liueth you are such But let vs come to Master Ainsworths last answere concerning this point of profession Againe Counterp 21. I deny that your Parishes doe truely and rightly professe these things and would heare your proofe we know that your Parishes professe not aright neyther Law nor Gospell neither repentance from dead workes nor faith in God but lye dead in trespasses and sinnes idolatries and many other hainous abominations I reply We know that among vs some few doe rightly professe being the same in deed which they professe and make shew to be and that is as much as is to be looked for in the visible Church Seeing all in the visible Church a few excepted are Hypocrites and that no Hypocrite
the good seede Euen so wee say in the word world there is a trope to wit a Metonymie of the subiect The world for the visible Churches wheresoeuer in the world or dispersed throughout the world Or if you will a Synechdoche the whole for a part And why I pray you may not this word world bee here taken figuratiuely seeing it is frequently vsed in the New Testament so as appeareth by the Cotations in the margent and seldome properly and in it natiue signification Iohn 3.16.17 12. 19. 15.19 17.9 14.16 2. Cor. 5.19 1. Iohn 2.2 3.1 And wherefore by this word world may we not as well vnderstand the visible Church as the inuisible Church The faithfull that is the professors of faith in Christ scattered throughout the world as the faithfull that is all they which doe indeede beleeue in Christ of what Nation soeuer in the world The later of these is manifest by Ioh. 3.16 God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Why may not therefore the word world be vsed likewise in the former sence seeing in them both there is the same trope or figuratiue speech and the same reason thereof By the like or same argument that you doe heare vse I can proue that God in Christ hath reconciled this visible and materiall world vnto himselfe For saith Paul God was in Christ and reconciled the world vnto himselfe Your second reason followeth which in effect is this That is meant by the field wherein are besides the Righteous Hypocrites the children of the wicked compared to tares but in the world besides the righteous are hypocrites the children of the wicked Therefore by the field is meant the world I answere that this reason prooues as well the Church to be meant by the fielde as the world for as much in the Church besides the righteous childreÌ„ of the kingdom are hipocrites the children of the wicked But that is compared to the fielde wherein such are Ergo by your owne argument the church is compared to the fielde If you will haue this reason of any force proue that in the visible church there are no hypocrites no children of the wicked but righteous men onely as euery where you teach and then I wil confesse that by field is ment the world and giue you also the field as one vanquished by you Your third reason is that this doctrine or exposition of ours is against the heauenly orders mentioned Marke their abusing of holy Scripture Matth. 18.8 9.15 16 17. 1. Cor. 1.26.29 Act. 2.4 41.47 5.26 27 28. 19.9 5.4.7 2. Cor. 6.17.18 Leuit. 18.29 1. Tim. 5.6 2. Iohn ver 6.11 Reuel 2. 3. 14. 9.12 18.4 20.4 Answ We cannot possibly conceiue how the expounding of this word fielde for the Church should crosse and ouerthwart the heauenly orders you speake of so as they cannot stand together I pray you make this to appeare in your next Booke Prou. 14.15 else we shal thinke that this is a meere fiction of your owne seruing onely to bleare the eyes of fooles who will beleeue any thing But suppose it were as you say what neede such a heape of testimonies for declaration of the heauenly orders wise men and such as tremble at the word that is with feare reuerence heare and speake thereof Isa 66.5 would tell you that heere a fewe of them would haue susficed Is the God of heauen well pleased with this your taking of his name in vaine Thus we see first that the visible Church is a mixt company of good and bad 2. That in it there are open wicked and so our doctrine true and also that our confirmation thereof by the parable of the tares is very pregnant If any shall say that indeed by this parable it is euident that a visible Church is a mixt company of good and bad godly and wicked children of God and children of the Diuell called heere the children of the wicked meaning that wicked one the Diuell but yet it is not thereby manifest that there are open and knowne wicked in the Church I answere that euen from this parable this latter may also be prooued and namely out of the 26. vers And when the blade was sprang vp and brought foorth fruite then appeared the tares also Whereby wee learne that in the visible Church there are visible and to be seene or discerned by men both godly and wicked The blades of the wheate that is the godly and that shortly after they be such are discerned to spring vp and the tares also that is the hypocrites or wicked men in the Church they appeare to be wicked Marke that it is not saide then were there tares also in the field but then appeared the tares also So that there are not onely wicked in the Church but to men also they appeare and are knowne by their fruits to be wicked Which the particle kaâ— translated also doth confirme whereby is meant that the tares in like maner as well appeared seene as the wheate blades from hence I say we lâ—arâ—e that euen as the tares or other weedes are as easily seene and discerned by the eye of man as the good corne so in the visible Church the wicked doe as well appeare and are as easily knowne to be wicked as the godly by their liues are knowne to be godly The trueth therefore is that a spirituall man that iudgeth all things and that can only discerne and iudge of men aright can and doth as well know many of the wicked in the Church as a man can knowe tares from wheate Lastly that there are knowne wicked in the Church knowne not to God onely but also vnto men the 27. verse doeth manifestly prooue Then came the seruants of the householder and saide vnto him Maister sowedst not thou good seeds in the fielde from whence then hath it tares Heere are some of the seruants of the family discerning the tares whâ—revppon they mooue their maister concerning the present weeding of them out These seruants signifie and resemble either the Ministers or generally the members of the Church and family of God knowing discerning the wicked in the church There are knowne wicked therefore in the Church But suppose this conclusion could not be prooued by this parable it greatly mattereth not so long as it hath so good confirmation from other parts of holy Scripture as is before shewed at large In conclusion answere me I pray you why doe you place the tares and the children that wicked one the diuell out of the Church and in the world Be like such haue no being in the Church Indeede therevnto all your doctrine in a manner tendeth I am very vnwilling considering how long I haue beene already in the exposition of this parable to vse any more words about it yet am I more
this their error there was iust cause of the pursuing hereof to the full according as I was able Defence of the Churches and Ministers of England 7. Counterp 3. Your people saith M. Fr. Iohnson are not seperated from the world but stand in confusion with it and therefore cannot bee deemed a true church of God and the people of Christ But leauing this man let vs heare what M. Ainsworth saith thereunto in a booke lately published called the Counterpoyson We forsake saith he your church for this maine corruption that all sorts of prophane and wicked men haue ben and are both they and their seede receiued into and nourished within the bosome of your church contrary to the first couenant of our redemption wherein God with his own mouth proâ—laimed a perpetuall enmitie and warre against the serpent and his seede which the woman and her seede should wage though with the bruysing of the heele thereof Gen. 3. Contrary also to the example of all Gods churches since the world began who alwayes were seperated from the vngodly as the Scriptures shewe Now that this is a corruption among you your selues haue taught saying and complayning that in the church are swarmes of Atheists Idolaters Papists sectaries witches charmers sorcerers murtherers theeuâ—s adulterers lyars c. This testimony being true I hope your selues now will be ashamed to pleade that such a people are Christians and to be communicated with or deny that we may seperate from them in things concerning God And a little after saying there are 4. causes of their seperation he telleth vs that the first of them concerning the people meaning because of the mixture of bad with good which is among vs. Seeing the falsehood and vanitâ—e of these and the rest of the lines here following doe manifestly appeare by the premises I wil not bee so vnwise as at large conuince you the second time onely by the way as it were I will say a word or two as I shall see cause That wicked men that is open wicked men for that is your meaning are not to be suffered to remaine in the church we acknowledge especially if they be very vile and abhominable dogges and swine and that where such a thing is endured it is a corruption and the sinne of that Church We likewise confesse that in our church are many open wicked So that in proouing that which we freely confesse to bee true where about M. Ainsworth hath spent a great part of his Counterpoyson you deale very childishly But if passing by this you hereafter prooue that we deny you shall quit your seâ—ues like men Gen. 3.15 In the meane season wee haue two proofes or arguments from you such as they are It is say you contrary to the first couenant of our redemption I will put enmitie betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seede and her seede hee shall breake thine head and thou shalt bruise his heele The next tâ—me you write conclude from this Scripture that the being of open wicked in the Church doeth nullifie a Church and giue iust cause to the godly of seperation If this you cannot wherof I am very sure you abuse both this Scrâ—pture and the reader You imply here and teach expressely else where That the couenant of redemption and saluation God made with the visible church That this is false I haue made plaine hereafter and wil not therefore speake of it heere Note their peruerting of Scripture Where learne you by the woman and her seede to vnderstand Christ and the visible Church you haue not beene taught this of God Besides you contradict your selfe For in your confession of Faith you vnderstand this Scripture of the inuisible Church Art 5. Where for proofe of this that the Elect all and onely are redeemed you alleadge Gen. 3.15 I will put enmitie c. You intimate also that the perpetuall enmitie that is in the world for Religion is betweene them onely that are in the Church and them that are without and that there is no enmitie but all amitie and friendship among those that are in the visible Church They all beare vnfaiâ—ed loue one to another as in your description of the visible Church you teach You might be of the Famiâ—y of loue Familists and not Brownists by this doctrine of yours The holy Scriptures shew vs the direct contrary That euen in the Church and betweene the members thereof there hath beene perpetuall enmitie and deadly hatred whence it hath alwayes beene that that some of the Church haue slandered raised vpon and saide all manner of euill against the godly and often times spoyled them not onely in their good name but also in their goods banished imprisoned and put them to death Caine belike had no enmitie to Habel nor Esau to Iacob nor Saul to Dauid nor the Scribes and Pharisees to the faithfull then liuing Your sâ—cond reason is That since the world beganne there was neuer in the Churches of God a mixture of wicked and prophane with the godly but the godly were alwayes seperated from the vngodâ—y And therefore ought to be so at this day Prooue the Antecedent and we will graunt you the conclusion Haue I not shewed that this mixture was in the families of Abraham and Isaack wherin the Church was shut vp for a time Also in the Church in Moses time in Dauids time and the ages succeeding him and lastly in the dayes of Christ Nay I haue made it plaine that in Dauid Isaiah Ieremiah Micah their times there were not only wicked men and open wicked but so many wicked and vngodly in the Church that there were scarce any godly to bee found Psal 12.1 according to that complaint of Dauid vnto God Helpe Lord for there is not a godly man left In like manner did the church swarme with wicked yea open wicked wheÌ„ our lord Iesus was on earth as hereafter shal be made euident Counterp 23. How far are you then from the truth who teach That there neuer haue beene prophane and wicked men in the Church and that this is contrary to the example of all Gods Churches since the world began Obserue their abuse of holy Scripture who alwayes were seperated from the godly as you say and againe in these words They cannot shewe any true church since the beginning of the world but was of a seperated people Gen. 6.1.2 12. Leuit. 20.23.24 Ezr. 6.21 Act. 2.40.41 19.9 c. If for confirmation of this grosse and palpable error you should cote as many places of Scripture as there be heares of your head it would doe you no good but onely shewe that you feare not to peruert holy Scripture to take the name of God in vaine no more then a fish to drinke water And here marke I beseech thee Christian Reader wherein we and these Seperatists differ as touching seperation Wee acknowledge a seperation of the people of God and professors of true
a company of men are the matter of the visible Church and heere that Saints by calling are the onely matter In the one place he makes calling a part of the forme in the other part of the matter But I maruell greatly M. Ainsworth that you scornfully reiect this description of Saints seeing it suteth so well with all the writings and namely that whole booke of yours called Communion of Saints 66. The Communion of Saints In it you writ thus All men and women called to the faith of God are Saints by calling being sanctified by Christ Iesus and one with another are holy brethren Saints by calling by your owne exposition are those who 1. by Faith are vnited to Christ and 2. by loue one to another and 3. are sanctified by Christ Iesus that is by his Spirit dwelling in them He is very ignorant who thinketh that these haue not forsaken all knowne sinne and doe all the knowne will of God that is desire and endeauor it and he hath cleane forgotten that of the Apostle If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sinne and the Spirit is life for righteousnes sake which euidently prooueth the same Rom. 8.10 Moreouer you tell vs in the same booke communion of Saints in the end of the booke That in the Saints sinne dieth and righteousnesse renueth daily both inwardly and outwardly yea that in the Hypocrites which be in the Church righteousnesse increaseth outwardly If these positions of yours bee true not vnfitly nor vntruly do they teach that saints are men for saking all knowne sinne doing all the known will of God and increasing in grace Considering they meane externally and so farre as men can iudge You all teach that a true visible Church consisteth onely of Saints and by Saints you meane such as haue at the least external righteousnesse and liue vnblameablie in an holy conuersation before men And because all in our Church bee not such Saints but many scandalous in their liues you condemne vs for a false Churse This you cannot denie to bee true Is it not hereby manifest that all of you in effect though not in the same wordes doe likewise teach That Saints are men seperated from all knowne sinne doing all the will of God knowne doeth not that externall righteousnesse and outward sanctimony which you require in all Saints and membâ—rs of the visible Church impâ—y as much as these men heere speake can any be vnblamable which you require in all Saints who forsaketh not before men all knowne sinne and doeth not all the knowne will of God Why then doe you disclaime this discription of Saints You render this reason because from this discription diuers errors doe arise and therefore it must needes bee erronious and fa fe All this I confesse to be true Can you discerne this position or discription being taught by another to be erronious and that from it sunâ—ry errors doe growe whereupon you disclaime it and them and haue you not an eye to see and an heart to abhorre and disclaime the same doctrine when it is taught by your selfe But though M. Ainsworth disclaime this abbortiue yet M. Robinson being more naturall doeth take to it Iustif 105. This position quoth he which you M. Bernard account error rightly vnderstood and according to his exposition from whom you receiued it meaning M. Smith is an vndoubted trueth For of such onely externally and so farre as men can iudge the true Church is gathered and of them alone framed as of the subiect matter Seeing therefore you doe fully agree about the matter of the visible church and that your selues and others mistake it in thinking that you doe heere abouts differ knowe that that which followeth against your supposed matter of the visible Church is meant and spoken against you all and that iustly because it maketh as well against all of the seperation as any First then I demaund of you who teach that Saints are a people forsaking all knowne sinne doing all the knowne will of God increasing in grace c. And that such are the onely matter of the visible Church whether a company of people thus qualâ—fied and graced of God be a Church or to be held to be without and a Synagogue of Satan Surely you will blush and be ashamed to answere negatiuely And if you answere that such a societie is a Church then haue we a Church consisting onely of matter without the forme for such a people as these say you are the matter of a true visible Church wherevnto the forme remaineth to bee added which what it is you tell vs after Now you know it is vtterly vnpossible that a Church or any thing else should be without the forme seeing the forme giues being to a thing but set downe after another manner Secondly it cannot bee denied but such Saints as these are Conuerts yea so farre as man can iudge truely conuerted to the Lord. If the Church consist of such persons onely it followeth necessarily therevpon that men are conuerted not in the Church by the Ministerie of the Pastors and Teachers thereof but without I know not by whom nor by what meanes which is as false as your seperation is sinfull and therefore is this your doctrine false from whence this is inferred Indeed I know that this inference is with you orthodoxall For in your Apologie among the Positions you were bold to tender to his Maiestie this is one That discreet faithfull Apology 45. and able men though not yet in office of Ministerie may bee appointed to preach the Gospell and whole truth of God that men being first brought to knowledge and conuerted to the Lord may then be ioyned in holy communion with Christ our head and one with an other And for confirmation therof you produce seuenteene testimonies of holy writ and seuen reasons But to let your abuse of Scripture and of that reason which God hath giuen you goe I tell you this doctrine and position of yours is against Scripture and therefore as impossible to be proued either by Scripture or Reason By the fourth of the Ephesians it is plaine that Christ ascending on high gaue Pastors and Teachers to the Church as well for the gathering together of the Saints that is for the calling of men to the faith or conuerting them to God whereby men before profane and wicked are made Saints or holy ones as for the edifying and building vp of these Saints in the faith and other graces of the Spirit after they be called You teach now the direct contrary that Christ hath not giuen his Ministers Pastors and Teachers to the former of these ends aforesaid which is also the principall but hath say you appointed that men not in the Ministery but priuate no Church officers should conuert men to the Lord and the Ministers of Christ are onely to edifie and build them vp in grace So that priuate men they lay the foundation Ministers doe but
by faith onely in Christ but by obseruing and keep ng the Law of God giuen by Moses not the Law morrall onely but the ceremoniall also whereupon they vrged circumcision as neâ—essary for Christians vnto saluation This was very dangerous doctrine and pernitious ouerturning as I may say the foundation which made the Apostle to write thus Gal. 5.2 If yee bee circumcised as the false teachers which be among you would haue you Christ shall profit you nothing 3. For I testifie againe to euery man which is circuÌ„cised that he is bouÌ„d to keepe the whole law 4. Yee are abolished from Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the law yee are fallen from grace And because S. Paul had formerly in the planting of these Churches taught Iustification by Faith onely in Christ without the workes of the Lawe as also that the ceremoniall Lawe giuen by Moses was by Christ abolished which doctrine being true theirs must needes be false therefore they said that Paul was no Apostle but spake of himselfe and preached mans doctrine not Gods but as for them they came not of themselues but were sent os the chiefe Apostles This doctrine so dangerous these seducers did no more readily teach then the Galatians receiue and beleeue as appeareth by these speeches of the Apostle Gal. 1.6 I maruell that yee are so soone remooued away vnto another Gospell from him that had called you in the grace of Christ And againe O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the trueth Ye now which teach glorious things of all the members of the visible Church answere mee Were all in the Churches of Galatia and Corinth such Saints as you speake of Were they that denied the resurrection that were giuen to strife enuying wrath contentions backbitings whisperings swellings and discord that liued in vncleannesse fornication and wantonnesse that denied Paul to be an Apostle disgraced and despised both him and his preachings traduced and slaundered him Were these I say seperated from all knowne sinne and did all the knowne will of God so farre as men can iudge Did these growe in grace and therein continue to the ende or as M. Ainsworth saith Did righteousnesse encrease outwardly in these Of the most of which the Apostle saith thus Gal. 3.3 4.92 Are yee so foolish that after yee haue begun in the Spirit ye would be made perfect in the flesh ' Also how turne ye againe vnto impotent and beggerly rudiments whereunto as from the beginning you will be in bondage againe Or had these that externall righteousnesse and outward sanctimonie or holinesse which you say all in the visible Church haue M. Robinson in a large Treatise of his lately set foorth Iustif 107. hath these words It is all one M. Bernard as if you should say the Scriptures doe not call men Saints because they are Saints but for some other causes knowne to you For what is it to be a Saint but to be holy And what to be holy but to be of a sound iudgement pure affections and vnblameable conuersation That which this man heere saith they all doe hold and this is one speciall stone whereat they often stumble I demaund therefore of them all whether all the Corinthians and Galatians I speake of were such Saints and holy ones as they teach all in the visible Church are and namely whether they were of a sound iudgement pure affections and vnblameable conuersation If they answere affirmatiuely that they were all men will cry fye vpon it and then the incestuous person in the church of Corinth the false teachers among the Galatians were such to wit men of a sound iudgement pure affections vnblamable conuersation If they answer negatiuely then forasmuch as these were in the Church some are in the Church who are not Saints and so to be called which is against their owne doctrine or then some are in the church who are not such Saints as these men say all in the visible church are and must be And here we are to remember these things 1. That many of the persons we speake of were openly wicked That these were godly men and Saints indeede hauing their hearts purified by Faith no man sure will affirme If they were not godly then which must needes be true of some of them I meane the false teachers among the Galatians because against them Paul wisheth or prayeth thus Ephes 5.12 Would to God they were euen cut of which doe disquiet you which hee would neuer haue done had they beene godly And if they were wicked then openly wicked and knowne to be so because their sins were open and knowne to men 2. Wee must remember that these Churches when S. Paul writ vnto them were true visible Churches which must needes bee because by the holy Ghost they are so called and intituled and this the Separistes doe readily acknowledge yea that they were of the purest Churches that haue beene 3. That all the members of a true visible Church are Saints by nomination so called in Scripture and consequently all these aforesaide in the Churches of Corinth Galatia This also the Separistes will freely confesse 4. We must know that all which be once admitted into the church do remaine members of the same Church be they neuer so wicked vntill either they themselues depart from it or else by excommunication be cast out and that coÌ„sequently all the scandalous persons aforesaid were in and of the Church yâ—a the incestuous man till hee was excommunicated This they of the Seperation will likewise acknowledge to be true Now from the premises these two conclusions doe necessarily follow 1. That a societie of men wherein be sundry wicked yea openly wicked may notwithstanding be a true church 2. That the open wicked and scandalous persons in the church are Saints by nomination and the Scripture doe sometimes call men Saints not because they are holy but for some other causes or respects whereof hath beene spoken in the former Chapter The Brownists teach conclusions directly contrary to these which is the cause of their erring so grossely in the doctrine of the visible Church and the principall cause of their condemning our Church to be a false Church and consequently of seperating from vs. But whether they or wee doe herein agree with the Scriptures let the Christian Reader iudge Some other arguments did I long since set down against your aforesaide description and this That such Saints as those you dedescribe be the onely matter of the visible Church which M. Bernard hauing thought of also and published and M. Robinson lately answered I thought it ther fore best rather to spend some lines about a reply to M. Robinson then inlarging and pressing those arguments It is true that both M. Ainsworth and M. Smith haue likewise answered that Booke of M. Bernards wherein the reasons I meane are contained The title of this booke is Separatists Schisme but we must know
I cast not away If this bee not meant and properly and onely to be vnderstood of the Elect I know not what is Those here spoken of are said to be giuen to Christ of his Father Secondly to come vnto him that is to beleeue in him as ver 35. declareth Thirdly none of these Christ casteth away that is reprobateth and condemneth But these things are true onely of the Elect Of them therefore alone Christ here speaketh and therefore not of the visible Church as you tel vs wherin be many that the father hath not giuen to Christ and which beleeue not in him and which he will cast away as a man doth drosse or reprobate siluer Againe to the same end you f Apology 44. Iustificat 115. quote Act. 2.47 where Luke speaketh first of them that had singlenesse of heart which grace is peculiar to the Elect Secondly of such as should bee saued and that I trust your selfe will confesse the elect onely shall be Moreouer you produce to the end aforesaid g A true description 1. Rom. 8.34 where the Apostle speaking expressely and by name of the elect in the verse precedent Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that Iustifieth Hee addeth vers 34 Who shall condemne meaning any of the said chosen whom God iustifieth And this hee further confirmeth in the words next following to wit that none of this societie shall be damned forasmuch as Christ died for them rose againe and maketh intercession This also all the verses following to the end of the said Chapter doe confirme Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ It is hereby euident and by verse 39. that Paul speaketh of those whom God loueth in Christ But in Christ Iesus God loueth the elect onely therefore of the elect alone hee here speaketh All the places of holy Scripture which you alleadge concerning h Descript 2. Apology 44. the body of Christ are so many abuses of Scripture in this kinde as Ephes 1.23 and 4.11.16 1. Cor. 22.27 as I haue else where made manifest in this Treatise Nay your selfe M. Robinson haue your part herein if you be not the chiefe in this trespasse To proue the holinesse of this visible Church you i Answere to a Censorious Epistle 33. produce 1. Pet. 2.5 which in the end of the Chapter precedent I haue shewed is true onely and to be vnderstood of the militant Church or whole company of the faithfull members of the inuisible Church Furthermore but foure leaues after this you vaunt That not one Scripture forsooth is brought by you to proue the holinesse of the visible Church which is meant of the inuisible You teach k Iustification 115. that all of the visible Church were purchased with the bloud of God were all partakers of the grace of God hauing effectuall faith diligent loue and patient hope in the Lord Iesus growing in grace euery one of them And for proofe of these positions and a few such like you quote Act. 20.28 Phil. 1.3.4.6.7.8 1. Thess 1.2.3 2. Epist 1.3 Now all these Scriptures with many more must bee vnderstood of the Militant Church or if we vnderstand them of the visible Church they must bee taken figuratiuely the whole Church being set for a part thereof by a Synecdoche which in effect is the same Againe in the same place to proue the holines of the vis church Iustif 115. you tell vs m that the visible Church bee such and none other as are not of the world but chosen out of it and hated of it as do receiue the word and cōmunicate al of thē in all things gladly as euery one hath neede and that in gladnesse and singlenes of heart and haue receiued testimony by the holy Ghost himselfe that they were such as should be saued And for confirmation therof you quote Ioh. 15.18.19 17-16 Act. 2.41.42 46.47 I would as soone beleeue you if you should teach that all in the visible church shall be saued For I pray you are not they sure to be saued of whome the holy Ghost testifieth that they shall be saued But this testimony of the holy Ghost say you all and euery one of the visible Church haue Therefore all and euery one of the visible Church shall bee saued and none therein bee damned Thus many testimonies in holy Scripture which are onely spoken are meant and true of the inuisible Church you vnderstand of the visible Church and apply to that societie and yet spare not to say that you bring not one Scripture meant of the invisible Church and apply it to the visible Let the Reader now iudge whether herein you speake truely or the contrary imputation of ours be iust As touching 1. Pet. 2.9 M. Robinson hath foure arguments to prooue that it is meant and to be vnderstood of the visible Church and therefore not of the inuisible his first argument is this If Peter wrote to the visible Church of the Iewes Iustif 44. and not to the inuisible among them then in Cap. 2.9 Hee speaketh of the visible Church and not of the inuisible But Peter wrote to the visible Church of the Iewes and nor to the inuisible among them Therfore in Chap. 2.9 he speaketh to the visible Church of the Iewes and not of the inuisible The proposition or consequence of this argument which we deny as being palpablie false he indeuoureth not to proue at all to wit that to whomsoeuer Peter writ of them all that which he writ must be meant and vnderstood which no man of vnderstanding will graunt The assumption he strengthens with sundry reasons as first Peter wrote to that Church and societie whereof hee was the Apostle But he was the Apostle of the visible Church of the Iewes Ergo Peter wrote to the visible Church of the Iewes and consequently not to the inuisible 2. Peter wrote to that Church and societie which he knewe But hee did knowe the visible Church and not the inuisible which is knowne onely to God Ergo he wrote to the visible Church and not to the inuisible These proofes he inserts in his first reason but not content therwith he confirmes his assumption with two more arguments laide downe in his third and fourth reasons To that Church Peter writ wherein were Elders and a flocke depending vpon them But the visible Church had Elders and a flocke depending vpon them and not the inuisible Therefore to the vis Church Peter write not to the inuis Againe to that Church which had the word of God preached amongst them the Apostles did write But the word was preached to the visible Church Therefore to it he writ The summe of these three arguments 1.3 4. is this Peter writ to the visible Church Ergo 1. Pet. 2.9 cannot be meant of the inuisible Church but of the visible By this argument I can prooue that the Epistles to Timothy Titus and Philemon excepted in all
God made to Abraham might be sure to all the seede not to that onely which is of the Law that is not to the Iewes onely who beleeue and were vnder the Lawe giuen by God to Moses but also to that which is of the faith of Abraham that is to the Gentiles who beleeue as Abraham did albâ—it they bee not subiect to the ceremonies of the Lawe who is the Father of vs all that beleeue Iewes and Gentiles Heere obserue that Abraham is called and that twise the Father of the Faithfull nay of all them that beleeue If Abraham be the father of all beleeuers then are they his children and seed Which is also expressely taught here and inlarged by a distribution of his children or of all his seede in one word into the beleeuing Iewes and the beleeuing Gentiles and this is likewise set downe twise To this purpose serueth that also Gal. 4.29 And if yee bee Christs that is beleeue in Christ and by faith vnited vnto him and made one with him then are yee Abrahams seede But aboue all other the 7. vers of the third Chapter cleareth this point knowe yee therefore that they which are of faith the same are the children of Abraham To these children I say and to this seede of Abraham that is to and with the faithfull the elect of God and Church inuisible hath God made a couenant or promis of grace and of saluation and not with the Church visible and the members thereof as you all doe fondly imagine And this the Lord himselfe the author and maker of this gracious promise teacheth Gen. 17.19 Sarah thy wife shall beare thee a son saith God to Abraham and thou shalt call his name Izhak and I will establish my couenant meaning chiefâ—ly the spirituall couenant and of eternall life with him for an euerlasting couenant and with his seede after him 20. And as concerning Ishmael I haue heard thee Loe I haue blessed him and will make him fruitfull c. 21. But my couenant will I establish with Izhak Heere the Lord secludeth Ishmael from this couenant and from hauing any part therein denying that he made or would keepe this promise with him though in the visible Church as Ishmael at this time was or with any reprobates of whom hee was a figure And restraineth the couenant to Izhak onely and to his seed that is to them who should beleeue in Christ as Izhak did to the Elect I say of whom he was a figure We must heere remember that Abraham his family was the visible Church For from the beginning of the world to the giuing of the Lawe the visible Church was shut vp in the families of the Patriarcks This premised I reason thus against you If the couenant of grace and saluation was made with the visi Church and all the members thereof then with Ishmael because hee was of the visible Church But it was not made with Ishmael as this place of Genesis prooueth Ergo not with the visible Church but with the inuisible as we affirme And this is further confirmed Rom. 9.6 Notwithstanding it cannot be that the word of God should take none effect for all they are not Israel that is t e Israel to whom God made the promise of eterall life which are of Israel that is defended of Iacob 7. Neither are they all children because they are the seede of Abraham but in Isaack shall thy seede be called 8. That is they which are the children of the fleshe are not the children of Abraham but the children of the promise are counted for the seede For the better vnderstanding of this Scripture we must knowe that the Apostle being to speake of the reiection of the Iewes answereth an obiection that would readily be made against the same If God haue cast away the Iewes then is the promise that God made to Abraham and his seede frustrate and of none effect which cannot be so Therefore God hath not reiected them This obiection is contained in these words It cannot be that the word of God should take none effect Whereby the word of God is meant the promise that God made to Abraham and to his posteritie I will be God vnto thee and to thy seede after thee Paul answereth It followeth not that God is vnfaithfull and keepeth not the promise of grace and life which hee made with Abraham and his seede though his posteritie the Israelits be reiected of God damned because this couenaÌ„t or promise of life euerlasting the Lord made not with those who should be Abrahams children according to the flesh not I say with that carnall Israel that is the Iewes who should lineally descend from Abraham but with the Spirituall Israel or children of Abraham in a spirituall sence that is the elect or those that should beleeue in God as Abraham did whether they were Iewes or Gentiles So long therefore as the Lord reiecteth not and damneth the elect of the Iewes and Gentiles the true children of Abraham but receiueth them to grace and in his sonne Christ Iesus giueth to them life eternall he is faithfull and keepeth his promise and couenant made with Abraham and his seede Albeit the rest of the children of Abraham according to the flesh or people of Israel and of the visible Church be reiected and daâ—ned And here obserue that these children of Abraham are called first the children of promise as being such children of Abraham that were not begotten of him by the force of Nature or by carnall generation but such as should be borne of water and the Spirit and begotten by the immortall seede of the word and promise of the Gospell Secondly they are called the children of God They saith the Apostle which are the children of the flesh are not the children of God but the children of the promise are counted for the seede Heere the same are meant by the children of God the children of the promise and the seede to wit of Abraham Whereby wee learne that God made this promise or couenant of grace with those onely whom in Iesus Christ he adopteth into the number of his children But the elect and inuisible Church onely are Gods children they alone also are the children of the promise Therefore with them onely God hath made the couenant of grace and not with the vis Church no more then with Ishmael and Esau members thereof as the Apostle sheweth here in the verses next following And for this cause it may bee the elect are called the children of the promise because the promise of Grace and Life God made to Abraham belongeth onely to them These Elect and true beleeuers are they who are counted for the seede of Abraham with whom this couenant was made as it is saide vers 8. and not the naturall posteritie of Abraham as some Iewes imagined and it may be doc at this day nor yet the visible Church as you no lesse carnally conceiue then these Iewes This controuersie betwixt you
and vs one would thinke should now be ended considering how clearely the trueth shineth on our side yet for feare it prooue otherwise I will adde something more In the third to the Galathians verse 29. Paul saith thus to them And if ye be Christs then are yee Abrahams seede and heires by promise As if he had said If yee beleeue in Christ whereby you are made one with him then are ye indeede the seede of Abraham and heires of eternall life according to the promise God made with Abraham From hence I reason thus All they and onely they who be Christs that is are ingrafted into him by faith are Abrahams seede to whom the promise of eternall life is made But all of the church inuisible and onely they are Christs ingrafted into him by faith Therefore all of the inuisible church and onely they are Abrahams seede to whom the promise of eternall life is made The Proposition is proued by these words of the Apostle If Christs then are ye Abrahams seede The Assumption needs no proofe Againe I argue from hence thus against you If the vis Church be Abrahams seede and they to vvhom the promise of saluation was made then the vis Church and consequently all the members thereof are heires of saluation But this latter is false Therefore the first The Assumption you will not deny and the Proposition is as cleare by this Scripture and needs must be true seeing God is faithfull and constant in the performance of his promise which he could not be if any one of those should goe to hell to whom he hath made promise of heauen God is not as man Num. 23.19 that he should lye neither as the sonne of man that hee should repent Hath he said and shall hee not doe it And hath hee spoken and shall he not accomplish it No no. God is true Rom. 3.4 though euery man be a lyar If therefore God haue made a couenant or promise of saluation vvith the vis Church as you all affirme and specially M. Smith euer and anone in his Parralleles then all of the visible Church shall be saued But for as much as many of that societie shall be damned it cannot be that to them this promise was made but to some other company euen to the heires of saluation And this latter may bee confirmed and so you conuinced by your owne words By faith saith M. Ainsworth we are the seede of Abraham and consequently heires by promise of the blessed inheritance and so doe enter into his rest Com. of Saints 321. Here you affirme that the company of the faithfull or true beleeuers are the seede of Abraham with whom God made this couenant which manifestly ouerthroweth you Secondly that they who be the seed of Abraham are heires of the heauenly and blessed inheritance And heere I reason thus from your owne words They onely are the seede of Abraham vvith vvhom God made that gracious couenant of life euerlasting that be heâ—res of the blessed inheritance and doe enter into the hâ—auenly rest But the elect or inuisible Church onely are heires of the blessed inheritance and doe enter into the heauenly rest Therefore the elect or inuisible Church onely are the seede of Abraham with whom God made that gracious couenant of life euerlasting The Proposition is your owne the Assumption I trust you abhor to deny imbrace therefore the conclusion wherevpon necessarily followeth that God made not this couenant with the vis Church as all of you doe teach but with the inuisible as wee affirme But you tell vs that 1. Tim. 4 8. doth proue this Bodily exercise profiteth little but godlinesse is profitable vnto all things which hath the promise of the life present and of that that is to come Here is mention indeede of a promise concerning life eternall But to whom it is made Paul answereth to the godly But such onely are the elect and inuisible Church Therefore to them and not to the visible Church is the promise made of life euerlasting by Christ So that this Scripture maketh against you Moreouer you alleadge here 2. Pet. 1.3 According as his diuine power hath giuen vnto vs all things that pertaine to life and godlines Peter here telleth vs that all good things belonging to life eternall are giuen vs of God But to whom To the visible Church We reade no such thing but cleane otherwise To vs saith he As if he had said to me and the rest of the elect That by life here the Apostle meaneth life eternall no man will deny Neither that life eternall shall bee giuen vnto them to whom all things appertaining to that life are giuen Seeing then the inuisible Church onely haue all things pertaining to life giuen them of God forasmuch as they onely enioy that life and that the Apostle speaketh of them who are made partakers of this gift it followeth necessarily therevpon that hee speaketh onely of the inuisible church Obserue besides that hee saith not onely that God hath giuen vs all things that appertaine vnto life but addeth and godlinesse Implying thereby that they to whom this life is giuen of God haue first all things pertaining vnto godlinesse bestowed vpon them in this life before they enioy that life eternall in the world to come But to the inuisible Church onely all things pertaining to godlinesse are giuen Therefore of the inuisible Church the Apostle here speaketh and not of the visible as you affirme And here marke how M. Ainsworth applying this Scripture to the vis Church doth conuince both himselfe and his friends Let vs saith he consider some principall of the many good thâ—ngs Communion of Saints 165. 168. 170. that God doth giue vs pertaining vnto life godlinesse Among these he nameth Faith And what faith That saith hee whereby our fathers walked with God pleased him wrought many good workes obtained good report and in the end the saluation of their soules It is the gift of God vnto his chosen people which therefore is called the faith of Gods elect And a little after The most excellent fruit that we reape of faith is our iustification in the sight of God by his grace in Christ Iesus Hereby it is plaine enough though there is much more seruing to this purpose that hee speaketh of iustifying faith Another good thing pertaining to life and godlinesse that is giuen vs of God is saith he sanctification Ibid. 177.179.183.186 also the feare of the Lord loue out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith vnfained the loue of God and his loue shed abroad in their hearts by the holy Ghost which is giuen vnto them with other graces of this kinde From these words of your owne I argue thus against you Of that Church or company of men Peter here speaketh to vvhom of God are giuen iustifying faith sanctification and the other graces before specified But the said graces are giuen onely to the elect and
church inuisible Of them therefore onely Peter here speaketh The Proposition is confirmed by your owne vvords The Assumption is so cleere that it needeth no confirmation Thus vve see that this scripture also maketh not for but against you As the Lord hath not made a couenant or promise of saluation with the vis Church and consâ—quently with the members thereof but with them onely of the inuisible Church as we haue heard so neither hath he made to the vis church and members thereof a promise of peace For then there should be peace between God and the wicked seeing a great part of the vis Church are vvicked which there is not as witnesseth the Prophet Isai 52.22 There is no peace saith my God to the wicked This promise also belongeth to them of the inuisible Church and they onely of this societie haue this peace Then being iustified by faith which the elect onely are wee haue peace with God Rom. 5.1 saith Paul denying hereby this peace to all those that want iustifying faith The Lord saith I haue hated Esau Mal. 2.3 This is true of all Reprobates of whom he was a fiâ—ure Seeing the vis Church consisteth for the most part of Reprobates and but few therein that are chosen it cannot be that to this societie God hath made a promise of loue buâ— rather to the company of the elect and Church inuisible where of Iacob was a figure of whom God saith I haue loued Iacob therein restraining his loue to the elect And as for the promise of God his protection Pro. 2.7.8 Mat. 10.30 compared with ver 16. The whole 91. Psalme it is in the Scriptures restrained to them that feare the Lord and put their trust in his mercy that make him their hope and fortresse and the most high their refuge to the righteous that is the godly and to them that walke vprightly and therefore to the inuisible Church and the members thereof And when this promise is made to the vâ—sible Church it is for their sakes that are therein of the inuisible Church Apology 44. And where you say that a true visible Church and consequently the members thereof hath assurance of the promises of Gods presence and blessing to appertaine vnto them I demand what assurance a man can haue of enioying Gods gracâ—ous presence heâ—re on earth and glorious presence in heauen wherein consists our happinesse by being a member of the visible Church considering so many of the visible Church are sinners and that sinne doth seperate betweene God and man This is presumption and not an holy assurance and to build on the sands which house tempests at one time or other will blow downe and not on the rocke that standeth vnmoueable He that hath no other assurance of Gods presence and blessing then this that he is a member of the visible church may peraduenture bee as farre from enioying Gods presence as they which are in hell from entring into heauen and from being blessed of God as they vpon whom this sentence shall be pronounced Goe ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Diuell and his Angels The Papists might well reiect our assurance and certaintie of saluation had we no better ground for the same then this Yet let no man so vnderstand mee as though I denied that God was present with and did protect the visible Church For I know that our Lord partly for the elect that are in the visible Church and partly for his owne glorie and names sake that is called vpon among them is in the midst of the seuen golden Candlestickes Reuel 1.13 protecting them by his Almightie power CHAP. V. The titles which the Separists ascribe to the visible Church are to be vnderstood of the invisible Church onely AS the description these men giue of the visible church and that which they say is the matter and forme thereof is not a description nor the matter and forme of the visible but rather of the inuisible Church militant euen so it is with sundry titles they giue to the visible Church It is called say they a kingdome of Priests a royall Priesthood the sheepe of the Lord Appologie 44. communion of Saints 248. 470. Descrip of the visible Church pag. 1. the Temple of God a chosen Generation an holy Nation the peculiar people yea Christ his Sister his Loue his Spouse and his Body These titles which in the holy Scriptures are vsually giuen to the inuisible Church militant and company of the faithfull and if at any time to the visible it is because and with respect had to the elect and Church inuisible to whom alone properly the aforesaide titles doe belong they ignorantly apply and vnderstand of the visible Church and company of professors with diuers more of the same kinde which for breuitie I omit But let vs briefely and in order consider of these or the most of them If the visible Church be a kingdome of Priestes and royall Priesthood then all of this Church company are Kings and Priests vnto God but the last is false therefore the first To the proposition you as willingly subscribe as wee The assumption which is this All of the visible Church are not Kings and Priestes vnto God with open mouth you deny which thus I prooue All that be Kings and Priests vnto God shall raigne and offer to God the sacrifice of praise for euer in heauen But all of the visible Church shall not raigne and offer to God the sacrifice of praise for euer in heauen Therefore all of the visible Church be not Kings and priests vnto God The assumption is in it selfe cleare The proposition is euident by Reuel 5.6 Thou wast killed and hast redeemed vs to God by thy blood out of euery kindred and tongue and people and Nation And hast made vs vnto God Kings and Priests and we shall raigne on the earth Heere wee learne that these Kings and Priestes shall raigne and inherite the kingdome and besides who be these Kings which shall thus raigne not the visible Church as these men teach but those whom the lambe hath redeemed to God by his blood out of euery kindred and tongue and people Confession of Faith 29. and nation which are the Elect or inuisible Church as they themselues confesse This is further confirmed and made more euident in the first of the Reuel where Iohn saith that those whom Christ Iesus loueth and washeth from their sinnes in his blood are Kings and Priests vnto God But this Christ doth onely to the Elect and Church inuisible for them alone hee loueth their sinnes onely hee washeth away therefore they onely are this kingdome of Priestes or Kings and Priests vnto God 1. Pet. 2.5.7.9 Peter telleth vs that the faithfull are this royall Priesthood and calling them also an holy Priesthood he saith that they offer vp spirituall sacrifice acceptable to God by Iesus Christ But the inuisible Church of which societie
by the testimonies themselues Now herein you might haue saued your labour and rather haue bestowed more paines in prouing that we deny then that we grant But any thing you thinke will serue to delude the simple Yea but the three last testimonies 2. Cor. 6.17 Act. 2.42 Heb. 10.24.25 speake to the issue for they directly prooue That the children of God of the light and day and the heires of blessing are commaunded to seperate from meaning in diuine worship the children of men of this world of the diuell and of curse and to entertaine and continue an holy communion among themselues onely Thus saith M. Ainsworth in plaine and expresse wordes It is true that in the first of these places to the sonnes and daughters of God this commandement is giuen Come out from among them and seperate your selues But vvho are those of whom the Apostle speaketh and from whom he commandeth the children of God for to seperate and not ioyne with in diuine worship It is euident they were the Corinthian Idolaters that worshipped a false God The highest degree of Idolatry and most grosse Idolaters that can be What doth Paul now require of the Corinthian Saints to whom he writ this That they ioyne not with these idolaters their neighbours in their idolatrous and false worship nor in any other of their pollutions This hindreth or prohibiteth not but that they might communicate with these Idolaters in true diuine vvorship publike or priuate But suppose that this place of Paul prohibiteth all communion with all idolaters in their false and idolatrous worship whether they worship a false and fained god or the true God falsely which is all that is forbidden in the word that letteth not but that wee may haue religious communion with idolaters in true Diuine worship If then we may lawfully ioyne together with idolaters in the worship of God in hearing the word and Prayer then certainely with the children of men of this world of the Diuell and with them that are without and no members of the church For such as these are all Idolaters Thus wee see this Scripture makes nothing for you and is therefore peruerted by you Let vs now proceede to the next testimonie Act. 2.42 And they continued meaning the members of the vis Church in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers This declareth how greatly they of the Church were affected towards the word and worship of God vvherein they did dayly exercise themselues both in publike and priuate but neither denyeth nor forbiddeth all communion in diuine worship with them that are without no more then this Scripture there following And they sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men of the Church as euery one had neede forbiddeth all communicating of our goods with them which are without And as well may one from hence conclude that such as are of the visible Church may not minister vnto the necessities of them that are without as this from ver 42. that they of the visible Church may haue no religious communion with them that are without Fâ—ame your argument when you please for the proofe of this latter and I will compâ—se as good a one for the former Your third and last testimony is Heb. 10.24.25 Let vs consider one another to prouoke vnto loue and to good workes not forsaking the fâ—llowship that we haue among our selues as the manner of some is but let vs exhort one another We answere first it is not cleere that the Apostle speakes here of the publike assemblies but happily of the priuate meetâ—ngs the faithfull had And this latter is probable for these two Râ—asons Fâ—rst bâ—caâ—se the priuate and brotherly fellowship serueth spâ—cially to the increase of mutuall loue wherevnto the fai hfull be here exhorted Secondly in the words immediatâ—ly precedent and subsequent hee exhorteth to priuaâ—e duties wee may vvell therefore thinke he doth the like also If this now be so this Scripture maketh nothing at all for you no more then that of Peter 1. Pet. 2.17 Loue brotherly fellowship But be it granted that this is meant of the pubâ—ike assemblies against which I vvill not contend notwithstanding it makes not any thing against vs. For who doubteth but that the faithful that is the professors of faith in Christ or members of the vis Church doe vsually they alone and none but they assemble and ioyne together in hearing of the Word and prayer And that vsually it falleth out in the Church that some playing the Apostates forsake these assemblies of the Saints eyther ioyning themselues to some other assemblies as being Heretickes or Schismatickes or else vvith Demas imbracing this present world This is it we here learne and from this latter onely wee are here dehorted Doth it now herevpon follow that the faithfull may not admit vnbeleeuers and them that are without the Church to communicate with them in diuine worship and haue religious communion together with them Nothing lesse Here is no such thing forbidden no more then in and by this speech Gal. 6.10 doe good to the houshould of Faith that is to all that professe the same faith with vs to wit the members of the vis Church we are forbid to doe good vnto all or to them that are without But besides these expresse and plaine testimonies of Scripture as you thinke you haue a forcible reason drawne from the word for the fortifying of this your opinion Wee may not say you ioyne with them that are without or with the open wicked in the worship of God Communion of Saints 469. or haue any holy communion with them For by their wickednesse both the faithfull Defence of the churches and Mâ—nistery of England 70. and the holy things of God are polluted This doctrine of your owne you apply vnto vs. Into your assemblies say you doe come many open and notorious sinners knowne drunkards whoremongers prophaners of the Sabbath swearers c. Whereby the holy things of God and the faithfuâ—l are defiled Reasons for Seperation for this cause wee dare not haue religious communion with you but seperate Wee answere It maketh nothing for you nor against vs that there are knowne wicked in our assemblies which vvee deny not seeing by their presents neither the faithfu l nor the holy things of God are polluted vnto the faithfull which thus we make manifest If any sinners pollute the holy things of God to the faithfull as the word sacraments prayer then certainely doe notorious wicked Ministers which in such speciall manner are occupied about them They are the mouth of God to the people and the peoples to God they touch with their hands the holy elements But notorious wicked Ministers defile not the holy things of God to the Saints Therefore none be they neuer so notorious wicked That Ministers notoriously wicked pollute not the worship of God nor the faithfull ioyning with them therein it is manifest by
Let vs now here your third and last testimonie taken out of Act. 4.12 Neither is there saluation in any other for among men there is giuen no other name vnder heauen whereby we must be saued Here is no mention of the vis church nor yet of Christs Mediation nor intercession but onely of saluation by his meanes How can this Scripture then make for the confirmation of your Proposition But happely you will haue it That Christ is likewise the Sauiour of the visible church For I am very sure that whose Mediator and Aduocate Christ Iesus is their Sauiour he is and giueth saluation to them all But say you he is the Mediator and Aduocate of the vis church Therefore he is the Sauiour of the vis church and giueth saluation to all of that fellowship As your Proposition so your Assumption to wit That the Church of England hath not Christ for the Mediator and Aduocate of the same is likewise false For the whole company in England that by faith are vnited vnto Christ and by loue one vnto another and they onely are the church of England and all such haue Christ for their Mediator Aduocate As for the wicked they are as S. Iohn speaketh 1. Ioh. 2.19 among vs but not of vs in the church but not of it as the tares that grow in the field and among the wheate are notwithstanding your commingling vvheate Counterp 132 nor so to be called But by Church here as before in your proposition very ignorantly you vnderstand the visible church and with many words goe about to proue That the vis church of England if I may so speake hath not Christ for the Mediator and Aduocate of the same Here you tell vs againe of them among vs who be prophane scoffe at repentance and scorne at all admonition despise wisedomes counsell and such as reproue they turne againe and rent them And as in the prosecution of the former Argument you proue That such vile men are not the body of Christ neither haue him for their head so here that Iesus is not the Mediator and Aduocate of such but of a more holy societie In like manner you deale in your three other Arguments following Argument 6.7.8 Euery true Church of God say you hath Christ for the King Priest and Prophet of the same The Church of England hath not Christ for the King Priest Prophet of the same Therfore the church of England is not the true Church of God This which I haue contracted into one you make three Arguments of and the Assumption of those three you proue in that maner you do the two former Assumptions wherin you might haue saued a great deale of labour seâ—ing we all confidently hold That the vile and abominable among vs Mat. 13.25 are not of the church of England but tares sowed among the wheat by the enemie while men slept And therfore we account them not the body of Christ nor to haue him for a Mediator and Aduocate and for their King Priest and Prophet What meane you then at large to pursue the proofe of that we deny not But I will be more wise then spend any more time in answer to your reasons Onely I will shew That Christ Iesus is not the King Priest and Prophet of the vis Church Generally I proue it thus Whose Mediator Christ Iesus is their King Priest and Prophet he is But Christ Iesus is the Mediator onely of the elect or inuisible Church Therefore onely of the elect or inuisible church is Christ Iesus King Priest and Prophet And consequently not of the vis church Or thus The Proposition of these two Arguments is hereby plaine in that these are the parts of Christ his mediation The Assump tion needs no proofe That this you here teach is false may further be proued by your owne doctrine and thus Whose King Priest and Prophet Christ is for them in that he is their Priest he died and maketh intercession To them in that he is their King hee doth apply and make effectuall his priesthood Them likewise he gouerneth by his word and spirit them hee defendeth specially from all spirituall enemies and them he will exalt to the communion of his eternall kingdome But Christ died for and maketh intercession hee also applyeth his priesthood onely to the elect gouerneth by his Word and Spirit defendeth and thus highly exalteth the elect alone â—s might be made euident out of the sacred Scriptures if it neede Therefore he is King Priest and Prophet onely of the elect and inuisible Church Counterp 147 This may bee proued also by M. Ainsworths owne words Thirdly saith hee the Church of England hath not Christ for the King thereof because the people of that Church were and are euen by the confession of our aduersaries of all sorts of people as well wicked as godly and sinnes of all sorts do abound and raigne among them that if the good lawes of the common wealth did not represse them there would be no liuing in peace among them Such prophane worldly people are not the subiects of Christ his kingdome is not of this world neither is it for the open wicked but for the repentant and beleeuing for the poore in spirit the meeke the mercifull the persecuted for righteousnesse sake not for persecuters haters and contemners of the truth In which words you frame vs this reason against your selues Christ is not King of a prophane worldly people neither are such his subiects but onely of an holy and heauenly people of the repentant beleeuing of the poore in spirit the meeke the mercifull the persecuted for righteousnes sake But the elect and inuisible Church onely are this holy and heauenly people c. The Elect therefore and the inuisible Church onely are the subiects of Christ and haue him for their King Pag. 148. Againe say you a little after If they had Christ for their King his truth his word would make them free hee would make them also Kings and Priests vnto God his Father that howsoeuer the suppressing abolishing of this vnruly Hierarchie with their many abominations is to be left vnto the Magistrate who onely hath power from God to execute this vengeance yet euery man should deliuer his owne soule abstaining from errour false worship superstition popish thraldome all other euill whatsoeuer though with affliction bonds banishment c. and stand fast in the libertio wherewith Christ hath made him free without yoke of thraldome For he will reigne in the midst of his enemies Satan and sinne hee hath subdued as for himself so for all his people and subiects whom he hath redeemed out of all Satanean Babylonian bondage that sinne should reigne no more ouer them Thus I from hence argue against you They who haue Christ for their King his truth doth make them free he makes them also Kings and Priests vnto God his Father But Christ performeth this to the elect
and inuisible church onely as is plaine by those two testimonies your selfe quote in the margent Ioh. 8.32 Reu. 1.6 The elect therefore and inuisible Church onely haue Christ for their King Secondly Their King Christ Iesus is who abstaine from errour false-worship and all other euill whatsoeuer deliuering thus their owne soules But the elect and inuisible Church onely abstaine from euery euill way and deliuer their owne soules Therefore the elect onely haue Christ Iesus for their King Thirdly They onely are the people and subiects of Christ and haue him for their King for whom hee hath subdued Sathan and sinne and whom he hath redeemed out of all Satanean bondage that sinne should reigne no more ouer them But Christ hath subdued Sathan and sinne onely for the elect and invisible Church and them alone hath he redeemed out of all Satanean bondage that sinne should reigne no more ouer them Therefore the elect and inuisible Church onely are the people and subiects of Christ and haue him for their King Thus what you build with the one hand you put downe apase with the other Ephes 4.8.11 Heb. 3.6 Yet do not I deny that Christ hath appointed the offices and officers and giuen lawes to the vis church by and according to which only it ought to be gouerned that in thâ—s respect he is the onely King thereof Also Mat. 28.18 Reu. 17.14 in that all power is giuen vnto him in heauen and in earth and is King of the whole earth being King of Kings thus likewise hee is King of the visible church And as King hee defendeth it from the enemies thereof for his own glory and name that is called vpon them for his elect sake that are among them And lastly in this respect he is also King of the visible church that these rebels and enemies of his that will not suffer him to reigne ouer them neither regard his lawes and statutes he will take vengeance of them and destroy them Thus I acknowledge our Lord is King of the visible church but not so a he is King to them to whom he is Priest and Prophet as you doe affirme Come we now to the second part of the aforesaid proposit on Counterp 141. and to M. Ainsworth his 4. argument Euery true visible Church hath Christ for the Priest of the same The vis Church of England hath not Christ for the Priest of the sâ—me Therefore the Church of England is not a true visible Church I deâ—y your proposition which to be false I doe thus make manifest If Christ Iesus be the Priest of the visible Church then Christ died for the vâ—sible church and maketh intercession for all of that societie for doubtlesse hee performed all the parts of his Priesthood for them to whom he is a Priest If Christ now died for the visible church then all of the visible church shal be saued and none of them damned for Christs death shall be effectual to saue all those from perdition for whom he died Who shall condemne saith the Apostle It is Christ which is dead Rom. 8.34 Intimating that none of those can possibly be damned for whom Christ died Now the aforesaide inference is false seeing there be many reprobates of the visible church for which Christ neither dyed nor maketh intercession and therefore is that false from whence it is inferred deduced Nay I will disproue this by your owne words In the 32. p. of your confession of faith thus you write Touching his Priesthood Christ hath appeared once to put away sinne by the offering of himselfe and to this ende hath fully performed and suffred all those things by which God might be reconciled to his Elect. From hence I reason thus If Christ in that he was a Priest hath by the oblation of himselfe taken away the sinne of the Elect onely and reconciled vnto God onely the Elect then is hee the Priest onely of the Elect or inuisible church But Christ in that hee was a Priest hath by the oblation of himselfe taken away the sinne of the Elect onely and reconciled to God onely the Elect Therfore Christ Iesus is the Priest only of the Elect or church inuissible and by consequent not of the vissible church as you affirme The Proposition is so cleere in it selfe that it needes no proofe The Assumption is prooued by your owne confession Though you doe not vse this word onely yet must it necâ—ssarilie bee vnderstood This your selfe also M. Ainsworth doe further confirme Counterp 141. The Church of England say you hath not Christ for the Priest or Sacrificer of the same Because the gifts and sacrifices which it offereth vnto God are not presented and offered vnto him by Christ neither is this Church reconciled vnto God by him from hence also I argue thus Whose spirituall sacrifices Christ doth present and offer vnto his father their priest he is But the spirâ—tual sacrifices of the elect and inuisible church onely doth Christ present and offer vnto his Father Therefore Christ is the Priest of the elect and inuisible church onely Agaiâ—e To proue that Christ is the prophet of the inuisible church this in a word may suffice To what societ e soeuer he is king aâ—d priest to the same hee is a prophet But to the inuisible church onely he is a king and priest Therefore a prophet the Proposition needes no proofe The Assumption hath alreadie beene prooued This likewise may be coâ—firmed by your own lines and therefore I may well be sparing of mine Counterp 139. Moreouer the church of England wanteth part and communion with Christ in that propheticall office which he hath imparted to his people namely power and freedome to witnesse professe practise and holde forth the word of life and all that Christ hath commaunded And therefore concludeth he The church of England hath not Christ for the prophet thereof from hence I reason thus To that church or company of men whatsoeuer which hath power and freedome to witnesse professe practise and hould forth the word of life and all that Christ hath commanded to them onely is Christ a prophet But this power and freedome hath the inuisible church onely Therefore of the inuis church onely is Christ a Prophet The proposition is your own The assumption is very cleare for though all of the visible church and many reprobates haue power to professe yet onely the Elect haue the abilitie to practise the word of God and to obserue all that Christ hath commanded that is earnestly endeauor to obsâ—rue and keepe the coÌ„mandements of God Christ in all things which is that we call euangelicall obedience This obedience wherof our Lord speaketh Mat. 28.20 Teaching theÌ„ to obserue all things whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you is proper I say to the elect and cannot fall into any reprobate But these words of Iesus you vnderstand of the politie of the church and being generall you restraine to all things
seede yet there may be in it adulterate seede or Tares and in the knitting vp of the same Section in Hypothesi you say That the Church of England because it is not sowen with good seede onely without Tares but hath tares or adulterate seede in it it therefore cannot be the Lords field And where you happily imagine that we thinke that the Lords field is not sowen onely with good seede Know yee that wee are otherwise minded We are not ignorant that this is expressely taught in this parable verse 24.27.36 and that the tares are from the enuious man the Diuell neither doe we forget that which else where is written to this purpose Act. 2.47 And the Lord added to the Church from day to day such as should be saued You produce this as an argument against vs to proue that the Church of England is not the Lords field that is the Church of God but by your owne words before it is plaine that it neither makes for you not against vs. Thus we heare what M. Iohnson saith against the mixture of good and bad godly and wicked in the Church also what M. Robinson saith in Iustification thereof and our defence and answere thereunto Let vs now see what M. Ainsworth saith for the maintenance of the same and conuiction of vs who be contrary minded In the end of his booke called the communion of Saints he teacheth that there are no open wicked in the Church Hee granteth there are wicked in the Church but saith he they are inwardly wicked restrained by the terrour of the Law from all open wickednesse but outwardly religious increasing outwardly in externall righteousnesse When the Scriptures saith 2. Tim. 3.15 That the wicked wax worse and worse deceiuing and being deceiued Againe open wicked saith he licentious and profane liuers be neither of the Church nor in the same And againe in the same place There are three sorts of men open wicked hypocrites Saints The first of these are without the Church the other two within and this all of them doe teach But herein they swarue altogether from the truth He should rather haue distinguished men into two sorts whereof one is without the Church who doe not so much as professe the true Religion and they all are wicked the other within the church professing the Religion of God of which some are religious and holy indeede and such as they professe and seeme to be and they be but a few others wicked onely religious and holy in name and in regard of their outward profession and of these there be many Mat. 20 1â— and 22.14 The first of these are Saints indeed and so called The latter hypocrites yet called Saints because the religion they professe is holy but are indeede wicked and prophane And of these hypocrites some be open wicked and easily knowne to bee wicked and some so close and secretly wicked as they are hardly discerned to be wicked That this which we affirme is true and that you teach false it is manifest by the 3. of Ezekiel Ezek. 3.7 21. Son of man I haue made thee a watchman vnto the house of Israel therefore here the word of my mouth and giue thou warning from me 18. When I shall say vnto the wicked thou shalt surely die and thou giuest not him warning nor speakest to admonish the wicked of his wicked way that he may liue the same wicked man shall die in his iniquitie but his bloud will I require at thy hand 19. Yet if thou warne the wicked and he turne not from his wickednesse nor from his wicked way he shal die in his iniquitie but thou hast deliuered thy soule 20. Likewise if a righteous man turne from his righteousnes and commit iniquitie I will lay a stumbling blocke before him and he shall die because thou hast not giuen him warning he shall die in his sinne and his righteous deeds which he hath done shall not be remembred but his bloud will I require at thy hand 21. Neuerthelesse if thou admonish that righteous man that the righteous sinne not and that he doth not sinne He shall liue because he is admonished also thou hast deliuered thy soule Heare wee learne first that in the Church there are wicked and godly and so a mixt company of good and bad Saints and sinners The godly are mentioned The wicked in the verses precedent which is contrary to the Doctrine of these Schismatickes Secondly that of the wicked some are open vvicked hauing not so much as an externall righteousnesse Such are the contemners of the word and Ministers thereof the persecutors of the Saints the scorners blasphemers whoremongers murtherers theeues drunkards oppressors extortioners railers slanderers and such like whâ—reof there haue euer been are and will be store in the Church of God These are called wicked not onely because they are such but because they appeare and are knowne to bee such by them I meane that can discerne betweene things and persons that differ and that as easily as darknes is knowne from light Such were Ismael Esau Saul Absalom the Scribes and Pharisees and the like Of these the Prophet speaketh verse 18.19 Others be inwardly and secretly wicked but outwardly holy and righteous hauing an externall righteousnesse and shew of godlinesse and because they appeare and Iseeme to men to be righteous or godly they are therefore caled righteous Such vvere Iudas and Demas with others of these the Prophet speaketh ver 20. And lest we should shift of this by saying these three kindes or sorts of men were not all of them in the Church but the open wicked without as M. Ainsworth and the rest of them tell vs wee must remember that this admonition or warning conteined in the 18.19.20 and 21. verses was sent from the Lord by the Prophet to the Iewes who then onely were the visible Church as is manifest by verse 17. Sonne of man I haue made thee a watchman vnto the house of Israel therefore heare the word at my mouth and giue them warning from me Obserue here the repugnance and contrarietie betweene the Prophet and the doctrine of these Schismaticke The Prophet telleth vs of three sorts of men in the Church of open wicked of righteous or godly in shew onely or appearance and of such as are indeede godly euen the same they seeme and professe to be M. Ainsworth and his fellowes say no The two last sorts of men onely are in the Church the first be neither of the Church nor in the same Chuse now Reader to whether of these thou wilt giue eare But they vvill say wee acknowledge that there euer haue been are and will be hypocrites in the Church mixed with the godly and such were the wicked mentioned before that vvere in the Church of the Iewes Cain offered sacrifice as well as Habel The same is said of Saul Also that he worshipped the Lord so likewise did Doeg Ismael and Esau vvere circumcised and
had the signe and seale of the righteousnes of faith in and vpon their flesh And that the Scribes and Pharises vvere hypocrites it is euident by the testimonie of our Sauiour Mat. 15.1.7 and by that speech of his so often repeated Mat. 23. Woe be to you Scribes and Pharises Hypocrites But the most of your assemblies be open and knowne wicked men some of them being knowne to be swearers others to be Prophaners of the Sabbath Drunkards Theeues Whoremongers couetous and malicious persons c. and cannot therefore bee accounted hypocrites And your selfe doe confesse that in the Church there are these two sorts of men onely hypocrites or hypocriticall professors and sincere worshippers I answere you well vnderstand not who be hypocrites and doe wholly mistake the matter in supposing that open wicked men cannot be reputed such whereas the open wicked nay most vile and abominable men notoriously also knowne to be such professing true religion be hypocrites Esau was very prophane and as his prophanenes did no doubt shew it selfe in the whole course of his life so in taking for his wiues two women of the Hittites but chiefly in selling his birthright for a messe of pottage Now these his sinnes were knowne specially the former to Isaack his family vvhich then vvas the Church Hereunto adde that he both purposed and said that he vvould slay his brother Iacob Gen. 27.41.42 and that this vvas knowne to some of Isaacks family who told it to Rebekah Yet vvas this notorious prophane man and knowne murderer an hypocrite Doeg vvas an horrible murderer his murther also could not but bee knowne to the whole Church of God and an hypocrite For it is said that vvhen Dauid came to Nob vvhere the Tabernacle of God then was Doeg was abiding or caused to tarry before the Lord 1. Sam. 22.18 22.7 either because of the Sabbath or some vow or some such religious respect whereby is implyed that he continued there for some dayes worshipping God or to that end That Saul vvas an hypocrite I neede not to proue Hee vvas so forward in offering to the Lord burnt offerings and in the outward worship of God 1. Sam. 13.12.13 and 15.22.23.31 That by Samuel hee was diuers times reproued sharpely for the same Yet did hee so hate and so openly and furiously persecute Dauid to his death as it could not but bee knowne to all Israel and so was openly and notoriously wicked But this is more then manifest by the Scribes and Pharisees who were very wicked and vile men hating blaspheming and persecuting Christ and his members and knowne to be such to the Saints then liuing who tasted of the fruit of their hatred and yet by the witnesse of Christ Iesus they were Hypocrites Euen so vndoubtedly were all they which killed the Prophets and stoned them which were sent vnto them Mat. 21.35 and 22.6 and 23.37 open vvicked men and Hypocrites Hypocrites also vvere they and yet knowne vvicked men of vvhom Christ speaketh thus They shall excommunicate you yea the time shall come Ioh. 16.2 that whosoeuer killeth you will thinke that he doth God seruice I omit to vrge that place of Paul to Timothy where foretelling of the grieuous sinners that shall bee in the last dayes vvhereof some be open sinners in the end he knitteth it vp thus 2. Tim. 3.1.5 They shal haue a shew of godlinesse but haue denied the power thereof Whereby he sheweth that this he meaneth of the Church and hypocrites that shall be therein and not by them vvho are vvithout As if he had said The wicked pâ—rsons I speake of who shall be so grieuous to the godly specially to godly Teachers and cause the last times to be so perilous as ver 1. be the hypocrites that shall be in the Church But I cannot passe by that Tit. 1. is They professe that they know God but by workes they deny him and are abominable and disobedient and vnto euery good worke reprobate Hereby it is euident that open wicked men disobedient to God yea such as bee abominable and reprâ—bate to euery goâ—d vvorke may be hypocrites For the Apostâ—e speaking thus of professors They professe said he that they know God it is thereby plaine that he meaneth this of them that were in the Church and so of the hypocrites therein and not of them vvho be vvithout for they make not this profession Thus we see that very vvicked and vile men and notoriously knowne to be such haue been and may be hypocrites And therefore the open scandalous wicked in our assemblies may be and indeede are all of them hypocrites Our assemblies being mixt companies of Saints indeede and hypocrites and such a company hath euermore the true visible Church been It is a fancy and vaine imagination of yours that the vvicked in our assemblies are not hypocrites and so to be accompted because their wickednesse is not secret but manifest and to be seene of all men Whereas all that professe Christianitie and liue not the liues of Christians are hypocrites But such bee the open and secret wicked in our publike assemblies Therefore as well the open as the secret wicked in our publike assemblies are hypocrites In Math. 15. our Lord vseth these words to the Scribes and Pharises O hypocrites Esaias prophecied well of you saying This people draweth neere vnto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but their heart is farre of from me But in vaine they worship me Hence wee learne that all they vvhich draw neere vnto God vvith their mouths and honour him vvith their lips hauing their hearts farre off from him be Hypocrites But such bee both the open and secret wicked in our assemblies Therefore both the open and secret wicked in our assemblies are hypocrites I am assured you vvill greatly maruell at me and it may be some of you be ready to hisse at this that the open wicked in our parish assemblies be hypocrites Your ignorance herein hath been one principall cause of this false doctrine of yours In the true visible Church there are no open wicked but it is a separated company of righteous men vpon which false ground you condemne our parish assemblies to be false Churches and therevpon haue departed from vs which hath also caused mee to insist so long vpon this point You confesse there bee hypocrites in the Church according to the Scriptures But you suppose them to bee such as haue an outward holinesse and such as in charitie we cannot but accompt Saints or holy ones whereas those that make profession of godlinesse though they haue no externall righteousnes nay be notoriously vvicked are hypocrites vntill such time as by excommunication they be cut off from the Church And for the better satisfying of you herein you must vnderstand there be two sorts of hypocrites First close hypocrites vvhich are such as goe in sheeps clothing when as indeed they be goats These are in appearance Saints