pervert the subordination of Laws preferre midses to their end and repugne to the unanimous consent of all Nations as you may elswhere understand The next ground I alleage is from Deut. 17. vers 18. 19. Where you have the Law of the Kingdome delivered and committed to the people and in it an express provision that the King to be set up should keep all the words of this Law and these statutes to do them whence I inferre that as the delivering of the Law to the people doth undeniably import that they were to be its keepers and exactors so the Prince his deportment in conformity to this part of it did in such manner belong to their cognition and oversight as he could not impunè without danger of punishment mal-verse much less subvert Religion and persecute its true Professors without control The only difficulty in this argument is whether the tuition and custodie of this Law be by its addresse intrusted to the people I may not stand upon long elucidations but if you consider 1. That there is not an jota of the Law of God in vain 2. That this directing of the Law to the people can have no other signification And 3. That both the continued tenor of the words and the just Analogie of reason must make the oversight appertain to them to whom the election and setting up is so expressely given your hesitation if prevalent can only appeare obstinacie 3. As the frequencie or infrequencie of instances doth wholly depend upon matter of fact so one clearly found in Scripture I know will be to you as a a thousand I shall therefore content my self with the case and practice of Libnah This citie being a citie of Iudah and also of Priests Ios. 21. 13. in the reign of Iehoram a wicked and idolatrous Prince and one who compelled Iudah to the like abominations revolted from under his hand because he had forsaken the Lord God of his fathers Say not as the Surv. of N. profanely alleageth that this was a citie of Priests seditiously inclined or that the revolt was only providentiall like to that of Edom and not lawful by-reason of the Kings apostasie If you but read the Text bearing that Edoms revolt was from under the hand of Judah without any motive annexed And then in a distinct Period mentioning Libnahs to have been from under Iehoram's hand not Iudahs intimating plainly their resistance to an Idolatrous Tyranne without any Apostasie from the Common-wealth which Edom did make and because he had forsaken the Lord you will discover both his unsincere handling of Scripture and the clear evidence of this passage specially if you remember that thereafter under better Kings we find Libnah returned to her subjection and affoorded a wife to good Iosiah If it were needfull to superadde more examples I might adde another Scripture 2 Chron 25. 27. Where you may read how after that Amaziah did turne away from following the Lord they made a conspiracie against him in Ierusalem and he fled to Lachish but they sent to Lachish after him and treated him more severely then I love to mention and really were not this storie too tragicall for me to dip in the justice of the cause the generality of the concurrence and the impunitie of the actors specially adverting to the difference of this case from that of the Fathers exit may be so evidently held out from Scripture to the advantage of my assertion that any reply which you could make from the application of a dubious word Conspiracie would prove a poor reliefe With these might also be remembred King Vzziah's elevation in a pretended Supremacie and his invasive attempt of the Priests office with the noble resistance made by Azariah and the fourscore valiant Priests who went in after and withstood him 'T is true it broke out into force upon a second occasion which I think I cannot so fairly urge yet if you consider their number character and peremptorie manner of speech so particularly noted by the Spirit of God I doubt not but you will grant that the same force was very agreeable to if not influenced by their first resolution but it is enough 4. Though I have already told you that the Prophets their not provoking unto popular Reformations is no argument for you unless you could represent their omâ—â—â—on in an opportune season as well as a clear exigent yet now I further adde that the frequent exhortations made by the Prophets to both King and People as in the first place they have a respect to every ones proper station so by reason of their principal intendment of the great end to which all Politick degrees and their order are subordinate and do referre in the deficiencie or perversion of the more immediate midses they must of necessity lay a subsidiary obligation upon the people as succedaneous in that exigence If the nature of this discourse did allow me to inlarge I could confirme this position 1. From Nature which in the perturbation of its established harmonic forcing things for the good of the whole contraire to their proper tendencies exhibiteâ—a clear emblem of these vicarious assistances 2. From things rationall wherein the Prevalencie of the end and its obligation doth alwayes overrule the order and regard of the midses to a convenient subserviencie 3. From the received acknowledgement of a twofold calling appertaining to every man one Generall flowing immediatly from the end and exerting it self in extraordinarie emergents another Particular aranging to a certain fixed station in the regular course of ordinarie events 4. From the approven instances of many extraordinarie stretches in the case either of our own or others their unforeseen and imminent dangers specially from that most apposite example of the noble effort of Sauls Souldiers in rescueing Ionathan from his fathers unreasonable violence without the least imputation of a transgression 5. From this plain supposition A certain King commands a bodie of Souldiers to chose their own Generall and other Officers and march against one of his Provinces apostatized to Idolatrie severely injoining unto both Generall officers and souldiers the execution of his pleasure under pain of death In the expedition the General chosen and others with him forgetting dutie fall away and joyne with the Idolaters whereupon the remaining part of the Armie although in a sufficient capacitie to have effectuat their Prince his Command yet deserte and returne making no other pretense then that they were not free to exceed their private vacations whereunto they held themselves absolutely confined Would this be sustained for a good defence and not rather looked upon as a cowardly and lasie shift taking refuge in the words contraire to the certain meaning of the orders Let any man judge and apply But leaving all these grounds to your better improvement the plain and obvious reading of the Scripture is my entire satisfaction And really when with these warnings generally made I also take a view of the commensurat
Ministerie of the word without usurping a stated superior Order of Governing as their special work let be immixing themselves by privilege in secular Courts and affaires 3. That they should be obeyed is this their power for discipline and Government set down in Scripture not also its rules limites Were the Apostles more then Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God was not the sure word of Prophecie their great warrant When the Apostle Paul is about to set order in the Church of Coriath hear his Preface by ye followers of me even as I also am of Christ And as in the ordinance of the Lords Supper he only delivers what he had received of the Lord so even as to that smallest of matters the Length and Fashion of the hair doth he use any other Authority then what he seconds with rational persuasion How far was he then from that dominion over our Faith which you ascribe to the Church not only of appointing significant instructing Ceremonies but of abrogating things as expresly ordained in your opinion as the true Sacraments 4 You say That things should be done to Order Edification and Peace keep within these bounds and invert not this Method and we are agreed but if you subsist not in the regulation of the manner but wil impose New things which the Lord requireth not nay which he abhorreth even your own inventions framed to your own lusts and interests or produced by your delusions then make peace your Argument because ye will not allow it to such as in Conscience cannot conforme the Lord who hath founded Zion Reigns in it who hath builded his House rules over it will one day judge Thus you see how these your everlasting obligations do fully conclude all the truths that we assert Where you adde that the other Rules are now altered with the alterable state of things whereunto they were accommodate if you understand it soundly of these things only which are indeed ceased it is a very certain and allowable truth but you remember not that in the very Page preceeding you impute this alteration so groslyâ— to the bare Practice of the Catholick Church a very doubtfull terme and thereby not only unsetle Scripture foundations as to the Sacraments but endeavour to introduce such an arbitrary authority in the Church that in place of establishing true Christian Liberty which you seem here to assert it is evident that you go about plainly to set up an absolute Spiritual tyranny over the Church of God and so to load it with the Ceremonies and innovations a bondage more severe then the old dispensation from which we are liberate but blessed be our Lord Jesus Christ who hath delivered us not only from that old Law of Ordinances but hath made us free that we should be no more the Servants of Men nor liable to be judged in meat or drink or in respect of an holy Day or of the new Moon or of the Sabbath and having blotted out the hand writting of God's Ordinances that was against us hath put no new blank in Mens hands for their own devices and superstitions To conclude then in your own words these things are so rationall and also so clearly deduced from your own concessions that I see nothing either to be excepted against our Conformity to the Scripture pattern and the true Christian liberty both in opinion and practice which we maintain or to be alleaged for your pretended liberty consisting in a Licentious absurd imposing on such whom you acknowledge to be free But in order to this last point viz. your attempt to remove a Scripture rule easie in it self and imparting true Libertie to its observers and to set up an unwarrantable Yoke of Church Authority in its place I conceive it is that here you go about to represent your N. C. as a vain and clamorous boaster of the Crown Throne and Kingdome of our Lord on purpose to prejudicate against our just complaint of your invasion and Robbery but waving your Calumnious Methods I shal only endeavour to speak â—urth the words of truth and sobernesse I shall not here discourse of the Kingdom of Christ in all its parts whereunto we finde in Scripture both the outward Protection of the Church vengeance upon Adversaries and all judgement even the great and last ascrived but in order to our present purpose I affirme plainly that our Lord Jesus as the Redeemer is in a peculiar manner exalted to be Head and King in and over his Church by vertue of which Kingdome he sendeth forth and Authorizeth his Ministers hath defined their Order and Power determined Censures and given and declared Laws to be observed in his house and that in such a manner and in that perfection that in all things properly thereto relating he hath only left to the Officers by himself appointed a Ministerial power of administration so that there is neither place left nor power given to diminish from or adde to the Officers Laws Censures and Orders which he hath therein established that these things are so cannot be better cleared then by remitting you to our larger Catechisme where as you will finde satisfying Scripture proof for their confirmation so really I cannot but by the way recommend to you its more serious study for the curing of that loosenesse in Principles which almost in every thing you discover My part at present shall be to consider your strange discourse on this subject You say then Christ's throne Crown and Kingdom are inward and spirituall not of the World nor as the Kindoms of the World Sir though I acknowledge the Scripture phrase in this matter to be Metaphoricall Yet I wish you had better observed it and forborn the hard and unused expression of an Inward Crown But to the question Christs Kingdom is indeed in its power and effects the restriction a little above premised being remembred internall and Spirituall but doth it therefore follow that its administration is not externall and visible when the Lord declared all power to be given unto him and by vertue thereof sent forth his Apostles and Ministers and gathered Churches having peculiar Rulers Laws and Ordinances was not this both visible and audible Are not all the acts of Discipline and Government properly thereto referable of the same Nature Our Lords Kingdom is truely not of the World nor as the Kingdomes thereof is it therefore not in the World What doth this arguing conclude You proceed a great part of his Kingdom is the liberty whereto he hath called us and I grant that as liberty and deliverance from Sin and Satan are among its choise benefites and therefore the exultation of Zachariah his thanksgiving so our liberation from the yoke of Jewish Ceremonies and all such bondage is that which we readily acknowledge in opposition to youâ— unwarrantable exactions but what would you thence inferre because Christ hes liberate us from the former slavery and Pedagogie hath he
therefore left us to the worse Tyranny of mens pretended and corrupted power and deluded imagination God forbid but as the hath set us free for ever so he hath only laid on us his own easie â—â—oke and light burthen of Pure and Evangelick ordinances by which our Liberty is so far from being intringed that it is thereby both preserved and enlarged In the next place you say Since no Allegorie holds it is ridiculous to argue because offices in a Kingdom are named by the King therefor it must be so in the Church It 's answered 1. do you then think that our Lords Kingdom is only Allegorick Or because the symboles and badges usuall in Earthly Kingdoms are in a figure thereto transferred is it therefore wholly a figure but God hath set his King upon his holy Hill of Zion and Know you assuredly that God hath exalted him to be both Lord and Christ bâ—wisâ— therefore and be instructed Kiss the Son lest he be angrâ— and learn to acknowledge his Kingdom in all the parts and privileges thereof by him declared Next it is most evident that not only Christs Kingdom in and over his Church is reall and certain and that Officers truely such vested with his Authority and therefore depending on Christ as King are held forth by the Scripture and to be really found therein but seing he himself hath in the Gospel so expressly founded their mission upon that All power given unto him and Paul so plainly referres the giving of Apostles c unto his Ascension and exaltation are you not ashamed to alledge these things to be only by us concluded from the vain appearance of an Allegory And thus to make your self ridiculous in that scorne you intended for others But poor wretch you adde That we may as wel say that there must be coin stamped by Christ as Officers appointed by him in his Church for this is the runing of your words Lord deliver you from this profane Spirit thinkest thou that the Kingdom of Christ hath need of money as it hath indeed need of Officers Or because money is current and symony a frequent practice in your Church hes it therefore any place in Christs true Church Sir your profane scoffing at the Kingdome of Christ is one passage amongst many that give me Confidence to say arise O God plead thine own cause remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee dayly But I professe I am confounded in my self when I think of my own provocations and on the iniquitie of his Sons and Daughters for if the abuse of the Glorious Gospel shineing amongst us in so much puritie had not been great he would not have given up the dearly beloved of his Soul into the hand of such persecuting adversaries and such scoffers at him who justifie these malicious mockers in Cajaphas Hall with an over-plus of wickednesse O if he would returne he would quicklie emptie Pulpits and Chairs in Universities of such who bend their tongues for lies and make the world see because they have rejected knowledge he hath also rejected them that they shall be no Priests to him The next thing you subjoin is what King will think his prerogative lessened by constituting a Corporation to whom he shall leave a liberty to cast themselves into what mould they please providing they obey the General Laws and hold that liberty of him Thus you will alwayes aspire to enter into the Counsel of God if your vote had been here asked it is very like you would have bestowed large privileges upon that Church where you might have been a sharer But we bless him to whom the Church is committed and on whom the Government is laid who hath provided better and given unto his Church complete Officers perfect Ordinances true Laws and good Statutes and ordered his house in all things and therefore as we are not to enquire what the Lord might have done but humbly and thankfully to acknowledge what he hath done so in these things for men to disown his Authority and deny his bounty and usurp to themselves a power of altering what he hath established and fashioning the worship and Government of Gods house according to the device of their own heart is no doubt no lawful liberty but a licentious invasion of Christ's prerogative and a jealousie-provoking sin of Laese Majestie Divine That thus it stands betuixt you and us the preceeding passages do plainly witness and the faithfulness of Jesus Christ as a Son over his own house so expresly commended and preferred before the faithfulnesse of Moses is an argument which you will never dissolve You say his faithfulnesse consisted in his discharging the Commission given him by his Father Most certain but you ask who told us that it I suppose you mean the appointing the Officers Ordinances and Government of the house of God was in the Fathers Commission Herein is a marvellous thing You know that Jesus Christ whrist was sent by the Father to redeem gather feed guid and Govern his Church and you see that as the things in question are thereto necessarie so in discharge hereof he sends out Apostles and Ministers Ordains Officers vests them with power and Authority instructs them to a Ministerial and lowly administration and deportment defines Censures appoints his Ordinances and Laws liberats the Worship of God from the shadows and types of the Jewish Pedagogie and cleares its true and spiritual exercise and liberty and finally acquits himself faithfully in all his house do you then question if he did these things or doubt you that he did them by Commission it is a hard Dilemma which you will never evade but you adde that if we argue from Moses it will inferre that all particulars must be determined whereupon you urge that as Moses determines the dayes of Separation for a legal uncleannesse why doth not the Gospel the like for spirituall uncleannesse It 's answered if you had taken up the Argument aright and considered the faithfulnesse of Christ and Moses not in order to the same but with relation to their respective Commissions You had not fallen into this mistake but the Scripture parallel is clear Moses as a servant did faithfully completely order Gods house therefore Our Lord much more as a Son hath thus ordered the Church his own house Whence as it doth no wayes follow that whatsoever things were institute by Moses ought to have been in like manner imitate by our Lord so this is most concludent that as Moses as a Servant did diligently and exactly execute his Commission in order to the Tabernacle its service Ministers and all its appurtinents so Christ both by reason of a command received and of his interest and power hath exceeded the faithfulnesse of Moses in the Ordering and appointment of things appertaining to his Church But for the better confirming our Reasoning and the removing of your Mistake I do only recommend to you this obvious truth viz. that the Commendation of our Lord held
you explain your self I shall consider it To this you subjoin many things of Pauls conforming both to Jews and Gentiles in matters of greater scruple then what we contend about and thence conclude That if Paul did so freely and out of Charity then are we much more bound from whom the dutie of obedience to Law doth also exact it Now because in this place it is that you not only abuse Pauls practice but go about to intricate and destroy by a new knack of pitiful Court Sophistry the privilege of Christian liberty I shall therefore endeavour briefly to give you a distinct and adequat return And I say that Paul's conformity doth no wayes enforce the compliance required of us because that all we finde in the Apostle is a free and prudent accommodation of himself in things wholly externall and indifferent for the gaining of such with whom he conversed whereas the compliance demanded of us is plainly to owne and approve unwarranted wicked and accursed Prelacie and its abominations which both by the Command and Oath of God we are bound to extirpate If Paul notwithstanding of the accomplishment of theâ— Mosaick dispensation at first institute by the Lord and not then expresly antiquat did neverthelesse continue some of its observances that by shewing a respect to and not despising of these shadows though already evanished he might the better convince the Jews of the fulfilling of what they prefigured can any man thence inferre that therefore we ought not only to relinquish the true Ordinances of Christ but acknowledge the inventions of men such as Prelacie and its vain Ceremonies although the samine be found contraire both to the word of God and power of Godliness and therefore are by us solemnly abjured As for Pauls freedom of converse toward the Gentiles admitting that there appeares a seeming excess in it obnoxious to misconstruction yet was it not in meat and drink only And is not its principall design of asserting in these things such an absolute liberty as might warrant the deed in it self notwithstanding the possibility of some mens mistakes wholly opposite to your purpose so that without question the outmost advantage you can draw from this matter is that we have the liberty to do materially many of these externall things by you enjoined without homologating your intention in the imposing which whether you would accept of or account consistent with sincere dealing I leave to your self to judge But 't is like your meaning is that all the things whereunto we are pressed passing from our Covenant relinquishing of our sent and sealed Ministers owning and active submitting to abjured Prelats and the like are in themselves things wholly externall insignificant and nothing wherein we may as lawfully complement Authority by our obedience as Paul by a free exercise of his liberty in washing shavings circumcising eating and drinking did complacently insinuat upon Jews and Gentiles And if in these there be any parity let the meanest capacity discerne 2. Although the things required of us were indeed in themselves wholly indifferent Yet we cannot be urged with Pauls conformings because the reason and design of Pauls practice being diametrally repugnant to yours instead of confirming plainly subverts the compliance by you demanded Paul's practice did flow from liberty and the reason and warrant of that was because that Christ hath made us free and called us unto liberty blotting out the hand-writting of Ordinances that was against us dare you then or any mortall else offer to write and fixe another and again intangle us with a yoke of bondage and subjecte us to or judge us concerning Ordinances after the Commandments and Doctrines of men What reasoning can be more absurd then that of yours Paul did these things freely therefore you are bound to obedience Do contraries that remove establish one another I grant that if in charity to our equals even Aliens we are bound to a compleasant and gaining acting or forbearance in things indifferent and in our power much more doth the same charity bind us to the like compliance toward our Superiors but by what consequence can you extend this obligation of charity to a plain surrender of our Liberty and turn the praise of a free benevolent exercise unto a bondage of obedience wherefrom our Lord hath so clearly liberat us as to all these externals which you so much plead for But as to this point you tell your N. C. That he bewrays great simplicitie because forsooth Paul did not reâ—use compliance by reason that the things were commanded by Authority But because certain false Brethren came to spy out his liberty to whom he gave place by subjection no not for an hour Really Sir your N. C. must indeed be very simple that he could indure such imposing You say Paul did not reâ—use compliance by reason that the Ceremonies were commanded and yet his own words by you cited say plainly that though at other times in the free and ediâ—ying exercise of his liberty he hath in charity ceded to the weaker Yet to give place by subjection mark it the correlat and homologation of command he would not no not for an hour Is not then to repeat only your discourse to redargue it I might tell you further that by the context it is evident that the Apostle speaks in this place of these that would have brought Gentiles under the Law of Moses and the observance of the Jewish ceremonies who certainly did pretend Divine Authority for their Doctrine And therefore and for this only reason were in the vindication of Christian liberty opposed by Paul and Barnabas but let us hear what Stilling-flâ—et hath put in your Mouth as to this Matter You say then that If anâ— require of us compliance as if it were necessarie of it self we have reason to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free But it is unsufferable peevishness if the Magistrat enjoin a thing declaring it free in it self and only necessary because commanded upon that score to refuse obedience To this it is answered 1. That it is unsufferable boldness for you to alledge a peevishness in a practice so exactly parallel to that of the Apostles who as they understood the liberty wherewith Christ had made them free to consist in that reall relief and freedome granted to them from the yoke and burden of the Jewish ceremonies so they do exhort believers to stand fast to it which certainly imports a non-submission and resisting to the imposition either of these antiquat Jewish observations or any other of Mans invention seing that these are indeed contrarie and not only an astrictedness in opinion unto the liberty purchased 'T is true the false Apostles pressed their observance from divine Authority but seing the Christians then did except upon the liberty which Christ hath obtained and thereby proclaimed to us an exemption even from the old Divine Law of Ordinances is not the same much more forcible against
appeared For the declaring of what is dutie or not dutie in the exigence of the first innovations tending and leading unto the setlement of these abuses is very deceitfull and dangerous If in this ye be doubtfull my charity I hope shall give you satisfaction what before the Reformation were the gross corruptions of the Romish Church both in its Ministers Worship and Sacraments is to you well enough known And yet that many pious and devout Souls and some of them convinced and mourning for its abominations did nevertheless therein sincerely seeke and serve the Lord and found the strength and joy of his presence shall never be by me denied If then it should happen that in your high pretensions for Union Peace a Popish Ministerie or other abuses should be set up and enjoyned among us would you think it just to require our conformity and to offer to square dutie in such a case to any of these particular precedents to be found in the times of the former darkness I am confident you would not If our Lord when on Earth did for a while connive at certain corruptions in a dispensation drawing to its period and if at the times of ignorance God sometime wink and according to the obscurer light and witnessing thereof do allow the endeavours of such who happily may feel after him and finde him for any man thence to conclude that the change unto the Gospel administration made no alteration in dutie or that in a greater measure of revelation whereby we are commanded either to repent of former or to resist returning corruptions we ought to be stinted to the old rule and make no further advance are wide mistakes It ought to be the study of Gods Servants to discerne times and to know in this their day the things which belong unto their dutie as well as unto their peace to ty up practice that ought to be advertent unto and hath a dependence upon every circumstance unto generals abstracted and concluded from the particular instances of other times is altogether fallacious 3. Let me remember you of what I have already hinted at viz. That seing Separation is a departing from an Union once acknowledged even in these things which are not in themselves condemned which certainly is of great importance and of a very weighty and various consideration whereas non-conforming to or non-compliance with the introduction of things that are clearly sinfull and unlawfull hath a manifest warrant and is of no such extent from instances of not Separating to conclude against Non-compliance and from denying the Majus of Non-separation to deny the Minus of a tender forbearance is bad Logick nay so ill doth this parity hold that on the contraire the very aversion that every true Christian ought to have for Separation doth mostly recommend this Non-compliance which being a soveraigne and prescribed antidote against these evils which if once received may go on to greater corruptions and necessitat a sadder division is therefore to be timeously adhibite For clearing of this let me but ask you this one Question The allowed Separation of the reformed Churches from that of Rome doth it not plainly inferre that it had been better and was the dutie of these informer ages to have seasonably resisted and not complied with the first beginnings of these errors and evils which afterward did procure the rent And however you may judge that the causes of that Separation were no more then sufficient and could have laked nothing yet I am assured that you and every rationall man will say that a timeous Non-conforming warrantable upon lesser motives might have proven the better course I shall not enforce this consideration by suggesting the evill tendencie of your way nor do I tell you that it is a reviving of the same causes that in processe of time did produce all Romes abominations and that these floods of Error and Superstition had their visible rise from smaller aberrations so that if God should suffer the course of your defection to prosper and weare out the present opposition the Ages to come might more justly take up against us the complaint of our not timeous resisting then we can regret the too easie compliance of these who should have withstood the beginnings of Romes backsliding On these things I say I do not insist but that you may the more plainly understand the difference that I conceive to be betwixt Non-compliance and Separation I freely acknowledge that if God had permitted this whole Church to slide into the present evils of your Prelacie and corrupt Ministers and thereafter had blessed us with a discovery yet I would not in that condition allow the same necessity and expediencie of a Separation that now I finde to plead for a Non-compliance in as much as our present Non-compliance is not only a more certain seasonable and safe dutie but is also attended with a faithfull and edifying adherence to our true and sent Teachers who though removed to corners do still remain the Lords Ministers and our Pastors which things do much difference it from the case of a proper separation as above descrived and do not a little justify these more tender practices which you would disprove Now though these few things premised do obviously satisfy the difficulty objected yet to render the application more full and easie you may further consider that your instance from these corrupt High Priests set up by the Româ—ns doth not help you 1. Because that the high Priest was ordained by the Lord as in order to Sacrifice so also for Rule and Judgement and that not only in matters purely Religious but also in all things determinable by Moses Law at least as to the Ministerial declaring of the Ius which albeit in a great part meerly civill are yet in this respect termed the matters of God and jubjected to the high Priest his judgement in the respect mentioned 2. There is no statute in Moses Law affixing as you alleage the high Priest-hood to the Eldest Son of Aaron's line who possibly might have happened to be an Infant or legally incapable but only to his race in generall so that there was a necessity that the determination of the choise should be in the hand of the Sanhedrin thus Eli Abiathar and Ahimelech were all of Ithamar and not of Eliazer his branch As for the promise made by the Lord to Phineas it is neither made to the eldest Son of his posterity nor did it give any proper right but only an assurance whereof the accomplishment is sufficiently performed in the return of the Priest-hood to Zadock and his line notwithstanding the preceeding interruption 3. Not to enter into a particular debate anent the form and power of the Jewish Church as distinct from the State and wherein the differences did consist this is the received opinion of the Orthodox that though at the first institution their supreme Church-sanhedrin was as to causes and several other particulars distinguished
also grant that it is not our choice but the Lords own prescription which he doth accept Suppose your Forms were as much better then our conceptions as a Mans First-born is preferable to the beast of the field yet if not required they cannot come up with acceptance on his Altar and therefore I conclude that however the sincere Users may finde grace in his sight yet the peremptory Imposers cannot be innocent A third mistake is that because in the use of certain Set-forms a man may possibly pray with deep spiritual impressions and high elevations Nay the sublimest acts of communion with God may be expressed in the simplest Forms such as Thou art my God therefore you conclude that sâ—inted Forms are more suted to true spiritual devotion then the multiplicity and variety of words in an extemporarie exercise which do lead out and do too frequently only excite a phantastick transient pleasure almost evanishing with the sound wherewith they are pronounced But seing that the variableness of the condition of a militant Viator can hardly be defined much less the free actings of the Spirit in such exigences confined to any prescribed Forms and that the more Seraphick raptures of Divine contemplation do therefore subsist in few and plain words because above the reach of expression it is undoubtedly certain that neither the right use-making or rather agreeableness of certain forms to very sincere and serious devotion nor the simplicitie of words used in the nearest admission of heavenly fellowship do at all remove the unwarrantableness and inconveniencie of the restraint of Set forms when under the necessity of an imposition As for what is insinuate of these fancical heats and pleasures wherewith words ex tempore may possibly delude it is only an accidental inconvenience from our corruption and by the faults of your imposed Forms infinitly overballanced as I have already shewed These things being thus cleared for confirming of my assertion against your stinted and imposed Forms I say first That these impositions are peccant against the Truth of Gods worship because the samine requires his own express warrant and prescript It is in vain to worship after the commandements of men the service which he requireth not he abhorreth Will-worship is an abomination But such is your imposed and commanded Liturgie if now what doth the Lord require ought to be the serious reflection of every one that draweth near unto him if in all things commanded we ought to be circumspect without adding to or diminishing ought from it If the Lord did most exactly define the manner and every rite and ceremony of the legal Sacrifices and service yea every pin of the Tabernacle with the whole contrivance and orders of the succeeding Temple if strange fire made use of even in an offering to God be so severely vindicat and the erecting of another Altar then he had appointed even for his Sacrifices what can we conclude concerning your imposed Forms and the manner of that service which you so arbitrarily enjoin That they are of farre greater moment in his Worship then many of these things about which we see his holy jealousie to be so attentively conversant commonsense doth evince how then can they be receaved without his warrant without which all humane devisings are rejected Say not that the rigor of this strictnes was a part of the old legall bondage for granting that it may be so as to the particular manner of that dispensation yet you are so farre from being thereby helped that as I have formerly shewed that the burthen of the things by you imposed stands manifestly convicted by our Gospel-liberty so the immoveable principle that in his Worship his own prescription is the alone warrant of acceptable performance doth equally redargue the presumption of your imposing in whatsomever model without his Command But it may be objected that seing our extemporarie Prayers are as well a part of Divine Worship as your stinted Forms and that as to the frame of the words the former can no more yea rather less then the later pretend to a congruity to the word and will of God the argument from the unlawfulness of Will-Worship doth militat more against us then you 'T is answered If the question in this matter were only whether Set-forms or extemporarie straines may possibly be composed with the greater consonancie in words unto Scripture-phrase the objection might have some though in respect of what I have already touched of the promised gift of Prayer very little weight but seing our debate runs clearly concerning the manner how the true and Spiritual Worship of God is to be externally performed If the Lord whole alone it is to prescribe in this matter hath in a just congruity to the liberty of his own Spirit left it to the night and sanctified use of the rational expressive facultie and the due improvement of these helps and promises wherewith he hath instructed us for man vainly to arrogat a better contrivance in his devised impositions is an intolerable presumption and therefore though the conceived as well as the stinted Prayer be a part of Gods Worship Nay though this as well as the other singly and sincerely used may be accepted yet seing the Lord hath allowed the liberty of the former and doth not at all require the obligation of the latter the imposing thereof must of necessity be repute and cast as an humane invention I need not stay to resume that conceived Prayer for the reasons above mentioned and in respect of the promised gift and assistance of the Spirit whereof the composing and commanding of Set-forms is destitute may probablie be and is often found to be the better phrased Nor shal I tell you that the manner thereof is so undoubtedly the more rational genuine and lively that if even those of your way could be perswaded that men were sufficiently thereto qualified they would easily grant the imposing and use of Forms to be less necessary it is enough for us that the Lord who knoweth the best of our performances in whatsomever sort to be but lame and imperfect hath both allowed and accepted of our extemporarie petitions whereas your injoined Forms are no where required 2. I say that the imposing of Forms impingeth upon the Spirituality of Prayer and Worship That which boundeth and restraineth the free Spirit of the Lord in the motions and breathings whereof the very life of prayer doth consist impingeth upon the Spirituality of Prayer and Worship But so it is that the imposing of Forms restraineth and bindeth up c. Therefore c. That the Spirit of the Lord whereby his people especially in prayer are guided and acted is free not only in its gift but also in its operations both Scripture and experience do teach The winde bloweth where it listeth c. and so is every on that is born of the Spirit where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty not only from the bondage of corruption but
King 's pretending to an arbitrary and absolute disposal of these previleges thus granted to be an injurious invasion and usurpation Yet in order to the Church and her rights and immunities they are not ashamed to cut off â—o even and just a parallel and deny so evident a consequence in behalf of her righteous liberty But wisdome is justified of her children And how much were it to be wished that at the least the children of light were as wise as the children of this world are in their generation 3. Beside the invasion threatened to the Church in its power of administration and the usurpation from the Church of the power of Government which this Supremacy imports it further attributes to the Prince according to our Parliaments late explication an illimited power in matters of Religion proper and reserved to God alone To enact whatever a man thinketh fit in Ecclesiastick meetings and maâ—â—ers I am certain is that which the Lord did never allow to any meer man under heaven and yet that this power is assumed and how by vertue thereof old unwarrantable superstitions have been retained new rites and ceremonies in Divine Worship devised and Churches turned and overturned according to mens pleasure is sufficiently known without my condescendence And therefore seing the King by vertue of his Supremacy doth not only intermedle by giving his civill sanction and confirmation to the intrinseck powers of the Church by you mentioned as you do allege or by acts imperate as others in contradistinction to elicite acts in these matters doe use to express it but doth lay claime to an absolute power in and over all Church-matters and persons the filly pretense whereby you go about to smooth it is not worthie of any mans notice In the next place you tell us of some explications provided for removing of the scruples which the generality of the words of the oath of Supremacy might suggest And to this it may suffice for answer that seing these explications are certainly confined to England and by no publick Act received or owned among us your allegeance with your childish ground that we have this oath from them is wholly impertinent as to our releifeâ— But seing the setting down of these explications contained in the English act and Articles above cited Which you do counningly omit will not only by comparing therewith the far different practices of the Kings of that Realme discover the inadequatnesse not to say the slightnesse of these sensings in effect meerly devised to palliat an excess in it self nowise justifiable but more fully manifest the strange extravagance both of the practical acceptation and late express interpretation of this Supremacie You may read them as follows the words of the Act in quinto Elizab. Declare her power and Authority to be a soveraignity over all manner of persons borne within the Realme whether they be ecclesiastical or temporal so that no forreigne power hath or ought to have any superiority over them and these of the Articles run thus Art 37. We give not to our Princes the ministring either of Gods Word or of the Sacraments the which thing the injunctions also lately set forth by Elizab our Queen do most plainly testifie but that only prerogative which we see to have been given alwayes to all godly Princes in holy Scriptures by God himselfe that is that they should rule all Estates and degrees committed to their charge by God whether they be Ecclesiastical or Temporal and restrain with the civill sword the stubborne and evill doers These being the termes of these explications what consonancie the medlings of their Princes in imposing rites ceremonies and formes of Worship enjoyning their own dayes and profaning God's commanding what Doctrine Ministers should forbear permitting excomunication in their own name jointly with the Lords and finally by sitting and ruling in the Temple of God as in their own Court do hold therto is obvious to the first reflection Only this I must say that if the Kings of England their Ecclesiastick actings be indeed sufficiently warranted by the foregoing explanations the Author of the late discourse of Ecclesiastick policy who in prosecution of the King's Supremacie doth plainly annexe unto it the Authority of the preisthood and power over the conscience at least the obedience of men in matters of Religion in place of that applause wherwith he is generally received at Court deserves rather to be demeaned as the highest calumniator and depraver of his Majesties government But not to trouble you further with these double English senses viz that pretended by their Acts of Parliament and Articles which I grant to be more sound and such wherewith many godly men have rested satisfied and the other more true received and followed by their Court and Clergie nor yet to insist upon your incomparable and blessed Who now hath mens persons in admiration Bishop Usher his more full interpretation equally redargued by what I have alreadie said Let us consider our Scots most excessive though more ingenuous explanation and although I do apprehend the words of the Oath of Supremacie to be in themselves capable of a sound sense and that by understanding supreme Governour of this Kingdomeâ— not to be a limiting designation but a plain qualification of the nature of the government as being in order to its correlat this Kingdome in it selfe civil and only in this notion to be extended to persons and causes ecclesiastick all difficulties may be salved yet when to the rise and manner of this Supremacie above declared I adde how of late it hath been made the ground of the King his restoring of Bishops and framing their government to an absolute dependence upon himselfe granting of the high Commission appointing the constitution of a National Synod and of other strange acts before touched and especially that as the Act Parl. 1592. expresly and justly limiting this Supremacy was by the first Act 〈◊〉 2. Parl. 1661. Wholly abrogate and made voidâ— so by the first Act of the Par. 1669. The same Supremacie is assâ—rted to that absurd hight as doth import a plain surrender of Conscience and submission of all Matters of Religion for as to civills we are not so rash to his Majesties pleasure in a more absolute manner then ever to this day hath been acclaimed either by Pope or general Council These things I say being weighed I think I may safely conclude that I look upon the Supremacie not only as a civill Papacie but an height of usurpation against our Lord King in Zion whereunto never Christian Prince nor Potentate did heretofore aspire And here your N. C. seconding my assertion tells you that this Supremacie clearly makes way for Erastianisme To which you answer That this is one of our mutinous arts to find out long hard names and affixe them to any thing displeaseth us But passing the childishness of this conceite as if either a long or hard name were more odious then a short in my opinion