from among vs whom wee call Brownists contrarie minded who both reiect the aforesaid doctrine as erronious and condemne our Parish assemblies for false Churches it remaineth we heare what they likewise teach concerning the Church and their Arguments whereby they would proue our Church to be a false Church that so wee may more clearely see on which side the truth is whereby the louers of the Truth shall be preserued from error and Wisdome iustified of her children THE SECOND BOOKE CHAP. I. A confutation of H. BARROW his description of a true visible Church WEE haue spoken in the former Chapter of the first vse wee make of the aforesaid Doctrine of the visible Church And there we haue seene how fitly it seemeth to iustifie the Church of England and to proue her to be a true Church now by it wee will also conuince the Brownists false doctrine of the visible Church And that shall be the second and lâ—st vse of the Doctrine aforesaid For the better vnderstanding of the Brownists doctrine concerning the true visible Church let vs heare how it is described by them It is saith BARROW a company and fellowship of faithfull and holy people gathered in the name of Christ Iesus A true description of the visible Church pag. 1. their only King Priest Prophet worshipping him aright being peaceably quietly gouerned by his officers lawes keeping the vnity of faith in the bond of peace and loue vnfained Generalâ—y coÌ„cerning this description I affirme that a Apology 44. Counterp 115. Princ. Infer 8. 10. as al the rest of the descriptions or definitions of the visible Church which they do giue so this likewise is rather a description of the inuisible Church militant then of the visible That which is hâ—ere set downe is true onely of the Elect and cannot properly and truely bee spoken of any Reprobate whereof a true visible Church may in part consist as well of the Elect for as the Elect only are faithfull and holy indeed and effectually called so Christ Iesus is their onely b Though Christ Iesus be in diuers respects King of the visible Church yet he is not King Priest Prophet of the visible but only of the inuisible Church hee cannot be said to be Priest of the visible Church but with relation had to them that be of the inuisible Church King Priest and Prophet they alone doe worshippe him aright are gouerned by his lawes keepe the vnity of faith in the bond of peace and loue vnfained But let vs brifely consider of the seuerall parts of this description That your meaning is the visible Church consisteth only of faithfull holy persons it is hereafter made manifest and appeareth also by the last page of H. Barrow his book intituled A true description of the visible Church where hee saith that into the visible Church there entereth no vncleane thing or person but all such are without how true this Doctrine is wee shall anon heare as also of the gathering heere spoken of And that the visible Church and consequently all the members thereof haue not Christ Iesus to be their King Priest and Prophet in the end of this booke it is made manifest Omitting therefore these things wee will come to that which in the description followeth In it you adde that the visible Church consisteth of a Company that worship Christ aright and to proue this you send vs to three places of Scripture the two first viz. Exod. 20.7.8 Leuit. 10.5 speake neuer a word for you The last and onely testimony you haue is Ioh. 4.23 where Iesus saith That the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and truth and that the Father requireth such to worship him And hereof our Lord rendereth a reason in the words next following saying God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and truth which in effect is this that God being of a spirituall nature requireth a spirituall seruice agreeable to his nature Of a company of such kind of worshippers say you doth the visible Church consist But how can this possibly be true seeing Christ Iesus speaking to some of the visible Church Matth. 15.7 saith thus O Hypocrites Esaias prophecied well of you saying this people draweth neere vnto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but their heart is farre from mee but in vaine doe they worship me These were no true worshippers worshipping God in Spirit and truth but only outwardly and Hypocritically whereupon Iesus calleth them Hypocrites and yet were these worshippers members of the visible Church And whereas of the visible Church the greatest part are Hypocrites or hypocriticall worshâ—ppers by this description and doctrine of yours there can be no Hipocrites in it for you teach that the visible Church is a company that worship God in Spirit and truth but no Hypocrites worshippe God in Spirit and truth therefore by your doctrine no Hypocrites are of or in the visible Church That no hypocrites doe worship God in spirit and truth which resteth only to be proued it is hereby manifest First because they doe not worship God with a true and sincere affection of the heart Secondly Because this worshipping of God in spirit and truth is that worship which God requireth to be performed to him by men accepteth of and is well pleased with but the worship of hypocrites God forbiddeth reiecteth and abhorreth Hypocrites therefore doe not worship God in spirit and truth Thirdly As many as thus worship God in this world Heb. 11.6 Psal 19.11 he will honor in the world to come and for their poore seruice done to him on earth he will aboundantly reward them in heauen now woe be to Hypocrites saith Christ And againe giue him his portion with Hypocrites This is the hypocrites reward Where you say that the visible Church is a company peaceably and quietly gouerned by Christ's officers and lawes considering the greatest part of the visible Church are reprobates and so rebels against Christ taking part with Satan against him how can this be truely said of the visible Church and consequently of all the members thereof Cain Ismael Esau Saul Absolom the Scribes and Pharisies were all of the visible Church These and thousands more such in the Church haue beene so farre from being quietly gouerned by Christs lawes that with them in the second Psalme they haue said Verse 3. Let vs breake their bonds and cast their cords from vs. The visible Church therefore is not a company of such loyall and obedient subiects to Christ as these men affirme How peaceably and quietly was Saul gouerned by the lawes of God and Church officers then when he caused the Priests of the Lord to be slaine and eagerly persecuted Dauid thirsting after his bloud and that all his life time The same may be said of Cain killing Abel of Ismael mocking or as the Apostle saith persecuting Isaak of Absalom
he as the Diuell himselfe professed some true and sound doctrine so doe his Instruments as witnesse the writings of Papists Anabaptists and other Antichristians wherein they also make profession of these things But we haue learned of the Apostle Tituâ— 1.16 That there are some who professe they know God but by workes deny him and are abominable and disobedient and vnto euery good worke reprobate Seeing then a company of Reprobates may professe all doctrine needfull to saluation yet practise such things as will bring them to damnation We cannot be perswaded though all your three markes were granted to be in your Parishes that therefore they are true Churches of Christ for we know they doe the workes of Antichrist I reply Neyther Papists nor Anabaptists nor any false Church or Sinagogue of Satan professe true Religion They professe indeed some true and sound doctrine yea the Diuell himselfe did so but it is another thing to professe true Religion and enioy and submit our selues to true worship But say you A company of Reprobates may professe not only some but euen all doctrine needfull to saluation and yet practise such things as will bring them to damnation we cannot therefore be perswaded that a company professing Christian Religion make the Church of Christ You speake you know not what for hereby you imply and secretly teach that A true visible Church is a company of people professing and practising such things as will bring them to saluation Whereupon it followes that there is no Hypocrite in the visible Church for whose practise is answerable to his holy profession he is no Hypocrite Hereupon also ensueth that in the visible Church there is no Reprobate or any that shall be damned and that it is a company of Elect onâ—y and such as shall be saued For all that practise such things as will bring them to saluation shall be saued But this practise of holines ouer and besides an holy profession doe you require in all the members of the true visible Church condemning them as no members that want it and which making this profession doe practise those things which lead to damnation Therefore by your Doctrine all of the visible Church shall be saued and none therein damned And thus vnawares you confound the visible and the inuisible Church but that is vsuall with you In effect you affirme that those mentioned Titus 1.16 were without But that is more then you or any man can proue It is more probable that they were in the Church for they were professors They professe saith the Apostle that they know God Vnder the knowledge of God comprehending also their professing to feare God to loue him and to beleeue in him and to obey him And I am very sure that notwithstanding their extreame wickednes they might be of the visible Church which onely maketh you thinke they were not of it Whether those Professors were in the Church or without it mattereth not I am sure that if not these yet infinite others as abominable as these haue beene in and of the visible Church as hereafter shall bee made manifest Seeing then in many members of the visible Church as Cain Ismael Esau Saul Absalom the Scribes and Pharisies with innumerable more there was no practise at all of godlines but only a profession thereof being no better then Atheists denying God in their workes abominable disobedient and to euery good worke Reprobate why doe you necessarily require practise in al the members of the visible Church so as without it one cannnot be a member of the Church and for want of practise condemne our Parishes for false visible Churches Behold heere men deliuered vp to a reprobate sence that were of the visible Church Are any in our Parishes worse and more vile then these Were these because of their outward profession of the true visible Church notwithstanding their prophane liues And may not they in our Parishes making the same profession bee likewise members of the true visible Church albeit their liues be prophane so long as by excommunication they be not cast out of the Church Your Parishes say you we cannot be perswaded are the true Churches of Christ because they doe the workes of Antichrist Be it that we are guiltie of this trespasse that we doe some workes of Antichrist that is that some such things wee doe or yeeld vnto as Antichrist hath brought into the Church Doth it thereupon follow that our Parish assemblies are not the Churches of Christ Answ to Master Stone about the 2. pag. Verily no Except euery abomination of Antichrist make a Church to become false and Antichristian whereunto your selues answeres negatiuely and renders thereof a good reason in these words For the best Churches are subiect to errour and some abominations of Antichrist were crept into Christian Churches while the Apostles liued By this reason of yours and your owne confession the Primitiue Churches were not true Churches In the eight chapter of Iohn Iesus saith to certaine Iewes Vers 41.44 Yee doe the works of your father And againe Yee are of your Father the Diuell and the lusts of your father yee will doe If these notwithstanding they did the workes of the Diuel were of the true visible Church as the truth is then sure may we be of the true visible Church notwithstanding we doe some works of Antichrist except Antichrist and the doing of his workes be worse then the Diuell and the doing of his workes But the Answere to Master Stone proceedeth If you teach your people that profession without practise is sufficient to saluation you are but a deceiuer of their soules Who amongst vs teacheth such diabolicall doctrine The Lord knoweth and his people know that wee teach the direct contrary that it will not suffice to say Lord Lord but we must doe the will of our heauenly Father if we will enter into the Kingdome of heauen yea yee your selues know this What meane you then to vse these words whereby you would eyther intimate to the Reader that we vse this cursed doctrine and so slander vs or at least that you doubt thereof whereas you certainly know the contrary Take heed your selues proue not the deceiuers of soules Nay as sure as the Lord liueth you are such But let vs come to Master Ainsworths last answere concerning this point of profession Againe Counterp 21. I deny that your Parishes doe truely and rightly professe these things and would heare your proofe we know that your Parishes professe not aright neyther Law nor Gospell neither repentance from dead workes nor faith in God but lye dead in trespasses and sinnes idolatries and many other hainous abominations I reply We know that among vs some few doe rightly professe being the same in deed which they professe and make shew to be and that is as much as is to be looked for in the visible Church Seeing all in the visible Church a few excepted are Hypocrites and that no Hypocrite
can or doth rightly professe Law or Gospell faith or repentance And what though many among vs yea the most bee dead in trespasses and sinnes Doth that hinder vs from being a true Church Bee ashamed of your grosse ignorance Know yee not that the greatest part of the visible Church are Reprobates as is manifest by this speech of our Lord Many are called Matth. 22.14 but few chosen and consequently dead in trespasses and sinnes Are not all naturall men dead in trespasses and sinnes The Apostle saith they be but all Reprobates are naturall not spirituall therefore all Reprobates are dead in trespasses and sinnes Is there any Reprobate who being dead to sinne is aliue to God In the twelfth Psalme Dauid because of the iniquity of that time complaineth and cryeth out to God after this manner Vers 1. Helpe Lord for there is not a godly man left And Isaiah thus Ah sinfull Nation a people laden with iniquity c. And a little after Isa 1. v. 2.3.4 and vers 10. Heare the word of the Lord yee Princes of Sodome hearken yee people of Gomorrha Tell mee now Master Ainsworth whether the people of the Iewes in the dayes of these Prophets were dead in trespasses and sins and many hainous abominations and whether they did rightly professe the things you speake of I hope it may be as truely said of them as of vs that they professed not aright neyther Law nor Gospell neither repentance from dead workes nor faith in God and yet were they at the same time a true visible Church We therefore may be and are a true visible Church notwithstanding our people generally faile in the practise of that holy Religion we doe professe And thus much of the visible Church yea generally concerning the Church visible and inuisible wherein godly Reader if thou wilt take the paines to informe thy selfe throughly thou shalt not need to feare those rocks wheron others haue fallen and made shipwracke CHAP. VII That the Church of England is a true Church and our Parish assemblies true visible Churches WEE will now come to apply the aforesaid Doctrine of the visible Church to the people of Enâ—land in particular and thereby we will proue the Church of England to be a true Church against all gain-sayers Papists Brownists c. but especially against Brownists who only haue caused this Treatise of the Church against whom chiefely it is intended And this is the first vse wee will make of the said Doctrine The Brownists euery where in their bookes with open mouth affirme that our Church is a false Church and our particular Congregations or Parish assemblies false visible Churches To take away this vile report and euill name which they haue brought vpon vs the people of God I will reason against them and proue the contrary first generally and then particularly Generally thus Whatsoeuer People or Nation is within the daily voice and call of God calling vpon them to repent and beleeue that so they may be saued the same is a true visible Church But the people generally of England are within the voice and call of God daily calling vpon them to repent and beleeue that they may be saued Therefoâ—e the people of England are a true visible Church The Proposition and first part of this Argument is proued by the speech of Christ Matth. 22.14 Many are called but few chosen by the first part whereof Many are called is meant the visible Church and by the latter contained in these words but few are chosen those of the inuisible Church that are in the visible All that liue vnder the voice and call of God that is who submit themselues vnto the Ministery of the Word and doe heare it whereby God calleth vpon them by his seruants the Ministers that they would repent and beleeue and so be saued all these I say are the visible Church among which saith Chrâ—st few are of the Elect and Church inuisible This is the meaning of our Lord in these words As that people which hath not this externall calling by the Word is not a visible Church or so much as within the visible Church but without as Paul speaketh 1. Cor. 5.12 What haue I to doe to iudge them that are without So that people which hath the externall calling whom God vouchsafeth to call vpon to be saued and outwardly submit themselues therunto albeit few of them be effectually called and haue the internall calling is a visible Church Against the Assumption or second part of this Argument there lieth no exception it being true that our Pastors and Teachers are true Ministers euen the Ministers of Christ and disposers of the secrets of God which as some of the learned among vs of late haue proued to the stopping of your mouthes though neuer so wide so God himselfe by the calling and conuersion of many among vs 1. Cor. 9.1.2.3 doth confirme and thereto from heauen set a scale and therefore it mattereth not though a thousand foolâ—sh men on earth doe deny the same From the latter description of a visible Church That it is a company of people enioying and submitting themselues to the true worshippe of God I argue yet further for our Church Whatsoeuer people doe enioy and outwardly submit themselues to the true worshippe of God they are a true visible Church But the people of England doe enioy and outwardly submit themselues to the true worship of God Therefore the people of England are a true visible Church The Proposition hath sufficient confirmation from the aforesaid description of the visible Church and needeth not to be strengthened any further besides you will not I know deny it and therefore in vaine it were to vse many words about it The Assumption you will and must needes deny that our diuine worship is true worship For if our worshippe be true worship then is our Church a true Church This you know full well Hereupon you as confidently affirme that our worship is false as that our Church is a false Church Counterpoys 209. Should we say quoth Master Ainsworth that a visible Church is a people that falsely worship Christ Indeed if so we held we might well returne to their Church of England for there is false worship more then enough If we can proue now that our worship is true worship then and thereby it will be manifest that our Church is a true Church and so the foundation of your building will not only be shaken but vtterly ouerthrowne and fall to the ground consequently the whole building That the worship we enioy and giue vnto God is true worship I thus proue If such as both in their life time and at their death serued God with the very same worship as wee doe haue in that worship beene saued then is the worship wee now haue true diuine worship But the first is true Therefore the second Both the Proposition and Assumption of this Argument will be made
our selues were Proselites of the Iewes Religion so of the visible Church and yet vndoubtedly they came not to be such by the call of the word or by the power and operation therof but by beholding the great and wonderfull workes which the Lord wrought by the hand of Moses and Aaron and the freedom of the Iewes from those plagues which fell vpon the Egyptians When Haman was hanged and Mordecai exalted and comfortable letters sent to the Iewes that they should be readie on such a day and auenge themselues on their enemies so as vnto the Iewes was come light and ioy and gladnesse and honor it is recorded in that story Ester 8.17 that many of the people of that Land became Iewes that is turned to and professed the Iewes Religion and so were ioyned to the Church and then immediatly is shewed how that came to passe not by the call power and operation of the Word but because the feare of the Iewes fell vpon them This is manifest likewise in the Gospell where many are said to beleeue in Christ that is to professe faith in Christ and so were of the visible Church of whom it is plaine they were not drawne thereunto by the word but some by the report they heard of Christ as Ioh. 4.39 some for their belly sake to be fed by him as Ioh. 6.26 and some by his miracles as Ioh. 2.27 Seeing then this is not necessarie and generally true of all the members of the Church that they are called by the word of God very vnfitly was it placed in the description of a visible Church which if it were good would be true and each part of it of euery member thereof If it bee true that a visible Church is a company of men then thus is it also true whosoeuer is not a man is not nor can be of the visible Church and therefore no Angels no spirits or soules of men can be of this Church euen so it is in this case If this be true that a visible Church is a company called by the word of God then this is true also that whosoeuer is not called by the word and hath not felt the force and power of this mighty word is no member of the visible Church Moreouer suppose that one of the visible Church haue children and seruants that be Papists and that he after other perswasions commands and threats shall say vnto them except yee forsake your idolatry and worship God according to his word and not after the traditions and deuises of men yee shall be no children nor seruants vnto mee And that thereupon they frequent the Church assemblies and in processe of time doe in policie outwardly seeme to be religious renouncing Popery and p ofessing the true Religion when in the meane season they continue Popish still And not those to be accounted of the visible Church Yes verily for what though they haue a heart and a heart that is nothing to man we must leaue that to God Yet these children and seruants came not to bee of the Church by the call of the Word And herein this Father and Master did nothing but what in duety to God Gen. 18.19 and loue to men he ought to doe For I know him saith the Lord that he will command his sonnes and his houshold after him that they keepe the way of the Lord to doe righteousnesse and iudgement that the Lord may bring vpon Abraham that he hath spoken vnto him May and ought the Master and Father of a family doe this and may not or ought not the Father of the Country according to that authority which God hath giuen him likewise do the like by his family If he may why doe you condemne as it should seeme the proclamation and commandement giuen in this behalfe by Queene Elizabeth not long after shee came to the Crowne whereby the gathering of our Churches was hastened You ought rather to haue commended her for it When Iudah was fallen to Idolatry whereby it became a false Church the Lord raised vp certaine Kings of Iudah to restore and purge the Religion and worship of God then greatly corrupted whereby it became againe a true Church And this that they might the better effect they a 2. King 23.21 2. Chron. 14.4 and 33.16 commanded the people to serue the Lord in that manner that he had appointed them and not after the fashion and appointment of men as they had done Of Iosiah it is said That b 2. Chron. 34 33. hee compelled all that were found in Israel to serue the Lord their God Yea some of them to this end c 2. Chro. 30.5.6.10 made proclamation throughout all Israel from Beersheba euen to Dan and accordingly sent forth the postes with the said proclamations or letters and that which is more d 2. Chro. 15.12.13 calling a Parliament made this statute or law That whosoeuer would not seeke the Lord God of Israel that is serue him according to his word as it is expounded 2. Chron. 14.4 should be slaine Concerning this also they caused the people to take an oath Then it followeth in the text And the Lord gaue them rest round about Whereby is intimated that God approued of this compulsion to serue him and therewith was well pleased Yee now that so greatly condemne the gathering of our Churches and teach that all who are of the visible Church are called by the word of God and thereby onely made members of that society That God heere must perswade the heart of man Counterpoyson 72. 170. That Christs Church to wit visible is a people begotten of God with the word of truth that Gods people meaning the visible Church are a voluntary people And thereupon condemne all force and compulsion vsed herein by the Magistrate Tell me I pray you whether all the Idolaters in the daies of Asa Hezekiah Manasseh and Iosiah that reformed themselues touching their outward profession were by the force and power of the word of God then preached brought to professe the true Religion and to ioyne with others in the true worship of God and so to be of the visible Church If you answere affirmatiuely he is a foole that beleeues you and such a one sure that if you say the crow is white will likewise beleeue you If negatiuely we need no more to conuince you For it some haue come to be of the visible Church who before were not and not by the call of the word which in giuing this negatiue answere you affirme then is not the visible Church a company of people câ—lled by the word of God as you define it Secondly I demand of you why commandements proclamations threates force and compulsion being vsed by the Kings or Queenes of England in the restoring or purging of the Religion and worshâ—p of God should not as well now bâ—e lawfull and pleasing to the Lord as the like proceedings vsed by the Kings of Iudah were in
the like case You answere thus M. Ainsworth Counterpoyson 229. The examples they alledge of reformation by the Kings of Iudah fit not their turnes for Iudah was a true Church though some corruptions had crept in as will easily doe into the best Abâ—jâ—h the Predecessor of Asa maintained Gods true Religion and worship against idolatrous Israel both by word and sword So Asa found not his Kingdome a false Church as King Edward and Queene Elizabeth found England Afterwards when abominations had ouerspread the Land Hezekiah laboured a godly reformation and opening the doores of the Lords house he brought in the Priests and Leuites not the Chemarims or Baals Priests as the Popish Clergie were brought in or rather retained still in this Church 2. Chron. 30.6 Hezekiah sent ouer all the Land to conuert the people from idolatrie who laughed the messengers to skorne and mocked them howbeit diuers submitted themselues and came to Ierusalem Finally Iosiah purged the Land of idols and false worship and reduced his people vnto the true seruice of God Obserue this mans euasion and what shift he makes to help himselfe in a strait They will seeme to answere when they do nothing lesse For the iustifying of this That Christian Princes may and ought to command their subiects being Idolaters to forsake their Idolatry and worship the Lord and consequently to ioyne themselues to the true Church Wee alleage the examples and practise of certaine Kings of Iudah and namely of Asa Hezekiah Manasseh and Iosiah who did the like For answere to the first of these examples you tell vs that howsoeuer the Religion and worship of God was corrupted in Abijah his time the predecessor of Asa yet was it true Religion and worship that was then maintained and a true Church which Asa found when he came to the Kingdome but such was not our estate and condition when King Edward and Queene Elizabeth entred vpon their Kingdomes The case therefore is not alike But we desire you to proue That in the dayes of Abijah Iudah was a true Church and that Abijah maintained Gods true Religion and worship I confesse that in Iudah God had a Church people in Abijah his raigne who were of the true Religion and worshipped him truely yea I adde that at this time in Israel vnder Ieroboam the Lord had his Church and people that were of the true Religion and worship as is plaine by 2. Chron. 11.13 14 16. But I deny that Iudah was then a true Church and that Abijah maintained Gods true Religion and worship and affirme that Iudah was now Idolatrous as well as Israel whom your selfe calls and that truely idolatrous Israel though both these Kingdoms were not idolatrous in like degree That this is so it is plaine by the holy Story of these Kings and times For marke what Asa Abijah his sonne and successor is said to doe vpon his entrance into the Kingdome He tooke away the altars of the strange gods 2. Chron. 14.3 4 5. and the high places and brake downe the Images and cut downe the groues Heere is mention of the altars of strange gods of Images to wit of false gods of the high places where they offered to these gods and of the groues which were dedicated vnto them which Asa succeeding Abijah forthwith destroyed Doe not these things euidently declare that in the raigne of Abijah Idolatry was set vp and maintained in Iudah and therefore ABIIAH maintained not Gods true Religion and worship If you obiect that these Altars Images and High places were not erected and set vp by Abijah but by Rehoboam his father only through want of zeale he let them alone and did not abolish them and that this only was his sinne and the sinne of Iudah I answere the contrary is manifest 1. King 15.12 where thus we reade And Asa tooke away the Sodomites out of the Land and put away all the Idols that his Fathers had made By Fathers here must needs be vnderstood Rehoboam and Abijah If further you obiect that howsoeuer Abijah was an Idolater yet the Kingdome was not fallen to idolatry but the people generally worshipped God truly I answere this cannot possibly be true for euermore it went thus with the Iewes like Prince like People If the King were religious then the People and State embraced and professed true Religion and worship and if the King was an Idolater and false worshipper then generally the people were such Besides this obiection is answered and conuinced 2. Chron. 12.1 And heere I reason thus with you That King and people which set vp and maintaine the worship of a false god or gods is a false Church But Abijah and his people set vp and maintained the worship of false gods Therefore Abijah and his people were a false Church The Proposition none will gain-say and the Assumption is proued by the aforesaid testimonie of Scripture Againe that ABIIAH did not maintaine Gods true Religion and worship and consequently Iudah in his dayes was not a true Church it is confirmed by the fourth verse of the former Scripture 2. Chron. 14 3 4. And Asa tooke away the altars of the strange gods c as is aforesaid and commanded Iudah to seeke the Lord God of their Fathers and to doe according to the Law and the Commandement In that Iudah is heere commanded by Asa to worship the Lord according to the Law and Commandement of God giuen in that behalfe for this is the meaning of the words thereby is insinuated that before and in Abijah his time they did not worship God after his Law and Commandement but otherwise euen after their owne inuentions which is idolatrie and false worship Lastly I reason against you thus Iudah was an idolatrous and false Church in Rehoboams time Therefore in Abijah his daies The Antecedent I proue by 1. King 14.22 23 24. compared with 2. Chron. 14.3 4. and 1. King 15.3 also by 2. Chron. 12.1 And when Rehoboam had established the Kingdome and made it strong he forsooke the Law of the Lord that is to worship the Lord according to his Law which is true worship and all Israel meaning all Iudah with him The consequence is corfirmed 1. King 15.3 And Abijah walked in all the sinnes of his Father which hee had done before him but his Father set vp and maintained a false Religion and false worship Therefore the sonne You tell vs that ABIIAH maintained Gods true Religion and worship against idolatrous Israel both by word and sword How can this possibly be true seeing Abijah maintained in Iudah a false Religion and worship as well as Ieroboam in Israel and was an Idolater as Ieroboam was Suppose there were now warre betweene the King of Spaine and the Pope about some Ciuill matter some Territories or other commoditie that each of them make claime to If because of this I should affirme that the King of Spaine maintaineth Gods true Religion and worship against idolatrous Rome
would not you and all men laugh at me for my folly and falsitie No lesse ridiculous and false is that you affirme of Abijah True it is that Abijah had warre with Ieroboam King of Israel but Religion was not the cause thereof but this Abijah being valiant would haue brought backe againe the Kingdome of Israel which Ieroboam had taken as Abijah said to the whole armie of Israel by rebellion from his father REHOBOAM a childe and tender hearted and one that could not resist him as Abijah saith of him Abijah his loue then and desire after the Kingdome of Israel was the cause of this warre as is plaine by 2. Chron. 13.5 6 7. and not his zeale for the true Religion and hatred of the false as your words pretend A man that readeth these words of yours would likewise imagine that Abijah was religious and worshipped God truly whereas in truth he was a notorious hypocrite and grosse idolater In the shutting vp of your answere touching Asa you say that ASA found not his Kingdome a false Church as King Edward and Queene Elizabeth found England This also is very vntrue Nay ASA found Iudah worse then they did England For Iudah in Abijah his raigne worshipped false gods whereas England in the daies of King Henry and Queene Mary worshipped the true God though after a false manner But suppose that Iudah in Abijah his time was not a false Church and that Asa found it a true that lets not but that in Iudah there might be idolaters at the same time worshipping either a false God or the true God after a false manner as the Papists at this day in England doe Nay wee cannot but acknowledge that such there were indeed considering this is said of Asa in the very entrance into his Kingdome 2. Chro. 14.3 That hee tooke away the altars of the strange gods and the high places and brake downe the Images and cut downe the groues Vers 4. And commanded Iudah to seeke the Lord God of their Fathers and to doe according to the Law and the Commandement Now these idolaters that in their high places offered to strange gods did ASA command to forsake their idolatrie and to worship the Lord God of their Fathers after the manner hee had commanded as is plaine First By the coherence and dependance of the two verses aforesaid Secondly ASA needed not to giue this commandement to them who did already worship God truely but to the idolaters that were in Iudah that eyther worshipped strange gods or the Lord after their owne inuentions and not as he had commanded Is it not then plaine in the example of Asa That Christian Princes may and ought to command their subiects being idolaters to forsake their idolatrie and to worship the Lord and consequently to ioyne themselues to the true Church say it were true that the Church of Iudah was then not a false but a true Church Yes verily euen al one as if the Church in Abijah his time had been a false Church as indeed it was Specially if hereunto we adde that which is set downe in the second verse That herein Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord. But grant we that the dissimilitude you speake of would helpe you against the example and practise of Asa yet is it no answere to the other two examples of Hezekiah and Iosiah seeing they found the Church of Iudah euery whit as false a Church as King Edward and Queene Elizabeth did the Church of England Yea false in a higher degree worshipping false Gods whereas England in King Henry the eight Nay England enioyed the true worship of God part of King Henry his raigne especially during the time of Queene Anne and before the sixe bloudie articles were vrged Act. and Mon. 999. and 1000. 2. Chron. 28.2 3 4. and 23. and 33.2 3 4 5 9. and Queene Maries dayes worshipped yet the true God though after a false manner By the Scripture it is manifest that in the daies of Ahaz and Amon Predecessors to the aforesaid godly Kings Iudah walked in the wayes of Israel made molten Images and set vp altars for Baalim sacrificed vnto the gods of Damascus and of Aram and worshipped all the Host of heauen and serued them nay it is said Iudah and the inhabitants of Ierusalem did worse then the Heathen whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel This you knew well enough and saw but would not see for then you had answered your selfe which you had no desire to doe And this appeareth by your owne words for you acknowledge that IOSIAH purged his Land of false worship 2. That he reduced his people vnto the true seruice of God therefore before Iosiah his raigne in Amon his daies they had the false seruice and worship of God established among them Marke also how Master Ainsworth vsing many words concerning HEZEKIAH his reformation passeth smoothly both by this that Iudah in his entrance to the Kingdome was a false Church and that hee in his said reformation vsed his regall commandement and authority sent forth his proclamation throughout all Israel and Iudah and that by postes for the more speedie dispatch thereof We haue not a word of these things that make as directly against you as can bee and for the iustifying of Queene Elizabeths proclamation in the beginning of her raigne which you spurne against so much But in stead thereof you say That he opened the dores of the Lords house brought in the Priests and Leuites and sent ouer all the Land to conuert the people from idolatry who laughed at the messengers mocked them It may seeme by these messengers you vnderstand or at least would haue your Reader vnderstand certaine Prophets Priests or Leuites That such were sent by the King throughout all Israel and Iudah to preach for the gathering calling and conuerting of this people to God But the Reader must know that these said Messengers were the Postes that carried the Kings proclamations or as it is said 2. Chro. 30.6 went with letters by the commission of the King and his Princes throughout all Israel and Iudah and with the commandement of the King the summe of which proclamations or letters is there set downe Who would euer imagine that they whom the King sent to conuert the people from idolatrie for these be your words were only certaine Postes that carried the proclamations of the King Thus by cunning you deceiue the simple In like manner you deale as touching Iosiah You tell vs that he purged the Land of Idols and false worship and reduced his people vnto the true seruice of God But in the meane season you omit how that to the end he might bring this to passe 2. Chro. 33.16 hee commanded Iudah to serue the Lord God of Israel This which maketh to the very point in hand you passe by and in stead thereof mention that which is nothing to the purpose
thorow this doore into the Church Fourthly Whether God moued the heart of this man and by his Spirit perswaded him to ioyne with others in the externall worship of God or the loue of prosperity and freedome from misery And let this suffice for a reply to your answere whereby the insufficiencie and vanity of it is made manifest as also of this following speech of Master Iohnsons Aâ—swere to M. Iacob 199. tending to the same purpose It is saith he the worke of God only to adde to his Church such as he will saue And therefore it is not in the power of Princes or any man whatsoeuer to perswade the conscience and make members of the Church but this must be left to God alone who only can doe it Princes may and ought within their dominions to abolish all false worship and establish the true worship appointed by God in his word commanding and compelling their subiects to come vnto and practise no other but this yet must they leaue it vnto God to perswade and to adde to his Church from time to time such as shall be saued I answere this man further That the Lord adde to the Church such as he will saue and none other yet the visible Church being the Barne wherein his wheat must be threshed before it be gathered into the garner of Heauen Mat. 3.12 SataÌ„ the father of all Hypocrits addeth many vnto it such may come to be of the visible Church and often doe by the Commandement counsell or perswasion of man and yet that be true you say and by many testimonies endeuour to proue that God alone must perswade the conscience and that it is his worke only to adde to his Church such as he will saue But tell me Master Iohnson whether those who not only come vnto but also practise the true worship appointed by God in his Word be not members of the Church You cannot deny they are members and so to be accounted But Princes say you in their dominions may command and compell their subiects to come vnto and practise the true worship appointed by God in his Word Therefore Princes in their dominions may command and compell their subiects to be members of the Church But leauing this man I returne to Master Ainsworth and that which followeth in his Counterpoyson You adde that this doctrine openeth a dore in the Church Counterpoys 224. to all the prophane in the world contrary to the Scriptures If by prophane you meane those that are inwardly and secretly prophane We answere they cannot be kept out of the Church for we know not who be such if openly prophane as I thinke you doe then this doctrine openeth not the dore of the Church to such But you will proue it for if a Prince say you may compell some of his subiects to bee members of the Church he may compell all and if one Prince may doe it all may So if there were such an Emperour as Augustus that commanded all the world to be taxed he might also command and compell all the world to be ioyned vnto the Church All this wee grant seeme it to you neuer so strange and absurd and tell you that if euer God should grant such an Empâ—ror as would command and compell all the world Iewes and Gentiles to worshippe God as he hath commanded and should make a law and see it executed throughout the whole world as Asa did in Iudah That whosoeuer would not worship God in that manner â— Chro. 15.12 hee hath commanded whether he were small or great man or woman should be slain that such compulsion by law penalty was very pleasing and acceptable to God and a most blessed and memorable acte Yea this which you seeme to deny and to deride I will confirme by your owne wordes Wee acknowledge say you all Christian Princes haue equall power with the Kings of Iudah Counterpoys 230. to abolish all idolatry within their dominions yea and to punish obstinate idolaters and not suffer any superstitious worship among their subiects Thus by your owne confession a Christian Emperour may lawfully punish idolaters wherein what doeth hee else but compell men to worship God after his word I speake of external worship which kind of worshipping alone without the internall maketh one a member of the visible Church which maketh them members of the Church The Magistrate in punishing men for theft whoredome murther and the like faults compels them thus trespassing and all others by their example as much as in him lyes to liue truly chastly and peaceably Euen so in this case the Magistrate that punisheth idolaters and men for false worship doth thereby compell men to worship God truely whereby they become members of the visible Church Thus what you build heere in another place you destroy and pull downe But marke what he inferreth vpon that goeth before Thus the world and the Church betweene whom there hath beene perpetuall warre might soone be reconciled If euer it should fall out so happely that there should be an vniuersall command and compulsion to worship God according to his Word so as the bounds of the Church reached to the vtmost parts of the world yet I warrant you feare not the enmitie betweene the Serpent and the woman betweene his seed and her seed would remaine and no such reconciliation could possibly be made as you imagine might soone and easily be Indeed if in the visible Church there were none of the serpents seed wherunto all your doctrine of the Church in a manner tendeth then in case the whole world were the Church this warre and enmity would be at an end But were you not starke blind you might by the Scriptures learne That in the true visible Church the old Serpent the Diuell hath many of his children as well as God some of his betwixt whom is the perpetuall warre you speake of Notwithstanding then the whole world were the visible Church this warre would be perpetuall and no reconciliation You forget that many cruell persecutors of the Church who haue shed the bloud of the Saints haue beene of the Church yea principall members therof Description of the visible Church pag. 1. Else sure you would neuer deny that this war and enmity were in the Church and tell vs that all in the Church are tied together by the bond of peace and doe vnfainedly loue one another I would know of you whether they without the Church can possibly hate the godly more then many of those doe that be within the Church The Scripture saith Prou. 29.27 that the righteous that is the godly are an abomination to the wicked Now it is plaine after proued that there be very many wicked yea notoriously wicked in the church The godly therfore haue at home in their Fathers owne house mortall and irreconciliable enemies enough As in the dayes of Christ so at this day and to the end of the world there will bee in
because in the beginning of Queene Elizabeths raigne and likewise at this day our parishionall assemblies are no such societies as consist of such onely but had and now haue in them many false and counterfeite Christians and Professors Therefore at the first they were and so continue false visible Churches Is there any so blind who seeth not that hereby they shut out of the Church all Hypocrites For true Professors are opposite to false and counterfeite Professors which are those we call Hypocrites A true Professor is he who is the sonne in trueth that he professeth and maketh shew to be Who professing godlinesse is godly Directly contrary to this man is the Hypocrite The like may be saide of a faithfull and true Christian But a true visible Church saide those Schismaticks is a company of true Professors and Christians and not a mixt company of true and false Professors Therefore in the visible Church by their doctrine there are no Hypocrites With Barrow and Robison doth Maister Ainsworth accord Counterp 72. as being led by the same spirit The Apostle saith he sheweth Iam 1.18 1. Pet. 1.23 That Christs Church is a people begotten with the word of trueth that is the Gospell but your Church was first begotten gathered constituted ordered and is still continued by the Magistrates word and authoritie which if it did not enforce the people the estate wherein you now stand would soone bee changed and your Church dissolued And where you learned so to inforce faith and constraine men to bee members of your Church Alcoran chap. 18. 19. I can not tell vnlesse you would follow Mahomets doctrine who taught that men should bee compelled to the faith by the sword Before you teach that a visible Church is a company of people that doe repent and beleeue the Gospell and here you terme it a people begotten by the Gospel and borne a new nor of mortall but of immortall seede and so all are regenerated that bee in the visible Church and consequently shall inherit the Kingdome of heauen For can hee dye that is begotten and borne of immortall seede whereof both these Apostles speak This doctrine and all of this kinde hereafter following take it as it is by you deliuered and it is palpably false so as it needeth no confutation But your meaning it seemeth is that All in the true visible Church liue so holily righteously and soberly touching their outward carriage before men that wee cannot in equity nor charity account otherwise of them then faithfull and such as haue repented and are conuerted to God and are begotten and borne a new Principles and Inferences 7. yea Elect as M. Smith saith And for this cause as these men suppose all in the visible Church are called Saints and Faithfull As Ephes 1.1 Paul an Apostle of Iesus Christ c. But herein it must needs be they are deceiued seeing there haue beene true visible Churches in former times wherein some members and those not a few haue beene so vile and abominable as the faithfull then liuing could neither in equitie nor charitie iudge so of them as you speake Except they should haue iudged otherwise of the tree then according to the fruits nay cleane contrarie to it whereas our Lord sayth Yee shall know men by their fruits Mat. 7.16 euen as the tree is knowne by the fruits thereof That which M. Smith here affirmeth I haue answered here after in the next Chapter and thither I referre the Reader for further satisfaction Obserue besides the abuse of scripture here Note here their peruerting of Scripture The words of Iames be Of his owne will begate hee vs with the word of truth that wee should be the first fruits of his Creatures By vs who are said here to be begotten by the Gospell the Apostle meaneth himselfe and the rest of the faithfull members of the inuisible Church and not himselfe the rest of the visible Church as you fondly imagine and beare the simple Reader in hand Rom. 6.13 12.2 As the first fruits vnder the Law were dedicated to God and offered vnto him so all the faithfull consecrate and giue vp themselues wholly to God a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto him which is their reasonable seruing of God and not all of the visible Church as you in the application of this Scripture tell vs the most whereof giue themselues and their members as weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne wherein they walke according to the course of this world and after the Prince that ruleth in the ayre euen the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience Of true beleeuers and none others S. Peter also speaketh For they onely are borne a new of that immortall seede hee mentioneth which Iohn 1.12 proueth As many as receiued him to them hee gaue power to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name Againe these that are thus borne a new as 23. vers are said to be redeemed vers 18. to beleeue in God verse 21. To haue their soules purified by the Spirit verse 22. But such as bee of the inuisible Church onely are redeemed beleeue in GOD Counterpoys 158. are purifyed by the Spirit Of such therefore the Apostle here speaketh Hereby it is plaine that you speake vntruely when you say That places setting forth the inuisible Church are not by you brought to set forth the visible Church Yet Ainsworth in slandering and blaspheming our Church is worse and more intollerable then Barrowes whereof wee haue heard before Hee saith not onely that our Church was first begotten and gathered but addeth and is still continued by the Magistrates word and authoritie excluding the words of GOD as if our Church were neither begotten at first nor continued now by the Ministerie of the Word And where learned yee say you so to inforce Faith and constraine men to be members of your Church I answere Not out of the 18. and 19. Chapters of Alcoran which you by your Cotation in the margent imply but out of the sacred scriptures Not from the example of Mahomet but from the commended examples of the godly Kings of Iudah as I haue shewed Thus much you cannot tell or see The greater is your ignorance and blindnesse A spirit of errour hath put out the eye of your vnderstanding But where learne you to compare the doctrine of God to Mahomets doctrine and the examples and practise of the good Kings of Iudah which you acknowledge all Christian Princes should follow with Mahomets example and practise Counterpois 230. Cursed is that zeale which carieth a man beyond all bands of truth and sobrietie Paul being very zealous spake yet the words of truth and sobernesse The Lord lay not this blasphemie to your charge To that which hath been said I onely adde this That if a visible Church were a company of men truely and vnfainedly religious as you in your whole doctrine of the visible church
pretend then thus farre you had rightly described the Church For no man can be ordinarily religious indeede except as you speake here hee first be called by the Word of God Here the counsell perswasion commandement and threat of man will not auaile No humaine force and compulsion will serue the turne it must be diuine and from God whereof we reade Luke 14.23 Salomons song 13. Iohn 6.4 Act. 16.14 Compell them to come in God himselfe by the Ministerie and preaching of the Word his Spirit accompanying the same must perswade and draw else we hang backward and continue still irreligeous and prophane as we see in the example of Lydia whose heart the Lord opened that she attended vnto the things which Paul spake Neither can we without this calling by the Word be assured that wee are of the inuisible Church This is that we call the internall and effectuall Calling and is proper to the inuisible Church All that haue this calling may assure themselues of their election and saluation This the Apostle confirmeth Rom. 8.30 11.29 and of this calling speaketh where he saith Whom he predestinated them also he called and whom hee called them also be iustified and whom he iustified them he also glorified And againe the gifts and calling of God are without repentance And thus are all of the inuisible Church called in their appointed time But concerning the visible Church this calling by the Word is not necessarie so that without it we cannot come to be of this fellowship Which we cannot chuse but see if we call to minde that which we haue beene taught That a visible Church is a company professing true religion To ioyne in which outward profession whereby we become members of the visible Church one may be drawne by the commandement threat counsell and perswasion of man the Word of God neuer comming neare his heart And so I leaue the first part of your description and proceede to examine that which therein followeth A visible Church say you is a company of people seperated from the world This doe we also hold and teach rightly vnderstood that is touching their professioÌ„ of the true religion and so are we seperated from Heathens Infidels Turkes Papists Anabaptists c. But thus you vnderstand not these words you meane hereby that a visible Church is a company of faithfull and righteous men onely or Saints not mixed with but seperated from the open wicked of the world That this is your meaning it is plaine by your owne Treatises as forthwith we shall heare and namely where you say Defence of the Churches and Ministers of England 71. that a visible Church is a seperated company of Righteous men from the open wicked of the world and cannot consist of all sorts of people good and bad And for the proofe of this point and part of your description you send vs to Iohn 17.14 I haue giuen them thy word Apologie 44. Marke here their peruerting of Scripture to the end of this Section and the three next following and the world hath hated them because they are not of the world as I am not of the world Whosoeuer shall aduisedly reade this Chapter may easily see that these words are meant of the eleuen Apostles being parcell of that part of Christs prayer hee made for them in particular That Iesus speaketh here of his elect Apostles it is manifest both by the words going before this 14. verse and specially by verse 12. as also by the verses following after and namely by verse 18. and 20. what is this at all then to purpose Surely no more for the proofe of the point then if you had produced the first words of Genes In the beginning God created the heauen and the earth Frame your Argument and the vanitie of your proofe will appeare If that the Apostles members of visible Churches were separated from the world then all the members of a visible Church must bee separated from the world But the first is true Therefore the second To this effect you must marke your Argument or none at all Giue mee leaue now to argue after the same manner If the Apostles members of visible Churches were preachers of the word and had the gift of miracles then euery member of the visible Church must be a preacher of the word and haue the gift of miracles But the first is true therefore the second Thus could I proue that the members of visible Churches must haue no certaine abiding place but goe from place to place â—rom one countrey to another throughout the world for the Apostles did so Therefore in vaine is this testimonie alledâ—ed by you and you therein take Gods name in vaine I doe not deny but that many things spoken of or to the Apostles or required to be in them are likewise required and happily found in euery member of the visible Church The Apostle prayed and heard the word so it may bee doe all the members of the visible Church Some of the Apostles Iesus commanded that they should fast and pray lest they did enter into temptation the same he requireth of all in the Church But this is it I say and meane That it followeth not necessarily that because this or that qualitie or gift was or ought to be in the Apostles therefore it is and ought to bee in euery member of the visible Church But happily you will not vnderstand this scripture of the eleuen Apostles but extend it further Seeing by the Text it is euident that Christ spake and meant it onely of them without falsifying the Text you cannot stretch it an haire breadth further But suppose the words might be vnderstood more largely the vtmost extent must be to the Elect. First because Iesus speaketh of them for whom he prayed and these be onely the Elect. Secondly hee speaketh of those which are hated of the world and of such as being in the world are not of the world and such alone bee the Elect. Now this maketh not at all for you no more then the former For what though the Elect which are in the visible Church be separated from the world which is true as Christ here meaneth doth it therevpon follow that all in the visible Church are separated from the world Iudge your selues So one may proue that all of the visible Church shall be saued because the Elect which be in the visible Church are heyres of Saluation Another fault which in alleadging this Scripture you commit is this that you mis-vnderstand these words of our Sauiour are not of the world whereby he meaneth not separated from the world in your sence that is from the open wicked in the world but that his Apostles were not worldly indeede louing the things of the world or that they were such as would not conforme and fashion themselues to the manners and customes of this world would not follow this world as worldly minded men doe in that which is euill
as within the Church and doe therefore threaten and denounce the iudgements of God against them as the pestilence famine and specially the sword and leading into captiuitie Let the first chapter of the first of all their prophecies suffice for all Isa 1.4 Ah sinfull Nation a people laden with iniquitie a seede of the wicked corrupt children they haue forsaken the Lord c. And in the 10. vers Heare the word of the Lord O Princes of Sodome hearken O people of Gomorah Heere were men notoriously wicked not without but in the Church and those not a fewe but almost all a sinfull nation a people not some of the people laden with iniquitie and so were their fathers whose seede they were Princes and people being like to them of Sodome and Gomorah And if in the Church there had not beene open and known wicked from generation to generation How could there haue beene in the Church in all ages so many despisers of the Word and of the Ministers thereof the holy Prophets Apostles and their successors so many murtherers whoremongers thieues proud couetous idle and malicious persons railers slaunderers and in a word giuen to all manner of abominations as is manifest by holy writ there haue beene Yea sometimes swarmes of these haue beene in the Church as Psa 12.1 Isay 1. Ier. 9.2 Micah 7.1 doe manifestly shew Isay 1. from v. 2. vntill 26. And no better was the estate and condition of the Church in the dayes of Christ Whereupon our Sauiour calleth the Iewes an euill and adulterous generation Matth. 11.16 and compareth them vnto little children which sit in the markets and call vnto their fellowes and say we haue pipâ—d vnto you c. declaring thereby their vniuersall contempt of his owne and Iohns Ministery which argueth the generall and open vngodlinesse of that people In a word it is euident by the Gospell that the Church then did abound with open wiâ—ked But for the further confirmation of the point in hand and the exemplifying therof let vs call to mind and consider a little more of that we haue already heard It is cleare that all the aforesaid despisers of the Word and ministery thereof all the aforesaide reproaches and mockers of Dauid and blaspheamers of God all the aboue named murderers of the Prophets and seruants of God were open wicked men their sinnes being as it were written in their foreheads with great capitall letters so as he that did runne might reade them and yet were they in the true visible Church In this manner Ismael Esau Saul Doeg Absalom were knowne wicked men openly and notoriously wicked and yet of the visible Church But aboue all other this is manifest by the Scribes and Pharises who were as vile and wicked men as euer liued For feare of them men durst not confesse Christ Iesus If any did they excommunicated them They blaspheamed Christ and his workes Saying that he was a glutton a drinker of wine a friend of Publicanes and sinners a deceiuer a traitour that he who deliuered him was not Cesars friend that he was a Coniurer casting out Diuels by Belzebub the Prince of Diuels wherein they committed the greatest sinne of all euen the sinne against the holy Ghost They made the people that not long before had cryed Hosanna saue I pray to cry Crucifie him Crucifie him Being vpon the Crosse they mocked him Thou that saued others saue thy selfe Now these sinnes of theirs were not secrete but open being committed in the sight of the Sunne These men were as well knowne to be wicked and abominable to Ioseph Mary to the Apostles to the 70. Disciples and generally to the faithfull then liuing as the Pope with his Cardinals Archbishops Bishops and all that sinfull and adulterous generation who are daily shedding the blood of the Saints are now known to vs to be wicked and abominable yet were these men neuerthelesse in and of the visible Church Matth. 23 2.3 yea principall mâ—mbers therein as the eyes in the body euen teachers in the Church and such as Christ commaunded his people to heare In the visible Church therefore there haue beene and remained open wicked And therefore the being and abiding of such in a visible Church doeth not nullifie the same and so not ours by consequent Obiection All the aforesaid testimonies and examples cited out of the Old Testament and the rest of the same kinde M. Smith will thus auoid That the Church of the Iewes being but a ceremonie and tipe morall holinesse was not required of the members thereof but ceremoniall onely Answ I answere if Morall vncleanenesse did aswell pollute their sacrifices vnder the Law as it doth ours vnder the Gospel then Morall holinesse was as well required of the members of that Church as now it is of the members of the Church of God But the first of these is true Therefore the later The proposition is so cleere that it needs not any proofe The Assumption is manifest by the first of Isaiah Isay 1.11.12 16.3.4 and the 66. of that prophesie also by Psal 50.16 Where we learne that all the sacrifices and seruice that the wicked Iewes offered performed to God was no lesse hatefull vnto him and abhord of him then the seruice and sacrifice of wicked men at this day And who doubteth but that in all ages the sacrifice of the wicked was an abomination to the Lord. Pro. 15.8 But come wee now to the Churches of Christ vnder the Gospell yea to the primitiue Churches and purest that euer were If in them we can shew there were open wicked I trust this matter will be decided The Apostle writing to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 12.21 saith thus I feare lest when I come againe my God abase me among you and I shal bewaile many of them which haue sinned alreadie and haue not repented of the vncleanenesse and fornication and wantonnesse which they haue committed Here were men in the Church of Corinth liuing in vncleanenesse fornication and wantonnesse of which sinnes Paul feareth they will not haue repented when he shall come againe vnto them Now hereby wee may perceiue that the sinnes of these wicked men had crept forth and were knowne in that the Apostle had intelligence thereof whereupon he thus reproueth them as also for their strife 2. Cor. 12.20 enuying wrath contentions backbitings whisperings swellings discord And these sins as it should seeme did raigne among them which occasioned Paul often to rebuke them for the same and sundry times to tell them that they were carnall 1. Cor. 1.11.12 3.3.4 meaning a great part of them and did walke as men that is liue after the manner of naturall or carnall men which haue not the spirit Ver. 4.8.10.11.12.13 S. Iude tels vs of certaine that were crept into the Church who were vngodly men turning the grace of God into wantonnes of whom he saith that they did defile the flesh despise
gouernment speake euill of them that are in authoritie and speak euill of those things which they knew not and whatsoeuer things they did know naturally as beasts which are without reason in those things they did corrupt themselues Whom for thâ—ir hatred to the brethren he compareth to Cain and in other respects to Balaam and Core Also to clouds without water carried about of windes corrupt trees without fruit twise dead and plucked vp by the rootes to wandring starres and to the raging waues of the Sea foming out their owne shame These were open wicked men and yet were they of the visible Church as appeareth hereby First in that they are compared to clouds without water whereby is is noted their hypocrisie that they made a shew of godlinesse but were indeede without godlinesse like the clouds that make semblance of raine or water but send downe none Secondly this is confirmed by verse 4. where Iude speaking of these vngodly men saith they were crept in meaning into the Church And lastly by verse 12. These are spots in your feasts of charitie when they feast with you without all feare feeding themselues By these words it is euident that these notorious wicked men were of the Church because they frequented the loue feasts Where these feasts were kept the Christians onely met at which time thâ—y receiued the Lords Supper and had a fâ—ast to witnesse and increase their mutuall loue which they called Agapae loue feasts or feasts of Charitie As open scandalous wicked men haue euâ—r beene in the visible Church so there are such now and hereafter will be from whom vsually the persecutions in the Church doe come The first of these is already made manifest Verse 2.3.4 The later is euident by 2. Tim. 3. where Paul foretelling of the grâ—euous sinners that shall be in these last dayes mentioneth some that must needes be open sinners as boasters cursed speakers disobedient to parents vnholy or profane truce breakers false accusers intemperate c. And least that wee should vnderstand this of them that are without in the end he sheweth that hee meaneth this of the hypocrites in the Church of them which haue a shew of godlinesse but haue denied the power thereof If now Verse 5. as in the first Church there was a Cain as well as an Habel and after an Ismael as well as an Isaack an Esau as well as a Iacob and a Saul as well as a Dauid Scribes and Pharises as well as Ioseph and Mary there haue likewise beene in all ages of the Church after vntill this day and will bee in the ages succeeding open wicked as well as godly yea not onely so but many such so as sometimes scarce any righteous or knowne godly were to be found in the Church by reason of the aboundance of open wicked If I say these things be cleare and euident in the Scriptures as appeareth by the premises how far are you of the Seperation from the truth who teach That a visible Church is a company of righteous and holy men onely sepertaed from the knowne wicked and that into it there entreth not nor therein abideth any vncleane thing neither whatsoeuer worketh abominations Defence of the Churches and Minist of Engl. 7. And whereas the Seperatists contending for this That a visible Church is a company of Saints do thereby require though not true sanctimony in euery member yet an externall holinesse and such a carriage of the outward man in the duties of pietie towards God and iustice towards man as in Charitie one can deeme a member of the true visible Church no other then a Saint I demand of them what outward holinesse the aforesaid Despisers Scorners Blasphemers and Murderers which were notwithstanding of the visible Church had aboue the worst in our Church Also whether the most profane and vile in our Church be not as holy and as good Saints as murdering Cain mocking Ishmael profane Esau persecuting Saul bloudy Doeg traiterous Absalon and the blasphemous Scribes and Pharisies who were all members of a true visible Church Know ye not that all these were most horrible sinners Some of them sitting in the seate of the scorner some persecuting and shedding the bloud of the Saints others blasphemers nay committing blasphemie against the holy Ghost and therefore sinners in the highest degree And the best and holiest of them no better then Dogs and Swine treading vnder their feete the holy and precious Word of God and all to renting them that did teach it Neither can wee be ignorant of this that the sinnes of these men were open and notoriously knowne to the Saints who liued in their times And yet notwithstanding were all these of the true visible Church Men therefore wanting this externall holinesse yea most vile and abominable and notoriously knowne to be such haue yet neuerthelesse been in the true Church principall members in the same And such vndoubtedly are in the Church at this day and will be to the end of the world according to the prophecie of Paul 2. Tim. 3. And here wee may remember how notwithstanding there were such notorious wicked men in the Church of the Iewes Vers 1.2 c. Deut. 7.6 Ps 79.2 111.1 and 149.1 whereof we haue had but a tast and oft times store of them yet neuerthelesse they are calâ—ed the people of God his heritage an holy Nation Saints and there publike Congregations the Congregation of the Righteous and the assemblies of the Saints The whole body being thus called in respect of the Elect hauing this Denomination of the better part though the lesse or else because of their holy profession or holy religion which they professed whereby they differed from and excelled all other Nations and them that were without Herevpon I demand why in these respects we likewise may not be called the people of God his heritage an holy Nation Saints and our Church assemblies the assemblies of Saints notwithstanding there bee many open wicked among vs Here we may see how vntruely M. Fr. Iohnson herein chargeth the forward Preachers in England with false Doctrine Defence of the Churches and Minist of Engl. 71. who reckning vp 14. points of false doctrine forsooth that they teach nameth this for one That the true visible Church of Christ is not a seperated company of righteous men from the open wicked of the world but may consist of people good and bad And to the increase of his sinne for confirmation of his grosse and palpaple errour he coteth aboue twenty places of Scripture But tell me doe not all the Preachers in England nay in all Christendome teach that there is a mixture of good and bad in the visible Church as well as these forward preachers you speake of You cannot with any truth deny it Why then doe you spurne with the heele at these rather then others And this is our third point of false doctrine the fourth followeth in these words 4. That
they may maintaine this errour of their confused order and mixture of all sorts of persons together they peruert the Parable of the Tares Math. 13.24 teaching that all are the Church Which doctrine is against the truth of the Scriptures yea against our Sauiours owne interpretation in the 38. vers who teacheth that by the field is meant not the Church but the world in which his Church is militant And as therein there is the good seede the righteous the children of the Kingdom so there are also tares hypocrites the children of the wicked who as they are often espied in this life by the righteous seruants of God so shall they in the great day be perfectly seuered from the godly by the Angels verse 38.43 This their doctrine also is against the heauenly orders motioned Mat. 18.8.9.15.16.17 1. Cor. 1.26.29 c. Hâ—re is our false doctrine and your confutation I maruell wherein this fourth point of false doctrine differeth from the third I would haue thought that this were rather a confirmation of the former Yea but then the number of false Doctrines would not be so great But letting this goe wee answere you that as the aforesaid doctrine is true so it is confirmed as by other parables of our Sauiour sâ—t downe in the same Chapter so by this For saith our Lord as in a field both Wheate Tares or other weeds grow together and so are mingled that without danger to the Wheate men can not seuer the one from the other vntill the haâ—uest euen so saith he in the Church or company of people professing true Religion there is and will bee such a mixture of good and bad godly and wicked sincere and counterfeit professors that without danger to the godly a full and perfect seperation betweene them cannot be made vnto the end of the world that the one sort be receiued into heauen the other sent to hell As by wheat we are to vnderstand the godly and by tares the hypocrites or wicked that are in the Church so by the field is meant the Church For by the field must needs be vnderstood that place or those places wherin the godly and wicked are most nearely ioyned together growing as it vvere together so as the one touch an other and such is the Church or visible Churches They who are in the Church liue not onely together buy and sell eate and drinke as all men in the world doe but doe besides ioyne together and are as it were conioyned in and by one and the same profession worshipping one and the same God after one and the same manner hearing the word of God together praying together and receiuing the Sacraments together Againe it cannot bee denie I that by field is meant that place or those places or that societie or societies in which are as well godly as wicked and that visible so as both sorts may be discerned and knowne to be such as appeareth by verse 26. Now out of the Church in all other parts of the world or societies therein there are no godly to be sâ—ene but wicked By field therefore wee may not vnderstand the world but those parts of the vvorld where visible Churches be And vvho that is well aduised will say that at this day Asia Africa and such parts of Europe as professe not Christian Religion are this field or part of it seeing therein the wheat blades spring not vp and bring forth fruit so as they appeare as is expressely said of this field verse 26. Moreouer as in the field here mentioned in the protases or first part of the comparison good seede is sowne by the seruants of the houshoulder from whence the wheate doth come or spring as verse 24.27 So in that place or societie meant by the field or compared to a field the immortall seede of the word by the Lords husbandmen the Ministers is sowne from whence doth spring that pietie or godlinesse in men But this immortall seede is sowne only in the Church according to that in the Psalme Psal 147.19 He sheweth his word vnto Iaacob his statutes and iudgements vnto Israel He hath not dealt so with euery Nation meaning not vvith any other Nation besides And Paul tellâ—th vs that the Oracles of God are the preforment aâ—d prerogatiue of the Church aâ—d that the Church onely is the pillar and ground of truth Rom. 3.2 1. Tim. 3.15 the truth being to bee found onely in it and preserued by it In the Church alone also are the Lords husbandmen plowing harrowing sowing and performing other parts of sp rituall husbandry The Church therefore and not the world is the Lords field and husbandry and consequently the field Iesus here speaketh of And this the Apostle teacheâ—h expresly 1. Cor. 3.9 We the Ministers together are Gods labourers ye are Gods husbandry or fieâ—d And thus also in the parable next precedent this word field though not expressed yâ—t necessarily vnderstood is to be taken The sower went forth to sow Math. 13.3 c. Here is a sower that is the Minister The seede is the word preached and the field vvhere this seede is sowen is and must neâ—ds be the visible Churches or assemblies of the Saints Euen so I say is this word field to bee taken in this parable also De zizanâ—s tritico dissentio nâ—tu est propter mundo nomen quod Don â—tillae nolebant intelligi Ecclesiâ—m quia scriptum est ager est hic mundus Aug. Tom. 7. collat cuÌ„ Donatistis Verse 3.8 Answ Not say you with the Donatists by field is meant the world and not the Church And in the aforesaid place you alleadge three reasons for confirmation thereof and confutation of vs. The first is taken from Christs owne words who interpreting this parable of the Tares saith thus The field is the world What can be more plainely and directly said will some thinke for you and against vs I answere whosoeuer wisely obserueth not which be proper and with vnproper or figuratiue speeches in the Scriptures cannot chuse but erre greatly in vnderstanding the same May not yea doe not the Papists say as much as this for transubstantiation What words sâ—y they can be more plaine and direct to proue the sacramentall bread to bee the very body of Christ then those of Iesus This is my body And yet is nothing more false and vnpossible to be true But to come to this parâ—icular I answere you that these words of Christ cannot possibly be vnderstood properly and therefore you are much to blame that vrge the letter seeing the sence of the Scriptures is Scripture The field is the world So then it is as if Iesus had said The field whereof I speake in the Parable signifieth the world or is like the world is an image of the world So the good seed they are the children of the kingdome that is signifieth or resembleth the children of the kingdome The good seede that is the men signified by
vnwilling to passe by Maister Robison with silence who of late hath saide so much against our interpretation of it He beginneth thus The point is Maister Bernard following I confesse the most beaten way makes the fielde the visible Church and the tares scandalous offenders IustificatioÌ„ 116 seene and discouered That which Maister Bernard calles the interpretation of learned and godly Deuines vniuersally both with vs Separatists Schisme 87. and beyond the Seas Maister Robinson not vnfitly calleth here the most bea en way but with all we may remember what he saith further of the said exposition that it is a prophane glose Iustification 116. 117. and againe that some are ashamed of the grossenes and indeede of the iniquitie of the saide exposition But leauing your reproachfull tearmes come we to the matter You must first then vndâ—rstâ—nd that by tares we doe not meane scandalous and notorious offenders Iustif 118. or open wicked men onely as diuers times you charge vs nor yet hypocrites not so throughly discouered but thereby we doe vnderstand both these sorts of hypocrites and wicked men and so all the hypocrits and vngodly that be in the Church whosoeuer as well those that be not discouered as those that bee discouered and known by their open wickednesse to be hypocrites as well those vngodly that hauing a shew of godlines are reputed godly as those whose wicked and leawde conuersation declareth them to be vngodly For who can denie but that by tares Iesus meaneth all in the visible Church beside the godly resembled by wheate Againe Christ expounding the parable saith expressely vers 38. That the tares are that is signifie the children of that wicked one that is the diuell the enemy who sowed them but all hypocrites and wicked men both secretly and openly such are the children of the diuell Therefore by tares Christ meaneth all hypocrites and wicked in the Church whatsoeuer Adde hereunto that by tares are shadowed foorth all that shall bee burned in hell fire also all those which doe iniquitie as vers 41. That is all workers of iniquitie But all hypocrites and vngodly whatsoeuer whether openly or secretly such shall be damned and are workers of iniquitie Therefore all those Christ meaneth by tares This being true Iustif 118. these following lines of yours be vntrue Admit the field be the Church which Christ expounds the world then say I by tares in the field are meant not notorious offenders but hypocrites not so throughly discouered which by the enuy of Sathan are foysted into the Church These lines are false two wayes 1. As they haue reference to vs and our exposition of tares 2. As they haue relation to the Separists and their interpretation of the same word But proceede we now to the moued reason which you haue against our exposition Iustif 116. Whereupon meaning if the visible Church be the field and the tares scandalous offenders it must followe say you that as the Lord forbids the seruants to meddle with the tares or with the plucking them vp but will haue them and the wheate to growe together in the fielde till the haruest so Ministers and people are straightly inhibited and forbidden any way to admonish and censure wicked and scandalous persons in the Church but must let them there remaine without disturbance till the last iudgement I answer Some of the learned Diuines which you thus despise haue preuented this obiection and told you that to collect and reason from this Scripture as you doe is to abuse Scripture Cauendum ne his verbis abutamur contra doctrinam de disciplina Ecclesia c. Piscâ—tor in hunc locum We must saith Piscator take heede that we abuse not these wordes against the doctrine of the discipline of the Church by which offences are to be taken away out of the Church as much as may be For Christ in this parable as appeareth by his exposion of it aymeth at no other thing then to comfort the godly against the grieuances which they haue by conuersing with hypocrites in the meane while he would haue nothing minished from the discipline of the Church as which he himselfe instituted after Chap. 18.17 By the like reason the vse of the sword should bee taken from the Magistrate which God would haue to be vsed as Paul testifieth Rom. 13. This parable then is not to be extended further then the scope thereof requireth Secondly I answere you Iesus heere speaketh of a perfect seperation betweene the wheate and tares that is the godly and vngodly such as shall leaue no tares not a tare I say among the wheaâ—e For he speaketh of such a seperation as cannot be made without daunger to the wheate for which cause he forbids it as vers 29. Secondly of that seperation which shall bee made by the Angels in the end of the world vers 30.41 Now this letteth not nor forbiddeth a seperation in the meane season betwixt the cleane and those be apparently vncleane the holy and prophane the godly and notorious offenders which may be seperated and taken away from the godly without any daunger to them at all This reason likes you so well Iustif 120. that you vrge it the second time and thereunto adde two reasons more And that the Lord Iesus say you no way speakes of the tolleration of prophane persons in the Church it doeth appeare by these reasons First because as hath beene obserued he doeth not contradict himselfe by forbidding the vse of the keyes in one place which in another he hath turned vpon impenitent offenders Matth. 18.15.16.17 2. In the excommunication of sinners apparently obstinate with due circumspection and in the spirit of wisdome meekenesse and long suffering with such other generall Christian vertues as with which all our spirituall sacrifices ought to be seasoned what danger can there bee of any such disorder as the plucking vp of the wheate with the tares which the husbandman feareth vers 29. Lastly the Lord Iesus speakes of the vtter ruinating and destruction of the tares the gathering and plucking them vp by the rootes vers 28.29 And to this end they are reserued by the husbandman vers 30. euer presupposed they so continued but excommunication rightly administred is not for the ruine and destruction of any but for the saluation of the partie thereby humbled Your first reason in effect is this If Iesus speake heere of the tolleration of prophane persons in the Church then heere he forbids the weeding out or censuring of them whom in another place vz. Matth. 18.15 Hee commands to be weeded out or censured But Iesus doeth not contradict himselfe Therefore Iesus speaketh not here of the tolleration of prophane persons This reason being the very same with the former hath receiued answere The second argument is this Christ speaketh of and forbiddeth such a seperation as wherein there is danger of plucking vp the wheate with the tares But in the excommunication of sinners apparantly
In the second of Haggai the Prophet hath these words If a polluted person touch any of these shall it be vncleane and the Priests answered and said it shall be vncleane Then answered Haggai and saide so is this people and so is this nation before me saith the Lord. As heere notwithstanding the visible Church and people of the Iewes are said to be vncleane yet there were then in the Church many Saints Zerubbabel Iehoshua Haggai with many others as appeareth by chap. 1. v. 12.13 chap. 2. v. 5 6. Euen so albeit in holy writ the members of visible Churches are called Saints yet were there vndoubtedly in the same Churches not a fewe that were polluted and vncleane Neither is there any more force in this latter allegation to proue that all in the Church are outwardâ—y holy then in the former to proue that all in the Church in the Prophet Haggai his time were vncleane This might well suffice for an answere I will notwithstanding adde more therevnto that if it be possible your mouthes may be stopped But to come to a more direct answere I deny that Paul indited and writ his Epistles for and to the visible Churches in Rome Corinth Ephesus c. But to the seuerall and particular Churches that is societies of the faithfull in those and other cities and so framed his stile accordingly vnto this blessed and holy people many wicked and vnbeleeuers voide I meane of true faith ioyned themselues in the profession of the same faith and in holy Communion worshipping the same God after the same externall manner with them These latter and bad sort being all of them Hypocrites were in the Church but not of it no more then the chaffe that is mixt with wheate is wheate the first and good sort onely making the Church so much commended vnto vs in holy writ and the confused and mixt company of both these that wee call a visible Church They went out from vs saith Iohn but they were not of vs 1. Iohn 2.19 for if they had beene of vs they would haue continued with vs. Now to the Churches I say and not to the visible Churches the Apostle meant and writ at least chiefely his Epistâ—es as the inscriptions of the most of them besides many sayings in the same doe manifestly declare whereof we haue had a tast in the precedent section of which some I will repeate and adde some others To all that be at Rome beloued of God vnto the church of God which is at Corinthus to theÌ„ that are sanctified in Christ Iesus To the Saints which are at Ephesus and to the faithfull in Christ Iesus To them which are at Colosse Saints and faithfull brethren in Christ In like manner doth Saint Peter Peter an Apostle to the strangers that dwell here and there elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father vnto sanctification of the Spirit And in the second Epistle thus Simon Peter to you which haue obtained like precious faith with vs. And as in the inscriptions so in the Epistles themselues the Apostle vsually speaketh as to the Church and not to the visible Church To the Romanes Rom. 8.9.15 to whom he writ thus yee are not in the flesh but in the spirit because the spirit of God dwelleth in you Againe yee haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but yee haue receiued the spirit of adoption To them he writ at Corinthus 1. Cor. 1.7 vers 26.30 yee are not destitute of any gift waighting for the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ 8 Who shall confirme you vnto the end that yee may be blamelesse in the day of our Lord Iesus Christ 9 God is faithfull by whom yee are called vnto the fellowship of his Sonne Iesus Christ Brethren you see your calling how that not many wise men after the flesh c. But yee are of him in Christ Iesus Your bodies are the members of Christ Your body is the Temple of the holy Ghost yee are bought for a price 1. Cor 6.15 19.20 v. 27. Gal. 3.26 4 6. yee are the body of Christ To the Galatians thus Yee are all the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus Because ye are sonnes God hath sent foorth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts These speaches with infinite more of this kinde are true and can properly be said onely of the Churches and members thereof and improperly of the visible Churches and therefore mee thinketh it is very hard to vnderstand them of the visible Churches and members thereof rather then of the Churches themselues Neither can I conceiue what there is in religion or reason to leade vs from the litterall sence to your tropicall exposition specially considering these kinde of speeches be so frequent in the Epistles and few or none to be found in them which can properly be saide of the visible Churches This is further confirmed by 1. Cor. 12.28 but more plainly by Ephes 4.8.11.12 Where the ministery and Ministers are saide to be ordained for and giuen to the Church and Saints and body of Christ which body the Church or that we call the invisible Church is and not the visible And heere I reason thus To what Church or societie soeuer the ministery and Ministers of Christ were giuen to the same the canonicall Epistles were written But to the Church militant the ministery and Ministeis were giuen Therefore to it the Epistles canonicall were written The proposition is in it selfe cleare the assumption the former place of the Ephesians doeth manifestly prooue Whatsoeuer things are written Rom. 15.4 and therefore the Epistles of Paul and of the other Apostles are written for our learning or instruction who be of Gods election that we the elect of God through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope These things saith Iohn haue I written vnto you that beleeue in the name of the same God 1. Iohn 5.13 that yee may know that yee haue eternall life If Iohn write to the faithfull and to those who might assure themselues of eternall life which Faith and Life only the Church militant and elect that be on earth haue then vndoubtedly the Apostle Paul did write vnto the like seeing they were both guided by the same spirit and as pennes in the hand of the same Writer Finally as the Apostles whiles they were limited and confined to the nation and people of the Iewee were sent by Iesus to Preach to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel that is the elect Israelits Matth. 10.6 so vndoubtedly when the Apo coÌ„mission was enlarged they to Preach to all nations some of them to write they were of Iesus sent and inspired to Preach and write to the lost sheepe that is the elect of the Iewes and Gentiles And as the lost sheepe of the house of Israel were they whom Christ in his first sending and preaching of his Apostâ—es respectâ—d and of whom
he had care and pittie and not generally the Israelites or visible Church consisting of them so the l st sheepe of the Iewes and Gentiles are they whom Christ in his second sending of hâ—s Apâ—stles and in their prâ—aching and writing respected and of whom he had care and pittie and not the visible Church or Churches among them And this is further confirâ—ed yea cleared as I thinke by that speech of Paul in his Seâ—mon to them of Antiochia in Pisidia Actes 13.26 Yee men and brethren children of the generation of Abraham and whosoeuer among you feare God to you is the word of this saluation sent All they to whom Paul spake this professâ— the feare of God and therefore by them that are heere saide to feare God wee cannot vnderstand such seeing hee puâ—s a difference betwixt those in the Congregation that feared God and the rest It is one thing to feare God in deede and another thing to professe the feare of God This profession all in the Church doe make and so many of them as haue an externall righteousnesse wee are to iudge thus of them that they feare God yet onely they who be of the Church dâ—e indeede and trueth feare God the rest making a shewe of that they doe or haue not For the feare of God is a grace or giâ—t of Gods sanctiâ—ying Spirit which God of his grace giueth to all and onely to them that are sanctified in Christ Iesus It is proper to Gods Elect and them who be of the inuisible Church and to bee found in none other And this the Scrâ—pture teacheth where it s ith The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisâ—dome Prou. 9.10 And againe Blessed is them an that feareth the Lord. Psal 112.1 Now to these who haue this feare the word of saluation is sent and therefore the Apostolicall Epistles whereupon iâ— followeth necessarily that the Epistles were not sent to the visible Churches If iâ— be so that the Apostles write their Epistles to the Elect members of the inuisible Church then that they in their Epistles do ca l them to whom they write Saints I adde sanctifiâ—d â—n Christ Iesus fa thfull a chosen Generation a royall Priâ—st o d an holy Nation â—iuely stones a spiritual house the Temple oâ— God the habâ—tation of God by the Spirit the Body of Câ—rist c. maketh nothing at all to prooue this That a true visible church is a company of Saints sanctified in Christ Iesus faithfull the Body of Christ c. Neither doe these titles nor any othes of this kinde scattered euery where throughout the Epistles which be attributed to them of the invisible Church hinder this That a visible Church is a company of holy and vnholy faithfull and vnfaithfull and so your obiection is friuolous making nothing against vs. But graunt wee that the holy Apostle meant and writ his epistles to the visible churches at Rome Corinthus c. Neiâ—her will that helpe you though you imagine it doeth greatly And then I answere that Paul calleth the members of a visible Church Saints not because they were all holy and righteous men either in deede or outward appearance and caryage of themselues towards God and man as these men fondly imagine and very confidently affirme expounding thus this word Saints but in one or moe of these sences following In the 5. of Leuit those are called holy things that were consecrated vnto the Lord Vers 15. Vers 9.10.21 and in the 27. of the same booke the field whâ—ch was dedicated vnto the Lord is said to be an holy field and the beasts that were offered in sacrifice are called holy Euen so all of the visible Church are or may be called holy ones or Saints because in baptisme they be all dedicated vnto the Lord and giuen or resigned vp into his seruice Secondly Paul calleth or might call all of the vis Church Saints or holy ons because they aboue all people that are vpoÌ„ the earth are of God called or commanded to be holy Heb. 12.14 2. Thess 4.7 God saith the Apostle hath not called vs vnto vncleanenesse but vnto holinesse Hereunto belongeth that speech so oft repeated in the Law and after by Peter Leuâ—t 11.44 19.2 1. Pet. 1.16 Be ye holy for I am holy And that Exod. 22.31 Ye shall be an holy people vnto me And againe Leuit. 11.45 I am the Lord that brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God 1. Cor. 1.2 and that you should he holy for I am holy For confirmation of th s exposition serueth that Paul terming them Saints addeth by calling Paul vnto the Church of God which is at Corinthus Saints by calling Rom. 2.7 Psal 79.2 Deuâ— 7.6 14.2.21 and in his Ep to the Romans To all you that be at Rome beloued of God called Saints And in this sence the Nation or people of the Iewes are called Saints and said to be an holy people because the Lord hath chosen them to be such Thirdly all of the visible Church were or might bee called Saints because of their holy profession or holy religion which they professed Whatsoeuer they vvere their religion was holy and hee whom they in the middest of heathens and infidels confessed and professed was holy euen that holy One. Luke 1.35 In this respect because they professed holinesse and themselues to be holy all of the visible Church may fitly bee called Saints that is holy ones Euen as they are called faithfull and that with the same breath yea faithfull in Christ Iesus Paul an Apostle to the Saints which are at Ephsus Ephes 1.1 and to the faithful in Christ Iesus not that they all had faith in Christ which is true and iustifying faith but because they professed faith in him in vvhich sense we describe the visible Church to bee a company of faithfull people When therefore Paul saith To the Saints which are at Ephesus and to the Saints which are in Phillippi it is all one as if he had said To the Christians or professors of the Christian religion which are at Ephesus and Phillippi And so in the inscriptions of his Epistles to the Romans and Corinthians where he saith To all you that be at Rome callâ—d Saints vnto the Churcb of God at Corinthus Saints by calling it is as much as if he had said called or by calling Christians And thus thâ—s word Saints is often taken in the Epistlâ—s as else where in the New Testament as Romans 16.14 Phil. 4.21 Acts 26.10 compared vvith Act. 9.1 22.4 M. Bernard teaching that men are caâ—led Saints because of the profession of faith in Christ who maketh all true beleeuers holy and Saints M. Robinson answereth thus Iustif 110. It is true you say that Christ makes all true beleeuers holy and Saints but I deny that euery profession of faith in Christ argues a true beleeuer A false dissembler is he and no true beleeuer that in
and by 1. Cor. 3.1.2 3. Mat. 18.17.18 and by comparing 1. Cor. 6.11 with 2. Cor. 2.21 and with 1. Cor. 5.1 Often you tell vs the Apostles speech 1. Pet. 2.9 But ye are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood an holy Nation c. is to be vnderstood of the visible Church Well if this be so I am sure the vis Church â—s calâ—ed a chosen generation in respect of the better and more principaâ—l part thereof those vvhich God hath chosen to euerlasting life opposed to the generation of Reprobates verse 8. Why then may not likewise in this respect visible Churches be called the Churches of the Saints Hereunto M. Robinson answereth thus The Scriptures neuer ascribe holinesse to a people for some fewes sake if the rest be vnholy and prophane This is sooâ—er said then proued And vvhy I pray you may not the scriptures call those of the visible Church holy for some fewes sake in it which bee indeede holy as well as giue this witnesse of the twelue Spies which were sent to search out the land of Canaan That they brought word againe and said it is a good land Deut. 1.25 which the Lord our God doth giue vs where but a few of them two of the twelue thus reported the other ten saying Num. 13.31.32 we be not able to goe vp against the people for they are stronger then we a land that eateth vp the inhabitants thereof And so brought vp an euill report of the land which they had searched But I will disproue you by your owne words Not three leaues after Iustif 115. you vvrite thus Here speaking of the vis Church is no such mingle mangle as M. Barnard would make of good and bad but all good and so auowes by the holy Ghost though without doubt many of these were masked and hallow hearted hypocrites If all in the visible church be good men so auowed by the holy Ghost though many Hypocrites bee in it and consequently many bad men then all in the vis Church be Saints and are or may be so auowed by the holy Ghost though there be in it many vnholy and prophane But the first is true by your owne confession Therefore the second Notwithstanding all this that hath beene saide I doe not meane that notorious wicked men are to bee suffered in the church and not to be cast out except they repent God fordid But this is it I say and meane that albeit there be not through the default of the church gouernours a due execution of the church censures vpon the openwicked but that through their negligences or remissenes there remaine in the church many open wicked vncorrected that this impunity maketh not a nullitie in a church as they of the seperation doe teach Secondly I doe meane and out of the premises doe learne That albeit the church of God is to labour to preserue it selfe pure from these spots yet it seldome or neuer attaineth to that beautie and perfection but that some more or lesse bee in the true visible church who ought ratâ—er to be spued out then to haue any place there Which commeth to passe either because these wicked persons cannot be conuicted by manifest euidence or for want of that seueritie in discipline which ought to be in the Church Christ Iesus knowing this that through the corruption of man and wickednes of this world there will be in the church a mixture of good and bad holy and prophane he hath therevpon not onely foretold this and taught it by compaâ—ing the visible church to a field wherein groweth wheatâ—â—nd taâ—es and to a draw-net that gathereth things both good and bâ—d but therewithall seemeth to comfort the faithfull agaiâ—st this mixâ—ure and miserable coâ—pouâ—d assuring the eâ—ect that howsoeuer they shall be thus mingled with the wicked Matth. 13.30 aâ—d enemies of God for a time euen as the wheate and tares be that grow together yet it shall not be alwaiâ—s so with then but that there will come a time of separation when that as the tares are gathered into sheâ—uâ—s to be burned and the wheate into the barne so the wicked shall be cast â—nto a suâ—â—ace of fire where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth and the iust shall shine as the Sunne in the kingdome of their Father Apology 45. 61. Hereby also another error of yours is conuinced That all the Church is defiled by retaining open wicked in it For if in the Church from time to tiâ—e the e haue beene many open wicked as hath beene plainely shewed how can this position of yours possibly be true But you will prooue it by Scripture 1. Cor. 5.6 A little leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe If a known wicked man in the Church be to the whole Church as a litle leauen in the dough is to the whole lumpe how commeth it to passe that the Church of Corinth by the incestuous person was not vnsanctified all that time tydings were carrying of that notorious sinner from Corinthus in Achata to Paul at Philippi in Macedonia and the Apostles Ep stle carrying backe from Philippi to Corinthus But thaâ— notwithstanding all this sowring aâ—d defyling these men speake of the Apostle writeth to them thus To the Church of God which is at Corinthus to them that are sanctified in Christ Iesus Saints by calling That the sinne of the incestuous p rson was knowne to the Church it is hereby manifest in that the Apostle doeth so sh rpely rebuke them for that they had not excommunicated him which otherwayes he could not iustly haue done That all this time notwithstanding his sinne was knowne the Saints at Corinth held communion with him and he with them and were all of the same body societie it is likewise manifest by these words of the Apostle 1. Cor. 5.2.13 Put away therefore from among your selues that wicked man Hore is an open wicked man in the church of Corinth 1. Cor. 5.2.13 and not onely he but sundry more as appeareth by 2. Cor. 12.20.21 and by diuers other places and yet notwithstanding a true church Concerning this place of Scripture A litle leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe and some other Scriptures peruerted by you I forbeare to speake here because I haue occasion to say something of them hereafter If 〈◊〉 shall thinke that I neede not to haue spent so many words to prooue the mixture of good and bad in the Church and that in the same there haue beene and remained many open wicked Albeit the Brownists deny such confusion and mixture yet thye make no great matter of it neither doe they from thence conclude that our church is a false church nor iustifie their seperation setting downe this for a cause and reason thereof If any I say thinke thus they shall see by their owne words here following as partly also we haue heard before that they doe greatly mistake the matter and them and that besides the conuincing of
church inuisible Of them therefore onely Peter here speaketh The Proposition is confirmed by your owne vvords The Assumption is so cleere that it needeth no confirmation Thus vve see that this scripture also maketh not for but against you As the Lord hath not made a couenant or promise of saluation with the vis Church and consâ—quently with the members thereof but with them onely of the inuisible Church as we haue heard so neither hath he made to the vis church and members thereof a promise of peace For then there should be peace between God and the wicked seeing a great part of the vis Church are vvicked which there is not as witnesseth the Prophet Isai 52.22 There is no peace saith my God to the wicked This promise also belongeth to them of the inuisible Church and they onely of this societie haue this peace Then being iustified by faith which the elect onely are wee haue peace with God Rom. 5.1 saith Paul denying hereby this peace to all those that want iustifying faith The Lord saith I haue hated Esau Mal. 2.3 This is true of all Reprobates of whom he was a fiâ—ure Seeing the vis Church consisteth for the most part of Reprobates and but few therein that are chosen it cannot be that to this societie God hath made a promise of loue buâ— rather to the company of the elect and Church inuisible where of Iacob was a figure of whom God saith I haue loued Iacob therein restraining his loue to the elect And as for the promise of God his protection Pro. 2.7.8 Mat. 10.30 compared with ver 16. The whole 91. Psalme it is in the Scriptures restrained to them that feare the Lord and put their trust in his mercy that make him their hope and fortresse and the most high their refuge to the righteous that is the godly and to them that walke vprightly and therefore to the inuisible Church and the members thereof And when this promise is made to the vâ—sible Church it is for their sakes that are therein of the inuisible Church Apology 44. And where you say that a true visible Church and consequently the members thereof hath assurance of the promises of Gods presence and blessing to appertaine vnto them I demand what assurance a man can haue of enioying Gods gracâ—ous presence heâ—re on earth and glorious presence in heauen wherein consists our happinesse by being a member of the visible Church considering so many of the visible Church are sinners and that sinne doth seperate betweene God and man This is presumption and not an holy assurance and to build on the sands which house tempests at one time or other will blow downe and not on the rocke that standeth vnmoueable He that hath no other assurance of Gods presence and blessing then this that he is a member of the visible church may peraduenture bee as farre from enioying Gods presence as they which are in hell from entring into heauen and from being blessed of God as they vpon whom this sentence shall be pronounced Goe ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Diuell and his Angels The Papists might well reiect our assurance and certaintie of saluation had we no better ground for the same then this Yet let no man so vnderstand mee as though I denied that God was present with and did protect the visible Church For I know that our Lord partly for the elect that are in the visible Church and partly for his owne glorie and names sake that is called vpon among them is in the midst of the seuen golden Candlestickes Reuel 1.13 protecting them by his Almightie power CHAP. V. The titles which the Separists ascribe to the visible Church are to be vnderstood of the invisible Church onely AS the description these men giue of the visible church and that which they say is the matter and forme thereof is not a description nor the matter and forme of the visible but rather of the inuisible Church militant euen so it is with sundry titles they giue to the visible Church It is called say they a kingdome of Priests a royall Priesthood the sheepe of the Lord Appologie 44. communion of Saints 248. 470. Descrip of the visible Church pag. 1. the Temple of God a chosen Generation an holy Nation the peculiar people yea Christ his Sister his Loue his Spouse and his Body These titles which in the holy Scriptures are vsually giuen to the inuisible Church militant and company of the faithfull and if at any time to the visible it is because and with respect had to the elect and Church inuisible to whom alone properly the aforesaide titles doe belong they ignorantly apply and vnderstand of the visible Church and company of professors with diuers more of the same kinde which for breuitie I omit But let vs briefely and in order consider of these or the most of them If the visible Church be a kingdome of Priestes and royall Priesthood then all of this Church company are Kings and Priests vnto God but the last is false therefore the first To the proposition you as willingly subscribe as wee The assumption which is this All of the visible Church are not Kings and Priestes vnto God with open mouth you deny which thus I prooue All that be Kings and Priests vnto God shall raigne and offer to God the sacrifice of praise for euer in heauen But all of the visible Church shall not raigne and offer to God the sacrifice of praise for euer in heauen Therefore all of the visible Church be not Kings and priests vnto God The assumption is in it selfe cleare The proposition is euident by Reuel 5.6 Thou wast killed and hast redeemed vs to God by thy blood out of euery kindred and tongue and people and Nation And hast made vs vnto God Kings and Priests and we shall raigne on the earth Heere wee learne that these Kings and Priestes shall raigne and inherite the kingdome and besides who be these Kings which shall thus raigne not the visible Church as these men teach but those whom the lambe hath redeemed to God by his blood out of euery kindred and tongue and people Confession of Faith 29. and nation which are the Elect or inuisible Church as they themselues confesse This is further confirmed and made more euident in the first of the Reuel where Iohn saith that those whom Christ Iesus loueth and washeth from their sinnes in his blood are Kings and Priests vnto God But this Christ doth onely to the Elect and Church inuisible for them alone hee loueth their sinnes onely hee washeth away therefore they onely are this kingdome of Priestes or Kings and Priests vnto God 1. Pet. 2.5.7.9 Peter telleth vs that the faithfull are this royall Priesthood and calling them also an holy Priesthood he saith that they offer vp spirituall sacrifice acceptable to God by Iesus Christ But the inuisible Church of which societie
the faithfull are onely doth and can offer such sacrifices Therefore the inuisible Church are this royall Priesthood or kingdome of Priestes and not the visible Church If I should haue saide nothing M. Ainsworth himselfe wil suffice for the conuiction of this error Communion of Saints 248. They whom Christ hath made Kings and Priests vnto God his father being a Kingly Priesthood euen a kingdome of Priestes and a holy nation hauing part in the first resurrection the second death may haue no power ouer them but sit with Christ in his throne euen as hee ouercame and sitteth with his Father in his throne From your owne words I argue thus against you They who are this royall Priesthood that is Kings and Priests vnto God haue part in the first resurrection the second death hath no power ouer them but sit with Christ in his throne But the inuisible Church onely and company of the Elect haue part in the first resurrection the second death hath no power ouer them Ergo the inuisible Church is this royall Priesthood The proposition your owne words doe prooue The assumption needes no proofe And againe in another place hee conuinceth himselfe and his friends Seeing then saith he we haue receiued such grace from God Communion of Saints 487. 488. so many as beleeue in the name of his sonne Christ as that we are through his mercy made a chosen generation a kingly Priesthood washed from all our sinnes in the blood of Christ and raigning with him on earth by mortifying and subduing our earthly members what remaineth then but that we purge our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and Spirit From hence I inferre that either the visible Church and consequently all the members thereof are washed from their sinnes mortifie and subdue their earthly members which no man will affirme or else the visible Church is not that royall Priestood whereof the Scripture speaketh for they that are this royall Priesthood are washed from their sinnes by your owne confession Iudge now thy selfe Christian reader whether this that M. Ainsworth writeth heere doeth not conuince that he saith else where Communion of Saints 470. And now that all Christians are made Priests vnto God euen a Kingly Priesthood to raigne vpon earth and to haue their power of Christ to iudge all that are within the Church and cast out the wicked from among them they ought to reteine and vse their power By Christians he meaneth here the members of the visible Church and of all them he affirmeth that the are Kings and Priests vnto God And to increase his sin after his and their accustomed manner he alleadgeth three places to prooue this his error namely 1. Pet. 2.9 Reu. 1.6 5.10 For the conuincing of which errors their are no testimonie in holy Scripture more excellent as we may appeare by the premisses Whereby it is euident they are strangely blinded in their vnderstanding seeing in the middest of a glorious light they see not the light but grope as men in palpable darkenesse And heere fitly I returne that vpon you M. Ainsworth which you falsely apply to vs. The Reader may see how your right eye is blinded to bring Scriptures so plaine against your selues Besides the three former testimonies you alleadge one another that likewise maketh not for but against you If you will heare my voyce indeede Counterp 79. Exod. 19.5 and keepe my couenant then you shall bee vnto me a kingdome of Priests but the Elect onely and they which are of the inuisible Church doe this which the Lord heere requireth Therefore they onely are the kingdome of Priests here spoken of Againe the visible Church these fewe excepted in it which are of the inuisible Church doeth not heare Gods voice indeede but contemne it doeth not keepe but breake his couenant and therefore is not a kingdome of Priests to God For what though this speech was spoken to the visible church They therein of the inuisible Church onely could did keepe the condition heere required They therefore alone make this Kingdome of Priests Thus your owne sword helpeth to pierce your side Neither is that so fit a title for the visible Church the sheepe of Lord seeing in the Scriptures specially of the new Testament ordinarily by sheepe are ment the Elect and Church inuisible I am the doore of the sheepe Ioh. 10.7.15 Matth. 25 33. I lay downe my life for my sheepe when the Sonne of man commeth in his glory he shall set the sheepe on his right hand and the goates on the left In a word If wee would knowe who indeede are the sheepe of the Lord and rightly so to be called Christ himselfe telleth vs againe in the 10. of Iohn saying Vers 27. my sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me and I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish Thereupon M. Ainsworth saith well such were not of Christs sheepe for then he would haue giuen them life eternall and for confirmation therof he quoteth this place of Iohn Communion of Saints 58. Wherby he imployeth that all Christs sheepe shall haue life euerlasting From whence it followeth that this title Christs sheepe or the sheepe of the Lord appertaineth to the elect and inuisible church and cannot rightly be saide of the visible Church except all the visible Church shall be saued A great part of the visible Church are so farre from being like to sheepe that they may more fitly be compared to wolues Mat. 10.26 Luke 10.3 Behold I send you as sheepe in the middest of wolues These whom Christ calleth wolues were the visible Church of the Iewes In which Church were but a fewe sheepe You teach further that the visible Church is in the Scripture called the Temple of God and this you will proue by 1. Cor. 3.17 Knowe yee not that you are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you 17. If any man destroy the Temple of God him shall God destroy for the Temple of God is holy which yee are I would desire no better place for the confutation of this error then this you alleadge for probation thereof See you not that the Spirit of God dwelleth in all those who be this Temple of God now God his spirit dwelleth onely in the Elect They are of the Elect therefore and inuisible Church who are the Temple of God That God breatheth his Spirit onely into the Elect it is manifest by Rom. 8.14 as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sonnes of God And by Gal. 4.6 And because yee are sonnes God hath sent foorth the Spirit of his sonne into your hearts which cryeth Abba Father Againe the Temple of God is heere saide to be holy which must needes be because the Spirit of God dwelleth in him that is this Temple and it is holy which is therefore called the holy Spirit and the holy Ghost â—â—to oâ—eâ—y
on such a nation as this Whence wee may gather that the Lord then vseth in iudgement to visite and not to take vengeance of a people when they are become such and so vile that he cannot as it were indure or forbeare them any longer Which is confirmed by the destruction of the old world of Sodom and Gomorah and of the Cananites Perizites Hiuits c. Gen. 6.7 15.16 18.20 Whom God did not iudge till their wickednesse was full These things well weighed together with the fearfull destruction that befel the Iews according to this denuntiation of Iohn not long after the death of Christ wee cannot deny but that which is recorded of the people of Sodome and Gomorah may bee truely saide of the Iewes in Christs time and his Apostles that they were exceeding grieuous sinners and their crie was come vp before God into heauen He came saith Iohn vnto his owne meaning the Iewes Iohn 1.11 and his owne receiued him not Heere is an vniuersall reiecting or contemning of Christ by the Iewes offered to them in his own ministery in the ministery of Iohn the Baptist of the 12. Apostles and of the 70. Disciples All which preached thus Repent for the kingdome of heauen is at hand Matth. 3.2 and 4.17 Mat. 6.12 Notwithstanding this gracious offer of saluation and kingdome of heauen by Christ Iâ—sus so that they would râ—pent and beleeue in the Messiah by whom they shouâ—d haue entrance into heauen behold thâ—y contâ—nuâ—d in thâ—ir sinnes and iâ—fidelitie Is not heere a sinfull nation indeede and a people laden with iniquitie that not withstanding the great and mightie meanes the Lord vsed to conuert and saue them by Preaching and miracles would yet remaine in their sinnes nay is not heere open wickednes and that vniuersally in this people in their generall contempt of Christ and loue of earth aboue heauen yea of those that seemed to receiue him who professed faith in him flocked after him into the wildernesse and euery wheere so as he and his Disciples had no leisure to take meate for them as though they had forsaken all to follow him For marke what our Lord himselfe saith of them Ioh. 6.26.27 Yee seeke me not because yee saw the miracles but because ye eate of the loaues and were filled If the best and holiest of this people heere one and there one excepted were thus prophane with Esau preferring a messe of pottage before the heauenly inheritance how prophane how notorious vile and abominable were the rest and worst of the Iewes And surely had they not beene such as I speake of they had neuer killed the Lord of life his life doctrine and miracles considered The people thus generally being wicked and fâ—w righteous to be found how can it be but in such a swarme of wicked persons where iniquitie had ouer spread the land there were very many yea abundance of open knowne wicked whom those few godly at that time liuing such as Ioseph Mary c. knew as well to be wickd as a man knoweth the right hand from the left Hereunto adde that which our Lord himselfe saith of this peopâ—e Whereunto shall I liken this generation it is like vnto little children which sit in the markets and call vnto their fellowes 17. And say wee haue piped vnto you and yee haue not danced wee haue mourned vnto you and yee haue not lamented 18. For Iohn came neither eating nor drinking Maâ—th 11.16 and they say he hath a diuell 19. The Sonne of Man came eating and drinking and they say behold a glutton and a drinker of Wine a friend of Publicans and sinners but Wisedome is iustified of her children Heere our Sauiour by a comparison declareth that this people or nation of the Iewes a fewe of Gods Elect among them excepted called the Children of Wisedome did not onely neglect or contemne his owne ministery and Iohn the Baptist but did besides blaspheame and speake eui l both of Iohn and of himselfe Of the one that hee was a glutton a drinker of wine and a friend of sinners and of the other that he had a diuell Heere be horrible sinnes committed openly in the viewe of all men and with an high hand and that not by a fewe but generally by the natâ—on of the Iewes in the age and time wherein Iesus liued on earth Were not the Iewes then generally in the dayes of Christ openly wicked This considered vvas it possible that either Christ Iesus or his Disciples and the faithfull then liuing could either celebrate their solemne feastes in Ierusalem or frequent their Synagogues and not haue religious communion with open wicked And no lesse vile and abominable was generally this peopâ—e after Christ in the dayes of the Apostles did not they cause grieuous persecution against those fewe amongst them that confes Christ did not they furiously run vpon Stephen and stone him as men thirsting after his blood and the blood of the Saints Who vexed the Church killed Iames imprisoned Peter and would haue slaine him also Act. 7.57 12.13 had not the Lord miraculously deliuered him Not Herod so much as the Iewes For it is saide that vvhat Herod did it was to please the Iewes The Iewes also were they that persecuted Paul from Citie to Citie 2. Cor. 11.24 so as no vvhere vvheresoeuer hee came hee could be quiet for them as appeareth in the Acts of the Apostles Of the Iewes he was beaten with rods of them fiue times he receiued 40. stripes saue one by them also vvas he stoned But vvhat needes more proofe of this seeing the Apostle saith expressely as much of them The Iewes haue both killed the Lord Iesus and their owne Prophets and haue persecuted vs and God they please not 1. Thess 2.13 and are contrary to all men 16. And forbid vs to preach unto the Gentiles that they may be saued to fulfill their sinnes alwayes for the wrath of God is come on them to the vtmost Who seeth not that the people generally of England at this day are not vvorse and more notoriously vvicked then vvere the Iewes in the dayes of Christ and his Apostles yea God forbid they vvere altogether so vile and abominable as they Did Christ Iesus now and his Disciples communicate vvith the Iewes in diuine vvorship notwithstanding in their publike assemblies there vvere present and could not otherwise but be present many open vvicked and may not the faithfull communicate in diuine vvorship vvith vs because there bee some open vvicked in our assemblies yea consider further vvith me that as in the dayes of Christ and his Apostles so in all ages the godly haue had religious communion vvith the open vngodly as Abraham the Church in his house vvith Ismael Isaac and the Church of God in his house vvith Esau and so forward I migh goe This is hereby manifest also in that the faithfull in all ages had and lawfully might haue religious
Church in the one of these times this complaint was taken vp Ah sinfull nation a people ladâ—n with iniquitie c. And of the other this Helpe Lord for there is not a godly man left c. These children of wrath might I now argue with you this sinfull generation could not possibly bâ—e members of the body of Christ nor haue him for their head and therefore was not a true but a false Church And marke heere gentle Reader I pray thee how this man affirmeâ—h first That all of the visible Church are members of the Body of Christ Secondly but more truely that all the members of the body of Christ are partakers of his life and spirit so as whosoeuer doeth not participate with this life and spirit is no member But with this lâ—fe and spirit the inuisible Church onely and company of the Elect I meane so many of them as are effectually called doe partake as before I haue prooued Therefore not the visible but the called of the inuisibâ—e Church are members of the body of Christ and make that body whereof Iesus is the hâ—ad And hereby he excludeth and shutteth out of the visible Church all reprobates all hypocrites and wicked men as well secret as open wicked and maketh it to consist onely of godly or righteous men indeede or if you will of the Elâ—ct alone For saith he all the members of the true visible Church are members of the Body of Christ not dead but liuing members partaking with the spirit and life of Christ But no râ—probate hypocrite or wicked man is a liuing member of the Body of Christ partaking with the spirit and life of Christ Therâ—fore none such are of the true visible Church Againe onely the Elect and sincere or truely godly are such liuing members Therfore onely such by your wise doctrine are of the true visible Church Moreouer obserue heere that by this mans doctrine in the true visible Church there are no children of the diuell For saith he Christ hath no concord with Belial therefore not with his children Againe All the members of the true visible Church are members of Christ his glorious Body But the dead stinking and abhominable members of Sathan are not members of Christs glorious Body therefore not of the true visible church Wherevpon foâ—loweth that all of the true visible Church are the children of God and so heires of saluation for if children heires And particularly that Cain Ismael Esau Saul Absalom Iudas and the Scribes and Pharisees were the children of God and are sauâ—d for all these were members of the true visible Church And tell me M. Ainsworth yâ—u that will haue no children of Beliall no dead stinking and abhominable members of Sathan members of the true visible Church but require that all the members of the visible Church bee members of the glorious Body of Christ hauing him for thâ—ir head fâ—r which cause you condemne the Church of England for a false Churâ—h because in it there be many dead and rotten members tell me I say in your next Treatise first whether this reason of yours proues not as is in part aforesaide as well the Church of the Iewes in Christs time as also before and after in the dâ—yes of his Apostles to be a false Church as weâ—l as ours Secondly whether Cain Esau Iudas and the rest aboue named were liuing members partâ—king of Christ his life and Spiâ—it or dead stinking and the abhominable members of Sathan And this latter being true which you cannot deny whether dead stinking and abhominable members of Sathan haue not beene members of the true visible Church seeing these were no better members and yet were all of the vis church Marke also how in the former words hee requireth faith and repentance in euery member of the visible Church And so he doeth a little before The people of EnglaÌ„d in the beginning of Q. Elizabeths raigne Counterp 127. did not enter into the church by repentance faith in Christ but by the commandement of the Magistrate were compelled vnto the Church Sacraments and ministery Now the Magistrates lawe cannot worke faith in any Ephes 2.8 Rom. 10.17 seeing faith is the gift of God and by his word onely is wrought in mans heart I haue told you before and now tell you againe that not faith and repentance but the profâ—ssion of these is necessary to the making of a membâ—r of the visible church and that thereunto the Magistrates law and authoritie will drawe and perswade men Had you and the rest of your societie learned this you would neuer then haue required these graces nor such holinesse at least externall in all the members of the visible church as you doe But it is no maruell though you requâ—re faith and repentance not in the iudgement of charitie but in deede and veritie in euery member of the visible Church Communion of Saints 321. and tell vs else where that this is the doore whereby a man must enter into the Church considering you teach that the visible Church is the Body of Christ and that all the members of the visible Church are members of his misticall body and partakers of his spirit and life For no vnbeleeuer and impenâ—tent person is member of the misticall bodie of Christ You now that require true faith and repentance in euery member of the visible Church say whether any of the visible Church can be damned For the Scripture saith He that beleeueth is saued alreadie hath passed from death to life And that If the wicked returne from all his sinnes which he hath committed and keepe all Gods statutes Ezech. 18.21 that is If he repent he shall surely liue and shall not die After many friuelous lines tending hereunto that there is peace and agreement betweene Christ and all of the visible Church That in the Church among the members thereof there is no hatred or enmitie both which are palpably false you drawing to an end of the proofe of your Assumption vse these words following By this it may appeare that Christ is no head of such Antichristians Pag. 130. nor of any other prophane wicked worldlings seeing his spirit giues them not life and motion but they are carried by the spirit of Satan that possessed them neither can they bee knit vnto him by ioynts or bands as all his body and members thereof are Therefore saith hee the Church of England is not the true Church of God Thus the second time you tell vs and truely That Christ his body and all the members thereof haue his spirit giuing them life and motion wherby as by ioynts or bands they are knit vnto him the head But againe say I the called of the inuisible Church only haue this spirit by this spirit are knit vnto the head Christ They therefore onely are the body of Christ and to him vnited as the head Againe many of the true visible Church that I say not the greatest part therof haue
and inuisible church onely as is plaine by those two testimonies your selfe quote in the margent Ioh. 8.32 Reu. 1.6 The elect therefore and inuisible Church onely haue Christ for their King Secondly Their King Christ Iesus is who abstaine from errour false-worship and all other euill whatsoeuer deliuering thus their owne soules But the elect and inuisible Church onely abstaine from euery euill way and deliuer their owne soules Therefore the elect onely haue Christ Iesus for their King Thirdly They onely are the people and subiects of Christ and haue him for their King for whom hee hath subdued Sathan and sinne and whom he hath redeemed out of all Satanean bondage that sinne should reigne no more ouer them But Christ hath subdued Sathan and sinne onely for the elect and invisible Church and them alone hath he redeemed out of all Satanean bondage that sinne should reigne no more ouer them Therefore the elect and inuisible Church onely are the people and subiects of Christ and haue him for their King Thus what you build with the one hand you put downe apase with the other Ephes 4.8.11 Heb. 3.6 Yet do not I deny that Christ hath appointed the offices and officers and giuen lawes to the vis church by and according to which only it ought to be gouerned that in thâ—s respect he is the onely King thereof Also Mat. 28.18 Reu. 17.14 in that all power is giuen vnto him in heauen and in earth and is King of the whole earth being King of Kings thus likewise hee is King of the visible church And as King hee defendeth it from the enemies thereof for his own glory and name that is called vpon them for his elect sake that are among them And lastly in this respect he is also King of the visible church that these rebels and enemies of his that will not suffer him to reigne ouer them neither regard his lawes and statutes he will take vengeance of them and destroy them Thus I acknowledge our Lord is King of the visible church but not so a he is King to them to whom he is Priest and Prophet as you doe affirme Come we now to the second part of the aforesaid proposit on Counterp 141. and to M. Ainsworth his 4. argument Euery true visible Church hath Christ for the Priest of the same The vis Church of England hath not Christ for the Priest of the sâ—me Therefore the Church of England is not a true visible Church I deâ—y your proposition which to be false I doe thus make manifest If Christ Iesus be the Priest of the visible Church then Christ died for the vâ—sible church and maketh intercession for all of that societie for doubtlesse hee performed all the parts of his Priesthood for them to whom he is a Priest If Christ now died for the visible church then all of the visible church shal be saued and none of them damned for Christs death shall be effectual to saue all those from perdition for whom he died Who shall condemne saith the Apostle It is Christ which is dead Rom. 8.34 Intimating that none of those can possibly be damned for whom Christ died Now the aforesaide inference is false seeing there be many reprobates of the visible church for which Christ neither dyed nor maketh intercession and therefore is that false from whence it is inferred deduced Nay I will disproue this by your owne words In the 32. p. of your confession of faith thus you write Touching his Priesthood Christ hath appeared once to put away sinne by the offering of himselfe and to this ende hath fully performed and suffred all those things by which God might be reconciled to his Elect. From hence I reason thus If Christ in that he was a Priest hath by the oblation of himselfe taken away the sinne of the Elect onely and reconciled vnto God onely the Elect then is hee the Priest onely of the Elect or inuisible church But Christ in that hee was a Priest hath by the oblation of himselfe taken away the sinne of the Elect onely and reconciled to God onely the Elect Therfore Christ Iesus is the Priest only of the Elect or church inuissible and by consequent not of the vissible church as you affirme The Proposition is so cleere in it selfe that it needes no proofe The Assumption is prooued by your owne confession Though you doe not vse this word onely yet must it necâ—ssarilie bee vnderstood This your selfe also M. Ainsworth doe further confirme Counterp 141. The Church of England say you hath not Christ for the Priest or Sacrificer of the same Because the gifts and sacrifices which it offereth vnto God are not presented and offered vnto him by Christ neither is this Church reconciled vnto God by him from hence also I argue thus Whose spirituall sacrifices Christ doth present and offer vnto his father their priest he is But the spirâ—tual sacrifices of the elect and inuisible church onely doth Christ present and offer vnto his Father Therefore Christ is the Priest of the elect and inuisible church onely Agaiâ—e To proue that Christ is the prophet of the inuisible church this in a word may suffice To what societ e soeuer he is king aâ—d priest to the same hee is a prophet But to the inuisible church onely he is a king and priest Therefore a prophet the Proposition needes no proofe The Assumption hath alreadie beene prooued This likewise may be coâ—firmed by your own lines and therefore I may well be sparing of mine Counterp 139. Moreouer the church of England wanteth part and communion with Christ in that propheticall office which he hath imparted to his people namely power and freedome to witnesse professe practise and holde forth the word of life and all that Christ hath commaunded And therefore concludeth he The church of England hath not Christ for the prophet thereof from hence I reason thus To that church or company of men whatsoeuer which hath power and freedome to witnesse professe practise and hould forth the word of life and all that Christ hath commanded to them onely is Christ a prophet But this power and freedome hath the inuisible church onely Therefore of the inuis church onely is Christ a Prophet The proposition is your own The assumption is very cleare for though all of the visible church and many reprobates haue power to professe yet onely the Elect haue the abilitie to practise the word of God and to obserue all that Christ hath commanded that is earnestly endeauor to obsâ—rue and keepe the coÌ„mandements of God Christ in all things which is that we call euangelicall obedience This obedience wherof our Lord speaketh Mat. 28.20 Teaching theÌ„ to obserue all things whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you is proper I say to the elect and cannot fall into any reprobate But these words of Iesus you vnderstand of the politie of the church and being generall you restraine to all things
say a word for you It argueth that there is not that feare in you of taking Gods Name in vaine and of doing the work of the Lord negligently that should be In like manner you deale in the other parts of this position For whereas you should proue that the Sacraments are a meanes of saluation and the like by prayer and censures you send the Reader to some pla es of scripture where there is mention indeed of a Sacrament of Prayer and of Censures but not a word there to proue them to bee the meanes of saluation Such as these are a l the quotations you haue for proofe of your opinions The way or doore say you whereby both members and officers enter in is Christ that is the way taught by Christ in his word Pag. 13 Ioh. 14.6 10.3.7.9 17 17. Mark 13.34.37 Hereby you intimate that for as much as we walke not in this way nor enter in by this doore members into communion and officers into offices therefore our people are not in communion or bee not members of true visible Churches nor our Ministers Ecclesiasticall Officers but meere priuate That in this way wee walke and enter into the Church and Ministery by this doore it hath touching the former of these beene already made manifest True it is that in neither of these we haue walked or doe with that straight foote we should and that in them wee bewray humane frailtie but such as through the mercy of God in Christ nullifies not our Church and Ministerie no more then Iacobs infirmities in the way hee walked to the blessing hindered him of the blessing Or his faultie entrance into the married estate with Leah made a nullitie in their Matrimonie so as they liued perpetually in adultery And seeing I am fallen into this point of your peruerting and abuse of Scripture and got into this field a large one I confâ—sse and able to tyre a horse I will goe a fewe steppes or pases further therein I take no exception against this position but your proofes thereof In Ioh. 14.6 I am that Way that Trueth and that Life Our Sauiour speaketh of the way to Heauen that by him we must come thither if euer wee will bee there That by him we must haue life eternall else we dye eternally This to be Iesus his meaning we may easily see by the dependance of this verse with the former Christ fortelling his Disciples of his Passion then approaching and of his going to Heauen to prepare a place for them vseth thereupon these wordes And whither I goe yee knowe and the way yee knowe Thomas answers Lord we knowe not whither thou goest how can we knowe the way Iesus replies I am that way meaning that leades to Heauen which is the place whither I goe This is the right sence and meaning of this Scripture For our Sauiour returning a direct answere to Thomas and therefore concerning that way which leadeth to the place whither hee was now going which was Heauen it must needes be that he speaketh of the way to Heauen What meane you now speaking of the way or entrance into the visible Church to coate this Scripture for confirmation thereof In the way Iesus heere speaketh of the Elect onely and the inuisible Church doeth walke for to them alone he is the way In the way you speake of the visible Church the reprobate as well as the Elect doe walke All that walke in the way Iesus speaketh of shall be saued But many of those which tread the way you speake of shall bee damned Christ Iesus then you speake both of diuers societies and of diuers wayes Indeede you speak of a way and heere that word way is vsed Is that enough If I were to prooue that by Christ Iesus as by a doore wee must enter into Heauen and for proofe thereof should alleadge Gen. 6.16 The doore of the Arke thou shalt set in the side thereof Or Gen. 19.6 Then Lot went out at the doore vnto them and shut the doore after him all men would laugh at me Be not offended with me Thus M. Smith deale you M. Iohnson Ainsworth Robinson and Barrow full often in your allegations of Scripture There is nothing more vsuall with all of you then this to vnderstand that of the visible Church which by the holy Ghost is meant and spoken of the inuisible Church or some members thereof Heere is Church and Church but different Churches and Societies members and members but of diuers bodies and therefore the Scriptures concerning one make not at all for the other Your quotation of Ioh. 17.17 Sanctifie them with thy trueth thy word is trueth is idle and to no purpose Iesus speakes there of his eleuen Apostles as is euident by the verses precedent and subsequent specially by the 20. verse praying for them to his Father that seeing he was now to send them into the world to Preach the Gospell to euery creaâ—ure as hâ—s Father had seâ—t him into the world to performe the worke of redemption as vers 18. that he would indue them with gifts of his Spirit for the discharge of the office of Preaching or of Apostleship This you alleadge to prooue â—hat the way taught by Cbrist in his word is the way or doore whereby members are receiued into the visible Church and Officers into Offices Frame your argument and conclude this proposition from this Scripture and the vanitie of your proofe will appeare Like to this is your last testimonie Mark 13.34.37 And those things that I say vnto you I say vnto all men watch For further proofe of your abuse of Scripture your confirmation of your tenth position in the 71. Page of your Apologie may suffice To prooue that the Sacraments being seales of Gods couenant ought to be administred onely to the faithfull and baptisme to their seede which no Christian man vnderstanding this position aright denies or doubts of you coate aboue 50. testimonies of holy Scripture and that which is worse scarce halfe of them as I verily thinke doe manifestly and directly prooue that for which they are by you alleadged And for a tryall and tast thereof let vs heare one or two of your testimonies in stead of many as Ezek. 13.22 Because with your lies yee haue made the hearts of the righteous sadde whom I haue not made sadde and strengthened the hands of the wicked that hee should not returne from his wicked way by promising him life And Reuel 17.1 Then there came one of the seuen Angels which had the seuen vialls and talked with me saying vnto me come I will shew the damnation of the great whore that sitteth vpon many waters Hereunto adde Prou. 9.1.5 Hos 2.2.4 Ezek. 16.59.60.61.62.63 And 23.41.42 Psal 22.30 with sundry others These men being told of their abuse of Scripture doe vtterly deny it and cast it from them as a very slander But how iustly they are by vs charged therewith and how sinfully they stand out against it and blesse themselues in that which is euill doth partly heere appeare but more fully throughout this whole Treatise FINIS