was come home to God command Iudah to serve the God of Israel Did not Iosiah cause and make his people to stand to his covenant to serve even to serve the Lord our God Is it not lawfull for good Princes in reforming to follow these examples may not they binde their people some way by oath bond subscription or taking and giving hands for better performance of duties of religion why may not our good Princes follow those old patternes in reforming They say because it is not found in the new testament Bee it so yet it is found in the old testament and not condemned in the new nor any other order prescribed in such a case Surely seeing in this new devised way they will bee tried by none but the new testament they shall be cast at this bar in their own courses Let them give but one text to prove any man called or ordained to a Pastours office in the church by a company of private men alone and I shall give them another text to prove any thing they please I can yet reade of none but Apostles Evangelists and the eldership that made ministers there If they can shew no text I am sure they have no such Pastours as they ought but I am sure we have true kings who have power in reforming to compell wicked people to be better then they are because they beare not the sword for nought Yea but say they lastly put case they entred upon necessarie knowledge that they made a covenant in receiving the word and sacraments that they were voluntarily or forced yet lawfull professours when they stated a visible church yet they were many of them baptized when they were the seed of them that were not members of the visible church Conceive it thus If a man be a member of the visible church then his children have a right to baptisme before they actually professe the faith by vertue of that promise I will be thy God and the God of thy seede But if hee bee not a member of a visible church as a Iew Turke or Pagan then have they no right to it before they actually confesse as the Eunuch did Now the Brownists keeping a great coile about the jointing of members into a church as if it were all one to be jointed into the body of Christ coapted and fitted to our head Christ for life and salvation and to bee a member of the visible church in outward communion and fellowship of Christ for the outward priviledges of the church they have I say espied among many others this one crime in the Dutch and French churches that they baptize the seede of them that are no members of the visible church much more when they looke upon us whom they account not members of a true visible church must they quarrell if all bee of his mind if our first reformers be not members of a true visible church and yet their children are baptized before they are of yeares to professe their owne faith SECT 9. A question by the way about baptizing Bastards of impenitent Christians I Confesse I never yet talked with any Brownist about this particular yet because I finde too many conscious people hanging after forraigne novelties and gazing upon with admiration the membring and dismembring in visible churches who when they heare of Christians lawfully begotten children denied baptisme beginne to wonder that christians bastards should be admitted Therefore to cleare both as God shall in able I shall labour to satisfie others as I have done some in this question whether bastards are baptizable while their mothers are in their sinnes of adultery or fornication and whether men ought not to stay their baptisme untill they be reconciled to God in open church which is publickely scandalized by her fact and from which she hath dismembred her selfe by her misdeed In this I finde two questions inwrapt in one whether bastards are baptizable and whether men ought not to stay such baptisme till the harlot bee reconciled to God and this be done in the open church scandalized from which by her fact she hath cut herselfe off by her sinne I shall first labour to state these questions and then the cases will more easily appeare The estate of the first may be thus set By bastards such children are meant as come not into the world by lawfull acts of marriage and by baptizable is meant such as have a right to the sacrament of baptisme in the church And the question is not whether bastards in generall are baptizable for so it is certaine that all are not as the bastards of Iewes Turkes and Pagans who have no right to baptisme but by personall confession But the question is whether the bastards of the professours at large in a christian church which is in covenant with God for the outward priviledge of the church at least have right to baptisme of these the inquiry is because in the second part of this question is spoken of the mothers reconciling to God in the open church offended The state of the second question must be laid by considering two things 1 The persons enquired of· 2 The duty of these persons The persons enquired of are Men and it is too generall a terme For it cannot meane any men of that assembly where such a bastard is presented for they have no authority knowne to mee from scriptures to meddle in any censure ecclesiasticall These onely are to meddle heere who are sent and inspired with delegated service and mininistery from Christ either immediately or mediately Neither can it meane the Pastors and deputed teachers of that assembly for they have but a dependent authority according to the lawes of Eutaxy and good order in the church Presbiters under Bishops Bishops under Synods Synods under Councels and Councels under the word of Christ in plaine scriptures Our highest appeale is to our head Christ Iesus For if ordinary Pastours had such independent power in such cases thinke whether it would not set up a Pope in every parish especially considering that wee have neither precept nor president in all the new testament of such power given to any assembly or Presbiter that ever I could yet finde By men therâ—fore wee must understand the publick governours of that church that is the King Prince state Bishop and convocation by their lawes ecclesiasticall for the good of the church The question enquires of those in respect of order decree and command and of these in respect of Canons and executions accordingly Thus I take up the minde of the question or else I know not what it would have Next consider in the question the duty of these persons whether they ought to stay bastards from baptisme By this two things may bee meant denying baptisme but no man would utterly exclude such and suspending baptisme and of this is the question for it makes a double limitation first till the harlot be reconciled to God In this
immediately did excell those that were called by men And among those that were called by men where might bee a rising to an higher degree according as they profited in faith and godlinesse Therefore Paul saith that they that use the office of a Deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree Therefore may wee lawfully maintaine a superiority in the ministery of Christ now But it may be they would not stand so much upon this because for ought I can finde there is some inequality betwixt their pretended Pastors and Doctors but that there is a Iurisdiction in our Bishops not onely over the flock but over the compresbyters their brethren It is true there is so and that justly without which wee should have as many religions as parishes and for that I say this Such jurisdiction as is patterned or prescribed in the epistles to Timothy and Titus is worthily exercised in our church of Christ If it bee said that that jurisdiction was personal in them this takes away the comfort of doctrine in all the otheâ— epistles for it may be as well said that the rules of faith and doctrine in them are personall and belong to that age But as this cannot be said so nor that for those rules tended to the government of the house of God and were to be kept to the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ Now that that jurisdiction patterned or prescribed in those epistles was episcopal appeareth thus Set aside matters matrimonial and testamentary which are the wise donation of princes for the conscionable ordering of such affaires and the jurisdiction of Bishops doth stand in two things principally First in ordination for the ordaining of ministers Titus was left in Crete to ordeine elders and the Apostle would have Timothy lay hands rashly on none that is ordaine But say they these ordeined not as Bishops but as Evangelists But this they must prove that they were Evangelists strictly so called Evangelists were immediately called so waâ— not Timothy for according to his good report and the prophesies that went of him for his great use of the church hee was ordained by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery Yea but say they that Paul bids him doe the worke of an Evangelist True but may they not as well prove Timothy to be an Apostle because hee did the worke of the Lord as Paul did know therefore that Evangelist may be taken three wayes for a penner of the Gospel by divine instinct so the Apostles were Evangelists For a preacher of the Gospel by divine instinct so they are accounted so properly And for a preacher of the Gospell by ordinary diligence and assistance and thus Timothy an Evangelist may be a Bishop to ordaine though not properly as a preacher yet as made a great overseer for that use But say the Brownists Bishops claime ordination to themselves alone so did not Timothy and Titus who did it with the eldership Whether these did it alwaies with the assistant presbyters is not yet proved there being no set law knowne to us then nor I doubt ever will Indeed for our Bishops they ordaine Deacons alone and so they may according to ancient custome and neither I nor they know any thing against it But for the ordination of Presbyters as it was in the primitive Church so our Lawes require that the Bishop should have his assistants the power of ordaining being in him and the liberty of approbation in these Secondly the jurisdiction of Bishops stands in redressing things amisse Titus was left in Creta to redresse things amisse not onely in the people but Presbyters Over Presbyters I say they had a power to command as Paul saith to Timothy I left thee at Ephesus that thou mightst charge some that they preach no other doctrine to judge therefore he saith against an Elder receive not an accusation under two or three witnesses which was a juridicall proceeding and to silence as occasion is offered for whose mouthes must be stopped saith Paul to Titus Which power if it be onely by verball conviction as every Minister of the New Testament is bound to doe as he is able and not by reall suspension as hee is over Presbyters the precept is altogether in vaine and idle For words doe but breed words and contentious spirits will never have an end But say they the Apostles would not suffer themselves to be silenced no more should wee If we cannot doe our office in publike we should doe it private This is true of the Apostles and they did well in it but there are two sorts of Preachers such as were immediately called who had their gifts and matter and calling immediately from Christ these none but Christ can silence they are his elect vessels as Paul to carry his Name And such as are immediately called who have their matter and gifts by reading and industry and their calling by and from the testimony of man Now because some mens sinnes goe before and some mens follow after they that gave power and testimony according to appearance may according to after appearance take testimony away from the unworthy except they could prove themselves Apostles But yet say they grant all this true yet are there divers exceptions against our Bishops what such as may justifie a separation Let us heare them Put case Timothy and Titus were Bishops yet were they not such as ours that is Diocesan Bishops what then were they parish Bishops I wish them read in Church stories of the best times without which they can never understand some passages of scriptures of the practise of the Church I am sure this they should finde that Timothy and Titus had some compasse of jurisdiction allotted wherein there were Churches at least according to cities wherein there were many presbyters to be overseene and ordered and what was this but a Diocesse which as the Church increased increased with it But these say they for all that had no princely authority and Lordly command over their brethren That is true neither is this absolutely necessary to the calling or of the essence of it yet doth it not overthrow it but adorne and strengthen it when it is well used If a Bishop were called a beggar it doth not overthrow his calling so neither if he be called a pallace who knowes not that that proceeded from the favour of our Princes that they might be Barons of the parliament to direct the conscience in deepe matters of state But say they this is against the word of God Be not Lords over Gods heritage saith Peter and saith Christ the Lords of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them and they that are great exercise authority over them but it shall not be so among you but whosoever wil be great among you let him be your minister and whosoever would be chiefe among you let him bee your
such as the Apostles converted in the first planting of the Churches of the Gentiles It is certaine that it is as true a conversion from any sinne to sanctification as from infidelity to faith For Iohn Baptist was sent to turne the disobedient Iewes and Peter after his fall was to be converted and Ephraim was to say turne thou me and I shall be turned and the remnant of Iacob was to returne to the mighty God But say they this may be done by private persons as by the woman of Samaria and by the good wife who winnes her husband by her conversation Who doth doubt that as the base carriage of Christians doth make religion blasphemed so the faire carriage of theÌ„ doth win aliens to like it Who doubts but the perswasions of others may draw men to Christ or his followers to bee informed in good wayes Who doubts of Aquilas and Priscillas taking Apollos a man mighty in the Scriptures and making him understand the wayes of Christ better Yea and Christ if hee please may use them as meanes for thorow conversion But what is Christs ordinary way hee hath now given Pastors and Doctors not onely for the setting of the Saints in joynt and edifying of the body of Christ but for the worke of the Ministery and what is that It is to open mens eyes and to turne them from darknesse to light that they may receive forgivenesse of sinnes and inheritance among them that are sanctifâ—ed by Faith in Christ Therefore our Ministery having done thus are not these true Ministers No say the Brownists and therefore doe they make exceptions against us They like not our ordainers our titles our callings our infirmities nor our maintenances therefore we are not true Ministers Let us follow them with Christs light It is as if they should have said though we cannot overthrow the substance of your Ministery yet we reject you because of the circumstances of it as the children of Israel who could not out-face Elishaes calling from God yet could in scorne say come up thou bald-pate thou art not without thy blemish till the Beares stopt their mouthes Let them take heede If a King have all the substance of right and Kingshippe yet if in his inauguration hee have not a pleasing â—nnointer title acclamation maintenance or have some infirmities is hee not a right King I doubt if these spirits had power in their hand neither true King nor true Priest nor true people should scarcely be found to stand before them But to the particulars They say wee are ordained by Bishops who are as they are such the very limbes of Antichrist That they are the blessed governors of our Church according to the patterne and rules Apoâ—tolicall of Timothy and Titus I have shewed before And by whom should wee be ordained but by such Can a good man dreame that the body of a people of men and women have a power to ordaine and consecrate presbyters when if he runne thorough the whole new testament he can never find but bresbyters ordained by presbyters If ours bee Bishops yet they are presbyters and more They have an order and jurisdiction by right above us as Titus in Creta yet I hope that doth not exclude presbytership from them The inferiour orders may stand alone but the superiour comprehends all A Bishop may reade administer sacraments and doe other offices of the inferiour orders and often doth whereas the other inferiour offices have no jurisdiction over their brethren where the blessing of Bishops may by the favour of times and Princes bee setled according to the word of God That which is their weapon heere I suffer to runne unto my heart not to wound it but to comfort it that I have not beene brought up in other Churches to receive my ordination from the presbytery which yet is good in case of necessity when our way cannot be had but that I have received it by the hand of a Bishop as well as presbyters which makes the practises and rules of scriptures about ordinations the lesse defective the more compleat But these Bishops of ours say they doe ordaine us Priests which is not a ministery of the new testament And what if we be so called in our ordination Is it so contemptible a name which is put upon all Christians both kings and beggars may not we be called so as ministers as well as we and they too as Christians Indeed popish Priests had an ill name when they ruled our people which made it a name of disgrace and proud and scornefull people will cast it upon us with disgrace who doe deserve better but by Christs helpe I shall never bee ashamed of that name which I must labour to answer in my office if I will bee found faithfull Christ as a Priest maketh intercession and I as a Priest must pray for my people as Paul did often Christ as a Priest did offer a sacrifice I as a Priest must minister the Gospel of God that the sacrificing of my people may be acceptable as Paul of the Gentiles And why should any bee offended at that name by which the holy Ghost calls us for when Esay speaketh of the ministers of the new testament hee saith of them will I take for Priests and Levites saith the Lord. What matters it what wee are called so long as wee offer no idolatrous sacrifice but onely in our office commemorate the sacrifice of Christ and doe other services for his honour Put case wee may bee Priests in name and Presbyters indeed yet say they wee are not called by the people whose souls we feed but are put upon them by lawes and Canons This is in part true but not fully for while Presbyters are put into parishes by law they come unto them by their owne consent For have not the people chosen knights and Burgesses to draw up and to consent to lawes for them And have not Presbyters chosen clarkes synodically to meete to make rulâ—s and Canons for them And doe not both these settle Presbyters in every parish Therefore they are inducted by all ministers and peoples consent But put case it were fully true were wee not therefore true ministers Did we never heare of a man and woman that were married together against the will of one party by the power of parents who yet being married were true man and wife and by an after combining lived lovingly together so may it bee in this case a free consent of minister and people after in the true worship of God may supply and make up that defect But is it certaine that the people have such a right in calling their Presbyters Let us looke into the sure word of God I see the right of Christian Magistrates in choosing them unto their places Take thou unto thee Aaron for the Priests office saith God and thus did Moses See also
truth taught in the Scriptures and is proved thus That which makes a man a true member of a true churh that doth make a true church for members doe constitute the whole but profession of saving truth makes a true member of a true church for Symon Magus upon his profession was admitted a member till he fell away and the Eunuch upon the same profession was admitted too by baptisme and for ought wee know continued for ever Now that we in the church of England do professe saving truth according to the scriptures cannot be denied If the Brownists say that wee overthrow all by thousands of wicked lives in persons in and of our church I am sure that the church of Corinth was worse then ours can be in some things it was too bad with envyings carnall men uncharitable wretches that went to law before infidels scandalizing the weake partaking with Idols heresies abuse of the Lords supper by drunkennesse and contempt of the poore and with detestable incest yet when Paul writes unto them even before the incestuous person was cast out he salutes them all as those that are the church of God Saints by calling and sanctified in Christ Iesus at least by a sanctification of consecration in baptisme and their profession But say the Brownists doth profession make a church of the body of Christ will nothing but the body of Christ serve for a true church Then let them know that Christs body may be taken two wayes for a body of all those that shall be saved and this is the catholicke church which are in communion of saints for life and for a body of those that are in the way of salvation if they be not enemies to themselves as every branch in Christ that beareth not fruit Thus the whole church of Corinth was Christ as well as any other part of the church and in Christ Iesus though too many members of it professed without power For profession brings a church into outward fellowship with Christs body as bad servants with a good master and so into the way of being savingly of the body of Christ if they resist not grieve not quench not or despise not the spirit of grace Secondly for the forme of a true church that is Christ united unto the persons professing his saving truth For as the forme of a man is his soule united to his body so the forme of a church which is the body of Christ is Christ united unto it Now that Christ is united unto our church is proved thus because hee gives the law of union to us as to the body and makes it effectuall for conviction or conversion to serve the living and true God As a king is united to his subjects by his lawes and executions of them for rewards and punishments so is Jesus Christ to our church As the head united gives lawes to the body for safety so doth Christ give lawes to us for our salvation in his word He hath not dealt so with every nation yet blessed bee his name he hath so dealt with us to the joy of our soules True say the Brownists wee have his lawes but doe not answer them in our lives This doth not cut us off being but true in part till Christ hath sued out his bill of divorce no more then the disobedience of a wife makes her no wife the disobedience of a sonne no sonne and the disobedience of a servant no servant Againe Christ is united to us because hee makes his law effectuall for the convincing of all and for the converting of many soules to cleave unto him faithfully VVe are baptized and so put on Christ and are graffed into the similitude of his death and resurrection But as we grow in age many grow in gracelesnesse and forget the covenant of their God Then comes the word of Christ convincing and calls many backe kills sinne quickens grace and converts the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisedome of the just This the Brownists will not deny They confesse that God hath many gracious people amongst us by the word and sacraments VVhence I pray doth this proceed but from the influence and power of Christ united to us I am sure that Christ is the way to heaven and one soule cannot bee converted from the kingdome of sinne to grace but it is by the power and influence of Christs three offices As he is a Prophet hee must be his wisedome to teach him repentance from dead works and faith in Christ As hee is a Priest he must make his attonement betwixt God and him for righteousnesse And as he is a King hee must over-master the gates of hell and maintaine him to himselfe in the way of salvation for sanctification and full redemption Conclude therefore that if wee have the matter and forme of a true church wee must bee a true church against all exception if good conscience judge by the word of God SECT 7. Brownists first exceptions against us about the nature of a visible Church BUt because the Brownists make a great noise in maintaining against us that ours is not a true church therefore take particular view of their pleas against it that wee may see the unjustnesse of their forsaking it I shall by Gods helpe referre them to five heads 1 What they meane by a true church 2 The entrance into a true church 3 The head of a true church 4 The members of a true church 5 The governement of a true church They meane by a true church a set congregation of more or fewer separated from all false waies and having sufficient authority within it selfe for governement in all causes ecclesiasticall and assembling at times convenient for exercise of governement and solemne worship This is the full summe of what I can conceive them to say of a true church in which they would make it up of these foure ingredients First it must be a set congregation which we call a parish and they mislike Every one of these they would have an absolute church depending upon none but Christ and so they deny kings over countries and Bishops over diocesses to bee members of the church except they can shew those particular congregations whereof they are but equall members to be ruled by the joint consent of the whole number or it may bee the greatest part Secondly it must bee separated from all false wayes not onely of Iewes Turkes and Pagans but from all grosse sinnes and sinners which doe pollute the worship of the sincerest service of God Yet surely they would have them better taught and made good that by the consent of the members they might be jointed in at last Thirdly it must have sufficient authority within it selfe for governement in all causes ecclesiasticall that is a plenary power by consent of members to ordaine ministers call or cast them out as the necessity
of the church requires to excommunicate and receive in and to order all things in their assemblies for the advancement of Christs kingdome without the leave or restraint of any Fourthly it must assemble for acts of governement and solemne worship without which it is but a shadow that is it must meete in their meeting places to pray preach prophecy baptize and communicate as the spirit gives wisedome and utterance Now because they finde not our churches thus made up according to their owne fansies therefore doe they forsake them as false or at the least no true churches This is their new way of churching and unchurching of assemblies so farre as I can gather by their conferences and writings and they judge of our assemblies after this mould I hope they will not deny us to have assemblies or to be separate from Iewes Turkes Pagans Idolaters and wicked Belialists in communion for spirituall life by Christ that wee have authority and power for ordination excommunication absolution and order or that wee have assemblies for governement and solemne worship and for the rest of the frame it is but the issue of their owne braine and not of the law and rule of Christ For first whereas they would have no nationall churches but particular in dependent congregations they must confesse that the whole nation of Israel was but one church And though then they had but one Tabernacle yet when after they were divided into severall Synagogues did they not continue the only church of God were they not still reputed of God as one man though some were better and more worse It is true say they because they had but one high-priest a figure of Christ which was to vanish Nay rather because they were but one people and common-wealth professing the same religion and ruled by the same lawes both before they had one high-priest and after when by corruption they had two Neither was the high-priest in respect of governement a type of Christ for so was Melchizedech of whose order Christ was and not after the order of Aaron but in respect of his sacrifice and intercession for the whole people and his enterance alone into the holy of holies bearing the names of the twelve tribes and Christs governement belongs to his kingdome not to his priest-hood Besides must they not confesse that that one church of the nation of Jewes was governed by one law and one king one law for the substance of governement and one king to order both priests and people and that not as a type of Christ but as a king by royall authority as head of the tribes as I shal cleare hereafter Yea doe wee not reade of the church of Ephesus which was one house of God over which Timothy was the first angell and Bishop as it comes to us from oldest records to rule all Presbyters Deacons Widowes and people in their severall assemblies For how fond were it to thinke that all the Elders Deacons and believers that Paul gives him Jurisdiction over there should be of one assembly Especially seeing Titus his fellow-Bishop was left in Creta to ordeine elders and oversee them in every city according to the necessity of severall assemblies Secondly whereas they urge that a true church must be separate from all false waies it is true it must be thus in profession when they are plainely discovered by undoubted scriptures but that it must be actually thus or be unchurched is utterly false Israel was Gods people when the sonnes of Eli in communion with them were sonnes of Belial and knew not the Lord. Moses calls them Gods people even when they were not separated from Idolatry because he had no authority to cast them off before God himselfe had given a bill of divorce God by Esay calls the Jewes his children and people when they were so farre from being separated from rulers of Sodome rebellious Princes companions of theeves that they had such teachers as caused them to erre such women as were full of hellish pride such rich men as were cruell oppressours such inhabitants as the earth was defiled under them and such a face of the church as the faithfull city was become an harlot with their oakes and gardens of idolatrie ready to bring confusion Paul calls the Corinthians a church of God saints by calling when at that instant many in communion with them had debates envyings whisperings wraths strifes backbitings swellings tumults and had not repented of the uncleannesse fornication and lasciviousnesse which they had committed Read the epistles of Christ to the seven churches in Asia and yee shall finde much abominable wickednesse and yet they were crowned by Christ himselfe with the name of churches If the Brownists plead that these churches should have beene separated Indeed they should have better then they were and because they were not they after felt the heavie hand of God but that the good should have fallen out with God for the sinne of man and beene separated from the good things of God for the wickednesse of those that were in outward communion of christianity that we no where nor ever I am sure shall read Thirdly whereas they plead that every particular congregation hath sufficient power by generall vote of members in all causes ecclesiasticall I must wonder before answere what have the people all the members power of jurisdiction over all What new scripture hath ever Christ made for this confusion Surely we finde it not before the law for then power of governement lay upon Adam Noah Abraham Isaack Iacob Ioseph and their peeres Surely it was not under the law for then power of governement lay upon Moses and his assistants even by the advice of Iethro and upon Aaron to whom the people must assent The law was delivered to the priests and elders and they were charged to looke to the rest It is as sure also that it is not under the Gospel The people attempted nothing but by the liking leave and approbation of the Apostles The Apostles ordeined elders in every city for the people without them and conferred with the elders of the church for the good of their assemblies without the people yea and upon consultation did decreâ— a matter for the peace of the church without them when their gifts were at the height It is true that sometimes the people were acquainted with some great matter in counsell not because they had authority without which the Apostles and elders could doe nothing but to acquâ—int them with reasons and to incourage them in their graces Thus Bishop Cyprian sometimes did and sometimes superiours do require the assent of inferiours for better peace and love And that the people had no authority in governing the church appeares by the commission of Christ to his Apostles and those that should succeed them goe yee saith Christ and teach and baptise
inflicted for parents sinnes Though the baptisme of children of believers is not to remunerate them for their parents righreousnesse but a blessing upon them for Gods promise sake to believers yet to deprive infants of it meerely for parents sake is a punishment for parents sinnes Thirdly they say that the Prophet Ezekiel speaks of actuall sinnes of great ones and not of little childrens sinnes and when they have sayd thus they confesse it is not to the purpose heere Yet consider this point Can any man be guilty of the personal sinne of another with whom onely there is communion of suffering and not of sinning God forbid and yet such is the case of infants from us Lastly they aske what danger is it if bastards should bee unbaptized till they are of yeares I answer there are dangers more then one The danger of injustice at large in withholding a right from them yea may I not call it sacriledge The danger of the neglect of this ordinance which is the ordinary way of God for entrance into the visible church And the danger of elevating baptisme above the mind of Christ who will have grace offered to all entring christians in it yea and given by way of promise and covenant which shall not faile to the receivers Lastly they yet finde another reason against Objection 7 them that though the parents of bastards have greatly sinned yet we ought to judge charitably of them and of their children I lay it downe otherwise thus They who at least in the judgement of charity are christians ought not to have their children kept from baptisme but the parents of bastards in a christian church are at least in the judgement of charity christians for otherwise they were rebaptizable therefore their children ought not to be kept from baptisme Now take their answer They say the judgement of charity ought alwaies to be according to truth This is true of truth probably presumed But what doe they assume that whoremongers and harlots cannot bee judged such while they are in their sinnes which make them unbelievers But say I pray Is their sin properly against faith or manners Is the bad working or idlenesse of faith in this sinne against manners of such power as utterly to roote out their doctrinall faith which yet is sufficient to intitle their children to baptisme If they answer but these demands well they shall see their owne errours Thus have I taken in by the way a view of thâ—s question which â—s not an every day doubt and is usefull â—or the quieting of many godly persons in this particular and my conclusion is this That in the reforming of our visible church which consisted of visible christians before though much out of order wee their seed in their right and so in a right of our owne were more purely baptized and so made true members of our true visible church whatsoever Brownists plead to the contrary For as bastards of christian parents have a right to bee baptized into their parents christianity so much more had wee into ours Our predecessours had a state whereof they repented and so have these of which they should If neither of them repented as they should yet were both of them true christians and so both their posterities were rightly baptized and made true members of a true visible church iâ— not for such governement as Brownists dreame of yet to be governed as members of Gods house for conviction or conversion to life SECT 10. Brownists third exception against us about the head of our Church WEe having now done what the Brownists do mean by a true church and the falsitie of it and with the entrance into it wee are now come unto their third exception taken from the head of a true visible church They finde from time to time our kings to interpose their authority over every particular assembly in our church for the keeping of them in pious and peaceable wayes according to the lawes of God and our church and common-wealth and because they fansie no visible churches but particular congregations which must bee fully furnished from Christ with power of governing themselves and they doe perceive withall that the supreame authority of a king over churches doth according to kingly duty hinder their erecting of new waies and tie them up to observe the laudable customes of the church therefore as if they willingly subscribed to the speech of Gallio that wicked deputy of Achaia If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdnesse O yee Iewes reason would that I should beare with you but if it be a question of words and names and of your law looke yee to it for I will be no judge of such matters they cry out wee have no head but Christ he shall rule over us we will wait upon him onely but you have another head and that is the king whose lawes you follow for government of the church and upon whom ye do depend for building or pulling downe whatsoever Christs law saith Now to pricke and open this blister consider 1 That Christ is the head of the catholicke Church 2 That Christ is the head of particular Churches 3 That Christ is the head of our church 4 That the headship of the king doth not hinder but helpe this and that according to Christs word That Christ is the head of the catholicke church no christian will deny or if hee doe he will bee convinced by scriptures which teach him to bee the head of the body even his church He hath in him most perfectly whatsoever may be for the life and salvation of his church He hath all things subjected to him for the behoofe of his church He takes up all debates suites quarrels and controversies betwixt God and his church as a counsellour advocate yea husband for his wife Hee is the Prince of our salvation the proper fountaine of all spiriruall life and governement No head is such an head as hee is Politicall heads give the influence of civill favour Oeconomicall heads of houshold and wedlocke favours but this all-sufficient spirituall head of saying favours spiritual blessings in heavenly things This therefore is certaine that thousands in this catholicke church doe runne into folly rebellion and blasphemy Into folly because they doe things without the generall or particular direction of Christ Christ is not in all their counsels Into rebellion because they doe things against the direction of Christ let Christ say what he will they will do what they list Into blasphemy because they think not Christs counsel worth the while sâ— long as they can shift without it it is good when they are sicke but if well it is but as Elias to Ahab a troubler of Israel These may be in the catholicke church they are not of it because Christ is not their head by infusion of grace Secondly it is true also that he is the head of particular churches and visible assemblies Therefore
of substance and in matters of circumstance In matters of substance it hath power to governe it selfe by ordering concerning the Word Sacraments and Prayer so as to make them most comfortable concerning Church Offices from time to time and duties of charity concerning the Churches censures publike assemblies and oversight that all these bee done to the honour of Christ and advancement of religion In matters of Circumstances it hath power to ordaine some outward rites and ceremonies for the outward carriage of Gods worship In the Church of Antioch there was a question a-about Circumcision an uselesse because dying ceremony then The Apostles Elders and brethren at Ierusalem by their consent and to encourage them in grace consulted about it and delivered their judgement as a rule for the Church to follow They disanulled the ceremony of Circumcision in those Churches troubled and establish others for a time as abstaining from meate offered to Idoles and bloud which yet in themselves were but things indifferent For meate commendeth us not to God for neither if we eate are we the better neither if we eate not are wee the worse Againe in the Church of Corinth there was a custome which grew to a publicke order in the Church of covering and uncovering to signifie the headship and soveraignty of the man and the subjection of the woman This was countenanced by the Apostle for the peace of the Church and other otders established Yea when he purposely treateth of acts of ordinary and extraordinary worship hee gives them rules for the government and outward carriage of them let all things bee done to edyfyng and let all things be done decently and in order Thus in matters of substance hath Christ made his Church able to governe it selfe by particular rules and in matters of circumstance by generall rules of edification order and decency Secondly he hath also made Kings prime officers to advance this governement in their places That hee hath made them Church-officers must be thus taken up Not strictly as Ministers who have the highest hand under Christ in the Word Sacraments and keyes of censures Ecclesiasticall but largely as those that are to care for good order about them The offices of ruling and governing which Paul speakes of cannot be proved not to belong to them They are Ministers for our good and our good is not chiefely civil I hope but spirituall The Apostle would have us pray for them that we may not onely live in civill honesty but in Godlinesse to bee countenanced and established by them Surely being members of Church they cannot but be chiefe ones too as being Christs Lieftenants who according to his promise are to bee nursing fathers and their queenes nurcing mothers who have their authority breasts and duggs to reach the neede of all under them to cherish and feede the Church of Christ according to his rules It is true they are servants to the Church and all good Kings doe so acknowledge themselves but not to be equals or subjects to the members of the Church but to make their prime authority serviceable to the advancement of the Gospel for the salvation of Christs people Hence is it that God hath given them a sword that when they oversee the waies of the Church within their reach they may maintaine the rights of it and by a coactive and coercive power suppresse the opposites for without this they cannot be the ministers of God for our good But say the Brownists wherein stands this office of Kings in the Church and over the members of it I answer first in calling of assemblies both civill and sacred The two silver Trumpets wer given to Moses the magistrate and least we should looke upon him as some extraordinary person we see that right maintained by Ioshua David Solomon Iehoshaphat Hezekiah and Iosiah Secondly in abolishing false worship and establishing true as we see in Asa Iosiah Hezikiah Thirdly in looking to the ministry both that it bee sound and good as Solomon who thereupon deposed Abiathar and put Sadock in his roome as hee performed other acts of justice by royall authority and Iehosaphat who sent his princes to see that the Priests and Levites did teach the law of God in their cities and that the ministery bee maintained according to the honours that God hath bestowed upon them as Solomon Hezekiah Iosiah and Nehemiah Fourthly in causing the people to serve the Lord as Hezekiah and compelling all that were round in Israel formerly professing Gods religion to seeke the Lord as Iosiah and Asa Their people were in the house of God committed to their charge and they will see them to live according to the order set by God Lastly in appointing consistories for the well ordering of the people as Iehoshaphat who set over the Levites and Priests and chiefe of the families of Israel for the judgement and cause of the Lord at Ierusalem All this is true say they of the Jewish kings who were types of Christ but wee reade of no such officers in the new testament These men are liberall in making types of Christs kingdome but I wonder whence they will prove it what word of Christ will they bring for it It is true that in some things some of the kings of Iudah were types of Christ as Salomon in his name and building the the temple and David in his troubles and victories and as hee was a king and a prophet but that all the kings of Iudah were types in their governements over the church and state even Saul himselfe when God made him head of the tribes cannot bee proved for Gods truth And whereas they talke of no such officers in the new testament Say it bee so there were no christian Magistrates while those scriptures were in writing and Christ knew them to be sufficiently instructed in the old This is a sure rule that what is warranted in the old testament and not contradicted in the old or new may as the warrant goes either by precept for things necessary or paterne for things lawfull goe for currant still But seeing the new testament saith that wee must pray for kings that by their authority wee may live in godlinesse as by those that are over us for our good spirituall and temporall surely they have warrant enough to use their power over all their people to advance godlinesse and the good of religion as well as justice But say they it is for Christ not for kings to appoint orders about his worship This is true for substantiall orders for these thas are in the will of Christ may not be altered but for matters of circumstance which concerne time place and outward forme not determined kings are bound as supreame members of the church over which they are to use christian consistories to order them so as may agree to the condition of
his church as well as the master of a family may command his steward to order his whole family that the private worship in his family be not dishonoured This ads both to the glory and strength of a church to the glory of it when kings are nourcing fathers and to the strength of it when the power of a king is the churches for the suppressing of vice and maintenance of vertue But then say they they may enjoine their owne inventions in stead of Gods will I answer that the inventions of men are of two sorts of things contrary to the word of Christ as worshipping of images invocation of saints forbidding marriage and meats as these things which directly pollute persons or times or the like These are impious and it these are enjoined christians must patiently suffer and lovingly mourne till in the day of Judgment God fanne away the chaffe But there are others which in their owne nature are indifferent neither commanded nor forbidden by God and of which Christ saith hee that is not against us is with us In these the christian magistrate hath a power for order and uniformity For if Godly persons may bring up customes in the times of Gods worship as the Jewes did their Purim and if Christians may order what garments women may weare when they come to church which Paul after allowed why may not the christian magistrate for the peace of his whole body But then say they this makes things arbitrary and indifferent to become necessary This is true but you must conceive that a thing may bee said to bee necessary two waies necessary in it selfe and necessary in the outward submission to the use of it In it selfe a thing indifferent cannot bee made necessary It is alwaies as it is by nature and conscience informed must so judge it yet in the outward use for the peace of the Church it may upon command become necessary After the death of Christ till the destruction of the temple abstaining from things strangled and bloud circumcision legall vowes and purifyings were indifferent in themselves for else the Apostles would not have used them so yet for the peace of some churches they were judged necessary to be yeelded in love and so may it bee in other things yet the indifferent nature of things is not taken away but the necessary use prescribed for the peace of the church upon better grounds then that wee should suffer our selves to be unsetled from royall power But againe say they then kings may require such things as swarve from some holy patternes wee have in the scriptures and so by granting this governement wee shall bee ill to helpe I say howsoever they use it wee must grant what God hath given as they are all the keepers of both the tables If they use it well thou must obey in the Lord If ill thy prayers and teares must be thy weapons and thy body must suffer his penalties and it is praise worthy for thee to suffer not in a supposed good cause but in a good cause without controversie which is not the case of sufferers in these dayes of peace and the Gospel so farre as I know but for inâ—oynements swarâ—ing from patternes I finde this in scriptures that Godly men have swarved from patternes not seconded by a perpetuall law which might seeme to bind stronâ—ly The Jewes sate at the passover in Christs tâ—me or rather lay leaning though the first gesture was standing or walking and godly men and women communicate in the morning and in a Church though the first patterne was otherwise yea thâ—s is plaine that Gods ceremonies might in some cases be dispensed withall without sinne much more may men bee unlosed from patternes which are not the examples of a law binding so I know it will be said that the examples of Gods people commended by the holy Ghost are every whit of as great â—orce as a command It is true if they be examples of a rule otherwise they shew things lawfull but not things necessary Solomon indeede sayes walke in the way of good men and keepe the waies of the righteous But good men and righteous men are so with respect to Gods law after which they walke otherwise they are not so though bâ—ng so good they may give a patterne of that which is lawfull but not necessary My conclusion is this that the Churâ—h hath power to governe it seâ— by particular lawes in matters of substance and by gâ—neral in the outward carriage of order comlinesse and edification And when a king as head of governement under Christ puts in â—his authority and power for seeing things carried within the churches of his kingdome according to these rules hee is a prime officer under Christ by Christs owne promise and appointment whatsoever Brownists can say against it If they wil stil stand against it for few of them are found so humble as to search and yeeld they cannot but know this that in breaking the lawes of men that are not against Christ they sinne against conscience And as magistrates are incouraged to bee great helps to religion by obedience so by the contrary they are provoked to trouble This therefore is a sure rule that a Christian that will not study to be quiet in respect of the laws of men what possible he can is a singular burthen to the Church in which he lives SECT 11. Brownists fourth exception against us about the members of our Church WEe are now come from the Brownists meaning by a true Church and their entrance into and head of a true church to the members of a true church Heere they take on amaine that the true members of a true Church ought to be saints by calling whereas ours are a mixture of good and bad penitent and impenitent to the pollution of the whole body and that therefore we are not a true church But this still discovers strange weaknesse For put case a man had never a good finger nor hand never a good toe nor foote never a haire on head or beard or if he have all his members yet he hath the palsie in one the goute in another blindenesse in another deafenesse in another botches in another numnesse and deadnesse in another is hee therefore no true man Surely hee is a true man still though a miserable one So is it in a visible church many members may bee weake and many wicked as well as some truely gracious and yet in the whole body a true church still Peter and Iohn met with a beggar at the gate of the temple called Beautifull who was faine to be carried because he was lame from his mothers wombe and yet the holy Ghost calls him a certaine man and Paul met with an Apostolicall Church in Corinth which was worse in many members then that poore cripple was and yet hee called it a true church of God for the God of truth
sinne and to hold our peace ill doth leave a man in sinne By example when we live wickedly in the sight of others For though haply the sinnes that wee practise bee not imitated of all yet because wee have done what in us lies to set others a copy which some will too greedily follow therfore are we guilty we may be guilty againe of the sins of others in and after the sin is committed when men doe excuse or defend the sinnes or flatter men in them Woe to them that speake good of evil and evil of good He that saith to the wicked thou art righteous him shall the people curse as him that is guilty Lastly wee may bee said to consent to sinne in things lawfull by scandall when men use their liberty which God hath given them in things indifferent left in their owne power to doe or not to doe to the wilfull offence and snare of others that are weake Of this Paul speakes doctrinally it is good neither to eate flesh nor drink-wine nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth and in his owne example if meate offend my brother I will eate no flesh while the world lasteth so carefull was hee not to have communion in the sinnes of others Now let us see whether we are polluted by the sinnes of the wicked by consent Because they consent with us in doing of our good doe wee therefore consent with them in doing their evill Their courses are daily reproved both publickely and privately they are judged as such whose examples wee would not follow for a world They are neither commanded to doe as they doe nor winked at when lawfully tried wee doe not provoke counsel or approve their cursed hypocrisies They have no such examples from us and have beene so long instructed both by publicke instruments and preachings and private conferences that their scandals are taken and not given in those things free in themselves but not to us by the command of lawfull authority whereat they will still take offence How are we yet guilty of the sinnes of others to our pollution O say they every congregation hath power in its owne hand to redresse things amisse to repell wicked livers from our communions whereas wee wait upon our king when wee should doe it without him and so are guilty of al the wickednesse of our assemblies The vanity of this I have shewed in part before and shall doe it more in the next section yet in the meane time first wee confesse that wee have power to redresse disorders not in every particular church for then no man under the Gospel could perish in the gainesaying of Corah as Saint Iude saith they may Superiority was the cause of his mutiny because he might not be equal to Aaron but in every diocesse where wee are governed not by the lawes of one man but of Synods of Bishops and Presbyters and if persons that should be as the house of Cloe to informe and that upon oath of things amisse were not more to be blamed then offices we might be as happy as any church under heaven The impetuous carriage of some who despise dominions and speake evill of dignities and that without feare and thinke it as easie to governe multitudes as an handfull makes them think otherwise but if things bee weighed by the rule of the word wisedome and charity it will bee found I am sure that wee have power indeed But secondly whereas they make us guilty of the wickednesse of our assemblies by waiting upon the pleasure of our king and not reforming without him herein wee joy yea and will rejoyce againe wee waite not upon kings and princes to bee Christians and to serve God faithfully by the acts of true Faith Hope and Charity If all the kings and Emperors in the world say against it wee must and by grace will doe it Yea if all the stormes in the world bee raised we must strive unto bloud but with teares prayers patience in suffering not with armes and violence This we doe by private profession but when it comes to a publicke reformation of Christian Churches already planted it is our glory to waite upon Christian kings whose subjects we are that wee will not governe but under him nor build walls for the citizens of the saints but under the defence of their swords especially considering that wee know wee cannot without them mend our hands When wee looke to the daies of Asa Iehoshaphat Hezekiah and Iosiah wee finde that no Israelite ever took upon him to reforme either without before or against them When the Temple of Ierusalem lay waste Zorababel and Ioshuah did nothing without Cyrus nor did Nehemiah any thing without Artashashte Indeed in their times God knowing the time was come when according to prophecie he was to looke upon the desolations of Ierusalem and restore it prepared and whetted the hearts of the people of the Iewes by Haggai and Zechariah but they built nothing but by the leave of their Kings and when countermands came they laid downe their tooles and the worke of the house of God ceased so good subjects they would bee notwithstanding the height of their Religion But say they they should have done otherwise For Haggai reproves them for letting the house of God lye waste and God sends a famine upon them This is true they were too blame when they minded their owne houses more and took not their seasons allowed them for this great worke But that either the Prophet threatned or God punished them for not building when they were under the Interdict that let them prove and they shall have more said How unhappy are they we now see while they make our assemblies polluted for not doing that if we wanted it as we doe not which is unlawfull for us to doe without lawfull authority The Apostles indeed planted Churches without waiting upon Heathen Kings but they had Apostolicall authoritie were to do according to Christs commission to them which was out of date in their death but we cannot reforme without or against Christian Kings if we could yet make a better reformation except they can shew a new Commission under Christs owne hand If therefor wee have faults we cannot help and provided we consent not we are not polluted The second conclusion is this That God declares it to be a sinne for the godly to leave the worship of God for the wickednesse of those that come unto it We know that the sinne of the sonnes of Ely was so great that men abhorred the offerings of the Lord but in so doing it is said that the Lords people did transgresse even unto a cry Surely this truth will not easily bee outfaced yet some of them to avoid it say that no marvell if morall wickednesse did not pollute the Iewish worship because God required onely ceremoniall cleannesse then But how false this
reconciled from the heart God will not be reconciled unto him hee shall into the prison till he hath paid the utmost farthing But it may be said how shall I be assured that upon my brothers submission and mine and my witnesses acceptance that his bond of guilt shall be loosed by God From Christs promise that if two shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall aske it shall bâ— done for them to their brethren of my Father which is in Heaven Thus Saint Basil of old If two shall aske by consent it shall be done what this meaneth the processe of the place shewes saith he for immediately before Christ speaketh of him that reproveth his brother and him that is reproved and If he that be reproved be grieved for his fault and be joyned with the reprover in the same minde the pardon which is asked shall be granted from our most gracious God This I alledge as I could in this cause many other not because they like it but because they may know that this sense is not a new one of my owne I know that they runne a new and uncharitable way for when they reade that Christ promiseth not doing for them that aske except they agree on earth they peremptorily conclude that they ought not to pray with them that doe not consent with them in their opinions Therefore would they neither pray with me nor suffer me to pray with them to our good God to lead us us into the way of truth nor will they pray with their owne wives and children though never so pious if they doe not meet in the same center of conceits Yea but say they all the Text before must be understood of publike Church scandals because of Christs promise Where two or three be gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them which is ever applyed to publike meetings It is true it is so applyed and so may and must For it holds strongly that iâ— Christ be present with private persons who agree in building up one another in charity much more is he present in publike conventions where faith climbes hope rootes charity flames and zeale burnes up corruption when they are well used But yet this proves not but that here Christ may treate of private scandals as the whole context shewes and may incourage brotherly prayers one for another in peace because Christ is present with them But all this is but a flash to them yet for this text must needes bee a rule of their perfect discipline in the body of their members because the Apostle blames the whole church of Corinth for not casting out of the incestuous person That this is no perfect rule of discipline may appeare to any man that will consider that heere is no direction to proceed against sins against God or others but onely against thee thee Heere is no excommunication ordained for it is not said put him out from among you but let him bee to thee for seeking further remedy Lastly heere is no determining power given to the church for the party offended is principall to admonish tell fine The church is not to excommunicate but to turne the offender over to the offended party let him be to thee not to us yea the church is not to call him by summons but to expect the plaintiffes comming and moreover if heere were a perfect rule it might fall out that two or three men yea women pretending to bee gathered in Christs name might cast out whole congregations for not consenting unto them And for that place to the Corinths where Saint Paul is charged to countenance this their new parish discipline because hee blamed the Corinthians that the incestuous person was not cast out I answer hee might have had just cause to blame them if hee had committed any such thing to their trust by devolving his authority to them but that hee did not yet put over his authority to them in body appeares divers waies First though the power of governement in respect of use belong to the whole church for benefit that where the fact is notorious the law might be notorious too so as the whole church may bee witnesse of the doome when they are gathered together yet in regard of the possession for managing of it it belongs onely to the Pastors and chiefe Bishops For when Christ made that promise of binding and loosing to his disciples hee did not make it to them as Apostles properly for it is no such personall priviledge as not to descend It is needefull for the church in all ages therefore not tyed to any Neither did he make it unto them as the body of christians for when hee made good his promise hee tells us that hee sent and inspired them and after both these gave this commission of binding and loosing but hee sent not all nor inspired all as he signified by breathing upon the Apostles But he did it to them as pastors and chiefe Bishops and so to men of office for the use and comfort of the church for ever And terrour of ungodly men Secondly the persons to whom this authority of perpetuall governement of the church in ecclesiasticall way was committed were the chief Pastours as Bishops were anciently called therefore if Paul had fixed the blame in that particular upon any it would have been upon the Angel and chiefe overseer of that church For Paul and Christ are not of a severall spirit and judgement in church-discipline Thirdly if therefore Paul blame any for this it is under the whole church those that by office were to redresse these outrages and to see to the holinesse charity and comelinesse of that church But lastly if wee looke into the words more narrowly wee shall finde the true fault that hee blamed the church of Corinth for They had a common fame of such a wickednesse committed amongst them that the Gentiles by the light of nature did abhorre Paul having as yet supreame power ecclesiasticall under Christ in his owne hand and for ought we know not having setled a Bishop in highest church governement as in Ephesus Creta Asia did expect from them woefull complaints of this disorder that hee might have directed theÌ„ accordingly for the taking of it away from among them with the author of it But they were so farre from this that they were puffed up with their owne gifts and lamented not that wickednesse that raigned among them that by dâ—e course it might bee removed This therefore is that which the Apostle blameth in the Corinthians Therefore that hee may shew them that they are not so much to admire themselves as to take off their eyes from the great faults committed against them and that they are to lament and doe their best that such wicked persons might be taken away from among them and not thrust out in a crowd the Apostle doth three things
by authority iâ— the face of the Church who of conscience ought to consent and beare witnesse to the doome First the act of an Apostle Deliver such an one unto Satan it may be that he might have power over his body to torment him as appeares in the Stories of Ananias Sapphira Elimas Alexander Secondly the act of a Bishop put away from amongst you that wicked person that being suspended from the preservatives of his soule in the visible communion of Saints he might have a way to bring him to godly sorrow And thirdly the act of every godly Pastour to mourne that if any be called a brother and bee a fornicator or covetous or an Idolater or a rayler or a drunkard or an extortioner with such an one eate not that is be so farre from countenancing of him in his sinne that yee take him not into unnecessary familiarity Now how from hence can be picked a popular government of the Church God knoweth I cannot yet reach But yet say the Brownists you may reach thus much to confound you that if Paul would not have you eate with such wicked brothers much lesse would he have you to receive the Sacrament with them for he hath more care of his owne supper than of ours This is certaine that God hath a greater care of his own Supper than of ours and therefore though he be willing that all should come both good and bad yet if they come and stay bad and hee come to try them they shall bee bound hand and foot and cast into hell It is certaine also that wee must have a great care of the Supper of the Lord as we can in our places private persons by private communion of Saints Presbyters by publike preaching by Word and Doctrine and by private exhortations as they can and Church-Officers by presentments and punishments fit But it doth not therefore follow because wee may not eate with them that is converse familiarly and unnecessarily with them that therefor we may not eate the Lords Supper with the Saints because wicked persons are there Their wickednesse we countenance when we keepe company with them our goodnes they countenance when they come into publike communion with us we have no need of their eating with us they shew their need of their eating with us in the Sacrament when we have no power to keepe them backe Yet say they still wee have power to keepe them backe for Paul speaking of the incestuous person saith sufficient to such a man is this punishment which was inflicted of many therefore the whole Church had power and used it against him It is true it was inflicted by many assessors and conseÌ„ters to his doom but not as prime executors of that doome The Apostle saith that the Saints shall judge the world by way of life witnesse consent and approbation yet is it not Christ that is the Judge of wicked and good So though this punishment was inflicted upon him by many by way of consent and approbation yet was it primely inflicted by Paul and his authority in those that declared it Thus have I satisfied my selfe if not others in this point concerning the power of governement which lies not in all the congregation for execution and prime officiating but in the chiefe governours who beare the place of Paul and the other Apostles SECT 13. Brownists exceptions against the persons governing in our Church and against the exercise of their governement PVt case that the power of governement were not in every particular congregation yet our governours are not to bee allowed yea to be banished the church say they They are farre from the sweete moderate spirit of Melancthon one of the blessed reformers who so the Pope of Rome himselfe would have admitted of the Gospel of Christ in truth would have permitted his superiority over Bishops by humane right for the peace and common tranquility of christians under him But nothing will serve these people but the damnation of the Pope and the shame and confusion of all Bishops one and the other And there are three things principally in them at which they except and against which they stumble 1 Their name 2 Their degree 3 Their jurisdiction Why say they should they appropriate to themselvs this name of Bishops which belongs to all other Pastours as well as to them There is good cause for there are two sorts of Bishops first ordinary Bishops such as were all the Elders of Ephesus These must not bee blinde watch-men for if they see not they cannot oversee They must not sleepe and bee secure they must have a great care to keepe safe those that are committed to them that the enemy come not and sowe tares Secondly there are extraordinary Bishops such as have precedence jurisdiction not onely over the flock but over the elders and presbyters which are called Angels such were Timothy and Titus the first ordained Bishops of the churches of Ephesus and Creta as appeares in the postscript of those epistles Which though haply they are no part of the canonicall scriptures yet are they authenticall records of matters of fact to help our understandings in the needfull stories of thâ—se times without which we may think amisse From these they justly assume those names which have beene given to men of their order ever since the Apostles dayes But put case they could not make such aclaime if there be the office shall we quarrell about the names The first man that ever found fault with the name would fame have been a Bishop himselfe but when he found himselfe crossed he comforted himself with this that yet as he was a Presbyter he was equall with them But let no good Christians be unquiet for names if there may bee an agreement in things named The Apostles were called Deacons in Gods language yea and Christ himselfe who came to that end Christ is called the Arch-bishop and the Apostle of our soules The Apostles are called Elders and Elders were called Apostles and Bishops are called Angels What matters it then for names if wee can agree in other things But say they wee doe not agree in other things for these Bishops are in a degree above Presbyters and so there is an unequall ministery in the Church of Christ which should not bee Now surely they have had this from the Apostles dayes yea the scripture mentioneth a superiority in the ministery of the Church first Apostles secondarily prophets thirdly teachers And this is a sure rule that such a ministery as is most like the ministerie ordained by Christ it not being denyed unto us expressely or by consequent and another commanded may be lawfully maintained by us as Christs ministery But such is an unequall ministery in degree as Prophets Apostles Evangelists Pastours and Doctours one above another in larger authority gifts for those that were called
there be a defect any where it is in Law not in Bishops Courts If there were any common Law for the poore Minister to recover his Offerings and other petty dues for the officers of courts to procure their fees whereof both must live or sterve would they ever run to the dreadfull sentence of excommunication It proceeds not from any order or sentence of our Bishops but from a meere want of other law for which I hope they will not separate from the common-wealth get some law to recover their rights other wayes and then excommunication shall shine in its glory Yet in the meane time thus much I am sure may be said to quiet a tender conscience A man askes his dues and it is denied so hee that denies it is an unrighteous person He askes it againe and it is denied in choller so he that denies is a contentious person hee askes it againe and hee is reviled so hee that doth so is a reviler Now the holy Ghost saith that contentious persons shall have indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish that unrighteous persons theeves and revilers shall not inherit the Kingdome of God Therefore they are bound in heaven while they are so Is not this reciprocall then those that are bound in heaven should upon due conviction bee bound on earth and those that are so bound on earth shall bee bound in heaven But these that will not pay just fees dues if they bee able upon conviction and contumacy are bound in heaven therefore upon their contumacy thâ—y may lawfully bee excommunicate Yea but say they the Bishops officers should have no fees at all in spirituall cases Should they not live so it may bee some would that would doe what they list But when they spend their time and strength in rectifying disorders as they can by law shall they have no reward Indeed it were a gracious thing if there were a common treasury to maintaine them that they might heare no more of they eate up the sinnes of the people yet because they must bee maintained one of these two wayes either out of the common purse of the innocent or out of the purses of the guilty Iudge whether it be more equal that one man should spend for another mans sinne or that a man that will sinne should be driven to spend for his owne that if he feare not sinne yet at the least he may feare the weakning of his purse And thus at the last by Gods blessing have I done with the first general plea of the Brownists against us that we are no true Church We have all their pleas about the nature of a true Church the enterance into a true Church the head of a true Church the members of a true Church and the government of a true Church In al which thorough Christs assistance I have so cleared our Church and shewed the vaine singularity of theirs that if they will not come to us yet wee shall keepe where we are and not forsake the fellowship in our assemblies SECT 14. The Brownists second opinion upon which they forsake our Church because we have not a true ministery WE are now by Gods favour come unto their second opinion upon which they ground their separation from us to be just and necessary that we have not a true ministery and therefore alasse they pitty me and others of my brethren They doe or should know that the best ministery now is the opening and applying the word by them that are sent that which Paul saith of prophecying that it is a speaking unto men for exhortation edification and comfort is this same with the best ministery And if they that doe it be sent then surely it is right as it should bee Now to the sending of this ministery there must bee three acts the act of Christ the act of the Church and the act of the parties sent To Christ all authority and power is given and he useth a double act an immediate act when he doth in calling extraordinarily fit men with knowledge and power to do his work so he fitted the Prophets Apostles and Evangelists A mediate act when he doth it the ordinary way by meanes and degrees Men by his grace take heede to doctrine and to themselves give attendance upon reading and attaine to these foure things integrity of life by which they get a good report even of those that are without Soundnesse in christian Doctrine by which they are able to teach exhort reprove correct and instruct those committed to them Dexterity in teaching by which they are apt to teach and communicate their knowledge to others And lastly willingnesse by which they feed the flocke of God willingly and of a ready minde out of love and zeale to Christ Of all these no ordinary man can judge but hee that findes them in himselfe may say I thank God I find this act of Christ in sending me which opens the doore The act of the Church is the Porter that doth let us in and stands in foure things presentation probation ordination and election Presentation is when those that are to be called are presented Thus the Disciples presented or set before the Apostles Ioseph Barsabas and Matthias as after they set before them the Deacons that were to be called Probation is a triall of their gifts and life as Paul saith Let them first bee proved and then let them minister if they be found worthy Ordination is when they are consecrated and set apart with imposition of hands and prayer Thus Paul and Barnabas ordained the Elders in every Church and Titus was left in Creta for this end Election and calling is when they are assigned for execution of their Office to their particular titles and allotments as Matthias to his Apostolicall jurisdiction and Timothy and Titus to Episcopall in Ephesus and Creta which Election though it may bee conceived to goe before Ordination in respect of the office to which they are elected yet not in respect of the execution of it in their particular places The Act of the party sent is a desire of the Office for the glory of God and a purpose to spend and to be spent upon that service They must have ordinarily a desire of their office and to addict themselves to the Ministery of the Saints as the house of Stephanas If it seeme to be unlawfull for a man to desire it because Moses and Ieremy were unwilling to undertake such high service and all the Apostles were called without their owne seeking and above their desires yea and some ancient worthies have been found to hang backe when such offices have beene tendred yet when wee consider the willingnesse of Esay here am I send me we must learn to judge aright If any desire it when they are not meet and qualified it is a wickednesse against justice and charity against justice in taking the hire when
the church of Corinth is called the body of Christ and members in particular This church as any other particular church may be considered two wayes In it selfe and so it was a body with reference to other churches and so it was a member of the catholick church But consider it both or either of these wayes if it bee the body of Christ if a member of his body or if both Christ is the head of it hee is in the midst of the seven golden candlestickes Therefore also the church of Ephesus is called the house of God and as in an house there is an head the husband is the wifes head so but more transcendently is Christ the head of every particular house or church For God hath set his sonne over his own house and our high-priest is over the house of God This is tâ—ue But thirdly say the Brownists what is that to us Christ is not our head Yes Christ is the head of our church of England For doe but consider 1 Wherein Christs headship stands 2 How hee useth and exerciseth it Christs headship doth stand in providing fit meanes for the gathering and enlarging of his visible church or churches and making them effectuall There is a foundation to bee layd which properly is Christ and for and from him the Prophets and Apostles There are builders yea master builders as well as others to bee provided There are materials to be at hand saints by calling some of which grow up to be lively stones a spirituall house that they may be Gods building These faithfull ones must be laied and coupled together as by joints till they grow into an holy temple for the habitation of the Lord by the spirit Now that this may be done Christ is the principal agent he adds unto his church that they may come to the father by him And withall hee provides his word that they might believe and ministers by whom they may doe it and the sacraments that they may bee baptized into his death and have the communion of the bloud of Christ Hee rests not heere but to make them effectual in the use of these means hee comes amongst these citizens with the saints and grants to those that by grace receive the spirit which is of God repentance unto life and faith to purifie their hearts and so hee addeth to the church from day to day a great number that believe and turne unto the Lord. But for those that come in to the voyce of the word and supper of the gospel in word and sacraments and have Simon Magus Iudas Hymeneus Alexander and Demas his heart if the conviction of themselves and the conversion of others and their perseverance doe them no good he shewes sometimes what they deserve by fearefull judgements and the censures of the church but hee will shew it in full power when the great day of separation comes Now looke in the feare of God whether our ever blessed Iesus Christ bee not thus our head Have wee not thorough grace the word of God gifts ministery and sacraments from Christs rule Say the Brownists ye have not all Christs ordinances yee want his discipline To that I shall speake in due place in the meane time put case it were true yet were it a true visible church though not a perfect one That is an ordinance for the comely and well being not for the being of the church But it lies upon them to prove that what they say we want are Christs ordinances and branches or his kingdome This they never can doe by the undoubted word of Christ Besides hath not Christ our head in the use and exercise of these blessings manifested his effectuall power How many iniquities are subdued and sinnes cast into the depthes of the sea what place is there where we shall not find the serpents head broken Some have beene in their ordinary businesses as the woman of Samaria and have come off with the bells of the horses pots in Ierusalem and Iudah as well as pots in the Lords house engraved with holinesse unto the Lord. Some have been disciplined with the misery of the hâ—sks of swine and have beene translated out of the kingdome of darkenesse into the kingdome of Gods deare sonne Some have heard and read good things to scoffe and cavill at them but have been suddenly changed from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord. Some have breathed out the stinking breath of sinne as Saul and others have seene the heates of persecutions and they have returned home to call upon the name of the Lord Iesus both theirs and ours Yea and some have seene others fall away from the faith of Christ and by the preaching of Christ have met with graffing in the riches of the Gentiles reconciling and salvation And though with Christ they have had a sword sent yet bonds in Christ have beene famous and the brethren in the Lord have waxed confident and bold to speake the word without feare Thus hath it beene with our blessed church the kingdome of heaven hath suffered violence and the violent have taken it by force But the ministery of the Brownists hath had no such communion and influence with and from Christ our head one of a city two of a tribe heere a little and there a little doth not answer in a continuall course from Christ hither the power of Christs intercession for the heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost part of the earth for his possession But say the Brownists wee have other heads besides Christ I say we have no other mysticall head beside Christ but onely politicall heads to keepe peace and to see that every person within their compasse doe his duty religiously Thus the husband is the wives head the honorable man the head Saul the head of the Tribes and Moses chose men of courage and made them heads over the people But say they our King is our head so as to rule in matters of religion This is true yet fourthly coâ—sider that this headship of the King doth not hinder â—ut helpe the advancement of Christs headship and that according to the word of Christ To cleare this follow mee in two particulars 1 That God hath given a power of governement to the Church for the well ordering of it selfe 2 That Christ hath made Kings prime officers to advance it in their places As a man cannot well be without cloathes good nourture so neither can the Church well be without the walles of government She must also bee able to hold up her head against her enemies that shall say by what authority dost thou these things and who made thee a man of authority Therefore hath Christ given the particular or generall rules of the word to give a commission to the Church to governe it selfe both in matters