the Sabbath Baptism Lord's Supper c. and I do so in this dispute Answ Egregie dictum excellently said indeed as if because we affirm that whatever is to be practised in Instituted Worship in the time of the Gospel is to be wholly bottom'd as to the Law and Precept instituting it upon some Commandment of Christ in the New-Testament therefore we assert that no use may be made of the Scriptures of the Old-Testament treating thereabout by way of prophecy or otherwise which is a Consequence this learned Animadverter will never be able to make good 'T is true many learned men do make use of some places of the Old-Testament to prove the morality of one day in seven or the seventh part of time not as I remember except Psa 118. 24 which some conceive by way of prophecy speaks of the Lord 's honouring the first day for the confirmation of the observation of the first day which they conceive Christ's resurrection on that day the practice of the Primitive-Church meeting together for the solemn Worship of God 1 Cor. 16. 2. Acts 20. 7. the appellation the Lord's Day which they judge is given to it c. is a sufficient warrant for their observation thereof in Gospel-times They plead not for Baptism or the Lord's Supper upon any other bottom than Gospel-Institution or their preception by Christ in the New-Testament Though 't is true as touching the subjects of the one and the other they judg they may by way of analogy argue somewhat from Old-Testament-Scriptures from which apprehension they see nothing so weighty in what is tendred by Mr. T. notwithstanding his brag and immodest Assertion pag. 18. Sect. 14. that such a way of arguing is irrational as if wisdom rested with him and he had the measure of it and a man could not differ from him but he must be a block or bruit to influence their departure That because the granting the Assertion would be disadvantagious to the Author and the Separatists therefore it should be in Mr. T. his opinion an unreasonable postulatum to devolve the question upon the Scriptures of the New-Testament I understand not He takes not a measure I presume of the reasonableness or unreasonableness of requests from their advantagiousness or disadvantagiousness to such contemptible creatures as we and should he do so he were much to blame as to infer from hence therefore I see no reasonableness in his Postulatum which is introduced not as the natural issue of any thing premised which he knows it is not but meerly for pomp and shew Sect. 3. The judgments of the Antients no sufficient substratum to build my practice upon in the Worship of God The opinion of the Antients â—hemselves in this matter None but the Spirit of God speaking in the Scriptures can satisfie the consciences of any dissatisfied in matters relating to Worship Our Faith not to be resolved into the Testimony of men which is a principle decryed by the Antients and Protestant Churches The consciences of none can be satisfied in what is written by the Ancients before they are assured 1. that what they read as or are told is theirs be indeed so and not counterfeited nor adulterated 2. That in their Writings they were as the Apostles and Prophets guided by an unerring Spirit The true use of the Testimony of the Ancients Congregational-Principles owned by them Of Councils and Schoolmen THe fourth Section is fronted with this The judgement of the Ancients not useless in this Controversie as if the Author of the Sober-Testimony had asserted it to be so which Mr. T. knows he no where doth This indeed the words of the Author not perplexing our selves nor the consciences of any with the judgments of men in generations past wherein they cannot acquiesce fairly intimate 1. That the judgment of none of the children of men though never so famous in their generation since the Apostles fell asleep is a sufficient Substratum to build my faith and practice upon in the Worship of my God In which we have the concurrence of the Ancients themselves Basil tels us that it is necessary and consonant to Reason that every man learn that which is needful out of the Scriptures both for the fulness of Godliness and lest they be inured to humane traditions Regul contract 95. p. 902. And Austin Epist 112. ad Paulin. saith If a matter be grounded on the clear authority of the holy Scriptures it is to be believed without all doubt but as for other witnesses and testimonies upon whose credit any thing may be urged unto us to believe it it is lawful for thee either to credit or not to credit them according as thou shalt perceive them of weight to deserve or not to deserve credit Origin saith Homil. 1. in Hierem. We must of necessity call the Scriptures to witness for our senses and interpretations without them are of no credit Famous is the saying of Cyril Bishop of Jerusalem Catech. 4. p. 15. We must not deliver any thing though never so small without the holy Scriptures neither may we be led away with probabilities and shews of words neither yet believe me barely saying these things unto you unless you also believe the demonstration thereof from the Scriptures for the security of our faith ariseth from the demonstration of the holy Scripture 2dly That not the sayings or judgment of the Ancients but the clear Testimony of the Spirit of God speaking in the Scriptures is sufficient and efficacious for the satisfying persons that are dissatisfied in any thing relating to Faith or Worship Come to a poor soul under real scruples of spirit with respect to these and tell him this Father is of this opinion and that Father of that you do but oleum operam perdere when you have said all he remains as he was dissatisfied and so will do without evidence from Scripture More than these two things the Animadverter cannot righteously infer from the expression he discants on What saith he to these not a word more or less And I am apt to believe of Mr. T. that he is a man of greater modesty than to oppose them He tells us indeed that it may be of good use to satisfie mens consciences that no such separation as now is from the present Ministers of the Church of England was allowed of by the first Fathers and Writers what truth there is in this suggestion shall by and by be manifested He will not say surely of what good use he supposeth it to be that the faith of any is to be resolved into their testimony which it must be if what they say satisfie the scrupling conscience i. e. I must believe what they say is true because they say it else that they say it will never tend to my satisfaction which yet is an homage and duty that we owe to none but the Lord. A principle decryed and abhorred by the Ancients themselves The saying of Austin Epist 48. is known
must either justifie their Canons or manifest that they themselves do not Secondly 'T is notoriously known that that the present Ministers justifie the aforesaid Canons Ecclesiastical and dare not but do so He adds 2dly 'T is not said Caâ— 7. That the Orders and Offices of Arch-Bishops Bishops c. are Orders needful and necessary in the Church of Christ nor is it required therein that Ministers promise subjection and obedience to them Answ 1. But the former of these is fairly implied in the foresaid Canon which saith T is a wicked Error to assert them to be Antichristian or repugnant to the Word of God for which persons are ipso facto to be excommunicated 2. The latter they actually do when they are Ordained Ministers And in Artic. 36. They are to subscribe to this That the Book of Common-Prayer and of Ordering Bishops Priests and Deacons contains nothing contrary to the Word of God and that it may lawfully be used and that they themselves will use the Form in the said Book prescribed in publick Prayers and administration of the Sacraments and none other Whence it follows that they own submit to whatever is contained in the Canons Ecclesiastical though in every particular Canon it is not said they do and the Common-Prayer-Book-Service the Orders and Rites thereof with the Orders and Rites of the Book of Ordering Bishops Priests and Deacons So that when we prove this or that to be contained it this or that Canon we prove their submission thereunto Canonical Obedience or Obedience to these Canons being what at the time of their Ordination as was said they promise to the Bishop which is a sufficient answer to all that Mr. T. asserts in this Sect. In Can. 4. The Liturgy-Worship is asserted to be the Worship of God whoever affirms It is a corrupt superstitious and unlawfull Worship of God is to be excommunicated They promise at the time of their Ordination as was said To use the Form in the Common-Prayer-Book prescribed in Publick Prayers and none other which if it be not a sufficient proof that they own and submit to it I must profess I shall for ever despair of ability to prove any thing His exceptions to the Third Particular touching their engaging to conform to the Rites of the Common-Prayer Book are not worth the mentioning They own Fourthly The Office of a Deacon to be the first step to the Order of Priesthood inasmuch as this is asserted so to be in the Book of Ordering Priests and Deacons to which they are to subscribe by Can. 36. and Can. 32. It 's fairly intimated also Fifthly That no person be admitteâ— to expound the Scriptures though judged worthy of the Cure of Souls withâ—ut License from the Bishop thereunto is plainly asserted Can. 49. Though the words judged worthy of the cure of Souls be not expressed they are evidently implied the Cure they there speak of can be no other thâ—n that they so call Sixthly That there be some lawful Ministers which are no Preachers And Seventhly That these unpreaching Ministers may lawfully administer the Ordinances of Baptism and the Lords Supper is fully asserted Can. 49 57. So is the Eighth particular touching the sentence of Excommunication to be passed upon such as refuse to have their Children Baptized or to receive the Sacrament from such dumb Ministers Ninthly Though it be not said in so many words That Confirmation by Diocesan Bishops is an Ordinance of God Can. 6. yet it is fairely implied and in the Common-Prayer-Book they bottom it upon the Apostles practice which fully evinceth they esteem it as such That it Tenthly appertains to the Office of Ministers to Marry the regulation of the Ministers therein by Can. 62. clearly manifests Eleven That the Bishop of the Diocesse may lawfully suspend a Minister from his Ministry for refusing to bury the Dead Mr. T. grants is presupposed Can. 68. So is 12thly The unlawfulness of Ministers Preaching and administring the Communion in private Houses except in time of necessity And 13thly The unlawfulness of appointing Fasts holding Meetings for Sermons Can. 71 72. I wonder he dare aver the contrary Whether 14thly It be not said Can. 74. That Ministers ought to be distinguished by their Vestments and Apparrel as Gowns Hoods c. Let the Reader satisfie himself by the perusal of the said Canon to which their practice is known to be correspondent Having instanced in these 14 particulars we add in S. T. Are any of these Ordinances of the appointment of Christ when and where were they instituted by him To which this Animadverter replies 1. That he might answer by cross interrogations Are the Church Covenant-gathering-Churches in the Congregational way election of Ministers by the Church c. Ordinances of Christ when and where were they instituted Answ 1. He may so indeed but he must not imagine that any one besides himself will take this for an Answer to what is proposed and argued in this matter by us 2. Of the particulars instanced by him we have hinted somewhat in S. T. and more largely in this Treatise proving them to be Ordinances of Christ Cotton Ainsworth Bartlet Robbinson Canne c. have distinctly proved these matters at large When Mr. T. or any one else is able to say half so much for the particulars instanced in we will openly acknowledge our errour and mistake But 2dly He grants They are not Ordinances and Institutions of Christ. Answ Ingeniously said Church-Government by Arch-Bishops Bishops and the rest of that Hierarchy is no Ordinance of Christ then are they not Ministers of Christ for none are such but by his Institution The Lyturgie-Worship Rites enjoyned in the Common-Prayer-Book the Office of a Deacon as the first step to the Priesthood denial to expound the Scripture without the Bishops License unpreaching Ministers or bare Readers administration of Sacraments by such Confirmation by Diocesan Bishops the Marrying of persons burying the dead by the Priest are no Ordinances of Jesus Christ is acknowledged by Mr. T. Yet all these and much more as a National Church are owned and submâ—tted to by the present Ministers Therefore they do own and submit to Ordinances that are not of the appointment of Christ their own Advocate being judge We add in S. T. That these are Posts set by the Lords Posts of which he complains Ezek. 43. 8. who sees not To which Mr. T. replies I see not I think him in a dream or phrensie that saith he sees it no Interpreters that I have met with so expâ—und the place Answ 1. 'T is no disparagement to Mr. T. that he sees not every thing though some think he sees further than he is pleased to own in his Theodulia or at least hath done so and are sorry to find him at that toilsom work of building again the things he once destroyed Nor am I 2dly concerned with his thoughts touching this matter If I am in a phrensie 't is through grace an holy one
be called of sent by him So was Aaron Acts 14. 23. 6. 3 5. manifest that the Way of the Lord's mission is not by Lord-Bishops but by his Churches and People What he tells us he hath said in answer to any of these Scriptures we have replyed to Chap. 2. We add in S. T. 3ly That Prelates their Chancellors and Officers have power from Christ to cast out of the Church of God is owned by them contrary to Mat. 18. 16 17. 1 Cor. 5. 4. To which our Animadverter subjoyns He finds no such Law Answ It may be he is willingly ignorant hereof This he cannot but know that in the Name of Christ the Officers mentioneâ— do excommunicate out of the Church so call'd of Christ Do they do this without Law Is it not one of their Church-constitutions that they may do so Do not the present Ministers own them herein Whilst they cite present persecute their Neighbours for not coming to Divine Service as they call it it may be for refusing to pay them a four-penny-due in the Ecclesiastical Courts even to an Excommunication whose Act therein they afterwards publickly denounce and declare once and again in obedience to them What more evident The weakness of his answer to Mat. 18. 1 Cor. 5. we have already manifested We say further in S. T. That they own 4ly that the Office of the Suffragans Deans Canons are lawful and necessary to be had in the Church contrary to 1 Cor. 12. 18 28. Rom. 12. 7. Ephes 4. 11. The Officers instituted by Christ are sufficient for the edification and perfecting of the Saints till they all come unto a perfect man v. 12 13. In what sense the forementioned being not one of them of the Institution of Christ may be owned as lawful and necessary without an high contempt of the Wisdom and Sovereignty of Christ I am not able to conceive this is the sum Mr. T. replies 1. He knows not where this imagined Ordinance is Answ That there are such Officers and Offices in the Church of England established by the Laws thereof he cannot be ignorant To say They are Antichristian or repugnant to the Word of God is censured by the Canons thereof Can. 7. That the Ministers own submit to some of them is known The vanity and impertinency of Mr. T. his pleading for them not to mention his perjury therein is discovered in our present Vindication of Chap. 3. from his exceptions against what is by us therein argued We say they own 5thly That the Office of Deacons in the Church is to be imployed in publick Praying administration of Baptism and Preaching if licensed by the Bishop thereunto contrary to Act. 6. 2. Ephes 4. 11. Mr. T. replies 'T is not contrary to Christ's Revelation that they should be imployed in those works Ans 1. But when Christ hath instituted the office of Deacons for this end to attend Tables or look after the provision and necessities of the Saints That any persons may own an Office of Deacons in the Church to be imploy'd by virtue of Office-power in any other work than that for which they are intrusted by Christ and called unto Office without an advance against that Institution of Christ is absurd to imagine 2. That the present Ministers own such an Office he doth not deny 3. What he speaks of Stephen and Philip he had said before and to it we have replied already and need noâ— add more A sixth Law or Ordinance that we say they own is this That the Ordinance of Breaking Bread or the Sacrament of the Lords Supper may be administred to one alone as to a sick man ready to die Which is diametrically opposite to the Nature and Institution of that Ordinance 1 Cor. 10. 16. and 11. 33. Mat. 26. 26. Acts 2. 42. and 20. 7. To which Mr. T. This is not easily proved from the Scripâ—ures instanced in Answ Whether it be or not is left to the judgment of the judicious Reader to determine I am weary in pursuâ—â—g him in his impertinencies He grants a Communion is proved in that Sacrament 1 Cor. 10. 16. but vers 17. and 1 Cor. 12. 13. prove the Communion to be rather with all Christians Of which yet there is not one word in either of the places In vers 17. He speaks of the Church of Corinth that was one bread one body The other Scripture speaks nothing of Saints Communion one with another in this Ordinance 1 Cor. 11. 33. Acts 20. 7. he confesseth prove That it should be administred when all the Communicants Church or Brethren he should say are come together Whether its administration to one alone be not diametrically opposite hereunto as also to the very first Institution of this Ordinance Mat. 26. 26. let the Judicious judge Though it be said Act. 2. 46. that they brake bread from house to house it doth not follow there was none beside the Minister and the sick man the words import the contrary We manifest further in S. T. That they own 7thly a prescript form of Words in Prayer that a ceremonious pompous Worship devised â—y man and abused to Idolatry is according to the will of God and may lawfully be used under the New Testament Dispensation contrary to Mat. 15. 9. and 28. 20. John 4. 23. Deut. 12. 32. Jer. 51. 26. Rom. 8. 26. 1 Cor. 14. 15. By this prescript form of Words this ceremonious pompous Worship the Common-Prayer-Book Collegiat-Worship and Service is intended This I say is devised by man the owning whereof is contrary to Mat. 15. 9. and 28. 20. Deut. 12. 22. abused to Idolatry The owning hereof is opposite to Jer. 51. 26. It is Ceremonious and Pompous the abetting whereof is adverse to Joh. 4. 23. as is the owning of a prescript Form of Words to Rom. 8. 26. 1 Cor. 14. 15. To which our Animadverter replies 1. He should have told us what part of the Common-Prayer-Book was abused to Idolatry Answ The whole of it is so being Worship not appointed by the Lord and used in that Church that is the most Idolatrous Church in the world What he hath said in this Chap. Sect. 3. or in Chap. 3. Sect. 4. We have already answered His great out-cry of our abuse of Jer. 51. 26. produced to prove it unlawful to use any thing in the Worship of God abused to Idolatry will soon be evinced to be an empty sound Vox praeterea nihil 1. We have for our Companions in this Exposition persoâ—s not contemptible for wisdom and holiness who make conscience of applying Scriptures and abusing the Reader 2. Of all men Mr. T. iâ— the most incompetent for the management of this charge who most egregiously perverts Scriptures in this Treatise contrary to former Interpretations given by himself to them and to the plain intendment of the Spirit therein As we have in part manifested and may do further in our Appendix 3. He egregiously abuseth the Reader in this very passage whilst
667. when he is able The ground of the offence on the Non-hearers side is so visibly just and righteous the others so notoriously groundless that his impertinent and false stories some of them contrary to his own knowledge and Conscience are insignificant to remove the one or justifie the other We add 4thly That 't is the duty of Saints especially if in a Church-relation to meet together as a people called and picked by the Lord out of the Nations of the World cannot be denyed The neglect of which is charged by the Lord as the first step to Apostacy Heb. 10. 25. Be you in the practice of this duty and see what Spiritual Saint will be offended at you If any should you might have peace therein you doing your duty no just cause of scandal is given Mr. T. replies They do not think it their duty to meet together as a separated Church Answ 1. Who do not so think Do not they that are for Seperate Churches so think To these we are speaking 2. That 't is the duty of Saints so to do we evince Ch. 9. of S. T. Heb. 10. 25. is again taken notice of by him Chap. 9. S. 2. where we shall consider it We yet add in S. T. 5thly Consider on which side the Cross lies which the flâ—sh and fleshly interest is most opposite to whether in going or forbearing to go to hear these men Usually that is the way of God that hath most of the Cross in it and the flâ—sh is most strugling and contesting against In which I only assert That the way of God hath usually most of the Cross in it and is mostly opposed by flesh and blood which Mr. T. knows is true and therefore though of it self this be no certain sufficient Rule to judge by yet is it not together with others inconsiderable which Mr. T. doth not oppose Sect. 3. An eighth Argument against hearing the present Ministers We cannot do so without being guilty of partaking with them in their sin The several wayes of partaking with others in their sin Rom. 16. 17. 2 Thes 3. 14 15. explained THE 8th Argument against hearing the persenr Ministers is in S. T. thus formed That which Saints cannot do without being guilty with others in their sins is utterly unlawful for them to do But the Saints cannot attend upon the Ministers of England without being guilty of partaking with them in their sins Therefore The Major Proposition is bottomed upon Psal 50. 18. Ephes 5. 7. 1 Tim. 5. 22. 2 John 11. Rev. 18. 4. 1 Thes 5. 22. This he grants is true In order to the confirmation of the Minor two things are briefly enquired into 1st What that or those sins are the Ministers of England are guilty of These we say are worshipping God in a false way acting from an Antichristian Office-power therein opposing the Offices of Christ doing what such as go to hear them account to be sinful who therefore cannot do the same nor joyn with them whilst they do it We instance in the case of Reordination using the Service-Book administring the Sacrament to all To which when Mr. T. or any one for him shall inform us of any thing that is offered by him by way of Answer that deserves a Reply we shall consider it What he saith requires proof we have already proved We enquire in S. T. 2dly How it will appear that any person attending on their Ministry renders him guilty of partaking with them in their sins This we say the consideration of the several wayes persons may be justly charged with being guilty of partaking with others in their sin will demonstrate We instance in these particulars 1. Then may persons be justly charged as guilty hereof 1st When they are found any way consenting with them in their sin Psal 50. 18. 2dly When they do that which hath a real tendency to encourage persons in their sin 2 John 11. 3dly When they neglect the doing those duties which the Lord requires at their hands for the reclaiming of them from their sins such as watching over rebuking admonishing first privately then by two and in case of obstinacy and perseverance therein telling it to the Church according to 1 Thes 5 14. Heb. 3. 12 13. and 10. 24 25. Lev. 19. 17. Mat. 18. 15 16 17. all this Mr. T. tells us he grants nor doth he except against the Texts brought to prove them except that Mat. 18. 15 16 17. the vanity of his exceptions whereunto we have demonstrated pag. 87. of this Treatise 4thly When they notwithstanding all that they can do perceive them to persevere in their sin shall still continue to hold Communion with them and not separate from them Rev. 18. 4. The abiding with obstinate offenders as it is against positive injunctions of the most high Rom. 16. 17. 2 Cor. 6. 14 15 16 17. 1 Tim. 6. 5. Ephs 5. 8. 11. Rev. 18. 4. so in the last place instanced in 't is assigned by the Spirit to be one way of pertaking with others in their sins So saith learned Brightman upon the place To which Mr. T. Sect. 7. This is not true we may hear the Word of God pray with receive the Lords Supper from a Minister that is an obstinate offender and yet not be partaker with him in his sin The texts alledged prove not separation from such Answ Whether they do or not we leave to the judgment of the discreet and pious Reader to determine yea to Mr. T. himself the texts are so marvelously plain for the proof of such a separation when he is able in an undistempered unprejudiced spirit to review tâ—em What he here offers to the contrary is not worth the spotting Paper with 1. A man may cause divisions and offences contrary to the Apostles Doctrine Rom. 14 and 15. touching the use of Liberty in matters indifferent to the offence and scandal of the Saints as the Ministers of England do if Mr. T. his notion about the indifferency of their Ceremonies be true whilst they practise them to the offence of the Saints and yet preach the same Doctrine in other things the Apostles preached which yet the present Ministers do not 2dly When Mr. T. is at leisure he may prove that sepâ—ration from the wicked and prophane or from a false Church is contrary to Rom. 16. 17. Because the Apostle charges them to note and avoid those that cause devisions in a true Church By the use of things indifferent contrary to his Doctrine thereabout of 2 Cor. 6. 14 15 16 17. Rev. 18. 4. we have already spoken and vindicated it from Mr. T. his exceptions We add in S. T. Not to multiply more particulars let us in a few words make application of these remarked to the business in hand Is there any thing in the world that carries a greater brightness and evidence with it than this that the hearing the present Ministers is to be partakâ—rs with them in their sin To which
never brings with it a return of sweetness every motion and advance against it though of the slowest is too great haste 4. Pray much for Divine Leadings and Direction before you set upon the work of making your Reply hereunto and every step you take in it And let 's discern you have been much in this duty by that meek and Gospel-Spirit with which your next shall be leavened 5. If you think it of concern seriously weigh whether this writing of yours tend to the extirpation of Popery and Prelacy with its Hierarchy and the promoting Reformation according to the VVord of God and the best Reformed Churches For Oaths the Land mourns The Lord grant we may do so too Lastly Review if you please the ensuing Collections we have gathered out of your own Writings from a cursory view of some of them which are if we mistake not opposite to what you at present plead for And if you think meet reconcile your self unto your self and blame not me Sir that I thus deal with you I do but follow the pattern you have given me in your dealing with Mr Baxter formerly and Mr. John Goodwin of late after this manner Collections out of Mr. T. his Writings If this Argument proceed it will follow there is some National Church amongst the Gentiles as of old amongst the Jews which is not to be granted In his exercitation concerning Infant Baptism pag. 21. Institution is the Rule of exhibiting Worship to God ibid. pag. 23. If Institution be the Rule of Worship it is necessary that he that shall administer the Worship bind himself to the Rule otherwise he will devise Will-worship and arrogate the Lords Authority to himself Surely the Apostle in the business of the Lords Supper insinuates this when being about to correct the aberrations of the Corinthians concerning the Lords Supper he brings forth these words 1 Cor. 11. 23. For I have received of the Lord ibid. pag. 24. The use of Sureties in Baptism and Episcopal Ordination he asserts to be Humane Inventions Ibid. p. 29. The Common-Prayer-Book and Hierarchy have no true ground from Christs Institution which alone can acquit it from Will-worspip Examer p. 3. Episcopacy is now found an abuse ibid. p. 24. I have entred into Covenant to endeavour a Reformation as well as you and though I have not had the happiness as indeed wanting ability to be imployed in that eminent manner you have been in the promoting of it in which I rejoyce yet have I in my affections sincerely desired it in my intentions truly aim'd at it in my Prayers heartily sought it in my Studies constantly minded it in my endeavours seriously prosecuted it for the promoting of it greatly suffered aâ— having as deep an Interest in it as other men ibid. pag. 26. When I consider how exact a Reformation our Solemn Covenant binds us to endeavour ibid. p. 27. 'T is a dangerous principle That in meer positive things we may frame an addition to Gods Worship They that read the Popish Expâ—sitors of their Rituals do know that this very Principle hath brought in Surpliâ—e Purification of Women ibid. p. 29. If any take upon them to appoint to mens consciences any rite in whole or in part it is an high presumption in such against Christ and against the Apostles commands to yeeld to it Col. 2. 20. Though it hath a shew of wisdom vers 23. And the Apostles example Gal. 2. 3 4 5. binds us to oppose it ibid. pag. 30. And p. 31. He commends a passage in a Sermon of Mr. Marshals on 2 Chr. 15. 2. Who admires that ever mortal man should dare in Gods Worship to meddle any further than the Lord himself hath commanded For had it been a will-Worship it had been a sin if they had received it speaking of the Circumcision of the Females there being no command to do it As it had been a sin for a Child to be circumcised afore or after the eighth day in them that altered or swerved from the appointment of God ibid. p. 37. No reason of ours in positive Worship can acquit an action that is performed from will-Worship nothing but Gods Will manifest in his Institution can do it ibid. p. 38. see p. 111 132. Full Review of the Dispute concerning Infant Baptism Sect. 1. P. 2. Against Prelacy Holy-dayes Surplice there have been many and just declamations Ibid. P. 110. The Superstitious custom of keeping Easter and receiving the Communion once a Year on that Day which I think you will be ashamed of p. 119. Unless you will altar the definition of Will-worship according to Mat. 15. 9. in point of Worship that is excluded which is not expressed p. 132. And though all do not joyn in breaking of bread speaking concerning the Godly in Bewdly some going to that Parson others declining him as a stranger to the private Meetings of the Godly and an adversary to such godly Preachers as they had gotten for the Chappel went to Mr. B. others being baptized have joyned with me He afterwards speaks of Mr. B ' s. Book charging them with Schism for Reforming themselves and afrighting people from their Society Praecurs Sect. 5. p. 10 11. The Baptized Christians with whom I hold Communion Full review of the dispute concerning Baptism Epist to the Reader The Christian Church consists not of a whole Nation but of so many persons as are called out of the world by the preaching of the Word to profess the Faith of Christ ibid. p. 221. I think my actions justifiable in celebrating the Lords Supper at Night as Christ did and admitting none but Baptized persons after profession of Faith ibid. pag. 239. Frequenting Church-meetings he makes to be one way of visible owning God ibid. p. 268. That there were some particular visible Churches in which were no Hypocrites may be true notwithstanding the Parables Mat. 13. 25. or 1 Tim. 3. 15. compared with 2 Tim. 2. 20. p. 284. There is not any likelyhood that a bare dissembled profession should make such an external relation to God and his Church ibid. p. 298. To confine the tearm Heathens onely to them that are not Christians in Name is indeed according to the vulgar speech but beside the Scripture use ibid. p. 261. We do neither in practice nor opinion maintain such impure Churches of ignorant and vicious persons as Mr. Bl. and the Presbyterians commonly do ibid. p. 262. The essence of the Church consists in the association or union of the Members which is given by such transeunt fact as whereby God separates them from others and unites and incorportes them together which I call the Church-call agreeably to the Scripture Rom. 9. 24 25 26. 1 Cor. ☞ 2. 24. which Church-call now is not by any coercive power of Rulers but by the Spirit and preaching the Gospel ibid. p. 320. Nor did I joyn any in Communion till I saw that those that did their duty in being Baptized were rejected and made
the Servant of Jesus Christ Though I must crave leave to add that these Animadversions of his will be no joy of heart to him in the day of the Lord when all our works shall be tryed by fire of what sort they are because they will be found hay and stubble in that day 'T is an Argument Mr. T. is an utter stranger to the Author of S. T. else he would never have expected such a returnal from him In sect 1. of this Preface he inveighs against Prefaces and expressions which tend to create prejudice and partial propensity to one part more than to another which he would have prohibited and restrained severely In which that I am not in the least concerned I must profess my self to be wholly a stranger not being conscious to my self of any such Preface or expression used by me and do heartily wish that all such might be forborn that have a tendency to forestall the judgment of any being desirous that what I write may be impartially and candidly weighed in the Ballance of the Sanctuary where if it be not found weight I desire it may be rejected not having as I know of espoused any private opinion nor imbraced what upon Scriptural evidence to the contrary I cannot more chearfully lay down than ever I assumed it And am so far from such a temper of spirit as to return any that shall labour to convince me of my mistakes for I am a man and subject to them obloquie for their love and pains that I shall thankfully acknowledge both in such a Christian undertaking and profess my self their debtor With what severity or under what penalty Mr. T. would have such procedures interdicted and restrained and who shall be constituted of the Committee of Tryers touching expressions and prefaces of such a tendency because he hath not expressed himself I cannot divine I hope he is not sanguinary in this dictate and desire There are I presume he thinks Laws enough by penalties sufficiently severe interdicting the writing and preaching of the men of his seeming indignation and he hath more pitty to persons under heavy strokes and burdens than to have them encreased If it be as he intimates towards the close of this his Epistolary Preface the Epistle to the Reader prefixt to the S. T. he thus inveighs against as guilty of the wretched design mentioned he knows there is nothing therein new nothing but what is usually done by persons writing lesser Tractates nothing to forestall the judgment of any is thereby intended And some think that this Animadverter is in this matter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doing more in a few lines to ballast the Reader to his perswasion thâ—n the Author of the S. T. hath done in his whole Epistle Qui alterum incusat probri ipfum se intueri oportet Towards the end of sect 1. he intimates and sect 2. plainly expresses that some personal exceptions have been entertained against him and such aversness to his later Writings found in the spirits of a great number of those that seem to be inquisitive after Truth that they have not found such reception as such Arguments were deemed to require which he attributes to his writing about a point that few can concoct That this is the ground of their prejudice many of them who are persons of the complexion intimated is a mistake of the Animadverter which a little enquiry might easily deliver him from My small acquainrance amongst such as do not only seem as Mr. Tombs out of the abundance of that charity which he frequently condemns â—is Antagonist for the want of speaks but are really inquisitive into Truth gives me ground to say That not those for the most part who cannot but such as have well concocted the point he mentions which if I mistake not is the Baptism of Believers upon a manifestation and declaration of Faith received are the persons chiefly of the prejudices intimated And 't were well if the non-reception of his late Writings amongst persons of such a denomination as he speaks of did put him upon a review of them the frame of spirit in which he writ them together with the temper of his spirit and actions in dayes past that he may see from whence he hath fallen and repent I am very apt to think that the present undertaking of the Animadverter is not like to meet with better entertainment than the fore-mentioned amongst persons inquisitive into Truth Especially considering how opposite to former sayings of his this undertaking of his is The Tables are easily to be consulted with where in legible characters the mind of Mr. Tombs in his Book intituled Fermentum Pharisaeorum being a Sermon preached at Lemster in Herefordshire Novemb. 24. 1641. on Mat. 15. 19. ordered by the Committee of the House of Commons April 19. 1643. to be printed when Reformation began to be countenanced is to be read contrary to what now he seems to plead for Hear him speak Having in pag. 17 18. in his third use of his Doctrine raised from the words viz. That however they think of their actions they in vain worship God who teach for doctrines Mans precepts P. 2. S. 2. He takes occasion to admonish Ministers to avoid the way of those Pharisees who taught for Doctrine mans Precepts and pithily expostulates the case with them Sect. 14. And P. 18. Sect. 15. he saith 4ly From hence we may take occasion to admonish the people to take heed of such Pharisaical Teachers as teach for Doctrine the Commandments of men Our Saviour Christ having manifested the hypocrisie of the Scribes and Pharisees in this thing bids his Disciples lâ—t them alone telling them that they were blind leaders of the blind and if the blind lead the blind both fall into the ditch Mat. 15. 14. And elsewhere Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisie Lake 12. 1. And surely people have need to take heed of such Teachers sith Superstition as it is a pernicious evil so it easily insinuates into peoples minds and sticks fast in them under shew of Antiquity Decency and Gravity I know this will be interpreted as if it were a heinous thing to perswade people to withdraw themselves from the Ministers of their Parish though never so negligent or corrupt But let Bishop Bilson answer for me Primo populus ipse deficiente Magistratu Christiano deserere falsos et improbos pastores jure divino potest coercere vero minime Declinare et derelinquere eos possunt cogere aut pnnire non possunt Vis vindicta gladio alligatae extra privatorum sortem ac caetum collocata sunt Unde Paulus Rom. 16. observate eos qui dissidia scandala contra doctrinam quam edocti estis faciunt declinare ab iis Oves meae inquit Dominus noster vocem meam audiunt sequuntur me Alienum autem nequaquam sequentur sed fugient ab eo Idem Cyprianus reliqui Episcopi consulti rescripserunt
Epistl 1. ep 4. Soperemini inquit Dominus a taberuaculis hominum istorum durissimorum nolite tangere ea qua ad eos pertinent ne simul pereat is in peccatis eorum Propter quod plebs obsequens praeceptis Domini Deum meturus à peccato praepofitó seperare se debet nec se ad Sacrilegi Sacerdotis Sacrificia misare quando ipsa defectu sidelis Magistratus maxime habeat potestatem vel eligendi dignos Sacerdotes vel recusandi indignos Thus far he in open defiance of his present undertaking But to proceed in Sect. 2. and afterwards we have an account notwithstanding his late discouragement in writing why he still follows that employment and in particular of his engaging in the confutation of the Treatise under consideration which may be reduced to these heads 1. The expectation of hâ—â— giving account of the Talents committed to him by hâ—s â—ord and Master which being restrained from publick preaching he thinks he ought to make use of this way Answ That a strict account must be given to the Lord for the improvement of Talents received is undeniable The Parable Mat. 25. 14 to 31. evâ—nceth as much The consideration whereof should quicken us to our duty the most exact and diligent performance of it imaginable that we have not at the last the most direful judgment of the wicked and slothful Servant ver 26 28 30. past upon us But every use of our Talent is not a faithful improvement of it for God Wisdom parts c. are Talents given by him many have used them against him and smitten him if I may so say with his own weapons nor had they been in a capacity of doing so much against him had they not received so much from him Whether Mr. T. hath in his present undertaking been improving his Talent according to the mind of Christ I humbly beg him in his more retired thoughts to consider That none can so improve their Talents without the blessed supplies of the Spirit of Christ this Animadverter will not deny 'T is impossible any duty or service should be accepted of God without these 'T is one end for which he is sent from the Father and the Son to in-dwell in the hearts of Believers to enable them hereunto Rom. 8. 26. How little of the Spirit of the Lord in those Magisterial and Dictator-like expressions manifesting too much of a spirit of pride and self-fulâ—ess with an horrible contempt of what is opposit to the mind of this Animadv together with those reproachful biting passionate words that without any just cause given do ever and anon drop from him he will upon a review be able to discern I am not able to foresee We are â—oo apt to judge partially in our own causes and of our own actions but the day will declare it Should I muster up the many expressions of this nature scattered almost from the one end of this Book to â—he other and represent them at once possibly it might somewhat startle this Animadverter of his being restâ—ained from publick preaching I have nothing to say but only this That if Mr. Tombs supposeth himself to be called forth by the Lord to the work of preaching the Gospel I see not now at least whilst not under corporal restraint he can answer the obligation is upon him by such a call by a total neglect of that duty either publickly or privately notwithstanding the interdiction of any Our retreat in such cases to the old Apostolical Maxime Act. 5. 29. Whether it be lawful to obey God or man judge ye being suitable and warrantable Nor is it I believe justifiable to improve Talents given in one work or duty with the neglect of another to which we are as equally obliged by the reception of them He adds as a second Reason of this undertaking his meeting with the Book under consideration and another entituled Prelatical Preachers none of Christ's Teachers which manifesting that the seeds of most rigid Separation were sown and spread themselves amongst many out of the greatness of his love and design to do them good and for the publick peace of the Nation he conceiv'd himself bound to pluck up such roots of bitterness and the rather because some that had known him to be for Believers Baptism have been ready to think him for Separation also Answ That he met with the Book under consideration I readily yeeld him being informed that in some heat of spirit about two years before the publishing his Theodulia he threatned the Refutation thereof But that the seeds of Separation are roots of bitterness is as warmly said as weakly proved in his following Treatise The word though it sounds ill in the ears of the world is of a middle signification denoting neither that which is evil nor good in it self as Mr. T. well knows A twofold Separation we read of in the Scripture 1. A wicked and unlawful Separation which is a causless departure from the People and Appointments of Christ as not able to bear their spirituality strictness purity and glory in contempt of Christ's Institution and meerly for the satisfying their lusts Jude 19. This is the Separation that is condemned in the Scripture Do either of the Tracts mentioned undertake the defence or vindication of it Are there not Principles laid down and asserted therein wholly opposite hereunto 2dly A warrantable lawful Separation enjoyned by Jesus Christ which is a peaceable departure from a Church or People not rightly constituted according to the mind of Christ the pattern exhibited by him or degenerated therefrom beyond a possibility of recovering their first state purely for the enjoyment of the Ordinances of God in power and purity This is the Separation no other pleaded for in the Papers mentioned Which â—â—ch poor worms as we are apt to think there is ground enough in the Scriptures for 1. 'T is of old prophesied of Num. 23. 9. Isa 52. 11 12. 62. 10. 2dly Commanded by the Lord Prov. 4. 14. 9. 6. 14. 7. Eph. 5. 11. 2 Cor. 6. 16. Act. 2. 39. Psa 45. 10. 2 Tim. 3. 5. Rev. 18. 4. 3dly Practised by the Saints not to mention them of old Gen. 4. 26. Exod. 19. 5. Deut. 7. 6. 33. 28. Numb 33. 52. Exod. 24. 12 15. John 15. 19. Rev. 19. 7 8 9. which the Epistles of the Apostles to the Churches justifie who writ to them as Saints separated from the World and the Worship thereof What the Animadverter hath done in order to the plucking up the seeds of this Separation is afterwards considered He that is successfull in such an undertaking oâ— desires to be so had need do more than â—ent his passion in some biting satyrical expressions against the men of his contest or dictate to them as if Wisdom only rested with him and all others were to hang on his lips for Indoctrination whose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without controul were to be submitted But Christ's School knows
these words They make an Image to the Beast Rev. 13. 14 15. i. e. erect an Ecclesiastical state of Government in a proportionableness to and resemblance of the Civil State This Ecclesiastical state of Government I assert to be the Image of the Beast by worshipping it I mean no more than subjecting bowing down to or owning of this Ecclesiastical-State which is no such direful expression amounting only to thus much A Christian Testimony against such as own subject to are partakers with the Ecclesiastical State and Government of the Church of England That there are some that do so Mr. T. will not deny nor can he that the Government of the Church is laid in a proportionableness to and resemblance of the Civil-State which I apprehending to be an evil 't is much to me a man of Mr. T. his sobriety should be offended at my bearing a Christian Testimony against it or interpret so sober a Title to be a direfull imputation c. I think not what he pleads for in the Treatise under consideration to be Theodulia or the Worship of God but am not provoked he so styles his Book because he thinks it is so yet have I as just cause to be offended thereat as he hath by the Title of the S. T. given him to be provoked Another stone of Offence in Mr. T. his way is That there are direful Predictions in the Epistle against hearing the present Ministers of England as if likely to meet with the same Judgments in the day of Gods wrath with the Antichristian Beast and seeming commiseration of such as joyn in Communion with the publick Church-Assemblies Answ And I am sorry these things are provoking to him Can he not hear sin condemned and the warning of God against sinners given forth in Scriptural expressions from the Prophecies thereof but his spirit must rise against them He will one day know that another frame of spirit had better become him and would have conduced more to his true peace comfort and interest than that which was upon him under the reading those Scriptural Predictions for such are those mentioned in the Epistle though as Mr. T. speaks one would rather think them to be some Enthusiastical dreams than the Warnings of the Lord in the Scriptures sounded forth by an unworthy dust Commiseration he also discerns in those lines but understanding the hearts of the Children of men he can roundly pronounce of it Audacter satis that I say not blaspheme that it is but seeming commiseration at the best this is an evil surmise a fruit of the flesh to be bemoaned and mourned over I can assure Mr. T. that they are not seeming but real Commiserations and that my soul is sorely afflicted within me because of the Wrath of the Lord that is like to be poured forth for the transgression and sinful complyance with the corrupt and superstitious Worship of the Nation after God hath from Heaven witnessed against it and so many of the precious Children of God have sealed a Testimony with their dearest Blood against it of the professing People of God in England upon them and I cannot but once more cry aloud to them and to this Animadverter to hasten their escape from the Tents of these false Shepherds and Assemblies lest being complicated and twisted together with them they share of the judgement is like to be poured forth upon them God is a jealous God and will in his jealousie plead with those that teach for Doctrines the Commandments of men and worshiâ— according to their Precepts And what I said then I say again now who knows not intimating as Mr. T. falsly suggests that it would be but my own darkness as touching the extent of the long-suffering of the Lord to such as continue disobedient to his voice but this may be the last Warning you may have from God For his Throne is like the fiery flame and his Wheels as burning fire a fiery stream issues and comes forâ—h from before him Dan. 7. 9 10. He seems to be risen up against an hypoâ—ritical people and a speedy riddance will he make in the earth However these things may seem to Mr. T. to be brutum fulmen like a great thunderclap without any thunder-bolt in it as he speaks which makes my very soul pity him especially they being as I said the Prophecies of the Lord levell'd against the very persons against whom I level them My prayers to God for him shall be that they may prove words of awakening and humbling and not of destruction and further â—ddition of misery in the day of the Lord which without faith and repentance come between if for nothing but for that slight contemptuous frame of spirit upon him in the reading of them they are too like to be He adds that I judge such Complyance a damnable sin If he mean a sin that in its own nature deserves damnation I do so indeed nor can â— do otherwise not having imbraced that novel distinction of the Papists between damnable or deadly and venial sins as if the merit or wages of all sin were not death judging it as I do to be a sin But if by damnable he mean irremissible like that of Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost which he intimates as if I judged and suggested the sin of Complyance in some to be I must crave leave to tell him That I detest and abhor the least thought of any such thing 'T is true in the event it may be irremissible like the sin against the Holy Ghost and so may the least vain word but that I judge it is so in its own nature is an Assertion of that nature that nothing is more false and untâ—ue And I cannot but wonder with what forehead this Animadverter could impute it to me Nor can I guess at his design in so doing not the occasion administred by me I have read the Epistle over and find not the least prints or marks of such an Assertion If any words may be wrested to such an intendment I do here solemnly disclaim and â—isavow it professing from my very heart that I believe quite otherwise Our God is a God ready to pardon to multiply pardons though you have turn'd aside from him he will heal backslidings and love freely therefore poor hearts be not deterr'd from looking to him But he goes on which must needs produce these wofull effects 1. An irrâ—concileable enmity betwixt the Sepâ—â—â—tists and such as hold communion with the present Churches and their Pastors Answ But what will produce this effect will judging their sin to be irremissible This is a Calumny I know none that doth so Will the pleading for separation from that which God calls aloud to separate from I hope better And wish this Animadverter takes not a measure of others spirits by his own God forbid that any should be returning enmity for love The Lord knows out of greatned bowels of compassion I write what I write and after all
if I meet with such a returnal as that intimated I hope never to live through the rich grace of the Lord to see that day in which I should be repaying any that may be possessed with enmity against me in their own kind or cease to love pity and pray for them Can we not differ in opinion and tell each other in plainness of the guilt and evil we discern on each other but this direful effect of irreconcilable enmity must be produced I hope not enmity much less irreconcilable enmity And am perswaded that this Animadv cannot justly charge any of the Separatists as he in scorn calls them with any such thing And believe that God will help poor dusts to such a measure of a Gospel-spirit that there shall not be the least of the frame mentioned budding or putting forth upon them And because I conceive it may be needful I shall mind Mr. Tombs of what he hath sometimes read in the Preface to the Harmony of Confessions published in the name of the French and Belgick Reformed Churches Praeclare quodam loco dicit Ambrosius inter servos Christi contentio non debet esse sed collaâ—io qnum enim sit ea mentis humanae hebetudo in rebus praesertim divinis ut res alioqui maxime claras saepe perspicere non possimus quin ex mutua 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amicâ fraternâque disceptatione plurimum lucis assequamur negari nullo modo potest Contendere vero rixari ferociter ac proterve digladiari tantum abest ut deceat à Deo institutos homines ut ne modestis aut humanis quidem conveniat Equidem Sancta Sanctè ac Religiose sunt tractanda in timore Divini Numinis et Charitate proximi which I wish him to make his Copy when he next writes Controversies 2dly The ruine of many thousands in their Liberties Estates Lives if the Law should not be mitigated is the next doleful effect mentioned Answ That the preservation of these so far as honestly we may is a moral duty I grant These effects are not the issue of imbracing the opinions and principles pleaded for in that Treatise but of those grievous and unrighteous Decrees by which the Child of this mans tuition hath ever even from its swadling-clouâ—s I mean the Common-Prayer-Book Worship been fostred and sustained The effects mentioned are no other than hath been the usual attendment of imbracing the Gospel which our Lord tells us we must expect if we will be his Disciples Nor are they as this Animadverter calls them woful effects but blessed and glorious being brought upon us for Christ's for the Gospels-sake in which he would have us to rejoyce with leaping joy Mat. 5. 10 11 12. And many of the Children of the Lord have taken them joyfully Heb. 10. 34. Nor is this any better reason for the Animadverter's advance against the Treatise under consideration than was that of Lycurgus who would have the Vines destroyed because the fruit of them made men drunk nor yet indeed is it so good â—or any other than what he might frequently have had to engage him to write against the reception of the Gospel and at this day in many places against the Doctrine of the Reformed Protestants The imbracing that Doctrine producing such a woful effect if it must be so called An Apology for Christians that could not in conscience submit to the Cereâ—onies of the Church of England to the Rulers thereof as Justin Martyr and others in their day for the repealing or mitigating the gâ—ievous Decrees established had been a more proper and Christian imployment than by such invectives as are frequently and false charges given forth in these Animadversions for the further incensing persons in authority against them As touching what is added from Dr. Burgess I assent to it but add 't is most impertinently and scandalously applyed to the men of his present contest God forbid we should call light darkness or darkness light Christ Antichrist or Antichrist Christ We desire the pulling down of nothing but what hath the lineaments of Antichrist as lively deciphered by the Spirit upon it And that God will pull down whether we speak one word against it or not The last account he gives us of his present undertaking is second to none in his Epistolary Preface viz. 1. The relation he hath met with of the endless brawls prodigious errours that have been the issue of Separation in former and latter times Answ And he knows 1. That the same might have been objected against the preaching of the Gospel at the very firsâ— As it was by the Heathens who boasted that no such things were the off-spring of their way as witness Clemens Alexandrinus Stromat l. 7. and Aug. L. de Ovibus chap. 15. what brawls and contentions what prodigious errours denying the Resurrection were there amongst the members of the Church of Corinth even when they met together for the solemnization of the same Ordinances the carrying on the same Worship in Paul's time and afterwards as appears from the Epistle of Clemens or the Church of Rome to them 2dly That the same things were objected against Luther and the great work of Reformation he was in the hand of the Lord carrying-on at that day who was so far from being startled hereat that he professeth Nisi tumultus hos vidissem Evangelium esse in mundo non crederem he should not have believed the Gospel had been preached in the world if he had not seen these brawls and tumults Nor 3dly is Mr. T. a stranger to what of late hath been charged upon Protestants with a design to perswade to a returnal to the Church of Rome upon the account of the schisms divisions brawls that have ensued separation from thence And with as good reason as this Animadverter chargeth these upon the Separatists out of a design to allure to Conformity Sir these things are to be charged upon the corruptions of mens hearts the malice and wrath of Satan against Truth which the more it displayes its Banner and breaks forth as the Sun out of the dark and thick clouds of Ignorance and Antichristian confusion shining gloriously in its native brightness the more mad is he against it and industrious to raise prejudices in the minds of men against its reception In which work I am sorry to find this Animadverter a coadjutor Though blessed be the Lord as to all the Congregations of the Separatists in England I know not one of whome it may not be said that the things here spoken by Mr. T. are false a meer calumny and yet they are not a few I am acquainted with The truth is these things may more truly be charged upon the members of the Church of England than on the Separatists as he calls them As for any brawls that may be amongst any of them 't is hoped touching them Mr. T. will be found a false Prophet and that they will not prove endless God can heal
is a contract of the word Worthy-ship and notes singular respect by reason of some worth in the thing worshipped conceived in the heart and expressed by some sign which he gathers from the use of the word Worshipful and your Worship given to Superiours and gives us several distinctions about Worship which as they are trite and obsolete so what the intendment of the Animadverter should be in producing them excepâ— to shew his reading or amuse the Reader with a multiplicity of words and distinctions and thereby render him the more unfit to examine what is offered in the Controversie to consideration I cannot divine As the quibling upon every particular word in a Dispute is much like that which the Apostle condemns 1 Tim. 6. 4. 2 Tim. 2. 14. so I know not of what use it can be to the Reader nor that it serves to any thing save to render the Controversie more arduous and difficult when the meaning of each other is obvious to any considerate understanding without it There is as I know of no more than a twofold Worship of God 1. That which is natural original or moral which I call natural because in the principle of it it was concreated with man and moral because it is invariable and alway the same and is comprehensive of our saith affiance and trust in God our subjection to him as the God sovereign Lord and King and Lawgiver to all That Worship which the Law of Nature or the Law written and engraven upon the hearts of the children of men teacheth is that I call the natural Worship of God Four things this Law teacheth with respect to Worship First that God is to be worshipped Whether there were ever any so guilty of Atheism as to deny a Deity is not much to our present purpose to enquire Cicero saith Nullam unquam fuisse Gentem c. That there was never any Nation so barbarous which knew not that there was a God And to the same purpose Seneca Epist 3. Veritatis Argumentum est omnibus aliquid videri tanquam Deos esse quod omnibus de Diis opinio in sita sit neque ulla gens usquam est adeo extra Leges moresque posita ut non aliquos Deos credat Nor is there any thing Psal 14. 1. opposit thereunto which the Chaldee Paraphrast renders No power or dominion of God in the Earth But this as was said is not of our present disquisition Upon the acknowledgment of a Deity the principles of Nature dictate that he is to be worshipped 2dly That as God is to be worshipped so is he not only severally each one by himself but by persons in particular bodies and societies to be worshipped and served is another dictate of Nature The erection of Temples for Worship with the forms of publick Service and Priests for the managery thereof to be found amongst the most ignorant and dark corners of the World both before and since the Gospel-dispensation sufficiently evince the truth of the suggestion Yea 3dly That God is to be worshipped according to that Revelation â—â— Himself he is pleased to exhibit to the children of men not according to their wills one or other of them Hence when any had a design of imposing Laws upon others of their own devising they presented them unto them not as their own inventions upon which foot of account they knew they would meet with little respect from persons attending the dictates of Nature but as received from the Godds Thus did Zaleucus Lycurgus Minos Numa the most famous Lawgivers amongst the Gentiles Famous is the saying of Socrates in Plato to this purpose That every God will be worshipped 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that way which pleaseth best his own mind Contrary to which as if those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enstamped upon the hearts of men as men were totally obliterated Some assume the confidence to plead that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or manner of Worship is not from divine direction and prescription but only the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Worship it self 4thly That the Voice of God when he should be pleased or in what manner soever to speak to them was to be hearkned and attended to the same Law of Nature did indoctâ—inate them in I say the Voice of God for however unto some of them there were Godds many and Lords many yet the wisest and most learned amongst them did acknowledge but one chief Deity or God at whose beck and ordinance all the rest were whom therefore they contemn'd as things of naught Hence Plautus in Casina Act. 2. Unus Tibi hic dum sit propitius Jupiter Tuistos minutos cave Deos flocci feceris Hence Satan easily abused them to an attendance upon his dictates as the Oracles of God though never so cruel and sanguinary That it was usual amongst the Gentile Nations to offer up Men and Women in Sacrifice to the Godds is known Tacitus tells us of the Germans that they were wont to sacrifice Men to Mercury Tacit. de morib German Tertullian assures us that the people of Africa sacrificed their Children to Saturn and that openly even to the time of the Proconfulship of Tiberius Apol. c. 8. And when the Carthaginians were overcome by Agathocles the Sicilian Tyrant judging the Godds to be greatly angry with them they at once sacrificed two hundred Noblemens Sons to Saturn as Pescenninus Festus witness The same Abomination was rife among the Romans which seems to have continued amongst them to the time of the Consulship of Cornelius Lentulus and Publius Licinius Crassus as witnesseth Pliny Natur. Hist l. 3. c. 1. the French as Cicero Orat per Fontei the Britans as Tacitus Annal. 14. of whom saith Horace Visam Britannos hospitibus feros were led captive to the like ferosity to their own flesh That they received this Abomination from their diabolical Oracles which they mistook for the voice of the Gods to them is more than probable That the destruction of Menecaeus and Iphigenia is to be fixed here is known Nor had the maner of the Lacedemonians wounding themselves in the worship of their Gods any other spring as witnesseth Apollonius apud Philostrat l. 6. c. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. e. in the honour of Diana it was their custom to wound themselves according as men say to the Commandment of the Oracles And Pausanias Baeotic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Oracle of Delphos enjoyns that a beauteous Child be offered in Sacrifice to Bacchus This was the state and condition of the Gentile World whilst God was known only in Jewry the times of which ignorance he winked at and suffered each Nation to do what was good in their own eyes under the regiment of Satan perpetrating the most horrible abomination being fearfully cruel to their own flesh The review of which may fill us with pity and bowels towards the poor dark corners of the World wâ—ere this gross darkness is still residing and
1 4. it was no sin to hear them they were not the strangers meant John 10. 5 c. I must crave leave to inform him of what he cannot be ignorant that he trifles and abuses his Reader egregiously 1. Christ did not only chiefly but solely enjoyn his Disciples to hear his Apostles and those that afterwards were sent by his appointment in his Name as acting in the ministration of the Gospel by vertue of an Office-power The instance of the scattered Brethren Act. 8. 1 4. is not at all to his purpose they were indeed to be heard but not as Ministers of the Gospel acting by Office-power in the promulgation thereof which they were not nor pretended to be but as gifted Brethren or private Christians receiving abilities from the Lord for that work and duty they were now providentially called unto 2dly Mr. T. knows that the Author of S. Test. is for the liberty of Prophesying though he seems to suggest the contrary in these expressions Nor did I ever think nor any man in the world in his wits that those scattered Brethren Acts 8. 1 4. were the strangers mentioned John 10. but some others as is proved in the Treatise under his consideration Those in Acts 8. were to be heard as was said as gifted Brethren not as Officers of Christ which they were not What this makes to proving the lawfulness of hearing the present Ministers to which good service it seems transiently designed is not easie to understand who preach not so whom we cannot hear as such except we would put out our eyes and renounce our understanding when they avouch they preach as Ministers and we see them daily in the exercise of that which suppose an Office-power as Baptism and breaking Bread for the doing of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these things must he speak to who considers Mr. T. his Papers for want of what is more material But perhaps Sect. 3. doth the business where he flourisheth on the head of it as if he were resolv'd to come up close to the matter in hand and demonstrate by irrefragable Arguments that Hearing as a duty incumbent upon the Saints in the time of the Gospel in the way appointed by Christ is not a meer positive or ceremonial Worship But perhaps saith he the Author means by instituted Worship such as is meerly Positive or as we use to speak Ceremonial such as Baptism and the Lord's Supper c. In which he hath almost hit the white of the Author's intendment and meaning as plainly expressed as he knew how which is this That however Hearing may put on the endument and property of Moral Worship yet as practised under the New-Testament it solely appertains to Positive Worship or the Institution of Christ and whoever performs it not as such I am apt to conceive worships not Christ at all therein What saith the Animadverter to this Why this Author seems to me very inconsiderate But seriously Sir I was well aware knew and well considered of what I writ in this matter He seemeth to me very inconsiderate is a pitiful Argument to evert the Assertion impleaded by Mr. T. it being not much to the purpose what seems to him or me to be considerate or otherwise These matters will be judged by others whether we will or no. As for what he adds 't is of no more weight than what went before That hearing of Preachers is a moral and perpetual Worship common to all times and persons He must 1. except Adam to whom at first it was no duty so to do except he make God the Preacher and then he altars the state of the question and afterwards 't is more than probable he preached to his Family not they to him 2. Except the time of ignorance God winked at when he sent no Preachers to the Gentile world but suffered them to walk in their own wayes 3. He had need to qualifie his Assertion a little better else it will not be found weight I am apt to think that hearing all Preachers and an indefinite Proposition as Mr. T. his is is equipollent to an universal is neither part of moral nor instituted Worship The Romans had their Flamins and Arch-Flamins from whence the pattern of Bishops and Arch-Bishops Baal had his Chemarims our forefathers in England the Druides who in their solemn acts of Worship were clad in a white-garment you may call it a Surplice from whence 't is probable that rag had its original all Preachers yet the hearing of them no part I hope of moral Worship Yea the Devil was once a Preacher and of the Gospel too till Christ silenced him Luke 4. 41. yet I very much question whether should he do so again as 't is not impossible our Animadverter would assert it lawful to hear him There were also Preachers of the Circumcision whom Paul thought it no part of the Worship of God to hear the duty of Saints lying in the direct contrary part by vertue of the Apostolical Injunction Phil. 3. 2. So that 't is evidently a mistake of Mr. T. to say that hearing of Preachers is a moral and perpetual Worship common to all times and persons Whereas 4. the very truth is Though hearing the Word of God whenever and however it shall please him to dispense it be a moral and perpetual Worship yet hearing these or those Preachers appointed by him to dispense it is purely of Sovereign Institution It being free to the Lord to have sent his Word alway by the hands of his Angels as sometimes he did to his Children as well as otherwise which had he done it had been so far from being our duty to attend upon Men-Preachers that it had been our sin to have heeded any other than these Angelical ones I must desire the Animadverter by the way to correct one passage of his it being a gross mistake wherein he seems to intimate that I make the hearing the present Ministers such an instituted Worship of Christ as is meerly positive and adds that herein I seem to be very inconsidèrate Which I confess I should be if I did so Mr. T. knows I am so far from making it such an Instituted Worship of Christ that I say 't is no Worship of Christ at all either moral or instituted to hear them and exprofesso prove as well as I can the contrary which that it is not satisfactory to Mr. T. I cannot help Some men will be satisfied with little except what hath the countenance of Authority on its side However I never said that hearing the present Ministers is any part of the instituted Worship of Christ which had I believed to be so I had done very wickedly to have opposed it He adds that should it be granted me that the whole of Gospel-Institutions were to be devolved upon the Scriptures of the New-Testament yet would it be to the disadvantage of my self and the rest of the Separatists who use many places of the Old-Testament about
so in that excellent Treatise and manifested that not the prophaning the Name of God by the wayes mentioned by the Animadverter which they did not but the Reformation of the Church is by those expressions Gen. 4. 26. held forth Two things he tells us the words import 1. That the Saints set up distinct or separated Assemblies for the solemn performance of the Worship of God separating themselves from the Wicked of the day which they had not done before nor had they any need so to do whilst a Reformation might be accomplished without it which it might whilst the Church was contained within the limits of one family viz. by the ejection of the Contumacious 2â—ly That being thus separated they took upon them the peculiar name of the Worshippers or Sons of God which they retained to the next horrible defection from the wayes of God about one thousand years after both which our Interpreters approve who in the Text read then began men to call upon the Name of the Lord and in the margent add to call themselves by the Name of the Lord. That from this act of the Church of God some beams of Light may be communicated to Saints now under the same circumstances they were then touching the duty of segregation and aggregation though bottom'd on New-Testament-Precepts we are apt to conceive but Mr. T. knows better Yea but 2dly this Animadverter thinks that neither by him nor any other is it shewed that a separation was approved from Preachers that teach no worse doctrine than that is held forth by the Articles Homilies c. of the Church of England or from a Church no more polluted by Idolatry or other corruptions in Worship than are charged upon the Publick enjoyned Worship of the Church of England Answ 1. That such a separation as that from the Church of England hath not been proved lawful Mr. T. doth but think The works of Ainsworth Cotton Bartlet c. manifest the contrary 2dly If he mean that it hath not been proved by that learned Author nor any others that those from whom they separated were not more guilty of pollution by Idolatry or other corruptions than the Church of England he is not a little mistaken Dr. Owen in the foresaid place manifests as far as a matter of so long standing can be supposed to be capable of evidence that they were not guilty of Idolatry in the sense that the word is taken by this Animadverter the Worship of the only true God continuing as saith Josephus even to the 7th Age with whom R. Eliezer accords and most of the Ancient Christians as Cyril Epiphanius c. But 3dly Mr. T. pittifully begs the question whilst he talks of separation from a Church no more polluted than the Church of England which should we grant him was never proved lawful nor could be yet would it advantage him nothing except he prove that the Church so called of Engl. was ever a rightly constituted Church of Christ which he knows we deny and though he frequently beg it of us in these Animadversions yet shall we never upon those terms grant him that it is so being abundantly assured of the contrary What pollution and Idolatry the Church of Engl. may be charged with and whether these are sufficient to justifie our separation from her must afterwards be reviewed He adds If Gen. 4. 26. be meant of a Reformation by setting up separate Congregations as Dr. Owen conceives S. 2. cap. 3. it was that therein they might call on the Name of the Lord which shews it was from them that did not call on the Name of the Lord not from them that did as in the Worship of the Church of Engl. Answ 1. Others beside that learned man judge the words import a Reformation by setting up Separate Congregations So doth Dr. Willet who I dare say Mr. T. will acquit of the guilt of Separation who having rejected other interpretations of the words fixeth upon this asserted by him But now saith he when as the Worship of God began to be corrupted and prophaned in the wicked posterity of Cain then Adam Seth and other of the Righteous Seed began publickly to exercise Religion and to have their holy Meetings and Assemblies for the Service of God And afterwards more fully from Mercerus Wherefore the true meaning is as before expressed that now the Church of God being increased to a full number did make a publick Separation in their Worship from the generation of the Wicked and began apart in a solemn manner to worship God But 2dly That they separated to call on the Name of the Lord is true The end of their Separation was to worship God as a people alone from the wicked of the world amongst whom they lived according to his own Appointments nor can a Separation from any for any other ends be justified But this evidenceth that those they separated from did not call on the Name of the Lord. Ans Not at all They did call upon his Name That there was no Worship amongst them will not be asserted No Nation under the thickest darkness that ever overspred the World but had some worship of the Godds amongst them The worship of Idols properly so called was not yet invented as was said from Josephus c. nor introduced so that 't is evident they did call upon the Name of the Lord i. e. they had not rejected the true God nor all Worship of him This indeed follows that they had much degenerated in their Worship of him This we prove of the Church of England which would justifie our Separation from it as it did theirs from them could no more be said therein As for what he saith of Noahs Separation that it was from men that had fill'd the earth with violence 'T is true they had done so and that with other things mentioned chap. 6. 1 2 3 4 5 11. was the ground of Noah's Separation from them and God's sweeping destruction upon them Their apostacy from the pure Wayes of God that began in their toleration of the Wicked upon carnal respects in their societies arose at length to that height that the whole Earth was corrupt i. e. all the inhabitants of the World except Noah and his Family had depraved God's pure Worship as precious Ainsworth expounds it and the word frequently signifies Exod. 32. 7. Deut. 32. 5. Judg. 2. 19. 2 Chron. 27. 2. with 2 King 15. 35. and filled with Violence or Injustice and cruel dealings to men The usual pair we find walking hand in hand all along the Scripture Degeneracy in respect of Worship in the Ecclesiastical Violence and Oppression in the Civil state And now the Animadverter will yeeld it necessary to separate which is as much as we need to justifie our Separation Degeneracy of Worshop we prove the Church of England guilty of and Violence and Oppression open Unrighteousness and Injustice we every where meet with As if the Iron-Age had again took
more inferiour order of Ministers given for the help of the Priests to them in the work of the Sanctuary and solemn service of God Who are called Priests Psal 132. 9. and are said to have a Priesthood Josh 18. 7. upon the account of their destination unto the service of the Tabernacle and work of the Ministry to distinguish them from the Congregation or Body of the People of Israel they are so called They were indeed as was said an inferiour order to Aaron and his sons but draw nigh to God they did in the Service of God they were imployed on the behalf of the Congregation and are called Priests and said to have a Priesthood and hereupon one would think one might assume the boldness to call them so Mr. T. tells us indeed it was the Priests office to do that work in which was the Worship of God viz. to offer the Sacrifices sprinkle the Blood and such other duties the Levites were imployed to do other services as the bearing of the utensils and such like Wherein how truly and candidly he speaks is to be considered 1. 'T is true it was the Priests office Aaron and his sons to do that work in which was the Worship of God i. e. the work they did when they drew nigh to God or worshipped him was the Worship of God which by office they were bound to do But that it was their office exclusively to the Levites to do that work in which was the Worship of God as he must be interpreted if we suppose him to speak pertinently is false They ministred and by office whereunto they were set apart in the Service and Worship of God as was before proved Their bearing the utensils was as much the Worship of God being commanded by him as sacrificing or sprinkling the Blood of the Sacrifices upon the unclean And this Animadverter if I may assume the boldness to say so writes indiscreetly and fallaciously to oppose these 2dly 'T is true that to Aaron and his sons it did by office and exclusively to the Levites appertain to offer Sacrifice and sprinkle the Blood but that the Levites were only imployed in bearing the utenâ—â—ls and the like is not so They were as well as the Priests the sonâ— of Aaron 1. To teach the people and instruct them in the Law Deut. 33. 10. 2 Chron. 17. 7 8 9. 80 30. 22. 31. 4. 35. 3. Ezra 7. 10 11. Nehem. 8. 7 8. 9. 4 5. 2dly They were solemnly to praise God 1 Chron. 16. 4. 23. 30. 2 Chron. 8. 14. 20. 19. 30. 21. 31. 2. Ezr. 3. 10. Neh. 9. 9. 12. 24. 3dly To bless in his Name Deut. 10. 8. 4thly The Judgment of things sacred appertained to them as touching Leprosie Deut. 24. 8. 2 Chron. 19. 8 10 11. works in which the Worship of God was as eminently as Sacrifice c. upon the account of their designation whereunto they may be called Priests and are so in the Scripture Yet 3dly I no where use the name Priests to denote the Levites only in distinction from Aaron and his sons but make use of that term to denote the Officers or Ministers amongst the Jews designed and separated for the Worship of God and the management of holy things for and to them whether Priests or Levites who being so called by the Spirit of the Lord I thought I might warrantably use that appellation without distasting any one and as yet see no just ground for the change of my thoughts in that matter Sect. 7. Persons invested into the office of Priesthood not left to the liberty of their own wills or the wills of any the whole of their Worship with respect to the matter and manner thereof of divine Institution Of the Candlestick made by Moses The matter of it His obligation to the pattern in making it What it typed out The ground of the acceptance of Worship Several places of Scripture revised and considered THat persons invested into the office of Priesthood were not left to the liberty of their own wills or the wills of any of the sons of men that the whole of their Worship with respect to the matter and manner thereof was purely of divine Institution is a third Assertion of mine touching the state of things under the old Law which Mr. T. takes notice of Sect. 8. which he grants to be thus far true that what was of the Institution of the Lord both as to matter and manner they were not in their office left to their own wills or the wills of any others and so much he saith the Scriptures produced prove Sed dabitur ignis tamen etsi ab inimicis petam We will not thank him for his grant and doubt not but to manifest somewhat more viz. That nothing was to be intermixed with what the Lord had instituted nothing of man to be super-added thereunto whether you respect the matter or manner of the Worship And this the Scriptures instanced do prove Exod. 25. 9 40. According to all that I shew thee after the pattern of the Tabernacle and the pattern of all the Instruments thereof even so shall ye make it And look that ye make them after their pattern which was shewed thee in the Mount And this Dr. Willet upon the place plainly asserts It is hence gathered saith he the form of the Tabernacle is not left to the will of man no not to the judgment of Moses to teach us that God will not be served with will-worship according to the devices and inventions of men but as he himself hath prescribed Prelarg Piscat So our blessed Saviour alledgeth in the Gospel out of the Prophet Mark 7. 7. Num. 8. 4. According to the pattern which the Lord had shewed Moses so he made the Candlestick The Candlestick was a figure of the Church said to be but one here because the Church at this day was National as also Zech. 4. 1. But Rev. 1. 20. we reade of seven Candlesticks which are expresly said to be the seven Churches of Asia i. e. they signified the seven Churches of Asia they were represented by the seven Candlesticks said here and there to be made of Gold beaten Gold to point forth the matter constituting them to be visible Saints and to be made according to the pattern of which Exod. 25. 31. to type forth that no other ground or form of Doctrine or of the Church is to be brought in than that which is shewed of God 2 Tim. 1. 13. 1 Tim. 1. 3 4. 3. 15. Mat. 28. 20. To this Pattern Moses was so strictly bound that it was utterly unlawful for him to have added the least of his own invention which to have done had been not only great unfaithfulness in him but an impeachment of the Wisdom of God and his Love to his People Heb. 8. 5. Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to
4 and 5 of S. T. And now let the judicious Reader consider the places produced Deut. 32. 18. Jer. 23. 27. and 9. 13 14. and 15. 6. Ezr. 9. 10. Jer. 16. 11 12. and 19. 4 5. and I doubt not but he will say that they are not grosly abused as Mr. T. speaks when applied though we did not do so to the imposition or use of the Ceremonies in the Church of England 'T is true the Jews are in some of the places mentioned accused with worshipping of Idols but the great thing that is charged upon them is their departing from the Appointments of the Lord which had they not done they had never worshiped those false Godds who yet so far as I am able to discern were not strictly the Object of their Worship but false Mediums through which they worshiped and went to the true God as others do through the Common-Prayer-Book-Service as great an Idol as ever was in the World and as much the invention of man as the Calf in the Wilderness or the Calves at Dan and Bethel Sect. 9. Of the confidence of the People of the Jews under their Apostasie that they were the People of God Their Persecution even to death of such as testified against their Innovations The Church and Ministers of England guilty of such Innovations as the Prophets Christ c. condemned the Jews for Our bearing Testimony against these hath no tendency to the infringment of the Peace of the Nation The way of ridged Conformity no Basis sufficient to support the Nations Peace The saying of Cyril The unjust Accusations of Mr. T. against us WHat I remark in the fifth place touching the People of the Jews that notwithstanding their Apostasie they remained confident that they were the People of God and persecuted and put to death the Prophets and Servants of the Lord that bore their Testimony against their Innovations Mr. T. grants to be true Sect. 10. But intimates 1. That the People and Teachers of England are not guilty of such Innovations as the Prophets Christ and his Apostles charged upon the Jews Whether they are or no let the judicious Reader judge from what is offered in the foregoing Section To which we shall only add that Mal. 1. 6 7. may most truly be spoken of them They call God indeed Father and Master but they fear and reverence others as such whose Canons and Constitutions they are bound to yeeld Canonical obedience unto They despise his Name by offering polluted bread upon his Altar a service not commanded by him that hath been polluted defiled by Antichrist Nor can they be cleared from that imputation of Christ Mat. 15. 9. Teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of men Which that they do Mr. T. himself in his Fermentum Pharisaeorum yet speaketh and every one knows So that by this Animadverters confession we do well to bear our Testimony against them 2dly That our witnessing against them tends to infringe the publick Peace Answ This was an accusation managed in every day against the witnesses of Christ The Prophets infringed the Peace so did Christ the Apostles c. It was thought therefore not to be for the safety of the Nations to suffer them to live And Mr. T. doth what he can by such wicked and unchristian intimations as these to irritate the present Rulers to proceed against us in like manner Which through the grace of the Lord is a small matter to us who would not account our lives dear â—o our selves so we may finish our work and testimony for Christ with faithfulness and joy What peace these expressions will in the review of them administer to Mr. T. I know not I am sure they will be bitterness in the latter end For our parts where is the person that can testifie ought against us as the disturbers of the peace of the Nation Are there any in it that do more covet and desire the introducing what may and will most assuredly be a Basis to support its continual peace and welfare The way of rigid Conformity will never do it as some hundreds of years experience manifest To this Animadverter I shall only further say as Cyril of old Cyril Epist ad Cleric Constan in Concil Ephes p. 72. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Are we Enemies to Peace In no wise we rather will pull it to us with violence so that the true Faith withal may be confessed If ouâ— Testimony do not eventually rectify any thing we cannot help it 't is no other than what the servants of God yea Christ himself his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 servant met with The people would go on in their superstitious practices say what they could in the Name of the Lord unto them yet were they bound to testify against them This is our comfort that our judgement is with the Lord and our reward with our God That this Animadverter accuseth us of being guilty of Calumny and our practice as proceeding not from holy zeal but evil passion we are not much conceâ—ned 'T is a small matter to be judged of mans day we must shortly stand before an higher Tribunal whither we can chearfully appeal and heartily wish that Mr. T. had manifested less passion and more holy zeal in this Treatise than I am able to discern then would he have had greater cause of rejoycing in the day of Christ Sect. 10. Of the false Prophets that were amongst the Jews To whom the Ministers of England bear a great resemblance manifested in 6 particulars Isa 9. 15. and 28. 7 8. Jer. 23. 11. Zeph. 3. 4. Hos 9. 8. 2 Pet. 2. 1. explained To prophesie lies in the Name of the Lord what Ecclesiastical Canons against the practice of the present Ministers To do violence to the Law to be a snare of a fowler What they import 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or false Teachers who they are Damnable Heresies what and why so called Denying the Lord that bought them what it imports The Plea of the Animadverter for the Church and Ministers of England not much better than what was or might have been made use of by Jeroboam himself WHat I mention in the 6th place touching the false Prophets that were amongst them of Old who ran before they were sent and prophesied smooth things to them in the name of the Lord according to the desire of the heart of them and their Rulers upon the account whereof they were in great esteem amongst them Mr. T. grants But intimates 1. That the Ministers of England are not such as the texts produced describe and therefore those that accuse them as if they were such are false accusers Answ But Ne saevi magne Sacerdos Have a little patience and we doubt not but to manifest that they bear a very great resemblance and likeness to them 1st Did they run before they were sent Jer. 14. 14 21. and 23. 21. i. e. pretend to come and act in the Name of the Lord when he never commanded them nor
state is called the false Prophet Rev. 19. 21. his Doctrine and Worship a Lie 2 Thess 2. 11. yet many Truths are imbraced and preached by him 2. If Mr. T. thinks they were called false Prophets meerly upon the account of their preaching Falshoods and such as incite to Idolatry and contradict the message of the true Prophets he is mistaken They are called false Prophets upon the account of their running before they were sent Ezek. 13. 6. Jer. 14. 14 15. which they had been though they had delivered nothing but Truth coming in his Name when he never sent them And as such were to be put to death So saith Maimonides in his Treatise of Idolatry Chap. 5. Sect. 7 8. one who understood these things as well as Mr. T. The false Prophet is to be strangled to death although he prophesie in the Name of the Lord and neither addeth nor diminisheth Deut. 18. 20. Whether he prophesieth that which he hath not heard by Prophetical Vision or whoso hath heard the words of his fellow-Prophet and saith That this word was said unto him and he prophesieth thereby lo he is a false Prophet and is to be strangled to death That they preached falshoods we deny not and such intimated at least some of them but that they were singly upon this foot of account so called this Animadverter will never prove The Hebrews who more perfectly knew these things than we say the contrary as but now was manifested They were false Prophets though they prophesied Truths without adding or diminishing if they pretended God sent them spake to them when he did not 3. The present Ministers as the false Prophets of old preach falshood and such as incite to Idolatry as we prove S. T. chap. 7. and such as are contradictory to the great Prophet Christ as we manifest ch 4 5. of S. T. Therefore not to be heard by the concession of this Animadverter though commanded by Kings and Rulers By which he may guess how fit these things are to my present purpose and how frivolously he speaks when he saith I should have left out these Allegations if I had well bethought my self how unfit they were to my present design but I will not he presumes say that the present Ministers should be cut off Answ If by cutting off he means putting to death I will not indeed say so though it may be Mr. T. when an Assistant for the ejection of scandalous Ministers thought it lawful civilly to slay them the saying of Divine Service being one branch of scandal for which they were to be ejected And the truth is the Author of S. T. thinks they should not open their mouthes as if Messengers and Embassadors for God till he opens them by giving down the holy Unction to them the great qualification of Gospel-Preachers which most of them 't is to be feared want and an heart to relinquish their Antichristian standing that they may go forth in the work of God from Authority received not from his grand Enemy but from himself 2dly As not harkning to the false Prophets was the duty of the Children of the Lord of old so is Separation from the devised Worship of that day in the fore-cited places asserted and proved to be 1. From the greatness of the sin of self-invented Worship which is 1st A breach upon the soveraign Authority of God 2dly Called by the names of Whordom Adultery Idolatry Fornication Psal 73. 27. Isa 57. 3 8. Jer. 9. 2. Ezek. 23. 45. Hos 3. 7. and 7. 3. Lev. 20. 5. Jer. 13. 27. Ezek. 16. 17. and 20. 30. Hos 1. 2. Rev. 14. 8. and 18. 9. 19 20. 3dly Separation here-from is solemnly charged upon them as their duty Hos 4. 15. Amos 5. 5. Prov. 4. 14. and 5. 8. Cant. 4. 8. To which Mr. T. reples 1st That devised Worship which is tearmed Adultery c. is Lev. 20. 5. committing whordom with Molech Psal 73. 27. being far from God c. Ans 1. But Sir the Question is not what that self-invented Worship was that is so call'd but whether it be not so call'd let it be what it will on the account of its being self-invented The Lord had taken that People into Covenant with himself for his Bride Beloved To them he was Ishi a Lord a Husband By him as such they were obliged by virtue of that Covenant into which he had taken them to be solely guided and ruled to observe his Statutes and Judgments to do them not harkning to the voice of any other beside himself Their acting contrary hereunto was a breach of this Covenant which being a Covenant of Betrothment or Conjugal relation the breach of it is therefore called by the names of Adultery Whordom c. which they had been guilty of had they in smaller matters than those instanced in turned aside from God Jer. 3. 19 20. But I said How shall I put thee among the Children and give thee a pleasant Land a goodly Heritage of the Hosts of Nations and I said Thou shalt call me My Father and shalt not turn away from me Surely as a Wife treacherously departeth from her Husband so have you dealt treacherously with me O house of Israel Their turning aside to their own Inventions is the bottom upon which these abominations are so called Psal 106. 39. Thus were they defiled with their own works and went a whoring with their own inventions Jer. 9. 2. They be all adulterers i. e. turned away from God say the Assembly Hos 3. 3. Her not playing the Harlot is expresly said to be her not being for another man which should she be as by subjecting to the Ordinances of men in the Worship of God we are she plays the Harlot And Hos 1. 2. Departing from the Lord or his Institutions and Appointments is called committing great whordom 2dly 'T is true the Worship which is called Fornication Rev. 14. 8. and 18. 9. is such as Babylon made all Nations even the Kings of the Earth to commit Which learned Brightman upon Rev. 14. 8. interprets to be the Superstitions Errors and Idolatries of the Church of Rome which the West sucked from her as from her Mothers Breasts which proved Wine of wrath or jealousie as well as Fornication because hereby the jealousie of God was stirred up and provoked against them as to purpose it hath been manifesting and displaying it self in Characters of Blood and Flames Ruine and Devastation more or less throughout the European Kingdoms That the very Service of the Ch. of Engl. called by an Antiphrasis Divine Service is the Service of the Church of Rome That many of the Fornications Superstitions Errors c. of the old Strumpet are yet remaining in the Church of England we have demonstrated Chap. 7. of S. T. The Holy-dayes observed by the Church of England are the Holy-dayes of Rome its Collects Prayers Litany Rites from thence Mr. T. knows and in part confesseth pag. 102 of his Theodulia So
Disciples to appeal in matters of Scandal found upon their Brethren with which he hath promised his Presence to which he hath given the Keys of the Kingdom power of binding and loosing is a Church of his own forming But this is a particular Congregational-Church Mat. 18. 17 18 19. as we have demonstrated Therefore Arg. 7. If the Form of Churches be not of Christ's appointment then there is either no beauty splendour glory therein or Christ bears not cannot bear that glory But both of these are absurd 2 Cor. 3. 7 8 9. Zech. 6. 13. Therefore Arg. 8. If the Form of Churches be not of Christ's appointment Then the Church of Christ may have communion with yeeld obedience to the inventions constitutions ordinances and appointments of men of Antichrist the Man of Sin But that they are charged â—ot to do upon most dreadful penalties Rev. 18. 4 5. 14. 9 10 11. Therefore Arg. 9. If the Form of Churches be not of Christ's appointment Then either Christ hath not left sufficient Laws for the government of the Saints or man may super-add to his Laws But both these are false scandalous and injurious to Christ Gal. 3. 15. 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. Rev. 22. 18 19. Arg. 10. If the Form of Churches be not of Christ's appointment Then the Church is not to be governed as 't is taught for it must be taught only by the Word of God Isa 8. 2. But the Consequence is absurd Therefore Arg. 11. If the placing of Officers in particular Churches be of the appointment of Christ then the Churches themselves are so But the placing of Officers in particular Churches is of the appointment of Christ 1 Cor. 12. 28. Eph. 4. 11 12. Therefore Arg. 12. Those Churches which Christ owns for his Candlesticks in allusion to the Candlesticks of the Temple which were purely of divine institution are of the institution of Christ But Christ owns particular Churches for his Candlesticks viz. the Seven Churches of Asia which we have before demonstrated were particular Churches Rev. 1. 20. Therefore Those that desire further satisfaction in this matter may consult a little Treatise lately published entituled A brief Instruction in the Worship of God and Discipline of the Churches of the New Testament p. 93. where they will find it clearly and amply debated Sect. 18. Of National Ministers What meant by Ministry Of extraordinary and ordinary Officers Upon what account the Church of Engl. is asserted to be a false Church Mr. T. his Arguments to prove that in a National Church or a Church irregular in its constitution may be a true Ministry of Christ answered The contrary is demonstrated THE Design of Mr. T. his 18th and 19th Sect. is to answer the second Query in S. T. Whether National Ministers are the Ministers of Christ Or whether there can be a true Ministry in a false Church as a National Church must be if not of divine Institution upon what pretence soever it be so denominated Before he attempts the Resolution of this Query he considers First What the Ministry is of which it is enquired whether it be true or false And having at large acquainted us with the signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he tells us he understands the query to be meant of that part of the Ministry which is by preaching But I must crave leave to tell him he somewhat misseth the white of the Authors intendment who by it intends an Office-Power of Ministry for discharge of that whole work that peculiarly relates to the Ministers of the Gospel to be performed and managed by them according to the Will of Christ Whether it be the Ministry of the Word the Lords Supper c. This as Mr. T. saith rightly is either the Ministry of extraordinary Officers as Apostles c. of which our Question is not or of ordinary Officers as Pastors c. of whom it is queried Whether ordinary National Officers or Ministers are of the Institution of Christ What saith Mr. T He tells us 1. That Paul was a Minister not only to a particular Church but even to the Gentiles Answ That this doth not in the least concern the Question in debate which is of ordinary Church-Officers and Paul as I remember with the rest of the Apostles was an extraordinary one receiving a Commission for the Preaching of the Gospel to all Nations he will be so ingenuous as upon the review to acknowledge Secondly A Church may be said to be false many wayes Answ True it may so but in his discourse there abouts we are little concerned who assert the Church of England to be a false Church because it is destitute of the true Matter visible Saints and the true Form freely giving up themselves unto the Lord and one another to worship him together as a Community according to the revelation of his will But he will prove Thirdly That in a National Church or a Church irregular in its constitution i. e. that hath neither the matter nor form of a true Church of Christ or discipline may be a true Ministry of Christ His first Argument is Arg. 1. If the truth of the Ministry depend upon the truth of the Church or its regularity then where is no true regular Church there is no true Ministry But that is false since there may be a true Ministry where there is no Church at all and therefore no true Church Therefore Answ If by a true regular Church Mr. T. means a Church for matter and form rightly constituted according to the mind of Christ and by a true Ministry the Ministry of ordinary Officers such as Pastors and Teachers as he must do if he speak pertinently we deny his Minor Proposition Where there is no true Church at all in a false Church or Church not regularly constituted according to the mind of Christ as is the case of the National Church of England there cannot be a true Ministry which Mr. T. forgot to attempt the proof of And indeed his abilities seem to lie much in Dogmatizing and 't is great pitty but he were created a Rabbi in the Pithagorean School his accuteness therein being so incomparably excellent 1st That there can be no true ordinary Ministry where there is no Church is manifest First Where ever we read of ordinary Ministers we read of them as appertaining to some one particular Church or other Acts 14. 23. 15. 2 4 22. 20. 17 28. 1 Cor. 12. 28. Phil. 1. 1. Tit. 1. 5. 1 Pet. 5. 1 2. As good a man may imagine an Husband to be without a Wife or a Major without a Corporation or a Father without Children as a Minister without a Church in which he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to minister according to the will and appointment of Christ Secondly Every lawful Minister is elected and chosen to his Office by the Church or People of God Therefore there can be no true ordinary
by him For it will hence follow that whoever brings the truth of Doctrine is a true Minister Then the Devil was so Mark 1. 24. Luke 4. 34. Every private Brother a Woman may be so For where the Form denominating is there the Subject is rightly denominated from it But this is too absurd for Mr. T. to cleave to His sixth Argument is False Prophets false Apostles false Brethren are onely denominated from their false Doctrine therefore they are not false Ministers but true who teach the truth of the Gospel The Antecedent he proves from 2 Pet. 2. 1. 2 Cor. 11. 13. Gal. 2. 4 5. 1 Joh. 2. 18 21 22 26. 2 Joh. 7. Answ 1. We deny the consequence it doth not follow â—pon supposition that false Prophets are so denominated from their false Doctrine that whoever preach true Doctrine are true Ministers the proof whereof we expect by the next 2ly the Antecedent is manifestly false False Prophets are so called because they ran and prophesied in the Name of the Lord when he never sent them speak in them or to them Jer. 14. 14 15. 23. 21 22. 27. 15. 28. 15. 29. 9 31. 43. 2. Ezâ—k 13. 6. Of false Apostles there is the same reason The true Apostles are so call'd upon the account of their Mission from Christ nor is any one so except lawfully called by Christ saith Pareus on 1 Cor. 1. The false upon the account of their pretending thereto when indeed they were never sent by him Nor doth 2 Cor 11. 13. make void this Assertion it rather establisheth it T is true the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or false Apostles preached false Doctrine but they are not upon that foot of account so denominated but because they were metaschematizing or transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ as Satan is also sometimes transforming himself into an Angel of light i e they come as the Apostles of Christ pretend to be his Ambassadors men sent by him as M. T. knows the word signifies when really and indeed they were not so 1 Joh. 2. 18 21 22 26. tells us of Antichrists that were already come such as Simon Magus Ebion Cerinthus and that tâ—ey opposed the Person and Doctrine of the Son of God who with their endless genealogies and unintelligible conceptions attempted the total overthrow of the Gospel wondrously perplexing the Saints of that day but that therefore they were called false Apostles there is not the least mention Gal. 2. 4 5. speaks of false Brethren but that they are so called singly upon the account of their spreading false opinions is a conceit that Mr. T. will not in haste make good They were unsound hypocritical Professors that pretending to be Brethren sought an occasion to injure and mischieve the Children of the Lord which Paul had too great an experiment of 2 Cor. 11. 26. 2 Pet. 2. 1. hath already been considered So that with more Scripture-evidence it may be argued If false Prophets false Apostles be so denominated upon the account of their running before they were sent pretending to come in his Name when he never missionated them Then they are false Ministers who come in the Name of Christ and have received no authentick Commission from him But the Antecedent is true as we have evinced Therefore Sect. 19. Of God's determining the whole of our Worship His so doing of old in the Statutes and Judgments he gave to Israel an eminent act of Love it is so now to his New-Testament-Churches Mr. T. his ten Arguments to the contrary answered Acts 15. 10. Heb. 7. 18 19. 9. 9 10. Joh. 1. 18. explained THe third Query in the S. T. is Whether God doth not beaâ— as much love to and exercise as much faithfulness over his New-Testament-Churches as over the National Church of the Jews To this Mr. T. answers No doubt of it He grants he doth To the fourth Query Whether he hath not as of old he did with reference to the then Church determined the whole of the Worship appertaining to them to whose Institutions without any humane additions it is the duty of fouls solely to conform He answers in the Negative God hath not determined Circumstantials in Worship he must mean Circumstances of Worship relating to it as such or he speaks nothing to the purpose and these are such necessary parts of Worship that without them it is not accepted and his not doing so is an argument of greater love to his New-Testament-Churches than his determining the whole of his Worship to the Church of the Jews was to them Answ 1. In pag. 32. he tells us that if God do design more diligently the longitude and latitude of the Jewish Church at their calling hereafter which are things Mr. T. accounts Accidentals of Worship undetermined and leave the dimension of our Church to humane choice this may be done out of more special love to them So that the same act of God is it seems a manifestation and no manifestation of greater love from God i. e. when it will serve Mr. T. his design to assert it to be so it is so when otherwise he will perswade to the belief of the contrary Quo teneam vultus mutantem Protea nodo 2dly When the Lord speaks of the Judgments and Statutes he had given to Israel whereby the whole of their Worship was determined he speaks of them as the wondrous manifestation of his love to theâ— whereby they were eminently exalted above all the people in the world Psal 147. 19 20. Ezek. 20. 11. Neh. 9. 13. Deut. 6. 24. That the determination of their Worship should be an issue of dearest love and the non-determination of ours a manifestation of greater love is an Assertion that had need be back't with strong proofs and evidence else it is not likely to find the least entertainment amongst the Saints But this he manifests by no less than a decad of Reasons Reas 1. Because the determination of the whole of the Worship of God to the Jews was the imposing of a yoke on them which neither the elder nor later Jews were able to bear Acts 15. 10. Answ But this is a mistake of the Animadverters The Apostle Peter saith not the determination of the whole of the Worship of God to them was such a yoke but the pressing Circumcision and Mosaical Observances by some Sect-masters amongst them as the way to Justifâ—cation and Salvation was so As is evident from ver 1 5 11. The Doctrine of Justification and Salvation by the works of the Law was a yoke that they were not able to bear Ergo the determination of the whole of the Worship of God was so is a most ridiculous and puerile Conclusion 2. Grant the yoke to be Mosaical Observances their number and multitude c. made them such an insupportable yoke not their deteâ—mination by the Lord. Whatever he institutes and commands as such is the joy and delight of the Saints to conform to not
their yoke and burden Reas 2. Because the determination of the whole of God's Worship to the Jews did bring in many things which were unprofitable weak and made nothing perfect Heb. 7. 18 19. And if God had so determined to us he had commanded things unprofitable weak c. Therefore Answ 1. The will of God was the ground and measure of those things the Apostle calls unprofitable c. which had they been more so upon the account thereof they ought to have been submitted unto the unprofitableness and weakness of any thing being no ground for its rejection when commanded by the Lord. 2dly This Animadverter is not so much of Gods counsel as to be able to say what had been if the whole of Gospel-Worship had been as it is determined by the Lord. That there is some part of Gospel-Worship instituted he will not deny Is this unprofitable weak If not what necessity is there that what he supposeth not to be instituted had it been so should be liable to such a crimination 3dly What is most weak contemptible and unprofitable in the eye of man is usually made the power of God to them that are saved 1 Cor. 1. 18 23 24 25. 4thly These supposed accidentals of Worship non-determined of God are left by him according to Mr. T. his dictate to be determined by Governours If the determination of the Lord would have rendred them weak and unprofitable doth their determination make them efficacious and profitable Are they wiser stronger than God or being determined by them may we reject them as unprofitable weak and good for nothing To what purpose disputes he then for them 5thly If God hath left them to be set down by Governours to whom obedience is due as saith the Animadverter 't is out of love and faithfulness to us that he hath done so that it should be greater love and faithfulness in him to us to leave them to the determination of men with a necessity of our subjection to them when determined than to do it himself is absurd to assert But 6thly The observances instanced in by Paul Heb. 7. 18 19. were not accidentals of Worship they were necessary and essential parts thereof such things wherein the greatest part of the Instituted Worship of God amongst the Jews did consist which are called weak and unprofitable c. not with respect to the determination of God as if his determining them made them so which were impious to imagine nor in respect of the end for which they were instituted by the Lord which it was impossible they should be he never failing of his end nor mistaking in the choice of means proper and suitable thereunto but with respect to the great works of Justification Sanctification c. accomplished and wrought by the Melchizedechian Priesthood of the Lord Jesus as the Apostle speaketh and in this sense all the Worship of Christ that is determined by him is weak unprofitable makes nothing perfect viz. in it self or with respect to Justification and by this Animadverters Argument it had therefore been a greater demonstration of love and faithfulness in the Lord to us to have determined no part of Instituted Worship Reas 3. The things God determined to the Jews about the Circumstantials of his Worship were but shadows of good things to come which were not fit to be continued or to be supplied with any other Christ being come who was the Body or Substance Colos 2. 16 17. Heb. 10. 1. Therefore Answ 1. What was fit or not fit for God to do Mr. T. is too bold to assume the confidence to determine He never made him or any of the Sons of men his Counsellor 2. Not the circumstantials of Worship only but the greatest part of the instituted Worship of the Lord amongst them was a shadow of good things to come The Sacrifices Passover Ordinances of the Priesthood c. were eminent Types of Christ who was the Substance and Body of them yet no accidentals of Worship but that wherein the Worship it self did consist But 3dly Mr. T. will never prove That if God determine the whole of his Worship under the Gospel he must introduce such things as are such shadows of good things to come as the Jews Observances were The determination of the whole of the Worship of Chriâ—t asserted by us secures us we find by experience from such things which the asserting a liberty in men to determine what they please under the notion of accidentals of Worship exposeth us to witness the Cross in Baptism Surplice Hood Tippet and a hundred such ridicuâ—ous trinkets invented by them and yet except he prove this his reason is irrational and ludicrous Let us see if there be any more weigâ—t in what follows Reas 4. Such Ordinances were carnal to endure only to the time of Reformation which is this time of the Gospel Heb. 9. 9. Therefore it 's part of Gods love c. that neither the same in particular nor other are precisely determined to us by God Answ 1. The Jewish Ordinances are called Carnal or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Justifications or Righteousnesses of the flesh because in their own nature they reached only to the outward man saith Piscator because they did sanctifie only to the purifying of the flesh vers 13. say our Annotators These were to continue but untill the time of Reformation as the Apostle saith even to the times of the Gospel but that no other Ordinances that in their own nature I speak not of what is done by the blessing of the Lord upon his own appointments reach only to the outward man and the purifying of the flesh are of the appointment of Christ whatever others say Mr. T. upon second thoughts will not assert it But 2dly These Ordinances were carnal and vertually â—bolished at the death of Christ actually taken away and removed when the Temple was destroyed by Titus Vespatian the same Ordinances in particular are not determined by the Lord but that no other Ordinances are is a slip of Mr. T. his Pen or it may be a Typographical error which he will not justifie 3dly When this Animadverter proves that it was not an act of rich love and faithfulness in the Lord upon the cessation of the carnal Ordinances of the Jews to institute de novo and precisely determine a more simple or spiritual Worship or that because these then ceased therefore it could not be an act of love in the Lord so to do i. e. When he shall make good his Inference he may be supposed to say something but till then an ordinary capacity will be able to discern that he doth but trifle His 5 6 7 Reasons are not worth the mentioning concluding only That New-Testament-Believers are released from Jewish Observances which we assert and own as well as he And when he shall be able to manifest that any thing else can Logically or Rationally be deduced from them I will be his bondman Reas 5. For
what though the Jews were in their minority and therefore to be kept under those beggarly elements c. until the time appointed by the Father Gal. 4. 1 2 3 9. Doth it therefore follow that God hath not determined the whole of his Worship now Is the Son because grown up to offer to God what Worship he pleaseth This indeed follows That we are not under those beggarly Elements and to return to them or any like them not of the appointment of Christ is an act of great ingratitude to the Lord for his love and faithfulness manifested to us in the establishment of a more sublime and spiritual Worship under the Gospel As also that it is great wickedness to introduce impose or subject to such beggarly Elements now these stood for the most part in bodily rites in differences of meats and drinks of times places garments c. of which he may do well humbly to inform his good Mother the Church of England that she is too too guilty The like may be said of his 6th Reason The time before Christ was an estate under Moses a Servant the estate of Christians is under Christ the Son Gal. 4. 4 5 6 7. Heb. 3. 5. Therefore we are no longer to be subject to Mosaical appointments had been somewhat tolerable arguing but therefore 't is greater love in the Lord not to determine the whole of his Worship to us now which being the Position he attempts the proof of should have been his Inference is such a pittifull illation that one would never expect from such a learned person as Mr. T. It rather follows Therefore Christ hath determined the whole of his Worship under the New Testament being faithful as a Son when Moses the Servant according to the appointment of the Lord gave forth Laws for the ordering the whole of the affairs of the then House of God especially considering that he was the Prophet like unto Moses whom the Father promised to raise up into whose mouth he said he would put his words and that he should speak unto the Sont of Men whatever he commanded him Deut. 18. 18. Accordingly when he comes into the world 't is said of him He revealed the Father Joh. 1. 18. Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he plainly and delucidly expounded to them the mind and will of the Father that the Father spake to us in or by him Heb. 1. 1. and gives us a charge to hear him Mat. 3. 17. Reas 7. His seventh Reason is like the rest 'T is true had not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or hand-writing of Mosaical Ceromonies been abolished Col. 2. 14. we had not reaped the fruit of Christs death by which they were abolished Ephes 2. 14 15. and so consequently tasted the less of the love of the Lord. But that therefore 't is a greater argument of love in God not to determine the whole of his Worship or that if he haâ— done so we had not reaped the fruit of Christs death is such a sort of nakedness in Mr. T. his arguing that one would not willingly discover did not the vindication of Truth necessitate one hereunto Reas 8. His eighth Reason is if possible more weak and absurd The Apostles judged it a great benefit to the Christian Churches that they were exempt from the Rites and Ceremonies of the Mosaical Law Acts 15. 28. therefore they accounted it an effect of Gods love that he had not determined the whole of his Worship to us With what affection others will peruse these passages I cannot tell for my part I heartily pitty him that he should ever undertake the defence of a cause so deplorable as to be driven to such pittiful shifts in the managerie thereof which I cannot impute to his want of Abilities which he will one day find he might better have imployed than in his present undertaking but the desperateness of the Cause he endeavours to defend It follows indeed that therefore they accounted it an effect of Gods love that they were delivered from the burden of those external Rites and Ceremonies especially as they appertained to the Covenant of Works and so do we 'T is strange if this Animadverter reckon it to be so that he should plead for the same the like yea worse Ceremonies imposed not by the Lord but by men whose servants we never were nor in these matters ought to be But that they accounted it an effect of love that God had not determined the whole of his New-Testament-Worship is such a câ—imination as their souls abhorred But he proceeds Reas 9. 'T is an effect of greater love to the Gentile Churches that God hath not determined the whole of his Worship because they being of divers Nations and Languages under divers Governments used to divers Customs they could not conveniently if at all practise such an Uniformity of Circumstances as they must have done if God had so determined Answ 1. That their being of divers Nations c. should discapacitate them with respect to their conforming to the will of God even in Circumstantials of Worship as such any more than they are discapacitated in their conforming to that part of Instituted Worship Mr. T. grants to be determined by the Lord is beyond the ken of my shallow understanding 2dly That the Saints must have practised any external Uniformity I suppose he means it with respect to Liturgies falsly called Divine Service in use amongst the Papists and Church of England Vestments called Holy c. if God had determined the whole of his Worship we crave leave to deny he hath so done yet such an Uniformity ought not to be practised 't is wretched and abominable And yet had the Lord seen it meet to have enjoyned any such thing it ought to have been practised nor would it by the Saints have been accounted a less argument of his love to them because thereby they should have been exposed to outward inconveniencies This reason at the best is but carnal and selfish from our conveniencies external or inconveniencies a measure of the Lords love in Divine Appointments is not to be taken But there is yet one Reason behind Reas 10. The Assertion That God hath determined the whole of his Worship in Circumstantials relating to it as such is to infringe our Christian Liberty and to bring us into such bondage as they were in under the Law therefore not agreeable to that love God bears to the New-Testament-Churches Answ 1. That the Lords determining the whole of his Worship should in the least infringe our Christian Liberty is a monstrous assertion it rather establisheth it in the freedom it gives not only from the Jewish Ceremonies but the Inventions and Devices of men with force and violence attempted to be imposed upon us For if God had determined the whole of his New-Testament-Worship it cannot be supposed that we owe the least homage or subjection to these We may not be the servants of men 2dly I never yet thought
to be Brethren and Members of all the Churches in the world Gal. 3. 26 1 Cor. 10. 16. and 12. 12 Eph. 4. 4. They make them to be Brethren only of those particular Churches to whom those Epistles are directed as the serious reading them will evince 2. Were what he saith true He would reduce the brotherhood to a narroer compass than we either do or dare For if his notion be true only those that are baptized into Christ can be so accounted but Mr. T. thinks that only such as are baptized at years of discretion are thus baptized into Christ Therefore only such are Brethren and then I am sure the Ministers of England are not to be so accounted Thus frequently doth he wound to the heart the cause he undertakes the management of with his own sword We add in S. T. Secondly We cannot as things stand perform the duties of Brethren to them according to Mat. 18. nor will they or can they in the state in which they stand to us What Mr. T. hath answered to Maâ— 18. in his answer to the Preface Sect. 15. we have refuted in the Vindication thereof Sect. and have evinced a Congregational Church is there meant 'T is no Argument of hatred as Mr. T. according to his wonted candor suggests that we cannot perform the duties of Brethren to them 1. They are a Church of such a Latitude that 't is almost impossible we should do so 2. We are in no Church-state together 3. Should we reprove them we could do no more therefore we cannot perform the duties of Brethren required by that Scripture which indoctrinates us in case of non-repentance to bring it before the Church we know no Churth to whom we may complain The Parochial Assemblies have no power to deal with them The Bishops Court is no Church of Christ yet thither must we appeal if any where and we have little encouragement to do so it consisting of persons altogether â—â— vicious and deboyst as those we are to complain of We say further in S. T. Thirdly If we acknowledge the best of them for Brethren we must acknowledge the worst of them For 1. They are all members of the the same Church 2. They profess themselves to be one Brotherhood To which Mr. T. pretends a Reply in a Rhapsodie of words little or not at all to purpose He tells us 1st Of a twofold Communion Private or Publick and that the worst of the present Ministers are to be accounted as Brethren in respect of private Gospel-Communion i. e. we are to restore them as Brethren open our hearts to them according to Gal. 6. 1. Mal. 3. 16. Jam. 5. 16. I industriously omit his Scoffe of Pharisaically minded reputed Saints which he must shortly account for to him who will reckon with men for their hard and reproachful words to his Children And to what may be thought of any moment in this his Answer we Reply Answ 1. His distinction of Private and Publick Gospel-Communion is impertinent as is his discourse of the lawfulness of holding private Gospel-Communion with them 'T is of Communion with them in preaching c. that we are treating which he accounts Publick Communion 2. Not one of the Scriptures produced but condemn what he would have them justifie The Brethren Paul speaks of Gal. 6. 1. were Members of a particular instituted Church Gal. 1. 2. Such as had received the Spirit Chap. 3. 2. The Sons of God by Faith Vers 26. Baptized into Christ putting him on Vers 27. Sons into whose hearts God had sent forth the Spirit of his Son crying Abba Father Chap. 4. 6. Heirs of God through Christ Vers 7. Such as knew God were known of him Vers 9 c. Mal. 3. 16. Speakes expresly concern-such as feared the Lord in opposition to the proud and them that work wickedness such as those mentioned Jam. 5. 16. which Mr. T. knows in his conscience cannot be affirmed of the worst of the present Ministers Certainly the forementioned Characters fit not the drunkards swearers adulterers that are known to be of that Tribe Nor 3. Am I able to make any tollerable sence of what follows that concerning this it follows not if we acknowledge the best of them as Brethren we must also acknowledge the worst of them he having asserted and introduced the Scriptures but now requoted to prove it that concerning this The worst of the present Ministers are to be accounted as Brethren 2dly As touching publick Gospel-Communion he tells us It consists in hearing them praying with them receiving the Lords Supper c. Answ Very well How proves he that with respect hereunto we mâ—y own them as Brethren Why 1. Judas might be heard as an Apostle was perhaps a Communicant at the Lords Supper It 's therefore lawful to hear and joyâ— in the Lords Supper with the worst of the present Ministers Answ 1. Of the case of Judas that is repeated usque ad naâ—sâ—am we shall have occasion to speak hereafter At present we shall only say 2. He was an Apostle sent forth by Jesus Christ which the present Ministers of England are not 3. He was a visible Saint carried it so well that but immediately before his betraying his Lord the Disciples seemed rather to suspect themselves than him which cannot be affirmed of visible Drunkards 4. That he received the Communion is uncertain If he did they were in a Church-state he was a visible Saint no actual crime or evil could be laid to his charge so that this instance makes not aâ— all for Communion with the worst or best of the Ministers of England who are not in a Gospel Church state c. He further tells 3dly A mixt multitude made acclamation to Christ yet our Lord justified their joyning together in their praying and praising God Mat. 21. 16. Luke 19. 39. Answ 1. This was but one act 2. Out of a Church-state 3. From an extraordinary impulse of Spirit 4. They joyned with the Disciples were not the mouth of the Disciples to God and therefore reacheth not at all our present Casâ— 5. Mr. T. Can never prove this Consequence valid The Disciples sing Hosanna to Christ and others a mixt multitude by an extraordinary impulse of Spirit sing so to Ergo It 's our duty to joyn with the present Ministers as Brethren in praying preaching receiving the Sacrament c. which yet he must make good or confess he hath hitherto proved nothing He adds 4thly 'T is no sin to joyn in the true Worship of God wâ—th any if we have no command to withdraw from that Service because of their presence nor power to exclude them and yet bound to the duties then performed Believers might prophesie and hear it though unbelievers came in 1 Cor. 14. 24. Answ 1. This Animadverter takes for granted what we deny First That the true Worship of God is performed in the Parish Assemblies All praying and preaching is not the true Worship of God The offering
Sacrifice at Jerusalem was so but not elsewhere These things must be performed in the way appointed by him else they cannot be so accounted 2dly 'T is true bound we are to perform the duties they pretend to perform but according to the Institution of the Lord not mans devising as they are performed in the Church of England Isa 29. 13. Mat. 15. 7. 3ly Though it be no sin to joyn in the true Worship of God yet 't is a sin to joyn with false worshippers in a false way of Worship as praying after the way of the Common-Prayer-Book hearing an Antichristian Minister 4thly Believers 't is true might prophesie though unbelievers came in but it doth not therefore follow that ' â—is lawful for Believers to joyn with Unbelievers or forsake the Way and Institutions of Christ to go to the Assemblies of Unbelievers and hear them Prophesie As the worst of Ministers of whom he is discoursing and the generality of Parochial Assemblies undoubtedly are if a Spirit of prophaness visible debauchery an excess of riot bespeak persons to be such And from such he grants we are to separate by command from Christ 2 Cor. 6. 17. to which may be added Eph. 5. 11. 2 Tim. 3. 5. Acts 2. 39 40. But why talks he of our separating from them when they separate as much from us as we do from them we were never no more of them than they were of us Of Rev. 18. 4. we shall hereafter speak For the present we deny that by Babylon there is meant only literal Rome and expect the proof of his dictate The keeping company and eating interdicted 1 Cor. 5. 11. he tells us must be meant of eating Common Bread Because vers 10. That keeping company which is forbidden to such Brethren is allowed in vers 9 10. to the Fornicators of the world which cannot be Gospel-Communion keeping company in eating of the Lords Supper Answ 1. It seems then that with the Fornicators of the world we may not have Gospel-Communion if so then not with the Church of England for with it we cannot have Communion without holding fellowship with such as these 2dly If it be not lawful to have Communion with a Brother one of the same particular Church for of such an one the Apostle speaks that is a Fornicator or Covetous or an Idolater or a Railer or a Drunkard or an Extortioner so far as to common eating and drinking then a fortiori may we argue it is utterly unlawful to have communion with him in the Worship of God and much more unlawful to have fellowship with one we never walked with in the way of the Gospel according to any institution of Christ 3. That 't is lawful to hold Communion in eating the Lords Supper with Railers Drunkards c. I am sorry to find Mr. T. asserting of which we expect his proof The contrary is evident 1. Persons must be in a Church-state before they are capable of the regular enjoyment of that Ordinance which is a Church-Ordinance and part of Instituted Worship but Persons of such a Complexion are not fiâ— matter for a Church as we before proved Therefore 2. Those who ought to be excommunicated out of a Church were they in we may not have Communion with especially when in a false Church-state as is the case of the members of the Church of England But persons of such a character as the Apostle mentions should be excommunicated out of the Church Therefore 3. Those with whom we have Communion in breaking Bread as a Gospel-Ordinance with them we are one Bread 1 Cor. 10. 17. But we may not be one Bread with Drunkards c. Therefore 4. Those with whom we are commanded to have no fellowship with them we may not have fellowship in that Ordinance of breaking Bread But with such as these we are commanded to have no fellowship Eph. 5. 11. That the People of God can scarce ever break Bread with comfort in the best instituted Churches as he tells us from this doctrine is a notoriously false Crimination a meer Calumny His subsequent scoff is such froth and vanity as becomes not his years nor profession we pass it over as beneath us to take further notice of We add in S. T. 3dly That we cannot acknowledge the present Ministers for our Brethren but we must acknowledge the Bishops for our Reverend Fathers for theirs they are but that we cannot do To this Mr. T. adjoyns Sect. 5. 1. They are call'd their Reverend Fathers in respect of their Ordination Answ 1. But we cannot own them as Reverend Fathers with respect hereunto when we assuredly know they are herein usurpers of what doth not appertain to them But 2dly This is not all they own them as such upon the account of their Authority over them and the Parochial-Assemblies in the respective Diocesses who are to give forth Canons and Laws for them to walk by in not a few things relating to Worship as is known Now so we cannot own them as our Reverend Fathers we know no honour or obedience we owe them as such We think the inspection of one Bishop over an hundred Congregations can be proved by no better Arguments than the inspection of the Pope over an hundred thousand That a Diocesan and Oecumenical Bishop are much of the same kind and have their standing on the same foundation We know no Bishop of the institution of Christ but a Pastor of a particular Congregation He that pretends to more must prove his pretensions or we cannot but look upon him as an usurper I would gladly know whether Mr. T. thought it lawful to own them as his Reverend Fathers when he swore to exâ—irpate them with the whole Hierarchy and whether his so doing were an act of filial obedience That they are to be accounted Fathers in respect of their Antichristian Office because the Apostle saith 1 Tim. 5. 1. That an Elder is to be entreated as a Father when they are not Elders but a degree above them not from the Institution of Christ but the Courtesie at the best of Princes he will never prove Of their success in begetting others to Christ I understand nothing Those whom they have begotten may upon the account thereof esteem them as their Reverend Fathers but yet I am apt to think should they not be invested in the Title till then for the most of them at least they would go to their graves without it These are but Figleave-coverings The Animadverter knows they are not upon this bottom so called or accounted but with respect to that Office-power they have in the Church over the rest of the Ministers and Parochial-Assemblies thereof which being a meer incroachment usurpation and innovation we dare not own them as such We further argue in S. T. 4thly We cannot hear them as Brethren because they are if Brethren such as walk disorderly from whom we are bound to separate by express precept Mat 18. 2 Thess 3. 6. That they walk
the least some of the present Ministers are not guilty of them Let the Scriptures be perused if the evils mentioned may not be charged upon the most if not all of them and that without the least breach of charity I am mistaken Though 3dly The evil the Apostle calls disorderly walking is supposed to be only a Brother's living idely or not working which that it is a greater sin than what we have here charged the Ministers of England with will not in hast be believed by such as know the Lord to be a jealous God and the abhorrency of his Soul against humane Inventions in and additaments to his Worship I say supposed to be For I am of the mind that the disorderly walking v. 10. is but a branch of that disorderly walking v. 6. which may be taken in general for all kind of evil carriage and so includes in it the particulars mentioned That by tradition v. 6. should be meant only that command v. 10. is not likely 'T is rather to be extended to those mentioned 2 Thes 2. 15. And laid down as a direction or help to secure them from the cheats and innovations of Antichrist and his ministâ—â—s whom he tells them should come and that with all deceivableness of unrighteousness intimates that many should believe their lie v. 7 8 9 10 11. presses â—hem v. 15. to stand fast viz. in the doctrine of the Gospel with respect to Faith and Worship to hold the Traditions they had been taught by them v. 15. And having prayed for them v. 16 17. and exhorted them to pray for him he tells them of his Faith and Confidence touching their establishment by the Lord and keeping them from evil chap. 3. 1 2 3. And again praying for them v. 5. he presseth v. 6. to withdraw from every Brother that shall walk disorderly and not according to their Traditions i. e. shall so far side with Antichrist and his Ministers as to practise conform to his Innovations in the Worship of Christ which we prove they do And the things mentioned are known to be such Nor is it necessary that we produce an Apostolical tradition expresly against them because in matters of Worship that which is not commanded is forbidden What Mr. T. hath said in answer to Chap. 1. Sect. 3. we have already replied to To his Query Where is your Apostolical tradition for your Church-Covenant Election of Ministers we shall only say That when Mr. T. or any one for him shall be able to shew as much Apostolical tradition for the matters with respect to which we charge the Ministers of England as disorderly walkers as the learned Ainsworth Cotton Bartlet and we our selves in S. T. have shewed for the matters instanced in by him we shall surcease our accusation and acknowledge we have done them wrong That which he adds 3dly If every one that hath not a written Apostolical tradition for what he doth walks disorderly then every one that sins walks disorderly will receive a speedy dispatch Answ He doth so Yea but then this Author saith he if he be not a Perfectionist nor thinks himself excluded from the number of those of whom Jam. 3. 2. 1 Joh. 1. 8. is a disorderly walker and to be separated from Answ Setting aside his scoff which becomes him not at all I answer First Disorderly walking is twofold 1. Private known only to a mans own self which is matter of burden sorrow and lamentation to him under which he groans and wars against it 2dly More publick which is twofold 1. Such as through weakness and the remainders of corruption the Children of the Lord do fall into which they are ashamed of grieved for and are thankful to any that shall reprove them for it and help them against it Or 2. Such as is owned avowed men justifie themselves in the practice of will not whatever is said against them be reclaimed from Persons guilty of disorderly walking in this last sense we say are to be separated from and that this is the case of the Ministers of the Church of England is notoriously known He proceeds and tells us 4thly The present Ministers will be apt to alledge for themselves that they have Apostolical tradition for those practices for which they are accused as disorderly walkers viz. Rom. 13 1. Heb. 13. 17. and be ready to recriminate us for separating from our Brethren disobeying our Ministers and Governours commanding things lawful Answ 1. 'T is very like they may do the one and the other As for the latter Si accusari sufficiat nemo erit innocens Let them or â—ny for them prove that we have separated from any of them and therein broken any rule of the Gospel of Christ that they are by vertue of any appointment of Christ our Ministers and Governors whom we ought to obey and that the things required are lawful and they will be supposed to say somewhat that we are concern'd to take notice of but till then we are innocent Rom. 13. 1. Tells us We must obey the Powers that are of God but saith not we must do so in that which is sinful in their additaments to the Worship of Christ In such cases neither Solomon nor Jeroboam was to be obeyed neither Kings Popes or Bishopes are to be subjected to The Renowned Hus tels the Council of Constancâ— to their face that If the Popes Commandment be not concordant and agreeable with the Doctrine of the Gospel or the Apostles 't is not to be obeyed And cites Isidore speaking thus He which doth rule and doth say or command any thing contrary or BESIDES the will of God or that which is evidently commanded in the Scriptures he is honoured as a false-witness of God or Church-Robber whereupon we are bounden to obey no Prelate but in such case as he doth command or take counsel of the counsels and commandments of Christ Heb. 13. 17. tels us we must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obey our Rulers or Leaders but this doth not prove that we must obey those that we never own'd to be our Leaders that we are sure by vertue of any institution of Christ are not such and that in every foppery they shall devise Sure it was not the duty of the good people of England to obey the Guides or Rulers were set over them in the Marian dayes and yet they might with as good reason have urged this Scripture for subjection to them as these now It was a presentation institution and induction then as now together with an Episcopal Ordination that constituted them Ministers of this or that Parish Let the Individuals acquit themselves to be Ministers of Christ and we shall pay them whatever obedience can be manifested from any precept of Christ to be due to them from us but till then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But for a conclusion of all our Animadverter adds That if the Ministers were disorderly walkers and to be withdrawn from yet it doth not follow
that they might not be heard as gifted Brethren Of which he gives us three learned reasons 1. Because the withdrawing themselves from every Brother that walks disorderly cannot be meant of their excluding themselves from Hearing Praying or receiving the Lords Supper if such an one be present Answ Right but though this withdrawment from such a Brother cannot be meant of exclusion from hearing whilst he is present yet I hope it may from hearing him who walks thus disorderly The same may be said of receiving the Lords Supper If he be there as a looker-on meerly this ought not to hinder any from waiting upon Christ in that institution though the Church of England in imitation of the old Pagan custom of the Druides c. of old interdicts the Priests saying service whilst an excommunicate person is there but if he shall be forced upon the Congregation as a member to joyn with them in that ordinance and much more as their Minister to celebrate it as is our case it is the duty of the Saints to surcease the performance of that duty for that season It was the keeping themselves from being polluted that caused them to sever from him that reason remaining which it doth till he hath testified his repentance their withdrawment is to continue He adds 2ly That the withdrawment mentioned 2 Thes 3. 6 14. is only from arbitrary communion in entertainments c. Answ This is an old shift of Mr. T. we have already refuted He further tells us 3ly If we omit it we omit the Worship of God and so break his Commandments Answ 1. This is a meer petitio principii we deny the ministration of the Sacraments according to the rights of the Church of England to be the Worship of God strictly so called 2ly There 's no need through grace of omitting the Worship of God if we worship not with them there are meetings of his people whither we may have recourse to worship him in his own way To what follows in this chapter we have already answered We attend his advance towards the discussion of our third argument of which in the next chapter CHAP. IIII. Sect. 1. Such as act from an Antichristian calling not to be heard proved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it signifies Who is Antichrist what is Antichristian explained The Ministers of England derive their Office-power from the Papacie The Bishops of England Petty-Popes 'T is unlawful to attend upon the teachings of Antichrist therefore upon the teachings of such as act by a power derived from him Christ calls his People to separate from every thing of Antichrist Rev. 18. 4. and 14. 9. explained Of trying the Spirits 1 Joh. 4. 1. of Christs instituting Officers of his owâ— No promise of a blessing in attending upon an Antichristian Ministry IN Chap. 3. of S. T. a third Argument is produced against hearing the present Mâ—nisters viz. Those that act in the holy things of God by vertue of an Antichristian Power Office or Calling are not to be heard but to be seperated from But the present Ministers of England act in the holy things of God by vertue of an Antichristian Power Office or Calling Therefore The Major is evident for 1. The Power Office and Calling of Antichrist is opposite and contrary to the Power Office and calling of Christ not to separate from such as act by vertue of such an Office-power is to stand by and plead for Antichrist against Christ The sum of what Mr. T. answers hereunto is If by Antichristian Power Office and Calling be meant the Papal Power and the acting in the holy things be by preaching the doctrine of the Trent Council in the points determined therein against Protestants by administring Sacraments according to the Roman Missal and Discipline according to the Canon-Law of the Popes the Major is granted and the Minor denied But if by Antichristian power c. be meant by vertue of ministry according to the Liturgy Articles of Religion and Homilies of the Câ—urch of England from the Ordination and Licence of the Bishops his Major is denied that which he calls Antichristian is not truly such and it is denied that what he calls Antichristian is opposite and contrary to the Power Office and Calling of Christ Answ 1. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as this Animadverter tells us found only in the Epistle of John and principally 1 John 2. 18. where the Apostle distinguisheth between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 between the mean Antichrists and the main Antichrist The best interpretation of the word seems to be a false Christ or â— Counter-Christ one that under the pretence of being for Christ doth really oppose Christ the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both in opposition and composition signifies For in the Scripture as Mat. 2. 22. Acts. 13. 7. and in Classical Writers as Homer Hesycheius c. in his Offices Ministry Discipline Worship He is Antichrist that under the pretence of acting for Christ doth indeed though covertly act against him in his name and under the vizard of his authority That is Antichristian that though it be pretendedly for and from Christ it really is not And in this sense the Major is to be understood Those that act in the holy things of God viz. Praying Preaching Administration of Sacraments c. by vertue of a Power Office and Calling that is not though pretendedly really from Christ are to be separated from as we plainly declare in the first proof of the Major proposition in S. T. which Mr. T. would have disproved if he could But in the stead thereof he labours to raise a dust with a multitude of words before the eyes of the Reader that he might not be able to perceive wherein the weight of the Argument lay 2ly He acknowledges the Major to be true if understood of the Papal Power Office and Calling so that he which acts in the Holy things of God i. e. in Preaching for whether it be the doctrine of the Trent Councel or otherwise is not in this case considerable for if he act from an Antichristian Office-Power 't is not his preaching Truth which would make that Antichristian Office-Power Christian administration of Sacraments according to the Roman Missal and discipline according to the Canon-Law by vertue of an Antichristian Papal Power is not to be heard but in this sense he denies the Minor And I cannot but wonder at the confidence of the man doth he not know that they derive their Office-Power from the Papacy he is not so ignorant as noâ— to know it Do not the Bishops of England exercise the same power over the Clergy and Laity as they are called thereof as the Pope doth over his so that they are upon the matter Papilli Petty-Popes Is this power Antichristan in the Papacy and not so in the Prelacy Is not the manner of administation of Sacraments in use amongst us taken out of the Popish Missal Mr. T. knows
would have them I think saith he 't is not without example in the best ordered Churches Answ 1. I remember Pope Leo the 10th in the Lateran Council Ses 2. decreed That none should preach concerning the coming of Antichrist but if the Lord shall reveal some things to others as by Amos he promiseth to do they ought not to divulge it before the Sea Apostolick hath examined it or if that cannot commodiously be the Bishop with some others he that doth otherwise let him be excommunicated From whence the Reader may easily conjecture from what quarter the present practice of the Bishops in this matter doth arrive 2dly 'T is true the Apostle would have Timothy to abiâ—e at Ephesus that he charge some that they teach no other doctrine 1 Tim 1. 3. and Titus to reject an Heretick Tit. 3. 10. and saith 1 Cor. 14. 30. If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by the first must hold his peace But that because Paul took all the care he could to hinder the spreading of error and the preventing disorderly prophesyings as more than one speaking at once therefore 't is lawful for the Bishops in an Antichristian way by force and violence to hinder the free passage of Gospel-truths is like the rest of this B. D. Logick for which I dare say the least Smatterer in that kind of learning will say he needed not to have taken any degree in the Schools 3dly That the practice instanced in is not without example in the best ordered Churches after an unusual rate of modesty with him our Dictator tells us he doth think but he might easily have informed himself otherwise 'T is such a piece of tyranny that â—ell ordered Churches cannot bear that persons sanctified and taught by the Spirit of the Lord sound in the Faith called also according to the appointment and way of Christ to preach the Gospel should noâ— be suffered so to do without the licence of an Antichristian Foundling a dumb Idol of the Popes make call'd a Lordain I should have said a Lord Bishop Many of the worthies of the Lord have protested against as the renowned John Hus the Churches in Bohemia the most eminent in the Council of Basil as abominable and Antichristian But Mr. T. further tells us that if the Prelates silence persons when they should not they are accountable to Christ but it is no proof that their Ministry is not from Christ who submit to the commands of men who have power over them forbiding them to preach some truths Answ 1. That the Prelates are accountable to none but Christ as this Animadverters expressions intimates I am sorry to hear from him the most flattring Canonist would not say more of the Pope himself 2ly 'T is a proof that the Ministry is not of Christ that is so bounded if Pauls words be true Gal. 1. 10. 3. That Lord Bishops have any power over the Ministers of Christ by vertue of any institution of his he cannot prove the submission of Ministers unto them in things Ecclesiastical when they are distitute of such authority is so far from being an extenuation that it is an aggravation of their crime We add in S. T. 3dly That the admission of the present Ministers into their Office by a Lord Bishop without the consent of the Congregation in which they act as Officers is also forraign to the Scripture What Mr. T. hath before said in opposition hereunto is already answered What he hath further to argue shall be now considered He tells us 1. The admission of the present Ministers hath not alwayes been by Lord-Bishops some have been made by Suffragan Bishops Answ 1. The most of the present Ministers Mr. T. denyes not nor can he have their admission from a Lord-Bishop 2dly The very truth is they all have so the Suffragan Bishops he speaks of is but the Lord Bishops Deputy who represents his Lordships person in that act of Ordination and therefore what is done by him is done by the Lord Bishop 3dly Admission by a Suffragan titular Bishop is forraign to Scripture as well as admission by a Lord-Bishop He proceeds 2dly Where the Parishioners are Patrons there is the election of the Congregation Answ There are but few Parishes that as Patrons present their own Ministers and yet those that do must not have any Minister but whom the Lord-Bishop pleaseth his admission is still from him He further tells us 3dly In others there is an implioit consent in their Ancestors yielding that power to their Patron to present and an after-consent by receiving him that is instituted as their Minister Answ This is a vanity not worth the minding 1. He cannot produce any authentick Writing testifying such a reddition by our Ancestors 2. If he could though it may be supposed they may alienate what of right belongs to us as men which yet in many cases is false 't is impossible they should do so with respect of what appertains to us as Christians 3. The after-consent signifies nothing they must consent whether they will or no if they do not but testifie their dissent by abstaining from hearing them they are presented into their Ecclesiastick Courts excommunicated imprisoned ruined He adds 4thly But whether these usages be right or wrong notwithstanding them yet may the Offices of the present Ministers of England be from Christ Answ 1. This is a dictate without proof which we reject 2. That a Minister should in their names office and admission thereunto not symbolize with the Ministers of Christ and yet be his Ministers is absur'd and irrational to imagine This we have proved of the present Ministers and add that in all these they symbolize with the Popish ordeâ— of Priests which we at large demonstratâ— in S. T. what Mr. T. excepts against it shall be considered in the next Section Sect. 3. The present Ministers of England symbolize with the Popish order of Priests Of the name Priests The abolition of names once abused to idolatry Hos 2. 15. Zâ—ch 13. 2. explained Baali what it signifies Exod. 23. 13. Psal 16. 4. opened Of Orthodox Antiquity 't is no sufficient justification of what we do in divine things The Testimony of the Ancients M. T. his arguing and Baronius the Papist alike Ignatius his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The book of ordering Priests and Deacons is stolen out of the Popes Pontifical as is evident by the parallel drawn betwixt them THat the present Ministers of England symbolize witâ— the Popish order of Priests we evince in S. T. under several considerations 1. They are both called and own themselves Priests which being a term borrowed either from the Priests of the Law the assertion of such a Priesthood being a denial of Christ come in the flesh or from the Priests of the Heathen from whom the word Orders is undoâ—btedly borrowed or from the Antichristian Church of Rome such idolatrous superstitious names being commanded by the Lord to be abolished Hos 2. 15 Zech
13. 2. wants not its sufficient weight To which Mr. T. 1. The word Priest is no more than Presbyâ—er nor used in any other sense by the Papists or the Church of England Answ 1. this hath already been replyed to than which there is nothing more false The English of Sacerdos is not nor ever was Presbyter or Elder but Priest 2ly This is not to his purpose The Ministers of England and Rome symbolize in name if they are both call'd Priests which this Animadverter cannot deny Whether there hath not been a willingness in some to return to Popery manifestly discovered let the Nation judge He adds 2dly Zach. 13. 2. is not a command but a promise 2ly It s the abolition of the names of Idols not of Priests that is there promised Answ 1. 'T is true Zach. 13. 3. is a promise but such an one as abundantly manifests the detestation of the Lord against them which implyes a command from God to his people not to make use of them 2dly The names of Idols are the names used peculiarly in Idolatrous Worship so that though Mr. T. never found Priests to be reckoned amongst Idols which yet they might too in dayes past have been when too much idolized by the people Yet he knows the name Priest hath been used in idolatrous worship both Heathen and Antichristian peculiarly appropriated unto their Ministers therein employed 3dly Hos 2. 16 17. is rather he tels us a prediction then a prohibition God would be called Ishi not Baali because that name signifies a kind husband this one that is cruel and rigorous or lest she should in thought remember the Idol or be thought by others to continue that Idolatrous name Answ 1. The words are not meerly a prediction they are a prohibition also Thou shalt call me no more Baali we had thought had been an express forbidding them so to call him 2dly The Question is Whether these names were superstitious names commanded by the Lord to be abolished or not upon whatother accounts they were so commanded so that till Mr. T. proves that this was not abused to Idolatry nor commanded by the Lord to be abolished he doth but auram vapulare speak nothing to the purpose Yet 3dly That God would not be called Baali because that name signifies a cruel and rigorous husband is 1. more then puerile every smatterer in that language knows the word Bagnal or Baal signifies not an austere but a kind husband coming of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exceedingly to love it signifies indeed a Lord but that is metaphorically and not a tyrannous and cruel Lord neither 2dly 'T is wicked being a charging of the holy God falsly He is called Baali their Lord Isa 54. 5. yet no cruel and rigorous one I hope I am sure he is there so called upon the account of his love and tenderness to his people rolling away their reproach and crowning them with dignity glory 3. The Spirit of the Lord gives us another reason of the rejection of the name v. 17. Groti us saith well upon the place the Church is interdicted the use of the name out of horrour of that name which hath been imposed on an Idol We add in S. T. Of the same mind with us in this matter is Hierom the Hebrew Docters Sanctius Polanus Rivet M. T. replyes I do not think any of his Authors say so Answ 1. But it 's evident they do say so viz. that the names given to the Idols are to be abolished and not given to God Hierom in the words cited by him affirms as much I so hate the names of Idols that I will not have it said Baali but Ishi Gods hatred to the Idol he tels you is the ground why he will not have that Idolatrous name used in his service I do not think but sacrificing Priests are altogether as abominable to the Lord and by the same reason that name that hath been given to them ought not to be given to his Ministers What Rivet saith he assents to yet that is as much as we affirm God abhorreth the use of names because they have been abused to Idolatry the name Priests have been so abused and this Animadverter must acknowledge as much except he will deny the abominable Sacrament of the Mass a propitiatory Sacrifice for the quick and dead as the Papists say to be Idolatry The Sacrificers or Mass-Priests being so called The testimony of the Helvetian Churches he grants is as we have reported They give not the name Priest to their Ministers not because they think the word as it answers to Presbyter he tels us is evil but as it is used in the Church of Rome Answ 1. They know the word Sacerdos Priest answers not to the word Presbyter at all 2. They reject the word Priests because it hath been abused in the Papacy to Idolatry and they reade nothing of it as peculiarly applyed to Ministers by way of distinction from other Christians in the New-Testament He tells us further If Hos 2. 16 17. as he will not deny ver 17. to import be a prohibition according to the Law Exod. 23. 13. it onely forbids the using such names with honour or so as to trust in them as Psal 16. 4. Answ 1. The Text saith expresly Thou shalt call me no more Baali for I will take away the names of Baalim out of their mouth and they shall no more be remembred by their name 2. Should we accept his interpretation we must not use such names with honour liking or approbation according to Exod. 23. 13. Deut. 12. 3. Josh 23. 7. Psa 16. 4. it would avail him nothing for â—lthough some 't is true do affix the name of Priests to the Ministers of England in a way of disgrace yet they themselves assume it as given to them by the Bishops as an Ensign of Honour and Renown But 3dly there seems to be somewhat more in those prohibitions they forbid the frequent use of Idolatrous names or names abused in Idolatrous service and their use at all in the Worship of God The name of other Gods might not be heard saith precious Ainsworth out of their mouths or imprinted in books or graven on pillars The Reubâ—nites therefore changed the names of Cities that carried Idol names Numb 32. 38. And by the Hebrew-Canon it was decreed from this Law Whoso maketh a Vow in the name of an Idol or that sweareth by it is to be beaten whether he sweareth thereby for himself or for an Infiael And it is forbidden to make an Infidel swear by his God or to mention the name thereof though not by way of Oath Maimonid Treat of Idolâ—try ch 5. sect 10. That the Prophets who speak as the holy Ghost gave them utterance did afterwards use the name Baal is not at all to his purpose the Spirit of the Lord is not bound the Law was not made for him but for us 't is not said I will not but you shall shall
not What he adds is most frivolous 't were wicked and abominable in our addresses to God to call him Molech Milcom Malcham Jove but that therefore if the names of Idols be to be abolished we may not call him King Lord Jehovah because some of the fore-mentioned Titles so signifie and others as 't is thought were derived from these names of God is most absurd Christ is called Priest he is truly really so and upon the account of his once offering up himself for the sins of the people before any Mass-Priest was thought of in the world that therefore the name of Priests may lawfully be applied to a company of persons accounted Ministers of the Gospel which was a title assumed by the most idolatrous generation of men professing themselves to be of the same order when such as these pretend to be are no where in the Scripture so called will not in haste be proved We manifest in S. T. 1. a further agreement betwixt the Priests of England and Rome 2. They are both Deacons before they are Priests 3. Ordained to their Office by a Lord-Bishop or his Suffragan 4. Both presented by an Archdeacon or his Deputy with these words Reverend Father I present these men unto thee to be admitted to the Order of Priesthood Our Animadverter replies These are granted and avouched as not Popish but justifiable and agreeable to Orthodox Antiquity Answ 1. That these things are not Popish are avouched without proof They are exactly extracted out of the Pope's Portuis not retained in any one of the Reformed Churches but ejected as the sowr leaven of Popery 2dly That they are justifiable is said not proved Mr. T. should not talk thus confidently of Orthodox Antiquity when he knows 't is of all things the most difficult to determine what things are agreeable to Orthodox Antiquity 3dly Nothing will justifie what we do in matters Divine but the Scriptures Orthodox Antiquity is not sufficient Hear what Basil saith If whatever is not of Faith is sin as saith the Apostle but Faith is by hearing and hearing by the Word of God without doubt whatever is without Divine Scripture since it is not of Faith is sin So Hilarie ad Constant Augustine Tertullian de praescript cap. 15. 8. Hierom in Mat. 23. and Lactantius Humane Precepts have no weight which want Divine Authority lib. 3. c. 27. Theophylact saith 'T is Diabolical to account any thing Divine without the authority of Divine-Scriptures that is Divine which is Apostolical nor is it â—o be sought any where without the Scripture lib. 2. Paschal The saying of Ignatius is worthy to be written in letters of Gold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ is our Antiquity Yet 4thly the Animadverter cannot justifie these things from Orthodox Antiquity any better than the Papists can justifie their Oyl Spittle Salt in Baptism their orders Eccâ—â—siastical of Exorcists Acolytes And indeed his arguing and Baronius's for these seems to be much a like although there is mention made in Scripture only of Bishops Presbyters and Deacons yet saith he Ignatius in those counterfeit Epistles you must understand that pass under his name mentions more so that it is necessary that either they were in the Apostles time or at least were approved of by them By such Orthodox Antiquity Mr. T. may soon justifie not only the forementioned practices of our Clergy but all the inventions of the Romish Bawd 'T is a trick of the Devil saith Augustine under the pretext of Antiquity to commend fallacies to us de quaest Vet. Nov. Testa q. 14. some things seem'd to be new that were indeed ancient as Christ's Doctrine to the Pharisees Christian Religion to Celsus and his Pagans some things seem to be ancient that are but the impostures cheats and fallacies of the later dayes We add in S. T. 5thly The Priests of Rome must be ordained to their Office according to their Pontifical the Priests of England according to their Book of ordering Priests and Deacons which is taken out of the Popes Pontifical To this Mr. T. returns the same answer that Arch-Bishop Whitgift gave the summe whereof is 1. That what is good in the Popes Pontifical if in our Pontifical our Pontifical is never the worse for having it Answ That nothing but Divine Institution in the Scripture of the Lord renders any thing good consider'd as it relates to the Worship of God as such we have already proved In such cases to talk of things as good for which no precept instituting them can be produced is to talk without book 'T is diabolical saith Theophylact. He proceeds 2dly 'T is most false that the book of ordering Ministers is word for word drawn out of the Popes Pontifical Ignorance and rashness drives you into many Errours Answ 1. Why the Book of ordering Ministers should be called a Pontifical if not from the chief Pontifice of Rome I understand not 2. We say not that the English Pontifical is taken word for word out of the Popes but that it is so i. e. for the substance thereâ—f 3. I have often observed that persons most guilty of ignorance and rashness have been most free in charging their Antagonists therewith Thus fares it with our Animadverter as is evident to the eye of an ordinary Reader from the view of the ensuing parallel Romish Pontifical 1. Tempora ordinationum sunt c. The times of ordination are the Sabbaths in omnibus quatuor temporibus Rom. Pontif. de ordinibus conferendis 2. Ordinationes Sacrorum Ordinum The ordination of holy Orders shall be in the times appointed and in the Cathedral Church the Canons of the said Church being present thereat shall be publickly celebrated in the time of Divine Service ibid. 3. They are taken to the order of Presbytery who have continued in the Office of a Deacon at least a whole year except for the profit and necessity of the Church it shall otherwise seem good unto the Bishop ibid. 4. Episcopus autem Sacerdotibus but the Bishop Priests being adjoyned to him and other prudent men skilful in the Divine Law and exercised in Ecclesiastical functions shall diligently examine the persons age of him that is to be ordained 5. Nullus ad ordinem None shall be admitted to the order of a Deacon before he be twenty three years old nor to the order of Presbytery before the twenty fifth year of his age 6. Archidiaconus offerens The Arch Deacon presenting those who are to be promoted to the order of Deacons each of them being decently habited unto the Bishop sitting in his seat before the Altar saith Reverend Father 7. Pontifex c. The Bishop shall ask Do you know them to be worthy the Arch-Deacon shall answer As much as humane frailty suffers me to know I know and testifie that they are worthy 8. Pontifex The Bishop shall speak to the Clergy and People If any one hath ought against thâ—se persons let him come forth and with confidence speak for
Province with them did minister Justice and made his abode there ordinarily Whereupon by reason that men for their business made great concourse thither the Church was wont to furnish it of Godly Polity with the worthiest Bishop eâ—dued with gifts above his Brethren And they reposed in him such assiance that they did not only commit the Presidentship of their Assemblies to him Concil Antioch â—an 20. Chalced. can 19. But agreed also that none throughout all the Province should be made Bishop without his consent nor any weightier matter be done by them without him Concil Nic. can 4 6. Concil Antioc can 9. Now the Roman Empire was governed in such sort that the Circuits of the Lord-Presidents had many Provinces within them and were called Diocesses Through occasion whereof the Bishops of those Cities in which these Lievtenants of the Emperor were resident The state Ecclesiastical following the Civil Wolfgang Luzu Comment Reip. Rom. l. 2. c. 2. did grow in power too Neither were they only named Arch-Bishops and Patriarks of the Diocess i. â— the chiefest Bishops and Fathers of that Circuit which the Lieutenant ruled but also obtained that the Metropolitans of the Provinces in their Diocess should be likewise subject and obedient to them as Bishops were to Metropolitans So the Arch-Bishop and Patriarch of Antioch had Prerogatives given him through the Diocess of the East wherein were seven Provinces Concil Const 1. can 2. Concil Antio in exord So nothing could be done in the Diocess of Egypt which under the Bishop had ten Metropolitans without the consent of the Arch-Bishop and Patriarch of Alexandria Conc. Chalc. Act. 4. so it was granted to the Arch-Bishop and Patriarch of Constantinople that the Metropolitans of the Diocesses of Pontus Asia Thracia within which were twenty eight Provinces should be ordained by him Finally so was it decreed that if a Bishop had any matter of Controversies with the Metropolitan of his own Province the Patriark of the Diocess should be Judge thereof Concil Chalced. can 9. 17. as also if any man did receive injury of his own Bishop or Metropolitan Thus were the Roman Popes as they are called now first Bishops over Elderâ— within their own City next Metropolitans over Bishops within their own Province Then Arch-Bishops and Patriarks over Metropolitans within their own Diocess And this is the Princely Diocess which I meant when I said that the Pope in the time of Pelagius was become Arch-Bishop of the Princely Diocess but he was yet but an Arch-Bishop He was not universal Pope and Patriarch of the whole World For although the Patriark of Constantinople being puffed up because in his City the Emperor himself was resident he would be called the Patriark of the whole world as the Emperor was called the Lord of the world Greg. Regist l. 4. Epist 39. yet the Roman Patriarks Pelagius Gregory did withstand his Pride Rainolds Confer with Hart c. 8. Beza also Thes Geneves tells us that the Fathers in the distribution of Churches under Bishops Arch-Bishops c. followed the type or pattern of the Roman Emperor And the learned Brightman in Rev. 13. 4. tells us that they are the worshipers of the Dragon in the Beast who wonder at the Pâ—imacy for the Political Majesty of the Dragon granted by the Councel of Chalcedon Act. 16. Indeed in Clements Constitutions we find if possible a more filthy source from whence their original is asserted In the place where they were before first-Flamines Petâ—r commanded Patriarks to be placed and in Cities where before were Arch-Flamines Arch-Bishops the rest were only Bishops That we had hâ—re in England twenty eight Head-Priests which they called Flamineâ— and three Arch-Priests among them which were called Arch-Flamines which had the oversight of their manners and were as Judges over the rest is known hence the pattern of our Arch-Bishops and Bishops Sect. 5. The office of Lord-Bishops contrary to express precepts of Christ Mat. 20. 25. Mark 10. 42. Luke 22. 25. 1 Pet. 5. 3. considered Of the titles of Dr. of Divinity c. The office of Lord-Bishops derived from and only to be found in the Papacy The Popes of Rome the head of Antichrist No Lord-Bishop till after Constantine Of the first Nicene Council whether there were any Lord-Bishops before what difference betwixt Lord-Bishops then and now Of the retention of the same office in the Greek Eastern Russian Churches The difference betwixt the Superintendency of the Lutheran Churches and our Bishops An Objection answered The Bishops of England act not in the matter of Ordination as Presbyters THat the office of Lord-Bishops is contrary to express precepts of Christ in the Scripture is the second part of our Minor Proposition which in S. T. we prove from Mat. 20. 25. Mark 10. 42. Luke 22 25. 1 Pet. 5. 3. To which Mr. T. answers 1. That we shoot wide of the mark Answ This we have already replied to His instance of the Titles of Doctor of Divinity in the Schools is not at all to the purpose They pretend not to any Ecclesiastical jurisdiction over Elders and Churches by vertue of their being invested into such titles as our L-Bishops do 2dly He considers the particular Scriptures instanced in to which what to reply he seems to be much at a loss 1. He would have the words of the Evangelists not to be a precept shewing their duty but a prediction manifesting the event of what should be Answ 1. This is expresly contrary to the letter of the Text. 2. The Lordship Supremacy Superiority call it what you please is a Lordship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amongst themselves over one another that is interdicted and forbidden by Christ that it was lawful for them to exercise such a Supremacy this Animadverter will not say now this must be supposed if the words be not a precept but a prediction 3dly He expresly tells us in his Romanism discussed Art 7. Sect. 8. p. 174. l. 14. That Superiority is in these words plainly forbidden 2ly He is inclined to think that if it be a precept it is a precept to the Apostles only not to others Answ 1. Then not to the Pope then Mr. T. palpably abuseth this Scripture in his Roman discussed Art 7. Sect. 8. p. 173. where from hence he argues and enveighs against the Pope's Supremacy But 2ly as good he may say that the great Doctrines of Self-denial frequently pressed by Christ upon the Apostles is a precept only to them 3ly We find the Apostle charging the same thing upon the Elders 1 Pet. 5. 3. who knew the mind of his Lord in this matter it 's to be thought as well as Mr. T. He tells us 3dly If it be a precept to others besides the Apostles whether to all Christians or only to Ministers of the Gospel and whether it forbid simply Dominion at all or tyranical Dominion is doubtful Answ And yet the first he positively affirms within ten or eleven lines
1. 1 5. 2 Cor. 8. 5. John 15. 19 and 17. 6. 1 Cor. 5. 12. Acts 2. 40. 2 Cor. 6. 17. Acts 19. 9. Rev. 18. 4. considered Of the acception of the word World Characters of persons that are not of the World A third Institution of Christ remarked Of the power Christ hath intrusted his Church with Acts 1. 23. 1 Cor. 5. 5. explained Of the Officers of Christ's appointment Their Election by the Church Of the Liberty of Prophesying Nothing must be offered up to God in Worshiâ— but what is of his own prescription The present Ministers of England refuse to subject to these Ordinances of Christ An Objection answered Mr. T. his Exceptions considered and removed out of the way 2dly THat the present Ministers of England do not hearken and conform to the Revelation Christ hath made touching the Orders and Ordinances of his House we prove in S. T. by the induction of seven particulars To this Mr. T. replies in Sect. 3. Chap. 4. 1st In the stead of Argument he proves all with Interrogations Answ False and untrue I wonder at the conscience and confidence of the man in asserting it He knows I prove it by the induction of the most remarkable Orders of the House of Christ which they hearken not to 2dly He askes Which of the Ordinances of Christ have they made void Answ They were under his view whilest he wrote these words so that his question is frivolous I enumerate seven of the Orders and Institutions of Christ they have so dealt with He adds 3dly He should have reckoned up seven times seven Answ 1. And why so If guilty of a rejection of these which are the principal they oppose his Kingly and Prophetical Office though they embrace some others that are of his appointment The Romanists do so yet this Animadverter grants they are guilty of the crime instanced in 2. Mr. T. cannot reckon up seven times seven Institutions of Christ that are of the peculiar Institutions of his House to be performed by Saints embodied and united together in the fellowship of the Gospel nor many more than these seven mentioned by us He instanceth in hearing the Word praying to the Father in the Name of Christ which he tells us they have not made void by their Traditions Answ 1. The first of these is in a great measure if not totally made void by them 1. They oppose and deny the management of this duty in the way of Christ's appointment whilest they debar Christians from electing their own Officers or attending upon the Ministry of such as are according to the mind of Christ elected by them 2. The Preaching of the Word must give way to their Service-Book-Worship or Forms of humane devising which I am much mistaken if it be not in a great measure a making void of that Institution of Christ he speaks of by their Traditions 2. I wish the same may not be said with respect to the most of them at least of praying to the Father in the Name of Christ which none can do but by the Spirit whom they despise reproach set up their stinted Formâ— in opposition to him and his breathings The first of the Orders of Christ's House instanced in is That all Power for the Calling Institution Order and Government of his Church is invested solely in him as the alone Lord Soveraign Ruler and Head thereof Mat. 28. 19. 1 Tim. 6. 14 15. John 3. 35. Acts 3. 22. and 5. 31. Hence Christ chargeth his Disciples not to be called of men Rabbi nor to call any Father viz. not to impose their authority upon any or suffer themselves to be imposed upon by any in the matters of their God Mat. 23. 8 9 10 because one is their Master and Lord viz. Christ. Hence also the Apostles lay the weight of their exhortations upon the Commandment of Christ 1 Cor. 11. 23. and 14. 37. proclaim all to be accursed that preach any other Gospel Gal. 1. 8. Charge Chrâ—stians not to receive such as bring any other Doctrine 2 John 10. The Spirit terribly threatens such as shall add to the Revelation of God Rev. 22. 18. This Institution we say they conform hot really unto they own other Lords Heads and Governours that have a Law-making Power over his Churches beside him To this Mr. T. 1. That all power for the Calling Institution Order and Government of his Church is invested solely in Christ as the alone Lord Soveraign Ruler and Head thereof he grants as a Truth Though 2dly He assents not to our Paraphrase on Mat. 23. 8. As if Christ did forbid the Apostles to impose their Authority upon any in the matters of their God which they did Acts 15. 25 28. Answ 1. By imposing their Authority is meant giving forth Commands Doctrines in their own Names as from themselves without the Authority of Christ Where did they so Do they not every where disavow it 1 Cor. 1. 15. 2 Cor. 4. 5. 1 Cor. 11. 1. Divine Revelation not the Dictates of men one or other of them is the Foundation of a Christians Faith 2. Mr. T. mistakes when he saith they did this Acts 15. 25 28. For 1st They enjoyned nothing but what was before enjoyned by the Lord only acquainted the Gentile Believers therewith as is 1. Abstinence from Fornication Exod. 20. 14. Ezek. 16. 26 29. Mat. 5. 32. 2. From things Strangled Deut. 12. 24. 3. From Blood Gen. 9. 4. 5. i. e. the Life-Blood or any member of the creature pulled from it whilest it is yet alive as the Jewish Rabbins expound it and that truly 2dly He speaks against the express Letter of the Scripture vers 28. It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to us Expressions very remote from the countenancing such an authoritative imposition as he speaks of 2. He askes How comes this to be an Order of the House of Christ he took such Orders to be Precepts of Christ to us but this seems to be Gods gift to him Answ That Christs Ruledom and Soveraignty over his House is a gift of God to him we grant but such a gift as doth necessarily imply a duty on the part of his Houshold viz. That they own obey subject to none in the matters of Worship but only him admit no Laws or Institutions amongst them but his And this is expresly asserted in S. T. which we took then and still do for an Order of Christ's House 3. He tells us further That to assert the present Ministers of England own other Lords that have a Law-making Power over his Churches besides him is to unchristen them Answ 1. And however Mr. T. his Book came to be licensed with an intimation from the reverend Licenser That he finds nothing in it contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England Some of them think though I assure him I do not he hath asserted that pag. 123 that doth indeed unchristen them 2. However if the assertion mentioned unchristens them they
unchristen themselves The persons I mean that they own as Lords and Governours that have a Law-making power are the Prelates in the Convocation-House That they own these as such to them and their Canons they promise obedience and subjection needs no more proof than the Sun at noon-dayes that it shineth Whether this be a denial of Christs authority rebellion against him let the Reader inform himself from Mr. T. Chap. 4. Pag. 119. of his Theodulia He that ascribes Kingly power to a subject doth make another King than the right King and so doth unking him this he tells us the Papists do when they assert the Pope can make Laws to bind the Conscience by virtue of his authority and I know no more power our Convocation of Bishops have to do so then the Pope Till that be shewed the Animadverter grants our Ministers asserting the same of them in this matter as the Papists of the Pope they really unking Christ Nor 3dly Let him think that he is to deal with such Children that with his drollery will be perswaded that they see and know not what they both see and know 'T is not the calling persons as he doth by what spirit let him judge Diabolical Calumniators Railers and Scolds in Latine and English that now a dayes will be taken for an answer or confutation of what the whole Nation know to be true And they themselves will acknowledge and plead for it A 2d Order and Institution of Christ we mention in S. T. viz. That 't is his will that those whom he hath called by his Word should separate from the World walk together in particular Societies and Churches 1 Cor. 1. 2. and 5. 12. 2 Cor. 6. 17. Rev. 18. 4. John 15. 19. and 17. 6. Acts 2. 40. and 19. 9. Phil. 1. 5. Acts 2. 41. and 17. 4. 2 Cor. 8. 5. This Institution we say the Ministers of England are at open defiance with admitting persons visibly wicked and prophane into their Communion To this Mr. T. replies Sect. 4. 1st He hath read somewhat in Ainsworth Cottons Writings for to them we refer the Reader for further satisfaction But he doth not find in them nor the Scriptures mentioned any such separation as these Authors press Answ The Separation we press is a separation from the visible wicked and prophane cannot the Animadverter find this in the Scriptures nor in the Authors instanced in Let me prevail with him in a sedate frame without passion or prejudice once more to review them and beg of the Lord to open the eyes of his understanding that he may see his mind therein 1 Cor. 1. 2. Phil. 1. 1 5. 2 Cor. 8. 5. Give us an account that those who constituted and made up those particular Churches were visible Saints sanctified in Christ Jesus The like instance might be given of the rest of the Churches mentioned in the Scripture The Disciples of Christ are said to be chosen out of the World John 15. 19. and 17. 6. The Saints in a Church-state are commanded not to suffer a Fornicator Covetous person an Idolater or a Railer or a Drunkard or an Extortioner in their Communion though allowed civil commerce with them in the world 1 Cor. 5. 12. In Acts 2. 40. 2 Cor. 6. 17. we find the Apostles pressing and Chap. 19. 9. practising Separation from the wicked World which is also commanded with respect to Antichristian worship Rev. 18. 4. If Mr. T. cannot see such a Separation as we press contained in these Scriptures I cannot but pitty him 'T is said that when this way was more countenanced he practised somewhat not much unlike thereunto 2dly He grants That Separation from the World in respect of Worship is the duty of Saints 2 Cor. 6. 17. but then by the World is meant professed Infidels or at least such as were professed unbelievers as John 15. 19. and 17. 6. Acts 2. 40. and 19. 9. Answ 1. That the word World is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word of various acceptions in the Scripture is known with which we shall not trouble the Reader The Animadverter grants That it is taken for persons living in the World Now these are but of two sorts that I know of regenerate or unregenerate such as walk after the Flesh or such as walk after the Spirit Believers or Unbelievers And when the word World is put in opposition to the Saints it s alwayes taken for the World of unregenerate persons that lies in wickedness or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in subjection to the wicked one 1 John 5. 19. That men are not of the World because from Tradition Education Compulsion Interest or the like they profess the Name of Christ though they never knew a work of Grace or change upon their spirits is a fiction of this Animadverter that he will never make good If such as these are not of the world they are chosen called out of it let us a little consider whether the Characters of these be found upon them 1. They are said to be Branches in Christ that abide in him and bring forth fruit John 15. 2 4 5. 2dly They are clean through the word that he hath spoken to them vers 3. 3dly They have a mighty power and prevalency with God vers 7 16. 4thly They have the words of Christ abiding in them vers 7. 5thly Are such whom Christ loves vers 9. 6thly His Lovers and Friends ready prēst to do whatever he commands them vers 14 15. 7thly To whom he hath revealed the Mysteries of God vers 15. Chap. 17. 6 14. 8thly They are hated of the world vers 18 19 20 21. and Chap. 16. 2 3 33. and 17. 14. 9thly Keep Gods Word Chap. 17. 6. 10thly To them Christ gives the glory that the Father hath given to him Chap. 17. 22. will have them to be with him where he is to behold his glory vers 24. with much more that might be instanced Elsewhere they are called such as are delivered from the power of darkness Col. 1. 13. Quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins Ephes 2. 1. Called to be Saints Rom. 1. 7. 1. Cor. 1. 2. Are Light in the Lord Ephes 5. 8. have received the Spirit which the World or Men of the world cannot receive and abide such John 14. 17. These are the Characters of those that are not of the world Do we refuse to hold communion with do we separate from persons of this complexion What more false We cry aloud to them woe beseech intreat them as many of them as are yet too much holding fellowship with the carnal wicked world in Worship to come out from them which was one and no small part of our design in S. T. As for others that know nothing of the things mentioned they are yet in their sins though they profess the Name of Christ under the regiment of the wicked one and of the world and therefore to be separated from as this Animadverter grants Of the Apostles going
further Doth the Bishops cruelty arise no higher What means the sighs of the poor and needy who to the ruine of their Families have for many years lain in noysome Prisons for their non-conformity 2. Why pleads he not for the Spanish Inquisition the Stake and Faggots in the Marian dayes he knows they have all the same bottom and foundation 3. Several of the Scriptures produced prove that none but such as of their free will being under no constraint but that of the Spirit thereunto desire to be so were Members of the Churches of Christ compulsion whereunto we are so foolish as to think to be hereunto contrary as Psal 110. 3. a Prophesie of Gospel-times as he grants Acts 2. 41 47. 2 Cor. 9. 13. From whence we argue If it be prophesied of such as are to constitute the Gospel-Church-State that they shall be a willing people and we find only such in the time of the Gospel taken thereinto their subjection of consent or willingness to the Gospel of Christ both with respect to Doctrine and Discipline being what the Saints rejoyced to behold then compelling any by Pecuniary mulcts or otâ—erwise to be Church members is wicked and unlawful contrary to the forecited Scriptures But the first is manifestly proved by them Therefore 'T were easie to manifest that this is a Principle decried by the Primitive Believers with the Witnesses of Christ in all Ages Aâ— Tertullian Clemens Alexand. Lactantius the Council of Sardis of Toledo Chrysostome Epiphanius Ignatius Constantine at first made a Decree That Liberty of Worship ought not to be denied Euseb Eccles Hist lib. 10. c. 5. The noble Lord Cobham in answer to Dr. Walden's speaking contemptuously of Wickliff saith Where do you find in all God's Law That you should thus sit in judgment of any Christian man or yet give sentence upon any other man unto death as ye do here daily no ground have you in all the Scriptures so lordly to take it upon you but in Annas and Caiphas which sat thus upon Christ and his Apostles of them only have you taken it to judge Christ's Members as you do and neither of Peter nor John 'T is some of the sowr leaven of the Papacy yet left amongst us the only prop by which Antichrist's Kingdom hath from the beginning been supported and propagated in the World the same Spirit animating it that breathed in the Roman Pagan Empire to the ruine and destruction of multitudes of Christian Souls Whether Acts 2. 40. 19. 9. 2 Cor. 6. 14 17. prove that wicked and ungodly men are not fit matter for Church-Communion we will leave to the Judicious Reader to determine We add in S. T. 9thly That Women may administer the Sacrament of Baptism is owned by them which is contrary to 1 Cor. 14. 34. 1 Tim. 2. 12. Mat. 28. 18 19 20. Ephes 4. 11. Mr. T. replies This was allowed in the English Church before the Conference at Hampton Court in the Reign of King James but not since Answ 1. Yet the Learned Hooker who is supposed to speak the mind of the Church and Ministers of England as much as another man after the aforesaid Conference pleads for the lawfulness thereof Eccles Pol. Sect. 62. Yea 2. I find no publick renunciation of the foresaid erroneous Principle nor is it any where as I know of expresly and avowedly condemned by them And am perswaded that upon enquiry it will be found that it 's generally owned by them to this very day What he seems to urge for the justification of this practice is trivial viz. Philip had four Daughters that did Prophesie Acts 21. 9. Mention is made of the Woman Praying or Prophesying 1 Cor. 11. 5. Priscilla instructed Apollos Therefore we cannot exclude them from private Teaching of the most able if they be fitted thereunto Which no body that I know of denies but that therefore they may Baptize which should have been his inference is such a non-sequitur that deserves no other answer tâ—an contempt We proceed and in S. T. say 10thly That the present Ministers own that the Lords Supper is to be received kneeling Touching which we affirm three things 1. That the posture of kneeling is opposite to the practice of Christ in his first institution of that Ordinance and so it is if kneeling be directly opposite to sitting which 't is expresly said he did Mark 14 18 22 23. To which Mr. T. Sect. 9. replies The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used Mark 14. 18. signifies lying along on Beds Answ 1. Dato non concesso Yet Kneeling is directly opposite to that posture so that that observation were it true advâ—ntageth not his cause at all 2. The word as it 's known signifies to sit down or to sit down together at Meat Mark 16. 14. Luke 17. 37. 3. 'T is most evident Christ sat with his Disciples in the Administration of this Ordinance 1. So say all the Evangelists Mat. 26. 20. Mark 14. 18. Luke 14. 22. John 13. 12. 2. The Papists themselves confess as much Rex sedet in caenâ turbâ cinctus duodenâ Alex. Alens 3. Most forreign Ministers and Commentators as Aretius Brentius Calvin Beza Deodat Zuinglius Piscaâ—or Danaeus together with our Countreymen affirm as much 4. Till above 1460 years after Christ we meet with no Council or Synod no Rubrick in all the Lyturgies that enjoyn people to kneel in the act of Receiving 5. Our first Reformers in the time of H. 8. in their Treatise touching the Lord's Supper desire that Christian Princes would command and establish a form of administring the Lord's Supper wherein all the Congregation may be ordered to sit round about the Lord's Table as Christ his Apostles the Primitive Christians did Nor is 6. one main end of this Institution viz. our communion with Christ and one with another so fitly represented by the posture of Kneeling as sitting What else he mentions is not worth the reminding Christ sat out of choice in the celebration of this appointment for there was no constraint upon him so to do he might â—ave stood or kneeled if he had pleased That we are rather to subject to Antichrist's Canons â—nd Custom in kneeling than follow Christs Example sober Christians will not be over forwardly to beâ—ieve 1. Paul 1 Cor. 11. 23. omits the gesture because then it had not been in the least controverted 2dly That the posture of Kneeling is opposite to the practice of the Churches of Christ for several hundred years after to the time of the invention and introduction of the Popish breaden God to the judgment and practice of most of the Reformed Churches to this very day The truth of this Mr. T. denies not The sayings of Dr. Burgess the Bishop of Rochester Paybody c. in opposition to the former of these being without the least tender of proof and they themselves sticklers for kneeling is not to be heeded The contrary hath in part already and may be anon more
Soveraignty over the Subjects of his Kingdom with respect to Worship be granted by him to any of the sons of men absolutely or conditionally If the first tâ—en must the Church be governed by persons casting off the yoke of Christ trampling upon his Royal Commands and Edicts for so its possible it may fall out those that attain this Headship may do as its evident many Popes of Rome the great pretenders hereunto have done If the second let one iota be produced from the Scripture of the Institution of such an Headship with the conditions annexed thereunto and we shall be so far from denying it that we shall chearfully pay whatever respect homage or duty by the Laws of God or man may righteously be expected from us But this we conceive will not in hast be performed and that for these Reasons 1. The Scripture makes mention of no other Head in and over the Church but Christ Ephes 1. 22. 5. 23 29. 2 Cor. 11. 2. To this Mr. T. answers 1. We use not the title of Head but of Supream Governour yet that title being given to Saul 1 Sam. 15. 17. and others 1 Cor. 11. 3. Ephes 5. 23. Exod. 6. 14. and may be used Answ 1. What We Mr. T. means when he saith We use not the title of Head I know not 't is the usual form of the present Ministers to stile the King in their prayers Under Thee and Thy Christ Supream Head and Governor But 2dly Head of the Church is a title nor to be given to any in that sence in which it is given to Christ this Animadverter grants I ask Hath Christ onely an Headship of influence to his Church communicating vital Spirits unto the true Members thereof Hath he not also an Headship of Government over it If he assert the first he knows he is departed into the Tents of the Antichristian Papal Shepherds who allow indeed such an Headship to Christ alone The second they divide betwixt him and the Pope as Mr. T. seems to do betwixt him and the King If the second be owned by him than none of the Children of men have an Headship of Government over the Churches of Christ they are not so the Supream Governors thereof as to give forth Laws and Institutions of their own for the Saints to conform to For this title of Head is not to be appropriated to any in that sense in which it is given to Christ as saith our Animadverter Besides 2dly If the Kings of the Earth are the Supream Governors of the Churches of Christ they have this Supremacy over them by grant from Christ and that either absolutely or conditionally if the first then whoever ascends the Throne of worldly Ruledom hath a right of supremacy over them though they themselves be such as have cast off the Yoak of Christ are trampling upon his Royal Laws and Edicts If the second let us see the proof thereof from Scripture with the conditions annexed to this their supremacy and we are satisfied This we told Mr. T. before but he was not pleased to take notice of it That because the Scriptures mentioned by him attribute â—he title of Head of the Tribes to Saul and the Man is called the Head of the Woman Therefore the Governors of the World may be called the Head of the Churches of Christ when that title of Head of the Church is given to none but Christ in the Scripture is such a piâ—iful non-sequitur as Mr. T. will not surely without blushing review Sir Saul was constituted by the Lord King over Israel a Man to have superiority over the Woman with allusion hereunto they are called their Head by the Spirit of the Lord But where is the Scripture constitution of the Superiority Kingship of any over the Church beside Christ Amongst whom he saith He will have no such thing Where is it that any have this title of Head of the Church ascribed to them by the Holy Ghost This must be proved or you must acknowledge the impertinency and invalidity of their present arguing the best of it is whether you will be so ingenuous or no 't is but a Fig-leaf covering that every eye can discern your nakedness through it We say in S. T. 2dly If there be any other Head of the Church besides Christ he must be either within or without the Church The latter will not be affirmed Christ had not sure so little respect to his Flock as to appoint Wolves and Lyons to their Governors and Guides in matters Ecclesiastical nor can the former for all in the Church are Brethren have no Dominion or Authority over each others Faith or Conscience Luke 22. 25. Mr. T. replies Though all in the Church are Brethren yet all are not equal nor doth Luke 22. 25. prove it Answ 'T is enough for our present purpose that all in the Church are thus far equal that being all brethren none may exercise any Ruledom or Authority over the rest without their consent nor any such Ruledom as to command in case of Worship where Christ is silent which is at least asserted Luke 22. 25. and Mr. T. may confute it when he is able Of this Scripture we have spoken at large Chap. 4. and of Rom. 13. 1. Heb. 13. 17. frequently and have fully removed out of the way what is here repeated touching the Laws of Rulers and their obligation upon Conscience nor need we add more We say further in S. T. 3dly If any other be Head of the Church but Christ then is the Church the body of some others beside Christ but this is absurd and false not to say impious and blasphemous To which Mr. T. Particular Churches in respect of that ministration and government which their Governors afford them may be said to be the bodies of their Governors Answ Boldly ventured however 1. The Church is frequently said to be the Body of Christ 1 Cor. 12. 12 27. Ephes 5. 30 32. Col. 1. 18. 2dly Is no where said to be the body of any other not of Peter Paul much less of Nero Domitian the Supream Governours of the Empire at that day By what Authority Mr. T. takes the body of Christ and joyns it to another Head besides himself I am yet to learn 3dly The Church is call'd his Body upon the account of that glorious nearness and union is betwixt Christ and them the reception of Spirits life from him their absolute indisputable subjection to him Is the Church the body of any other with respect hereunto beside Christ Where is it so called Is it united or in subjection to any other besides Christ as the Woman is to the Man upon the account whereof she is call'd his body Ephes 5. 28. his I say not anothers That Mr. T. should assert That upon the same account the Church may be called the body of some other beside Christ We add 4thly There was no Head of the Church in the Apostles dayes but Christ That upon any
Mr. T. Sect. 3. 1. Mr. Gataker interprets the Words of Corporal Adultery Answ 1. It may be so I have not that Author to converse with 2. He is no Oracle that his Dictates must be subscribed to 3. The Adultery mentioned in the Text is made a Character of a false Prophet which corporal Adultery Mr. T. saith is noâ— He saith 2dly Every departure from the Institutions of the Lord in Worship to the inventions of men is not any where committing Adultery Answ Of this matter we have treated chap. 1. sect 12. whither we refer the Reader 3dly Walking in lies he tells us is a character of a false Prophet but they are lies in Doctrine not Worship that is intended in the places cited Answ 1. Of the Annotators he cites not one of them is of his mind Diodati interprets the Phrase of false worships and superstitions as do the Assembly in their Annotations on Am. 2. 4. 2dly We have manifested from other Scriptures that the expression is used by the Spirit of the Lord in this sense both heâ—e and Sect. 10. p. 96. to refute which he offers nothing and his own Dictates will never pass for proof 3dly We demonstrate the present Ministers walk in lies in the sense contended for by this Animadverter chap. 10. of S. T. 4thly To the Qâ—eries he answers The Institution of Preaching the Gospel they have not mixed with their own inventions Answ But this they evidently do whilst none must be allowed to Preach the Gospel but such as subject to Episcopal Ordination promise Canonical Obedience to their Ordinaries observe the Regulations for Preaching given forth by the Pope of Canterbury they are bound to omit the preaching of the Gospel when they have not time to Preach and read Service too Wherein Divine Institution must give place to humane inventions In Baptism he will tell you they mix an Institution of Christ's with the inventions of man in respect of the wrong Subject and they evidently do so whilst they sign with the sign of the Cross and make it such an essential part of Baptism that it is not lawful to be omitted The Institution of the Lord's Supper they mix with that Popish humane invention of kneeling in the Act of receiving which they constitute such a necessary part thereof that they will not admit any to receive in any other posture To the second viz. From how many have they gone a whoring He answers it concerns him that accuseth to shew Answ And that concern I dispatched chap. 4. of S. T. To the third viz. Is not a great part of their Worship drops of the Whores cup of Fornication Mr. T. though he multiply many words answers not at all not understanding or being willingly ignorant of my intendment in those expressions which was solely this that their Divine Service wherein a great part of their Worship doth consist is for the most part taken out of the Service-Book of Rome which Mr. T. may disprove if he can Sect. 2. A third Character of false Prophets mentioned Jer. 23. 13. A fourth Jer. 6. 14. c. A fifth Isa 56. 11. c. Which exactly agree to the present Ministers THE third Character of a false prophet mentioned in S. T. is this That they strengthen the hands of evil doers that none doth return from his wickedness Jer. 23. 13. This it 's said the present Ministers do whilst though in the general they denounce the Judgments of God against sinners they Saint them in the Chancel tell them that the body of Christ was broken for them To which our Animadverter â—ubjoyns Sect. 4. 1. Mr. Gatakers Paraphrase upon the Text is That they confirmed them in their wickedness by bearing them in hand that they should do well enough whatsoever Gods Messengers tell them though they continue in their sins Answ 1. The sin laid to their charge is strengthening the hands of evil doers whether they did this practically or doctrinally is not expressed 't is all one Probably they told them they were the holy People the true Church had his Temple and Ordinances with and amongst them and therefore God could not reject destroy them notwithstanding the Prophesie of Jeremiah to the contrary whom they reviled as a made seditious fellow thereby labouring to take off the people from an attendance on the Prophesie and threatnings given forth by him This we charge the present Ministers to be guilty of as the holy People and Church of God they admit the visibly prophane and wicked to the Lords Table and their Children to Baptism bury them as holy Brethren whom they call so not upon the accoâ—nt of Creation but Christianity which their conversations contradict and Church-membership with them though they die in the very act of drunkenness of whose joyful resurrection to eternal Life they profess they have a sure and certain hope which can be referred to no other but the person interred they asperse reproach those who would deal truly and roundly with them as seditious mad persons that are fit for the Stocks Prisons Dungeons whereby they evidently strengthen their hands in their wickedness 2. It is not true that the false Prophets told them expresly that they should do well enough though they continued in their siâ—s they flattered them with the mercy and patience of God the priviledges and immunities he had crowned them with by which they lead them into the belief of this that God would not reject them 3. The Assembly in their Annotations explain the Phrase of strengthening the hands of evil doers with this they confirm them in their wickedness and so keep them from Repentance Ezek. 13. 22. Which by the wayes and means instanced in 't is known the present Ministers do 4. 'T is not charity as he intimates to say to a known Drunkard Swearer that the body of Christ was broken the blood of Christ shed for him that he should take and eat and drink the Bread and Wine in â— membrance that Christ died for him but cruelty tending to the nourishment of false peace and confidence to the ruine of millions of Souls If Judas was at the Sacrament he was a visible Saint is no Warrant to administer it to persons of the complexion intimated The expressions above mentioned are not at all like those used by the Apostle 1 Cor. 8. 11. Heb. 10. 29. He speaks of visibly Saints these are spoken of and to the visible wicked and prophane 5. That these things do not confirm and strengthen the hands of evil doers was the alone thing to have been proved by our Animadverter but to that he speaks not at all What he further mentions is a pretended reply to what is remarked touching the Ministers of England that it is a rare thing to hear of one Soul that is brought over to God by all their Preaching so that visibly that Judgment of God seems to be upon them Jer. 23. 32. Therefore they shall not at all profit this people
leisure In allusion to the Priests of old the Porters or New-Testament Officers are commanded to watch Mark 13. 34. viz. that as much as in them lies they hinder persons morally unclean from entring into Gospel-Churches 2. He tells us That none but Saints are to be admitted thereinto 3. Threatens those Ministers that shall be careless and negligent in this matter with a deposition from their Office Ezek. 44. A Prophesie though in Old Testament-clothing expresly relating to New Testament dayes as is acknowledged by most And to any that shall compare what is there spoken with what is recorded of the New Jerusalem Rev. 20 21 22. Chap. 't will manifestly appear so to do 4. Acts 20. 28. is most impertinently alledged and wretchedly abused by the Animadverter It only preacheth forth thus much That the Gentile Nations were not so unclean as the Jews fondly imagined but that persons might go unto them and preach the Gospel amongst them as vers 28 29 34 evince But that Adulterers Drunkards should not be accounted unclean and common so as not to admit them into Church-Communion or if admitted that they ought not legally to be ejected Mr. T. attempts not the proof of The Scriptures fully manifest that they ought so to be Whether every single Minister hath power to keep any professing the Faith from the Lords Supper is not of our present disquisition if Ministers of Christ they with the particular Church to which they relate have power so to do The constant practice of the present Ministers in admitting the visibly wicked and prophane to the participation of Church-Ordinances and Priviledges is a manifest discovery that they symbolize with the Priests of Old of whom the complaint of the Lord is That they put no difference betwixt the holy and prophane The 10th Character of false Prophets instanc't in is this that they do not exercise pity to the weak broken scattered sheep of Christ nor shew bowels in their recovery but with force and cruelty rule over them Ezek. 34. 4. This we say is evidently true of the present Ministers with force and cruelty they rule over us in stead of exercising pity towards us threaten us with Excommunications Imprisonment dispoiâ—ing us of our Goods yea condemning us to Death if we stoop not to their lure All that can be called an Answer hereunto Sect. 9. is this 1. The Shepherds mentioned in Ezek. 34. are Civil Rulers for the Prophets did not rule over the People with force and cruelty but with lies and deceit Answ 1. Junius the Marginal Notes of the Geneva Translation Diodati the Assembly in their Annotations on the place the most of Interpreters expound it of false Ecclesiastical Shepherds or Ministers That this is the intendment of the Spirit of the Lord is evident 1st He speaks of such Shepherds whose special duty it is to feed the flock the neglect whereof he condemns them for v. 2 3. But this is the duty of Ecclesiastical Shepherds Cant. 1. 8 John 21. 15 16 17 1 Cor. 9. 7. 1 Pet. 5. 2. 2dly They are condemned for ruling over them with force and cruelty vers 4. The like condemned in Ecclesiastical Rulers 1 Pet. 5. 3. 3dly It s a Prophesie that runs down to the times of the Gospel and speaks of such Shepherds in opposition to whom Christ is said to be the true Shepherd vers 23 24. John 10. 11 12 14. The Reason alledged by Mr. T. to prove Civil Rulers are here meant being weighed in the Ballance is found wanting They may righteously be said to rule over the flock of God with force and cruelty when they provoke the Magistrate to do so as the Woman or Antichristian Church is said to be drunk with the blood of the Saints Rev. 17. 6. And in her 't is said was found the blood of all that were slain upon the earth Rev. 18. 24. because she prompted and provoked the Civil Magistrate to pour it forth That the present Ministers of England are not righteously charged with ruling over us with force and cruelty he saith not thinks there are some to whom this evil may be imputed 'T is added in S. T. What should I mention 13thly that â—hey come u out of the Earth Rev. 13. 11. i. e. are raised up by men of earthly spirits and principles To this after an harangue of words Sect. 10. that I might leave him upon second thoughts to correct himself for As 1st Thaâ— the Book of the Revelation is obscure which in it self is not but a Lanthorn a Light 'T is a horrid disparagement to any part of the Scripture so to speak of it The Sun is not dark though blind men discern not the lighâ— and brightness of it The obscurity is in us not in the Scripture 2. That sober men have wished it were less read Which wish whatever the men are I am sure is not over sober being directly opposite to the advice of the Spirit for the reading of it with an encouragement thereunâ—o Rev. 1. 3. He answers 1. That the first and second Beast Rev. 19. are differently conceived Answ Who the first and second Beast are we have already explained which Mr. T. may confute when he is able That the second Beast and the false Prophet Rev. 19. are the same we have but now demonstrated The Hierarchy of England and Rome are the same Antichristian Hierarchy their Original the same the Canon Laws by which their Jurisdiction is supported their Courts Officers c. the same He further acquaints us 2dly With horrid consequences that attend this Principle that the second Beast is to be interpreted the Hierarchy and Ministry of England 1. The first we own with this limitation The first Beast is the Antichristian Civil Powers who if at the coming of Christ are found such and in actual rebellion against him shall be cast into the Lake burning with fire 2. The second about worshiping the first Beast if understood of the Pope as he saith may be truly affirmed of the present Hierarchy who cause the Earth and them that dwell therein so to do whilst they cause them to own bow down subject to his Canon-Laws in their Consistories Ecclesiastical Courts 3dly That all who subject to the Image of the Beast or Ecclesiastical Government shall drink of the Wine of the wrath of God Without general or particular repentance being no more than this That those that die in any one sin unrepented of shall do so as Mr. T. will grant we affirm and challenge Mr. T. to prove these things to be horrid consequences monstrously uncharitable an argument of dotage the speech of a furious Bedlam Sir you will one day know that your tongue is not so your own but you must give an account of these hard speeches with which you are beating your fellow-servants I pray may not be laid to your charge He asks 3dly How doth it appear that to come out of the Earth is to be raised by men of earthly
the God that made the Heaven and the Earth Mr. T. replies 1. To worship the Creatures terminatively is most gross-Idolatry the Israelites Exod. 32. and many Heathen Idolaters did not do so 2. 'T is not true that few or none worship the Creature terminatively for the most of the Idolaters of old worshipped the Host of Heaven and at this day the Devil himself is worshipped in the East and West Indies Answ 1. That most of the Idolaters of old worshipped the Host of Heaven is granted that they worshipped these or any other Idols terminatively our Dictator attempts not the proof of What is said of Baal 1 Kings 16. 31. or Molech Psal 106. 37 38. who is also call'd Moloch Amos 5. 26. and Milcom 1 Kings 11. 33. and Malcham Zeph. 1. 5. i. e. the Sun proves not that they so worshipped the Sun in commemoration of which these Images were erected 'T is true Psal 106. 37 38. 't is said They sacrificed to Devils but that therefore they worshipped the Devil as the utmost terminus cannot be conceived 'T is call'd Devil-worship because it was not from God but of the invention and instigation of the Devil as all the false worship in the World is Of their worshipping Molech or Milcham 't is expresly said that they worshipped the Lord too when they worshipped him Zeph. 1. 5. Heb. to the Lord and in Malcam as the Papists say they direct their worship to God only in or through their Images which fully answers what can be pleaded from Acts 7. 41 42 43. 2. The most learned of the Heathens do affirm That their Images were dedicated to the true God whom in them they worshipped reputing the Images themselves but Stooks and Stones and that in them they worshipped but one God Seneca saith By Jupiter standing in the Capitol with Lightning in his hand they understand the Preserver and Governor of all things the Maker of all the World Qu. natur l. 2. c. 45. Who it was that sang 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mr. T. is not ignorant See Arnobius l. 6. contra Gent. We premise 2dly That there is a somewhat more refiâ—ed Idolatry and to this Head we refer 1. The ascription of a God-head to any creature as to Herod Acts 12. 22. 2. The ascription of the properties of the God-head to any Creature 3. The worshipping God in any other way than what he hath prescribed which is the Idolatry forbidden in the second Commandment 4. The Oblation of Worship and Service to God that hath been offered up to Idols for which there is no prescription in the Scriptures 'T is this second sort of Idolatry we say the present Ministers of England are guilty of Mr. T. answers 1. The definition of Idolatry by Dr. Rainold â—ath hitherto been received by all Protestants that he knows of that it is exhibiting Divine Worship to a Creature proved from Rom. 1. 15. Answ 1. That this is Idolatry I grant that nothing else is so will not be proved Protestants affirm otherwise as Calvin Perkins Ames Paraeus Though 2. the very truth is when we submit to a Worship of humane devising we exhibit Divine Worship to a Creature viz. the deviser imposer thereof we worship him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 besides the Creator as Hilarius Beza expound the Phrase Rom. 1. 25. And Paraeus Explicat cate p. 3. Q. 9. p. 528. saith What is required in the second Commandment Answ That we express not God by any Figure and that we worship him not in any other way or manner than he hath in his Word commanded us to worship him 1 Sam. 15. 23. Deut. 12. 30. Mat. 15. 9. Idolatry is contrary to this Commandment which is a false and superstitious worship of the Deity of which there are two chief kinds one more gross ☜ as when a false Deity is worshipped this is forbidden in the first Commandment another more refined when the true God is pretended to be worshipped but there is a mistake in the kind of Worship i. e. when Worship is pretended to be performed to God in some work which he hath not required this is condemned in this second Commandment p. 529. Those who sin against the second Commandment sin also against the first because they who worship God otherwise than he will be worshipped they feign to themselves another God and indeed worship not God but the figment of their own brain To feign another Worship of God is to feign another will of God and by consequence another God Mr. Perkins Vol. 1. p. 659. saith When God is worshipped otherwise and by other means than he hath revealed in his Word that is Idolatry Idolatrous Worships are all they which are appointed without the Command of God Mel. Tom. 2. p. 107. We shall onely add what we find mentioned by the Learned Peter Martyr in his Comment on the first of Sam. ch 7. p. 40. Men are wont sometimes to feign to themselves Commentitious gods as Jupiter Neptune Mercury Sometimes to worship the one and true God but with a Worship that is forbidden or strange i. e. not commanded as if any one should slay his Son or do what King Ahaz did who constituted a Damascene Altar in the Temple of God To do thus is nothing else than to worship an Idol For men do hereby feign a God who will so be worshipped who is in truth no God Therefore August Quest 29. in lib. Jos in which place the same thing is proposed to the people by Joshua that is here by Samuel He that feigns to himself God to be other than he is doth carry in his heart another God Wherefore not only Jupiter and the vain Deities but also those Idols and Phantasms are altogether to be cast out of our mind This will be done if we constitute to our selves God to be such as he is described to us to be in the Holy Scriptures Tertul. in lib. de idololat saith Not only the Cross and made Worship of Images is Idolatrous for the Antients of old had Temples †The Romans for above 170. years worshipped the Godds without Images say Vario Plutarch without Images who were nevertheless Idolaters It matters not whether thou make to thy self a God of Plaiscering or Marble or of a Trunk of a Tree I add saith P. Martyr or of thy own Phantasm an Idol is so call'd of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a Form an Idol therefore is a little Form Samuel therefore exhorts chap. 7. 3. that they cast away commentitious Godds and vain Worship and evil Opinions of God out of their minds What this Animadverter mentions out of Tertullian in his Book of Idolatry c. 15. makes for us If Idolatry be when any thing that is not God is extolled beyond the measure of humane honour then when the Prescribers of Divine Service are so extolled as they are when the Service prescribed by them is subjected to it being the peculiar honour
and prerogative of God to prescribe his own Worship as say the Heathens themselves from the Light and Dictates of Nature there is Idolatry 2dly Mr. T. tells us That the worshipping God in any other way than he hath prescribed is not the Idolatry forbidden in the second Commandment that all who write upon it say not so that worship not of Divine prescription abused to Idolatry is not Idolatry Answ 1. If the first be true this last is undoubtedly so i. e. if worshipping God in any other way than he hath prescribed be the Idolatry forbidden in the second Commandment that Worship that hath been abused to Idolatry and was never of Divine prescription is undoubtedly so 2. Mr. T. grants that there is some kind of Idolatry forbidden in the second Commandment and I desire to he informed what it is If he say the worshipping false Godds that Idolatry is forbidden in the first Commandment If he say the making of Images I ask 1. Whether the making of Images for civil uses or Divine Service The first he will not assert if the second their forming for that use and purpose is condemned because a medium of Worship not instituted by the Lord for had it been so it had not been Idolatry but our duty to have formed them 2. Wether by Images he mean corporeal Images or incorporeal Idea's or false Conceptions of things in the mind of man and whether this later in the Judgment of most eminent Divines be not as really Idolatry as the former and if so as undoubtedly it is the worshipping God in any other way then he hath prescribed is evidently Idolatry and that forbidden in the second Commandment and so say all that I have yet met with that write thereupon What he adds the Pharisees washing their hands and that Christ doth not accuse them as Idolaters is frivolous 1. That Custom did not so immediately border upon the Worship of God was not made such a part of it as our Common-Prayer-Book-Service Yet 2 They placing too much of their Religion and Devotion therein Christ doth little less than call them so in the place instanced in by Mr. T. Mat. 15. 9. In vain do they worship me Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ◠1. They shall reap no fruit by it 2. Their Worship is vain frivolous vanity as the Lord calls Idols and Idolatrous Worship Lev. 26. 1. Ezek. 30. 13. Psal 97. 7. Isa 19. 3. Jer. 14. 14. Zach. 11. 17. Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the 70 render and that truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vain things and so the Apostle calls all the Godds of the Gentiles Act. 14. 15. 3. That because Christ doth not expresly call them so therefore they were not such Mr. T. will not prove Christ calls not Pilate an unjust Judge yet he was so We add in S. T. 3dly That there is a most refined sort of Idolatry when the heart goes forth in desires after any thing beyond what is limited by the Lord and trusts in any thing on this side God which Mr. T. gives no occasion of debate about Sect. 2. Arg. 1. The present Ministers of England are Idolaters proved Of Worshipping God in a false way That to do so is Idolatry proved Acts 17. 23 24. explained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it signifies Why the Athenians are so called The present Ministers worship God in a false way The Common-Prayer-Book Worship a false way of Worship evinced Mat. 6. 9. Luke 11. 2. 10. 5. The judgment of Grotius Tertullian Cornelius a Lapide Musculus on Mat. 6. 9. THat the present Ministers of England are Idolaters which is the Minor Proposition of the forecited Argument we manifest in S. T. by several Arguments As Arg. 1. Those that worship the true God in any other way then he hath said he will be worshipped in and is prescribed by him are Idolaters But the present Ministers worship God in another way than he hath said he will be worshipped in and is prescribed by him Therefore The Major we say is evident from this single consideration To Worship the true God through false Mediums is Idolatry Such as so worship him are Idolaters But to worship God in any other way than what is of his own prescription is to worship him through a false Medium Therefore so to worship him is Idolatry those that so worship him are Idolaters To which Mr. T. replies Sect. 2. 1st By descanting upon the expression any other way which what I meant thereby he might easily have informed himself from the Treatise he attempts to confute I mean away of drawing nigh to God invented and so established by man as to be made such a necessary part of Worship as that without it I trust not publickly draw nigh to God in worship at all which is to worship him through a false Medium and this I say is Idolatry or else there is little or no Idolatry in the World The Achenians were Idolaters upon this very account and no other for they worshipped the true God Acts 17. 23 24. What he adds touching their worshipping by an Image is of an easie dispatch 1. That Image through which they worshipped the unknown God was a false Medium and upon this foot of account singly are they charged with Idolatry No doubt but they had a multitude of Images and that in respect of these their City is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full of Idols or wholly given to Idolatry which it was in as much as through these Images as false Medium's they worshipped God and so it had been if through any other false Medium's they had drawn nigh to him though there had not bee◠one of these Statuae or pillars abiding amongst them 2. That the unknown God to whom their Altar was dedicated was as a Daemon is to say no more a very inconsiderate assertion When Paul tells them in vers 23. It was God that made the world whom they ignorantly worshiped Nor is there the least footing for such an assertion from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is true Mr. Mede renders it a Worshipper of Daemon-Gods but our Translators better too superstitious They are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with respect unto their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Budaeus demonstrates signifies Religion Plutarch explains it of the overmuch and importune worship of the Godds whence arose multitudes of superstitious Ceremonies No doubt they were great devotionists who miscarried not in this that they directed not their Worship to the true God which the Apostle saith they did but in their worshipping him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with many Ceremonies of humane Invention upon the account whereof they are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or too Ceremonious or Superstitious and vers 16. to be given to Idolatry which is what we charge upon and prove against the Ministers of England The Minor Proposition viz. That the present Ministers worship the true God
express ones self in variety and suitableness of expressions to the Children of men is a gift given by the Lord and that not to every one that to be able so to do to God should not be a gift of his is absurd Rom. 8. 26. speaks not solely of the gift but of the grace Prayer which sometimes meet in the same subject but are distinct There may be the gift where there is not the grace of Prayer and on the contrary I say not p. 62. That the gift of prayer is the donation of the Spirit as if I thought this could not be where the Spirit did not indwell though indeed none but such can be in the acceptable exercise of that gift I account not the gift of Prayer to be a gift proper to Ministers i. e. exclusively to others but affirm that all Christs Ministers have the gift of Prayer and ought to use it which the Common-Prayer-Book-Worship shuts out of doors as unnecessary and therefore is not of Christs appointment To this our Animadverter replies 1. That Ephes 4. expresses not Ministerial gifts Answ This is evidently his mistake they are expresly mentioned v. 7 8. He adds 2dly If they are implied it 's questionable whether they are ordinary or extraordinary Answ They are ordinary for they are such as are to continue with the Ministry to the perfecting the Body of Christ 3dly If ordinary whether the gift of Prayer as he means were one Answ This must be one if the exercise of the duty be for the edification of the Body of Christ v. â— 11 12. To imagine that Christ doth not continue to dispense this gift unto his Gospel-Ministers for the foresaid end is injurious to his faithfulness to love and care of his Children to conceit that better provision can be made than he makes by the bestowment of his gifts for that end and such as shall exclude the exercise of them is derogatory to his Wisdom and blasphemous He adds 4thly That though the Apostles said Acts 6. 4. We will give our selves continually to prayer and Paul 1 Tim. 2. 1. Exhorts that prayers be made for all men yet we read not that it 's made the Ministers work to express the necessities of the Church in the publick Auditory Answ 1. But this is not to the question whoever they are that are called forth to this work they are to do it according to the abilities the Lord hath given them But 2dly if it be not the Ministers work whose is it whence is it that they who repute themselves such exclude all others and monopolize this work unto themselves 3ly2 Christ and his Apostles used no forms of prayer before or after their preaching he grants and I am sure there is not the least tittle of direction touching the composing and imposing any for the future hence it follows not that either way of praying I conceive he means by stinted prescribed forms or otherwise is lawful but that devâ—sed and imposed forms of prayer are utterly unlawful for who shall dare to prescribe where Christ is silent upon his free-born Subjects What he further adds That the one way of Worship he must mean that of imposed stinted Liturgies if he speak pertinently shuts not out of doors the other is notoriously false But 4ly Christ hath given to his Ministers gifts for the edification of his Body amongst the rest the gift of Prayer which they are bound to improve when ever call'd to the discharge of that duty as we prove from 2 Tim. 1. 6. 1 Cor. 12. 7. Ephes 4. 11. Prov. 17. 16. Luke 19. 20. The exercise whereof is shut out by the Common-Prayer-Book-Service This Mr. T. should have disproved The reading of a Prayer cannot possibly by a man of the least understanding in the things of God be supposed to be the exercise of this gift Reading is not praying nor any where so called in the Scripture As for Women we assert if they have the gift of Prayer when ever call'd forth to the performance of that duty they are bound to the exercise of that gift which is a sufficient Answer to what follows though persons are not bound to be alway in the actual exercise of this gift yet when call'd to the performance of the duty of prayer for which it is eminently given of God they are obliged to be improving it their not being so is a napkening up of their Talent and Mr. T. may prove the contrary when he is able 'T is added in S. T. That it will not in the least take off the weight of the Argument to say That liberty is granted for the exercise of this gift before and after Sermon For 1. the whole Worship of God may according to these mens Principles be discharged without any Sermon at all and is requently in most of the Assemblies of England 2. Those their prayers are also bounded and limited by the 55. Canon and that both in words and matter for they are enjoyn'd to pray in that form or to that effect as briefly as conveniently they may which will by all sober persons be accounted a boundary notwithstanding Mr. T. his confident Dictate to the contrary 3. We had alwayes thought that Christ having given gifts unto Men did require the use of those gifts whenever persons were called to the performance of that service to which they were designedly given by him by virtue of the forementioned precepts When Christ hath given a gift of Prayer unto his Children and charged them to stirr up the gift given them and not to napkin their Talent we had verily thought that whenever they had been called forth to the performance of that duty he did really intend and expect that they should be found in the exercise of the Gift given To the first and last of these Mr. T. is wholly silent what he saith to the second we have already removed but of the way Mr. T. adds yet further The Common-Prayer-Book-Worship may further the duty of exercising the gift of Prayer and therefore may lawfully be used Which he proves thus That form may be lawfully used for Worship which may be a means to further any positive Duty charged by Christ to be performed by the Saints But such may be the Forms of Prayer in the Liturgy of the Church of England Therefore The Major he proves thus That which requires a Duty requires the Means conducing thereto The Minor thus The Common-Prayer-Book directs what things are to be prayed for by reason of the brevity of the Colects the Responds the frequent use the plain expressions help the memory and cloqution wherein the gift of Prayer consists Answ 1. A Papist may say as much and as truly for their Books of Devotion their Whippings Pilgrimages Mr. T. knows they do so They are means they tell us tending to the furtherance of positive duties To which our Divines answer as we do Mr. T. That only those things are to be accounted a means of furthering any positive
contradists himself for in chap. 5. p. 40. he hath said That kneeling at the Lords Supper is one peg beneath the adoration of the Breaden God he will not affirm but here he saith 't is an adoration in by or before the Creature respectivè or with relation to the Creature Answ 1. Very good and I say so still nor am I able to discern the least contradiction betwixt these two assertions The present Ministers may not worship the Popish Breaden God as the Papists do and yet worship the true God in by or before the creature respectivè or with relation to the creature His pittiful jibes are beneath â—e to take notice of The Idolatry in kneeling at the Sacrament is to be referred to the second kind of Idolatry we at the beginning mentioned it being a way of adoration enjoyned by man not commanded by the Lord and every thing beside the Commandment is an Idol hath been an hitherto received Maxime But it cannot be this kind of Idolatry saith Mr. T. for kneeling in prayer to God is appointed by him Answ 1. This is false I no where find any such appointment exclusive of any other posture 2. Impertinent We are not treating of kneeling in prayer but in receiving the Sacrament Where hath God said he will have this Gesture and no other used in this part of his Worship 'T is true man hath of late so determined it and written the cruelty of their determination in bloody Characters Worthy Mr. Dyton and Mr. Porter of Ware being stifled by their Imprisonment the one in the Gate-house the other in the New-Prison for not conforming thereunto not to mention others then nor late sufferers for the same cause 3. Even in prayer to God the posture of standing seems to be more used throughout the Scriptures Gen. 19. 27. Levit. 9. 5. Deut. 10. 8. 29. 10. 1 Kings 8. 14 15. 2 Chron. 20. 5 19. 29. 11. Jer. 15. 1. 18. 20. Ezek. 44. 11 15. Luke 18. 11 13. Mark 11. 25. an Argument kneeling in that duty was no appointment of the Lord. That the Primitive Christians for above 800. years after Christ on all Lords Dayes throughout the year and from Easter till Whitsuntide constantly prayed standing Mr. T. knows is upon good Authority affirmed What he nextly adds we have already answered That I speak ambiguously and indistinctly I cannot help 't is not given to every one to be a B. D. nor to speak with that eloquence and clearness as Mr. T. I did what I could to be understood However to make sure work on 't he denies both major and minor 1. Adoration in by or before a creature respectivè or with relation to the creature is not Idolatry such as so worship God are not Idolaters for the Holy Ghost invites the Jews to worship at God's Foot-stool his Holy Hill Psal 99. 5 9. which were creatures in by or before whom respectivè or with relation to them as the objectum significativè a quo or the motive of their Worship they were to bow down to God Answ 1. From God's Commands to mans Inventions is but lame arguing God commanded Israel to worship at Jerusalem before the Ark Altar there which they did without being guilty of the sin of Idolatry therefore when men command us to bow down and worship before the creature we may do so without the contraction of any such guilt is a sort of reasoning that Mr. T. upon second thoughts will be ashamed to defend As good he may argue 'T is lawful for men to rob and spoyl their Neighbours for the Israelites by the command of God spoiled the Egyptians without being guilty of Theft But 2dly that the Temple Altar was the objectum significativè a quo or the motive of their Worship is not true it was solely the command of God that was the motive thereof and had neither Temple nor Altar been there had God bid them worship there they would have done it 3dly To worship at his Foot-stool is no more than to worship in the Temple to worship in the House of his Sanctuary saith the Chald. Paraph. which is as remote from Mr. T. his purpose to prove it lawful to worship God in by or before the creature respectivè as 't is from Bellarmines who introduce it to prove the lawfulness of Image Worship What follows 2dly is of an easier dispatch 'T is true the use of the Bread and Wine in the Lords Supper is of the Institution of Christ but bowing down before it is not so as worshipping at the Temple before the Altar was So is 3dly the instance he gives of the Israelites falling down upon their faces and worshipping God when the fire came down and the Glory of the Lord was seen 1 Kings 18. 38. 2 Chron. 7. 3. For 1st should we grant that the people bowed and worshipped God by occasion of the coming down of the fire it would not follow that they worshipped before it which is somewhat more 2dly The Plea is Papistical and may as righteously be used for the worshipping God before Images 3. The sight and presence of the fire was not the motive of their worshipping but the conviction of the Glorious Majesty of God that from that Vision fell upon them 4. Their bowing was as to man a voluntary act from the extraordinary compulsion of the Spirit and by singular occasion ours a forced act frequently performed in imitation of the most horrid Idolaters in the World by the compulsion of the spirit of Antichrist and Satan Their Act hath therefore no place in our present case wherein neither such a compulsion nor occasion can be pleaded Dr. Jackson tells us That such actions as have been managed by Gods Spirit suggested by secret instinct or extracted by extraordinary and special occasions are then only lawful in others when they are begotten by like occasions or brought forth by like impulsions Which is indeed what is usually asserted by our Protestants in answer to such Papistical Arguments as our Animadverter for want of better is forced to make use of He adds 2dly The minor may be denied the present Ministers do not worship God in by or before the creature respectivè or with relation to the creature as the objectum significativè a quo or the motive thereunto for the Common-Prayer-Book saith That kneeling is not for adoration of the Elements but for a signification of our humble and grateful acknowledgment of the benefits of Christ Answ 1. But it saith not the Elements are not the motive of their kneeling which they are else why is not this posture enjoyn'd in other parts and acts of worship wherein 't is our duty to signifie our humble and grateful acknowledgment of the benefits of Christ Nay 2dly whence is it that in that very Ordinance another posture is after the receiving the Bread and Wine permitted Yea do not our kneelers teach us that we ought to stand up at Gloria Patri which is as
for it 'T is added in S. T. 2dly Let both parties be weighed in an upright ballance such as you judge to be offended with you for not hearing and such as are offended thereat I am bold to say the last mentioned for number holiness spirituality and tenderness do far surmount the former Mr. T. his Answer herento 1st is A composure of passionate expressions and reflections upon the Brethren of the Congregational way even the prime Leaders of them of stories of the piety of Hildersham Ball Bradshaw Gataker of the rottenness and stinkingness of puffing up my own party and disparaging dissenters Answ 1. But what needs all this wrath I own my self of no party love all that love Christ disparage not such as dissent from me have a reverend esteem of many of them only say That such as attend not on the present Ministers for number holiness spirituality and tenderness surmount those that do which I should not say but that this is generally known to be true The generality of their hearers being a debauch't formal covetous generation of men but few very few serious enlightned souls to be found in their Assemblies they worship else-where 2. That which he saith That by the Authors Rule if we would know our duty we must leave studying of the Scriptures and study men is false and scandalous I am fully of Tertullian's mind Non ex personis fides aestimanda sed ex fide persona and crave leave to tell him that had he studied men less and the Scriptures more we should have met with fewer Antiscriptural Notions than we do in his Theodulia I conceive the Rule mentioned by the Author of S. T. is bottom'd upon Scripture 1st Let it be remembred that the matter of our debate is touching what is at the least conceived to be the Christians Liberty not Duty 2dly That the case as proposed is of scandal by the use of my Liberty whether it be this way or that The eating the Idolothyte is my liberty I may do it or not do it without sin If I do it not my Heathen Neighbour will be offended and say I am proud and unsociable If I do it my Christian Brother will be scandalized What shall I do Offend not thy weak Brother saith Paul He bears the Image of Christ the other doth not But what if some Brethren be offended at my going others at my forbearing What shall I do now Why truly I know no better way to determine the doubt by a parity of Reason than by the Answer before given Consider who they are that will be offended that exceed in number For certainly if it be not my duty to offend one Saint because a Saint then when the case is brought to that pass that I must necessarily offend some Saints my duty lâ—es in doing that whereby I shall offend the smallest number of Saints which Mr. T. may confute at his leisure We add 3dly Let also the grounds of the offence on both sides bâ— weighed the one are offended at you that you build not up in practice in a day of trouble and cause thereby the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme and triumph what in a day of liberty you did in your preaching and practice pull down and destroy The other because of your disobedience to what they are satisfied and you your selves once were God is calling you to viz. to have nothing to do with separate from this generation of men To which Mr. T. 1st These words are Aenigmatical and require an Oedipus to unriddle them Answ 1. It may be Sir you your self stood so in your own light that you could not see to unriddle them 2. It may be you were not willing to have them unridled 3. If they need an Oedipus you your self shall be the man Sir you were he that in your Fermentum Pharisaeorum call'd the People from attending upon the Ministers of England as Preachers of Superstition though for the generality of them in some things much better then than now 't is an offence and just ground of offence to your Brethren to see you in this day of their distress to plead for what in the dawnings of Liberty you preached down You are the man that with hands lift up to Heaven swore to extirpate the Hierarchy with its Appurtenances Traditions who rejoyced and were glad at the prosperity of those who carried on that work resisting unto blood You are he who sate at White Hall as a Commissioner for the approbation of Ministers and rejection of such as were scandalous gloried in Print that the then Protector had so good an opinion of you as to constitute you one of that number and 't was one part of scandal to use the Service-Book Now after all this for you to write a Book for the defence of this very Hierarcy and Worship your Brethren think it a just ground of Scandal and at their refusing to hear you have and such as you at least no real ground at all since 't is no more than what they practised in dayes past and that without your offence by your leave or at least connivance as the People you particularly walk't with at Lempster did Hereby you have given occasion to Saints to mourn wicked prophane persons to rejoy So that the grounds of offence on your side are not in the least considerable in comparison of theirs What follows is a heap of impertinencies that I am not concerned in 1. I count not any the enemies of the Lord but such as are evidently such a generation of Swearers Drunkards Adulterers and Adulteresses these the turnings about of Professors cause to blaspheme thereat they rejoyce 2. He is mistaken whilst he thinks the Author of S. T. was for violent practices in dayes of Liberty who more or less was not concerned with those publick transactions nor ever was the prosecutor of one person in any kind who by the then Law might be obnoxious to ejection out of their places of spiritual or temporal promotion or otherwise 3. Of some of the things he mentions he himself was once guilty particularly of setting up private Brethren to preach which I account not his fault but wish he had had a little more respect to his own repute if regard to the wayes of truth and peace had not been prevalent upon him than to condemn others for practising the very things he himself hath been found in the practice of That we gather Churches out of Churches that particular Churches of Christ have not the power of government within themselves he should have proved before he had given liberty to his Pen to wander at this wild rate That eminent Independent as he calls him who would not have the Lords Prayer used in a prescript form of words is of age to answer for himself that he hath given any one just cause of offence by that assertion Mr. T. may evince by disproving what he hath written thereabout in his Vindiciae Evangelicae pag.
truth of the assertion we fully manifest in S. T. nor doth Mr. T. deny but that the hearing the present Ministers doth pour out contempt upon the Institutions mentioned he denies them to be the Institutions of Christ Sect. 5. tells us That 't is a gross error which is oft in the mouthes of the Seperatists that they may not hear with the world nor pray with the world whence it hath come to pass that some have left off praying in their Families unless Members of their Church Answ The first and second we have proved beyond what Mr. T. hath as yet been able to reply to 2dly The last I hope is not true God forbid that any that pretend to Christianity much more such as are so in truth should so far degegenerate into the Spirit of Heathenism as not to call upon God in their Families or cease to do their uttermost to convert their Children and Servants to the Lord and instruct them in his fear 3. That this is the consequence of the principle of Seperation or that 't is in it self a gross Error that 't is unlawful for me to hear with the world or pray with the world i. e. joyn with them in their Worship he may prove when he is able What follows hath either already been replied to or will be in its proper place so that we need not attend it here The second thing in the Minor Proposition incumbent upon us to prove we say in S. T. is 2dly That hereby poor souls are hardned in a false way of Worship what can be thought less supposing the worship in the Parish-Assemblies of England to be so as hath been proved when they shall see Professors that were wont to pray and preach together to prosess and protest against Common-Prayer-Book Worship and Priests to cry up or at least approve of as Mr. T. 't is thoâ—ght did Laws made for their ejection if guilty of no other crime than conformity to the Worship they now conform to and practise now flock to their Assemblies and hear their Priests What can they imagine less than that these persons thus acting in a direct contrariety to their former judgment and practice do now see they were mistaken and are begining at least to return unto those pathes from whence they departed and that these wayes in which they and their forefathers have walked are the good Old Way in which rest is to be found To which Mr. T. Answers nothing but what hath already been considered noâ— any thing that deserves our stay The 3d Particular asserted in the Minor Proposition it s said in S. T. is That hereby poor souls are hardned in their rebellion and blasphemy against God his Spirit and Tabernacle and them that dwell therein This is not to be questioned we every day hear stout words spoken against the Lord because of the practice of some in this thing what say the wicked less thanthat Religion is but a fancy that the professors thereof are but a generation of Hypocrites that will turn to any thing to save themselves that the Spirit by which they are acted is but a Spirit of Phanaticism and delusion Yea how do they bless themselves that they are not nor ever were of the number of such Professors and that because they see these for fear of Persecution desert their former principles strike in with their Assembly and Ministers To which Mr. T. adjoyns 1st Papists have thus insulteâ— over Protestants upon the return of any seeming zealous Protestant into the Romane Church yet the Answerer knows how to reply to such that mens instability shews their own weakness not the thing in which they have been zealous to have been good or bad Answ Very right and we know how to reply to the insulting of the Conformists upon the account of the return of any seeming zealous Professors to them but still we say that their return to them gives them too just occasion of insulting The contrary to which Mr. T. should have proved of which he speaks not one word He adds 2dly This Author doth not do well to call the Obloquies against his party speaking against Religion blaspheming God the Spirit Tabernacle and them that dwell therein Answ Sir the party I am through grace of are not mine but Christs the followers of the Lamb in opposition to the wicked profane world of no other party do I own my self to be 2. The Obloquies Blasphemies mentioned being such as are vented against the Institutions of Christ as we have proved them to be and such as conform to them by the Beast and his party may well be called Blaspheming God his Temple Tabernacle and them that dwell therein They are so called by the Spirit Rev. 13. 5 6. He adds 3dly It were very sad should we be afraid to do a thing because of Clamours Answ True if the thing done be our duty which if he supposeth in the present case he begs the question or continue in that which we cannot justifie because men will be hardened in their own way Answ Very right but if a man depart from that way which he once owned to be the way of God which he justifies in the Scriptures to be such and in so doing hardens persons to cleave to a way of Superstition Formality to their utter undoing and gives them just occasion to open their mouthes against the Institutions of Christ reviling blaspheming them and those that walk in them this is not justifiable nor will it be found matter of joy to us at the end of our dayes that we have administred such occasions to them It remaineth then that inasmuch as the hearing the present Ministers pours out contempt upon the wayes and Institutions of Christ hardens persons in a false way of Worship Rebellion and Blasphemy against God it s utterly unlawful for Saints to be found in the pâ—â—ctise thereof Sect. 2. A 10th Argument proving the unlawfulness of hearing the present Ministers 'T is not lawful to go to the places of false Worship All Monuments of Idolatry to be abolished proved The judgment of the learned Mede Cotton Ainsworth Robbinson 2 Cor. 6. 17. 1 John 5. 21. Jude 23. 1 Sam. 2. 17. 1 Cor. 11. 20. 14. 26. explained THE 10th Argument against hearing the present Ministers is in S. T. thus formed God calls his People out of and strictly chargeth them not to go ro the place of False Worship Hos 4. 5. Amos 4. 4. Therefore 't is unlawful for the Saints to attend upon the present Ministers of England The Reason of the Consequence is because we cannot go to hear them without we go to the Places and Assemblies of false Worship as the Common-Prayer-Book-Worship hath been proved to be To which Mr. T. replies Sect. 7. 1st This Argument is bottom'd upon this Opinion That all Monuments of Idolatry all Temples Altars Chappels dedicated by the Heathens or Antichristians to their false Worship ought by lawful Authority to be rased and
might rationally have inferred from hence That that upon the doing whereof relating to the Worship and Service of God of which we were treating Saints have no promise of a Blessing nor ground to expect it is not lawful for them to do for when they are attending â—pon God in his own way he hath promised to meet them and bless them Isa 64. 5. 3. What he writes of Ezekiel's being told that Israel â—ould not hearken is very frivolous and impertinent 1. He had in his going forth to act for God in that Work a promise of his presence and Blessing though Israel abode obstinate Ezek. 3. 8 9 19. 2. There were a Remnant that attended upon the Word of the Lord from his Mouth to whom God made it a blessing But he is upon second thoughts willing to wave this and denies the Minor He tells us That the Saints have a promise of a Spiritual Blessing by hearing these men while they preach the Gospel which he proves from Isa 55. 3. Luke 11. 28. Answ 1. The former place relates not at all to a meer external hearing or an outward attendment upon that Ordinance nor doth the latter but an obediential giving up our selves unto the Word of God Yet 2. they both imply an hearing according to the appointment of the Lord which if we do not but go out of his way atâ—ending upon a false Ministry as we have proved the present Ministery of England to be these words import not the least promise of a blessing 3. They may be as well urged to prove an attendment upon the Ministry of Rome and that upon our so doing we had ground â—o expect it He adds 2dly The experience of former times tells us that more have been converted strengthened by Conformists yea Bishops themselves than by the best of Separatists Ans 1. Of this the Animadverter is no competent Judge Reformation to civility is not Regeneration Conversion to Christ and Holiness 2. Should it be granted all that could be inferred from hence were this that God did of meer Grace honour his own Word for the conversion of sinners not that we have any ground to expect a blessing upon our attendment on that false Ministry by whâ—m 't is dispensed We say in S. T. To prove a promise of a blessing upon our attendment on the present Ministers we conceive is no easie task for any to do for these Reasons 1. The blessing of the Lord is upon Sion Psal 87. 2. 78. 68. There he dwells Psal 9. 11. 74. 2. Jer. 8. 19. Isa 8. 18. Joel 3. 17 21. The presence of Christ is in the midst of his Golden Candlesticks Rev. 1. 12 13. 2. 1. 'T is his Garden in which he feedeth and dwells Cant. 6. 2. 8. 13. And we are not surer of any thing than we are of this that the Assemblies of England in their present constitution are not the Sion of God his Candlestick his Garden but a very wilderness and that Babel out of which the Lord commands his People to hasten their escape Rev. 18. 4. 2. God never promiseth a Blessing to a people waiting upon him in that way which is polluted and not of his appointment as we have proved the Worship of England to be 3. The Lord hath expresly said concerning such as run before they are sent that they shall not profit the people Jer. 23. 32. 4. He professeth that such as refuse to obey his calls to come out of Babylon shall partake of her plagues Rev. 18. 4. 5. Where the Lord is not in respect of his special presence and Grace there is no ground to expect any blessing But God is not so in the midst of the Parochial Assemblies of England Where are the Souls that are converted comforted strengthened stablished by their Ministry To which Mr. T. answers 1. The first reason is a fond application of what is said of Gods dwelling in Sion meant of his special presence there in that his Temple and Service was upon that Hill in the time of the Old Testament to the Congregational Churches exclusively to the Assemblies of England who in their present constitution are not the Sion of God Answ 1. Will Mr. T. stand to this that by the Lords dwelling in Sion we are to understand nothing more than his presence in the Temple with his people of old worshipping there This he seems immediately to retract whilst he cites the Assembly in their Annotations on Heb. 12. 22. making Mount Sion a Type of the Gospel-Church with approbation 2. That the People of Israel were Typical of the Saints in Gospel-dayes we have already demonstrated Sion was so 1st Their Assemblies are call'd the Assemblies of Mount Sion Isa 4. 5. 2dly The solemn investment of Christ into the exercise of Kingship and regal Authority over them is call'd The Lords setting his King upon Sion or over Sion the Mountain of his Holiness Psal 2. 6. 3dly Saints Believers are call'd Sion Psal 146. 10. 147. 12. 149. 2. 4thly The New-Testament Churches are call'd his Temple 2 Cor. 6. 16. with allusion to the Temple that was built upon Mâ—unt Moriah one of the Mountains of Sion to which the true Worship of God was affixed not only in opposition to the Heathen Worship of the Nations but the Worship of the Apostatick ten Tribes under Jeroboam the infamous head of their Apostacy as to these the true Worship of God is fixed in opposition to the Antichristian worship of the Mother-Church of Rome and her Daughters 5thly Mount Sion is call'd the Holy Hill the people that Worship there an holy People evidently expressive of the qualifications of the Church-Members in the times of the Gospel as we have proved 6thly As Sion was typical of Gospel-Churches so was Babylon of false Antichristian-Churches who are her very Picture the Church of England is so as 't were easie to demonstrate That Old Babylon was given to superstiaion and self-invented-worship Jer. 50. 38. 51. 44. Isa 46. 1. bottom'd upon no better Authority than tradition and antiquity compell'd others to Uniformity in her false worship under Penal Laws and Statutes Dan. 3. 3 6. was cruel and tyrannical against the People of God Jer. 51. 25. Isa 14. 17. 47. 6. Jer. 50. 33. and would not permit them to build the Temple at Jerusalem and worship God there according to his appointment that in anâ—wer hereunto the false Antichristian Church or New-Babel is described as given to superstition and self-invented-worship Rev. 13. 14. 17. 5. compelling others to uniformity thereunto under Penal Laws and Statutes Rev. 13. 15 16 17. 17. 2. 18. 3 9. most cruel and tyrannical against the Saints who cannot conform to her Inventions Rev. 13. 7 10 15. 16. 6. 17. 6. 18. 24. is so evident that none can deny it So that 7thly except Mr. T. can prove the Assemblies of England in their present constitution to be Gospel-Churches they are not
enough of this 't is evident that Mat. 23. 1 2. refuseth to afford the least sanctuary to the opinion of hearing the present Ministers Sect. 2. The Answer to the second Objection vindicated from Mr. T. his Exceptions Of Christ and the Apostles going into the Synagogues The ends of their so doing The 3d Objection vindicated Phil. 1. 15 16 opened All preaching of Christ not to be rejoyced in proved A Second Objection proposed in S. T. to be considered is this We find Christ and his Apostles going frequently into the Synagognes where the Scribes and Pharisees preached Which Mr. T. proves they did from Luke 2. 46. 4. 16. Acts 3. 1. 13. 14 15. 16. 13. 17. 2. And further addâ— That the Synagogues nor their Rulers nor their order of the reading of the Law nor their Teachers were of the appointment of God yet our Lord and his Disciples were present at them and joyned with them in hearing them read and such other services of Religion as were done to God which iâ— a good reason wherefore it should not be accounted necessary to separate from the present Assemblies of England and the publick Ministers notwithstanding corruption in Worship defect in calling To which we Answer in S. T. 1. That all that Christ and the Apostles did is not lawful for Saints to practise To which Mr. T. Sect. 6. What they did out of peculiar power commission or instinct is not lawful for us to do but what they did as mâ—n or part of the Jewish People in the Worship and Church of the Jews is a warrant for us in the like case to do in the assemblies of the Christians Answ 1. But he proves not that they did not this out of peculiar instinct which if they did by his own confession the Argument deduced from hence for the lawfulness of hearing the present Ministers is not valid 2. If they did it in discharge of their duties as members of the Jewish Church as he intimates their example binds us as he saith only in the like case i. e. Members of a rightly constituted Church for so was the Church of the Jews are to worship in the Church-Assemblies with them notwithstanding some corruptions But the Church of England we have proved is no rightly constituted Church we were never Members thereof So that hitherto he hath said nothing that is pertinent We further answer in S. T. 2dly That 't is one thing to go into the Synagogues and another thing to go thither to attend upon the Ministry of such aâ— taught there This the present case which that Christ or his Apostles ever did cannot be proved Our Animadverter replies Though Christ and his Apostles did not go to attend on the Ministry of such as taught there yet they did there hear the Law and the Prophets read and joyn in Prayers Answ 1. If they went not to attend on the Ministry of such as taught there an attendment upon the present Ministers of England cannot be proved from their example In which assertion that Mr. T. hath given away the cause he hath all this while been pleading for is in it self evident If we may not attend on their Ministry we may not hear them as Ministers Nor indeed 2dly can we hear them at all for in that their Ministry they act as Ministers 'T is true Christ and the Apostles went to the Synagogues whither the People were gathered together and somtimes they heard the Law and the Prophets read that they joyned in Prayer with them is no where affirmed Acts 3. 1. 't is said They went up to the Temple at the hour of Prayer but 't is evident they went not in to pray with them for Peter having wrought that miracle in cureing the Cripple they flock to him and he preacheth to them And Act. 16. 13. 't is said Paul went to the Rivers side where Prayer was wont to be made but that he prayed with them there is not intimated nor probable but their end in going thither as is evident by their practice was to take an opportunity to teach and instruct the People who were convened together which is no warrant for our going to the present Assemblies where liberty so to do is not afforded us nor do we or can we propose such an end to our selves in going thither We add in S. T. 3dly They went thither to oppose them in and confute their Innovations and Traditions in the Worship of God to take an opportunity to teach and instruct the People Which when any have a spirit to do and are satisfied they are thereunto called by the Lord in respect of the present Ministers and Worship of England we shall be so far from condemning them therein that we shall bless God for them But this is not to the purpose in hand The attendance of our Brethren upon the Ministers of England is quite another thing that requires other Arguments for its support than we have hitherto met with What saith Mr. T. hereunto Doth he manifest that these were not the ends of their going to the Temple and Synagogues Doth he manifest that upon supposition they â—ere the Argument from their example is valid He attempts not the one or the other which yet if he will not give up his concern in the present Argument he could not but see was incumbent upon him â—o prove He only tells us That Christ or his Apostles went into their Synagogues to oppose them in or confute their Innovations Traditions in the Worship of God he doth not remember to have read Answ 1. That they came thither to take an opportâ—nity to teach the People Mr. T. denies not which were enough to enervate what can be argued for the hearing the present Ministers from their example as was said before But 2dly The shortness of his memory I am not able to mend would he converse with the Scriptures of the Lord more possibly that might make him more ready than he seems to be in them 'T is evident they did oppose them in and confute their Innovations Christ did so in the Temple Matth. 21. 12 13. and Chap. 23. For that Discourse of his was in the Temple as is evident from Chap. 24 1. In the Synagogue Mark 3. 1. where he confutes their Innovation touching the Sabbath by manifesting that works of mercy might be done on that day vers 4 5. see Mat. 12. 9 10 11 12 13. Luke 6. 6 7 8 9 10. and 13. 10. contrary to the Tradition of the Elders The Apostles Acts 17. 1 2 17. 18. 4 19. 19. 8. How little Mr. T. hath said to reinforce the Argument the Reader will judge We proceed in S. T. and propose a 3d Objection Object 3. Paul rejoyceth at the preaching of the Gospel though it was preached out of envy Phil. 1. 15 16. From whence our Animadverter argues Arg. 1. They in whose preaching of Christ we may rejoyce though they should not preach Christ sincerely but in
the hearing the present Ministers to be are not to be subjected to Acts 4. 19 20. 5. 29. Dan. 3. 16 17. 6. 10. We remark the Testimony of August de Verâ— Dom. Ser. 6. in this matter who was fully of the same mind with us Sed timeo inquies He tells us plainly That such as fear to offend â—heir superiours should much more fear to offend God who is greater than all The Emperors and Monarchs of the World threaten us with a Prison if we disobey them The Lord threatens us with Hell upon our disobâ—dience to him To which Mr. T. answers not at all The 9th Objection in S. T. is The Ministers of England are true Gospel Ministers for they convert souls which the Apostle makes the Sâ—al of his Ministry or Apostleship Therefore its lawful to hear them To which we say That the conversion of Souls proves not â— lawful Ministry 1. Paul makes it not 1 Cor 9. 2. singly a sufficient demonstration of his Apostleship 2. Many have converted souls that were not Apostles as ordinary Ministers yea Brethren Women remarkable Providences yet who will say that these last are Apostles or Ministers of the Lord Jesus 3. Should it be granted that Conversion of souls is an Argument of a lawful Ministry Where are the Churches nay where are the particular persons converted by them In answer to which Mr. T. grants That Conversion of souls is no certain sign of a true Gospel Minister whereby he hath discharged this Argument as insufficient from further attendance upon this service In what follows there is nothing but what hath already been replied to in this Sect. that requires our stay The last Objection proposed and answered in S. T. is Our Ministers are removed and we know not where to go to hear would you havâ— us sit at home idle Answ 1. Though we are not against any Ordinance of Christ yet we are afraid that those that know not how to spend the Lords â—ay without hearing do too much Idolize that Ordinance and never knew what 't was to spend that day with him Mr. T. adjoyns That such persons conceive they cannot spend â—he Lords day without hearing is not out of any Idolizing that Ordinance of God but because it is one duty of sanctifying the Lords day not only to exercise themselves in Reading and Prayer at home for that is every days duty but also to frequent the publick Assemblies where God is worshipped Heb. 10. 25. Exod. 20. 8. Acts 20. 7. Rev. 1. 10. 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. Joh. 20. 26 29. Answ 1. If by Publick Assemblies he mean the Assemblies of Swearers Drunkards Adulterers Idolaters called Christians where God is worshipped in a way of mans devising by an Antichristian Formal Superstitious and it may be Drunken Priest in opposition to the Private Meetings and Assemblies of the Saints The frequenting such Assemblies is so far from being that wherein the sanctifying the Lords Day doth consist that it is a profanation thereof being rebellion against that solemn Institution of our Lord Jesus enjoyning persons to separate from such Assemblies The Scriptures produced by him totally evert his Figment the most of them preaching forth the duty and practice of the Saints in opposition to such Assemblies And Rev. 1. 10. John was alone on the Lords Day and yet I hope sanctified it according to the will of God 2. I cannot but wonder that People especially men of learning reading should talk so much of Publick Assemblies and Publick Ordinances when they cannot but know that ever since Christianity had a being in the world for the most part the Assemblies of Pagans and Antichristians with their Ordinances and Worship were publick and the Assemblies of the true Church and Worship of Christ retired and private Whence in Rev. 12. 6. when you have the Beast and Whore in their Ruffe and Gallantry the whole World wondering after them Rev. 13. 3. you have the poor Witnesses of Christ prophesying in sackcloth Rev. 11. and the Church flying into the Wilderness a state of solitariness and retirement Rev. 12. 6 14. Might not the Papists in the Marian dayes have pleaded thus against the Protestants Such Publick Assemblies as Mr. Cotton spake of viz. The Assemblies of Believers in a particular Church-State we say are not carelesly or willfully to be neglected or forsaken But what 's this to the Parochial Assemblies of England who are not such Mr. Crofton's Argument cited by him is easily answered 'T is this Communion with the Church-visible in Gods solemn Worship is an essential part of the sanctification of the Sabbath an indispensible duty But Communion with the English Church in the Worship by her celebrated is Communion with the Church-visible in Gods solemn Worship Therefore Answ 1. By the Church-visible he must understand a particular instituted Church for with the Universal-Church-Visible of which some talk as such I cannot have Communion in the celebration of Ordinances of the appointment of Christ by Goâ—'s solemn Worship Worship appointed instituted by him to be managed and performed according to his will for otherwise it is not his Worship Iâ— which sense we grant his Major Communion with the Church-visible i. e. a particular instituted Church of Christ in Gods solemn Worship i. e. Worship of his own appointment celebrated in his own way is an essential part of the sanctification of the Sabbath an indispensible duty with this limitation when and where there is any such Church with whom I may meet But then the Minor is most notoriously false and untrue because the Church of England is no such particular instituted Church as we have proved the Worship celebrated by her is not Worship of the appointment of God managed in his own way but of mans devising performed by Antichristian Officers as we have demonstrated We say further in S. T. 2dly You need not sit at home idle you may soon hear of some or other of the Assemblies of the Saints whither you may repair to wait upon the Lord with them Mr. T. is mistaken that such Assemblies as these are not in many places to be found Through the grace of the Lord 't is for the most part far otherwise than he intimates We add 3dly Were it or should it be otherwise yet better be idle than do worse better do nothing than sin against God encourage others in their evil deeds Which he confesseth to be true upon supposition that publick hearing is a sin 't were better be idle than do that Whether we have manifested it to be so let the indifferent Reader judge We add 4thly There is no necessity of being idle if thou knowest not where to hear on that day If thou hast a sight of thy interest in God thou mayst spend thy time in admiring magnifying the rich love of the Lord to thee if not in getting thy interest cleared up unto thee in studying thine own heart getting sin mortified grace quickened strengthened reaching after
odious with Ministers and People whereby they were necessitated to joyn in Communion by themselves Praecurs Sect. 12. p. 48. Because it is manifest from Acts 2. 41. 46. 1 Cor. 10. 1 2 3. 12. 13. Persons were Baptized before they brake bread together therefore the taking any without Baptism to the Lords Supper will but strengthen men in their opinion that their Infant Sprinkling is sufficient Therefore he sees a nececessity of desisting from that enterprâ—se of admitting persons of different perswasions touching Baptism into their communion ibid. p. 49. The Christian-Church-constitution of Volunteers is better ibid. Sect. 11. pag. 431. In the Worship of God it was wont to be accounted a certain Rule that Gods Worship should be observed according to his appointment and no otherwise ib. Sect. 16. p. 66. My opposing the Bishops began with the soonest And for my non conformity Reasons were given with some of the first I justifie not the Ceremonies ibid. Sect. 21. p. 89. It is true our English Prelatical Divines do account Baptism sufficiently administred that is so done yea though it were by a Popish Priest or a Midwife ibid. p. 91. However for the Tenet of the Peoples governing by Vote I know no reason why they he speaks of those called Independants should be called a Sect rather than their opposites The Excommunication which â—he Scripture speaks of is no where made a part of Government or of the Elders Office any more than the Peoples In Antiquity its apparent out of Cyprian That the People had a great hand in Elections Excommunications Absolutions ibid. p. 93. No one Country City or Tribe together were gathered by the Apostles or other Preachers into the Christian visible Church but so many of all as the Lord vouchsafed to call by his Word and Spirit 1 Cor. 1. 26. Not many wise men Ergo Not the whole Nation And afterward to Mr. B. Question Hath he not commanded to disciple Nations He answers Yes to make Disciples of all Nations by preaching the Gospel to every creature but no where by Civil Authority to gather a whole City Country or Tribe and to draw them into a National and City-Covenant together â—bid Sect. 22. p. 97. Jeroboams Sacrificing and keeping a Feast at another time thâ—n God appointed Ahaz his forming an Altar after the pattern of that of Damascus Nadab and Abihu their offering strange fire keeping Holy Dayes to Saints he condemns as Will-worship Full Review of the Dispute conceâ— Infant-Baptism p. 3. 1 Pet. 2. 9. Which are meant only of the Elect and true Believers of every Nation are applied to a National Church consisting of a great part of either ignorant persons that know little or nothing of Christianity or persecutors of Godliness profanely despising the Word and hating the Godly ibid. pag. 27. God forbad Infants under eight dayes old to be circumcised in that he appointed the eighth day to be Circumcised Now if this be a forbidding to Circumcise before as I acknowledge it is and so do many Protestant Divines as Paraeus Com. in Gen. 17. 11. then that is forbidden which is otherwise than God appointed ibid. p. 81. And p. 180. He reckons the Cross in Baptism amongst Popish usuages such as Bell Baptism Baptizing of Dead persons I said it is a carnal imagination that the Church of God is like to civil Corporations if persons were admitted to it by birth nor is it to the purpose to prove the contrary that Mr. M. tells me the Jewish Church was in the like civil Corporations for I grant it was the whole Nation whereas the Christian Church hath another constitution ibid p. 265 266. If Christ did say to Judas that his Body was broken for him and his Blood shed it will be hard to avoid thence the proof of Universal Redemption I think it the safe stand most likely tenent that Judas went out afore the Lords Supper p. 291. ibid. Christ is the Head of the visible Church in giving them Officers outward order direction ibid. p. 294. But all these are alterd now the Church is not National no one High-Priest Temple Sanhedrim ibid p. 334. I know that our Army hath done so much for the setling the Church as that the Anti-Prelatists Congregations had been either none or much oppressed if they had not broken the force of the opposite party Nor dare I be so unthankful to God or them as not to acknowledge the great Mercy and benefit we at this day enjoy thereby however Mr. B. fret at our Liberty and jibe at the Instruments ibid. p. 383. A not commanding is a plain forbidding Mr. Collings provoc pro. ch 5. Nothing is lawful in the Worship of God but what we have precept or president for which whoso denies opens a door to all Idolatry and Superstition and Wil-worship in the world which Mr. T. approves of ibid p. 408. Of divine Institution there is no reason can be right but what is from Gods own appointment though it may seem right to us it should be so In things positive our reason is deceivable and Gods appointment is only to be attended ibid p. 461. And now Sir though I might to these Collections which are diametrically opposite to the main principles of your Theodulia the very basis upon which that Fabrick stands have added many more as you well know yet am I willing to spare you not knowing but the Lord may give you to see and bemoan your evill in gladding the hearts of the Wicked sadning the Righteous or confirming them in crooked paths who have turn'd aside thereunto which notwithstanding your natural temper and heâ—ght of spirit with which we are sufficiently acquainted that will pâ—oâ—pt you to say something in a way of self-justification is not impossible for God to do If you write in Answer to our Reply and to the purpose you shall receive a Return 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a spirit of meekness and christianity If we meet therein wiâ—h meer dictates without tender of proof impertinent citations of Scriptures without the least attempt to minifest their congruity with the assertion they are introduced to prove and a parcel of passionate railing expressions in the stead of the words which the Wisdom that is from above and the Spirit of our dear Lord teacheth which we too often meet with in your Theodulia you have your Answer Farewell FINIS
JERUBBAAL OR A Vindication of the Sober Testimony against Sinful Complyance from the Exceptions of Mr. Tombs in Answer to his THEODULIA Wherein the unlawfulness of hearing the present Ministers is more largely discussed and proved The Arguments produced in the Sober Testimony reinforced The Vanity of Mr. Tombs his Reply thereunto evinced His forty Arguments for Hearing fully answered The Inconsistency of Mr. T. his present Principles and Practices with passages in his former Writings remarked and manifested in an Appendix hereunto annexed Will ye plead for Baal will ye save him he that will plead for him let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning If he be a God let him plead for himself because one hath cast down his Altar Judg. 6. 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 2. 18. Nulla potest lingua satis exprimere quantum malum quantum periâ—ulum quantum confusionem sacrae Scripturae contempâ—us quae pâ—ocul dubio sufficiens est pro Ecclesiae gubernatione alias Christus imperfectus Legislator esset Et humanorum inventorum affectatio in Ecclesiam invexit Ad hujus rei evidentiam consideretur clari status cui sapientia coelestis desponsari debuit sua cum me etrice ilia sapientia humana adulteriam commiserunt illi si ut status Ecclesiae mere bestialis monstrosus evaseâ—it infra coelum supra vero terra subest Spiritus dominatur caro c. non erubescunt tamen quidam dicere humanis inventionibus melius Ecclesiam gubernari quam Lege Divina Lege Evangelii Christi quae assertio blasphema est c Johannes Gerson Seâ— in die Circumcis p. 3. consider 1. London Printed in the Year 1668. An ANSWER to the Epistolary Preface of Mr. Tombs his Theodulia To the Christian Readers especially those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil Dearly Beloved T Is now some five years since 〈◊〉 little Treatise call'd A Sober Testimony against Sinful Complyance was for my own and some few Christians of my intimate acquaintance use and further information in the grand Controversie of the Time viz. the Hearing of the present Ministers of England compiled and about two years after upon the earnest request of some Friends whom I could not deny published for the satisfaction and further establishment of others also What the success by the blessing of the Lord of that undertaking was with the acceptance it had with many truly fearing God I list not now to declare Not long after its publication without any enquiry of mine I had frequent intimations of an Answer by some one or other thereunto which by several it seems was deemed necessary I confess being in my own spirit assured I had pleaded for nothing but what in the substance of it would be found to be the Truth of Christ I was not over-solicitous into whose hands that undertaking would be committed When I heard not long after that the party whose Exceptions thereunto we have in the ensuing Treatise considered had undertaken the refutation thereof I was not a little well-pleased since an opposition thereunto was deemed necessary that it fell into such a hand For although I had frequent intimations of that sad frame of spirit he hath of late been under and from some Tractulates lately published by him had some ground to believe it yet was I unwilling to entertain any evil surmise concerning him which I knew to be a fruit of the flesh or to give way without most evident proof to the belief of the suggestion intimated Two things I did assure my self of 1. That he would deal like a Scholar in the management of the present Controversie candidly and fairly for the bolting-out of Truth as he phraseologiseth p. 1. Nor could it enter into my mind that a person of such Learning as Mr. Tombs would be accounted to be in stead of a fair and sober Answer should have turn'd aside by Cobweb-like and unnecessary distinctions like the obs and sols of the Schoolmen of which it may be said as one †Prudent Apothe. of some of the Ancient Philosophers of old-spake of others Statum lacessunt omnipotentis Dei Calumniosis litibus Fidem minutis dissecant ambagibus Ut quisque est lingua nequior Solvant ligantque quaestionum vincula Per Syllogismos plectiles to the clouding and obscuring of what was plain and obvious to the understanding of the meanest capacity and the perverting the intendment of his Antagonist nakedly represented to a meaning never intended by him as not once that he might seem to say somewhat he hath done setting up a man of straw of his own foâ—ming to spend the heat of his misgâ—ided zeal upon 2dly I supposed also that a man of that repute in days past for Sobriety to which he is still no mean pretender and Holiness as Mr. T. would never have defiled himself with the vomit and shameful spewing of passionate and most unchristian expressions worse than which had he been disputing with the Devil if he would have taken a measure of modesty from the Archangel he could not have made use of he is frequently venting and disgorging against his Adversaâ—y The review whereof I am assured will not be over-pleasing to him if his heart be but in the least fixt upon that frame of spirit in which our services for God of which he deems his present undertaking to be a part should be managed He hath sure read and I wish he would lay it to his very heart Jam. 1. 20. that the wrath of man worketh not the Righteousness of God and 2 Tim. 2. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Lud. de Dieu and others interpret de verborum as well as verberum pugna of tongue-strifes and contentions and is by some rendred to scold as also Tit. 1. 7. from the guilt whereof I know not how he will acquit himself He talks indeed of Billings-gate Rhetorick used by others p. 16. and expects he saith in his Epistle to the then Lord Chancellor no other event than Obloquy from persons of the mind of this Author For my part I am not conscious to my self of giving the least occasion of such expressions from this Animadverter not remembring what one sentence throughout the whole Treatise doth justly deserve such a castigation and am resolved not to return him the same measure he is pleased to mete out not liking the Copy so well as to write after it So that what-ever he meets with from others I assure him how grateful soever it may be unto him upon some accounts which may make him expect it as he speaks he shall miss of the returnal of Obloquy for Obloquy those wrathful passionate expressions he is frequently venting in the Papers under consideration Through Grace we have otherwise learned Christ and can say touching this Animadverter as Calvin touching Luther Though Luther call me Dog c. yet I will say of him he is I hope
things we are to pray for for at that time they were not bound to the use of so many words and syllables as are Tertullian Cyprian Cornelius a Lapide Musculus c. But 3dly should it be granted that Christ enjoyned the use of that form of Prayer as a form this will not prove that stinted forms of Prayer are lawful and as such may lawfully be imposed and used which can have no other basis then this 't is as lawful for Civil or Ecclesiastical Rulers to devise and impose forms of Prayer upon the Churches as for Christ a most absurd and blasphemous assertion As touching what he adds 2. Christ justifies the Childrens crying of Hosanna uses himself the forms which David used before in the Psalms c. We answer That in all this he doth but beat the Air and speaks not one word to the purpose We find no footsteps of any enjoyned Liturgie or stinted forths of Prayer imposed either in the old Testament or the New though we find the same words used sometimes by them yet that they might never use any other in their publick devotions which is the condition of stinted enjoyned forms the known case of the Ministers of Engl. with respect to their Church-Service we find not which is also a full answer to what he cites out of Cyprian touching their use of the Lord's Prayers and other Forms if they used any they were not bound to use them and no other When he proves this consequence the Saints of old used the same words in prayer sometimes and Christ used words before used by them Therefore a set and stinted Liturgy was in use amongst them and such an one as our Common-Prayer-Book-Worship I will be his Convert He knows the contrary His answers to Justin Martyr and Tertullian are impertinent and not worth the reciting The words of the former are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Atheists we are not seeing we worship the Maker of the World And in all our Oblations we praise him according to our abilities in the way of prayer and thanksgiving And afterwards tells us that the President of the Assembly poureth our prayers according to his ability and continues long in this work Tertullian tells us The Christians looking towards Heaven not on their Common-Prayer-Book with their hands spread abroad prayed without a Moniter because from their hearts expressions wholly exclusive of inconsistant with the formes of prayer contended for The sayings of Socrates in his Eccl. Hist l. 5. c. 21. who lived about the year 430. tells us That among all the Christians in that Age scarce two were to be found that used the same words in prayer He passeth over in silence as he doth the account I give of the use of them not till about the year 600. and the imposition by Charles the Great of Gregories Liturgy as is thought and the support thereof by threats and punishments ever since These things hâ— knows to be true and yet they are such as the Dragon he labours to support cannot possibly stand before Sect. 3. Common-Prayer-Book-Worship not of the appointment of Christ because an obstruction of some positive Duty charged by Christ upon the Saints Mr. T. his Exceptions refuted Of resting on the Sabbath Day Whether Sacrificing was an obstruction of that Duty Mat. 5. 12. explained Following Christ no obstruction of positive Duties to Parents Of the gift and grace of Prayer Rom. 8. 26. opened 'T is the duty of Saints to improve Gifts received Common-Prayer-Book-Worship contrary to Scripture 'T is not necessary to the edification of the Saints The Judgment of the Reformed Churches A Second Argument advanced in S. T. to prove that Common-Prayer-Book-Worship is not of the appointment of Christ is thus formed That Worship which is an obstruction of any positive Duty charged by Christ to be performed by the Saints is not a Worship that is of his appointment But this is undeniably true of the Common-Prayer-Book-Worship Therefore Christ hath given Officers to his Church Ephes 4. 11. to them he hath given gifts every way suiting the imployment he calls them forth unto the improvement whereof he expects and charges upon them 2 Tim. 1. 6. 1 Cor. 12. 7. Ephes 4. 11. Prov. 17. 16. Luke 19. 20. To think after all this that any Worship should be of the institution of Christ that shuts ouâ— as unnecessary the exercise of the gifts given is absurd and injurious to Christ To which Mr. T. answers Sect. 5. 1. The major is not in all cases true resting on the Sabbath Day was a positive Duty yet sacrificing which was an obstruction of that Duty called prophaning the Sabbath Mat. 12. 5. was Worship of Gods appointment following Christ preaching of the Gospel were Worship of Christs appointment yet they were obstructions to positive duties to be done to Parents Answ 1. Resting from our own works on the Sabbath Day was a positive Duty not from the works of Religion and the Worship of God as was Sacrificing 'T is true Christ saith Mat. 12. 5. That the Priests in the Temple prophaned the Sabbath but this is spoken in respect of the vulgar Opinion that thought the Sabbath violated if any necesâ—â—ry work were done therein not that indeed the Sabbath day was broken by them So Dr. Willet on Exod. 20. 9. and our Annotaâ—ors upon the place expound it 2. That following Christ is an obstruction of any posstive duty we owe to Parents Mr. T. will prove Quum durae quercus sudabunt roscida mella i. e. never 'T is true Christ sometimes calls us to leave Father and Mother for his Name and Gospel-sake but then our abiding with them is no longer any positive duty enjoyned us by him but the contraty so that the major Proposition abides firm To the minor viz. That the Common-Prayer-Book-Worship is an obstruction of a positive duty viz. the exercise of the gift of Prayer which is excluded hereby He answers 1. 'T is supposed that the Common-Prayer-Book-Worship is a different sort of Worship from such as is used by those who exercise the gift of Prayer Answ And so it is the one being of the Earth earthy carnal devilish the other from Heaven as good he may say the Ark and Dagon are the same as that the Common-Prayer-Book-Worship and the Worship of Jesus Christ is so When he proves the absurdities mentioned are the proper issue of this assertion we shall think our selves concern'd to take notice of them but till then we reject them as the spurious off-spring of his own begetting He adds 2dly The Author intimates that ability to conceâ—ve compose and utter in variety of Expressions Petitions to God is the gift of Prayer and the exercise of it is the exercise of that gift Answ I do so indeed That there are some that have ability so to do Mr. T. will not cannot deny nor that this ability may be where there is not true Grace what will Mr. T. call this Ability to