ministeriall power from the Cardinals cannot give it to them and so to the rest of the Clergy in Rome and England neyther can it descend from Christ through the Apostles and so through him to the other inferiour ministers but as in a chayn if the highest link be broken the rest which hang vpon it must needs fall So if there be a breach of this chayn of succession from the Apostles to the ministery of Rome and of England which descends of it lineally in the higest link the Pope all the rest of the chayn that hangs vpon it except it be otherwise vpheld must needs fall flat vpon the ground It is true which Mr Ber answers that election and succession by ordination may stand together in the ministery but in this case it cannot except the Pope should by the election of the Cardinalls or others ordeyn his succession whilest himselfe survived Now in this last answer Mr B challengeth his adversary to be wilde in wandering and to have lost his quaestion in concluding that the doctrine of succession is a false doctrine where he should prove that Christs power is not given to the principall members But this challenge is both vnjust vnadvised Vnjust bycause succession from the popish Church and Clergy is made by M Ber in his former book the foundation of the ministery of England and so of the Church the Church by his affirmation being made by the ministers and the Ministers by such Bishops as were ordeyned in the popish Church Vnadvised bycause these two poynts do depend ech vpon other necessarily For if Christs power be tyed to the officers whether principall or inferiour then must it come to the ministery and Church of England by succession if it come not by succession from or by the Pope and his Clergy then must it come by the same successioÌ„ of fayth doctrine vnto the children of Abraham two or three or more faithfull persons joyned together in the covenant and fellowship of the gospel And for the quaestion in Mr Bernards own words remitting the Reader to such places as prove that a company of faythfull people in the covenant of the gospell though without officers are a visible Church that they haue immediate right to the holy things of God and that the keyes for bynding and loosing were given to Peters confession I will adde onely one Argument and so proceed It hath been sundry tymes observed and proved by the scriptures that the officers of the Church are the servants of the Ch and their office a service of the Lord and of his Church Wherevpon it followeth necessarily that what power the officers have the body of the Church hath first and before them the very light of nature coÌ„mon sense teaching it that what power or authority soever the the servants of any body or persons have the body or persons whose servants they are must have it first and they by theÌ„ And for this purpose let it be further observed that no power at all came vnto the Church of the Iewes by the Levites not the vse of the sacrament of circumcision no nor of the very sacrifices which were offered by the first born in the family and that even after the peoples comming out of Egypt vnder the hand of Moses till Levi was called to the Preisthood Ex. 13. 2. 24. â— I proceed If the Ministery of the reformed Churches must be by succession or ordination by Popish Bishops then must the same office of Ministery be continued from the one Church to the other as indeed it was withall the Ministers of the Church of England at the first who without any new eyther calling or ordination which depends vpon it continued their office and place formerly received there being onely a reformation of some of the grossest evills like the healing of Iobs soars as Mr B. speaketh as the office of Iustice-ship or the like in the common wealth may be continued the same in the same persons individually though by edict of Parliament or other superiour power there be a surceasing of some mayn act of it Further to ty the Ministery thus to succession is to ty the Lords sheep to submit to no other sheepheards but such as the wolves haue appointed And if a company of Gods people in Rome or Spayn should come out of Babylon and no consecrated Preist amongst them they must by this doctrine enjoy no Ministers but such as the Romish wolves will ordeyn do according to their Popish prophane order To these things I might also adde that look what power any of the Popes Clergy receive from him the same he takes from them deprives them of where they withdrew their obedience or separate from that Church as also that the ordinations in Rome by their own Canons are very nulliâ—yes and many the the like exceptions pleaded by learned protestants against the Romish preisthood and this Romish doctrine of succession but that which hath been spoken is sufficient in the generall and I hasten to the third and last meanes of the three by which Gods people after Antichrists defection are to injoy the ministery and other of Christs ordinances And for our better proceeding herein I will first consider what ordination is and 2. how far the brethren may goe by the scriptures and the necessary consequences drawn from them in this and the like cases in the first planting of Churches or in the reducing of them into order in or after some generall confusion The Prelates and those which levell by their lyne do highly advance ordination and far above the administration of the word sacraments and prayer making it and the power of excommunication the two incoÌ„municable prerogatives of a Bishop in their vnderstanding above an ordinary minister But surely herein these cheif ministers do not succeed the cheif ministers the Apostles except as darknes succeeds light and Antichrists confusion Christs order Where the Apostles were sent out by Christ there was no mention of ordination their charge was to go teach all nations and baptize them and that the Apostles accounted preaching their principall work and after it baptism prayer the scriptures manifest And if ordination had been in those dayes so pryme a work surely Paul would rather haue tarryed in Crete himself to have ordeyned Elders there and haue sent Titus an inferiour officer about that inferiour work of preaching then haue gone himself about that leaving Titus for the other But bycause Mr Bernard with whom I deal when he writes most advisedly preferrs preaching to the first place and the administration of the sacraments and prayer to the next passing by ordination as not worthy the naming amongst these principall works I wil therefore leave it to be honoured by them whom it most honoureth and for whose ease and profit it best serveth and will consider in what place he setteth it He then pleading that as well the ordination as the
over Gods heritage as you would make them controuling all but to be controuled by none much lesse essentiall vnto the Church as though it could not be without them least of all the Church it self as you and others expound Math. 18 But we hold the Eldership as other ordinances given vnto the Church for her service and so the Elders or officers the servants and ministers of the Church the wife vnder Christ her husband aâ— the scriptures expresly affirm Of which more hereafter And where further you advise the reader to take from the Iay other birds feathers that is as you expound your self to set vs before him as we differ from all other Churches Therein you make a most inconsiderate and vnreasonable motion If a man should set the Church of England before his eyes as it differeth but from the reformed Churches it would be no very beautiful bird Yea what could it in that colour afforde but Egyptian bondage Babylonish confusion carnal pomp and a company of Iewish Heathenish and Popish ceremonies Whatsoever truth is in the world it is from God and from him we have it by what hand soever it be reached vnto vs Came the word of God unto you onely vnto it we have good right as the Israel of God unto whom he hath committed his oracles Rom. 3. 2. Towards the end of the Preface you do render two reasons vpon which you do adventure to deal against vs as you do the one coÌ„fidence in your cause the other the spirituall injury which some of late have done you in taking away part of the seale of the Ministery Touching the first as it is to vs that know you wel no new thing to see you confident in all enterprises so doth it much behoove you to consider how long and by what meanes you have been possessed of this your confident perswasion I could name the person of good credite and note to whom vpon occasion you confessed and that since you spake the same things which here you write as confidently as now you write them that you had much a doe to keep a good conscience in dealing against this cause as you did But a speach of your own vttered to my self ever to be remeÌ„bred with fear and trembling can not I forget when after the conference passing betwixt Mr H. and me you vttered these wordes Wel I wil returne home preach as I have done and I must say as Naaman did the Lord be merciful unto me in this thing and therevpon you further promised with out any provocation by me or any other that you would never deale against this cause nor with-hold any froÌ„it though the very next Lords day or next but one you taught publikliâ— against it and so broke your vâ—w the Lord graunt not you conscience And for the seale of your Ministerie deceive not yourself and others if you had not a more authentick seal in your black box to shew for your Ministery at your Bishops visitation then the converting of men to God which is the seal you meane this seale would stand you in as little stead as it doth many others which can shew as â—â—â—re this way as you and yet are put from their Ministerie notwithstanding And wil you charge your Bishops Church representative to deale so trecherously with the Lord as to put downe his Ministers and Officers which have his broad seal to shew for their Office and Ministerie What greater contumely do these vipers these schismaticall Brownists lay vpon your Church then you doe herein The Church of England acknowledgeth no such seale as this is The Bishops ordination and license conformitie vnto their ceremonies subscription to their articles devout singing and saying their service-book is that which will beare a man out though he be far enough eyther from converting or from preaching conversion vnto any And here I desire the reader to observe this one thing with me When the ministers are called in quaestion by the Bishops they alledge vnto them their former subscription conformity in some measure at least their peaceable cariage in their places but when they would iustify their ministerie against vs then their vsuall plea is they haue converted men to God herein acknowledging to let passe their vnsound dealing that we respect the work of Gods grace in any at which they know the Bishops and their substitutes if they should plead the same with them would make a mock for the most part I do most freely acknowledge the singular blessing of God vpon many truthes taught by many in the Land and do and alwayes shal so far honour those persons as the Lord hath honoured them herein But that the simple conversion of sinners yea though the most perfect that ever was wrought should argue a true office of Ministerie the scriptures no where teach neyther shall I ever beleeve without them This scripture 1 Cor. 9. 1. 2. is most frequently alledged for this purpose But as vnsoundly as commonly For if simple conversion should argue an Apostleship then should a common effect argue a proper cause an ordinarie work an extraordinarie office for the conversion of men is a work common to extraordinarie and to ordinarie officers yea to true and false officers yea to such as are in no office at all as hereafter shall appeare And what could be more weakly alledged by Paul to prove himself no ordinarie but an extraordinary officer an Apostle which was the thing he intended then that which is common to ordinary officers with him Might not the Corinthians easily have replyed Nay Paul it followes not that you are an Apostle immediately called and sent by Christ because you haue begotten vs to the Lord have been the instrument of our coÌ„versioÌ„ for ordinary Ministers Pastors Teachers called by men do beget to the Lord as wel as you The bare conversion of the Corinthians then is not the seal Paul speakes of but together with it their establishment into a true visible Church and that with such power and authority Apostolicall as wherewith Paul was furnished by the Lord. Of which more hereafter But the father of these childreÌ„ you say you are which thus vnnaturally fly from you and whereof we so injuriously have deprived you in which respect also you make this your hue cry after vs and them for through the gospel you have begotten them And have you begotten them vnto the faith as Paul did the Corinthians and are you their father as Paul was the father of the Corinthians then it must needs follow that before you preached the gospel vnto them and thereby begot them to the Lord they were in the same estate wherein the Corinthians were before Paul preached vnto them that is unbeleevers and without faith and so were to be reputed And how then true matter of the Church for which you so much contend Besides these your begotten children were baptised long before you saw their faces some twenty
is first to be noted how Mr B. affirmeth that none with them eyther truely fearing God oâ— making an apparent shew thereof falls into such notable crimes c. wherein he acknowledgeth that a great part of the Church of Engl neyther truly feares God not makes apparent shew of it How then are all of them saynts by calling and where is that profession of faith for which they are to be held true members of the Church And what detestable crimes the members of the Church of England fall into if there were none other testimony the very gallowes gibbets in every country declare sufficiently vpon which for treason witchcraft incest buggery rape murders and the like the members of that Church so living and dying do receive condigne punishmeÌ„t Where with vs if any such enormities arise as what temptations have befallen any we are subiect unto the same those monsters without their answerable repentance are by the power of Christ cut of from the body do for the most part returne to their proper element the English synagogue But what if all were true which Mr B. avoucheth what advantage hath he more against vs then the heathen Corinthians had against the Church there where such fornication was found as was not once named among the Gentiles Mr B. having thus handled as you see some particular and principall persons proceeds to set vpon the whole body in general as if with the accuser of the brethren he had obteyned liberty to strike the same from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot with the boyles and borches of reproch therefore writeth that If men be but inclinable to this way they iudge the Minister to have lost the power of his Ministery wherein the fault is in the alteration of their owne affections and if they be once entered into it they are then so bewitched as that where before they were humble and tractable they then become proud and wilfull where before they could with vnderstanding discern betwixt cause and cause they then lick vp all that comes from themselves as Oracles though never so absurd where before they could feel in themselves lively markes of the children of God so iudge of others they then are perswaded against former fayth to think that neyther themselves had nor others have any outward markes of the children of God Let the reader here observe in the first place that Mr B. accounts all them inclinable to this way which dislike comformity subscription in the Ministers for them onely D. Downame whose Epistle before his second sermon he quotes in the margent entendeth they only are the men which iudge the coÌ„firming Ministers to have lost the power of their Ministery And that their iudgmeÌ„t is most sound generally of such Ministers as having formerly refused ceremonyes subscription do afterward bow vnto the same all men of vnderstanding do discern To the chalenge of pryde and wilfulnes vpon them in this way though before they were humble and tractable I do answer that as true humility is ever commendable so is there also a sinful subiection and submission of mynd by which spirituall tyrants according to theyr fleshly wisdom in voluÌ„tary religion would rule over the coÌ„sciences of the simple of which the Apostle warneth vs Col. 2. 18. which superstitious humility or humble superstition if the servants of God begin to shake of to stand for that liberty so dearly bought by Christ and so highly commended by the Apostles of Christ then begin these imperious Maysters to rage thinking by reproches to compell them againe under that subiection in which by former delusions they could not conteyn them Thus dealt the bloody Bishops with the servants of God in Queen Maries dayes calling them proud wilfull conceyted what evill not and very well do the like accusations become Mr B. mouth in the like case Whether our opinions which we are charged by Mr B. to lick vp as Oracles be absurd or no will appeare in the discussing of them in the sequell of the book in the mean whyle this is most true and vndeniable that a great part of the splene vttered against vs in this invective grew from this very cause that sundry of his heaâ—ers would not lick vp whatsoever he powred out vnto them though bitter as gall as that Ministers were not brethren properly that the Church had some power to excommunicate because the Minister as the officials exequutioner might read the sentence that the Churchwardens were Elders the midwyves widdowes and many the like which to reckon vp is to confute sufficiently Lastly it is a great wrong which Mr B. offereth vs in affirming that if we be once in this fraternity as he scoffeth at our holy covenaÌ„t we then dislike our former graces and ar content to be perswaded against our former fayth and feeling in our selves of the lively markes of the children of God all because we were as a dear without the compasse of our Park as he speaketh We do with all thankfulnes to our God acknowledg and with much coÌ„fort remember those lively feelings of Gods love former graces wrought in vs that one special grace amoÌ„gst the rest by which we have been enabled to drawe ourselves into visible Covenant and holy communion Yea with such comfort and assurance do we call to mynde the Lords work of old this way in vs as we doubt not but our salvation was sealed vp vnto our consciences by most infallible marks and testimonyes which could not deceave before we conceaved the least thought of separation and so we hope it is with many others in the Church of Engl. yea and of Rome too And the more ample measure of grace and fullnes of assurance that any man hath receaved of the Lord the more carefully is he to endeavor in all good conscience the knowledge obedience of all and every one of the holy commaundements of God and not to satisfy himselfe in his present feelings thinking his salvation sure enough and so his obedience full enough for this were to serve God for wages as hypocrytes do but rather with the Apostle forgetting those things which are behynd and forcing to those things which are before let him follow hard to the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus And whatsoever Mr B. iudgeth of a deer without the Parke pale wherein he should be sure it is that he is none of Christs sheep visibly or in respect of men which is without Christs sheepfold For there is one sheepsould and one sheepheard The last coniecture gathered agaynst our cause is The ill successe it hath had these very many yeares being no more increased where the encreasings of God are great c. As it is alwayes safer to proceed by the causes reasons of things then by theyr events and successe so especially is this rule of vse in
places And if the order which Christ hath left in his Church be so vyle in Mr B. eyes in comparison of his vnorderly preaching what can he say for his Lords the Bishops which for the orders devised by themselves by their forefathers of Rome thrust out of so many Churches the ordinance of preaching A man would think Mr B. zeal should find room enough at home and in his owne Church and not thus pursue beyond the â—â—as a poore company of despised and dispersed people But to the very poynt which Mr B. drives at There is not one scripture alledged by him which iustifyes the preaching of the gospell out of a true much lesse in a false constitution They do all and every one of them necessarily presuppose the same howsoever he would separate the things which God hath ioyned together Take one for example and that such a one as he makes a pillar in his building It is written and so by him alledged Psa. 147. 19. 20. He shewed his word vnto Iacob his statutes and his iudgments vnto Israell He hath not so dealt with every nation c. Here sayth Mr B. the Lord preferrs his word before a constitution as a testimony of his speciall love But vntruly For in this very place the Lord prefers a constitution before his word statutes and iudgments as the cause why he gave them For wherefore did the Lord shew his word vnto Iaakob his statutes iudgments vnto Israel but because of their constitution that is because Israel was the Lords peculiar people separated from all other nations and received by the Lord into covenant as no other nation was Lev. 26. â—4 14. Exod. 19. 5. 6. Deut. 19. 10. 11. 12. c. with RoÌ„ 3. 2. 9. 4. Act. 2. 39. 3. 23. how profanely soever this man doth debase and vilify the true constitution of the Church which he is like never to enioy as Esau did the byâ—thright wherewith the Lord never meant to honour him Gen. 2â— 32. 33. And amongst other debasements of the constitution of the Church he affirmeth pag 55. that though an orderly proceeding ought to be had yet that at no hand for want therof preaching ought to be left of to this end pag. 53. and 54. he violently haleth into the same guilt with himselfe the brethren of the dispersion Act. 8. 1. 4. 12. whom he chargeth in preaching the word not to have stood vpâ—n every speciall poynt in entering so orderly vnto the work But as theyr enterance was most orderly for that being of a true constituted Church at Ierusalem dispersed by persequution they published the gospel in every place where they came as any member of the Church may do as grace is ministred and occasion offered so is it on the otherside a Babylonish presumption for any man vnder any praetence whatsoever to enterprise the preaching of the gospell or any other work disorderly The Apostle speaking especially of prophecying expresly commaunds that all things be done according to order how then dare any petty Pope or proctor of Babylon dispence with or plead for disorder in this or any other ministration in the Church The last and highest degree of our vncharitablenes he reckons this that we are sorry and envious that the good things of God do prosper with them that the more religious men be in their way the more are we greived and to this end he pretends Mr Barrowes abusing and scoffing at the graces of God and holy exercises in such persons As we hold our selves bound to acknowledge all good things in all men and to honour them accordingly 1 Pet. 2. 17. So must I here demaund of Mr B. as another hath done before me what those good things are which so prosper Onely the Prelates prosper in the kingdome who with theyr ceremonious hornes canons beat batter down all that stands in their way Of their prosperity against the truth we are sory but not envious being taught not to envy the works of iniquity considering what suddayn and certayne desolation shall fall vpon them Psal. 37. 9. 10. And by the way where Mr B. takes it for graunted that the reformists are the most religious in the way of the Church of England it is cleane otherwise The most absolute Formalists most strict vrgers of conformity are the most religious in the way of the Church of England And as for the reformists theyr zeale to speak as the truth is and as shall hereafter more fully be manifested is not in nor for the way of the Church of England but a by path from it which the Church of England considered in the formall constitution of it accounteth schism and rebellion but rather the same way in effect which we walk if they were true to theyr own grounds and durst practise what they have professed in theyr supplications and admonitions to the Prince and Parliament other their vnder hand passages wherein they do playnly condemn the Prelacy for Antichristian the service book as superstitious the mixture of all sortes of people as confused and so of the rest And this Mr B. iustifyeth the obiections which you would so gladly prevent pag. 57. made by your brethreÌ„ in the faith for so are the worst of them the prophane and secure worldlings and Athiests that men paynfull and conscionable in their Ministery and lives do breed and further as you speak Brownistes and Brownisme For proof hereof I will here insert a few things written published both in former and latter tymes by such men as I dare say Mr B. reckens amongst the painefull conscionable Ministers Their words are these We have an Antichristian Popish ordering of Ministers strange froÌ„ the word of God never heard of in the primitive Church but taken out of the Popes shop to the destruction of Gods kingdome 2. Adm. to the Parl. The names and offices of Archbishops Archdeacons Lordbishops c. are together with their goverment drawen out of the Popes shop Antichristian divelish and contrary to the scriptures Parsons Uicars Parish Preists Stipendaryes c. be byrds of the same fether 2. Admo to the Parliament The callings of Archbishops Bishops with all such be raâ—â—er members and parts of the whore and strumpet of Rome then of the pure Uirgin and spouse of the immaculate Lamb. Mr Ch. Serm. vpon Rom. 12. The calling of Bishops and Archbishops do onely belong vnto the Kingdome of Antichrist Discovery of D. Ban. slaunders pag. â—0 Our Diocesan and Provinciall Churches vsing Diocesan and Provinciall goverment and officers are contrary to Gods word and simply vnlawfull Mr Iakob for reformation Ass 1. There is no true visible Church of Christ but a particular congregation onely Christian Offer Prop. 4. Every true visible Church of Christ or ordinary assembly of the faithfull hath by Christs ordinance power in it selfe imediately vnder Christ to elect to ordayne deprive and depose theyr Ministers and to
at large by others I do answer that as it was vnlawfull to communicate with Corah or with Vzziah though they burnt true incense or with Ieroboams Preists though they offered true sacrifices so is it vnlawfull to communicate with a devised ministery what truth soever is taught in it Secondly the Lord hath promised no blessing to his word but in his own ordinance though by his superaboundant mercy he oft tymes vouchsafe that which no man can chalendg by any ordinary promise Thirdly no man may partake in other mens sinns but every Ministery eyther devised or vsurped is the sinn of him which exerciseth it And as no good subiect would assist or coÌ„municate with any person in the administration of civil iustice to the Kings subiects no not though hâ— administred the same never so equally and indifferrently except the same person had commission from the King so to do so neyther ought the subiects of the kingdome of Christ to partake with any person whomsoever in the dispensation of any spirituall thing though in it self never so holy without sufficient warrant and commission from the most absolute and sovereigne King of his Church Christ Iesus And where Mr B. speaks of hearing the true word of God onely preached he intimates therin that if we would heare him preach it would satisfy him wel and so teacheth vs with himselfe and others to make a schisme in the Church in vsing one ordinance and not another It is all one whether a man communicate with the Minister in his pulpit or with the Chauncelor in his consistory both of them minister by the same power of the Bishop The Chauncelor may iudge iustly who knowes whither or no the Minister will teach truely And if he do not but speak the vision of his owne heart what remedy hath the Church or what can they that hear him do May they rebuke him openly according to his sin and so bring him to repentance or must they not beare his errors yea his heresyes also during the pleasure of the Bishops even their Lord his And would you Mr B. be content your people should heare a masse Preist or Iesuite though he professed as loud as you do that he would teach the true word of God And think not scorne of the match for you have the selfe same office with a masse Preist though refyned If he be ordayned by a Bishop though it be the Bishop of Rome he may minister in any Church of England by vertue of that ordination And besides masse Preists preach some and those the mayne truthes and the Ministers in England neither do nor daâ—e preach all no nor some which it may be the others do Is it not better then for the servaÌ„ts of the L. Iesus to exercise aedify themselves according to the model of grace receaved though in weaker measure then to be so simple as to come to your feasts though you cry never so loud vnto them thinking that because your stoln waters are sweet and your hidden bread pleasant that they have no power to passe by but must needs become your guests Lastly Mr B. even to make vp the measure of his mallice as he formerly reproached vs by the oppositioÌ„s dissentioÌ„s which he hath heard of amongst vs so doth he here by the vnity and love which himselfe hath seen in vs comparing it page 64. to the love of Familists and Papists and other wretched and graceles companions So that belike whither we love or hate whither we agree or disagree this man wil be sure to fynd matter of reproch vnto vs and of stumbling to himselfe as the Iewes did both from Iohns austerity and from Christs more sociable course of life Math. 11. 18. 19. Our fourth sin is abusing the word of which all are guilty by misalledging and wresting places of Scripture c and this Mr B. proves because some have accused some of the principall of vs with it If accusation be conviction Mr B. needs not speak of some or any other he himselfe hath most mightily coÌ„vinced vs for he hath most hatefully accused vs of any man a live The fifth sin supposed is our wilfull persisting in our schism lightly regarding reverend mens labours and sinfully despising weaker meanes c. It is well knowne that Mr B. how earnestly soever he pleads with vs for the contrary doth himselfe as much neglect save for his owne purposes the iudgment of other men as any other neyther is there one minister in the land I am verily perswaded with whoÌ„ he suiteth but a right Ismael is he lesse or more having his hand against every man and every mans against him Well I deny our separation to be schism as we take the word much lesse do we persist wilfully in it And for the iudgment of other men as we despise not the meanest so neyther do we pin our faith vpon the sleeves of the most learned The other exceptions of shifting and evading the scriptures of perversnes of spirit in conference I pretermit as being both frivolous despitefull onely something must be answered before we passe this poynt to the charge layd vpon vs Pag 98. touching corruptions in the Churches Apostolicall and reformed And first obiect to them sayth he the corruptions of the Churches Apostolicall and theyr answer is eyther that we mayntayn our corruptioÌ„s by the sinnes of other Churches or els they were in a true constitution And how can you with modesty reiect this answer you say we misconstrue your intendement which is that corruption make not a false Church We grant it except they be essentiall but this is that we say that what Church soever alledgeth the corruptions of other Churches with a purpose to coÌ„tinue in the like theÌ„selves which is your estate that Church maintaynes her corruptions by the sinns of other Churches And for the second poynt I do affirme that merely by vertue of a constitution there may be a true Church of God though abounding for the present in sinne and iniquity yet another assembly not rightly constituted or gathered into covenant with God no true Church though lesse impieties be to be found in it The Prophet Ieremy complaines that the iniquity of the daughter of his people namely Ierusalem was become greater then the sinn of Sodom and the Prophet Ezekiâ—l affirmes that Ierusalem was more corrupt by half then Sodom and Samaria And yet was Ierusalem the true Church of God which neyther Samaria nor Sodom were no nor yet any other place in the world where not halfe the wickednes was wrought that was to be found in the better of them This poynt I will further examplify by a symilitude A woman free and separated from all other men and ioyned in civill covenant to a man is his wyfe yea though shee prove very stubborn and disobedient yea and dishonest also till the bill of divorcement be given her but
that can be brought but because they are yours which notwithstanding I am perswaded neyther you nor any other can satisfie And if Mr B. himselfe thus wryte and speak in private why blames he vs for our publique testimony Now if the Bishops be Antichristian and so the spirit of Divils Rev. 16. 14. why might not Mr Barrow affirm theyr Ministery and ministration to be of and by the Divill and what are they but eyther the tayl or some other lim of the beast And for theyr excommunications by name it is evident by this they are not of God for that the most religious in the kingdome make least account of them For theyr Luciferian pryde whereof Mr Barrow accuseth them it is apparant they burden the earth threaten the heavens with it for their hateful Symony both in giving and receiving they are so notorious as the best service Mr B. can do them in this case is to turn mens thoughts from those evils which every ey sees every heart abhorrs Towching the Ghost the Bishop gives in his blasphomous imitation of Christ Ioh. 20. 22. except contrary to the rule in nature nihil dâ—â— quod non habet he can give that he hath not it is not very likely he should give the Holy Ghost why then might not Mr Barrow call it an vnholy Ghost And for the Bible in the Bishops hands which he gives his Preists in ordination Mr Barrow calls it the libell not in contempt of the book but in reproof of the ceremony that iustly since the Lord never appointed the scriptures for any such vse nor any such ceremony in the ordination of his Ministers Christ and the Apostles would have such Ministers ordeyned as have the Bibles in their hearts the Bishops of England to supply this want give it into the hands of their Preists which they think sufficient though in truth the most of them are more vsed to handle a paire of cardes vpon an alebench then the holy bible Your Patrons Mr Barrow calles great Baals Lord Patrons and iustly in respect of that Lordly power they vse in obtruding their Clerks vpon the Parish assemblies your ministers yea all and every one of them Preists which is their proper name given them both in your book of ordination and coÌ„mon prayer your Deacons half-preists according to the nature of their office betwixt which the Deacons office in the new testament Act. 6. 1. 2. 3. 4. there is no consimilitude For the other more harsh termes wherewith he enterteynes such persons and things in the Church as carry with them most appearance of holynes they are to be interpreted according to his meaning and a distinction vsed by Mr B. in another place is here to be applyed Which is that Mr Barrow speaks not of these persons and things simply but in a respect so so considered so no one terme given by Mr Barrow to my knowledg but may at the least be tolerated The Ministers as they receive the wages of vnrighteousnes oâ— counsayl to spiritual fornication are Bâ—lâ—â—mites in respect of thâ—ir office vowed to destruction Cananites as they plead for confusion Babylonish divines as they endeavour to stay Gods people in Egypt spiritually so called Egyptian inchaunters as they are members of the Hierarchy 〈◊〉 of the Divel by vertue whereof he bear great sway as the reformists amongst you have expresly testifyed And for your very divine exerciseâ— of prayer preaching sacrâ—â—â—tâ— suâ—ging of psalâ—s howsoever they be good holy in theÌ„selves or at leasâ— have much good in them yet in respect of the vnhallowed coÌ„munion forgâ—d ministâ—ry and superstitious order wherein these and all other things with you are ministred and exercised they are lyable to the heaviest censure Mr Barrow hath put vpon them And for the most forward preachers in the kingdom considering their vnsound and broken courses in denying that in deed and practise which in wâ—rd and writing they profâ—sse to be the revealâ—d will oâ— God and inviolable testament of Christ binding his Church for ever yea and practising the contrary in the face of the sâ—nne commiâ—tâ—â—g two evils forsaking the Lord the fountayne of lâ—ving water to dig themselves broken pitâ—s which will hold no water yea not onely refusing themselves to enter into the kingdome of God the Church but also hindering them that would persecuting them that do and lastly considering them in their vnconscionable defence for their own standings and practises as that onely the godly in the parish are of the Church with them that they hold and vse their ministery by the acceptation of the people and not by the Bishops that they obey the Bishops in their citations suspensions excommunications and absolutions aâ— they are civil magistrates and â—he like they do deserve a sharper medicine then happily they are willing to endure Yea the very personall graces of knowledge zeale pâ—â—ience the like manifested in many both ministers and people are most vniustly perverted and misused to the obduration and hardening both of the persons themselves others in most deceivable wayes wherein the deepest mistery of iniquity and most effectuall delusion of Satan that can be worketh as is by Mr Barrow and others clearly discovered But that Mr Barrow should say that the preaching of Gods word â—â—e spirits effectuall working should make men the children of hell and two fold â—orse then bâ—fore is a great slaunder and could not possibly enter into his or any other godly mans heart And so I leave these and the like more vnsavoury-seeming speaches of Mâ— Barrow to the wise and Christian readers charitable interpretation The last rank of Mr B. reasons followeth which respect the matter of our sepâ—â—â—tion by him called schisme which how materiall they are shall appeare in their place Our first errour according to his reckoning is They hold that the constitution of our Church is a falsâ— constitution And let vs see how strongly your answer forces vs from this our hold 1. Arg. They cannot prove this simply by any playne doctrine of scripture and that which they would prove is but onely respectively and so may any thing and their Church also be condemned 2. Arg. It is against the evidence of the scriptures which maketh the word externall profession and sacraments the visible constitution c. That you then affirm in the first place is that wee cannot prove this simply by any playne doctrine wherein you do half confesse that wee do it by iust consequence though not by playne doctrine wholly that respectively and so so considered as you speak your coÌ„stitution is false And thus you say any thing may be condemned But first it is not true that any thing may be condemned after this sort The constitutioÌ„ of the Ch Apostolike could in no coÌ„sideration be condemned neyther could ours to our knowledge being according to that pattern how weakly soever we walk in it Secondly
〈…〉 and it haâ—h the being from them The 2. I gather from Mr B. own graunt where treating of the causes and properties of the Church he makes the true matter such as professe Christ Iesus their onely saviour and the form to be the vniting of men to God and one to another visibly Now except he will say which God forbid that none may make profession of faith and be vnited to Christ without officers he cannot deny but there may be and so be called a Church without them For all vnited vnto Christ the head are members of the body which is the Ch and so the whol assembly ioyntly considered is an whole and entyre body and Church So that to deny an ordinary assembly or communion of Christians to be a Christian Church is an vnchristian opinion And here I entreat the indifferent reader to consider whether these mens wayes be equall or no. When we deny their assemblies to be true visible Churches though they consist for the most part of prophane and vngodly persons vnder the government of a Provinciall or Diocesan Bishop and the Ministery of a dumb or prophane Preist as the most do to which also the best is subiect within one moneth they complayn of vs as most injurious detracters and yet will not they acknowledge any assembly of faithful holy people onely if vnfurnished for a time of officers to be a true Church or capable of that denomination But let not the harts of Gods servants be discouraged he is no accepter of mens persons he hath not tyed his power and presence to any order or office in the world but accepted of them that feare him and work righteousnes hating the assemblyes of the wicked and all their sacrifices Vpon this point I haue insisted the longer partly because it is the ground of the other truthes to be handled in their places and partly in detestation of the vnsufferable pryde of this Prelacy and Preisthood which will have the very life of all Churches to hang on the breath of their nostrels yea I may safely say on their lusts if they dy yea or forsake their charges in never so fleshly respects their Churches are dissolved at least during the vacancy and so the brethren dismembred from being of the visible body of Christ. But so far are the officers from being the formall cause of the Church as is intended as they are in truth no absolutely necessary appurtenance vnto it The power indeed to enioy them is an essentiall property seated in the body which may braunch out it self as God gives fit means into officers accordingly which if they prove unfruitful it may also accordingly lop or break off And so farr is the Holy Ghost from giving countenance to this opinion that the Officers make the Church as when he speakes distinctly of the body and officers and considers them severally he calls the body the Church excluding the Elders as appeares in these amongst many oâ—her scriptures Act. 14. 23. 15. 4. and 20. 17. 28. 1 Tim. 3. 5. 15. And the reason is because the Church is essentially in the saincts as the matter subject formed by the coverâ—ant unto which the officers are but adjuncts not making for the being but for the welbeing of the Church and furtherance of her fayth by their service The second poynt now comes to be manifested which is that two or three faythful persons joyned unto the Lord in the fellowship of the Gospel have immediate interest to Christ in all his ordinances Now least any should stumble at these words two or three ioyned or gathered together as it seems Mr. B. would hereby take advantage to discountenance so small a number it must be coÌ„sidered that two or three thus gathered together have the same right with two or three hundred Neyther the smallnes of the number nor meannes of the persons can prejudice their right When the Lord did chose one nation from all other nations he chose the smallest amongst them fewest in number And though now Christ have opened a way for all nations yet is it a narrow way and which few finde especially in the first planting or replanting of Churches of which Christ speaks most properly in which regard also he likens the the kingdome of heaven or Church to a grain of mustard-feed which is the least of all seeds but yet hath vertue in it to bring forth a tree in whose boughes the birds of heaven may build their nests And against this exception of discouragement Christ himself hath provided a coÌ„fortable remedie in speaking expresly of two or three to whom he hath given his power and promised his presence Now for the poynt it self the truth whereof is sufficiently manifested by that which hath been â—ormerly layed down If a company of faythfull people though without officers be the true Ch. and body of Christ and Israel of God then to that company apperteynes the covenants of promise the oracles of God are committed untothem and to them are given his word statutes and iudgments so they may freely enjoy them amongst themselves in the order by Christ prescribed without any forreyn Ministers for Mediators II. They that have received Christ have received the power of Christ and his whole power for Christ and his power are not devided nor one part of his power from another But every company or communion of faythful people have received Christ. Ioh. 1 12. Rom. 8. 32. Isa. 9. 6. and with him power and right to enjoy him though all the world be against it in al the meanes by which he doth communicate himself unto hiâ— Church III. When the Scriptures would give us to understand the near union betwixt Christ and his Church and the free and full title which he hath given her in himself and all his most rich and pretious benefits they do teach the same by resemblances of most streight and immediate conjunction as of that between the vine and the branches the head and the body the husband and the wise and so as the branches do receive and draw the sap and juice immediately from the vine and as the body receiveth sense and motion from the head immediately and as the wife hath immediate right to and interest in her husbands both person and goods for her use though she may and ought to use the service of her husbands and own servants as they can be had for convenient purposes so hath every true visible Church of Christ direct â—nd immediate interest in and title to Christ himselfe and the whole new Testament every ordinance of it without any vnnaturall monstrous and adulterous interposition by any person whatsoever betwixt the vyne and the branches the head and the body the husband the wife which are Christ and his Church though but two or three gathered together in his name as hath formerly been manifested If all things be the Churches even the ministers
themselves yeâ— though they be Paul Cephas and Apollos and the Church Christs Christ Gods then may the Church vse and enjoy all things immediately vnder Christ and needs not goe to Rome to fetch her power whether Mr B. would send her but may have and enioy the Ministers and ministrations as her own of all the holy things which are given her But the first the Apostles expresly affirmes 2 Cor. 3. 21. 22. 23. and so the conclusion necessarily followeth which will also be more manifest in the particulars as they come to be handled in theyr places as occasion shal be ministred by Mr B. reasons layd down against popularty as he termes it which in the next place come to be considered of The first and second whereof are that it is contrary to the order which God established before the law vnder the law and since Christ or in the Apostles dayes during all which tymes he affirmes that the power of governing was in the cheif in the first born before the law in the Levites vnder the law and in the Apostles in their dayes And for confirmatioÌ„ of these things he brings sundry scriptures from the old new Testament for the exposition of them clearing of his aslertion intermingles sundry other observations For entrance into the answer of which his refutation I desire it may be considred that the visible Church being a polity Ecclesiasticall and the perfection of all polities doth comprehend in it whatsoever is excellent in all other bodyes politicall as man being the perfection of all creatures comprehends in his nature what is excellent in them all having being with the Elements life with the plants sense with the beasts and with the angels reason Now wise men having written of this subiect have approved as good and lawfull three kyndes of polities Monarchycall where supreme authority is in the hands of one Aristocraticall when it is in the hands of some few select persons and Democraticall in the whole body or multitude And all these three formes have their places in the Church of Christ. In respect of him the head it is a monarchy in respect of the Eldership an Aristocracy in respect of the body a popular state The Lord Iesus is the King of his Church alone vpon whose shoulders the government is and vnto whome all power is given in heaven earth yet hath he not received this power for himself alone but doth communicate the same with his Church as the husband with the wife And as he is announted by God with the oyl of gladnes above his fellowes so doth he communicate this aâ—noynting with his body 2 Cor. 1. 21. 1 Ioh. 2. 20. Gal. 2. 9. 10. which being powred by the Father vpon him the head runneth downe to the skirts of the clothing perfuming with the sweetnes of the savour every member of the body and so makes every one of them severrally Kings and Preists and all ioyntly a Kingly Preisthood or communion of Kinges Preists and Prophets And in this holy fellowship by vertue of this plenteous annoyntment every one is made a King Preist and Prophet not onely to himself but to every other yea to the whole A Prophet to teach exhort reprove comfort himself the rest a Preist to offer vp spirituall sacrifices of prayer prayses thanksgiving for himselfe and the rest a King to guide and govern in the wayes of godlynes himselfe and the rest But all these alwayes in that order according to those speciall determinations which the Lord Iesus the King of Kings hath prescribed And as there is not the meanest member of the body but hath received his drop or dram of this aÌ„noynting so is not the same to be despised eyther by any other or by the whole to which it is of vse dayly in some of the things before set downe and may be in all or at least in the most of them So that not onely the ey a speciall member cannot say to the hand a speciall member I have no need of thee but not the head the principall member of all vnto the feet the meanest members I have no need of you And yet as if a multitude of Kinges should assemble together to advise consult of their coÌ„mon affaires some one or few must needs be appointed over the asseÌ„bly both for order speciall assistance of the whole which should go before the rest in propounding discussing and determining of all matters so in this royall assembly the Church of Christ though al be kings yet some both most faythful and most able are to be set over the rest that in office not kingly but ministeriall because the assembly is constant wherein they are both deeply charged effectually encouraged to Minister according to the Testament of Christ and that not †onely for comlynes and order as Mr B slaundereth vs to hould but for the proffit aedification yea and salvation of the Church 2 Cor. 1 24. Eph 4. 11. 12. 13. 1 Tim. 4. 16 by the ministration of such holy things as to the Church appertayne by the free absolute and immediate donation of Christ. This praemised I come to Mr B. reasons and refutation And first I do freely acknowledge the thing which he would charge vs to deny and seeme to prove by many scriptures and that is that the government of the Church before the law vnder the law in the Apostles tymes was and so still is not in the multitude but in the cheife In the first born before the law in the Levites vnder the law in the Apostles in their tymes and so in the ordinary officers of the Church ever since and that the Lord Iesus hath given to his Church a Presbytery or Colledge of Elders or Bishops for the feeding of the sâ—me that is for the â—eaching and governing of the whole flock according to his will and these the multitude ioyntly and severally is bound to obey all and every one of them submiting themselves vnto their government in the Lord. And this it never came into our harts to deny Cease then Mr B. to suggest against vs unto such as are ignorant of our faith walking that we deny the Officers to be the governours of the Church or the people to be governed by them But this I desire the reader here to take knowledge of and ever hereafter to beare in minde that it is one thing for the officers to govern the Church which we graunt and another thing for them to be the Church which Mr B. in expounding Math 18. would needs make them where he would have the officers alone to admonish and censure As if because the †watchman is set vp to blow the trumpet and to warne the people when the sword commeth that therefore he alone is the City or Land and bound alone to make resistance The officers of the Church are to govern every action of the
officers onely pag. 94. 95. and to separate from them is as intollerable pag. 88. Miserable were the Lords people if these things were so but the truth is they are miserable guides that so teach 2 They which may forgive sins and sinners save soules gayne and turne men vnto the Lord to them are the keyes of the kingdome given by which they open the dore vnto such as they thus forgive gayne and save but all these things such as arâ— no ministers may do as these scriptures which I entreat the godly reader to consider do most clearly manifest Math. 18. 15. 2 Cor. 2. 5. 7. 8. 9. 10. Act. 8. 1. 4. with 11. 19. 20. 21. Iam. 5. 19. 20. 1 Pet. 3. 1. Iude 22. 23. Erroneous therefore derogatory is it to the nature of the gospel free donation of Christ thus to impropriate and ingro 〈…〉 the keyes whichly common to all Christians in their place and order 3. Lastly I do affirme with Mr Smyth that the twelve were as yet but disciples and not actually Apostles Designed in deed they were to the office of Apostles but not possessed of it A man may call such a woman his wife before they be actually maryed and such a child his heire though he be not for the present possessed of a foot of his inheritance nor like to be before the testators death and that this was the condition of the twelve I prove by these reasons If the twelve were called to the office of Apostles Mat. 16. then Christ called men to an office for which they were altogether vnfit vnfurnished which to imagine were impious against Christ. Now that they were vtterly vnapt to this office appeares in these particulars First they vvanted that Christian fortitude and courage vvhich vvas most needfull for that office Secondly they were ignorant of the nature of Christs kingdom not forecasting his death nor beleeving his resurrection vnfurnished also with the gift of tongues and so vtterly vnable to teach the gentiles for whose sake they received their commission in a speciall manner Mat. 16. 21. 22. 20. 20. 21. 26. 51. Mark 16. 11. 14. Luke â—4 21. Act. 2. 1. 2. 3. 4. Mat. â—8 19. Ephe. 3. 5. 6. 2. When Christ ascended on high he gave gifts to men viz. Apostles Evangelists c. Ephe. 4. 8. 11. And then and not before then was the Church capable of the office of Apostles who were to preach the gospel to all nations when the partition wall was broken down betwixt the Iewes Gentiles that the gentiles also which were formerly straungers forreigners might now be made citizens with the saints and of the househood of God Ephe. 2. 12. 19 And aâ— this particular I have now in hand seemeth to receive confirmation from the last scripture Mr Bernard bringeth for the Apostles commission which is Mark. 13. 34. where Christ at his departing into a straunge countrey sets his house in order gives his servants authority and appoints them their work so doth the expositioÌ„ application of the same scripture to the generall purpose if we coÌ„pare with this place that which he affirmeth in another argue him that brings it of a mind very vnsound and vnstable Here as all men see Mr Bern. allegeth it to prove that the cheif officers onely are by commission from Christ to medle in the publick affaires of the Church and in particular to redresse things amisse and to censure offenders but in his second book being pressed by an argument by Mr Smith taken from this scripture he fare and â—â—atâ—y denyes that the Lord in this place intends to set out any government of the Church at all and thus compared with himself he is like nothing lâ—sse then himself Now since Mr B. disclayms this scripture as not intended at all of the goverment of the Church that in his 2. better thoughts I have no reason to spend much time in answering him Onely I can not passe by one frivolous exception in his reply against Mr Sm. and another absurd collection of his owne Where Mr Smyth affirmes that every servant or disciple in the Church hath authority and that truely if he have the word of God he hath authority for the word caryes authority with it wheresoever it goes Mr B. excepts first that by servants are meant Officers which as it is true sometimes so is it otherwise for the most part espetially in the parables of this kind Mat. 25. 14. Luk. 19. 12. 13. to which this parable seemeth well to consort wherin since all have received some good thing or substance froÌ„ Christ to be dispensed for the good of the rest all should diligâ—tly faithfully imploy their labour in the same ever expecting the returne of the mayster all every one of them watching and the Porter specially according to that speciall charge layd vpon him to watch ver 34. 35. 37. but the exception I meane is that by servants cannot be meant the Church because the house is the Church and the authority not given to the house but to the servants in the house who are to look over others Mark here in the case of goverment the house must needs be the Church the Church and house are both one Christ speaking of the house or Church meanes the people excluding the officers and yet Math. 18. in the case of govermâ—t the officers are in Christs speach the Church or house for they are all one excluding the people But to the poynt as the officers are both the Lords servants in his house parts of the house and houshould also so are the people not onely the house or of the house and houshould as in the forenamed scriptures but the Lords servants in his house also The idle and senseles exposition Mr B. gives is of the Porters watching Where the mayster at his departure appoyntes every servâ—â—t his work and commaunds all to watch and the porter specially least he 〈◊〉 suddenly and fynd them sleeping Mr B. to ioyne all together for the holding out of Mr Smythes Argument makes the Porter Gods spirit as if the Holy Ghost were one of the servants and had a commaundement from Christ to watch least it should be found asleep at his comming And by this I hope it appeareth in the generall contrary to Mr B. affirmation that the power of Christ or keyes of the kingdom is not delegated or committed primarily much lesse solaryly or alone to the officers of the Church how soever they as the governours are to direct and as the minister to exequute in the vse of this power or of these keyes Of the particulars hereafter That which comes next into consideration is that the Apostles committed that theyr power received from Christ not to the body of the people but to the cheife ministers of the gospell and cheife officers of the Church First here let the reader observe how Mr B. interesses these
cheiftayns onely in the power of Christ as the Apostles successours excluding himselfe and the rest of his rank that he may advance the throne of Antichrist in his cheife ministers the Lord Archbishops Bishops whose chayre he thus stoutly laboures to vphold with both shoulders Secondly I deny that eyther the Evangelists such as were Timothy and Titus succeeded the Apostles in their office or that any other ministers in the Church did or do succeed eyther the Apostles or Evangelists as they were such as we speak They were extraordinary officers in the first plaÌ„ting of the faith amongst the gentiles theyr qualifications extraordinary and miraculous as the gift of tongues and the like and so theyr offices were determined in theyr persons And yet I deny not but the true Ministers of the gospell the Bishops or Elders in theyr particular Churches do succeed the Apostles though not in office yet in theyr ordinary ministration of the word sacraments censures prayer ordination all other ordinances of the Church whatsoever according to the order Christ hath left but that the Apostles and Evangelists have by any order committed theyr power or any part of it to any such Cheif Ministers or rather Lords yea spiritual tyraÌ„ts as the Lordbishops Archbishops in Engl. are that I deny withall my power There are no such cheifteyns in the Church of Christ or communion of saynts The Apostles did by the Churches free choyce ordeyn in every particular assembly a company of Elders or Bishops whome they charged with the particular flockes in and to which they were to minister the holy things of God and none other Act. 14. 23. and 20. 17. 28. 1 Tim. 3. 1. 2. 4. Tit. 1. 5. 1 Pet. 5. â— 2. Much lesse are the great Antichrists of Rome the Popes and Cardinalles the Apostles and Evangelists successours in any right by the word of God or capable in that theyr estate of Apostolicall or other ministeriall power of Christ as you Mr B. will make them of which your Popish errour more in place Now for the scriptures cited they serve well to prove that which no man denyes in which kynd of disputing Mr B. hath a speciall faculty The scriptures are 1 Tim. 1. 3. and 3. 14. 15. and 5. 21. 22. Tit. â— 5. which places prove thus much in effect that Timothy was to see false doctrine suppressed in Ephesus that men gifted according to the word of God should be choseÌ„ into the office of Bishops and Deacons that he should deale vnpartially in all things that he should not partake in the sinns of other men by laying hands suddaynly vpon any that Titus was left in Crete to redresse things amisse and to ordayne Elders in the Churches And what followes vpon this I know well what Mr B. infers namely that the cheif Ministers alone in the Churches whether pure or impure by which latter he meanes the Church of Rome as he expounds himself pag. 145. that is that Popes Cardinalls Archbishops Bishops Suffraganes Chauncelours and the rest of the triumphant Clergy and they alone should medle with supressing errour rectifying things amisse calling and ordayning ministers and that all others are absolutely inhibited any medling with these things Well to let passe your fearefull retyring Mr B. into the battered bulwarks of the Papists for succour and the discharging of your selfe and all the inferiour ministery that these cheif ministers might reigne alone the scriptures do not debarâ—e the members of the Church from medling in those things in their place and order nor impropriate them to the cheife Lords as is pretended onely they declare that the officers are to do theyr own duetyes in those businesses and to put the brethren in remembrance of theyrs to commaund teach and speak those things exhorting rebuking with all authority by the word of God as occasion serves 1 Tim. 4. 6. 11. Tit. 2. 15. And if Mr B. will conclude any thing for his purpose by the scriptures he alledgeth he must take this position for graunted that whatsoever Paul wrytes to Timothy or Titus touching the Church about that onely they theyr successours the cheif ministers are to medle which presumpteous affirmation is sufficiently refuted by the very recitall of it He that reads over the Epistles but with a pece of an ey may see the contrary There is no greater force in this collection then in that Mar. 13. 34. bycause the porter is to watch therefore he alone and not the rest also which is coÌ„trary to the expresse words immediatly following where all are coÌ„maunded to watch v. 37. And thus the conclusion which Mr B. would make that the place 1 Cor. 5. though generally spoken must be vnderstood of the cheife officers of the Church is without prâ—mises It must be vnderstood as it is spoken though both he the Pope say nay to it and of the meaning of it we shall speak hereafter at large when we come to handle the censures of the Church as also of your pretended proof 2 Cor. 2. 6. Onely I must needs take knowledge of that part of the truth which Mr B. being set vpon the rack of his conscience in reading this 1 Cor. 5. is compelled to confesse and that is that from v. 5. â—â— may be gathered for the body of the Church that the offender must be delivered to Satan with their knowledge publiquely when they meet together in the open assembly Towching which his graunt I observe these three particulars First it overthrowes the practise in the Church of England where the offender is excommunicated by the Chauncelour or Officiall it may be fourty miles off from the body of the congregation whereof he is a member and that most what without the presence of any one of the body yea or their privity eyther till such tymes as eyther the Parish Preist or Church dore signify the matter vnto them 2. If the officers must judge and excommunicate in the open assembly then can they alone in no sense be the Church For the Church is nothing but the assembly And it is all one to say the officers in the assembly are the Church as to say the officers in the assembly are the assembly which is a senseles affirmation And if the Officers alone be the Church to which complaint is to be made and which is to reprove the offender and judge him they must do it in a distinct assembly from the body and not in the assembly compounded necessarily of the officers and the body as your Courtkeepers doe in their Consistories the Elders in the reformed Churches in their private Chambers 3. It is most vntrue which you say that no more can be gathered from this place but that excommunication was performed in the presence of the body of the Church and with their knowledge being gathered together it is apparent that they which were gathered together were by the power of Christ to deliver to Satan the offender to purge out the
old leven to iudge and to put out from among themselves that wicked fornicatour v. 5. 6. 7. 12. 13. of which more hereafter And so I come to the 4. Reason against Popularity as you term â—t but in truth against Christian liberty which is grounded vpoÌ„ Ephe. 4. 11. 12. Your words are these It is most apparant that Christ ascending vp gave gifts for preaching administration of sacraments and government vnto some sorts of men who 〈…〉 e set out there and plainly distinguished from the other saynts the body of the Church Against this hitherto I take no great exceptioÌ„ though the Apostles meaning may be better layd down thus that Christ Iesus the King and Lord of his Church hath set in it certaine sorts and orders of officers rightly fitted and furnished with graces for the reparation of the saynts and aedification of his body to the worlds end This we affirme as lowd as you and with more comfort And therfore after I have observed in a few wordes how little this scripture serves for your present purpose I will in as few more make it appeare how directly it serves against you in many other mayn matters and that you in bringing it have onely lighted a candle whereby to discover your own nakednes This then is that which you would conclude that bycause Christ hath given power and charge to the sorts of ministers here set downe for the reparation of the saynts and aedification of the body that therefore no brethren out of office may medle with the reparation and aedification of the Saynts or Church I do acknowledge that onely Apostles Prophets c. by office and as works of their Ministery are to look to the reparation and aedification of the body but that the brethren out of office are discharged of those duâ—ties I deny any more then the rest of the servants were of watching though out of office bycause the Porter alone was by office to watch Mark 13. 34 37. Yea look what is layd vpon the officers in this place after a more speciall manner by vertue of their office that also is layd vpon the rest of the brethren els where in the same words to be performed in their places as a duty of love for which they have not onely liberty but charge from the Lord. The officers are here charged with the reparation or knitting together of the saynts the same duty in the same words is imposed vpon every brother spirituall and I hope you the Ministers will not be the onely spirituall men in the Church Secondly the officers are here given to aedifie the body the same duety in the same termes is layd vpon every one of the brethren in their places 1 Thes. 5. 11. and vnto these few might be added an hundred places of the same nature Why then should the Ministers of the Lord or any other for their sake envy vnto the Lords people eyther their graces or liberty or thus arrogate all vnto theÌ„selves as though all knowledge were treasured vp in their breasts all power given into their handes as though no drop of grace for aedificatioÌ„ or comfort of the Church could fall from els where then from their lips Moses in the place of numbers before named wisht that all the Lords people were Prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit vpon them and Paul gives liberty to the whol Church and to all in it women excepted ver 34. to prophesie one by one for the instruction edification and comfort of all but with Mr B and his Church I perceive neyther Moses prayer nor Pauls graunt nor Gods spirit must be avayleable or find acceptance for aedification by any save the Ministers The subjects of Kings vse to complayn much of Monopolyes but the subjects of the Lord Iesus have greater cause of complaint that he himself his power presence and graces wherewith he honoureth all his saynts are thus monopolized and ingrossed The similitude which here you borrow froÌ„ the body of man wherein you say the special members have their speciall vertues in themselves given of God and not bestowed vpon them by the body as the eyes to see the tongue to speak c. for the confirmation of the power of the Lord Iesus or liberty to teach admonish and censure in the hands of the officers alone is faulty in both parts of it and conteynes in it sundry errours both theologicall and phylosophicall And first I do here most justly except against your shuffling together and confounding of the personall gifts graces and vertues of the Ministers and their ministeriall power or office The first in deed they have from Christ and not from or by the Church at all as their knowledge zeale vtterance wisdome holynes and the like with which the Church findes them furnished so appoints them vnder Christ to vse these gifts in office of Ministery whereof out of office they have erst given knowledge this power or appointment which they have from or by the Church thus to vsâ— these gifts is another thing then their personall gifts and qualifications themselves which you Mr B. do very fraudulently confound Secondly it is ignorantly affirmed that God enduâ—s certayn members of the body with speciall vertues and properties as thâ—â—y with seing and the like that they have thes properties not from the body but from God For first the very vertue or faculty of seing is not in the ey but in the soul which vseth the ey onely for the instrument of seing so other parts in their kind Oculus non videâ— sed anima per oculiâ—â— And that not immediately neyther but with the help of the spirits naturall vitall and animall diffused throughout the body which the soul vseth most immediately as the instruments of all life sense motion And so it comes to passe not onely in death where the soul and body are separated but in sundry diseases also of the body that the ey fayleth in seeing and so other members in their service Thirdly as the Elders of the Church I confesse may be compared to eyes in the body and the Deacons to hands in a respect so I deny the similitude to hold absolutely Similitudes as they say do not run vpon four feet to streyn them above that which is intended by the holy Ghost in vsing them is a course full both of vanity and errour The Deacons are the handes of the Church for the distribution of her bodily things to them that need yet I trow you would not have the Church suffer the poore to starve where the Deacons are wanting to minister or fayling in their ministration so are the Elders the eyes mouth of the Church for her government and ministration of spirituall things yet must not the Church perish spiritually for their want or negligence no the Lord is more mercifull to his people then so and doth nor ty them so short in
in his teaching such vertue and vigour of the spirit as did draw even the prophane hearers into admiration There are in deed in the cōmon wealth Kings and Magistrates in authority under them partakers of their kingly power by subordination by which participation they properly and effectually even as the King himself bind and loose save and destroy exact and procure obedience civily both in Church and cōmon wealth and that by a kingly and lordly power over the people whose Kings Lords and Maysters they are but the Officers in the Church are in no such authority by participation of Christs kingly power neyther can they properly and effectually bind and loose save and destroy exact and procure obedience as Christ doth neyther are they as civil Magistrates though the Kings servants and ministers yet the peoples Lords and maysters but both Christs and the peoples servants and Ministers Now let any judge that hath in him eyther religion or reason conscience or cōmon sense if it be not irreligious vnconscionable vnreasonable and senselesse that the body of the Church should have no more liberty and power in the imployments of their servants and Ministers in their Office then the body of the cōmon wealth in the imployments of their Lords and Maysters in their Office To this also I may adde that there are many civil ordināces and constitutions in the common wealth which concerne not one of a thowsand of the Kings people many Magistrates Officers chosen the inferiour by the superiour without the peoples privity or cōsent many administratiōs vsed judgemēts passed exequutions done which the greatest part of the people do not nor are bound so much as once to enquire after much lesse are they bound to complayn of the breach of every civil ordinance to see it reformed to charge every Magistrate to look to his office to admonish him if in any thing he deale corruptly or wickedly and if he will not be reclaymed but goe obstinately on in the spirit of an Haeretick Idolater or Atheist to disclaym or depose him but in the Church all and every ordinance concernes every person as a part of their communion without the dispensation of necessity for their vse and aedification all the Officers to be chosen by suffrages and consent of the multitude the brethren are to admonish their brethren of every violation of Gods commaundement and so in order to tell the Church and to see the parties reformed to observe and to take notice of the officers cariage and ministration and to say to Archippus as there is need take heed to thy ministery that thou hast received of the Lord that thou fulfil it and if the Ministers will deal corruptly and so persevere in the spirit of profanenes heresy idolatry or atheism to censure depose reiect or avoyd them otherwise they betray their own soules and salvation These things I thought good vpon this occasion further to annext touching the difference and dissimilitude of civil and ecclesiasticall governours and government not doubting for conclusion to affirm that ther is no one errour in Popery serving more directly to advance Antichrist to the highest step of his throne or there to establish him then thus to confound these two estates in their authority and manner of government though alasse too many will needs transforme Ministers into Magistrates servants into Lords and as the Kings of the earth have given their power authority vnto the beast and arrayed the great whore tha◠fitteth vpon the beast with purple and scarlet and gilded her with gold pretious stones and pearles so do they still help her to hold her kingly lordly authority and to beare vp her pompous trayne and that specially by enforcing those scriptures for ecclesiasticall government and the manner and order of it which were left for direction in civil governments and their administrations And yet for more speciall answer vnto you Mr Bernard it followes not that bycause the people are not interessed in the reformation of abuses by the scriptures you cite therefore it is never found eyther in the old or new testament that any such duty lyes vpon them The scriptures do not intend to speak of all things at once but that charge which is omitted in one place is oft tymes supplyed and prescribed in another And to this purpose I do desire that these few scriptures amongst many others may be considered of Num. 5 1. 2. Iosh. 7. 1. 11. 12. 24. 25. 22. 11. 12. 16. 17. 18. 20. Iudg. 20. 11. 12. 2 Sam. 20. 22. Ezech. 44. 5. 6. 7. 9. Luke 17. 3. 4. Gal. 6. 1. 1 Thes. 5. 14. 1 Cor. 5. whol Ch. all these many other of the same nature will manifest that the people are charged with the reformatiō of abuses for the keeping pure of their cōmunion as well as the officers though not in the same order or degree But what need we seek further as all the scriptures brought forth by Mr Bern. do charge the govervours with reformation and none of them exempt the people in their rank and order so are there some of them so pregnant against him in the point by which he hath been so oft silenced to his face that if he had not set himself in opposition without all measure or modesty he would never offer his cause to be tryed by that evidence in writing by which in speach he hath been so oft cast and convinced The scriptures I especiall mean are Rev. 2. 3. And the thing which he would prov◠from those scriptures is that bycause Iohn in the verses named by him speakes to the Angels of the particular Churches that therefore it conernes the Angels that is the chief officers alone and no way the people no nor any of the Officers but one in a Church by Mr Bernards exposition to see to the reformation of such abuses and disorders as in those Churches are reproved But if in these scriptures he thus sever and sejoyne the officers and people why might not the officers be excluded by a◠good consequence by other verses of these Chapters where mention is made of the Churches and not of the Angels as the people in these where the Angels onely and not the people are mentioned and both alike The answer and truth then is that Iohn writes and sendes these Epistles or this book to the 7. Churches in Asia as he is expresly directed by Christ so willeth all men to heare and take knowledge what the spirit sayth to the Churches but bycause the matters were publique he absent from the Churches it was both most convenient necessary he should direct his letters to the officers for the whol Churches as being not onely most fit for their knowledge but most bound by their places to provoke the Churches vnto and to direct and goe before them in the reformation of such evills as were found amongst them As if the
of you where your your fellow Ministers power of excommunication had been duetify as an obedient child in giving the rod of discipline into the hands of your reverend fathers alone and their substitutes Well Mr B. whomsoever the Lord Iesus meant by the Church Mat. 18. he never meant that the Archbishop of York the Archdeacon of Nottingham the Officiall of Southwel were the Church of Worksop and for this I vvill spare all Arguments and send you to your owne guilty conscience for conviction which as it condemns you in yourself which is also the case of many thowsands in the Land so do I earnestly wish both you and them to remember with fear and trembling the condemnation of him that is greater then your cōscience Ioh. 3. 20. So far are they from being the Church of Worksop as they are not so much as members of it nor of any other particular Church in the kingdome they are neyther the Pastours so called nor vnder the Pastors of any particular Church but with their tanscendent jurisdiction in their Provinciall and Diocesan Churches take their scope without orb or order and as clouds without rayn carryed about with the wind of ambition and covetousnes for the the greatest part To leave them and come to your reasons Mr B. by which you would prove that tell the Church is tell the governours But here behold the fruites of an vnstable mind This man in his former book laboured by many scriptures and reasons to lay downe the nature of the Churches government and in speciall to prove that the Church Math. 18. 17. to vvhich complaint of sinns was to be made was the cheif officers onely and this he affirmes also to be the iudgement and the practise of all reformed Churches But lo now in his second book he devoures the hallowed thing and labours vvithall his power to persvvade young divines seely country people as he speakes and as in truth they had need be both young and seely that are perswaded by him that the points of discipline and Church-government are not so apparant by the scriptures as that they can rightly iudge of them And to this end he brings in the variety of iudgements and contradictions of learned men some holding no government at all others that an externall government is to be had but of these some holding it alterable others constant and perpetuall and of these some to be in the Pope Cardinalls others in the body of the congregatiō some in the Presbytery with the peoples consent and others which he puts last as best and for which he brings sundry reasons referring the reader to the treatises written to that end in the Bishops his Lords And againe touching the punishment of offenders some he brings in holding excommunication but not suspension some holding both and some neyther And particularly for Math. 18. he musters in thick and threefold reasons and persons so reasoning and proving that the place and so of Lev. 19. 17. doth nothing at all concern discipline or ecclesiasticall censures but that Christs meaning there was onely to direct the Iewes how to carry things before the Synedrion in cases of bodily injury And thus he brings mens contrary opinions to darken the scriptures which are most playne like so many foul feet to trouble the pure fountaynes of living water that the thirsty may not drink of them And as a learned man in our age nation to discover the vanity of prognosticatours gathered together their contrary guesses of the wether and so presented them so this man to make the government of Christs Church as vncertayne as an Almanack sets together and so offers to the vvievv of the world the contrarieties of opinions concerning it Now if other men should take this course Mr B. doth in other points of religion and one lay down the differences that are about predestination the points depending vpon it some vtterly denying it others affirming it and of these some grounding it vpon Gods mere grace others vpō mans faith or workes foreseen an other about baptisme some denying it to all infants others ministring it to all others to such onely as are of Christian parents in a sort and others onely to them that are of beleeving parents at the least on the one side a third about the Lords supper in which point some hold transubstantiation others consubstantiation others onely a sacramentall vnion which some also will have merely rationall others reall also there could not be a playner way beaten for all Atheism to come into the world by nor a course devised by the Divell more pregnant to perswade the multitude that there were no certaynty nor soundnes in the scriptures But let God have the glorie of his truth and of the clearnes in it and let men bear the just blame and shame of their naturall blyndnes and in speciall let Christ have the honour of being as faythfull in his owne house as Moses was in his Maisters in setting orders and officers in it and let not vile flesh dare to flatter Princes and Prelates to mislead silly soules and to preach liberty and licentiousnes to the world make Christ Iesus an Idol King having a kingdome vpon earth without lawes or officers for the administring of it nor to make his redeemed Idoll subjects as whom it concerns little or nothing whether they be vnder Chrits lawes and officers or vnder Antichrists his professed adversary Now though I will not trouble my self and the reader about every stone that Mr. B. idely casts in the way yet such as may stumble the weakest passenger I will remove and so returne to my former task And in the first place I will answer certaine reasons in number six brought by Mr B. for the superiority of his Lord Bishops but those not backed with the scriptures as in other points when he thinks he speaks the truth his manner is The first is taken from the succession of Iames at Ierusalem of Peter at Antioch of Peter Paul at Rome of Mark at Alexandria I answer first that these were not Bishops set over certayn Churches here and there though vpon occasion they tarryed some good space in some certayne Churches but generall men Apostles and Evangelists without successours in their Offices so the Protestants do generally answer the Papists instancing them as you do now 2. I deny the very Apostles vsed any such Lordly and Papall authority as to exclude eyther the inferiour officers or people in Church affaires the contrary is most evident in the choice of officers Act. 1. 15. 23. 26. and 6. 1. 2. 3. 5. censuring of offenders 1 Cor. 5. and debating of other Church matters Act. 15. 2. 3. 4. 6. 7. 22. 23. 30. 21. 22. The 2. Argument is taken from 1 Cor. 12. 28. where say you three degrees are reckoned vp the first of Apostles the second of Prophets the third of Teachers But since the
delinquent is freed froÌ„ the dint of the spirituall sword the ceÌ„sure of the Church which others do and so he should without that priveledge vndergoe as well as they Where me thinks it were more meet as that he which can read and so hath or may have greater knowledge should be the more severely punished civily so that the officers in the Church should vndergoe if it were to be found an heavier ceÌ„sure for their sinne as being both more scandalous and lesse excusable And so the Lord by Moses expresly manifests his will to be in enioyning the Preist a greater sacrifice a bullock for his sin where a goat which was lesse might serve in the like case for the suâ— of one of the people And this may well serve for a seventh reason to prove that the officers are by the law of God lyable to as deep censures for sin as the people and so the Pastour as any one of the brethren Yet for the further more full opening of the iniquity of those proud and popish exemptions and exaltations of Church officers whereof from these scriptures alledged by Mr B. and the like they boast so much and by which they affright and abuse the simple people in all places I will breifly as I can lay down certayn such different respects and relations vnder which the officers of the Church do come as being rightly vnderstood iustly applyed will give good light to the discovering of this mystery First then the officers of the Church are to be considered in respect of the thing which they minister and that is the word and revealed will of God in which regard they are infinitely above superiour vnto all men and angels and in the very stead of Christ and of God himself And in for and according to this message or ambassage of God and of Christ they are absolutely and simply to be obeyed as is the meanest officer about the King carrying with him his warrant and authority by the greatest Pere in the kingdome In the 2. place they must be considered of vs in respect of their office by vertue whereof they do administer And in this regard they are inferiour vnto the Church as being by it called to a place of ministery to serve the Church and not of Lordship to reign over it The 3. consideration they vndergoe is in regard of their persons and as they are brethren saynts christians for they cease not to be Christians bycause they are Ministers but must manifest their generall calling in their speciall partakers of the same coÌ„mon graces and subiect to the same common infirmities with the rest and in this respect they are equall with the brethren standing in need of the same meanes both for their edification and reformation and so particularly of the censures for their humiliation if they be so farre left of God as they may be and oft times are as they will not otherwise be reclaymed And I had as leiv you should tell me that bycause the Deacons are to distribute the Churches almes therfore the Church is not to releiv them though they be in daunger to starve bodily as that bycause the Elders are to minister the Churches judgmeÌ„ts none must iudge them though they be thorough impenitency in daunger to perish spiritually Now for the particulars which Mr B. obiecteth it is true the people are sheep but not the Ministers but the Lords sheep Ezech. 34. 6. 8 31. neyther are these sheep for the Ministers as the naturall sheep for their sheepheards but for the Lord and the sheepheards for them The people are indeed an house but not the officers house but the Lords house for him to dwell in Ephe. 2. 20. 21. 1 Tim. 3. 15. Secondly the people are sheep yet not vnreasonable beasts but men Ezech. 34. 31. so to be looked to by the sheepheards as they are also to look to themselves Act. 20. 28. Luk. 17. 3. They are so a house as they consist not of dead but of living stones 1 Pet. 2. 5. so built vp by the Officers as they are also to build vp themselves Iud. 20. And which is especially to be minded for the purpose in hand the officers are so sheepheards as they are also themselves sheep if they be not goates Math. 25. 37. Luk. 12. 32. Rom. 8. 36. They are so fathers as they are also brethren Mat. 23. 8. Act. 1. 16. 2 Cor. 8. â—â— yea as they are sonnes also in a sence as the Levite was in sundry respects both Michaes father and his sonne Iudg. 17. 1. 11. They are so workmen or builders as they are also part of the house Ephe. 2. 22. 2 Tim. 2. 20. so seeds-men as themselves are also seed and a part of the harvest Math. 13. 38. These distinctions rightly observed will both teach the officers how to govern and the people how to obey and both officers people how to preserve themselves and one another vnder the power of Christ given to his Church And where you demaund in this place by way of digression how a few of vs become a Church we answer in a word by coÌ„ming out of Babylon thorough the mercies of God and building our selves into a new and holy temple vnto the Lord. But where you affirm the Ministery that is the office of Ministery or the word so ministred to be the Lords onely ordinary meanes to plant Churches or to vrge men to ioyn vnto them you streyten the Lords hand and wrong his people When the woman of Samarta spake to her neighbours of Christ and called them vnto him they both beleeved and came but had you been amongst them it seemes you would have done neyther the one nor the other except a Minister had called you I confesse indeed the Churches in England were very manneâ—ly this way would not so much as forsake the Pope of Rome till their masse-priests went before them who being continued in their office did by the attractive power of King Edwards proclamation at the first and Queen Elizabeths afterward and by their statute lawes gather heir Parish Churches vnto them vnder their service book as 〈…〉 doth her chicken to be brooded vnder her wing But the â—â—formed Churches were otherwise gathered then by Popish preists continued over them the people first separating themselves from idolatry and foâ—oâ—â—ing together in the fellowship of the gospell were afterwards when they had sit men to call them into the office of Ministery and so they practised as appears in the Epistle of Melanctbon to the Teachers in Bohemia in D. Tileâ—us his answer to the Earle of Lavall and in Peter Martyr vpon the 4. of Iudges It is true indeed that the Lord Iesus sent forth his Apostles into the world for the first planting of Churches though even in their times Ch were planted men turned to the Lord by the preaching of private brethreÌ„ Act. 8. 1. 4. 11. 19. 20. 21. therefore
have therefore power for officers also which they may chuse and so enjoy all their liberties by their help so in the spirituall corporation the Church there is alwayes the whole power of Christ residing which therefore may call officers for the vse of it to which it is sufficient that it can without officers vse this power for things simply necessary as for the receiving in of members by profession of faith and confession of sinnes for the aedifying of them by exhortations coÌ„forts in the ordinance of prophecying and so for casting them out by excommunication which fall from their former profession or confession The sum of the 11. and 12. Reas is that this power or liberty of the multitude to judge in Church matters overthrowes the power authority of Christian Magistrates in the Church to whom the people are commaunded to be subiect both in the old and new testament And doth not the ill advised man consider that his own opinion making the officers of the Church alone the Church and giving them power to judge in Church matters without the rest of the body doth as much overthrow the authority of Christian Magistrates as ours in making the officers and body with them the Church having power to judge together yea much more for if the ecclesiasticall officers alone be the Church Math. 18. and so must judge and censure sinnes which is the thing he pleads for then â— the civil magistrate simply excluded where wee reputing the whole body the Church do necessarily include the Christian Magistrate as being one of the Church Secondly is Mr B. and his brother Bell whom he quotes in the 〈…〉 gent to ignorant as they cannot distinguish betwixt civil authority and judgements in Church matters and that authority and those judgements which are ecclesiasticall The Christian magistrate as he is a brother may be censured ecclesiastically by the Church whereof he is a member and yet the same person as a magistrate whether of the Church or not of the Church or cast out of the Church may censure and punish civilly the whole Church and every member of it if there be cause whether in matters of the Church or common wealth In the 17. reason Mr B. would fasten vpon vs an absurdity in making the body both to govern and to be governed and so to be both Lord and servant Prince and subiect c. It is your self Mr Ber. that commit the absurdity which I thus manifest The Church must be governed sayth the scripture and coÌ„mon sense But the Church is the officers Math. 18. sayth Mr Bernard Wherevpon it followeth that the Officers must be governed And to your reason whomsoever you count Lords and servants and whosoever are Lords and servants in your Church I know by the scriptures that in the Church of Christ the officers are servants in that relation the Church may be called a Lord and if Christ truely call the sonne of man Lord of the sabbath bycause the sabbath was made for man and not man for the sabbath may we also call the Church in a respect Lord of the Officers for the Officers are for the Church and not the Church for them And yet we hold the same officers which are servants to be governours also for the government of the Church is merely a Church-service as all not carnally blinded with ambition or superstition will graunt with me Now where you affirm Reas 18. that the people are never termed by any name insinuating soveraignty but that the Ministers are you speak partially on both sides would you have the Ministers that is the servants of the Church to be her soveraigns The names you bring as most advauntageable argue no such thing They are Overseers as the watchmen are for the citie Elders for thâ—ir gravity Fathers in respect of the seed of the word by which they bâ—ge to conversion and therefore Paul makes himself he onely father of the Corinthians bycause he had been the instrument of their conversion notwithstanding all other teachers whomsoever to whom in that respect he opposeth himselâ— as not being their fathers And so men out of office may be as wel the fathers of others as they in office However fatherhood argues no soveraignty And yet the holy Apostles Prophets thought not much vpon all occasions to account the saints their brethren and themselves theirs And I would you wist whose names Iohn Bale in his Paraphrase vpon the Revelation ch 17 vers 3. thought your Grace your Lordship your Fatherhood to be And where further you name the brethren sheep the household of faith the wife or spouse in respect of the officers for that is the consideration in hand therein you deal very deceiptfully for the brethren or saynts are not the Officers sheep houshold wife or spouse but Christs betwixt whom and them the comparison is not Lastly your affirmatioÌ„ that the saynts are called Kings Rev. 1. 6. not for any outward power over meÌ„ but for the inward power of Gods spirit saÌ„ctifying the elect by which as Kings they rule over their own corruptions is an ill glosse corrupting the text For in the same place they are called Preists also Now as they are not Preists only for themselves but for their brethreÌ„ for whom they are to offer vp the spiritual sacrifices of prayer thaÌ„ksgiving so neyther are they Kings for themselves alone but for their brethren also having the power of Christ whereby to iudge them the keyes of the kingdome to bind and loose them in the order by him prescribed These things thus layd down occasionally I return to the point And first against the figurative exposition of these words Tell the Church I do alledge two approved Rules and Canon in divinity for exposition of scriptures The former is that scriptures must be expounded according to the largest extent of the words except there be some apparent restreynt of them The second is that they must be expounded simply and according to the letter except necessity compell to depart froÌ„ the litterall sence to a figurative And therefore since there appeares not any such necessity as is pretended eyther of figure or restreynt the words must be taken in their largest and simplest meaning With these rules I desire the reader to beare in mind that which hath been formerly observed to the purpose in hand and amongst other things that the officers are to govern the Church in the ceÌ„sures as in all other actions of communion and therefore cannot be the Church that every true Ch hath or is capable of a ministery over it and so there should be a minister of ministers that the order of officers in the Church is an order of servants and the order of saynts an order of Kings which is the highest order in the Church fitting vpon the thrones of David for judgement whom the ministers are to serve in guiding going before them in and
to repute them holy in regard of the Lordes covenaunt and do therefore set his seale vpon them so are their parents even from their cradle to bring them vp in instruction information of the Lord and so to prepare them for the publique ministery vnto which if they in their riper yeares give obedience in any measure they are so to be continued in the Church if other-otherwise they are in due time as vnprofitable branches to be lopped of and so cease to be of the Pastours charge Secondly for men falling into wickednes in the Church if they continue obstinate and irreclamable then are they in order to be consured and so the Pastour is discharged of them if on the contrary God vouchsafe them repentance this cannot be called a conversion of them to sanctification but a restoring or recovering of them out of some particular evill or evils into vvhich through infirmity they are falln So that the doctrine stands sound for any thing that Mr Bernard hath sayd or that eyther he or any other man can say that the Pastours office stands in feeding not in converting as also that Pauls scale and work was not the bare conversion of the Corinthians but their conversion from heathenism plantation into a Church and these with the signes of an Apostle even signes and wonders and great works 2 Cor. 12. 12. Lastly that the simple be not deceived and eyther give honour where it is not due or give it not where it is due let them consider that the conversion of a man is no way to be ascribed to the order or office eyther of Apostles or Pastours but onely to the word of God which by the inward work of the spirit is the power of God to salvation to them that beleeve it is the law of the Lord that converts the soule The word of the kingdome is that good seed which being sown in good ground prospereth to the bringing forth of fruit to life whether he that sow it be in a true office or in a false office or in no office at all And though it be true which Mr B. saith in his former book that the Ministers in England do preach as publik Officers of that Church yet doth their Office confer or help nothing at all to the conversion of men It is the blessing of God vpon the mayn truthes they teach not vpon their office of Preisthood which converts which truthes if they taught without their office eyther before they were called to it or being deprived of it would without doubt be as effectuall as they are yea much more by the blessing of God as appears in this that such amoÌ„gst them as make least account of their office formally received from the Prelates are the most profitable instruments amongst the people where on the contrary the professed formalists cleaving vnto their office and order canonically are generally vnprofitable eyther for the conversion or confirmation of any to or in holines To conclude then the turning of men vnto holynes of life is no iustification of your office of ministery or calling vnto it but of such truthes as are taught amongst you which all men are bound to hold and honour as we also do though we disclaym the order and power in and by which they are ministred The seventh and last argument Mr B. takes from certayn properties of true sheepheards layd down Ioh. 10. which he also affirmeth the Ministers of the Church of England have the first whereof is that they go in by the dore Iesus Christ that is by his call and the Churches which as he sayth he hath proved at large In so saying he speaks at large let him prove that the Bishop or Patron or eyther of them is in Christs place set by him to chuse Ministers or that they are the Church to which he hath committed the power of calling and choosing them and answer the Reasons brought to the contrary otherwise his large proving will appeare but a large boasting and he will give men occasion to remember the proverb It is good beating a proud man The 2. property wherewith he investeth them is that the porter openeth vnto them by which porter Mr Smith means the Church for which Mr B reviles him out of measure making the porter invisibly Gods spirit visibly the authority committed by the Church vnto some for admitting men into the house the Church of God which sayth he is a sensible exposition according to the custome with us and in Iudaea As there are many true ministers in respect of men which enter not in at all by the spirit of God or any motion of it as it was with Iudas is with all hypocrites who for by-respects take that calling vppon them so is Mr Smithes exposition making the Church the porter far more probable then yours who make the porter the authority of the Church coÌ„mitted to some for the admission of men Is not the porter a person rather then a thing And who that hath but common sense will not rather by the porter vnderstand the person or persons having authority then the authority which he or they have And if you Mr B. had but remembred what you write of the properties of the Church pag. 237. 138. making as here you do the porter or authority of the Church a property of a sheepheard you would I suppose in modesty have forborn the charging of Mr Smith to have his braynes intoxiâ—ated by his new wayes to be madded by his own fantasies in religion for wryting in this poynt as he doth And for the thing it self it is evident that Christ Iesus is properly the sheepheard of the sheep here spoken of and that therefore the authority of the Church can be no porter for hi enterance or admission I do therefore rather think that by the porter is meant God the father whose care and providence is ever over his flock who therefore hath called and appoynted his sonne Iesus Christ to be that good sheepheard who gave his life for his sheep And if you will apply this to ordinary Pastours and their calling then sure by the porter must be meant such as have received this liberty power from Christ by the hands of his Apostles for the chusing and appoynting of ministers which I am sure of all others are not the Romish or English Bishops Christ would never have the wolves to appoynt his sheep their sheepheards The 3. property of good sheepheards which you chalenge to your selves is that they call their own sheep by name that is they take notice of their people of their growth in religion â—â—d do abyde with them diligently watching over their flockes as by true and faithfull promise made in the open congregation they be bound in their ordination It must here be observed as before that Christ speaks onely of himself properly for of him onely it can be sayd that the
more then tyme I come to the mayn controversie about succession which might be layd down summarily in these words whether the reformed Churches were bound to submit notwithstanding their separation from Rome vnto such ministers onely as were ordeyned by the Pope and his Bishops but for the better clearing of things I will enlarge my speach to these three distinct considerations First whether the Ministery be before the Church or no. 2. Whether the delegated power of Christ for the vse of the holy things of God be given primarily and immediately to the Church or to the Ministers 3. Whether the Lord haue so linked the Ministery in the chayn of succession that no Minister can be truely called and ordeyned or appointed without a praecedent Minister Touching the first of these Mr Ber affirmeth as in his former book that the Officers make the Church and give denomination vnto it so expresly in his 2. book that the Ministery is before the Church And noting in the same place a two fold raysing vp of the Ministery the first to beget a Church the second when the Church is gathered he puts the Ministers in both before the Ch in the former absolutely in the latter in respect of their Office and ordination by succession from the first In which discourse he intermingleth sundry things frivolous vnsound and contradictory Now for the first entery I desire the reader to observe with me that the quaestion betwixt Mr Bernard and me is about ordinary Ministers or officers of the Church such as were the first Ministers of the reformed Churches and as Mr B and I pretend our selves to be and not about extraordinary Ministers extraordinarily miraculously or immediately raysed vp as were Adam and the Apostles by God and Christ whom he produceth for examples Admit the one sort being called immediately and miraculously may be before the Church yet cannot the other which must be called by men and those eyther the Church or members of the Church at the least Besides the word Minister extends it self not onely vnto Officers ordinary and extraordinary but even to any outward means whether person or thing by which the revealed will of God is manifested and made known vnto men for their instruction and conversion Yea it reacheth even to God himself so far Mr B. stretcheth it where he makes God the first preacher Gen. 2. 3. As though there were a controversy between him and me whither God or the Church were first I see not but by the same reason he might avouch that the Ministers of the Church could not all dy or be deceived bycause God is free from these infirmityes It is true which Mr B. sayth that the word is before the Church as the seed which begetteth it and so is that which brings it yea whither it be person or thing which may also be called a Minister and be sayd to be sent of God as it is an instrument to convey and means to minister the knowledg of the same word will of God vnto any So if any private man or woman should be a means to publish or make known the word of God to a company of Turkes Iewes or other Idolaters he or she might truely be sayd to be their Minister and the Lords Ambassadour vnto thē as you speak Yea if they came to this knowledg by reading the Bible or other godly book that book or bible as it served to minister the knowledg of Gods wil in his word might truely in a generall sense be accoūted as a Minister vnto thē But what were all this to a Church-officer about whō our quaestiō is These things Mr B. shuffles together but the wise reader must distinguish them so doing he shall easily discover his trisling The particulars follow And first he affirmeth that God made Adam a Minister to whom he gave a wife to begin the Church and as Adam was before his wife so is the Ministery at the first before the Church If Adams wife began the Church then is your mayn foundation overthrown namely that the ministers make and denominate the Church except you will say that Eve was a Minister Secondly it is not true you say that God made Adam a Minister before Eve was created In the same place you make and truely a Minister and Ambassadour which brings the word all one vnto whom could Adam eyther minister the word or be an Ambassadour to bring it before Eve was formed There was nothing but bruit beasts and senceles trees and to them I suppose he brought it not The truth is Adam and Eve were the Ch. not by his but by her creatiō which made a company or society thus we are in the first place to consider of them and of Adam as a teacher in the second place the speciall calling here and ever following after and vpon the generall Of the same force with your first proof is your 2. which you take from Ephes. 4. 11. 12. where it is sayd God gave some not onely to confirm the Church but to gather the Saynts to make a Church To let passe your boldnes with the words I except against your exposition application of them The word gathering vpon which you insist is in some bookes turned repayring and is the same in the Greek with that which is restoring Gal. 6. 1. of which I have spoken formerly Againe Paul in that place speaks not onely of Apostles other Ministers of the first raysing vp for the begetting of Churches but of Pastours and Teachers which were taken out of the Church and of the 2. raysing for the feeding of the flock You will not deny but the Apostles and brethren at Ierusalem were a Church of God Act. 1. 15. 16. when as yet no Pastours or Teachers were appointed in it and how then can your doctrine stand that the Ministers spoken of Ephe. 4. 11. 12. amongst which were Pastours and Teachers were before the Church out of which they were taken and raysed vp of God to beget a Church Yea it is evident that the very office of Pastour vvas not then heard of in the Church whereby the falsity of your other affirmation is discovered to wit that the Office of such Ministers as are of the second raysing which are taken out of the Church is before the Church Thirdly the Apostles themselves howsoever extraordinary officers immediately called and sent forth to beget other Churches both of Iewes and Gentiles were Christians before they were Apostles and members of the Church before they were Officers And the scriptures do expresly testify that God ordeyned or set in the Church Apostles amongst other Officers and this their setting in the Church doth necessarily praesuppose a Church wherein they were set as the setting of a candle in a candlestick praesupposeth a candlestick as in deed the Church is the Candlestick the officers the candles lights and starres which are set in it
Lastly it is a senceles affirmation you make that a man sent to win people is a minister to the hidden number not yet called out which are also his flock potentially though not actually The scriptures and you accordingly in another place make it a property of a good Minister to call his own sheep by name that is as you expound it to take notice of his people of their growth in religion c. now here you wil haue a minister of the hidden number whereof he can take no notice at all nor can tell whether or no he shall find one sheep amongst them Besides you coÌ„mit a Logicall errour in raysing an actuall Minister from the relation he hath vnto a flock potentially you may as truely affirm that a single man towards mariage is an housband and a father bycause he may have wife and children Any man that vpon a just calling or occasion opens and makes known the Gospel of salvation vnto a company of Turks or Pagans may in that generall sense be called the Lords Minister sent vnto them but a Church Officer of whoÌ„ our quaestion is till he have by his Ministery called and separated them vnto the Lord and be by their election called and separated to his office can he neyther be nor be called One thing more you adde which is that Ministers may be the Church as they are Christians and that they are Ministers in respect of an office bestowed upon them in their state of Christianity wherein you speak and that truely sufficient to overthrow not onely your particular errour in this place but well nigh your whole writing For therevpon it followeth First that the Church is before the Ministery bycause men are a Church as they are Christians Christians before they be Ministers 2. That Ministers make not the Church but become such by an office bestowed vpon them in their state of Christianity that is in their Church state Thirdly that the Christian brethren though not in office are part of the Church Math. 18. since even the officers themselves are acknowledged the Church or of the Church as they are Christians I come now vnto the 2. consideration and do affirm against Mr Ber. that the delegated and communicated power of Christ is given primarily and immediately to the Church and not to the officers This point I haue formerly handled at large vnder two generall heads opened in the former part of my book vnto which I do entreat the reader to look back yet will I for further satisfaction breifly annex a few things First bycause vnto the Iewes were of credit committed the Oracles of God vnto whom also did the covenants apperteyn and all the priviledges of them as to the common wealth of Israel 2. Bycause the Ministers themselves are given to the Church the Churches immediately as the Church is Christs Christ Gods And if this holy thing the Ministery be the Churches immediately then other things also as well as it in respect of right and possession though she vse the service of the Ministers ordinarily for the dispensation exequution of them It is not denyed but that the officers in such works as they perform vnto the Châ—in the name of the Lord as ofdoctrine exhortatioÌ„ admonitioÌ„ the like stand in a more imediate relatioÌ„ vnto the Lord then the Church doth but it must also be remembred that this no more advanceth the order of their Office above the order of the body then it doth one private bother performing the same work orderly in the exercise of prophesying or otherwise 3. The Officers are to dispense and exequute the holy things of God as the servants Ministers of Christ his Church and whatsoever they do in their office they do it as the servants and ministers both of Christ and of the Church Now common sense teacheth men that what power or authority soever the servants or Ministers of others haue or vse in their places that authority and power they haue first whose servants and ministers they are and that therefore the holy things of God are primarily and immediately the Churches vnder Christ and in the last place the Officers as the servants of Christ and his Church for execution in the order which Christ hath left The last greatest quaestion now comes into handling namely whether Ministers may be made by such as are no Ministers For this phrase of making Ministers Mr B. affects much belike with refereÌ„ce speciall to the Ministers of England and Rome who are fitly sayd to be made by the Bishops to be the workmanship of their haÌ„ds Mr Ber. vehemently vâ—geth the negative part namely that no Minister may be made but by a minister tying as he doth the Ch to the Ministery the Ministery to successioÌ„ ther is cause he should For if the chayr of succession should break both the Ch Ministery of England must fall to the ground The onely Argument he brings for his purpose is an historicall narration as he speaks from time to time without any one instance to the contrary the constant practise of the Church of God from the dayes of Adam hitherto I desire the Reader in the first place to take knovvledge from me that I deny not but confesse that the Churches of God more particularly and the Churches of the new testament continuing and abyding in that state â—ayth order wherein they were set established by the Lord in the hands of his servants the Apostles Eâ—angelists were to receive their ministers constantly by successioÌ„ after a sort namely so far as that all succeeding Ministers were to be ordeyned by Ministers and no otherwise But would any man save eyther a marked servant of the Pope or one that cared not what he wrote for some praesent seeming-advantage argue as this man doth from the estate of the Churches of Christ and in particular of the Church at Rome in Peter and Pauls time to the estate wherein now it is or was an hundred years since in which estate we are to consider of it But of this more hereafter The historicall narration before spoken of Mr B. divides into 4. tymes or ages the first wherof is from the beginning of the world till the giving of the law the 2. from the law till Christs coÌ„ming the 3. from Christ till the end of the history of the new testament the 4 and last from that tyme hitherto Let vs consider of his instances And first sayth he God at the worlds beginning ordeyned Adam in his place and till the law did rayse up extraordinary Teachers whom he also nameth in his 2. book as Henoh Noah Abraham Isaak Iakob Ioseph Levâ— and the rest As it is true that all Ministers are both to be called and ordeyned of God and ordinary Ministers to be called by the Church and ordeyned by the Church-officers
manner of arguing If this lyne hold from Peter to the Pope and from the Pope to his clergy and so successively to the Ministery of England then it stands vpright if it break then doth the ministery of England which as Mr Bernard truely honestly confesseth is thus raysed fall flat to the ground as indeed it doth according to the foretelling of the Angel it is fallen it is fallen Babylon the great City But here it wil be demaunded of me how the Lords people comming out of Babylon separating from Rome are to obteyn and enjoy Ministers Surely one of these three wayes Eyther by the extaordinary immediate or miraculous designation of God or by succession or by the same peoples choise or appointment to which they are to minister To expect ministers by the first meanes were fancy and presumption so that by one of the two other wayes they must come necessarily The power of the holy things of God so specially of erecting the minstery is eyther tyed to the order of office so to the order of to the Popeship Praelacy under it or els to the faith of the people of God forsaking BabyloÌ„ joyning together in the covenant of AbrahaÌ„ fellowship of the gospel The former of these though Mr B be driveÌ„ to plead it in the proof of succession yet in the defence of it he is forced to disclaym disavow yeelding the Romish Ministery to be Idolatry and superstition and that he speaks of such a succession as requires with it a true office true doctrine true sacraments and prayer pag. 188. and agayn that he meanes by succession a continuance of Gods ordinance by persons elected thereto from tyme to tyme being of spirituall kindred by the fayth of doctrine by which the ordinance is vpheld and true succession mainteyned pag 190. With which graunt of his I might rest as indeed wherein he yeeldeth the whole cause and cutts off as it were with his own hands the cord of true succession in the Ch of Rome making it to fayl when the truth of doctrine and of election fayled in the same Ch But bycause it is so common a thing with him to say and vnsay and to say agayn the same things eyther forgetting himself or thinking others forgets or bycause he would say something to every thing though never so contrary both to the truth and himself in another place I will presse Mr Smythes other Arguments The third of which is that by the doctrine of succession men are bound absolutely to sin in joyning to the sinns of the Minister This is sayth Mr B to take vnproved a principle of Brownism to overthrow a truth namely that a man cannot receive the holy things of God but he must needs sin with others And is it so indeed Doe not the scriptures every where teach men to avoyd reiect and hold accursed false teachers haeretiques and idolaters and not to partake in the sinne of others eyther by practising them or giving consent or countenance vnto them Wherevpon it followeth that the doctrine which binds the Ministery and other holy things of God vnto succession and thereby to partake with haeretiques and false teachers or at least with such in their ministration as have received the power and authority by which they minister froÌ„ the Pope and his Praelacy bynds men to sinne in joyning with the sinns of the Ministers Of the Iewish Church Preisthood which Mr Berâ—here objects I haue spoken formerly and do now adde that as no man is now so tyed to any Church or Ministery in the world as was every faythfull person in the world then to that one temple and Preisthood at Ierusalem so neyther could any man then without sinn communicate with an â—aereticall or idolatrous Preist especially ministring in a false office and by the like calling and coÌ„mission which the Ministers both in Rome and England doe In the 4. Argument Mr Ber deales dishonestly Mr Smiths inference vpon the doctrine of succession is that then the Lord hath made the Ministers Lords over the Church so that the Church cannot have or enjoy any of the Lords ordinances or holy things except they will consent vnto them for the holy things are in their power Now Mr Ber. onely trifles about the word Lord and passeth by the substance of the inference which is most sound vpon the doctrine For if the Lords ordinances and holy things be tyed to the Ministers then without their consent there can be no vse of them And so where Ministers eyther are not or not willing to coÌ„municate them there can be no Church no electioÌ„ of Ministers no keyes of the kingdom and so no salvation as I have formerly manifested vpon Math. 16. 19. The sum of Mr Smithes 5. Argument is that then the Pope may excommunicate the whole Church vniversall the Bishops their whole Dioceses and Provinces and the Praesbytery the particular Church whereof it is Your answer Mr Bernard is that this were to do the Pope a great favour to prove him to have an vniversall power c. and 2. that by this sequell of Mr Smythes this absurdity would follow that the Bishop might cast out the Church out of the Church It is you that do the Pope this great favour though you would not own it For if the Ministery make the Church and that Rome be a true Church then must the ministery of Rome be true specially of the Pope from which the other is derived as from the head Agayn if the ordinatioÌ„ by the Bishops in the impure Church of Rome be the Lords order as you expresly affirm p. 145. of your former book then must the Popes vniversall power by which the Bishops doe vniversally ordeyn be the power of the Lord which from him he hath received for that purpose They which hold that the power of the keyes was given first immediately to the Apostle Peter so to the Popes of Rome his successours they hold that the Pope may excommunicate the whole Church so they which hold the Bishop or his substitute to be meant where Christ sayth tell the Church they must necessarily hold that the Bishop or his substitute may excommunicate his whole Province or Dioces and so of them which hold the Praesbytery to be the Ch there spoken of for the particular assembly over which it is The Church there meant may excoÌ„municate any brother or brethren whom or how many soever that refuse to hear her as the Church of Corinth to whoÌ„ Paul writ might judge all them which were within and not without vnder the Lords iudgement The substance of the seventh last objection is for the 6. hath no weight in it that the doctrine of succession overthrowes it self and the Reason is bycause one POPE doth not make another by ordination whyles he lives but the Cardinals do by Election make the new Pope after the death of the former So that the Pope receiving his
in the same story when Deacons were wanting in the Ch at Ierusalem the twelve calling the multitude of the disciples together put them in mind of their liberty and informed them in their duety for the chusing of so many as were needfull so furnished as is there noted The same course did Paul and Barnabas afterwards direct the Churches amongst the Gentiles for the chusing of Elders in every City where they came Now if all things which are written before be written for our learning and for the learning of all the Churches and people of God why are not the people and Churches of God in all places to learne from hence their liberty and duty for the chusing of officers where they are wanting having men therevnto fitted by the Lord. And what hindereth but that the Church the multitude the Disciples call them as you wil in the fellowship and covenant of the gospell may be as clearely informed in their duety and as effectually exhorted to the vse of their liberty by the writings of the Prophets and Apostles as by their speaches The Apostle wryting to the Church of Corinth about the censuring of the incestuous man though he were absent in body yet was present in spirit which was in effect all one and as avaylable to that purpose as his bodily presence should have been so though Moses and Peter and Paul be bodily absent yet are they in their wrytings present in spirit after a sort nay God himself in spirit is present in them with his Churches people both for their warrant direction and comfort Though it be true then which M B sayth that the people wayted till the Apostles came and that they did not elect officers but vpon their exhortation yet must it also be considered that Apostles do now come in their writings as there they did in corporall presence and that they exhort as fully in them now as they did in speach then Besides there are now no Apostles vpon earth nor other Church officers having the care of all the Churches in the world as the Apostles had nor that are extraordinarily and miraculously endewed with all giftes especially with the gift of all tongues as the Apostles were nor that have the like generall commision to teach all nations as they had The ordinary officers which the Apostles and Evangelists left in the Churches and for the choyse of whom they left order to the worlds end were such Elders or Byshops as were assigned and fixed to such particular flockes as they were to feed vnder that cheif sheepheard and great Bishop Iesus Christ. Besides if the Churches or people should wayt now as M Ber. would have them till the Bishops of Rome or England came to them as the Apostles did to the Churches in their time to exhort them to chuse officers and to ordeyn them for them they might languish vnder a wan hope wayt till their eyes fayled in their heads Wherevpon then I do conclude that if the Church without officers may elect it may also ordeyn officers if it have the power and commission of Christ for the one and that the greater it hath it also for the other which is the lesse If it haue officers it must vse them as hands to put the persons by ordination into that office to which they haue right by election but if it want officers it may and must vse other the fittest instruments it hath as in the naturall body if men want hands or be deprived of the vse of them they do for their present necessity vse their teeth or feet or other fittest parts of the body for the busynes possible to be done by them Lastly if the Lord should rayse vp in America or the like place a company of faythfull men and women which of stones should become children to Abraham by the reading of the scriptures or by some godly mens writings or which is most like by the holy instructions and exhortations of some merchants or travaylers how or by what meanes should they come by Ministers Must they be sent out of Europe unto theÌ„ And if they were they would be barbariâ—ns ech to others neyther vnderstanding others language But what to do hath the Pope of Rome or the Bishops in England or the Praesbytery in Germany or France to appoynt them in America Ministers It is evident that such an assembly as I speak of having received the gospel haue received the keyes of the kingdome and the power of Christ and being joyned in this fellowship of the gospell haue the joynt vse of the keyes power of Christ being within the covenaunt of Abraham are the Ch of God so haue power to choose and appoynt their own Ministers froÌ„ within themselves Now because these things wil be better taken at other mens haÌ„ds then at ours yea it may be with many through praejudice their very authority wil sway more then our Arguments though never so rightly grounded vpoÌ„ the scriptures coÌ„mon reason I wil therefore here crave leave to bring in a few men of singular note both at home abroad to shew their judgments in the case in hand And I will first bring in one of our own nation of great account and that worthily with al that fear God how ever he were against vs in our practise The man is Mr Perkins He then writing about ordination succession in his CoÌ„mentary vpon the Epistle to Gal ch 1. ver 11. gives this testimony that if in Turky or America or elswhere the gospel should be received of men by the counsel perswasion of private persons they should not need to send into Europe for consecrated Ministers but had power to choose their own Ministers from within themselves the Reasons of this he renders in the same place bycause where God gives the word he gives the power also And I do desire especially his ReasoÌ„ may be observed which is that where God gives the word there he gives the power also Wherevpon it followes that any other asseÌ„bly whether in America or Europe separating themselves froÌ„ Idolatry whether Heathenish or Antichristian receiving the gospell of Christ do with the gospel receive the power also so may choose their ministers within themselves need not send to any other place no not to the next parish for consecrated Ministers In the 2. place I wil alledg one of greater note and more ancient and that is Philip Melancton who in his Answer to the ministers in Bohemia which taught the incorrupt doctrine of the gospell refutes the praetext of ordination to be taken from the Bishops with that of Paul if any teach another gospell let him be an Athema adding also that onely the assembly where true doctrine soundeth is the Church and that in it is the ministery of the gospell in it are the keyes of the kingdom of heaveÌ„ Wherefore in that very assembly in eo ipso coetu
of God and ordinances of Christ is injurious both to the growth and sincerity of the obedience of Gods people For whereas they ought to be led forward vnto perfection this teacheth them to stay in the foundation as if it were sufficient for the building of the house that the foundation were layd secondly it insinuates that it is sufficient if men so serue God as they can obteyn salvation though with disobedieÌ„ce of a great part of the revealed wil of God occasioning them thereby to serve him onely or chiefly for wages as hypocrites do As if a child should be taught so far to honour and please his father as he might get his inheritance but not much to trouble himself about giving or doing him any further honour or service Secondly I do answer that this truth which the ministers make t 〈…〉 onely fundament truth in religion is held and professed by as vile haeretiques as ever were since Christ came in the flesh May not a coÌ„pany of excoÌ„municates hold teach and defend this truth and yet are they not a true Church of God 3. I deny that the whole Church of England hath received and doth hold and professe this fundamentall truth how boldly soever these ministers affirme it They graunt there are many Atheists in the land they might say in the Church for Atheists are and ever wil be of the Kings states religion many ignorant and wicked men besides who make not so clear and holy a profession of the true fayth as they should And do these Atheists hold and professe the true fayth and every article of Gods holy truth which is fundamentall Are there not many thowsands in the nationall Church ignorant of the very first rudiments foundations of religion as the Apostle noteth them down and can they hold and professe that whereof they are ignorant Yea how can any wicked men hold that CHRIST is their saviour but they hold an apparantly in the eyes of all men for which notwithstanding these Ministers wil have them reputed true members of Christs body I ad that since the body of that Church or nation consists of mere naturall men and that naturall men are Papists in the case of justification and look to be saved by their good meaning and well doings it is most vntruly affirmed by those ministers that their Church accounts none her members but such as professe salvation by Christ onely They hold otherwise and so professe if an account of their fayth be demaunded as I have shewed by the testimony of Mr. Nichols and could do by the testimony of others if all men did not see it too evidently And yet see what these men affirme and that confidently and without fear for their advantage as that their whole Church makes profession of the true fayth that it holds and maintayns every article fundamentall of Gods holy truth and particularly that Iesus Christ the sonne of God and lastly that they that receive this truth are the people of God and in the state of salvatioÌ„ Whervpon it must follow that their whole nationall Church is in the state of salvation And surely so had it need be in the judgment of men having the promises and seales of the covenant of salvation applyed and ministered vnto it and to every member of it Lastly though the whole Church of England and every member in it did personally professe the true fayth in holines as all the true members of the Church do which are therefore called both saynts and faythfull and that we had do just exception agaynst that prophane and implicite profession for which both Mr. Ber. and the ministers plead yet could nor this make it or them a true Church The bare profession of fayth makes not a true Church except the persons so professing be vnited in the Covenant and fellowship of the gospel into particular congregations having the entyre power of Christ within themselves As hewed stones are fit for an house but not an howse nor any part of it till they be orderly layd and couched together so are men professing fayth and holines fit for the Church but not a Church nor of it before their orderly combination into a particular assembly having in it the power of Christ for the ministery government censures and other ordinances A company of excoÌ„municates put out of the Churches order may professe the same fayth they did formerly so may a sect of schismatiques putting themselves causelesly out of the Churches order so may many particular persons never ioyning themselveâ— vnto any Church at all You your selves define a Church to be a company of faythfull people c. so is not your nationall Church but many companyes not distinct and entyre in themselves and so onely one in nature as all the true Churches of God are but one by monstrous composition in a praeposterous and absurd imitation of the Iewish nationall Church and government Thus much of the Arguments in the handling of which the ministers insinuate agaynst Mr. Barrow sundry vnjust accusations which I will breifly cleare As first that he will account none members of the visible Ch but such as are truly faythful not onely in outward profession and appearance but even in the Lords ey and judgement bycause a Church is described a company of faythfull people that truly worship God and readily obey him But wherefore should the ministers thus interpret him doth he not speak of the visible or externall Church and so by consequence of visible and externall fayth and obedience which are seen of men In their Articles of religion a Church is made a company of faythful people if they must not be truely faythfull then they must be falsâ—ly faythfull And for true worship and ready obedience the Lord requires them in his word according to which we must defyne Churches and not according to casuall corruptions and aberrations brought in by mans fault 2. They charge Mr. Barrow to hold that every member of our assemblyes is led by the spirit into all truth and that it is evident he would have none to be accounted the people and Church of God who eyther know not or professe not every truth conteyned in the scriptures bycause he af firms in his Discovery that to the people of God and every one of them God hath given his holy sanctifying spirit to open vnto them and to lead theÌ„ into all truth It followes not that bycause he affirmes they have received the spirit to lead them into all truth that he therefore affirmes they are led into all truth by the spirit May not the Papists as truly avouch that Paull teacheth that the Church is without spot or wrinkle or any such thing bycause he teacheth that Christ hath given himself for it that he might make it vnto himself a glorious Ch without spot or wrinckle or any such thing It is then an il collectioÌ„
of the Ministers must have a very favourable interpretatioÌ„ viâ— that the Church hath power to iudge of a man infallibly that he is in the estate of salvation so is their other affirmation that the discerning of the spirits and doctrine of such teachers as arise in the Church is such a gift as the true Ch never wanted as popish an errour as ever was broched in Rome For how then can the Church erre or how can it be deceived by false teachers or how could Rome come to that estate of apostasie wherein she now standeth Or may not a Papist plead thus with these men Rome was a true Church of God Now the true Church never wants the gift of discerning spirits doctrines therefore Rome neyther hath wanted nor doth nor ever shall want this gift and so by consequence cannot be faln from the truth as is praetended against her To conclude it is not truely sayd of these men that this judging of one Church by another is a matter of salvation The Ch of Ierusalem was ignorant of the calling of the Churches of the Gentiles as the scriptures testify And I would know what the Church of England judgeth of the Lutheran Churches as they are called It accounteth of them as of true Churches So do not they of their Churches whom they call Calvinists but on the coÌ„trary repute them as haereticall Wherevpon it followeth that eyther a true Church may erre in judging of an other Church or els that eyther the Church of England or the Lutheran Churches or both are not true Churches Howsoever therefore we do not make light account of the testimony and iudgement of other Churches as these Ministers accuse vs yet dare wee not make idols of them as they seem to do who wanting both the word of God and practise of other Churches for their warrant seek commendation by the testimony which some haue given of theÌ„ in respect of certeyn generall heads of doctrine in which wee our selves also do for the most part concur with them Thus much of the Ministers Arguments Now follow their answers to two mayn obiections made by vs against the whole body of their Church and their Parish assemblies The first is that it was not gathered by such means as God in his word hath ordeyned and sanctifyed for the gathering of his Church The 2. that they communicate together in a false and idolatrous outward worship of God which is polluted with the writings of men vidz with read stinted prayers homilyes catechismes and such like These objections have been els where prosequuted and the exceptions taken by the Ministers agaynst them particularly answered by Mr Ainsworth and therein their both corrupt weak dealing manifested I will briefly adde a few things Against the former objection they take five exceptions First that they might lawfully be accounted a true Church though it could not appear that they were at the first rightly gathered as the disciples might be assured of Christs bodily prasence amongst them when they saw felt him Ioh. 20â— 19. 28. though they could not have discerned which way or how he could possibly haue come in Belike then wee must beleeve that the Church of Engl was gathered miraculously as Christ came by miracle into the place where his disciples were assembled But the answer is that these men take the mayn quaestion for graunted which is that their nationall Church is for the present a true orderly gathered Church of Christ and that so sensibly as it may be seen and felt Secondly that they might be rightly gathered to the fellowship of the visible Church by other meanes then by the preaching of the gospell that is as they expound it by publique and ministeriall preaching for which they alledge our opinion though vnsound yet having force enough to stop our mouthes And do these men deal soundly who to prove a point in controversie bring the opinion of their adversaries which they condemn as vnsound The opinion is most sound that men out of office for so wee speak may convert men to God and that ordinarily otherwise they may not prophesie ordinarily nay to what end should they ordinarily instruct reprove and exhort privately such as are out of the way And where further they make it one thing for men to be soundly converted and an other thing for them to be lawfully made a visible Church they vse craft to cover errour They vse craft in speaking of sound conversion to conceal that prophane and hateful errour that a visible Church may be lawfully gathered of vnconverted persons For as our quaestion is about the externall or visible Church so do wee require for it onely externall and visible conversion or that which is seen and discerned of men leaving vnto God the judging and discerning of that which is sound or inward according to the difference which them selves truely put from the scriptures in an other place Now that it is a vile prophane errour to hold that men converted wicked viz so far as men can judge by outward appearance may lawfully be admitted into the visible CHVRCH I have shewed at large in the former part of the Book and could if need were shew the whole course of the scriptures against it Mat. 28. 19. 20. Act. 2. 40. 41. 46. 47. 4. 32. 8. 5. 6. 8. 37 9. 15. with 13. 42. 43. 14. 15. 16. 14. 15. 31. 32. 33. Of like nature with the former is that which followeth namely that men may by other meanes be lawfully made a visible Church then by the preaching that is by the opening or publishing of the gospel For which they instance in those which follow Christ and professed themselves his discipleâ— who yet were not all drawn by his word but some by miracles Ioh. 2. 23. 25. some by the report they heard of him Ioh. 4. 39. sâ—me by the desire they had to be fed by him Ioh. 6. 24. 26. that Christian Kings have by their lawes been meanes to bring men to the outward society of the Church vnto which men may be compelled Luk. 14. 23. It is not true that Christ in his life gathered any visible Churches These persons indeed which followed Christ were members of the visible Church but it was of the Church of the Iewes which Christ gathered not He lived and dyed the Minister of circumcision and gathered no distinct Churches at all from the Iewish Church Secondly neyther any of the things named nor all of them together without or besides the gospell are means sufficient lawfully to gather a visible Church Some of them as miracles may be meanes to confirm the gospel and the rest of them to draw men to the hearing of and outward submission vnto it but is alone is the hand of God as Mr Ber. truely writeth stretched out to sub duâ— people vnto him it is the seed of the Lords
those purposes they are vayn and frivolous to be forborn in or about the worship of God which abhorrs all such vanity Lastly as we live in a very indifferent age for religion wherein the most are indifferent of what religion they are yea whither they be of any or none so no mervayl though men staÌ„d stisâ—y for indifferency of things And when they have amongst them such devises as they neither can approve for good nor wil condemn as evil they baptize them into the name of indifferent things But the truth is there is nothing simply indifferent in the vse but be it never so base or meane a ceremony circumstance or appurtenance to any solemn action it is eyther good or evill according to the furtherance or hinderance which it affoardeth to the mayn If it give furtherance to a naturall action it is naturally good if to a civil action civily good if to a religious action religiously good and so to be reputed otherwise it is vayne at the least and vanity as it is every where evil so is it in the matters of religion the taking of Gods name in vayn The next thing which Mr. Bern. vndertakes is to set downe how scrupulosity of conscience ariseth in men for which disease if it arise surely he sheweth himself a physitioÌ„ of no value for the healing of it but eyther smothereth the same vnder the authority of the Magistrate or dispenseth with it vpon good meanings or forceth it on without assurance or entangleth it with new doubts In the first enquiry which he wils men to make into themselves touching scrupulosity of coÌ„science amoÌ„gst other things he speaks thus If the ground vz. of doubting be not a iudgement enlightened convinced it is not trouble of conscunce but a dislike working discontentment vpon some other ground And this in the margent he wils the reader to note well as in deed he may note it and brand it too for il vnadvised counsayl For howsoever no mans conscience ought to scandalize or be troubled at the vse of lawful things for the larger conscience the better in that which is lawfull and that such doubts in the heart do arise from weaknes of fayth and weaknes of faith from want of knowledge yet since we all know but in part that our fayth is according to our knowledge and our conscience according to our fayth when a doubt or scruple ariseth in our hearts touching the lawfullnes of things yea though it be of very ignorance we must not passe it over lightly without trouble least it prove as a thorn in the heele and rankle inwardly Neyther are such scruples alwayes so easily removed as Mr. Bern. maks account Weak and tender consciences do oft tymes stick at a very strawe and there must they stand til the Lord give strength to step over The thing intended and promised by Mr. Bern. in the next place is satisfaction to the perplexed conscience and direction in that case which he is so far from performing by sound and resolved counsayl as were meet as in stead therof he propounds sundry doubtes and quaeries of his ovvn vvhich he leaves vnsatisfyed to the further entangling of his perplexed patient abusing also his reader too much in performing questions where he promiseth answers Wel howsoevr it be an easier thing to ty knotts then to loose them and that a simple man may cast a stone into a ditch vvhich a wise man cannot get out agayne yet are not those questions which Mr. Bern. propounds and so leaves vnanswered so dark doubtfull that a man needs take so long a jorney as the Queen of Sheba did for resolution The first quaere of weight being the 4. in order I vvil set down vvord for vvord though it be large because it is of speciall consideration The question then is Why a man should be more scrupulous to seek to have warrant playnly for every thing he doth in ecclesiasticall causes even about things indifferent more then about matters pollitick in civil affaires Men in these things know not the ground nor end of many things which they do yeeld vnto vpon a generall command to obey authority and knowing them not to be directly agaynst Gods will and yet every particular obedience in civill matters must be 1. of conscience 2. as serving the Lord so must every servant his maister which cannot be without knowledg perswasion that we do wel even in that particular which we obey in Which mâ—n vsually for conscience sake enquirâ— not into but do rest themselves with a generall commaundement of obeying lawful authority so it be not agaynst a playne commaundement of God What therefore doth let but that a man may so satisfie himselfe in matters Ecclesiasticall Though as playne a vvarrant must be had from Gods vvord for the things vve do in matters politick as in causes cclesiastical and that obedience in the one as vvell as in the other must be of conscience yet notvvithstanding the same vvord of God vvarranteth vnto vs clean and an other and different course of obedience in things civil and in things ecclesiasticall And the grosse ignorance or vngodly concealment of this difference is the cause of great confusion It must therefore be considered that this difference stands in tvvo poynts 1. the nature of the things and their proper ends 2. the povver immediate by which they are imposed from which two ariseth necessarily a third difference to be made in the conscience of obedience vnto them First then it cannot be denyed but matters civill and politick do come vnder the generall administration and goverment of the world and do respect the outward man for this present life On the other side matters ecclesiasticall come vnder the special administration of the Church and serve for the edification and building vp of the inward man to life eternall Secondly Magistrates and men in authority do enact and impose their civill decrees and ordinances upon theyr subiects by a Kingly and Lordly power as being Kings and Lords civilly over the outward man and his outward estate Math. 20. 25. and may by their Kingly and Lordly power commaund in their owne names and that vpon occasion to the civill hurt and hinderance of many of theyr people are therein to be obeyed notwithstanding Rom. 13. 1. 2. 3. c. Mat. 22. 21. But in causes ecclesiasticall not so There is no King of the Church but Christ who is the King of Saincts and Saviour of Syon no Lord but Iesus who is the onely Lord and Lawgiver of his Church And all his lawes statutes tend to the furtherance and advancemeÌ„t of every one of his subiects in their spiritual estate neyther King nor Kezar may or ought to impose any law to the least praeju dice of the same neyther ar they therin if they should to be obeyed Our civil liberty we may loose without syn without syn vndergo bodily domages
exequute all other Ecclesiasticall Censures Ibid Prop 5. The visible Church of Christ wheresoever it be hath the power of bynding and loosing annexed vnto it as our saviour Christ teacheth Math. 18. Discovery of D. Ban. slaunders Preface We must needs say as followeth that this book viz the Communion book is an vnperfect book culled and picked out of that Popish dunghill the masse book full of al abhominations Adm to Parl. Treat 2. Amongst vs the holy sacraments are communicated with the Papists the holy misteryes of God prophaned the Gentiles enter into the temple of God the holy things are indifferently communicated with the clean and vncleane circumcised and vncircumcised A plaine declaration of ecclesiasticall discipline pag. 172. Now let the indifferent reader iudge whether these sayings with many moe of the like kinde do not most necessarily conclude yea naturally beget a separation frō the goverment Ministery worship and communion of the Church of England and whether these men in thus wryting have not opened the dore vnto vs by which themselves enter not To the further charge of vncharitablenes layd against vs as being glad when they contend amongst themselves never praying for the peace welfare of the ministery c. I do answere that we reioyce for all peace in truth amongst all men but for peace in iniquity which is a wicked conspiracy and fearful judgment of God we reioyce not we pray not Let Mr B. aske the godly Ministers with whose supply he backs his book whither they reioice in his other mens peaceable subscription conformity or whither they could not rather have wished they had contended against the same yea let me ask Mr B. himselfe whither he reioyce in the peace of the representative Church of England the Convocation house and in theyr vnanimous consent in framing and imposing their canons and constitutions or whither he would not rather clap his wings and craw for ioy if the two Archprelates with the rest of theyr horned Clergy there would oppose and crosse one another And let me ask him yet further for the wellfare of which order of Ministery he would have vs pray or whither he himselfe pray for the welfare of the Bishops except it be sometymes before theyr faces And for vs to pray for the inferiour Ministery and not for the prelacy is to dally with God and to blesse the branch and not the root And in alledging as you do Act. 11. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. to prove that holy men have reioyced for the people receaving of the gospel and not at theyr standing in a constitution you do injuriously separate things to be conioyned For the same persons that received the gospell ioyned themselves in a constitution or constituted Church as appeareth ver 26. And it is expresly sayd Act. 2. 41. that they that receaved the word were added to the Church and being baptised they must needs be of a Church for baptism is not without but within the Church and an ordinance given unto it And how profanely bould soever you Mr B. are to blaspheme the tabernacle of God which he hath pitcht amongst men or visible Church framed according to the pattern given by a greater then Moses yet is it good for vs to consider what the H. Ghost noteth in the last verse of the forenamed Chap. that the Lord added to the Church from day to day such as should be saved Neyther can you possibly produce one example or other proof in the scriptures of one man teaching the gospell but he was a member of a true Church nor receiving it but he ioyned vnto one And for the man that cast out Divels in Christs name but followed him not Mark 9. 39. he can no way help you for what purpose soever you alledge him For first he was a member of a true constituted Church the the Church of the Iewes which was yet vndissolved 2. he had no office but a gift 3. his gift and calling to vse it was extraordinary and miraculous Now for our love towards you wherein you blame vs as defective it is the same in generall which we beare towards all men and more speciall according to the speciall bonds betwixt vs and you and towards many very great both for the many good things we know to be in them and vnder the hope also of their further progresse And for our prayers as it is true that wee cannot pray for you as visible members of Gods Church for God never gathered Church of the visible and apparent members of the Divel as the greatest part of yours were are so is it vnjustly infinuated against us that wee pray no otherwise for you thē for Papists Atheists and the like We pray for the perfecting of Gods work in you and that as we think many of you his people in Babylon so you may come out of her Our next brand of vncharitablenes is our accustomary excommunications even for light offences in some albeit others obstinate can be let passe And to prove this he quotes Mr George Iohnson Mr White the former an excommunicate himself whom Mr B. also pag. 35. of his book calls a disgraceful libeller the other an vngodly apostate whose accusations have been answered one by one A fit evidence for such a plea and plaintife But if Mr B. knowing the fashions of the Church of England had but once remembred the saying of the Lord Iesus Mat. 7. 3. 4. 5. he would never have accused other Ch of vncharitable and rash excommunications which if they be a mote in the Church of Amsterdam are a beam in the Church of England wherein there is more daunger of excommunication to them that feare God then to any other flagitious persons whomsoever Indeed no man can challendge Mr B. his Church of Worxsop for any such heady and rash excommunications they are very moderate this way and can beare in communion with them any graceles person whomsoever til his dying day and then commit ful charitably the body of their deceased brother to the grave with a devout prayer for his joyfull resurrection so charitable are they both to the living and the dead But the thing which most grieves Mr B and at which he hath greatest indignation Pag. 62. is that we will not heare his sermons though he preach nothing but the true word of God And so he desires to heare of vs where the hearing of the true word of God onely preached is sinn and for bidden by Christ or the Prophets or Apostles For answer hereof I would know first whether Mr B. speaking here and in many other places of the true word of God do meane that God hath a true word and a false word or rather bewray not an accusing conscience that they in England have not the word truely taught that is in a true office of Ministery Now for the demaund referring the reader for more full satisfaction to that which hath bene published
an other woman the wife of an other man or not contracted to that man is not his wife nor can be so reputed though she be never so obedient buxome vnto him so the Church of England til it be separated free froÌ„ the world prince of the world that reiâ—â—eâ—h in it so froÌ„ Antichrist his Eldest sonne in his hyeâ—archy priesthood other ordinances be taken into covenant with the Lord caÌ„not possibly be the true Ch of God or wife of Christ no not though the good things in it were many more then they are Which we do not alledg as is craftily insinuated against vs to iustify any mans continuance in a Church full of wickednes but to prove that the constitution of the Church that is the collection and combination of Saynts as matter in and into covenant with God as the form is that which gives true being vnto a Church and nothing els how vily soever men iudge or speak of it And for corruptions in the Apostolical Churches it is true the Apostles mentioned them but allwayes with vtter dislike severe reproof and streight charge of reforming them Rom. 16. 17. 1 Cor. 5. 1. 6. 7. 11 13. 1 Thes. 5. 14. 2 Thes. 3. 6. 1 Tim. 6. 5. Rev. 2. 14 16. 20. But how do these things concern you Though Paul and all the Apostles of Christ with him yea though Christ himself from heaven should admonish any of your Churches to put away from among themselves any person though never so haeretical or flagitious you could not do it neither could you reform any abhomination otherwhere though the same be as conspicuous as the leprosy of Vzziah which brake forth in his forehead And this want of the power of the Lord Iesus for reformation which an other man would think were an intollerable slavery Mr B. pag 68. turnes to good advantage and thinks himself his Church halfe excused of all the evils which are amongst them because they want power to vse the remedy thus pleading for a priveledg the mark of the beast froÌ„ which the servants of God ought to abhor herin being passing witty above other men in making an advantage of that evill which the most have enough to do to excuse And for true Churches not vsing aright the power they have for reformation they are like true bodyes which through some obstructions or stoppings for a time cannot voyd things noxious hurtful till there be a remedy but the Church without this power is as a monstrous body wanting the faculties instruments of evacuation and expulsion of excrements or other noy some things and therefore is never appointed of God to live but devoted to death and destruction Of the reformed Churches our cariage towards them I have spoken els where and for your Turkish Argument in the margent wherein you incense the Magistrate against vs as otherwise incorrigible it well becomes the rest of your book joyning violence to slaunder But are you your self wholly conformable Mr B If not why do you incense the magistrate against vs being your selfe obnoxious to his displeasure Or do you not hope to escape persecution your self by persecuting vs This is too ordinary a practise amongst you But the Lord seeth your haulting and rewardeth you in your bosomes as you have served vs. And when you and others more forward then you do consider feel in what hatred you are with the King and state me thinks your harts should smite you as the harts of Iosephs brethren did them in their trouble for their barbarous crueltie towards him Gen. 42. Our sixt sin by retayl Mr B. makes our rayling and scoffing and in particular H. Barrowes blasphemyes c. whose repentance he would have vs publish to the world If I should answerably require of you the publication of the repentance of your Clergy not onely for the cruel speakings but even for the wicked deeds which vngodlily they have committed against Christ in his servants and ordinances it were an hard tax put vpon you Yea to spare you for other men do you but publish your owne repentance for the same â—innes wherein you are deeply set and without doubt your godly example shall provoke many to the like And for Mr Barrow as I say with Mr Ainsworth that I wil not iustify all the words of an other man noâ— yet myne owne so say I also with Mr Smyth that because I know not by what particular motion of the spirit he was guided to write in those phrâ—ses I dare not censure him as you do especially considering with what fyery zeale the Lord hath furnished such his servants at all tymes as he hath stirred vp for speciall reformation Let the example of Luther alone suffice whom into what termes his zeale carryed his writings testify And yet both in him and in Mr Barrow there might be with true spirituall zeal â—leshly indignation mingled And though this in generall might be sufficient yet for the stopping of your mouth Mr B. and for the satisfying of others I will discend a little to the very particulars which you have câ—lled out against Mr Barrow as most odious First then you fault him that he calles your Bishops Antichristian prowd Prelates and the tayl of the beast c. And what are they but Antichristian if their office be against Christ and his ordinances in the visible Church And what els do all the reformed Churches abroad and reformists at home iudge speak write of them And what thought you Mr B. otherwise of them when even since you dealt against this cause of separatioÌ„ you affirmed before many witnesses that there was not a place in the new testameÌ„t against Antichrist but you could apply it against theÌ„ And because you are come to this height of boldnes depth of dissembling I will here insert breiâ—ly certayne reasons which I receaved from your self in wryting to prove the Bishops Antichristian and that word for word as I have reserved them by me to this day 1. The fruits of the Hierarchy are contrary to Christ. 2. It forbids many good meanes of religion as prophesying c. 3. It keeps in and nourisheth offenders against paynfull labourers 4. It excommunicates the godly yea for a word and that ipsâ— facto 5. It is lordly and tyrâ—â—mous contrary to 1 Pet. 5. 1. 2. 3. Luk. â—2 25. 6. It rules by Popish lawes and by the power of man which arâ— carnall weapons 7. It remits the offenders for mâ—ny though â—e repent not 8. It establisheth an vniversall Bishop as well as a Diosesan or Provinciall Bishop And as I remember at the same tyme you brought forth D. Downame in his first book proving the Pope Antichrist ch 4. affirming that the Hierarch in the Romish Church was Antichristian whereof I am sure the the Bishops office is a part These reasons I thought good to set downe not because they are all or some of them of the best
sin shal excuse you for not submitting vnto a true nor your prophane scoffing at a true constitution as at the Diana of the Ephesians discourage vs from reioycing in our portion It is with you in this case as it was sometimes with Rechum Shimshay who making a shew as though they would have built the temple Zerubbabel but not being the men to whom this work appertayned laboured afterwards to hinder discourage him the Iewes with him whom it did concerne Ezra 4. 1 2 3. 8. 9. Once you know Mr B. you did separate from the rest an hundred voluntary professors into covenant with the Lord sealed vp with the Lords supper to forsake all knowne sinn to hear no wicked or dumb Ministers and the like which covenant long since you have dissolved not shaming to affirme you did it onely in policy to keepe your people from Mr Smyth Well Mr B. be not deceived God is not mocked neither wil he hold them guiltlesse that so take his name in vayn but as you have sowen so shall you reap To conclude you would have no man blame you for your contumelyes against the planting of the Lords vineyard the building of Gods house the composition of Christs body the constitution of his Church And wherefore because Mr Robinson held as much before into separation And if it were so should myne iniquities excuse yours But it is most vntrue you affirme There never entred into my hart a thought nor passed a word out of my mouth so contumelious against the true orderly constitution of Christs Church though I have and that worthily disliked as I stil doe that hard rash censure passed by some vpoÌ„ the persons of such as of whoÌ„ the Lord by the evideÌ„t work of his spirit gives a better testimony And for the poynt in hand I am perswaded and so professe before all men that I see not by the revealed will of God in his word how to iudge otherwise of any ordinance of the Church or exercise of communion out of a true constituted Church then of the sacrifices out of the tabernacle or temple within whose circle they were concluded by the word of God The third errour is thus set down That such as are not of a particular constituted Church to wit such a one as theyrs is are no subiects of Christs kingdome And since our Church is a particular congregation separated from Antichristianism into covenant with God by voluntary submissioÌ„ vnto the gospel we do avow it for truth that such â—â— are not of a particular c. For since the visible Church is the visible or externall kingdome of Christ which he as mediator collecteth protecteth and administreth he that is not a member of the visible Church is not in this regard a subiect of Christs kingdome Neyther are your exceptions against this doctrine of any force The scripture you say in the first place never sets forth any of Gods people by this mark Yes that it doth and that oft tymes without any other mark How oft doth Moses and the other Prophets with him entreat the Lord to spare Israel when they sinned for their constitution that is for the covenant of his mercy into which he had admitted them with their forefathers Abraham Isaak and Iaakob The Lord protesteth Is. 1. that Israel did rebel against him that they did not vnderstand but were a most sinfid nation yea as Sodom Gomorrah and yet he calls them children his people v. 1. 2. 3. 4. 10. yea passing Sodom in iniquity and yet the daughter of his people daughter Zion Lam. 4. 6. 22. And what do these and infinite other the like places but coÌ„clude that where there was little or nothing els to be seen the Lord marked out his people by this that he had established them a people vnto himself by covenant which though they for their part had broken by their iniquities yet was for the present on his part vndissolved And where it is graunted by Mr B. that the godly ought to ioyn with the visible Church if possibly they can why doth he blame vs which intend no further If men truely desire it but cannot possibly accoÌ„plish it the Lord in this as in other cases accepts the will for the deed And so I answer your 3. ExceptioÌ„ in order touching the martyrs in Queen Maryes dayes and other godly persons there named that some of them were members of the true visible Church actually others actually separated from the false Church and in will which God accepteth ioyneth with the true Church others walking faithfully according to their knowledg whether living or dead are and were Gods people though in Babylon Your second exception is certayn scriptures to which you say this doctrine is contrary The first is Gal. 3. 7. 9. And how to this They that are of the faith of Abraham separate themselves by faith from the world into covenant with the Lord as AbrahaÌ„ did Gen. 12. 1. 2. 3. Heb. 11. â— To the 2. place which is 1 Ioh. 3. 14. I do answer that Iohn speaks of such as were of the true visible Church neyther can any other according to the true visibility manifestation of the love which the Lord requireth love his brother which is not of a true visible Church He that doth not admonish his brother if he offend after that order and in those degrees which the word prescribeth doth not love his brother Lev. 19. 17. But onely he that is of a true visible Church and that furnished with the power of Christ the keyes of the kingdome for the censures can admonish his brother in that order and those degrees which the word prescribeth Mat. 18. 15. 16. 17. And so this scripture Mr B. overthrowes both your opinion and standing The third scripture is 1 Cor. 1. 1. Paul wrytes there onely to visible Churches to the Church of Corinth primarily and so by proportion to all other visible Churches in the world for to them alone the censures sacraments prophesying and other matters there handled do appertayne 1 Cor. 5. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. and 11. 20. and 14. 4. 5. The brother spoken of in the fourth and last place which is 2 Th. 3. 15. was a member of the visible Church and subiect of Christs kingdome though walking inordinately in his calling as appeareth v. 11. and therefore to be discountinanced and made ashamed by the Church that he might the more faythfully apply himselfe to his busines These scriptures then do none of them wash this mark from of Gods people but some of them if not all print it far more deeply vpon them Lastly you ask whither Christs kingdome be not spirituall and invisible also Iob 18. 33. and 10. 16. No man will deny it though the places you alledge do not so necessary prove it But as Christs kingdome is spirituall and invisible also so is it spirituall and visible
also The man which hath receaved the spirit is spirituall and not the soule onely So externall things may be spirituall are in their relatoÌ„ vse and you erre if you think otherwise The word sacraments other ordinaÌ„ces of the Church are spiritual yea all the sacrifices of the faithfull are spirituall more specially as the Lord Iesus is the Preist both of the soul body hath payed a price for both so is he also the King both of soule body and swayes the scepter of his kingdome not onely internally by his spirit in the soule but externally and visibly also by this word in the outward man guyding the same by his lawfull officers depuâ—ed there vnto But what is the cause why Mr B. should move this question Is it not for that himselfe and his Church not having Christ to rule over them by his lawes but other kings and Lords by theyr canoÌ„s he would insinuate that Christ exerciseth none external regiment over his Church nor is the King over the bodyes of his subiects at all thus rather labouring to abolish that part of Christs KingdoÌ„ then to submit to it But as our principall care at all times must be to have the throne of our L. Iesus erected in our harts that he may reigne there so that we may give him his owne entyre that which he hath so dearly bought we must rank our bodyes also vnder the regiment he hath established for the well ordering preservation of his kingdom forever both in soule body not like Nichodemites or Familists presume to submit the outward man we care not to whome or what Our fourth supposed error is That all not in theyr way are without and they do apply against vs 1 Cor. 5. 12. Ephe. 2 12. And since the way is one as Christ is one and we assured that our way is that way of Christ we doubt not to affirme that all not in our way are without in the present respect provided alwayes that we do iudge that other Churches may be and are in our way and we in theirs and both they and we in Christs though there be betwixt them vs sundry differences both in iudgment and practise And that we doe fitly apply against you the scriptures above named I do thus manifest The Apostle 1 Cor. 5. reproves the Church for tolerating amongst them the incestuous person vncensured charging them to vse the power of the Lord Iesus given vnto them for that purpose and that as vpon him for the present so vpon other notorious offenders at other times Now least they should mistake his meaning he shewes how far this his advertisement extends viz to such offenders as were in the Church and to all and onely them And this limitation of the power of Christ to the proper obiect he sets downe in this 12. verse affirmatively to them that are within and negatively to them that are without From this place then I do thus reason They that are within are subiect to the power of excoÌ„munication by the Church gathered together in the name of Christ they without not But you Mr B. and so of the rest are not subiect to the judgement of the Church thus gathered together but to the Archbishop of York Who is not the Church of Workxsop Therefore you are not within but without in the Apostles meaning The second place we apply against you is Ephe. 2. 12. whence I reason thus They that are aliants and straungers from the common wealth of Israel are without But such are you and your whole parrish Ergo. The first Proposition is the Apostles words for to be without Christ as there he speakes and to be a stranger from the coÌ„mon wealth of Israel is all one The second Proposition is thus confirmed The coÌ„mon wealth of Israel was a religious policy consisting of a peculiar people of whom every one was by the word of God separated into the covenant of his mercy Deut. 29. 10. 11. 12. 13. Neh. 10. 1. 28. 29. But to affirme that every person in the Church of England or in any parish Church is admitted by the Lord into the new covenant or testament is both against the expresse word of God Heb. 8. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. and his owne conscience I am perswaded that affirmed it And thus so long as you keep your standing you must be content to stand without in the meaning of the Apostle in the places forenamed neither can you wrythe in your self or corrupt these places to get in by them though you give sundry attempts as 1. These places are ment of such as never made so much as an outward profession of Christ at all What better are men for professing God in word when in deed they deny him They are never a whit the lesse but the more abhominable Tit. 1. 16. And might not any Papist or other heretik make this exception For they make a kind of profession of Christ Iesus And when you Mr B. in your pulpit thunder the iudgments of God out of the Prophets and Apostles against Atheists Papists blasphemers proud and cruell persequuters might not a man serve you as you do us and tel you that the most of the threatnings you denounce were directed against the Heathen which did not so much as make an outward profession of Christ. Lastly the H. Ghost terming Antichristianisme Babylon Sodom Egypt spiritually teacheth vs to apply against it spiritually what the Prophets have civily spoken against them 2. They cannot prove vs without by the scripture expounding this phrase without by the scriptures laying a side the forgeryes of theyr own braynes The cause is playn that whosoever iâ— not a free deniâ—en of the coÌ„mon wealth of Israell and vnder the iudgment of the Church is without and there must stand by Gods appoyntment And that this is your estate is as playne And both these we have proved by the scriptures without forgeryes of our owne brayne all the brayns you have will fynd no forgeryes in our proofes 3 God almighty hath witnessed that we are his people 1 By giving vs his word Psal. 14. 7. 19. 20. and sacraments This scripture proves that God gave his word to Iaakob statutes to Israel but prove your selves the Israel of God shew vs from the word of God the charter of your corporatioÌ„ that your Nationall Provintiall Diocesan and Parochial Churches are that new Ierusalem and your inhabitants the right Citzens of that City enfranchised with her heavenly libertyes and answer the proofs brought to the contrary otherwise though you be never so shameles a begger of the question in hand we may not graunt it you 2 By Gods effectuall working by his word Ier. 23. 22. therefore heard â—â— the voyce of the sonne of God Ioh. 5. 25. and the words of eternal life God forbid I should deny eyther the truthes of Christ you have a
of it out of Antichristianism or Paganisme out of Babylon Egypt Sodome spiritually or civily so called or out of any other society or Synagogue which is not the true visible body of Christ must be is constituted and compact of good onely not of good evill The Lords field is sowen onely with good seed vers 24. 27. 38. his vyne noble and all the seed true his Church saynts and beloved of God all and every one of them though by the mallice of Satan and negligence of such as should keep this field vineyard house of God adulterate seed and abominable persons may be foysted in yea and suffred also which the scriptures affirm and we deny not But our exceptioÌ„ in this case is first that the Church of England was never truely gathered the Church of England I say that that is the National Church consisting of the Provinciall Churches and those of the Diocesan Churches and the Diocesans of the Parochyall Churches according to their parish precincts with their governours government correspondent That there were true visible Churches in the land gathered out of Paganism at the first I will not deny but that ever the whole Land in the body of it was a Church is an affirmatioÌ„ of them which consider not what is eyther the matter whereof or the manner how the Church of the new Testament is to â—e gathered 2. Graunt that the way of the kingdom of Christ the Church were now so wyde that a whol nation might walk a brest in it and that England had been some times that Canaan the holy land wherein none vncircumcised person dwelt yet in the apostasy of Antichrist it could not be so accounted but was in the body of it divorced froÌ„ Christ with Rome whereof it was a member except you Mr B. will affirm as many do that Rome remaines still a true visible Church and that antichristianism is true Christianism Antichristians true Christians the body which hath the Pope the head the true body of Christ so except the Church of Engl. had been sowen with good seed without tares since that general apostasie it cannot be the L. field The Iewes were forbidden by God vnder the law to sow their field with divers seeds and will he sow his own feyld with divers yea with coÌ„trary seeds wheat tares What husbandman is eyther so foolish or carles as to sow his field with tares wheat together And yet this fair field of Engl of whose beauty all the Christian world is enamoured is so sowen this pleasant orchyard so plaÌ„ted this â—lourishing Ch so gathered A few kernels of wheat scattered amoÌ„gst the tares here there a few good plants amoÌ„gst the wilde branches a smal strinkling of good meÌ„ amoÌ„gst the great retchles rowt of wicked graceles persons And was this field sowen this orchard planted this Church gathered by the Lords hand And as was the root so are the branches as were the first fruits so is the whole lump To conclude this point thus I reason The Lords field is sowen with good seed onely though tares may in time be conveyed into it by the Divels mallice and mans negligence But the Engl nationall Ch was not so sowen but with tares wheat together Therefore it is not the Lords field And thus I hope the indifferent reader wil easily see what succour Mr B. findes amoÌ„gst those tares under whose shadow he would so fayne shrowd all the Atheists Papists other flagitious persons in the Church Now for the Parable of the draw net Mat. 13. I confesse the bad fishes may be wicked persons in the Church but undiscerned as fishes vnder the water between which the good no difference is seen If the fishers and they that drew the netts did know of the bad fishes in them and had meanes of voyding them they would never burden themselves and the nett with them except you will have as foolish fishermen here as you had husbandmen before but till they do discern them to be as they are they must take theÌ„ as they hope they are though with you all be fish that come to the net yea good fish too till the CoÌ„missaries court judge otherwise And lastly to your saying wel it were that all were saints but that is to look for a heaven vpon earth I answer that the Church is heaven vpon earth and if you were not a straunger to the true Church and to such scriptures as speaks of it you should find as in many other places so espetially in the Revelation the Church visible oft dignifyed with the name of heaven and with no name oftener Yea to seek no further then these two parables brought in by you to speak against heaven that is against the true natural coÌ„stitutioÌ„ conservatioÌ„ of the visible Church Christ himself that with his own mouth gives the Church no worse name then heaven and the kingdom of heaveÌ„ the onely ordinary beaten way which Christ hath left to heaven in heaven is heaven on earth which way soever you please to guide men The sixth insimulation against vs is that we hold That the power of Christ that is authority to preach to administer the sacraments and to exercise the Censures of the Church belongeth to the whole Church yea to every one of them and not to the principall mâ—bers thereof If Mr B. were but as able to confute vs by just reason as he is willing to bring vs into hatred by unjust and odious accusations we should then have as much cause to feare his skill as now we have to complayn of his mallice Onely herein his skill is to be commended that where he findes not our opinions such as he thinks wil be disliked by the simple multitude he makes theÌ„ such and so deales against them Here come in many things of great weight to be discussed and although it were in it self the readyest way to reduce things to some heads and so to prosequute them in order yet since I have taken this task vpon me to trace Mr B. in the particulars therfore I purpose to follow him step by step notwithstanding all his vnorderly wandrings and excursions And first Mr B. charging vs with errour for giving authority to preach minister the sacraments excercise the censures to the whole Church and not to the principall members thereof playnely insinuates that the authority to do all these things amongst them is in the principall members of the Church But the truth is otherwise in the parish Church of Worksop and in all other the parish Churches in the land You have one onely member that hath power and that vnder the ordinary to any of these things and that your self the parrish Priest though perhaps the parish clerk may by speciall indulgence be licensed to bury the dead Church women read service on light holy dayes and do some such like drudgery in your absence But
for the exercising of the censures that belongs not to the whole body or to any member thereof principall or lesse principall but to the Bishops and his substitute which are forreyners and strangers as in theyr office from the true Church so even in theyr persons from yours All your portion in the censures Mr B. is to do the exequutioners office when the Officiall hath played the iudge which if you should be so bold as to refuse besydes the punishment of your contumacy the Church doore would do your office for the bull of excommunication hanged vp there by the sumner byndes the offenders both in heaven earth And for the position it self howsoever we do indeed maynteyne the most of the particulars against which Mr B. intends his refutation yet as he sets it down we do vtterly disclayme it with all the errors in it First for teaching in the Church we do not vse it promiscuously nor suffer it to be vsed but according to the order as we are perswaded which Christ and his Apostles have prescribed And for the sacraments the contrary to that which you affirme is to be seene of all men in our confession of fayth wherein it is held that no sacraments are to be administred vntill Pastors or Teachers be ordayned in theyr office neyther have we practised otherwise And this Mr B. knew when he writ this book as well as our selves Thirdly touching the censures we do expresly confesse that the power as to receive in so to cut of any member is given to the whole body together of every christian congregation and not to any one member a pâ—â—t or to more members sequestâ—ed from the whole vsing the mâ—etest member for the pronouncing the censures And answerable to our profession is our practise with what conscience then or credit Mr B can father vpon vs those bastardly runnagaâ—es let God men iudge These things being thus the vntruthes which he sayth we build vpon this opinion are his and not ours as the groundwork is his so is the whol building raysed from it But touching interpretation of scripture by private brethren and pollution by sinn vnreformed in the Church separation from it for the same we shall speak in their places Onely I desyre it may be observed that rather then Mr B. will forbeare to accuse vs that we hold it lawfull for one person to excommunicate the whole Church he will back this most odious calumniation with as fond and false an assertion and that is that separating from a Church and excommunicating of it is all one in substance though called lesse odiously But the contrary is manifested by these two reasons First excommunication is a sentence judiciall presupposing ever a solemn and superiour power over the party sentenced but no such thing is inferred vpon separation 2. Excommunication is onely of them which are within and of the Church but separation may be from them without And I would know of Mr B. whither a person though never so meane might not separate from the assemblies of Pagans Turkes Iewes Papists other haeretiques and Idolaters I hope he would not draw such a man within his separatists schism yet for the same person to excoÌ„municate such an assembly were a sinful prophanation of Gods ordinance And though we held as we do nothing lesse that one man might excommunicate the whole Church yet were it not more as you affirm then your Church allowes to any Bp. in Engl. no nor so much by a thousaÌ„d parts for one Bishop with you may excommunicate a thousand Churches every Diocesan Bishop all the Churches in his Dioces the two Provincial Bishops theyr two Provinces so livelyly do the reverend fathers the Bishops resemble the holy father the Pope which may judge all men but be judged by none The next collection made agaynst us is that we hould that two or three gathered together must be a Church which hath the whole power of Christ and may preseÌ„tly make them officers vse the discipline of Christ. No such hast Mr B. of making officers presently we make no dumb Ministers neyther dare we admit of any man eyther for a teaching or governing Elder of whose ability in prayer prophecying debating of Church matters we have not had good experience before he be so much as nominated to the office of an Elder amoÌ„gst vs remeÌ„bring alwayes the deep charge of the Apostle to lay hands suddeynly on man nor to be partakers of other mens sums But this we hold and affirm that a company consisting though but of two or three separated from the world whither vnchristian or antichristian and gathered into the name of Christ by a covenant made to walk in all the wayes of God knowen vnto them is a Church and so hath the whole power of Christ. And for the clearing of this truth I will propound and so prove by the scriptures these two heads 1. First that a company of faithfull people thus covenanting together are a Church though they be without any officers amoÌ„g them coÌ„ntrary to that your Popish opinioÌ„ here insinuated els where expressed that a company is no where in all the new testament called a Church Christian familyes excepted but when they have theyr officers and that otherwise they are called beleevers Disciples but not a Church but onely by anticipation as heaven and earth are so called before they were Gen. â— 1. that the officers give theÌ„ the denominatioÌ„ of a Church 2. That this company being a Church hath interest in all the holy things of Christ within amongst theÌ„selves immediately vnder him the head without any forreyn ayd assistance Of which holy things in particular we shall consider as they come in our way These two grounds by the grace of God I will prove in order and for the confirmation of the former take these reasons The first is gathered from the authours owne words that a coÌ„pany of holy persons without officers are called beleevers disciples but not a Church which is all one as if he sayd that a Church is not called a Church for the word Church is no more then a coÌ„pany or assembly howsoever gathered together and so a set company of visible beleevers must needs be a constituted visible Church and to manifest the vanity of that distinction that one place shall serue Act. 11. 26. where in the same verse the same persons are called the Church Disciples and Christians Two or three or more people making Peters confession Math. 16. are the Church But two or three or more may make this confession without officers Therefore such a company is a Ch The former proposition is evident by that promise Christ made to build his Church vpon the rock of Peters confession The second namely that men without officers may professe their faith is without question except we will hold that without officers no men can
Church and exercise of the communion are they therefore alone to do al things They if there be any of them in the Church are to govern in every election and choyce of ensuing Officers are they therefore alone to chuse excluding the Church They are to govern in preaching prophesying and hearing the word and receiving the sacraments singing of Psalmes distributing vnto the necessities of the sayncts are they therefore alone to prophesie to sing Psalmes to contribute to the poor the rest with as little reason can it be affirmed that they alone are to have cōmunion in the censures to admonish judge because they are to govern in the carying administring of those matters These things thus cleared it wil be very convenient for the purpose in hand and wil give much furtherance to the truth in a few words to consider of the nature of Ecclesiastical government and governours which whilst politik men through either ignorance or contempt of the gospels simplicitie do neglect they labour to transform the Church into a wordly kingdome and to set over it a kinde of kingly and lordly government and such scriptures as give libertie and power unto kings and other civile officers over their subjects and people for the making and altering of lawes and for the passing and ordering of judgements these they pervert and misapply to Church governours and government then which nothing is more monstrous Math. 20. 25. 26. 27. 28. 1 Pet. 5. 3. I. For first civil officers are are called in the word of God Princes Heads Captaines Iudges Magistrates Nobles Lords Kinges them in authority principalities powers yea in their respect Gods and according to their names so are their offices but on the contrarie Ecclesiasticall officers are not capable of these or the like titles which can neyther be given without flatterie unto them nor received by them without arrogancy neyther is their office an office of Lordship Sovereigntie or Authoritie but of Labour and Service and so they the Labourers and Servants of the Church as of God 2. Magistrates may publish execute their owne lawes in their own names Ezra 1. 1. 2. c. Est. 8. 8. Math. 20. 25. But Ministers are onely interpreters of the lawes of God and must look for no further respect at the hands of any to the things they speak then as they manifest the same to be the commaundements of the Lord. 1 Cor. 14. 37. 3. Civill administrations and their formes of goverment may be and oft tymes are altered for the avoyding of inconveniences according to the circumstances of tyme place and persons Ex. 1◠13. 14. 15. 16. 17. c. But the Church is a kingdome which cannot be shaken Heb. 12. 28. wherein may be no innovation in office or forme of administration from that which Christ hath left for any inconveniency whatsoever 4 Civill Magistrates have authority by their offices to judge offēders vpon whom they may also exequute bodily vengeance vsing their people as their servants and ministers for the same purpose but in the Ch the officers are the ministers of the people whose service the people is to vse for the administring and executing of their judgemēts that is for the pronouncing of the judgments of the Church of God first against the obstinate which is the vtmost execution the Church can perform And what difference can be greater In the cōmon wealth the people fewer or more yea somtimes whol armies the ministers of the officers in the Church the officers the ministers of the people 5. In civill government obedience must be performed for the authority and will of the commaunder who is Lord over the bodyes and goods of his subjects Mat. 20. 25. 26. 1 Pet. 5. 3. yea though his commaundements being with them bodily domage yea be they never so vnjust vnholy yet must obedience be given in meek and pacient sufferance though not in active performance ◠Pet. 2. 13. 14. 3. 14. 15. 16. but in Church matters not so The officers may neyther exact obedience nor the people perform it further then the goodnes profit and aedification of and by the thing commaunded doth enforce 1 Cor. 14. 26. Gal. 1. ◠Col. 2. 16. 1◠And the reason is because civil Magistrates have authority annexed to their office and order and though both they and their commaundements be most vnjust yet do they still reteyn their authority which their subjects may not shake of but ministers and Church governers have no such authority tyed to their office but merely to the word of God And as the peoples obedience stands not in making the Elders their Lords Soveraignes Iudges but in listening to their godly counsels in following theyr wise directions in receiving their holy instructions exhortations consolations and admonitions and in vsing their faithful service and ministery so neyther stands the Elders govermēt in erecting any tribunall seat or throne of judgement over the people but in exhorting instructing comforting improving them by the word of God 1 Tim. 3. 16. in affoarding the Lord and them their best service But here it wil be demaunded of me if the Elders be not set over the Church for her guidance and government Yes certaynly as the physition is set over the body for his skill and faithfulnes to minister vnto it to whom the pacient yea though his Lord or Maister is to submit the lawyer over his cause to attend vnto it the steward over his family even his wife and children to make provision for them yea the wachmen over the whole city for the safe keeping thereof Such and none other is the Elders or Bishops government Now to conclude this point All the scriptures which Mr B. brings as the reader may see serves to prove that the governers of the Church must be in and of the Church they govern but the governers of the Church of Worxsop are not of it neyther would Mr B. I dare say be well pleased they should But where it is further affirmed that during all the Apostles dayes the body of the congregation attempted nothing of themselves but that alwayes Church matters were begun governed and composed by the Apostle◠as it made nothing against our matter though it were even so as is sayd since w◠hold that where there are officers in the Churches those faithfull in all things as th' Apostles were there things are not to be attempted without them so is it not true which is affirmed neyther do the scriptures alledged prove any such thing The three first places Act. 1. 15. 23. 24. 25. and 6. 3. 6. and 14. 19. 20. 23. do onely prove that the Apostles being general men officers of all Churches did when they were present with the Churches govern and assist them faythfully in all things which we also affirm to be the duty of al Elders in their particular charges whom the people are accordingly to obey More particularly The two
this key as it were the wrong way vpon themselves Now by the evidence of the former generall truth approved I doubt not to the conscience of every indifferent man which is that a company of faithfull people vnited together in the fellowship of the gospel though without officers is a Church This specialty in hand wil be cleared And wheresoever the promise of forgivenes of sinnes and life eternall is to be found there hangeth the golden key of heaven gates there sinnes are loosed in heaven for what els is it to loose sinnes but to publish proclayme or declare in the word of God righteousnes of Christ the forgivenes of sinnes to them that repent But of these things hereafter I will in the first place consider of Mr Bernards proofs and of his collections from them The places alleadged are Math. 2â— 19. 16. 19. Ioh. 20. 21. 22. 23. Mark 13. 34. which scriptures are not all of one nature nor serving to the same end Yet this in generall I do answer to all of them that we deny not but that the publique Ministers are by coÌ„mission from Christ to publish the gospel administer the sacraments bind and loose sinnes watch and ward the howse of God and the like which for vs to deny were wickednes and for you to proove is lost labour But the pointes in controversie betwixt vs are first whether these things and all of them and with them all other Church affairs not here mentioned be so appropriated to the Officers as that none other may meddle with them and 2. whether this power be committed to them immediately from and by Christ or mediately from Christ by the Church which consideration whilest you neglect you erre your self deceive such as follow you and injury them you oppose But to the particulars The first third scriptures Math. 28. 19. Ioh. 20. 21. 22 23. are meant onely of the Apostles and in them they receive the coÌ„mission Apostolik which to speak properly is incommunicable to any other Officer in the Church For as none are to succeed them in the Office of Apostles so neyther is the Commission peculiar to the Apostles â—â—nveyed or intended to any others which also further appeares thus Their charge was to teach and baptise all nations to goe into all the world and to preach the gospel to every creatureâ— but ordinary Ministers have no such commissioÌ„ but are tied to their particular flocks Act. 14. 2â— 20. 28. 2. Their CoÌ„mission was extraordinary and miraculous whether we respect the inward qualifications of the parties by the immediate inspiration of the holy Ghost wherewith they were at the first springled as it were Iohn 20. 22. and afterward replenished Act. 2. 4. or whether we respect the miraculous confirmation of the doctrine both by them thaâ— taught it and by them that bâ—leeved it Mark 16. 17. 18. 20. 3. The very outward oâ—der and manner of conveying it was extraordinary and by Christs immediate voice and as it were with his owne hands where ordinary Ministers have their commissioÌ„s from Christ indeed but by men Gal. 1. 1. And the consideration of this very difference doth minister sufficient matter of answer that though Christ did transferre unto the Apostles their office and power to exercise it immediately yet for ordinary ministers the case is clean otherwise Lastly the disciples of Christ did not then first receive power to teach when they were possessed of their Apostleship but long before they were admitted into office as did others also besides theÌ„ without office as well as they Math. 10. 5. 6. 7. Luk. 10. 1. 2. 3. 9. 10. which scriptures alone as they are sufficient to justify against Mr B. that the keyes of the kingdome were given into the hands of men without office yea before any office or officer was in the Church so do they manifest the notable falshood of that his peâ—emptory affirmation pag. 93. that it is as playn as the shining of the sun of the firmament of heaven to such as are not blind or wilfully shut not their eyes from seing that Christ never sayd to the body of the congregation that is to any out of office for that is the point goe preach The Apostles by Mr B. own graunt in this place by these scriptures at this time and not before had their commission of Apostlâ—ship graunted them â—rom Christ and I hope he will not say they entred their office without a commission â—nd yet both power and charge was given them long before to preach the kingdome of God as the forequoted scriptures manifest The next place is Mat. 16. 19. where expresse mention is made of the keyes of the kingdome of heaven and of the power of binding and loosing given to Peter by which scripture rightly interpreted I desire the difference betwixt Mr Bernard and me may be determined That by the keyes is meant the gospel of Christ opening a way by him and his merits as the doore into the kingdome I have formerly declared and we must take heed of that deep delusion of Antichrist in imagining that this power of binding or loosing sinnes of opening or shutting heaven gates is tyed to any office or order in the Church it depeÌ„ds only vpoÌ„ Christ who alone properly forgâ—veth sinnes hath the key of David which opens and no man shuts and shuttes and no man opens and this key externally is the gospell which with himself he gives to his Church Isa. 9. 6. RoÌ„ 3. 2. 9. 4. and not to the officers onely for them as Mr Bern. in his last book come to mine hand in the publishing of this mine answer doth insinuate because the materiall book was giveÌ„ into the hands of the Preists and Elders to be kept Deut. 31. 9. whence I do by the way gather thus much that since the keyes of the kingdome of heaven is the gospel and that the gospel is giveÌ„ to the whole Church and to every member of it whether there be Ministers or no it therefore followeth that the keyes are given to all and every member alike as the gospel is though not to be vsed alike by all and every one which were grosse confusion but according to the order prescribed by Christ. Now for the place in hand which is Math. 16. 18. 19. it is graunted by all sides that Christ gave vnto Peter the keyes of the kingdome that is the power to remit and reteyne sinnes declaratively as they speak as also that in what respect this power was given to PETER in the same respect it was and is given to such as succeed Peter but the quaestion is in what respect or consideration this power spoken of was delegated vnto him The Papist affirmes it was given to Peter as the Prince of the APOSTLES and so to the BISHOPS of ROME as PETERS successours and thus they stablish the POPES primacy the PRELATES say nay but vnto PETER an APOSTLE that is a cheif
Officer of the CHVRCH and so to vs as cheif Officers succeeding him which is also Mr B judgement pag. 94. Others affirm it to belong to Peter here as a Minister of the word and sacraments and the like and so consequently to belong to all other Ministers of the gospel equally which succeed Peter in those and the like administrations But we for our partes do beleeve professe that this promise is not made to Peter in any of these forenamed respects nor to any office order estate dignity or degree in the Church or world but to the confession of faith which Peter made by way of answer to Christs question who demaunding of the disciples v. 15. whom amongst the variety of opinions that went of him ver 14. they thought him to be was answered by Peter in the name of the rest Thou art Christ the sonne of the lâ—ving God ver 16. To this Christ replyes ver 17. blessed arâ— thou Symon the sonne of Ionas c. and ver 18. thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not overcome it and v. 19. I will give unto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heaven whatsoever thou shalt bind vpon earth shal be bound in heaven and whasoever thou shalt loose on earth shal be loosed in heaven So that the building of the Church is vpon the rock of Peters coÌ„fession that is Christ whom he confessed this faith is the foundation of the Church against this faith the gates of hell shall not prevayl this faith hath the keyes of the kingdome of heaven what this faith shall loose or bind on earth is bound loosed in heaven And thus the Protestant divines when they deal against the Popes supremacy do generally expound this scripture though Mr B. directly make the Pope and his shavelings Peters successours in this place as hereafter wil appeare Now vpon the former ground it followeth that whatsoever person hath received the same pretious faith with Peter as all the faithfull have â— Pet. 1. 1. that person hath a part in this gift of Christ whosoever doth confesse publish manifest or make knowen Iesus to be that Christ the sonne of the living God and Saviour of the world that person opens heaveÌ„ gate looseth sin partakes with Peter in the vse of the keys And herevpon also it followeth necessarily that one faithful man yea or woman eyther may as truely and effectually loose and bind both in heaven and earth as all the Ministers in the world But here I know the Lordly clergy like the bulles of Bashan will roar lowd vpon me as speaking things intollerably derogatory to the dignitie of Preisthood and it may be some others also eyther through ignorance or superstition will take offence at this speach as confounding all things but there is no such cause of exception For howsoever the keyes be one and the same in nature and efficacy in what faithful mans or mens handes soever as not depending eyther vpon the number or excellency of any persons but vpon Christ alone yet is it ever to be remembred that the order and manner of vsing them is very different These keyes in doctrine may be turned as well vpoÌ„ them which are without the Church as vpon them which are within and their sinnes eyther loosed or bound Math. 28. 19. but in discipline as we speak not so but onely vpon them which are within 1 Cor. 5. 12. 13. Againe the Apostles by their office had these keyes to vse in all Churches yea in all nations vpon earth ordinary Elders for their particular flockes Act. 14. 23. 20. 28. Lastly there is an vse of these keyes publiquely to be had and an vse privately an use of them by one person severally and an use of them by the whole Church ioyntly and together an vse of theÌ„ ministeriall or in office and an vse of them out of office but the power of the gospel which is the keyes is still one and the same notwithanding the divers manner of vsing it And this distinction well observed will stop the hole by which Mr Bernard in his reply sundry times scapes out where otherwise he should be vnavoydably taken in Mr Smythes arguments by taking vantage at and perverting of a phrase vsed by Mr Sm which is the ministeriall power of Christ. This ministeriall power Mr S. makes that externall coÌ„municated delegated power of Christ with and to the Church serving onely for manifestation and declaration of the remission or retention of sinnes opposing ministeriall power in the creature to that power essentiall incommunicable which is inhaerentin Christ and God the creator but Mr B. on the other side eyther ignorantly or deceiptfully misinterprets the terme Ministeriall as meant onely of the power in office opposed to that which is out of office and so creeps out at this cranny But with what reason can it be eyther conceived or suggested that Mr Smyth should affirme that the body of the Church or a private brother out of office should have this power spoken of in office Thus much to prove that all the pretious promises Math. 16. were made to Peter in respect of his confession of faith and so consequently to all others which succeed him in the same confession and amongest the rest the vse of the keyes though not in the same order or office with Peter which was peculiar vnto him with some few others It followeth First if the keyes of the kingdome of heaven be appropriated vnto the officers then can there be no forgivenes of sinnes nor salvation without officers for there is no enterance into heaven but by the dore there is no clyming over any other way without the key the doore cannot be opened so then belike if eyther there be no officers in the Church as it may easily come to passe in some extreame plague or persecution howsoever in England a man may haue a Preist for the whisteling and must needs be in the Churches of Christ in our dayes eyther in their first plaÌ„ting or first calling out of Babylon for Antichrists masse-preisthood is not essentially Christs true Mâ—nistery or if the officers take away the key of knowledge as the Scribes Pharisees did will neither enter in themselves nor suffer them that would then must the miserable multitude be content to be shut out and perish eternally for ought is knowen to the contrary They haue no remedy in this case no redresse may be had of this evill no meanes vsed to avoid it Though the Pope cary with him thowsands to hell no man may say vnto him Sir why do you sâ— To admonish the Officers of their sinne were against common sense that the father should be subiect to his children the work dominere over the workman the seeds-man be ordered by the corn and to excoÌ„municate them and call new were intolerable vsurpation of the keyes this power is given to the chief
the meanes of their aedification salvation how streyt and hard hearted soever you M. B. are towards them or coÌ„temptuous of them they may and must use in cases of necessity their best helpes for the distribution of things simply necessary to the body And dare you say as you haue done in both your books that the officers are absolutely to the Church as the eyes to the body and that there is no spirituall light in the rest of the members save onely in them and that all the body besides and without them is darknes Indeed such a blind beetle your spirituall Lords and you make your Churches and so you lead them But oh you the people of God yet in Babylon partakers of the heavenly illumination trust not these your Seers too much they would be thought all ey from top to bottom and would make you beleeve that you the multitude are stoneblind and can not possibly without them see one step before you that so they might lead you by the lip whither they list but open your eyes more and more and you shall see more and more clearely that the wayes of your Nationall Church are not the wayes which Christ hath left for his visible Churches to walk in but a very by path and take heed that these men which would be thought all and onely light cause not a â—og of earthly ordinances to rise vpon you and a dark mist to cover you To proceed This one scripture Ephe. 4. 11. 12. truely expounded and according to the Apostles meaning serves at one blow to overthrow the whol ministery of your Church of England and all communion with it Your whol plea for your Ministery is that you teach the word of God the true word of God and therewith you invite all your guests vnto your baÌ„quet But now if your ministery be not the Ministery which Christ hath set vp in his Ch noâ— of the gifts which he hath giveÌ„ vnto his Church but of an other sort foundatioÌ„ then it followes that no felowship or coÌ„munioÌ„ is to be had with it vnder any plausible pretense nor vpon any experimentall profit neyther The officers theÌ„ which Christ hath given for the aedificatioÌ„ of his Church to the worlds end are Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors Teachers Ephe. 4. 11. 12. Now the first three sorts of these abovenamed were extraordinary extraordinarily endued for the first publishing of faith and planting of Churches and so as temporary are ceased with their endowments and this you graunt in effect pag. 184. of your last book And for the Pastorâ— and Teachers here spoken of you Mr B and the Ministers of your order would be thought the men Of what sort then I pray you are your grand Metropolitans your Archbishops Bishops Suffraganes Deanes Archdeacons Chauncelours Officials and the residew of that Lordly Clergy They must needs be of some other order then is here named and the gifts of some other cheif Lord then of Christ when he ascended on high and gave his gifts that is Antichrist whose gifts they were when he ascended on high even to the throne of his Apostasy And now for you which are set over the particular Parishes to teach the people as I confesse you of all the rest to be likest vnto the true Pastours so by your own confession are you excluded froÌ„ that rank The Officers which Christ hath appointed when he ascended have received power by your own assertion not onely for preaching and administring the sacraments but for government also The want then of the power of government bewrayeth you to be anothers gift then Christs even his and none others which hath devised an other order and distribution of giftes then ever came into Christs hart to appoint Lastly as it is true you affirm that Christ never sayd to the body of the congregation viz in expresse termes go preach so is it most vntrue which you intend viz that he never gave libertie and charge to any out of office to teach in the exercise of prophesy This point I have touched formerly but will more fully handle hereafter The same I also affirme in the second place touching the power of government not opposing your words well interpreted but your meaning which is that none but men in office have power eyther to reforme any abuse in the Church or to perform any other necessary Church duty without them And for shutting vp of this fourth Argument let it be considered that here is a great difference in administration of doctrine by teaching and of admonition excommunication in the order of discipline Onely one man in the Church doth teach at once and all the rest both Elders people are taught by him but the whol Church may admonish or excommunicate one or more at once or by one act and so though Christ never say to the Church goe teach yet he sayth to the Ch admonish excommunicate Mat. 18. 17. 1 Cor. 5. 4. 5. In doctrine one man teacheth the whol Church the whol Church is taught in disciplyne the whole Church reproveth and excommunicateth one man and hiâ— censureth And thus your light Mr B. which you boast is as clearâ— as the sun in the firmament of heaven is darkened your sun is gone downe at noon day Amos 8. 9. The fifth reason is thus layd down It is never to be found in all the old testament that the people but princes and ecclesiasticall governours men in authority were reproved for suffring holy things to be abused Ezech. 22. 26. 1 Sam. 2. 27. 1 King 13. so in the new testament Math. 23. Rev. 2. 1. 8. 12. 18. and 3. 1. 7. 14. no meÌ„tion in these places is made of the people It seems Mr B. hath learnt of them which give counsel to affirme all things peremptorily vnder hope to find some men with whom a confident affirmation will go as far as a modest proof But here as alwayes I do except against as a corner stone of Babylon your vnequall yoaking of ecclesiasticall Officers Ministers in the govermeÌ„t of the Church with Princes Magistrates in their civil authority there is no proportion betwixt them A Lyon and an Ox will payr better then these two kinds of governours and governments Neyther can it be rightly sayd of Church officers that they are men in authority they are men in service and charge whether we respect God or the Church They have power I graunt for they have the gospell to preach minister which is the power of God to salvation they are to speak with authority and that also in the order of office and by speciall commission And so the Evangelists testifie of Christ that he taught as having authority and not as the scribes the reason was that where the manner of teaching amongst the Scribes was very corrupt and degenerate affecting the peoples harts with no reverence of God Christ on the contrary did manifest
Prophet must first haue his hand vpon him whom the rest of the people must follow in putting him to death The last words Publican and Heathen do not declare that Christ speakes of the Iewes at that time eyther onely or civily but serve for other purposes as I shall presently manifest taking Arguments from these words as from all the rest to prove that Christ here speakes of sinne and of excommunication for sinne My first Reason I draw from the cohaerence wherein I have formerly manifested Christ speakes not of private injuries onely but of all such scandalles as are to be found in that streyt way to heaveÌ„ no nor of injuries at all as they hurt the outward man but as they are sinnes and hurt and hinder the soul in the way of godlynes and so by the consequence of cohaerence if Christs words hang one vpon an other he speaks v. 15. 16. 17. of sinne and the carying of it 2. I reason from the terme brother which since it apperteyned at this tyme froÌ„ the disciples to many which might not be brought before the Iewish Synedrion as to the beleeving Romaynes Samaritans and the like cannot be meant as is pretended but speaks of a religious fellowship to which any brother may be brought of what country or condition soever As the word haâ—artáno turned offend is of generall signification by your own graunt and so cannot be restreyned to that particular kind of offence so is it most properly vsed for sinne and that vsually by this Evangelist Mat. 3. 6. 9. 2. 12. 31. and 26. 28. and which is specially to be observed when Luke would speak of trespasses or offences as sinnes against God he vseth this word but when in the same place he speaks of them as of injuries against men he vseth another word Ch. 11. 4. And see how soundly Mr B. deales when he should shew that the word turned offend is not meant of sinnes but of injuries he brings in foure principall writers varying as he sayth about the word and yet the vnadvised man considers not that all four of them as he himself alledges them vnderstand it of sinne and not one of them of injuries so speak against him If Christ here spake of injuries where he sayth if he heare thee thou hast wonne or gayned thy brother he would haue sayd thou hast wonne or gayned thy goods or good name wherein he injuryed thee If these words be meant of injuries and wrongs then Christ commaunds his disciples not to suffer wrongs at their brethrens hands but to deal with them in the order here prescribed for Christ expresly commaunds to tell the Church and so Christs doctrine and Pauls teaching the suffring of wrong should contradict the one the other By this exposition one Iew might account an other as an heathen which was vtterly vnlawfull he might not refuse religious communion with him in the temple into which no heathen might come he might not deny him a portion in the land of Canaan the type of the kingdome of heaven he might not account or call him other then a brother whatsoever he were till the time came of the Iewes defraction or breaking off for vnbeleef Act. 7. 2. 22. 1. 33. 1. Rom. 11. 17. This interpretation confirmes a point of Anabaptistry namely that it is not lawfull for brethren so remayning to sue at Caesars barre where it is most evident that brethren alwayes might and may yea such a case may fall out ought to sue without any alienation of affection or such heathenish thought one of another as Mr B. would have Christ in this place to commend vnto them for even these last words let him be to thee as an heathen and publican are a commaundement as let your speach be yea yea nay nay hundreds others delivered in the scriptures vnder the same form of words And to conclude Christ our Saviour in these words describes excommunication by the effects of it which are withdrawing from the brother obstinate in sinne both in religious and civile fellowship and familiaritie as the Iewes did withdraw both froÌ„ the Heathens and Publicans in both Ioh. 4. 9. Act. 10. 3. 31. 28. Luk. 15. 2. 15. 10. 11. And this very phrase Paul most clearely expounds when he directs the Church 1 Cor. 5. 11. not to be commingled with obstinate offenders nor to eat with them this ever provided that no excommunication or other act in religion whatsoever may dissolve eyther civil or naturall societie The next Reason is drawne from verse 18. where Christ ratifying in the hands of his Church this his power speaks in expresse terms of binding and loosing not onely in earth but in heaven also which words me thinks alone should satisfie the conscience of any godly minded man yea and stop the mouth of the most shameles that Christ speaks of sinne and sin onely Yet is Mr B. neyther satisfied nor silent but replyes that binding and loosing in this place is not properly or onely to be vnderstood of Christs Ministers but is allowed to private persons and for this pag. 223 he brings sundry reasons Consider Reader this severe censurer of Mr Smythes vnstablenes Mr B. in his former book pag. 95. will have this power of binding and loosing spoken of in this place to be in the officers of the Châ— two or three and at no hand in private persons and for this there he brings sundry reasons in this his next book this power is â—lâ—tâ—ed to two or three private persons and must not be drawne to the Ministerie onely and for this he brings as many reasons Observe further the very sum of Mr B. answer is that Christ speaks not here of binding and loosing in the office of Ministerie So we affirm that by two or three having this power cannot be meant two or three Ministers considered severally from the body which alone are not the Church for any publick administration but the officers of the Church but by two or three are meant the meanest coÌ„munion or societie of saints whether with officers or without officers And is this a sufficient answering of an adversary to bring sundry reasons to prove the very thing which he affirmes Adde to all these that where the injuries offred to Christs disciples and such as would respect his direction were vsually for the profession of Christ it had been a most idle course to have complayned eyther to the Iewish Synedrion or Romish Magistracy which would have added injurie to injurie Lastly where Christ v. 23. in his answer to Peters quaestion makes the protasis or first part of his comparison the kingdom of heaven which is the Church he shewes plainely that all the while he hath spoken of Church affaires and the carying of them And thus much to prove that the Lord Iesus the King of his Church hath left in this 18. of Math a rule order
8. and last exception Now for allowing of the plaintiffe to seek further remedy of the referring of the party obstinate vnto him which is the sum of the sixt Arg as also of these terms let him be to thee as an heathen and publican which is an other exception together with that consideration that the party offended is the principall in all the degrees of proceeding I have formerly spoken in the exposition of the words to which the reader is to look back for answer if such idle conjecture give any cause of doubt to any One onely blow more is to be warded by which Mr B. would disable this 18. of Math. from being any rule of discipline and that is bycause it provides not for suspension we grant it doth not and you your self half graunt that no such thing is to be found in the new testament And what reason haue you or any other man to put vs to prove your corruptions and devises which you know we neyther practise nor allow of These things thus ended and the received exposition of Math. 18. confirmed viz that Christ in it prescribes a rule of discipline in the Church I come to your reasons Mr B. in your first book by which you would prove that this Church is the chief governours The first whereof is that Christ could not be understood eyther then or now except he spake as the practise was then or took some order afterward and so you go about to prove vnto vs that the chief governours onely had authoritie to excommunicate both in the synagogues and in the Church of Corinth To this I answer sundry things First it followes not that Christ was not then or cannot now be vnderstood except he spake with some such reference as you note The words are so plaine the order so equall the state of the Church vnder the new testament which is not as before nationall but a particular assembly so capable of such an ordinance as that laying aside prejudice and politick respects there can be nothing more playnely spoken or more easily vnderstood 2. It doth no way prejudice the exposition we give though the disciples for the present vnderstood it not they vnderstood litle no not touching the death and resurrection of Christ or nature of his kingdome when they were at the first taught them till eyther by their own experience or by the extraordinary gift of the Holy Ghost or some other meanes the thinges formerly taught them were brought to their remembrance Mat. 16. 21. 22. 20. 20. 21. Mark 16. 14. Luk. 24. 20. 21. 22 25. 26. -44. And it is expressely affirmed Act. 1. 3. that the Lord Iesus did the 40. dayes before his ascension instruct them in such things as concerned the kingdome of God which is the Church The next thing to be considered is your proofs from scripture that the power of excommunication was in the chief governours But the places proove no such thing Ioh. 9. 22. and 12. 42. 16. ◠do onely prove an agreement amongst the Iewes that such as confessed Christ should be dissynagogued but that this authority was onely in the hands of the chief governours cannot be thence collected I know there was at Ierusalem a representative Church for the whole nation of which we shall speak hereafter but that there was such a Church representative in every synagogue furnished with such power can never be concluded frō these scriptures They rather in deed prove the contrarie It is sayd Ioh. 9. 22. that the Iewes had ordeyned that such as confessed Christ should be dissynagogued which words do rather interest the people in the busines then otherwise If you think that because there is mention made of the Pharisees the officers onely are meant you are deceived For Pharisaism amongst the Iewes was not an office but a sect There were no other lawfull officers ecclesiasticall amongst them but the Levites whom the Lord took from among the children of Israel in stead of the first borne for his service but many of the Pharisees were of other tribes Phil. 3. 5. Besides I see no sufficient reason to perswade me that this casting out of the synagogue was any ecclesiasticall censure but rather a violent rejection or extrusion out of the place as nothing was more cōmon then such tumultuous outrages in those dayes And the very same word that Iohn vseth ch 9. ver 35. Luke vseth ch 4. 28. 29. for the violent extrusion of Christ himself by the Iewes vpon the like occasion both out of the synagogue and citie The same also doth Iohn himself vse ch 2. 15. speaking of Christs casting the mony chaungers out of the temple And yet neyther the NAZARITES excommunicate CHRIST nor CHRIST the mony-chaungers But if there were amongst the Iewes at that tyme any such distinct ordinance of excommunication ecclesiasticall it was a Iewish devise I am perswaded and without ground of the scriptures and that for these causes First every blasphemer or worshipper of vnknowen Gods was by the law of Moses to dy the death without redemption that so evill might be put from Israell Exod. 22. 20. Lev. 24. 16. Deut. 13. 6. 7. 8. 9 12. 13. 14. 15. And so the Iewes reputing this blind man such a one were to put him to death but being deprived of this power by the Romayns through the just judgement of God for their sinnes they devised this other course of dissynagogueing or excommunicating offendours by them so deemed Secondly the severall synagogues were not distinct Churches but members of that one nationall Church which was both representatively and originally at Ierusalem neyther could any of them excommunicate out of the temple which was a higher communion then theirs and so it is very probable that Christ found this blind man afterwards in the temple Ioh. 9. 38. compared with 10. 22. into which had he been ecclesiastically excommunicated he might not haue entred neyther hangs it together that any rejected in the communion of the synagogue might be received in the communion of the temple 3. The Lord did chuse the whole nation of the Iewes to be his peculiar people and took all and every one of them into covenant with himself gave them the Land of Canaan for an inheritance as a type of the kingdome of heaven erected a policy over them civil ecclesiasticall in the judiciall ceremonial law called the old testamēt making the same persons all of them though in divers respects the Church the cōmon wealth whervpō the Church is also called the common wealth of Israel Exod. 19. 5. 6. Lev. 20. 24. 26. Deut. 4. 6. 7. 29. 2. 10. 11. 12. Ios. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Rom. 9. 4 Ephe. 2. 12. Hence it followeth that except a man might enjoy one type of the kingdom of heavē as was the Land of Canaā not an other as was the temple or tabernacle Heb. 9. 24. except he might be
vnder one part of the old testament or covenant of God namely the judicial law for the common wealth and not vnder an other part of it the ceremoniall law for the Church it cannot be that any such ordinance as excommunication could be vsed lawfully in the Iewish Church Yet do I not deny but that the lepers other persons legally vnclean were for a time debarred froÌ„ the coÌ„munioÌ„ of the Church and from all the sacrifices and services thereof but this inhibition say I was no way in the nature of an excommunication For first it was for ceremoniall vncleannes issues leprosy and the like which were not sinnes but punishments of sinnes at the most 2. It did not onely exclude men from the communion of the Church but of the common wealth also and the affaires thereof 3. It did not agree in the end with excommunication The end of excommunication is the repentance of the party excoÌ„municated 1 Cor. 5. 5. but the person legally vncleane whether he repented or no was to bear his shame till the date of his time were out yea to his dying day if his disease continued so long Lev. 12. 13. 14. Num. 5. 2. 3. 4. 12. 10. 14. 2 Chron. 26. 19. 20. 21. A type I confesse it was of excommunication as legall pollution was of morall sin whence I also conclude that the type and thing typed outwardly could not both stand together But here it vvilbe demaunded of me did not the Lord require in the Iewish Church true morall and spirituall holynes also God forbid I should run vpon that desperate rock of Anabaptistry The Lord was holy then as now and so would have his people be then holy as now Yea so jealous was the Lord over his people that he took order then as well as now that no sin should be suffered vnreformed no obstinate sinner vncut off Some sinnes were of that nature as he that committed them was by the law to dy the death without pardon or partialitie so to be cut off from the Lords people Lev. 20. And when other sinnes not of that nature were committed whether of ignorance or otherwise the party offending was to be told and admonished of his offence and so to manifest his repentance by the confefsâ—on of his sinne and professioÌ„ of his faith in the mediatour by offering his appointed sacrifice and so his sinne was forgiven him Lev. 4. 13. 14. 15. 20. 21 23 26. 27. 28. 35. 5. 1. 3. 4. 5. 6. 10. 19. 17. Num. 5. 6. 7. But now if there were with the least sinne joyned obstinacy or presumption the party so sinning was to be cut off from his people Num. 15. 30. 31. 32. 34. 36. Deut. 17. 12. and for this cause the Iewes were so oft admonished to destroy the workers of wickednes that there should be no wickednes amongst them that they should take away evil from Israel and from forth of the middest of them And vpon this ground doth David as the cheif Magistrate whom this busines cheifly concerned vow his service vnto God in this kind and that he would even betimes destroy all the wicked of the land that he might cut off the workers of iniquity from the city of the Lord though he afterwards fayled in the execution of this dutie And to the very same end did Asa the King with all the people enter a covenant of oath to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their hart and with all their soule and that whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be slaine whether be were small or great man or woman To end this point vpon which I have insisted something the longer for sundry purposes in their place to be manifested as the Lord vsually conveyed spirituall both blessings and curses vnto the Iewes vnder those which were bodily so here was the spirituall judgement of excommunication comprehended vnder this bodily judgement of death by which the party delinquent was wholy cut off visibly from the Lords covenant and people That which you adde of Cloes coÌ„plaint made to the cheif governour the Apostle is true but misapplyed You make an erroneous collection from it out of your owne lamentable experience Bycause your Church of Worxsop can reforme no abuse within it self but must complain to your Lords grace of York or his substitute therfore you imagine the Church of Corinth to have been in the same boÌ„dage wherein you are and Cloe to have complayned to Pauls court But it is playn Mr B. to them that do not shut their eyes and harden their hearts against the truth that the Church of Corinth was planted in the liberty of the gospell and had this power of Christ to reform abuses and to excommunicate offenders without sending to Paul from one part of the world to an other and that the Corinthians Ch. 5. are reproved for fayling in this duty And had Mr B. but taken this course in his writing that two of his leaves had hung together he might have spared this objection considering what he writ pag. 92. that the same persons have the power to preach administer the sacraments and excommunicate for that he meanes by government Now he cannot be ignorant that both the power and practise of preaching administring the sacraments were in the Church of Corinth in Pauls absence 1 Cor. 11. 20. 14. 1. c. And so by your own graunt the Church of Corinth had power to excommunicate though Paul were absent Wherevpon I also infer it was their sinne not to vse it Now for the practise of Cloes family wee know Paul was an Apostle and generall Officer and so intitled to the affaires in all the Churches in the world wherevpon Cloe complayned vnto him of such abuses in the Church as were both of publick nature and which the Church vvould not reform otherwise it had been both slaunder and solly to have complayned And what corne doth this winde shake Do wee make it vnlawfull for any member to informe the officers of publique enormities in the Church that they according to their places might see reformation of them Yea if the Pastor or other principall Officer of the Church were absent necessarily we doubt not but it were the duety of any brother or brethren in the like case to entreat their help for the direction reproofe and reformation of the Church for any publick enormities there done or suffered who might also judge and condemne the same themselves and for their parts exhorting and directing the whole Church in their publique meeting to do the like as Paul did Your three next Arguments to prove that tell the Church is tell the Officers are idle descants vpon the formes and phrases of speach scraped together to fill your book with First you affirm that Christ having spoken in the third person tell the Church when he comes to ratify the authoritie to be committed to his Apostles turnes his
speach to the 2. person not saying what it but what you shall bind and loose c. In so saying you give the cause though you presently eat vp your own graunt For you affirm that by the Church ver 17. is meant the whole body of which Christ speaks in the third person and what say wee more But where you adde that the authoritie is not given till the 18. vers and that then Christ turns his speach to his Apostles it is your own devised glosse For first it is evident that Christ establisheth the power of binding and loosing in the hands of the Church speaking in the 3. person v. 17. that so firmely as what brother soever refuseth to heare her voice is to be expelled from all religious cōmunion Vnto this the 18. v. is added partly for explanation and partly for confirmation For where as the party admonished might say with himself well if the Church disclaim mee I shall disclaym it if it condemn me I shall condemn it again the Lord doth here back the Churches censures for her incouragement and for the terrour of the refractary despising her voice and that vnder a contestation that what she bindes and looseth vpon earth namely after his will he also will bind and loose in heaven And for the change of persons in the 17. and 18 verses it is merely grammaticall and not naturall It is common with the Holy Ghost sometimes for elegancy sometimes for explication sometimes for further inforcement of the same thing to and vpon the same persons thus to vary the phrase of speach in the first second or third person grammatically as the reader may take a tast in these particulars Psal. 75. 1. Is. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. c. Math. 5. 10. 11. 12. c. and in this very Chapt. v. 7. 8. Rom. 6. 14. 15. 16. 8. 4. 5. 12. 13. c. Your 3. Reason that bycause Christ speakes of a few two or three gathered together therefore he meanes the officers of the Church and not all the body is of no force if the body consist but of two or three as it comes to passe where Churches are raysed in persecution as the most true Churches are Yet if Christ do speak of two or three officers of a Church gathered together in his name he speaks against you where all the power of the keyes over many 1000. Churches are in the hands of two Arch-Prelates and from them delegated and derived to their severall vnderlings But the truth is that gratious promise which Christ here layes downe for the comfort of all his saints you do engrosse into the hands of a few Elders You might aswel affirme that onely two or three officers gathered together have a promise to be heard in their prayers and not a communion of two or three brethren for Christ v. 19. 20. speakes principally and expressely of prayer though with reference to the binding and loosing of sin which as all other ordinances are sanctified by prayer The very scope of the place and reason of the speach is this The Lord Iesus had v 18. enfranchised the Church with a most excellent and honourable priveledge now the disciples did already see with their own eyes and were more fully taught by their Maister that the Church should arise from small and base beginnings and that it was also by reason of persequution subject to great dissipation Math. 7. 14. 10. 17. 18. 22. 23. 13. 31. 32. least therefore their harts should be discouraged and they or others driven into suspition that the Lord would any way neglect them or his promise towards them for their paucity and meannes he most gratiously prevents and frees them from that jealousy telles them and all others for their comfort that though the Church or assembly consist but of two or three as such beginnings the true Church of God had and have though your English Church begū with a kingdome in a day Act. 16. 14. 15. 17. 34. 19. 7. yet that should no way diminish their power or prejudice the accomplishment of his promise And the reason hath been formerly rendred bycause this power for binding loosing being given to the fayth of Peter depends not vpon the order of office multitude of people or dignity of person but merely vpon the word of God And hence is it that Christ thus gratiously descends even to two or three wheresoever assembled in his name yea though it be in a Cave or Den of the earth of which most gratious and necessary priveledge you would bereave them Now in your 4. Reason out of v. 19 you do most ignorantly erre in the grāmaticall construction for you make a change of the person agayne where there is no change at all Christ speakes onely in the third person as the originall makes it plaine though the English tongue do not so distinctly manifest it to an ignorant man Christ sayth not whatsoever you two shall agree of shal be given to them that is to the Church but whatsover two of you shall agree of or consent in they two that so agree shall obteyne it of God Which words Mr B. you do most vnsufferably pervert to the seducing of the ignorant as if Christ had sayd if two or three of you officers or you two or three officers shall agree together of a thing whatsoever they that is the Church shall desire namely of the Officers for so you expound the words it shal be givē them where it is most evident that they which are to agree vpon the thing they are to ask it and that of God who will give it them And where the scripture sayth that the brother offended speaking indefinitely of any brother and so of the Officers themselves must complayn to the Church M B. on the contrary as if he would even beard the Lord Iesus tells vs the Church must complayn to the Officers Your 5. Reason followes with many litle ones in the womb of it which you bring forth in order to prove that Christ speakes here figuratively and that by the Church he means the governours The first is It agrees with the practise of the Iewish Church frō whence it is held that the manner of governing in the Church is fetched And is this the necessary proof you speak of whatsoever is so held is so in truth And yet in your second book as hath been shewed you bring in sundry men holding contrary things as if contraries could be true Well I confesse it is so held and that by many with whom I would gladly consent if the scriptures taught me not to hold otherwise It had been good here the authour had shewed vs what the government of the Iewish Church was and not thus sleightily to have passed over things of this moment For the purpose in hand thus much The Church of the Iewes was a nationall Church the Lord separating vnto himself the whole natiō
govermeÌ„t for the Church now froÌ„ the Iewish Church were to revive the old testameÌ„t which so long since is abrogated and disanulled For to speak properly the old testament is nothing but that externall policy instituted by Moses in the Iudiciall ceremoniall law for the dispensation of the typicall kingdome and Preisthood of Christ shadowed out by that of Melchisedeck King and Preist repraesented by the administrations of Moses and Aaron and after continued in the Preisthood of the Levites kingdome of David his sonnes till Christ in the dispensation of those worldly and carnall ordinances Now as the judicialls which were for the government of the Congregation civily are dead and do not bind any civil polity save as they were of common equity so are the ceremonialls which were for the Ch polity deadly and may not be revived by any Church save as any of them have new life given by Christ. For though we now be made citizens of the common wealth of Israell and one body with them yet is that in respect of the everlasting covenant confirmed of God with Abraham through Christ. I wil be thy God and the God of thy seed four hundred and thirty yeares before the law was given or the polity and government of the lewish eyther church or common wealth in it established and as we are the sonnes and daughters of Abraham by faith but no way in respect of those Iewish ordinances in in the old testament or the order of dispensing them And yet if it were graunted which you would have that the Church governmeÌ„t now is to be patterned by the goverment of the Iewish church then it would nothing avayle you for the purpose in hand For the church officers the Preists and Levites vnto whom the charge of the whole Congregation for the service of the tabernacle did apperteyne had no authority by the order of their office to inflict any censure spiritually vpon the people as had the civil Magistrates to punish them bodily The Preists and Levites were onely to enterpret the law and in cases extraordinarily difficult to find out the estate of the person or thing and to shew what in such a case the law required and if you will say they gave judgement it was none otherwise then as a Physitian gives â—â—dgement of the body or state of his patient by his faculty or skill in his art but to sit vpon them formally in judgement ecclesiastically to punish them that they might not do neyther are they called in the scriptures judges as the civil Magistrates are Yea the scriptures do make a playne difference where the civil Elders are to sit and iudge the people but the Preists to stand before the Congregation and to minister vnto them Now before we passe over this busines in hand I deem it not amisse vpon this occasion to observe a few things by way of answer to a scripture vsually brought out for the foundation of these representative churches and their power and especially for these Nationall and Provinciall Synodes the like And the scripture is Act. 15. 1. There was no synode or assembly of the Officers of divers Churches but onely certayne messengers sent from the church of Antiochia to the Church of Ierusalem about the controversy there specified 2. Neyther the Church of Antioch which sent the messengers nor the church at Ierusalem whether they were sent was a representative church consisting of Officers much lesse of chief officers onely For first it is sayd ver 1. 2. that the brethren of Antiochia which Ch. 14. 17. are called the church and v. 28. the disciples and in this chapt v. 3. the church and v. 23. the brethren sent their messengers with Paul and Barnabas to Ierusalem and it will most evidently appeare by whom the message was sent if we consider to whom the answer was returned ver 30. where the messengers did not deliver the Epistle till they had assembled the multitude And 2. it is apparant that at Ierusalem not onely the cheif officers the Apostles yea and inferiour officers the Elders also met together about it and sent answer but the brethren with them v. 4. 12. 22. And these scriptures alone in this chapt are sufficient to chalendge the liberty of the brethren in the discussing of publique coÌ„troversies out of the hands of all officers whatsoever 3. Paul and Barnabas went not to Ierusalem eyther for authority or direction for being Apostles they had both equall immediate authority from Christ and equall infallible direction froÌ„ the holy Ghost with the rest of the Apostles Onely they went for countenance of the truth in respect of men and for the stopping the mouthes of such deceivers as pretended they were sent by the Apostles v. 24. 4. Their decrees were absolutely Apostolicall and divine scripture by infallible direction from the holy Ghost and so imposed vpon all other Churches of the Gentiles though they had â—o delegates there ver 23. 28. Ch. 16. 4. But it wil be sayd may not the officers of one or many Churches meet together to discusse consider of matters for the good of the Church or Churches and so be called a Church Synode or the like I deny it not so they infringe no order of Christ or liberty of the brethren they may so do and so be called in a sense but the quaestion now is about such a Church as is gathered for the publick administration of admonition excommunication other the like ordinances of Christ which Mr B. in his first book graunts must be done with the knowledge of the body of the Church and in the open assembly And here falls into handling certayn borrowed stuffe in Mr B. 2. book about this matter As first that Paul called the Elders of Ephesus and conferred with them without the people Act. 20. 27. which who denyes but they which set vp a Lord Bishop to rule alone without advising with eyther the inferiour Ministers or people But that which he addes in the next place hath almost as many errours as wordes in it and that is that the Elders sate in a CoÌ„sistory with Iames their Bishop at Ierusalem without the people and did decree a matter without asking their voice Act. 21. 18. First you erre in calling it a Consistory or juditiall Court for the justification of your own where it was onely an occasionall meeting for advise 2. in making Iames a Bishop whom Christ had made an Apostle The Elders were Bishops Act. 20. 17. 28. Phil. 1. 1. Tit. 1. â— 7. And so if you would haue held any proportion you should haue made Iames an Archbishop 3. that you make him their Bishop where Bishops or Overseers are set over the flock not over the Ministers Act. 20. 28. 4. And most ignorantly where you will have Iames the Elders to make a decree for Paul as if the Elders had authority over
contention as they and a thowsand worse evils could not but fall out in a Church gathered as yours is of all the prophane rable in a kingdome so when they do arise in a true Church there is power to voyd them out and the persons with them in whom they reigne But if the vnlawfulnes of a Church government might be proved by the pryde contention the like evils arising in it then surely M B. you that know so well how these and other mischeifs reign in your own should lay your hand on your mouth for shame and be affrayd to provoke any man to medle in that mattâ—â— Besides it is apparent both in the scriptures and ecclesiasticall writers that not onely pride and contention but herely and almost all other evils haue sprung from the officers governours in the Church And surely nothing hath more in former dayes advanced nor doth at this day more vphold the throne of Antichrist then the peoples discharging themselves of the care of publique affaires in the Church on the one side and the Preists and Prelates aâ—rogating all to themselves on the other side Lastly the word Church you say must be expounded figuratively to avoid the absurdâ—tâ—s which eâ—s would necessarily follow out of the text viz that the whole Church must speak ioyntly which were confusion contrary to 1 Cor. 14. 40. that women must medle in Church affaires which the Apostle forbids ver 34. that children must speak which were impossible so then it must needs â—e taken figuratively the part for the whole and if one part must be left out why not an other till the cheif of the Congregation be taken who are chosen by the rest as their mouth Touching the exception of confusion I desire the reader to remember what hath been formerly answered adding further that Mr B. herein doth not oppose vs but the Apostles and Apostolicall Churches governed by them yea the H. Ghost it self propounding their examples for our imitation The Apostle Peter Act. 1. 15. c. standing vp in the middest of the disciples which were about an hundred and twenty spake to them about the choise of one to succeed Iudas and it is sayd ver 23. that they that is these brethren to whom he spake presented two as also that the whole multitude Act. 6. 5. presented the seaven for Deacons to the twelve Apostles who are sayd v. 2. to haue called the multitude and to have spoken vnto them v. 6. to have prayed and layd hands on the elect Deacons Now might not any prophane spirit take vp M. B. words and insult over the holy Ghost himself and say what did all the disciples that were in the place an hundred and twenty present Ioseph and Mathias They must needs speak in presenting these two and spake they ioyntly or all at once this were confusion contrary to 1 Cor. 14. 14. did the women speak they must not medle in Church matters â— 34. did children speak it is impossible So for Act. 6. did all the twelve Apostles speak at once v. 2. and pray at once v. 6. did the whole multitude speak ioyntly when they presented the 7. Deaconâ— v. 6. here were the like confusion and besides here were women and children in the Church also Now let the indifferent reader judge what M. B. hath sayd more against vs then any Lucian or scoffing Atheist might obiect against the spirit of God himself and his holy pen-man the Evangelist Yea further by these and the like consequences women and children are vtterly excluded from the Church as no parts of it Luke sayth Act. 15. 22. that the whole Church sent messengers to Antiochia and Paul 1 Cor. 14. 23. speakes of the whole Churches comming together in one to exercise themselves in prayer prophesying and the like parts of Church communion but children neyther could send messengers nor pray nor prophesie nor the like and women might not speak in the Church and therefore both they must be left out of the Church and if one part why not an other so till we come to the cheif of the congregation that they alone may be the Church and all in all as it is iust with God that he which opposeth the truth should oppose himself also so doth Mr B. in this very place intaÌ„gle himself in the same absurdities wherin he would ensnare vs. First he affirms the Church Math. 1â— must be the principall of the congregation Then Mr B. is not your congregation the true Church of Christ for the principall of your Church namely your self hath no power to excommunicate And say not for shame the Archdeacon or officiall are principalls or lesse principalls of your congregation Again which is the cheif thing I desire may be observed you say these principalls must be chosen by the rest of the Church be their mouth and stand for the whole And how chosen must the whole Church speak joyntly when they chuse them that were confusion must women speak that is contrary to the scriptures Yet are they members of the congregation and so are young youthes childreÌ„ and servants I adde further the Church you say is two or three principall members Well then they two or three must speak to the party how can he els heare but for two or three to speak together is confusion and contrary to the coÌ„maundement 1 Cor. 14. 31. for all must speak by one one And by this time I hope you are ashamed of such tristing as here you vse I do therefore answer in few words it is not necessary that every one of the people should speak to the offender no nor of the officers neyther If but one officer do sufficiently evince and reprove the party what needs more speak The rest both Officers people may manifest their consent eyther by voice signe or silâ—nce yet so as liberty be preserved for any in place and order to speak eyther by way of addition limitation or dissent And for women they are debarred by their sâ—x as from ordinary prophecying so from any other dealing wherin they take authority over the man 1 Cor 14. 34. 35. 1 Tim. 2. 11. 12. yet not simply from speaking they may make profession of faith or confession of sin say Amen to the Churches prayers sing Psalmes vocally accuse a brother of sin witnes an accusation or defend themselves being accused yea in a case extraordinary namely where no man will I see not but a woman may reprove the Church rather then suffer it to go on in apparent wickednes and communicate with it therein Now for children and such as are not of yeares of discretion God and nature dispenseth with them as for not communicating in the Lords supper now so vnder the law for not offering sacrifices from which none of yeares were exempted neyther is there respect of persons with God in the common duties of Christianity And for that so oft reinforced objection of authority given to
two or three and therefore not to all I have answered and do that to two or three and yet to all when there are but two or three in all as vsually comes to passe in the raysing and dispersing of Churches Your 6. Argument to prove that the word Church must be taken figuratively is first that els the Corinthians had offended who being all commaunded did but some of them proceed against the incestuous person 1 Cor. â— 13. 2 Cor. 2. 6. 2. that els Paul had offended who vpon the complaint of Cloes house did himself without wayting for the Churches consent being absent iudge and determine the matter and sâ—nt to them to execute â—â— sentence These two Arguments Mr B. are in your hands like the two witnesses that came against Christ they neyther agree one with an other nor eyther of them with the truth In the former you plead for the Presbytery in saying that some of them did proceed against him in the latter you vtterly overthrow that and step in for the Bishops sole power where you make Paul alone iudge and determiner of the busines I am verily perswaded Mr Smyth hath felt your pulse in this place and found directly what blood runs in your â—eynes to him therefore do I leave you for iudgement in the case And for answer to the particulars In the first argument you do most sinfully corrupt the scriptures knowing that if they be soundly alleadged they will give no countenaunce to your errour For where Paul sayth it is sufficient for the same man that he was rebuked of many you for the word many put sâ—me where some doth import a part and but a part for where some are sayd to do a thing it followes that other some do it not where the word many is oft times put for all as being opposed to one or a few as in this place many rebuking to one rebuked Take for this phrase of speach these scriptures Dan. 12. 2. Mat. 13. 17. Luke 12. 7. Rom. 5. 19. and 8. 29. 12. 4. 5. 1 Cor. 10. 17. 12. 12. 14. But mark I pray thee wise reader when this man expounds Math. 18. 19. 20. where mention is made of a few two or three having the power of Christ there by two or three are meant the officers and Christ hath established the authority of a few for the good of all and again two or three officers and a few have this authority and yet notwithstanding when he comes to expound 2 Cor. 2. 6. where mention is made of many rebuking the offender there by many must be meant the officers also What Mr B are two or three Officers in respect of the whole body many Doth the holy Ghost speaking of a few in the Church mean the officers and speaking of many mean the officers also It were good you awoke out of your dream that you might spy your contradictions and how one peice reproves an other To the obiection I do answer that first it doth not appear that the party was excommunicated it may be vpon admonition he repented and so the extremity spoken of 1 Cor. 5. 5. was prevented and 2. if he were eyther by many may be meant all as I have formerly shewed or otherwise it is sufficient if some reprove the Elders or some of them specially by their office and so of the brethren in the second place if they see necessary cause wherevpon with the silent consent of the rest iudgement may be given or the party delivered to Sathan The 7. Reason to prove the Elders the Church is the iudgement and practise of all reformed Churches As the reformed Churches do abhorre from your practise as intollerable yea almost incredible that the power of excommunication should be in the hands of one man and that a forreyn Prelate or Officiall that most like never so much in his life as once came in the congregation whereof the offender is a member as may be seen in one for all Beza Epist. 12. so bycause you will needs thus beare over all with all the reformed Churches I will a little step out of my beaten way and call in a few well-deserving audience of the reformed Churches to testify what their judgement is in the case joyning vnto them also a few of our own men seeming to be of the same mind whatsoever the practise is eyther of the one or of the other To omit then the judgement and practise of the more ancient times whether whole councels or particular persons as of the Council of Nâ—ce where Paphuâ—tius no Church officer both had vsed such liberty of speach as he perswaded the whole assembly touching the maryage of Ministers of Tertullian before that who Apol chap. 39. makes the officers onely Praesidents in the assembly where manners are censured of Ciprian who would never do any thing in his charge without the consent of the people lib. 3 epist. 10. and in particular thinks it specially the peoples right to chuse or reiect worthy or vnworthy Ministers then which what power is greater Of Austin that thinks it helps much to the shaming of the party that he be excommunicated by the whole Church lib. 3. contra epist. Parmen and lastly of Ierom ad Demetr which affirms that the Church it self hath right in excommunication as the Elders have in other Church censures the first is Zwinglius who artiâ— 8. explanat speaking of the contention which hath been what a Church is acknowledges none other Churches but 1. the coÌ„pany of sure firm beleevers scattered through the vniversal world which we call the catholik Church 2. severall congregations which â—oÌ„veniently meet together in some one place c. and of these he affirmes Christ to speak Math. 18. Tell the Church and Paul 1 Cor. 1. To the Church which is at Corinth And answering an objection touching a Church representative he saith of this I find nothing in the scriptures out of mens devises any man may feyn any thing Next Perter Martyr in his comon places pant 4. chap. 5. sect 9. making the Church a Monarchy in respect of Christ an Aristocracy in respect of the Elders addeth also that bycause in the Church there are matters of great weight and importance referred vnto the people as excommunication absolution of choosing Ministers the like it hath also a consideration of popular government and vpon 1 Cor. 5. 4. The Apostle as great as he was would not excommunicate alone but did take counsel with the Church that the thing might be done by common authority Which notwithstanding the Pope and other Bishops dare do The Apostle indeed goes before the rest which is the duty of the ancients of the Ch that the more ignorant multitude by their suffragation before going may be directed in iudâ—ing With him ioyn Bucer who in his first book chapt 9. de regno Christi affirmes that Paul accuses the Corinthians for that the whole Church
had not excommunicated the incestuous person Bastingius in the 4. place quaestion 85. of his Catichism speaking of the difference between the two keyes that of preaching the other of discipline places it in this that the former which is of the preaching of the gospel is committed to the Ministers the other bycause it perteyns to the discipline of excommunication is permitted to the whole Church Lastly even Beza himself how streyt soever he be to the multitude in this case hardly graunting them the liberty which Mr B. yea which the very Iesuits do namely that they were with the Elders gathered together in the name of the Lord Iesus 1 Cor. 5. 4. yea do playnely deny it in his Annotations vpon 2 Cor. 2. 6. Yet vpon v. â— he is constreyned to affirm that Paul intreats that the incestuous person might by the publique consent of the Church be declared a brother as he was by the Churches publique consent cast out Now to these speciall lights in the reformed Churches abroad I will annex a few of the cheif endeavours of reformation at home The first of them is Mr Hooper who in his Apology writes that excoÌ„municatioÌ„ should be by the Bishop the whole Parish that Pauls consent the whole Church with him did excoÌ„municate the incestuous man To him adde Mr Fox whose judgement in the book of Martyrs pag. 5. 6. 7. is and so is inforced by him that writ the discovery of D. Banâ—r ofts vntruthes and slaunders against reformation that every visible Church or congregation hath the power of binding and loosing annexed to it If it be sayd the Church hath it if the Officers have it I see not but it may be as well sayd the Church hath the scriptures in a known tongue if the Officers so enjoy them Thirdly Mr Cartwright in his reply to D. Whitgifts answer pag. 147 both affirms and proves that Paul both vnderstanding and observing the rule of our Saviour Christ communicates this power of excommunication with the Church Him also an other writing A demonstration of discipline alledgeth adding further that they which were met togither 1 Cor. 5. 4. 5. were to excommunicate the incestuous person with whom also consorteth he that wrote of the certayn form of ecclesiasticall governmentâ— who vnder that head of the authority of the Ministers of the word that by the Church Math. 18. Christ meanes a particular Congregation the Pastor Elders people consenting making that the iudgement of the particular congregation which is spoken of 1 Cor. 5. 12. In the 4. place Mr Iacob in his book to the King for reformation pag. 28. pleads for the peoples consent and voyce-giving in elections excommunications to whom I ioyn them that made the Christian offer to iustify against the Bishops and their adhaerents that every ordinary assembly of the faithfull hath by Christs ordinance power in it self immediately vnder Christ to elect and ordeyn deprive and depose their Ministers and to exequute all other ecclesiasticall censures Proposition 5. Prop. 8 that the officers can do no materiall ecclesiasticall act without the free consent of the Congregation Lastly the godly Ministers in the end of Mr Bernards book do directly judge against him interpreting the Church Math. 18. to be a particular Congregation and excommunication the iudgement censure of that particular congregation whereof the offender is a member Thus have I been constreyned by the bold boasting and facing which this man vseth of and with the iudgement of all reformed Churchâ—â— to set downe the judgements of some few amongst many both at home and abroad for his conviction though I desire the touchstone of the holy scriptures alone may try all differences betwixt him and me I now return to Mr Bernard where I left him so come to two reasons he annexeth pag. 98. 99. to prove the officers to be called the Church the former is because it is an vsuall speach to put the name of the whole vpon the part and this to be taken for the whole The 2. bycause a company is no where called a Church in the new testament but where they have officers The latter of these I have formerly confuted as the reader may see pag. 126. 127. c. Onely I adde one thing vpon occasion of these words a Church in the new testament that as there is but one body or Church and we vnder the new testament that one or the same body or Church with the Iewes in the old so if the Ministery made the Church how much more if it were the Church could it not be that the Iewes and we should be one Church for I shall never be brought to beleeve nor I think will any man affirm it that the Ministery of an Apostle or Elder now is the same in nature with the Ministery of a sacrificing Levite vnder the law Wee are by faith sonnes and daughters of Abraham and partaker of the covenant and promises and by fayth grafted in their holy root and in this stands our onenes with them but neyther in the Ministery nor in the government nor in any other ordinance which are but manners of dispensing that covenant and those divers changeable where the covenant is nothing lesse And for the former of your reasons howsoever the place you bring Act. 15. 3. proves no such matter yet is the thing true you say namely that a part of the Church is sometimes called by the name of the whole but what part not the officers but the brethren the saynts as being the matter an essentiall cause of the Church the Elders not so as being but for the assistance and well being of it And so the Church gives both being and denomination to the Elders but not the Elders to the Church which is never called the Church of the Elders as they are called the Elders of the Church and so are of it and not it of them That which you adde of inconveniences and discommodities following vpon your doctrine not to be regarded is frivolous except by them you mean absurdities and inconsequences â—a alâ—gâ— in theologia as they call them and then they are to be regarded as never necessarily following vpon any truth for the truth brings forth no errour by true consequence The sixth Reason of the superiour order followeth for Mr B. hath his reasons and his vnder reasons which is In it self the multitude being ever vnconstant it is instability vnorderlynesse where every one is a like equall it is the nourse of confusion the mother of schisme the breeder of contention These very same things have been formerly objected by you in the fourth part of your 5. argument and there cleared The truth is the drawing of all power into the officers hands breeds in them pride and arrogancy and in the people ignorance and security And for your contemptuous vpbrayding of Gods people in this book with inconstancy
instability pride contention and the like evils but specially in your second book where with a scurtilous and prophane spirit you nickname them Srmon the Sadler Tomkin the Taylour Billy the Bellowes maker as you shew whose child you are Ioh. 7. 48. 49. in so speaking so doth the Spirit of God give an other testimony of them Act. 2 41 42. Phil. 1. 6. 7. 1 Th. 3. 5. 6. 7 8. 1 Pet. 1 7 8. In deed as I formerly sayd no mervavl though such multitudes as yours are be vnstable and variable and ready to change their religion with their Prince yea though it be to Popery as appeared in Queen Maries dayes vniversally scarce one of ten thousand excepâ—â—d onely the mischeif was that the Praelates and Priests were as vnstable as the rest yea their ringleaders also But for our selves Mr Bern. and that whereof we take experience in this our popularity as you terme it I tell you that if ever I saw thâ— bâ—aâ—â—y of Sion the glory of the Lord filling his tabernacle it hath bâ—en in the manifestation of the divers graces of God in the Church in that heavenly harmony and comely order wherein by the grace of God we are set and walk wherein if your eyes had but seen the brethrens sober and modest cariage one towards an other their humble and willing submission vnto their guides in the Lord their tender compassion towards the weak their â—â—rvent zeal against scandalous offenders and their long suffering towards all you would I am perswaded chaunge your mind and be compelled to take vp your parable and blesse where you purposed to curse as Balaam did Numb 23. But whatsoever you and all others do these our experimentall comforts neyther you nor any other shall take from vs. Your 7. and 8. Reason are of one nature and may for brevity sake be contracted into one the sum whereof is that the sheep flock are to obey and depend vpon their sheepheard Heb. 13. 17. 1 Pet. 5. 2. the children to be subiect to their father 1 Cor. 4. 15. the work to be ordered by the workman 1 Cor. 4. 12. the corne by the seeds man and not the contrary and ther cannot be shewed in the old or new testament any example that ever the people had commaund over their Pastours or power to â—ast them out These things are popular and may deceive the simple and credulous but though the fool beleeve every thing yet the prudent will coÌ„sider his stepps Wee deny not then but the flock both severally and ioyntly is to obey them that have the oversight of them Heb. 13. 17. to know them and to have them in singular love 1 Thes. 5. 12. 13. but it must be in the Lord and for their works suke and wherein they watch for their soule as is expressed in the same places But what now if the officers will reign besides the Lord if their works be such as deserve hatred and not love if in stead of watching for the peoples soules they take a course eyther to starve them through negligence or to poyson them with heresy or evill life must they stil obey them or hath the Church no remedy against them The Churches of Galatia were bound to receive and submit vnto such Ministers as brought the doctrine of Christ and yet if any man yea though he were an Apostle or above an Apostle should bring any other doctrine they were to hold him accursed and so to cast him away as an accursed thing The Collosians were bound to obey Archippus in the lawfull exequution of his Ministery and yet they might say unto him look to thy Ministery and if they might so admonish him certaynly they might go further with him if there were cause The Pilate is to guide the ship and all that are in it yea though the King himself be there but if he eyther ignorantly or desperately will run vpó the sands he may be displaced by his passengers and the fittest put in his room as I have formerly observed Now not onely the Church is commonly and fitly compared to a ship but the very word vsed 1 Cor. 12. 28. â—or the governâ—â—â— of the Church is borrowed from the government and guidance of a ship in the originall And if nature teach this liberty in bodily daunger how much greater liberty doth the Lord give in the spirituall daunger both of soule and body also And your quaestion of examples for the peoples casting out their officers is frivolous if there be a commondement or rule for it What example have you but grounds for the baptizing of infants Or where read you of any officer excommunicate by any And certaynly if the body of the Church may not cast out the Pastor for obstinate sinne no person nor persons vpon earth may do it But the vanity of your opinion I do thus manifest First you affirm pag. 88. that to separate from is all one in substance with to excommunicate though called by a name lâ—sse odious Whence it followeth that if the body of the Church may not excommunicate their officers they may not separate froÌ„ them no not though they prove Papists or Atheists or never so abominable oh the hellish bondage wherein these men would enthrall the Lords people to their destruction If the Congregation may chuse and elect their governours then they may reject and reprobate them for they that set vp may pull down but this liberty as streyt as you are to the multitude you your self graunt them pag. 97. and if you denyed it the scriptures assure it them Act. 1 and 6. 1. 2. 3. 4. 14. 23. But if in these words the people have no coÌ„maund over their Pastors nor power to cast them out you would intimate that they might depose them but not excommunicate them it would nothing avayl you For as it were a straunge thing that men should haue no commaund over their servants as I haue ofâ— times shewed the Church Officers to be the Church servants so were it aâ— strange if the putting of servants out of their Office should not argue power over them And besides deposition if any such ordinance be to be vsed in the Church is not of persons obstinate in sinne but of such as having by grosse idolatry or some other notorious crime so scandalously faln as they cannot be reteyned in their Ministery with the safety and credit of the Church Gospell no not though they repent but not withstanding their repentance and continuance in the Church vpon the same they are to be disseyzed of their Ministery and to beare their iniquity and shame But this is nothing to men obstinate in sin who may not vpon their deposition be continued in the Church and to deal with them a new for the sinne for which they have been formerly censured or to censure them twice for one sin is an idle and unwarrantable course They are therefore to be cast out
by the people and so vnder their excommunication is their deprivation comprehended If the Pastour and so of the rest of the Officers be a brother in the Church as all Gods children are the saynts brethren then must the Church not suffer sin to rest upon him but must admonish him and if he remaine obstinate cast him out For the Lord Iesus subjects every brother indefinitely and without respect of persons to this censure Mat. 18. 17. 1 Cor. 5. 11 12. 13. From which last scripture another Argument of the same nature may be drawn which is that if the Pastour and so of the other officers be within and not without and vnder the Lords judgement then are they under the judgement of the Church gathered together in the name of our Lord Iesus which you confesse to be the multitude yea I see not how the Pastour or officers may be admonished by the Church if they may not be cast out or how the Collossians may say to Archippus take heed to thy Ministery if they may not censure him if he be heedlesse for he that wil not heare the Church must be excommunicated or which is a description of excommunication by an effect must be accounted an heathen or publican They that are without vnder the Lords iudgement are exempted from the Churches judgments but they which are within the Church must iudge and therefore if the Ministers be within and not without and under Gods iudgements they must vndergoe the iudgements of the Church If the Pastour and the like reason is of the rest may not be excommunicated for sin by the Church then he and they want a meanes of salvation which the brethren have yâ—â— the onely folenin meanes of salvation in the case of obstinacy â—o which they are as subâ—ect as any other being frayl men as the rest And the reason is for that as the preaching of the gospell which is the one key of the kingdome is the power of God to salvation vnto them that beleeve so excommunication being the other key is the power of our Lord Iesus for the destruction of the flesh or humbling of the offender that his foule might be saved Now what a miserable priveledge this were all men truely fearing God will easily observâ—â— And for mine own part knowing mine owne infirmities and that I am subiect to sinne yea to frowardnes in sin as much as the brethren are if by mine office I should be deprived of the romedy which they enioy that blessed ordinance of the Churches conâ—ures I should think mine office accursed and my self by it as frustrating and dissappointing me of that mayn end for which the servants of Christ ought to ioyn theÌ„selves vnto the Church of Christ furnished wiâ—h his power for their reformatioÌ„ And sinâ—e the cheif thing which after the glory of God the saynts are to regard is their salvation and that their salvation is no way indangâ—red but by obstinate impenitency and that obstinate impenitency hath none other solemn ordinance for remedy but excommunication what cause of sorrow had I for the want of this soveraigne remedy and meanes of salvation by mine office which without it I might enioy As on the contrary God is my record how in the very writing of these things mâ— soul is filled with spirituall ioy that I am vnder this easy yoak of Christ the censures of the Church whereof I am and how much I am comforted in this very consideration against my vile and corrupt nature which notwithstanding I am perswaded the Lord wâ—ll never so farre suffer to rebell as that iâ— shall not be taymed subduâ—d by this strong hand of God with out which it might every day and hower so hazard my salvation That doctrine which advanceth an inferiour and meaner estate in the Church above that which is superiour the cheif that is vnsound and in deed serving in a degree for the exaltation of thâ—â— man of sinne a 〈◊〉 all that is called God But this doctrine of Mnâ—stâ— setting the Elders without and above the iudgements and censures of the Church doth advance an inferiour above a suporiour Ergo. The point then to be proved is that the order of saints or sayâ—tship in the Church is an order superiour vnto and above the order of officers or of Bishoptick or Eldership which I thus manifest 1. The order of servants is inferiour to the order of them whose servants they are But the order of Church Officers is an order of servants and they by their officâ— to 〈◊〉 the people Ergo. 2. The order of Kings is the highest order oâ—â—staâ—â— in the Church But the order of saynts is the order of Kings wee are Kings as we are saynts not as wee are officers Ergo 3. As the Apostle proves the woman to be inferiour vnto and lesse excellent then the man 1. bycause 〈◊〉 is not of thâ— woman but the woman of the manâ— and 2 bycause the man was not created for the womuns sake but the woman for the mans sake â—o by necessary consequence and iust proportion it followeth that the Elders are inferiour and lesse excellent then the Church as being both of and for the Church and not the Church of nor for them 4. As the Lord Iesus did prove against the Scribes Pharisees that the temple was greater then the gold bycause it sanctified the gold and that the altar was greater then the offering bycause it sanctifyed the offoring so by proportion the condition of a saynt which sanctifieth the condition of an officer as our generall calling doth our speciall calling is more excellent and greater then it is To our saynt-ship and as wee have fayth is promised the forgivenes of sinnes the favour of God and life eternall but not to our office or in respect of it The estate of a saynt is most happy blessed though the person never so much as come neare an office but on the contrary an officer if he be not also and first a sainct is a most wretched and accursed creature Infinite others are the reasons to disprove the pretended charter by which this popish Clergy would exempt it self from the coÌ„mon condition of Christians in the coÌ„mon Christian ordinances of the Church as though their office ate vp their brotherhood their speciall calling of officers their generall calling of Christians And I cannot more fitly resemble this exemption of one or more officers from the ecclesiasticall censures vnto which one or so many brethren are subiect being in the same sinne then to the like exemption or priveledge springing as it seemes from the same root in civill judgements coÌ„monly called The benefit of clergy For as by it a malefactour if he can read vt clericus as they speak shall escape death which others do so he should without that benefit vndergoe so by the benefit of clergy here the person
Barnabas coÌ„ming among them is not said to have ioyned theÌ„ vnto the Lord but to have exhorted them which were ioyned to coÌ„tinue with the Lord. vers 23. and to have perswaded others to ioyn themselues unto the Lord also vers 24. but that this course ordinary set by Christ should be held in the replanting of Churches after the vniversall apostasie of Antichrist is a thing impossible There were then no Ministers but popish Priests and are they the Lords meanes Mr Bernard Shall the man of sin be consumed by himself or by the breath of the Lords mouth Are false Ministers the Lords ordinary means of planting Churches Or are popish massepreists or the popish Bishops from whom they have their authority and so the Pope himself from whom they have theirs true Ministers And is the Church of Rome a true visible Church For it is not possible there should be a true Ministery in a false Church These are the inconveniences and discommodities Mr Bernard speaks of by which he sayth we would wring the truth from him But it is certayn they are such playne demonstrations as do evince his pretended truthes of popish and popular errours And for the gathering of a Church M. B. I do tell you that in what place soever by what means soever whether by preaching the gospell by a true Minister by a false minister by no minister or by reading conference or any other meanes of publishing it two or three faithfull people do arise separating themselves froÌ„ the world into the fellowship of the gospell and covenant of Abraham they are a Church truely gathered though never so weak a house and temple of God rightly founded vpon the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets Christ himsef being the corner stone against which the gates of hell shall not prevayl nor your disgracefull invectives neyther Indeed * the Pharisees thought bycause they had Abraham for their father and did descend of him by ordinary succession were the formall Teachers of the Church that therefore God could not possibly cast them off or have a Church without them even so it is with the Pharisaicall formall clergy in Rome and England they think that Christ hath so tyed his power and presence vnto their ceremony of succession that without them he knowes not how to do for a Church but must needs have it passe through their fingers But as Iohn Baptist told the old Pharisees that God was able of the stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham though they all every one of them like vnfruitfull trees should be cut downe and cast into the fâ—râ— so say I vnto their children the Pharisees of our â—yme that though the Lord reject them and every one of them for their apostacy and rebellion yet can he by the seed of the word cast with what hand soever rayse vp vnto Abraham children vnto himself a Church They that are of the faith of Abraham they are the children and seed of Abraham and within the covenaunt of Abraham though but two or three and so of the same Church with him by that covenaunt Your last argument to prove the officers the Church Math. 18. and directly to disprove our supposed popularity is that it is against the dignity and office of the Ministers who represent Christs person vnto the Congregation 1 Cor. 4. 1. having authority from him to preach administer the sacraments vse the censures which none but such as represent him can give them which the body of the people do not by office nor take from them c. This indeed is the thing the dignity of Preisthood is it which goes nearest you and that you keep last as Iacob did Beniamin whom of all his sonnes he was loathest to part with Gen. 42. 4. 43. 14. But first if your meaning be that the Ministers by their office represent Christ in his office it is little lesse then blasphemy for Christ is the husband and mediatour of his Church by his office and herein not to be represented by any other man or angel The ministers in publishing the gospell and word of reconciliation are in Christs stead and therein to be obeyed as himself but what if they speak the vision of their own hart and publish heresy false doctrine or lead a scandalous and prophane life their office is no dispensation for them neyther are they now any longer in the stead of Christ but of the Divel whom they resemble as children their father and are so to be reputed Besides there is no force in your argument bycause the body of the Church represents not Christ by office as the Ministers do therefore it is no way equall with the Ministers nor may medle with them but the contrary May not a man as well argue thus Bycause the wife no way represents her housband in office for she is in no office the same may be sayd of the children aâ— the steward and the bayliffe doe therefore the wife is no way superiour vnto them she may not reprove or displace them in her husbandâ— absence what evil soever they doe in their office or persons but on the contrary they may rebuke her and turne her out of doores and her children with her if there be cause For they represent the maister in office she not Now wee know well the Church is the wife and spouse of Christ the Ministers stewards Thus having cleared the way of such obiections as wherewith Mr Bernard would stumble the reader I come in the next place as I have formerly ordered my course to declare that the Church Math. 18. 17. is not the officers but the whole body meeting together for the publique worship of God and that 1 Cor. 5. proves the same by practise which is in the former place enjoyned by rule Onely I must needs by the way make a step into his 2. book amongst his score of reasons there against popularity and so remove as it were with my foot such of them as are tumbled in by him to make rough the playn wayes of the Lord. And they are as the authour numbers them the 7. 12. 13. 17. 18. The 7. Reason is that if a sort of persons professing Christ together without officers haue the power of such officers in themselves they may do all the officers may do Wee say not that the Church hath the power of the officers but the power of Christ as is expresly affirmed 1 Cor. 5. 4. 5. and 2. it followes not that bycause the Church hath the power of Christ for all things therefore it can injoy all things without officers The power is one thing which is inseparable from the body the vse of the power an other thing which in many cases it may want Civil corporations have the Kings power and charter as well without as with officers and yet it may be there are liberties in their charter they cannot enjoy without officers they
in ministring of their judgements And so I go on The rule prescribed Mat 18. concernes all the visible Churches in the world since the power of excommunication is an essentiall property one of the keyes of the kingdome the onely solemn ordinance in the Church for the humbling and saving of an obstinate offender and as necessary as the power to receive in members without which a Church cannot be gathered or consist And therefore the Officers cannot be the Church there spoken of since true Churches may and do want officers as I have formerly proved If two or three officers be the Church Math. 18. then may they two or three excommunicate the whole body though it consist of a thousand persons for what brother or brethren soever will not hear the Church there spoken of he or they are to be accounted as heathens and publicans Yea I ad if the power of excommunication be â—yed to the office since the office may remayn in one I see not but one may do any work of his office and so as well excommunicate as admonish preach minister the sacraments and the rest Now whether this power in one or two to punish judicially one or two thousand be not Lordly at the least let the reader judg Further if the officers be the Church I would know if one of them fall into scandalous sinne and will not be reclaymed what must then be done It wil be answered that the rest must censure him But what if there be but two in all must the one excommunicate the other the ruling Elder it may be the Pastour 2. if the rest of the Elders being many may displace the Pastour by their authority they may also place him and set him vp by their authority and so the poore laity is stript of all liberty or power of chusing their officers contrary both to the scriptures and your 〈…〉 oâ—ne graunt If the Officers be the Church then they alone may excoÌ„municate a brother without the consent yea or the privitie of any of the brethren for the busines concernes none but the Church Math. 18. neyther need they so much as acquaint any others with it But so absurd is this as you your self graunt the contrary and thaâ— it must be done with the knowledge of the Church publiquely and when the body meets together in open assembly The Apostles themselves whom no ministers now can equall eyther for skill or authoritie did not thus engrosse all things into their own hands but did interesse the people though raw newly come to the faith in all the publick affaires of the Church and in such deliberations as arose about them And who should deny them to meddle in those things which concerne them But if any do these scriptures avow their liberty Act. 1. 15. 23. 26. 6. 2. 5. 11. 2. 3. 18. 22. 1. 14. 17. 15. 3. 4. 14. 21. 22. 30. 31. 21. 22. Rom. 16. 17. 1 Cor. 5. 4. 16. 3. 2 Cor. 8. 19. 23. 24. Now there is nothing that more concernes the body of the Church then the excommunication of a brother whether wee respect the commaundement of God binding them not to suffer sin vpon a brother but to rebuke him plainly and to admonish him that being rebuked by many he may be humbled drawn to repentaÌ„ce or the credit of the Church which must be defended against the slaunders of the excommunicants which will ever be iust in their own cause or their own good that â—t by the rebuking of one all may learn to fear or their conscience who must to day avoid him as an heathen and lim of Satan whom yesterday they were to imbrace as a brother and member of Christ. How clearly these things plead the brethrens both liberty and interest in all this busines let the indifferent reader judge If the Officers alone be the Church to which offenders are to be brought and by which they are to be judged then are they as the Church to admonish and judge those offenders eyther apart from the body or in the face of the publique congregation but neyther of these two wayes and therefore they alone are not the Church Not in private or apart for Then may the Pastor be excomunicated before any one of the brethren know of it Of which evill I have spoken formerly 2. It is against the nature of the ordinance being a part of the publick communion of the Church and worship of God to be performed but publiquely Yea there is no reason why admonitions and censures should be administred lesse publiquely then doctrine and prayer For the kingdome of the Lord Iesus is as glorious as his preisthood or propheticall office and his throne is to be advanced as high and made as conspicuous to the eyes of all as his altar or pulpit that I may so speak Now as the Preistly and Propheticall offices of Christ are administred in prayer preaching so is his Kingly office in government In deed if wee thought as you do that Christ had left his kingdom the Church without lawes and officers for the government of it or that this government were an indifferent thing alterable at the willes and pleasures of men then wee should be as indifferent where or how or by whom it were administred as you Mr B are 3. The officers are to feed the flock one part whereof consists in government Now if admonitions and excommunications may be administred apart from the body how is the flock fed by them or how do those Elders vpon whom the government of the Church especially lyeth discharge their publique Ministery and service vnto the Lord and his Church to which they are called or how can the Church see and know their ministration that they may have them in super abundant love for their workes sake if there be cause or contrarywise if reason require the contrary or when they that sin are rebuked openly whether Elders or people how can the rest fear Yea how can these men which are to feed the flock by government be accounted faithfull sheepheards eyther before God or men if they gather not the flock together see they feed accordingly though with you Mr B. they that feed the flocks by government never so much as see the faces of the hundred part of their sheep and when they have a sheep in hand for straying it may be from a dumb sheepheard to a preacher they deal with him for the most part many a mile from but never in the place where the particular stock walkes whereof that sheep is Lastly the administration of Christs kingdom being a part of the communion of saynts and publique worship is to be performed of the Lords day as well as other parts are and to be joyned with the administration of the word sacraments almes and the rest as making all one entyre body of communion yea
in cases to go before the rest I am perswaded least the holy things be polluted by notorious obstinate offenders And if the collections for the saynts which concernes the body be a Lords or first dayâ—â— work how much more the spirituall ordinances which respect the soule eyther for humiliation or comfort Yea I see not how the Church can compell any to forbeare their bodily labour in the six dayes wherein God hath given them liberty to work except it be vpon occasions extraordinary and as they may be constreyned to meet for any other part of publick worship Well then it must needs be that this Church of officers must receive and examine complaints reprove and censure offenders publiquely and with the knowledge of the whole body met together in publique assembly and this liberty in the exequution of excommunication you graunt the multitude pag. 92. of your book And surely there must be but one Church for the whole busines But this course is more vnreasonable then the other namely that the brethren must be gathered together to be spectatours whiles the officers alone sit vpon the thrones of David to heare and judge excluding the brethren from all communion with them though they be personally present For the communion of the Church stands not in this that men are present and see and heare what is done and receive proffite for so may they do which are without but in the mutuall relation and concurrence of the parts and is in this ordinance onely amongst them which are reproved or do reprove at least by consent if they see cause which are censured or do censure And besides it is against common sence that the officers should be the Church representative when the body of the Church which they represent is present as hath been formerly shewed to call the officers alone the Church or assembly which are both one when the people are assembled with them as necessary parts is to call one part of the Church the Church excluding an other part of it If the officers alone be the Church to be told and to admonish and judge the offender for there is one and the same Church for all these then it must follow that if the Officers admonish the Church also admonisheth and on the contrary that if the officers refuse the Church also refuseth to admonish an offendour but neither the one nor the other of these is true First the Elders observing sin may and ought to admonish the party sinning whether the Church observ it or no yea though the whol Church be otherwise minded yea any one of the Elders may admonish if he see cause both the rest of the officers the brethren also but this admonition cannot be the admonitioÌ„ of the Ch except we will say the Church may admonish where shee sees no sinne yea against her will yea which is most senseles except she may be sayd to admonish her self The second point needs no great refutation For who will say that if the officers refuse to admonish and make themselves accessary vnto sin by boulstering it vp that then the Church is also sayling and the whole lump thereby levened except the rest consent with them or fayl in their personall duties which notwithstanding might be sayd of them and imputed vnto them if by the Church were meant the officers If a brother privately considered may bind sin privately vpon the parties irrepentance then may the same brother as a part of the publik assembly bind for his part publiquely and so he brings the party impenitent privately bound to the Church holding him still bound vpon the continuance of his obstinacy but publiquely now with the whole communion as privately before by himself 〈…〉 th his witnes The consequent of this argum Mr B. graunts in his latter book pag. 200. vpon Mr Smythes vrging Mat. 18. compared with some other scriptures much what to this purpose but the Antecedent as he speaks he denyes or rather distinguisheth of these words binding and loosing which he vnderstands onely to be meant of personall wrongs against a man but not of sinnes at all against God But as this exposition conteyns in it two notable absurdities the first that other men may forgive injuries or wrongs done vnto me and secondly that a communion of faithfull men for so the words are which is the Church may medle with judging civile matters as are injuries otherwise then as they are sinns against God at which they take offence or scandalize so is it evidently convinced by the text when Christ speaks of binding and loosing in heaven whither injuries come not save as they are sinns against God Yea Mr B himself graunts in another place of this book viz pag. 223. towards the end that our saviour in this place speaks of binding and loosing spiritually and that not by the power of Christ given to Ministers but to coÌ„mon Christians where he also brings sundry reasons to prove that the binding and loosing there spoken of doth no way concern the Ministers or publique Officers but private persons notoriously crossing both his first book in the persons which he will there needs have officers and no private men and here private persons and no officers and his second in the thing which in the former place he will have merely of civil consideration but here graunts to be meant religiously The next reason I take from v. 19. where mention is made by Christ of prayer by which the censures there spoken of are to be sanctifyed both before and after they be exequuted Wherevpon I demaund whether the brethren present with the officers be part of the Church to which the offender is brought and by which he is judged in the communion of prayer or no It will not be denied thence it must follow that they are also part of the Church in receiving and judging of the complaint or els that they passe in and out and in agayn in respect of the communion during one and the same excercise and the sanctification of it They which are gathered in or into the name of Christ they are the Church spoken of Math. 18. and have the power of Christ for binding and loosing as is evident ver 20. Now as me thinks it should be strange to affirm that the brethren present with the Officers are gathered in or into any other name then the name of Christ so doth Paul drawing this rule into practise 1 Cor. 5. commaund that the multitude with the officers by not onely Mr B. but the Iesuites confession be gathered together in or into the name of Christ and that they so gathered do by the power of Christ deliver to Satan the offender for his humbling ver 4 5 〈…〉 Lastly if the officers without the brethren be the Church for the censures then are they the Church for the other publique ordinances of prayer preaching sacraments and the like and may minister them out of the
coÌ„munion of the body neyther can there be any reason given why they should be the Church for one solemn ordinance and not for an other for one part of the publick communion of the Church and not for an other And therefore in the representative Church of the Iewes at Ierusalem were not onely the hard causes opened about which the people came to enquire but there were also the sacrifices offered and other the solemn services performed according to the dispensations of the times And to make the officers the Church for one part of the power of Christ and not for an other for one solemn administration and not for an other especially having fit instruments to exequute is a broken course and indeed to devide Christ from himself But about this something wil be sayd though nothing against it and namely this That the officers are to do in one of these ordinances as in an other and the multitude no more in the one then in the otherâ— and that as the officers onely are to pray preach and administer the sacraments and the people not to medle with these things so in the matter of excommunication To this I reply sundry things First if the officers alone be the Church in the censures then it is not in this part of communion as in other parts for not the officers alone but the brethren with them are the Church in prayer preaching administring the sacraments and the like And as the Church being the body of Christ is the most entire and best compact of all bodyes so is the communion in it most entyre full amongst all the parts so far as naturall impossibilitie hindreth not And therefore even children though by nature vncapable of other parts of communion wherein it is required they should be agents or do any thing yet do communicate in that one ordinance of baptism in the administration wherof as of circumcision before times they are merely patients and baptized in the name of the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost But in other actions and amongst other members with whom naturall inability dispenseth not there is a full perfect and intire communion and that as sensible and bodily amongst all as may be without confusion In preaching prayer the Lords supper psalmes elections and almes all communicate though with some difference of order and manner of the thing In the first which is preaching all communicate one officer teacheth and the rest both officers people are taught in prayer one officer vtters the voice and the rest of the Church say Amen so all communicate in the Lords supper all communicate one by giving or administring and all the rest by receiving with him in singing of psalmes all communicate yea and that vocally and together where they can all coÌ„bine and concur without disorder in elections all chuse or are chosen in the distribution of the almes all eyther give or receive and so communicate together But now in publick admonitions and excommunications there must be a schism for the body of the Church is by Mr B excluded from the communion yea though locally present for all the communion passeth betwixt the parties admonishing and admonished excommunicating and excommunicated whereof the body of the Church is neyther but a very â—ipher a hangby Secondly there is great difference betwixt prayer and preaching on the one side and excommunication on the other side in respect of the ordering and manner of dispensing those ordinances One officer prepareth in secret and severall from the rest for preaching and prayer so administreth these ordinances lawfully as the ordinances of the Church without the consent yea or foreknowledge of any one eyther brother or officer but it is otherwise in admonition and excommunication The sin must be told to the Church and they vpon knowledge of it must admonish the sinner and so the excommunication is publiquely to be prepared with the foreknowledge fore-consent of the body which otherwise the officers much lesse one officer without the knowledge or consent of eyther other officer or people may not minister One officer I confesse may admonish an offender without the consent of the Church yea or of any other officer be there never so many yea he may admonish both the officers and Church but this can in no sense be called the admonition of the Church except wee will say one officer is the Ch excluding both the people and other officers and that the church may admonish her self and that against her will which were vnreasonable and senseles affirmations Thirdly for a kind of preaching namely that we call prophesying and so of prayer for the sanctifying of it that I affirm not to be so appropriated to the ministery but that others having received a gift there vnto may and ought to stir vp the same and to vse it in the Church for aedification exhortation and comfort though not yet called into the office of ministery as hath been in part already and now is more fully proved by these scriptures Num. 11. 29. 2 Chron. 17. 7. Ier. â—0 4â— Math. 10. 1. 5. Luke 8. 39. 10 1. 2. 3 9. Ioh. 4. 28 29. 39. Act. 8. 1. 4. with 11. 19. 20. 21. 1 Pet. 4. 10. 11. Rev. 11. 3. 14. 6. And more specially the Apostle 1 Cor. 14. doth of purpose and at large handle this busines not onely giving liberty vnto but laying charge vpon all such though not in office as haue received a spirituall gift to exercise the same in the ordinance of prophesying Now for the better vnderstanding of this point it must be considered that the Church of Corinth did abound with spirituall gifts above an other Churches both ordinary and extraordinary which gifts of the spirit they did abuse too much unto faction and ambition Wherevpon the Apostle takes occasion in the beginning of the 12. hap and so forward to direct them in the right vse of these giftes of God which was the imployment of them to the aedifying of the body in love and therfore having ch 13. layd down a full description and large commendation of that grace of love in the 14 ch the beginning of it he exhorts to prophesying and to the study and vse of that gift which though it were not so straunge a thing as was the suddayn gift of tongues not which drew with it such wonder and admiration yet was it more profitable for the Church and though a matter of lesse note yet of greater charity which must bear sway in all our actions Against this scripture though in it self most pregnant for the purpose in hand two exceptions are taken The one that the Apostle speaks of such persons onely as are in office and so of their ordinary ministeriall teaching the other that he speakes of such gifts as were extraordinary and so being ceased that the ordinance as temporary is ceased with them But neyther of these rubs must turn vs out of the way
sorowing to them the Apostle writes them he reproves they were to be gathered together for the excommunicating purging out judging the offender v. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. And therefore the duety here enjoyned as well concorns the brethren as the officers except we will say the fornicatour was onely among and in the middest of the officers to put from amongst them and left amongst the people still and that the officers onely were puffed vp when they should have sorrowed and not the brethren with them 2. It concerned the people as well as the Preists in the type shadow to put away leven out of their houses to keep the Passeover with unlevened bread and so in the truth and substance to purge and put out this leven Paul speaks of namely the incestuous person v. 7 8. 3. The Apostle admonisheth them that were not to be commingled with fornicators nor to eat with them v. 9. 10. 11. this duety I hope as well concerned the brethren as the officers 4. They with whom Paul deals are commaunded to put the wicked man from among themselves v 13. so that the same persons froÌ„ among whom he is to be put are to put him away which are both officers people And so I conclude that the rule praescribed by Christ Math 18. the practise of the same rule coÌ„mended by Paul 1. Cor. 5. do severally joyntly couple combine together the Elders people in th 〈…〉 ing of an offender the officers going before the brethren 〈…〉 ng in their order the women lastly by silent coÌ„sent wherin the scriptures distinguish them from the men 1 Cor 14. 14. 1 Tim 2. 12. To these things I will adde in the last place the consideration of a scripture to wit a Cor 2. 6. which M. B many others with him think of force sufficient to dash in peices all that hath been or can be spoken for the brethrens liberty right in the fore-handled busines But as I have formerly answered the objections forced from this scripture agaynst the truth I hold so will I here set down one Argument or two very pregnant except I be deceived for the confirmation of it from the same scripture the context thereof 1. They whom the Apostle by his letter made sorry for their fayling in the casting out of the incestuous man and that with a sorrow to repentaunce manifesting it self with great indignation zeale they were â—â— reprove and censure him and so did to his reformation and their own clearing which that it was not the case of the officers alone but of the brethren with them appeares in these scriptures 1 Cor. 5. 1. 2. with 2 Cor. 2. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 2. Paul writes not onely to the officers but to the brethren as well as to them to forgive or loose to comfort confirm their love toward the same person vpon his repentance 2 Cor. 2 7. 8. therein plainly witnessing that the brethren as well as the officers had bound rebuked and manifested their indignation against the sin and the person for it Now this point in hand I will conclude with the observation of a practise yet continued in use in the Church of England which is that persons excommunicated for notorious sinns before they be absolved are to do their pennance as they call it in the parrish Churches wherof they are and there to ask the whole Church forgivenes Now I would know of you Mr B. whether the church have power to forgive the parties sin as men can forgive sin yea or no If you say no you discover the shame of your Church thus prophanely to take in vayn the name of God and to make a mock of Christ ordinances if you answer affirmatively then you graunt the power of Christ to forgive to loose sinns so consequently to reteyn and binde them to be in the body of the Church for which I contend The truth is there is no such power in the parish assemblies as now they stand they can neyther bind the sinner nor reâ—â—yn his sin be he to theÌ„ never so impenitent or loose him and his sin seem his repentance vnto them never so full and vnfeighned these knots are to be tyed and loosed onely by the Chauncelours or Officials singers this power have they enclosed with hedge and ditch and as things are judged at their tribunal so must the captived Church take them and will it nill it receive or refuse the party accordingly The Prelates and their substitutes have seazed the substance and kernel as it were into their hands â—aving the poore people onely the shell and shadow to feed vpon And yet this very formall shadow stil remayning in the Apostate asseÌ„blies i◠〈◊〉 to bewray how substaÌ„tiall a power the Churches of Christ were possessed of in their constitution This shell that remaynes shewes where the 〈…〉 hath been And as in this so is it in sundry other paints When the Bishop ordeynes a Minister he bids him 〈…〉 pel though he have been his porter be known vnable to read sensibly he vseth also thâ—sâ— words tâ—ke thou authority 〈…〉 though it may be he is an 〈…〉 dred milâ—â— off but never in thâ— place wherein he is to minister he gives him charge also to monster the 〈◊〉 of Christâ— as the Lord hath commanded though he be but the Bishops mans man to exequute his iudgements which formes of speach notwithstanding serue to shew what the Ministers ought to dâ—â— and where and by whose election they ought to be appointed though in truth they do or be nothing lesse And â—hâ—â— God by his providence continueth vnworn out in the degenerate assemblyes such steps and sâ—adles as may serve to shame them by shewing vnto all that will see how where things have stood by Christs appointment in his Church which do also very well consort with the disposition of Antichrist whose property is vnder a formall flourish for Christ to fight against him in his truth and ordinances Our â— reckoned errour is That the sin of one mâ—n publiquely and obstinately stood in being not reformed nor the offender cast out doth so pollute the whâ—le congregation that none may coÌ„municate with the same in any of the holy things of God though it be a Church rightly constituted till the party be excommunicated This Position thus set downe I deny with Mr Ainsworth though with him and Mr Smyth I do vndertake the confirmation of that truth which in his refutation Mr B goes about to impugne And that is that the whole communion in the Church of England is so polluted with prophane and scandalous persons as that even in this respect alone were there none other there were just cause of separation from it And to this purpose I will lay down a ground vpon which I do build whatsoever I speak in this point which I intreat the reader hâ—re and
alwayes to observe and that is He that fayles in those duties for the reformatioÌ„ of the sin of an other which the Lord 〈…〉 his hand he is accessary to that other mans sinne and 〈…〉 own by connivency 〈…〉 And this not onely the scriptures but eâ—eâ— common sense and the light of nature do confirm And upon this ground I deny your enâ—â—neration of parts in the case of pollution to be sufficient This streyn comes more wayes then you are aware of A man may be polluted by and guilty of the sin of another though he neyther in iudgement â—â—llow of â—â— nor in affection like it nor practise the like but the contrary yea though he speak against it discountenance it and brow-beat it as you speak when you teach your people to look big upon sin where they dare not medle with the reproving it do his best in his place to reclaym the sinner which are the preservatives you give against pollution and that thâ—se wayes When a man doth not consider or observe his brother as heâ— ought nor watch over him in the holy communion of saynts wherin he is set and which the Lord hath established for this end that he might be honoured in the communion and fellowship of saynts And it is a saying onely becoming CAIN and those that are with him of that wicked one am I my brothers keeper 〈…〉 Thus then a man may be guilty of the sin of an other yea though â—â— be vtterly ignorant of it And thus it is like was all Israel guilty of 〈…〉 in the excommunicâ—â—â— thing who th 〈…〉 are â—â—aâ—gâ—d by the Lord to have committed asâ—â— and to have 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 and were punished by the Lord for the same and deprived of â—â—â— prâ—sâ—â—â—â— till the excommunicate or exâ—crable thing were destroyed from among them A 2. case of pollution is the neglect of admonition for the reformation of the offender according to the order and degrees by Christ himself set down secret and betwixt the offended and offender if the sin be of secret practise and nature privately with a witnes or two in the second place publiquely in the last place by complaint made vnto the Church having the power of Christ for excommunication Lev 19. 17. Mat. 18. 15. 16. 17. There is yet a 3. duty and that is separation whereof you also Mr B. in sundry cases do admit pag. 105. and to which the Lord in the scriptures calls his people for the shaming of obstinate rebellious offenders Rom. 16. 17. 2 Cor. 6. 14. 15. 16. 17. 1 Tim. 6. â— the neglect whereof casts both the guilt of the sin condemnation of the sinner vpon him that neglects it So that a man is not onely bound in his place to do his best for the reclaiming of his brother but to see his place be such as wherein he may orderly discharge the duties of admonition otherwise both his practise and place are vnlawfull And you your self will teach your people this truth in the generall that the place or calling absolutely tying a man to the breach of any of Gods commandements is vnlawful and to be forsaken Now this is your very case and the case of the best in your Ch the Lord open your eyes you may see it and give you harts to make a right vse of it As there are in your parish whom you dare not admonish secretly much lesse with a witnes or two so which is the last and cheifest remedy you cannot make complaint to the Church your Church is not furnished with Christs power to take vengeance vpon disobedience you are utterly unfurnished of the weapons of this warfare Great was the slavery of the Israelites under the Philistims when there was not a sword found amongst them in the day of battel far greater and more to be bewayled is your spirituall slavery under the Philistim and Aegyptian Lords the Praelates which have spoyled you of all and left you vnarmed for the Lords battel You know vvel Mr B. that the Officiall is not the Church so do thousands in England with you For all whom how much better were it more agreable to true godlines to renounce such vnsanctifyed places and standings wherein they doe in avoydably day by day steyn themselves with so many impieties of their brethren as though their own personall sinnes were too few by sayling in this most necessary duty layd by the Lord himself vpon every brother for the reformation of his brother then to plead they do the best they can in their places to reclaym them It will not be sufficient for men suffering themselves to be tyed short in the chaynes of Antichristian bondage froÌ„ the performance of this necessary duty at the day of the Lord when men shall appear to haue perished through their fault which might haue been gayned by their admonition Mat. 18. 15. to say they have done what they could within the reach of their chayn But let all them that fear the Lord and his righteous judgements which have hearts tenderly affected with the conscience of the duety they owe vnto their brethren and to whom the liberty purchased with the blood of Christ seemeth pretious break assunder those chaynes of vnrighteousnes those bonds of Antichrist and come out of Babylon and plant their feet in those pleasant pathes of the Lord wherein they may make streight steppes vnto him walking in that light and liberty which Christ hath so dearly purchased for them But for separation from a Church rightly constituted or from a true Church so remayning I do vtterly disclayme it For there is but one body the Church and but one Lord or head of that body Christ and whosoever separates from the body the Church separates from the head Christ in that respect But this I hold that if iniquity be committed in the Chruch and complaint and proof accordingly made and that the Church will not reform or reject the party offending but will on the coÌ„trary maynteyn presumptuously abet such impiety that then by abetting that party his sin she makes it her own by imputation enwrapps her self in the same guilt with the sinner And remayning irreformable eyther by such members of the same Ch as are faithfull if there be any or by other sister Churches wypeth her self out the Lords Church-rowl and now ceaseth to be any longer the true Church of Christ. And whatsoever truthes or ordinances of Christ this rebellious rowt still reteynes it but vsurpes the same without right vnto them or promise of blessing vpon them both the persons and sacrifices are abhominable vnto the Lord. Tit. 1. 16. Prov. 21. 27. Now if any object the Church of the Iewes and the obstinacy thereof in sin and wickednes which was a true Church notwithstanding it must be considered that no Church in the world now hath that absolute promise of the Lords visible preseÌ„ce which that Church then had
till the coming of Christ Gen. 47. 10. 17. 7. Exod. 19. 43. 44. 45. It was simply necessary the Messiah should be borne in the true Church wherein he might have communion and fulfil the law Math. 5. 17. Luk. 2. 21. 22. 23. 29. The Lord did ever affoard the Iewes even in their deepest apostasie some or other visible signes of his presence and those even extraordinary when ordinary fayled thereby declaring himself stil to remember his promise made to their forefathers ever and anon by some godly King Prophet or Priest or if these vvould not serve by some severe correction destroying from amongst them the cheifest rebels brought them to repentance caused them to passe a nevv into his covenaunt as hath formerly been declared But vvith vs it is othervvise No Church novv can expect or doth enjoy such extraordinary priviledges But if it depart from the Lord by any transgression and therein remayn irrepentant after due conviction and vvill not be reclaymed it man fests vnto vs that God also hath left it and that as the Church by her sin hath separated from and broken covenant vvith God so God by leaving her in hardnes of hart vvith but repentance hath on his part broken and dissolved the covenant also The Lord Iesus threatens the †Churches for leaving their first love and for their lukewarmnes that he will come against them speedily remove there candlestick that is dischurch them except they repent spue them as loathsome out of his mouth There is the same reason in due proportion of one member sinning of a fevv of many and of a vvhole Church novv if a brother sin and vvill not be reclaymed by the ordinary means appointed by Christ for that purpose he is to be accounted no longer a brother but an heathen publican Math. 18. 17. so is it with two or three brethren with a few with many or with the whole Church though there be a different order of dealing for the multitude of sinners doth no way lessen or extenuate the sin eyther in the eyes of God or men Now for your arguments In handling whereof I will also take in such of your score of Reasons against pollutioÌ„ as are worthy coÌ„sideration First you say vnder the law there was a sacrifice for all manner of pollutions but none for this and therefore it is no sin It is not so for 1. if a man polluted his hands with innocent blood by murder or his body with adultery or wrought any other wickednes punishable by death there was that I find no particular sacrifice for it 2. The people of Israel were guilty of the pollution of the Lords house by bringing or suffring to come into his sanctuary stâ—â—ungers eyther uncircumcised in flesh or in heart and so there was an â—ffring to be made once a year for the purging of the holy place and Tabernacle for the cleansing of the Altar to be an attonement for the Preists and for all the people of the congregation 3. The pollution I speak of comming onely by neglect of some duty for the reformation of a brother cannot be denyed to be sin and with other pollution medle I not The godly people were never reproved for being at the ministration of holy things though wicked men were there We graunt it in the true Church but deny a company of impenitent sinners to remayn the true Church being to the iudgement of men vnrecoverable Yea if but one haue committed the evill notoriously scandalous and the rest so tollerate him that litle leven levens the whole lump and with leven must not the Passeover be eaten in any case And here Mr Bernard your cavelling Reply vpon Mr Ainsworth speaking of the whole Church all the assembly is answered The Corinthians might as well haue eluded and put of Pauls argument and reproof as you Mr Ainsworths for Paul speakes of the whole lump as Mr Ainsworth doth of the whole Church And surely if two or three officers be the whole Church that hath the power of Christ to judge consure offenders as you say the whole lump might soon be levened and the whole Church plead for open iniquity The Prophets did not separate themselves though they cryed out against wickednes Isa. 1. 4. 5. 6. 9. 10. c. Both the Prophets Preists and people that were godly did separate froÌ„ Apostate Israel in Ierboams tyme which we take to be your estate in a great measure coÌ„sidering your worship holy dayes Preisthood government But for Ierusalem the Church there the case is otherwise Touching which I desire these two Rules may be born in minde First that ther was that one onely visible Church vpon the face of the earth tyed to one temple altar sacrifice Preisthood in one place that no man could absolutely separate from that Church but he must separate from the visible presence and from all the solemn publique worship of God Secondly that the Iewish Church had not that distinct ecclesiasticall ordinance of excommunication which we now have but that the obstinate or presumptuous offender was by bodily death to be cut of from the Lords people the same persons namely the whole nation being both Church and common wealth according to that special dispensation of those times Wherevpon it followeth first that since absolute separation from the Iewish Church was unlawfull communion with it was lawfull and 2. that since the Church had not the power to cast out an offender it was no pollution vnto them to suffer him amongst them so they discharged such other duetyes as were inioyned them by the Lord. But it is now otherwise the times are altered and the dispensations of them Every place where a companie of faithful people are gathered into Christs name is mount Syon hath the promise of Gods presence and separation from one Church remayning vncurable may be made into another And as separation may be from a Church so may excommunication be of person obstinately wicked And these two Rules rightly applyed wil as I am perswaded satisfie the scriptures and reasons brought by Mr. B. here and both by him and others els where from the old testament and the vnpolluted coÌ„munion of the servants of God in the Iewish Church The other scriptures I will breifly passe over Tit. 1. 15. shewes that all the creatures of God are pure to the pure I graunt it and his ordinances also But ever provided in their lawfull and right vse which in a prophane and vnsanctified communion they are not By your exposition Mr Bernard a godly man might eat the Lords supper with haeretiques excoÌ„municates yea Turks or Pagans if they would and yet all should be pure to him Of the 2. and 3. chap. in the Revelation I have spoken formerly and there proved that the Churches were polluted by the tolleration of wicked persons amongst
as appeareth in that it appointeth one set service in so many words to be sayd by all and every Minister to all and every parish person in it It appoints one set form of words wherein all persons without exception must be maryed all women without exception after child-bearing purified all children born in the kingdom baptized all sick persons visited and all dead persons buryed without exception How shall we then sever you in the things wherein you joyn your selves or put a difference where your selves put none And where further as loath to let fall the plea of the wicked you do adde that God called Israell his people after defection and their children in respect of circumcision his children Ezech. 16. 21. 22. I answer first that the Lord did not call them his children in respect of circumcision for the Scechemitcs were circumcised and yet were not Gods people not their children his children and 2. that the Prophet speaks of the first born which by right did in a speciall manner apperteyn to the Lord Exod. 13. 2. though he were most injuriously defrauded of his due Where you proceed and say that some in the Acts 19. 2. which were ignorant of the holy Ghost were called beleevers that is too grossely applyed to the ordinary gifts of the holy Ghost which is meant of such extraordinary visible giftes as wherewith God did for a time beautify the Church which these persons also there spoken of did afterwards receive by imposition of hands by Paul vers 6. For the Churches of Corinth and Pergamus with whose corruptions as with a buckler you would cover your selves it must be remembred that they and every person in them were in their coÌ„stitution separated by voluntary profession into covenaunt with the Lord and did with their covenant receive power and charge to reform such evills as might break out amongst them which if they neglected they brake covenant with God and so forfeyted on their part both their covenant and power provoking the Lord if they repented not to break with them shortly to remove their candlestick out of his place That which you adde the last and in deed the worst of all the rest is that the Church of Christ is set out even by the naming that is by the profession of the name Iesus Christ. Rom. 15. 20. But the Apostle intends no such matter but onely to magnify his Apostleship by this amongst other the notes of it that he had preached the gospell where before there had been no sound of it And if the naming of Iesus Christ set out a Church then are the Papists besides other haeretiques a true Church for they name Iesus Christ as oft as you and with as many courtesies But things are best discerned in their particulars and to them you discend saying that that congregation which is false hath a false head false matter false form and false properties which say you cannot be avouched against our congregations And what if but some of these be false and not all To make a thing true must concurre all the essentiall parts and properties but to make it false there needs not be all false some few will do it For the particulars You haue no false head bycause you hold Iesus Christ and worship no other God but the Trinity in vnitie The Papists also worship the Trinity in vnity and in word and in the generall confesse Christ their head and you in deed and in the particulars many of them do deny his headship Christ is the head onely of his body Col. â— 17. But the body of Christ consists not of the lims of Sathan of which your nationall Church was for the most part gathered compact after the generall apostasie of Antichrist and of such it consists at this day except you will deny that they are the lims of Sathan the eyes of whose minds he blâ—ndeth that the light of the gospel should not shine in them which do the lusts of the divell and are his children which commit sin which persequute the godly and cast in prison the servants of Christ. Now tell me not Mr Bern. of the wicked persons in the Churches of Corinth Thiatyra and the rest for these Churches were not gathered of any such outwardly and so appearing it is blasphemy against the Apostles so to affirm and if any appearing such were afterwards suffred it was a â—anker in the Churches which in tyme ate out the harts of them As therefore the Papists make the Church a monstrous body in setting two heads over it Christ the Pope so do you make Christ a monstrous head in vniting vnto him meÌ„bers of so contrary a nature And let the prophane world make as small account of it as they list it is certayn no false doctrine haeresy or Idolatry can more eyther displease or dishonour God and his Christ then wretched men in word professing his truth and name and in deed denying both him and them Further you have not Christ the head of your Church in the administration of his propheticall preistly and kingly office which I will onely point at referring the reader to such other treatises as do more fully confirm these things in speciall to Mr Ainsworth his arguments disproving the present estate constitution of the Church of England against which his playn proofs your idle exceptions Mr Ber. wil be as easily answered as read First then your Church admitteth not of the ordinance of prophesying or teaching out of office Rom. 12. 6. 7. which as I have formerly proved to be a perpetuall ordinance for the Church so how profitable it is both for the edification of them within and conversion of them without we find by experience and the scriptures declare 1 Cor. 14. 3. 24. 25. 2. You silence the Lord Iesus in your Church from revealing the whole will of his father A part of his word is vtterly excluded by your calender may not so much as be read in your Church but is justled out by the Apocrypha writings a greater part even the most of that which concerns the true gathering and governing of the visible Church though it may be read yet may it not be faithfully taught much lesse obediently practised notwithstanding any charge of the Prophets Apostles Christ himself Deu. 29. 29. Math. 28. 19. 20. Rom. 16. 25. 26. 2 Tim. 3. 16. 17. so that though you haue the whole will of God in your books as Papists haue yet in respect of the doctrine and obedience of a great part of it the book is sealed vp and may not be opened And to make vp the measure you have in stead of the canonicall scriptures of the holy Ghost mens Apocrypha scriptures the books of homilies and that of common prayers your popish canons and constitutions which are as well the doctrine of your Church as the canons of the
Tridentine councell are the doctrine of the Church of Rome and if you will in stead of Prophets to teach your significant ceremonies the cap surplice crosse typpet which are neyther dark nor dumb but apt to stir vp the dull mind of man to the remembrance of his duty to God by some notable signification Here is drosse for silver and for the finest wheat chasse Lastly your Prophets which administer that part of Christs prophecy or of the scriptures which may be taught and practised amōgst you haue neyther the true office of ministery which Christ hath prescribed nor a lawfull calling to that they have as hath been in part noted from Ephe. 4. and is els where clearly evinced Now Christs preistly office you do corrupt and prophane vnsufferably whether we respect the persons or things whereof you make him a mediator Are those Atheists and vngodly persons wherewith you cōfesse in the beginning of your book your Church is full and which if you should deny heaven and earth would witnes against you are they I say their soules and bodyes those lively holy and acceptable sacrifices and offerings sanctified by the holy Ghost Are those devised printed and stinted collects read out of your humane service-book the spirituall sacrifices of prayer and thanks-giving which the spirit of God teacheth the sonnes of God to offer the fruits and calves of the lipps which confesse his name Is that constreyned payment of a weekly or monethly rate and assesment for the poore more fitly called a malevolence for the ill will it is payd with then a benevolence that gratious cheerfull care for the saynts that freewill offering of love and mercy that sweet smelling odour that acceptable and well pleasing sacrifice vnto God Are these I say those sacrifices for which Iesus Christ the eternall high preist appeareth for ever before his father in heaven that he might offer them vnto him in the golden censure perfumed with the odours of his own righteousnes or are they to be sanctified by the golden altar of his merits standing before the throne of God Rev. 8. 3. 4. Math. 23. 19. A lesse indignity sure it was to lay vpon the materiall Altar in the tabernacle or temple doggs swine vultures and all vncleane beasts and byrds with their durt and dung then thus to lay vpon this heavenly altar those unclean beasts and byrds whereof Babylon is an habitation and cage And for Christs kingly office who is able to set down the indignities outrages offered in your Church to the scepter therof For first where Christ reigneth as the King in Syon his holy mountayn ruling over his servants and subjects onely as the King of saints vnder his father you have gathered him a kingdom crowned him the King thereof contrary to his expresse will of known traytours and rank rebels vnto his crown and dignity even of such as do visibly and apparantly fight for Satan and his kingdom the kingdom of darknes hating deriding and persecuting to the vtmost of their power all such as desire to please and serve Christ in any sincerity Of such and none other doth the body of your Church consist for the greatest part as all amongst you that feare God will testify with me 2. Where Christ ruleth over his subjects by the scepter of his holy word which is a scepter of righteousnes in the place of it the vngodly canons and constitutions of Popes and Prelates must and do bear sway Such subjects such lawes And say not Mr B. as you do in answer to Mr Ainsworth pag. 259. that you acknowledge no other law-giver over your consciences in matters of saith and obedience between Christ and you save him alone For what doth your Church representative but bind conscience in binding men to subscribe to the Hierarchy service-book and ceremonies spont◠et exanimo in pressing men to the vse of things reputed indifferent absolutely and whether they offend or offend not in tying men to a certayn form of prayer thanksgiving excommunicating men for the refusall and omission of these and the like observances of their lawes And vvhat do you but loose and vnbind the conscience in tolerating yea approving yea making and ordeyning vnpreaching Ministers and in binding the people vnder both civil and ecclesiasticall penalties to their ministrations in their own parishes and from others And what do you els in your dispensations for pluralities non-Recidency and the like Are not these matters of conscience with you Mr B. wherein your lawes and law-makers bynde and loose as they list All the lawes and ordinances for the ministery and government of the Iewish Church were matters of faith and obedience between God and the Church bynding the consciences of the people and is the new testament lesse perfect then the old and the lawes and ordinances for the administration of it lesse excellent and of a baser foundation then the former It matters not what your words are since it appeares by your deeds that you vsurp the throne of Christ in appointing officers and making lawes for the government and administration of his kingdome the Church and those many of them to the abolishing of his herein rather holding Christ as a captive then honouring him as a King 3. Where Christ hath given to his Church liberty power and commaundement every one of them severally and all of them joyntly to reprove and reform disorders and whatsoever is found whether person or thing faulty and disagreing vnto his word alasse this liberty is enthralled this power lost this commaundement made of no force The Prelates haue seazed all these royalties into their hands as though they alone were made partakers of Christs kingly annoynting were as Kings to rule in his Church Here is a King in a great measure without subjects without lawes without officers without power But here I must needs observe a few things about two answers given by Mr B. in his 2. book to two of Mr Ainsworths obiections about the matter in hand To the former being about the officers of Christ in the Church he answereth that they have Christs officers appointed to govern the civil Magistrate the Kings Maiesty the ruling Elder next vnder Christ c. and the ecclesiasticall governours vnder him the Bishops who are also Pastours and Doctours But you should have considered Mr Bern. that the question is not about civill but ecclesiasticall governours The King in deed is to govern in causes ecclesiasticall but civilly not ecclesiastically vsing the civil sword not the spirituall for the punishing of offendours And if the King be a Church officer then he is first a King of the Church ◠to be called to his office and so deposed from it by the Church or at least by other ecclesiasticall persons by whom alone you will have Church officers made And lastly if the King be such a ruling Elder as the scriptures speak
of he is inferiour to the teaching Elders and deserves lesse honour then they For so the Apostle orders things RoÌ„ 12. 7. 8. 1 Tim. 5. 17. Now in making your Bishops Pastours Doctours you are double forgetfull of your self and double injurious vnto them and which is worse then both the rest you sin against the Lord his truth For the first in your former book you made your Bishops cheif officers in the Church and the successours of the Apostles and Evangelists and here you make them Pastours and Teachers which are the lowest orders of officers that Christ gave for the work of the ministery Ephe. 4. 11. 2. if your Bishops be Pastours and Teachers by their office what are you and the rest of your rank You and they have not the same office but you an office vnder them and so Pastours and Teachers being the lowest order that Christ hath left in his Church your order must needs be something vnder the lowest and of an others leavings then Christs 3. in making your Bishops the Pastours Teachers of the Church of England or the particular Churches in it you lay to their charge an accusation which they will never be able to answer at the day of the Lord which is their not feeding of so many thowsand sheep committed vnto them to be fedd and taught by them Lastly nothing is more vntrue and disagreable to the word of God then that your Provinciall and Diocesan Bishops are the Pastours and Teachers given by Christ to his Church There were no other ordinary officers left or appointed by the Apostles in the Churches but such as were fixed to particular congregations ordinarily called Bishops or Elders Act. 14. 23. 20. 17. 28. Phil. 1. 1. And if it can be shewed that by the word of God any other officers were left or appointed in the Church after the extraordinary officers Apostles Prophets Evangelists whose gifts and places vvere extraordinary besides such Bishops and Elders as vvere limited to particular Churches I vvill yeeld this vvhole cause in the point of the Ministery and so professe The other of Mr B. answer I mynd is about the power of Christ against sin Sathan Antichrist the want whereof Mr Ainsw and that truely objecteth against the English assemblyes Mr B. defence summarily is that there is in the Church of England the preaching of the word which is the power of Christ Rom. 1. 18. as also excommunication though not in every parrish yet in the Church of England in which is comprehended all parrishes and all superiour power over them For which let the Reader observe these particulars First a national Church since Christs death and the dissolution of the Iewish Church is amonstrous compound and savours of Iudaism Secondly if the mayn part of the power of Christ be to be administred in a particular congregation by the ordinary officers thereof namely the preaching of the gospell why not the inferiour part the censures also save that the Byshops to Lord it over all will keep this rod in their own hands Thirdly the Ministers whose judgments reasons you avouch both say and prove in the latter end of your book that this power is given to a particular congregation of faithful people Fourthly you your self lay it down as a mayn ground against popularity and withal sundry scriptures to prove it that Christ hath appoynted the same sorts of men in his Church for preaching administration of the sacraments and government Lastly it is apparant that the particular Church of Corinth gathered together in the name of the Lord Iesus had the power of the Lord Iesus for excommunication and so hath every other faythful assembly in the world as they had which since your assemblyes are not they may want this power without any great wrong the evil onely is that it resteth in a worse place then the worst parrish assembly the Bishops court or consistory I proceed Onely my desire is that the things which I have noted touching Christs kingly office be the more carefully observed by all the people of God and servants of Iesus in respect of that most direct opposition which in those latter dayes is made against it and the administration thereof For as in the first tymes after Christs comming in the flesh his prophetical office was directly impugned by Iewes and heathens so as it was †not lawful to speak in his name since that his preisthood by the masse-preisthood sacrifices in the popish Church so now in the last place doth Sathan in his instruments bend his force most directly against and with might and mayn oppose the sovereignty and crown of our Lord Iesus that he may not rule in his Church by his own officers and lawes The matter you say is not false and to shew this you note a difference between true matter false matter and no matter As you speak that which neyther any other nor yet your selfe can vnderstand of false matter so you call them no matter which make no profession of Christ at all â—â— Iewes Turkâ—s Pagans and all them true matter to wit visible which openly professe this â—â—yn truth that Iesus the sonne of Mery is the sonne of 〈…〉 Christ the Lord by whom onely and 〈…〉 they shal be saved Many greivous errours are bound vp 〈…〉 invective of Mr Bernards but for prophanenes this one surmounts them all For what can be spoken more prejudicial to the glorie of God or deragotory to the body of Christ hâ—â— that any person but pronouncing so many words how fil 〈…〉 ious soever he be in his life or what errours soever he mingle with this truth is notwithstanding true visible matter of the Church or a true member of Christs body visibly or so far as men can iudg and so must be received acknowledged Against this odious and prophane errour I wil first deal by some clear Arguments proving the contrary and then come to the allegations he makes for his vngodly purpose If all that professe this mayn truth Iesus the son of Mary c. be true matter of the Church then are most notable haeretiques true matter of the Church The Apellites Câ—rdoâ—â—ans and Marcioâ—â—â—es holding two contrary beginnings or Gods the one good the other evil the Macedonians denying the Holy Ghost to be God the Cerâ—â—â—hyans holding that Christ is not yet risen from the dead the Paternians affirming the inferiour parts of the body of man to be created of the Divill the Patricâ—â—â—â— holding so of the whole body the Novatians and Cathari denying repentance to them that sin the Nicholaitans holding community of all things the Swenk seldians and Enthusiasts denying the outward ministery wayting vpon the revelation of the spirit alone and with these many others as ill or worse then they professing notwithstanding this mayn truth as the most of them did and do Then are excommunicates true matter of the
Church though cast out for notorious wickednes for many of them hold these mayn truthes and many more yea more then Mr B. himself doth Then is the true matter of the world and lims of the Divell for such are all wicked persons whatsoever truth they professe Ioh. 8. 44. and 15. 19. Rom. 6. 16 2 Tim. 2. 26. 1 Ioh. 3. 8. 12. true matter and members of the Church They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts of â—â— Gal. 5. 24. therfore persons visibly wicked are not visibly Christs and so not visibly or in respect of men true matter of the Church or members of his body That which destroyes the Church makes it become eyther a false Church or no Church at all cannot make a true Church or be the true matter whereof it is made for these things are contrary But wicked men whatsoever they professe in word make the Church a Synagogue of Sathan and very Babylon which is an habitation of Divils and hold of all foul spirits Rev. 18. 2. provokes God to remove the candle-stick that is to dischurch a people and to spew them out of his mouth Rev. 2. 5. and 3. 16. Mr B. had need be a skilful workman which can make a true Ch of Christ of that matter which makes the true Churches planted by the Apostles themselves eyther false or no Churches at all They which are true visible matter of the Church or true visible christians have Christ for their King visibly or in outward appearance and so far as men can judge for by visible we mean that which may be seen of men opposed to invisible which onely God seeth for Christ is not devided but look to whom he is a Preist to save them a Prophet to teach theÌ„ to the same persons he is also a K. to reign rule over them but he is not a King to any ungodly ones neyther doth he but Satan and their lusts reign over them If profession in word with a wicked conversation make true matter of the Church then an apparantly a flat contradiction a known sinne that which makes men more abhominable makes them true matter of the Church For he that sayth he hath fellowship with God or beleeves in Christ and yet walkes in darknes doth ly and doth not truely 1 Ioh. 1. 6. He that professeth Christ to be his saviour and doth wickednes contradicts himself for Christ is not a saviour of the wicked sinns against the 4. coÌ„mandement in taking Gods name in vayn Other reasons might be brought for the â—â—iction of this soul prophane errour for truth vnanswerable for nuÌ„ber sufficieÌ„t to make a volume but these may suffice for the present some other I will intermingle as occasion shal be offered in the examination of that which Mr B. brings for the confirmation of his assertion For which end he sets down 4. Reasons The sum of the three first is thus much viz that Christ his Apostles preaching the gospell such as beleeved the same and made profession of it and of their faith were without stay or let received into the Church as true matter We are as farr from denying this order of gathering Churches as you are from enjoying it Mr B you needed not to have made three distinct proofs of this which no man denyes nor to have brought so many scriptures as you do for the confirmation of that which wee graunt with you and practise without you But herein you deceive the simple reader in that you separate and disioyn those things which then were and alwayes should be ioyned together and they are faith and repentance These two ioyntly did Christ himself preach and Iohn Baptist before him and the Apostles after him and these two were preached to and required of every one both man and woman which was admitted into the Church Mat. 3. 2. 6. Mark 1. 15. Act. 19. 4. Luke 13. 3. 5. 24. 47. Act. 2. 28. 8. 37. 19. 18. But now bycause faith repentance are inward graces resydeing in the hart and known to God alone which knoweth the hart and that the profession and confession of them are the ordinary meanes by which these hidden and invisible graces are manifested made visible vnto men there was no cause but they which made this profession to men in sincerity so far as men could judge should by men be deemed and acknowledged for true members of Christ and fit matter for the Lords house And so if by any other means men manifested themselves to have fayth and holynes wrought in them though they made neyther profession of faith nor confession of sinnes yet were they and so ought to be intitled and admitted to the liberties of the Church as appeareth Act. 10. 44. 46. 47. And vppon this very ground also it is that the children of the faithfull are of the Church and baptised though they make no profession of faith at all bycause the scriptures declare them to be within the gratious covenant of Gods mercy and love and vnder the promises of the gospel and so by vs to be reputed holy Gen. 6. â— 17. 7. 8. 9. 10. Deut. 29. 10. 11. 12. 13. Act. 2. 39. Rom. 11. 16. 1 Cor. 7. 14. so that it is not for the profession of faith ex opere operate or bycause the party professing vtters so many words that he is to be admitted into the Church but bycause the Church by this his profession and other outward appearances doth probably in the judgement of charity which is not causlesly suspitious deem him faithfull and holy in deed as in shew he pretendeth But that a man of a known lewd conversation appearing still to remain in his sinne whatsoever in word he professeth should be received into the Church out of which he ought to be cast though he were one of it or should have baptism administred vnto him which is as Mr B. rightly confirms from the scriptures the seale of the forgivenes of sinns of new birth of salvation being judged not to have the forgivenes of sinns nor to be born a new nor to be in the estate of salvation were a most desperate and prophane practise then which I know not whither the Divel hath brought any other into the Church more derogatory to Gods glory or prejudiciall to mans salvation This were to make the way of the kingdome of heaven broad enough by which al the Atheists in the world might enter into the Church and certaynly would every one of them if the Magistrate should vse his compulsive power as it is in Engl at this day yea a parrat might be taught to say over so many words yea the Divel himself though he were known so to be would not stick for his advantage to vtter them and so might be true matter for Mr Ber Church The material templi was to be built onely of
the world yet not of it but chosen out of it and hated by it men fearing God and working righteousnes and so being accepted of God in what nation soever purchased with the blood of Christ and so made his flock saynts by calling and sanctifyed in Christ Iesus and calling vpon the name of the Lord Iesus Christ in every place such were the Churches in Iudâ—a Galily and Samaria the Churches in Galatia the 7 Churches in Asia and of such people gathered into so many distinct assemblyes ech entyre in her self having peculiar Bishops or Elders set over her for her feeding by doctrine and government did those particular Churches consist they thus separated from the rest both Iewes and Gentiles in every nation whether more or lesse were that chosen generation that royall Preisthood that holy nation and purchased people of the Lord. But that ever the whole nation and all the Kings naturall subiects in it should have been within the covenant of the Lord entituled by the word of the Lord to the seals of the covenant and all the other holy things depending vpon it is a popular and popish fantasy as ever came into mans brayn requyring a new-found land of Canaan for a seat of this national Church wherein no vncircumcised person may dwel and a new old testament for the policy and government of the same And lastly it makes all one them that Christ hath chosen out of the world and the world them that fear God work righteousnes and whom he accepteth in every nation and the nation it self the beloved of God at Rome and the sanctifyed in Christ Iesus at Corinth with the City of Rome and of Corinth then which what confusion can be greater But to admit that for truth which you so take namely that Rome in the sence wherein we speak sometymes was the true Church of God as Iudah and more specially that the English nation was as the nation of the Iewes and all and every person in it high and low received into covenant with the Lord to be his people and that he might be their God yet can it not be sayd of Rome that she stil remayns the true Church of God as Iudah did in her defection but on the contrary as she brake her covenant with God advancing by degrees that man of syn the sonne of perdition and adversary Antichrist till he was exalted into the throne of Christ and that mistery of godlynes in and according to which that Church was planted at the first degenerated into the mistery of iniquity so did the Lord for her adulteryes wherein she was incorrigible when they were come to the height break the covenant on his part and gave her as an harlot a bill of divorce and put her away and her daughter Engl. with her amongst the rest Now for the more full clearing of this truth I wil in the first place answer such reasons as Mr B. brings against it and that done lay down certayn arguments to disprove his Popish plea for that Romish Synagogue Onely in the mean whyle I wish him to consider that if Mr â—m deserve so severe a censure as he layes vpon him pag. 281. of this book for some favourable affirmations touching some things â—â— persons in Rome he himselfe is much more blame worthy that both professeth and pleadeth her the true Church of Christ and in the covenant of grace and salvation then which what greater and more notable plea can be made for her Nay if it be probable that he which pleads for Rome as Mr Smith doth will in tyme become â—n love with it and sit downe a blind Papist it is necessary that he which thinks it a true Church return vnto it from which he hath wickedly schismed as all men do that separate from the true Church of Christ for any corruptions whatsoever Here I do also entreat the prudent Reader to beare it in mynd that the constitution of England cannot be iustifyed nor she proved to be rightly gathered but with the defence of Rome yea of that great and purpled whore to be the true spouse of the Lord Iesus The Reasons by which Mr B. would prove Rome a true Church are by him reckoned five in number we wil consider of them in order The first is taken from the first planting of that Church in S. Pauls tyme by vertue of which former calling and constitution sayth he Rome still remaynes the Lords people as Israel did in the wildernes notwithstanding her idolatry I do answer first that Rome as we now consider of it was never the Lords called nor under his covenant though a Church or assembly in that city or it may be more then one of saynts were and secondly that though she were yet is the covenant broken through her fornications and impenitency in them both on her part and the Lords visibly and she devorced long a goe and her daughters in and with her His secoÌ„d Reason is grounded vpon 2 Th. 2. 4. because Antichrist that is sayth he that head with his body sitteth in the temple of God which he further tels vs must be vnderstood visibly in respect of the truthes of God in doctrine and ordinances of Christ held there of which Gods people among them partake in his mercy to their salvation and others from tyme to tyme have mayntayned openly to the preservation of some fundamental poynts of the Apostolical constitution Wherevpon he also concludes that since the temple of God typing out the Church wherein he sitteth hath a true constitution Rome and that in respect of the tyme present hath a true constitution and is a true Church He might also have added and ever shal be a true Church for Antichrist ever shal sit there til Christs second coÌ„ming v. 8. Many men have written much about the notes marks of the true Church by which it is differenced and discerned from all other assemblyes and many others have sought for it as Ioseph and Mary did for Christ with heavy hearts Luk. 2. 48. that they might there rest vnder the shadow of the wings of the Almighty enioying the promises of his presence and power But what needs all this a doe Mr B poynts vs out with the finger a mark of the true Church most evident and conspicuous and like a beacon vpon an high hill and that is the exaltation of Antichrist I had thought the Churches and people of God should have been known by his dwelling among them walking there and by Christs presence in the middest of them but I now perceive Antichrists power presence and exaltation is a sure signe by which the Churches of Christ must be discerned If any therefore desire to plant his feet in the courts of the Lords house and there to abide for ever let him be sure to chuse such a Church to ioyn to as wherein Antichrist sitteth
but idolatrous and heâ—iticâ—l corruptions vpon the profession of Christian fayth covering it with the same as Iobs body was with sores and in the more large application of that Simile pag. 245. do affirm that as he though covered over with botches and sores so aâ— he could scarce be known by his freinds was Iob stil vnder the sores and the very same essentially that he was before so â—s the Church and christianity in Popery â—hough covered with the antichristian corruptions which Sathan hath brought over them in so saying you are like your selfe onely constant in inconstancy and errour And tell me I pray you Mr B. is the Popes vniversal supremacy and headship over all Churches by which also he claymeth power of both the swords onely a sâ—ab vpon the skin of the true ministery which Christ hath left in the Church without preiudicing the essence or nature of it Is the sacrifice of the masse onely a soar brought vpon the Lords supper vnder which notwithstaÌ„ding it lyes the very same in nature and substance which was by Christ ordeyned Is prayer vnto saynts onely a corruption come vpon true prayer but no more against the life of it then Iobs vlcers were against his life or doth it not destroy the very soule and life of prayer Is adoration of saynts service in an vnknown tongue with all other the abhominations in the masse-book but as a scurf come over that true worship of God wherwith he wil be worshipped Iohn 4. 23. 24. vnder which the very same true worship lyeth as Iob did vnder his soares which God hath coÌ„maunded that without any more daunger of losse of life then Iob was in by his outsyde skabs Lastly is the opinion of iustification by works onely a botch and byle vpon true fayth but not against the nature of it nor destroying the essence of it Your errour is sufficiently convinced in the recital and opening of it in these particulars your inconstancy and contradiction is most notorious in the last of them compared with that you wryte pag. 113. of your former book namely that the ioyning of works in the cause of salvation which the Papists do is against the true nature of fayth in the son of God and destroyeth it That which you call your fifth reason hath no countenance of a reason in it but is meerly a conclusion inferred by you vpon your 4 former reasons to prove Rome in respect of the tyme prâ—â—ent a true Church and the sum of it is that the Churches now coming out of Babylon do not requyre any nâ—w plantation but onely a reformation as did Iudith in the tyme of Hezechiah after the apostacy of Idolatrous Ahaz and of the people wâ—â—h him But since the reasons wherwith you would vnderprop this your inference are taken away it must needs â—â—ll to the ground Neyther will your Babel stand any whit the stronglyer for the daubing you make with this and the like vntempered morter that it hath not made a nullity of religion that it hath not lost the Apostolical constitution totally that it holds truthes sufficient to iudg men christian by the corruptions being taken away For first what matters it though Rome have not made a nullity if it have made a falsity of religion by most grosse vntruthes haeresyes and Idolatryes making voyd the commaundements of God by mens traditions and teaching for doctrines mens precepts And secoÌ„dly what though the coÌ„stitutioÌ„ be not totally lost If an house or material building be not totally demolished but there stil remayn some few postes or studdes not yet puld down or some few stones of the foundation vndigged vp is it therfore truely an house and so to be called Lastly doth it follow that because Papists might be iudged true christians for the truthes they hold their corruptions being taken away they are therefore such with their corruptions so the vilest haeretique Idolater or other miscreant in the world take away his haeresy Idolatry and mischeif may be iudged a christian yea the Divil himself take but away his corruptions is a glorious Angel of light Having thus answered the reasons brought by Mr B. to prove Rome a true Church and the like I will in the next place lay down such arguments from the scriptures as manifest the contrary and those also taken out of his own writings for the further discovering of his vnsound and deceitful dealing with men in the Lords matters And first in his cathechism printed 1602. pag. 1â— he demaunds this question â—â— the Church of Rome a true Church of Christ whervnto he answereth No but of Antichrist the Pope the cheif teacher of the doctrine of Divils And in the same place to prove that religion a false religion he brings 7. general reasons very weighty all and every one of them as he that reads the place shal finde Secondly in his seperatists sâ—hism he makes as Iewes Turks and Pagans no matter so Papists false matter of the Church and contrary to true matter in that they ioyn with Christ their works in the cause of salvation pag. 111. 112. 113 116. Thirdly he affirms in his last book pag. 277. that the covenant betwixt God and the people is the form of the Church and proves that this covenanting mutually doth give a being vnto a people to be Gods people Deut. 29. 12. 13. To this let that be added which he wrytes pag. 281. of the same book namely that the Papists have not the same word and fundamental poynts of the covenant with them in England And in particular that they make a covenant with Angels and Saynts and so hold not the person in the covenant that they make another word even mens traditions the declaration of the covenant and so change the evidence that they make moe sâ—craments and so adde counterfeyt seals turning the Lords supper into a Popish sacrifice and so do tear off the Lords seal and make it nothing worth and these three namely the person the wryting and the seals he makes the foundamental poynâ—s of the covenant as wherein the foundation therof doth stand And who now seeth not how this man is first constrayned to plead for Rome as a true Church to defend the Church of England and afterwards being ashamed of that plea to condemn it as a false Church corrupt and counterfyet in the very foundation and form which gives the being as he himself speaks Fourthly he graunts in these his playn endeavours that Rome is Babylon and that the H. Ghost so calls it and applyes rightly the places literally spoken of the type the heatheâ—ish Babylon spiritually to the thing signifyed the Antichristian Babylon the Romish Synagogue And the same thing the wrytings of the godly learned both at home and abroad do confirm Noâ— what can be more playn Is it possible that Rome should be both Babylon Ierusalem both the Synagogue of Antichrist and the Church of Christ Can that Catholick
dishonour of God profanation of his ordinances You speak much of the reformation of your Church after Popery There was indeed a great reformation of things in your Church but very little of the Church to speak truely and properly The people as I haue sayd are the Church and to make a reformed Church there must be first a reformed people and so there should haue been with you by the preaching of repentance from dead works and faith in Christ that the people as the Lord should haue vouchsafed grace being first fitted for made capable of the sacraments and other ordinances might afterwards have communicated in the pure vse of them for want of which in stead of a pure vse there hath been and is at this day a most prophane abuse of them to the great dishonour of Christ and his gospell and to the hardening of thowsands in their impenitencie Others also indeavouring yet a further reformation have sued and do sue to Kings and Queens and Parliaments for the rooting out of the Prelacy and with it of such other evill fruits as grow from that bitter root and on the contrary to have the Ministery government and discipline of Christ set over the Parishes as they stand the first fruit of which reformation if it were obteyned would be the further profanation of the more of Gods ordinances vpon such as to whom they apperteyned not and so the further provocation of his great Majesty vnto anger and indignation against all such as so practised or consented therevnto Is it not strange that men in the reforming of a Church should almost or altogether forget the Church which is the people or that they should labor to crown Christ a King over a people whose Prophet he hath not first been or to set him to rule by his lawâ—s officers over the professed subjects of Antichrist the Divel or is it possible that ever they should submit to the discipline of Christ which have not first been prepared in some measure by his holy doctrine taught with meekâ—es to stoop vnto his yoke Both you Mr B they of the other sort do tel vs oft of the reformed Churches and of your agreement with them I wish to God from my very hart that both you and they would compare your selves with them in this principall point vnto which all other are but as accessaries They after the abolition of Popery were established at the first whether by a new plantation new wee mean in respect of the present estate of Rome or by reformation onely as you will haue it and are still continued and increased by the free voluntary and personall profession of faith and confession of sinnes of such men and women as are by the word of God and the publishing of it perswaded and in some measure fore-fitted to joyn vnto them and walk with them and all this without any compulsion with the fear of Iosiahs sword or Hezechiahs proclamation by which you confesse your Church to have been in the persons of King Edward Queen Elizabeth brought back from Antichrist to the reformation wherin now you staÌ„d for which you peremptorily professe there is not required any profession of the name of Christ. Let it then be considered of and judged by all indifferent men how it can possibly be that both the reformed Churches abroad and the vnreformed Church of England can be truely gathered after the apostasie of Antichrist the former being separated from Popety into covenant with the Lord in the particular members by voluntary profession of faith without compulsion and the latter by compulsion without profession of faith Howsoever government freedom or voluntarynes be not contrary according to your most ignorant affirmation yet compulsion and voluntarines are and contraries cannot stand together and be made true no not by God himself My hope was that the argument of compulsion once ended I might with good leave have returned to the former book but see after so many provings and professings of Rome a true Church still in covenant with God that the Churches now separating from her were not to be gathered of such voluntaries as in the first plantation nor needed the preaching of the word to go before for their conversioÌ„ but that the Magistrate might compel them by fear and that so the reformation of the Church of England was wrought Mr B. now tels vs a cleane contrary tale and that their reformation was voluntary and not constreyned and how that came about First to let passe the succession of the Church he pleads from King Etheldred King of Kent of which I haue spoken so lately as the reader may bear mine answer in mind that the Queens Maiesty with many others began a voluntary reformation and that the supream power as he calls it being gathered made proclamatioÌ„ of her godly intent which was a kind of teaching to which the people yeelded voluntarily for any thing that any man can say to the contrary and pag. 245. adioyned themselves vnto them and that the act of the cheif doing it voluntarily is to be accounted the act of all though the inferiours come not to consent for proof of which he quoteth three scriptures Ex. 19. 3. 7. 8. Iosh. 4. 2. 8. 2 Chr. 14. 2. A solide proof bycause the Queen did voluntarily imbrace the truth in a measure therfore the whole body of the land whom she vrged by proclamation and other inforcements did voluntarily professe and imbrace the same For touching the supream power gathered that is the Counsell Nobles when she came to the crown they were such as had imediately before both enacted and exequuted most bloody statutes against such as voluntarily professed the truth and where you and the Ministers with you pag. 187. affirm that the body of the land did in Queen Elizabeths tyme adioyn themselves vnto that company which had stood out in Queen Maries dayes it is clean otherwise for they that so stood out adioyned themselves to the rest in the severall Parishes where their houses stood and occasions lay vnder the formerly masse-preists then for the most part ignorant and prophane preists with their English reformed masse-book In adding further that the Queens proclamation was a kind of teaching you trifle notably the quaestion is of such a teaching as was effectuall to make a whole nation of Antichristians the week before true Christians and a true Church It was in deed the onely effectuall means the people had generally and if the Queen had proclaymed the contrary the next week it would haue been as effectual to haue turned them to their former vomit again Your presumption that no man can say to the contrary but that the people yeelded voluntarily to the truth vpon the Queens proclamation is vayn considering what the voluntary yeeling or submission vnto the Gospel of Christ is which the scriptures commend vnto vs in the establishing of Churches The gospel
is a supernaturall thing and cannot possibly be yeelded vnto voluntarily by a naturall man or perswaded but by a supernaturall motive which is onely it self that by the operation of the spirit also in some measure it cannot be vnderstood and beleeved but by it self published and proclaymed as the sun is seen by it own light much lesse can it be willed and willingly yeelded vnto for the will must follow the vnderstanding neyther can any man will that he knowes not Besides the many treasons and great rebellions raysed to reestablish Popery in the laÌ„d the great good liking of the old law as they term it which still is found in the multitude and the apparant hatred and persequution against the true profession of the gospel in any measure though there be ten now for one in the beginning of the Queens reign that haue atteyned to some measure of knowledge and conscience of godlynes do confirm that which I say viz that the yeelding vnto the gospell in the multitude could not be voluntary The three scriptures you bring to shew that the agreement of the cheif is accounted in the case of faith and religion the act of all though the inferiours give not their consent is by you egregiously perverted for they do all every one of them plainly prove the peoples consent The first is Exod. 19. 3. 7. 8. where v 3. the Lord signifies his wil vnto Moses and v 7. Moses propounds the same things vnto the Elders and v 8. all the people viz having the same things by the Elders propounded to them as Iunius vpon that place and so will any man of common sense noteth promise obedience to all the Lords commandements The second place is Iosh. 4. 2. 8. where it is evident to him that reads the scripture quoted with it that which is written ch 3. 9. and Deut. 27. 1. 2 3. c. that the twelve men that took the twelve stones out of the miâ—des of lorden for a memoriall of the peoples safe passing over did it with the distinct knowledge and actuall consent of the multitude and of all the people as is sayd v 1. who are also expresly commanded by Ioshua v 2. of the same chapt and v 12. of the chapt before going to chuse or take these twelve men for the purpose before named Lastly for 2. Chron. 14 as â—t is true that Asa the King did provoke the rest to seek the Lord both by his example and authority so is it as true that the people sought the Lord their God with him and as vntrue that any did by his power obey in fear as you affirm The Lord himself testifies expresly against you and that all Iudah Beniamin assembled in Ierusalem and made a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their hart and with all their sowl of whom also it is witnessed accordingly that they swore vnto the Lord with all their heart and sought him with a whol desire And for the point it self howsoever in bodily things the people may refer themselves to the determinations of their superiours and may bind themselves to rest in them as in their own acts though they neyther take knowledge of nor give consent vnto the things in particular yea though they be to their bodyly domage yet in the matters of faith and religion it is clean otherwise and to hold the same proportion is a very popish errour which makes the governours Lords over the peoples faith And thus at the last am I got back whence I digressed will now proceed in the examination of such reasons as Mr B brings to prove that profane persons or to vse his own words men of lewd conversation are not false matter of the Church To which purpose he first distinguisheth true matter into good and bad and so taking that which is bad naught vnto himself for the matter of his Church he will yet have it true and no false matter And this distinction of his he labours to exemplifie by similitude and to confirm by example The similitude he borrowes from a materiall house and the matter of it timber stone which makes eyther nothing to the matter in hand or if any thing against himself If there can possibly be any false matter of an house then rotten timber is false matter and so wicked and vnrepentant sinners dead and rotting in the grave of sinne are false matter in proportion but if there can be no false matter of a materiall house then he may see how maymed his comparison is when the termes of the one side are impossible Howsoever it is evident that the house of God the Church is a spirituall house made of lively stones built vpon that lifegiving foundation Christ Iesus And as a man or other living creature being once become dead naturally cannot be called a true man naturally so neyther can a man spiritually dead in trespasses and sinnes be called a true man spiritually and therefore not true matter of that spirituall house the Church The things you further adde namely that all Churches have in them good and bad matter that men deserving iustly to be cast out are not false matter nor so cast out of the Church but as bad matter but true that excommunicates are still brethren by their professioÌ„ are all of them so many devises of your own without proof or truth For first it is not true that all Churches which you take for such have in them good matter for there may be by your owne graunt true Churches by their profession consisting onely of wicked persons which you acknowledge bad matter though true and there are full many parish Churches in Engl wherein he that should be put to find any good matter yea one holy and sanctifyed man had need with the Cynick Phylosopher seek it oâ— him with a candle at noon day neyther is it true on the other side that all Churches haue in them bad matter there are Churches in the world wherein by the mercy of God and power of his ordinances there is no visible bad matter that is no person of known lewd conversation els God forbid You wrong the Churches of Christ and deceive the Christian reader where in the shutting vp of this point you perswade him that he shall find ever cause thus to be affected and to greive viz at lewd persons in the Church wheresoever he comes He may and ought to come where there is no such cause of greif nor by the grace of our God assisting vs shal be without reformation though you measure others by your own lyne Now for the second poynt nothing can be more vntruely affirmed then that the Church may cast out any part or parcel of her true matter For first all the true matter of the Church hath vpon it the form of the Church and so is of the essence and being of the Church which for the Church to cast out
become one body with them he the head and they the members as it is betwixt him and his Church 1 Cor. 10. 17. 12. 12. 27. Lastly no Woman having a former housband alive may take a second or be lawfully maryed vnto him but wicked prophane persons have a former husband yet living even the law or sin taking occasion by the law to work in them all manner of lust ruling over them as the husband over the wife to which also they are bound as the wife vnto the housband Rom. 7. 1. 2. 3. 5. 8. therefore cannot be maryed vnto Christ nor become his wife The 2. similitude followeth A man professing obedience to a king as his alone sovereign and obeying his lawes in the general though he transgresse in some things openly greatly is that Kings true subiect notwithstanding You deal vnfaithfully put the case wrong The question is of a man professing himself in word the Kings loyall subiect his alone but in deed truth the sworn slave of his professed enemy an apparant rebell against the Kings majesty And whether such a one be a true subiect vnto the King or no for such and no better are wicked profane men whatsoever in word they professe even slaves and vassals of the Divel and rank rebels against the L. Iesus Right now you would have Rome a true Church now you will have Iesuites the Kings true subjects for such they professe themselves as boldly as falsly And yet no Romish Preist or Iesuit is more treacherous to the Kings person state then is a prophane vngoldly man professing Christianity to the crown dignity of Christ Iesus The 3. resemblance is of a man professing one onely trade though bunglingly or carelesly whom none will call a false trades-man but eyther no good trades-man or vnprofitable yet truely that trades-man by his profession Here as before you mis-put the case you should instance in a man professing a trade or faculty but practising the contrary in his generall course For example a man professeth himself in word a surgeon or physition but is observed and found in deed and practise to poyson men and cut their throtes and this to be his resolved course Now so charitable is Mr B. as he will have this man still called and that truely a Physition or surgeon though not good nor profitable But the truth is he is a false and treacherous homicyde and murtherer and so to be abhorred of all but of none eyther to be called or accounted a true physition or surgeon eyther good or evil Such a one and no better is he to his own soul that vnder the profession of Christianity in word practiseth wickednes and impiety and hath his conversation in them The authour having thus ended his defence for the bad and naughty matter of his Church so granted by him in effect comes to speak of false matter but so breifly and darkly withall as it appears plainly he is loth to meddle with it least in the handling his bad matter should prove false matter as it comes to passe with counterfeyt coyn That he sayth then is that false matter is contrary to this true matter that is to the true matter of which he hath spoken Wherevpon it followeth that since the true matter he hath spoken of is wicked and vngodly men though professing Christ and that holy and godly men are contrary to men wicked vngodly that therefore godly and holy men are contrary to the true matter of his Church and so by his reckoning false matter To conclude this point What is false but that which hath an appearance of truth but not the truth it self whereof it makes shew in which respect the scriptures also speak of false Christs false Prophets false Apostles false brethren false witnesses false ballances and the like pretending themselves to be that which they are not and to have that truth in them which they have not of all which there is none more truely false nor more fitly so called then that man is and is called truely a false christian or false matter of the Church which 〈◊〉 in word he looks to be saved by Iesus Christ and yet continues in a lewd and wicked conversation having a shew of godlines but denying the power thereof and professing the knowledg of God but by works denying him Wherevpon I do also conclude that the body of the Church of England being gathered generally and for the most part of such members visibly cannot be the true visible body of Christ except a true living body can be compact of false and dead members That which comes next into consideration in Mâ— B order is the visible form of the Church as he calls it which he makes truely the vniting of vs vnto God one to another visibly in his 2. book the covenant by which Godsets vp a people to be his people and they him mutually to be their God This description he illustrateth by a similitude borrowed from a materiall building whose form ariseth from the coupling together of the stones vpon the foundatioÌ„ which he also further manifesteth by comparing it with the form of the invisible Church by which the faithfull are vnited to God through Christ invisibly and one vnto another Of the termes of which comparison and their proportion wee shall speak by and by I do onely in the mean while intreat the reader to observ with me these two things The former that Mr B having in the beginning of his book censured vs very severely and that with D. Allisons concurring testimony for misapplying 1 Pet. 2. 5. to the visible Church which sayd they was meant of the invisible Church here notwithstanding he interprets it of the visible Church even as we do The latter that speaking of the invisible Church and the form of it he brings in sundry scriptures as so to be expounded which are apparantly intended of the visible Church amongst the rest these three Ephe. 2. 22. and 4. 4. 1 Cor. 12. 13. the last of which he himself also within a few pages following expounds as meant of the visible Church and the properties thereof Now for the comparison betwixt the form of the invisible and visible Church wherein if Mr B. observed due proportion and made the form of the visible Church the same visibly externally in respect of men which he doth the form of the invisible Church invisibly internally and in respect of God and so layd down things in simple and playn terms the truth in the point would easily appeare much needles labour be spared on both sides The form of the invisible Church he noteth first and on Gods part to be raysed by the spirit by which invisible hand God taketh men immediately by the hart and sayth he wil be thâ—â—â— God 2. and on mans part by â—aith by which invisible hand the beleevers
no Papists in your kingdom I may say in your Parish or are Papists become no idolaters with you as Rome was right now no false Church nor Iesuites false subiects The face of your charity Mr B. is so full set towards Rome and Papists as no marvayl though you be so vnequall towards vs as you are The truth is you are in the most streyt bond of civil society with Popish idolaters that may be Ther is nothing more common amongst them of your Church then to ioyn in mariage with them neyther is there to my knowledge amongst all your canons any one against this prophane commixture Neyther is it any thing you speak of living vnder a Christian King or with a people professing Christ for idolaters may live vnder a Christian King and professe Christ too in a measure as both many others and all antichristiaÌ„ idolaters do Yea I have formerly manifested that you live not onely in civill but even in religious society with Papists and you your self graunt as much of Atheists in the beginning of your book and will you say that visible Atheists are true visible matter of the Church and capable by the word of God of true visible fellowship and communion with Christ and the true members of his body The scope of â—e scripture followeth which say you iâ— that the beleeving Corintâ—ians may have no fellowship with the infidels and vnbeleevers to their evill works but that they reprove condemn hate and avoyd them Belike then they might haue had fellowship with them in any good work and so if any of the heathen or infidell Corinthians would haue communicated with the Christian Corinthians in the sacraments or prayer they might not haue refused their fellowship or communion herein For by your exposition the Apostle onely forbids partaking with them in evill works the works of darknes Of which more hereafter And here in our names you frame an obiection the sum whereof is that if all the godly would separate from all the wicked then there should be no wicked of the Church Vnto which you answer sundry things but how sufficiently will appear in the particulars First you say God commaunds not his to separate wholly from all the wicked but from Infidels Gentiles Idolaters Iewes Turks Papists whose very societies are to be left as no people of God Well then I perceive all religious fellowship with Papists is vnlawfull and that their societies are no people of God And how agrees this with your other affirmations that Rome is a true Church Papists true Christians though under corruptions as it was true Iob though vnder soars baptism there a true sacrament and seal of the covenaunt yet here the societies of Papists are no people of God that is in no covenant with him Or how doth this separatioÌ„ thus wholly to be made from Papists agree with that you write pag. 91. of ioyning in prayer with such Papists as though they be of the Church of Rome yet sorrow for the abhominations and as are come out from it in their soules the best part though not so in their bodyes The distinction you put between Infidels and idolaters and men of prophane life wee shall consider of in due place for your speach of all the Church falling into the estate of infidelity and so â—â—dged of the Church eyther it is without sense or I which vnderstand it not Now to that you adde of separating from the private familiarity of the wicked living in the society of the godly and that if they will not be reformed other courses are to be taken with them as their sin of obstinacy deserves I answer these things First that as there is a case wherein private withdrawing from a brother is warrantable namely when his offence is private and he privately obstinate that his sinne eyther cannot be or is not yet made publick publiquely â—vinâ—â—d so to separate from men privately and that onely for publick offences is a course without ground either of scripture or rea son You say pag. 144. that alvin so expounds 1 Cor. 5. 11. and therevpoÌ„ do take an occasion to accuse our practise as Brownisticall vs of Luciferian schisme Pharisaicall pride As I leave your raylings to be iudged by the Lord so do I give the reader to vnderstand how you grossely abuse Calvins authority who expounds that scripture as all men know it is meant of excommunicates and of mens private cariage towards them with which publick separation is also to be joyned I suppose you your self will not deny it And where you speak of an other course to be taken with wicked men that wil not be reformed you should also shew what that course is and what is to be done if that course be not taken but you have thought it a point of your wisdome to be silent in these things least by opening them too particularly you should discover your own shame The course to be taken is the censuring of such incorrigible offenders by the particular congregation whereof they are being gathered together in the name of Christ by the power of Christ with which power divine and heavenly priviledge he hath furnished his Churches every one of them as well as that one of Corinth neyther doth any true Church of Christ want this power or neglect the vse of it without sinne And if any Church of Christ would neglect to vse this power against scandalous sin manifestly proved and coÌ„vinced would obstinately continue notwithstanding all good meanes vsed to the contrary this sower leaven vnpurged out the whole lump were levened and with leven might not the Passeover be eaten And as the Church if sin do arise is first to endeavour the casting out of the sinne by the sinners repentance and if that will not be in the last place to cast out the sinne and sinner together so if the Church do wickedly bear out and boulster iniquity amongst themselves such as are faithfull are first to quit themselves of that Church-sin by testifying against it and reproving it and in the last place to quit themselves of the Church if it remayn incurable Now here you bring in certayn differences distinctions of separation but without application The first I omit as being before handled so much as concerns the present purpose The 2. difference is between the wicked remayning amoÌ„g the godly the godly being of the felowship of the wicked this differece I acknowledg withall affirm that the latter part of it notes out the estate of your nationall Church wherein a few godly mynded in comparison live in the fellowship of a wicked and sinfull nation And if persons excommunicate by the Church be not of her fellowship then certaynly the number of the godly in your fellowship is very small since your nationall Church representative the convocatioÌ„ house whose Act also pag 147. you avouch to be the Act of all the Church so to be
accounted doth pronounce ipso facto excommunicated all that do affirm eyther the ceremonies of the Church or goverment by Arch Bishops Bishops Deanes Archdeacons and the rest to be Antichristian or the bookes eyther of common prayer or of consecrating Bishops Preists and Deacons to conteyn in them any thing vnlawful or repugnant to the word of God Your third distinction I passe by as impertinent and the fourth as being already handled saue onely that in the end of it you bite at vs as you go for separating froÌ„ Gods ordinaÌ„ces in the Church for some wicked mens sake But you know Mr B. that wee do not deem your Church-government worship ministery and ministrations to be Gods ordinances nor your Church in that confusion wherein it was gathered consisteth to be rightly possessed of the ordinances which it injoyes no nor that any person how godly minded soever can haue the right vse of Gods ordinances in your assemblies as they are publick joynt exercises of the communion of the body In the fifth and last difference you speak of godly mens breaking society with themselves bycause of some wicked persons To which point I answer thus much since the L. Iesus hath given his Churches both power and charge to put from among them such wicked persons as do arise and appear incorrigible and hath also taught by his Apostle that the neglect of this duety levens the whol lump that they which countenaunce and continue in the Church such wicked persons against the godly zealous which endeavour their reformation that they I say do break the society of the godly with themselves and do rather make choise of the society of the wicked whom they thus bolster and bear out In the 3. place we are to consider of the matter entreated of and found fault with by the Apostle 2 Cor. 6. which you say is in summe thus much beleevers are not to be with the wicked in their vnrighteousnes in the state of their darknes nor to partake with them in their evils and so to agree together which no way helps our separation from light righteousnes c. It is true that the particular matter the Apostle findes fault with is the beleeving Corinthians communicating with the vnbeleevers in the idol feasts but withall it must be considered that the Apostle vpon this particular occasion delivers a generall doctrine then which nothing is more vsuall both in the old new testament The same Apostle in his former Epistle to the same Corinthians takes occasioÌ„ from the fornicatour among them to forbid them the companying or commingling not onely with fornicators but with covetous persons Idolaters raylers drunkards extortioners all other wicked men whomsoever ch â— 1. 11. so in this place he takes occasion from their coÌ„municating with Idolaters in the Idolathytes and the vncleannes thence arising to enjoyn them separation from all other vncleannes whether of persons or things as the whole tenour of the scripture manifesteth More particularly though the Apostle as you would haue it did onely forbid partaking with the wicked in their evils yet even therein did he forbid all religious communion with them since their very prayers and other sacrifices are their evils wherein whylst the godly do communicate with them what do they els but acknowledge their common right and interest in those holy things But that the Apostle in this scripture forbids communion not onely in the evill works of wicked men but with their persons and that he commaunds a separation not onely reall but personall doth appeare by these Reasons First bycause the scripture hath reference to the yoaking of the beleevers with the vnbeleevers in mariage as the occasion of that spirituall Idolatrous mixture which he reproves Now this ioyning was not in an evill or vnlawfull thing but with wicked and vnlawfull persons 2. The very terms beleevers vnbeleevers light darknes Christ Beliall do import opposition not of things onely but of persons also for the things sake So the faithfull are called righteousnes light as they are light so are the vngodly darknes and so not onely their works but their persons are called 3. The Apostle forbids all vnlawful communion in this place but there is an unlawfull communion of the faithfull with the wicked in things lawfull as with excoÌ„municates Idolaters heretiques or any other flagitious persons in the sacraments prayer other religious exercises in the respects formerly by me layd down whervpon it was that the Iewes were to separate themselves not onely from the manners of the heathen but even from their persons Ezra 9. 1. 2. 10. 2. 3 Nehem. 9. 2. 10. 28. 30. and that Paul reproves the Corinthians Epist. 1. Chap. 5. for having fellowship not in the persons incest but with the incestuous person whom therefore they were to purge out to put away from among theÌ„selves vers 5. 7. 13. Fourthly the Apostle enjoyns such a separation as vpon which a people is to be reputed Gods people the temple of the living God may chalenge his promise to be their God to dwell amoÌ„g them to walk there And as for the temple where the Lord promised to dwell the tymber and stones whereof it was to be built were to be selected and separated from all the trees in the forâ—est and stones in the rock and to be hewed and squared accordingly and so to be set together in that comely order which was prescribed so that this spirituall house or temple the Church now may have the promise of Gods presence and dwelling there it must be framed of spirituall stones and timber first separated from the rest then fitted and prepared by that ax or sword of the spirit the word of God and so coupled and combyned together in due order and proportion Besides it is evident that the holy Ghost hath reference in this place to the people of the Iewes which was separated from all other peoples and persons in the world as appeareth Lev. 20. 24. and 26. 11. 12. therein noting out what must be the course and condition of the Israel of God to the worlds end But here Mr Bern. excepts against our exposition of these places of Levit and the like as miserably wrested and falsly applyed to our separation For by Gods separating them from other people is meant sayth he a setting apart of Abrahams posterity to a speciall service of God and therein to be a people differing from all the world And by other people is meant such as worshipped not the true God which is nothing to them that worship Iesus Christ c. but no Israelites to separate from other Israelites which were even then when Moses thus spake of separation a corrupt people aâ—â—â—g themselves And is this your righting of our wrestings Mr B Els-where you tell vs that the Lord separates a people from others and takes them to be his before
reformed Churches is the way of God But howsoever it be eyther with vs or them yet if that narrow way whereof Christ speakes that leads vnto life be the way of God then surely there are thowsands in your nationall Church many in every parish Ch in the kingdom which speak evill of the way of God yea hate and persequute it to the vtmost of their power and all them that endeavour in any uprightnes to walk in it Whereof you your self also Mr B. in former dayes haue had experience though for the opposing reviling and persequuting of vs you and they agreed well like Herod Pylate were made freinds Now if wee separate from all them which thus disobey and speak evill of the way of God wee know too well wee can have no cōmunion with any assembly in the Land Lastly you are greatly overseen in saying that Pauls separation was not from the Church nor members of the true Church It was from the Church of the Iewes the members of that Church with whom formerly he had held cōmanion as the true Church of God which for this their disobedience and vnbeleif were broken off and so afterwards in deed to be reputed One scripture more remayns to be considered of and that is Ioh 17 ver 6. 9. 14. 15. 16. whence wee beleeve and confesse that the true visible Church of Christ is gathered by separation from the world and the men of the world visibly Against this our exposition Mr B. excepts and will haue this place vnderstood of the elect onely that are ordeyned to life of invisible members of men as they are holy before God rating vs as egregious deceiptful abusers of this scripture in applying it to the visible members or Church But most vniustly as appeares by these three playne reasons First bycause Iudas was one of them whom the Father had given vnto Christ out of the world whom alone of all them so given him he had lost that the scripture might be fulfilled vers 6. 12. whence it is evident to all men that do not blinde their eyes that Christ here speakes of such a donation or gift as was visible or of such members as were visibly and in respect of men separated sanctified from the world vnto God and not at all of any invisible gift or members Secondly Christ speaks of such persons as the world hated bycause they were not of the world ver 14. but the wicked world doth not hate men as they are elect before God and invisibly or inwardly separated and sanctifyed but as they are outwardly such and so separated whether they be inwardly so or no. Lastly Christ speakes of such a chusing out of the world as he doth of a sending into the world ver 18. which sending as it was visible and externall so was the selection and separation spoken of And say not for shame Mr B. that the visible Church of Christ is to be gathered or consist of the men of the world visibly The Church and world are tvvo distinct yea two contrary states and bodyes though the body of your nationall Church were at the first gathered and hath over since consisted of the vvorld and all To conclude this light man being pressed by Mr Ainsworth in another place of his book vvith this scripture both affirms proves by many reasons that Christ here speaks of a mixt company vvhich the elect are not And hovvsoever his reasons be not onely vnsound but indeed vngodly vvherein he affirms Christ to haue been in respect of men the mediatour of Paul vvhylst he continued a persequutour and of others wicked in respect of men yea of Pylate and the soldiers pagans and infidels bycause he prayed for them vvhereas Christ prayer for them vvas no proper effect of his Mediatourship for his body except vve hold vniversall redemption and make the vvhol vvorld his body but a most perfect demonstration of his love tovvards his enemyes left also for a pattern vnto vs to the worlds end yet do they with that he there labours to prove by them compared with his affirmation of the contrary in this place manifest his great both weaknes and lightnes in the things he affirms And thus I return to the exposition of 2 Cor. 6. and in it to prove that the Apostles meaning is to forbid communion and fellowship not onely with wicked works but also with the wicked persons themselves that walk in them For which purpose I do ad this one onely consideratiō namely that the Prophet Isaiah from whom the Apostle borroweth this phrase come out from among them separate your selves and touch none vnclean thing and I will receive you doth not so properly speak of the departure or separation which the Preists were to make from the sinns of the Babylonians as frō their coastes and persons thereby teaching all Christians which are that spirituall house and holy Preisthood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God through Christ 1 Pet. ◠8. Rev. 1. 6. that their separation and departure must be spiritually as theirs was civilly not onely from the sinnes of spirituall Babylonians or other vnbeleevers and vnclean persons but even from their persons also and from all personall communion with them And as in the type he that touched a dead man or leper or him that had an issue upon him or other vnclean person or was by him touched was legally vnclean polluted as well as he that touched or was towched by any unclean thing whatsoever Levit. 5. 7. 11. so in the thing typed and truth he that toucheth or is touched by a man spiritually dead in sinns or that hath an yssue of sinne or spirituall leprosie running upon him he is spiritually polluted and defiled Now without touching cannot the numbers of the same body and one of another possibly consist But were it as wee would haue it that not onely the works but even the workers of wickednes were to be avoyded for their works sake yet doth Mr B. take a double exception against our interpretation of this scripture The former is that it serves not our turn except we prove them all to live in darknes in vnrighteousnes to be in league with the Divel c. I do answer that if light and darknes beleevers and vnbeleevers Christ and Beliall must haue no fellowship together then must the beleevers and they that are in Christ forbeare fellowship with all vnbeleevers men of Beliall so continuing incorrigible if any beleevers or Christians will notwithstanding still combyne with vnbeleevers and godles men it is their sinne thus to confound the order which God hath set in separating from the faithfull with whom he hath joyned them by joyning with the vnbeleevers vnfaithfull from whom he hath separated them yea I adde in doviding Christ from himself and vniting him with Beliall the Divill in his members what in them
it be not actually seen or open to the ey of all as you speak as colours are alwayes visible and souÌ„ds audible in themselves though for the present they be neyther seen nor heard But what do I striving with this man which needs none other adversary but himself As he crosses his first book with his second so doth he both crosse and confute his second by his third In his first he will haue the word truely taught and the sacraments rightly administred to be the marks of the true Church in his 2. the true word preached though not truly the true sacrameÌ„ts administred though not rightly are inâ—allible tokens and reciprocally converted with the Church in the 3. last book the Church may be a Ch without the vse of the sacrameÌ„ts for a long tyme as the Ch of Israel was in the wildernes so it be not done of contempt and such as are eyther no Church of God at all or an antichristian assembly may haue and vsurp the seales put to a blank as Ismael Esau out of the Church had circumcision and the Papists now have baptism And that which he sayth of Baptism may as truely be sayd in cases of the word and the publication of it by reading and interpretation As the true Church may for a time want the vse of both so may a false Ch vsurp and abuse both as well the wryting as the seal ' He that held the seven starres in his right hand and walked in the middest of the seven golden candlesticks threatned the Church of Ephesus that he would shortly remove her candlestickout of his place for leaving her fâ—rst love except she repented though she still held and vsed the word and sacraments and if a company of schismatiques leaving a Church without cause or of excommunicates justly cast out of the Church should vnite themselves together vsurping and assuming the word and sacraments and professing the covenant outwardly and in the letter did this their â—old vsurpation make them a true visible Church of Christ The matter is the true Church may want vpon occasion the vse or administration of the word and sacraments but never the right power and interest in and vnto them so may a false assembly vsurp oâ— assume them but never have right or power from Christ unto them And this spirituall power and liberty arising from the Lords visible covenaunt to communicate and partake in the visible promises ordinances of it is the true essentiall propertie of the visible Church as is the faculty of reasoning the property of a reasonable man and the faculty of seing hearing tasting and the like the property of a sensible creature though neyther the one haue the actuall vse of reason for the present nor the other of sense The third and last property of the Church Mr B makes the care for the welfare of all and every one for the whole and each for other this eyther corporall for the maintenance of the body as in almes deeds Act. 2. 42. or spirituall touching the sowle which standeth in admonition and exhortation and so â—orth as 1 Thes. 5. 11. which also he sayth they and their congregations have It is noted of some persons beside themselves that all the ships they see in the haven and fayr houses in the country they think and say are theirs where if they were in their right witts they would both know and acknowledge that they were poore and beggarly and had nothing So is it with this man bycause he reads in the scriptures that the Apostolicall Churches consisted of saynts and were gathered by voluntary profession into the covenant of God that they had given them and did enjoy by the Lords gift and donation his word sacraments other ordinances and did in that holy communion whereunto they were called exercise themseves mutually for the welfare one of another both bodily and spiritually therevpon he concludes peremptorily that the Church of England whereof he is and for which he pleads hath all these things and that they haue all these properties where if he had a sound mind and an honest heart in the things of God he would both see confesse that things were nothing lesse with them then as he sayth and that in stead of this great and vniversall aboundance whereof he boasteth there were generally nothing but spirituall beggary and want Thou sayest I am rich and increased with goods have need of nothing knowest not how thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked More particularly as you want the office of Deaconship which Christ hath left by his Apostles for the collection and distribution of the Churches almes and haue enterteyned under the true name a false and forged office of half preisthood perverting and misapplying to the iustification of it such holy scriptures as are left for the calling and ministration of true and lawfull Deacons in the Church of Christ so is there not that care for the bodily welfare one of another amongst you in any measure whereof you boast The needlesse and endlesse suits and quarrels amongst you filling all your courts and judgement seats your dayly thefts and murthers amongst the members of your Church the continuall cousenings and circumventions one of another the vsuryes oppressions extortions which overflow both country and city as did the waters in the time of Noah both the valleys hilles do too manifestly shew how farre you are from this care of the welfare ech of other bodily whereof you thus vainly boast But though this care of ech for other both bodily and spiritually be almost wholly wanting yet say you the Church is not to be iudged a false Church no more then the houshould is to be iudged a false houshould bycause there is not that care that ought to be amongst them of the family or a man a false man if through folly madnes or wilfulnes he neglects the welfare of his body Surely it had not need considering how not onely this is wanting but how the contrary aboundeth in all places And to let passe all other matters no man is ignorant what care the two great factions in the Church that of the Prelates and the other of the Reformists do take each for other namely how ech may subvert and root out the other And for your similitudes borrowed from an houshold and a body as wee deny your Church to be that houshold of God or body of Christ wherein every member hath his effectuall working in his measure as the Apostle speaketh so is there no way the like reason of them and of the Church in the respect wherein you compare them A man doth not nor cannot cease to be a true man naturally by any meanes if his person survive neyther can a family cease to be a true family civily if it be not dissipated and dissolved but a Church though the same persons survive still
and combyne together as they did may cease to be the true Church of Christ and may eyther become no Church by forsaking all profession of Christianity or a false Church by holding and professing themselves stil Christians in fellowship with God through Christ when being considered by the revealed will of God and testament of Christ they are in truth in deed neyther the one nor the other And considering what Iohn sayth that he which loveth not his brother and so consequently cares not for his welfare which issueth from the former as the stream from the spring is not of God nor of his children but of the children of the Divel and withall that you your self right now did place the form covenant of the Church in a great measure in the manifestation and testimony of love in the members each to other and so consequently of care ech for the welfare of other I see not how that Church can be accounted the houshould of God consisting of his children by the word of God or the body of Christ vnited coupled together of his members by your owne doctrine where this love of and care for each other is visibly and outwardly wanting But to passe over all other things the point vpon which Mr B. insists and which he would most gladly fasten vpon the reader is that the power of the censures and of excommunication termed by the name of discipline howsoever it be a thing necessary for the wel being of the Church yet is it no essentiall property nor of such necessity but that a true Church may be without it And this wanting scriptures or reasons to confirm it he affirms again and again and in the end illustrates by a similtude taken from a man who is not therefore a false man though he can neyther see nor gâ—e nor speak It is recorded of one THEODOTIVS that having denied Christ in persequution to lessen his sin he went about to lessen Christ and taught that he was mere man and not God so many in the case of Christs government that their own and other mens sinne may seem lesser in not vsing or submitting vnto it do labour to extenuate and make it lesse excellent or vsefull then it is and therevpon one telles vs it is not a part of Gods worship nor of religion another that it is a thing indifferent arbytrary changeable a third that it is not simply necessary for the true Church as Mr B in this place The vnsoundnes of whose affirmation illustration I will by and by manifest the Lord assisting me in the mean while I do desire the reader to observe with me these two things in his writings about this point The former is that in labouring thus earnestly to perswade as here he doth that the power of excommunication is not of simple necessity he in effect graunts that which all men know to be true namely that the Churches in England do want this power Now if here he answer as he doth in his 2. book that though the power of excommunication â—e not in every parish yet it is in the Church of England in which is comprehended all paâ—rishes and all superiour power over these Parishes in which is the power of Christ I reply these particulars First that he might thus answer though one Bishop alone had engrossed into his hands all this power yea a Papist might answer thus for the Popes sole authority over all the Churches in the world yea though he should communicate the same with no other person or persons 2. Let this mans shifting be well noted When both in this and the other book he pleads for the Ministery in the Church he passes by the Nationall Provinciall and Diocesan Ministery and speaks onely of the Ministery in some parishes where some honest zealous preachers are but now comming to plead for the power of Christ in the Church he takes the contrary course and passing by the parishes takes his flight to the Nationall Provinciall and Diocesan Ministery there to find comfort 3. the quaestion here as he himself puts it pag. 125. of this book is about particular congregations which he sayth there are with them having true matter true form and true properties whereof excommunication is one To this also adde that in the end of his book he aâ—oucheth the Ministers affirmation that this power is given to the particular congregations in the land 4. lastly I haue formerly manifested from Mat. 18. 1 Cor. 5. that this power and praerogative is given to a particular congregation besides which the new testament acknowledgeth none other visible Church and if that one particular Church or congregation aâ— Corinth gathered together into the name of the Lord Iesus Christ had the promise of his presence and that he would be in the mâ—ddest of them and were by this power of the Lord Iesus Christ to deliver to Satâ—n purge out iudge and put away wicked men from among them for fayling in which duety they were reproved by the Apostle then why not every other particular Church or congregation of Gods people as well as that one espetially since that as all other scriptures was written for our learning and that there is but one Church or body as there is but one Lord one that is in matter form and essentiall properties The 2. thing I desire may be noted is that Mr B doth if not deceiptfully yet vnfitly comprehend the power of the censures vnder the care for the welfare of the Church since this power may be full and intire where the care is eyther very little or not at all as it came to passe in the Church of Corinth which had this power alwayes amongst them but neglected the vse of it and therein the care for the welfare of the Church which they should have had for which neglect they were reproved by the Apostle Now for the similitude I do except against it in a double respect first for that God doth oft times deprive a man of the naturall power of seing going and speaking by naturall infirmities within or bodily violence from without but Christ never deprives his Church of this spirituall power of excommunication neyther can it be impeached by any outward violence onely Antichrist exalting himself against all that is called God and intruding himself into the throne of Christ doth deprive the Church of God and of Christ of this liberty and power and so all those Churches or congregations over whom he thus vsurpeth receive his mark are in that respect subject to his judgement 2. Mr B as I have formerly observed doth most vnaptly coÌ„pare the power of casting out offenders to the faculty of seing speaking and the like it is more fitly resembled to the want of power to void and purge excrements which is prodigious in nature so neyther the naturall nor spirituall body so constituted can possibly consist or
live And for the parts of the body to which he here hath reference and the like they do more fitly resemble the officers of the Church then the ordinance of excoÌ„munication the eyes and mouth the Bishops and Elders which are to oversee and teach the Church the hands the Deacons who are to distribute her almes And aâ— there may be a true though an vnperfit naturall body without these parts so may there be a true visible Church or body of Christ without these officers though vnperfect and defective It now remayns I lay down some reasons to prove the power of the censures of excommunication simply necessary vnto the Church of Christ. The Reasons are First bycause it is simply necessary for the being of a Church that there be power for true members to joyn together and so to receive others vnto them even so consequently must there be power to disioyn and cut of false members 2. Excommunication and absolution are of the same nature with preaching the gospel yea the very same particularly applyed to persons obstinate and repentant which preaching is in the generall The preaching of the gospell is the power of God vnto salvation to every one that beleeveth excommunication is the power of the Lord Iesus Christ for the destruction of the flâ—sh of him that is otherwise incorrigible that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Iesus The preaching of the gospel makes the first or major proposition thus he that beleeves not and repents not is bound in heaven and hath his sinnâ— vnremitted but he that beleeves and repents his sinnâ— are pardoned and he loosed in heaven Now excommunication and absolution applyed to a particular person and occasion do make the second or minor proposition thus thou beleevest not or repentest not of this thy sinne and therefore thou art bound in heaven and thy sinnes vnpardoned and so of absolution or the loosing of sinns Adde also vnto these things that the same Bishops or Elders are to preach the gospel in way of doctrine and to minister the censures in way of discipline though in some divers order as I haue formerly shewed And these two being the two mayn duties of the Ministers comprehended vnder this generall duety of feeding the stock must needs be of the same nature both of them mayn and necessary parts of Gods vvorship and of religion and so to be performed vpon the Lords day as his work and in the assembly of the saynts as an exercise of their holy communion howsoever with you and others they are made a consistory and working day matter to the great violation and indignity of the kingdom of Christ in the dispensation of it in his Church 3. The want of excommunicating and censuring wicked men levens the whole lump and makes the whole particular congregation whereof they are accessary to their sinne and to purpose to continue in such a congregation or Church as hath not this power is to purpose to continue in disobedience to the commandement of the Lord Iesus which he hath layd vpon all his disciples to tell the Church in the order by him prescribed 4. Without the censures the Church becomes of Syon Babylon even the habitation of Divels and the hold of all â—owl spirits and a cage of every vnclean and hatefull byrd And so Mr B. in his forenamed catechisâ—â—â— teacheth that the holy and right vse of discipline and of excommunication serves to maintâ—yn the Church and to over throw haeresy that destroyes the foundation and other mischiefs And since haeresy destroyes the foundation as Mr B. teacheth and that there must be haeresies in the Church as Paul teacheth and that the Church cannot possibly be purged of them without excommunication that must needs be absolutely necessary to the Church without which the Church must absolutely necessarily come to naught To these I do adde as a fifth and last Reason that as the glorie of God salvation of them without are most furthered and advantaged by the holy conversation of the members of the Church and on the contrary most disadvantaged and hindered by their vnholy and prophane courses so is the power of excommunication by which solemn ordinance aloâ—e prophanenes impiety are rooted out of absolute necessity for the Churches of Christ. And of this point I desire the reader to take knowledge not onely as of a matter of truth but of conscience also and for practise That which Mr B reputes our nynth errour is our holding all their ministers false Ministers As I have formerly sayd of your Churches so say I here of your ministers that if one be false all are for all are of one constitution In deed Mr B if he might be let alone would save himself much labour this way by restreyning his defence to some few of the most able and conscionable men excluding the rest and therefore in his former book he speaks of such ministers as God hath furnished with gifts to discharge their functioÌ„ with holy graces a blamelesse lifâ— and in his 2. book he desires to be vnderstood of such as are sent of God and set over congregations according to the truth and true meaning of the lawes and book of ordination In which he doth directly exclude the Archbishops Bishops Suffragans Deanes Archdeacons Chauncelours Commissaries and with them all pluralists non-residents vnpreaching and prophane ministers For some of these are not set over congregations at all but over Provinces Diocesse others not in respect of their offices above named and others though they be set over particular Churches yet haue they neyther gifts nor graces for their function But as he were nothing faythfull vnto a city that vndertaking the defence of it should pâ—ck out here and there a corner most strong and defensible and fortify there leaving the body of the city to the invasion spoyl of any that would assault it so neyther is Mr B faythfull to the Ministery of England who pretending the defence of it against vs calls out here and there a man whom he will iustifie and leaves the body and all the principall members of it vndefended And here I would demaund of him why he doth not as well defend all the Ministers in this place as he did even now defend all the people or why a Minister so called though vnapt to teach and of a prophane life is not as well a true though a bad Minister as a Christian so called being ignorant and of a lewd conversation a a true though a bad Christian There is one and the same reason of both though Mr B have more reason for to plead the one then the other considering his own standing If he should plead for the ignorant and prophane Ministers he should deprive himself of all arguments for the justification of the preaching more conscionable sort for he rayseth them all as the
such necessary or essentiall duety but a work casuall accessory and supererrogatory which may be done or vndone as the minister is able or willing without any such absolute necessity as is here pretended Herevpon then it followeth that since the preaching of the gospel is no necessary part or property of the office of ministery in the Church of England that that ministery cannot be of Christ as also that the conscionable and effectual preaching of some men is no iustification at all of the office which may and doth consist essentially without it and to which it is but casual accidentall but a commendation of the persons which besydes the natural and necessary parts of their office do so practise and preach And this consideration alone might suffice for answer vnto all Mr B. proofs for the legitimating of the ministery in the Church of England yet will I for the further discovering of them considering the confidence wherwith he propounds them descend to the particulars In his former book he layes down and proves by the scriptures these three sound and mayn grounds touching the ministery 1. that the Lord onely ordeyns offices in his Church 2. that he distinguisheth them one from another that one may not intrude into an others office 3. that he onely prescribes the dutyes to be done in every distinct office and so in the fourth place he comes to the qualification and gifting of men for their functions and so proceeds to other particulars But observe his dealings when he comes to apply and compare the ministery of England to and with these golden rules and by them generally and truely propounded to iustify it in the particulars he passeth them all by in silence as if he had vtterly forgotten them and speaks not one word eyther of the offices themselves or of the distinction of them one from another or the duties to be done in them but comes in the very first place to the guifts and graces of the persons And in so doing like the vnrighteous steward he doth wisely though nothing lesse then faythfully He knowes wel that he cannot fynd in the scriptures the least colour for the offices of Archbishops Bishops Suffragans Deanes Arch-deacons halfe Preists or Engl Deacons nor that the dutyes of celebrating marriage purifying women burying the dead reading the service book in manner and form are layd vpon the ministers of the gospel as dutyes to be done in their offices nor that the Provinciall and Diocesan officers may intrude into their office which are set over particular congregations and deprive them of the power of government nor the Deacons to administer the sacrameÌ„ts nor that any of them may intrude into the office of the civil Magistrate as they all do lesse or more in medling with matters of mariage divorce testaments or with iniuryes as they respect the body or outward man according to your and other mâ—ns exposition of Math. 18. making ministers Magistrates and Eâ—ders in the Church Elders in the gates These things he knew and therefore coÌ„ming to speak of the ministery in England and to apply these general rules to their particular estate he not so much as once mentions eyther the diversity of offices in the Church or their distinction one from another or the several dutyes to be done in them least in naming them he should as it could not have been otherwise have condemned that thing which he would so gladly iustify And this I desire the Reader to note not onely against him but specially against the Ministery he pleads for His Arguments to prove the Ministers of England true Ministers of Christ follow in order The first is because they are not Ministers of Antichrist and that he would prove by 4. Reasons 1. by their doctrine and oath against him 2. because they shew no obedience vnto him 3. because Antichrist himself disclaimeth them as no Ministers condemneth them as haeretiques 4. because Antichrists Ministers are sacrificing and mâ—ssing Preists which they are not Here Mr B. had he done faithfully should have cleared our Arguments by which in sundry treatises published for that purpose we have proved them in respect of their offices entrances administratioÌ„s the Ministers of aÌ„tichrist but thinking it easyer to strike then to fence he passeth by what we have written against them layes down certeyn colourable reasoÌ„s for them which I have summarily set down in order and vnto which I return this answer First and generally that there is one common errour in all his Arguments namely that there is no Antichrist but that great Antichrist the Pope as though there were no more Divils but Beelzebub because he is the cheif of the Divils I would know of this man what he thinks of the clergy in King Hen. 8 dayes that took the oath of supremacy and taught against the Pope opposing him being opposed by him or what he thinks of the Lutheran Ministers that disclaym the Antichrist of Rome as haereticall and are disclaymed by him yet do abhor from the reformed Churches and from al coÌ„munion with them for the mayn truthes they hold touching the sacrament and predestination The thing then is that there are degrees of Antichristianism orders of Antichrists that is of such as are adversaries vnto Christ. In Pauls time that man of sin adversary was got into the temple of God and in Iohns time many Antichrists were come into the world and yet there was then neyther Pope nor masse preist no nor Diocesan or Provinciall Prelate neyther There was in deed Diotrephes who sought for praeheminence to rob the Church of †the power of Christ and so was an Antichrist as there were many other impugning Christ the Lord otherwise but the great Antichrist of Rome was by many degrees and long continuance to be advanced to his throne And as there were lesser Antichrists before him by which he entred so are there also after him and those left behind him in the Church of Engl out of which he is driven And those are the Lord Arch bishops and Lordbishops with their orders and administrations vnto whom whilst the inferiour ministers do swear canonicall obedience they do by oath promise obedience vnto Antichrist and receive his mark and so ministring are the marked servants of Antichrist whom they obey whom they are also by doctrine to defend except their othes and words disagreed From whom if any of them do withdraw this their bounden and sworn obedience by denying subscription vnto his orders or conformity vnto his ceremonies them he silences suspends and deprives as schismaticall if not hereticall and vtterly vnworthy of their and their Churches service And these things the reader may apply to Mr B. 3. first severall Reasons Now to your fourth and last Argument viz that you are no masse-preists my answer is first that you haue the same office with masse preists though reformed of that massing and some
onely to a speciall work but not called to any office 3. It appeareth that Paul and Barnabas were not separated sent by the governours onely but by the Church with them wherin they ministred and which joyned with them in prayer and fasting and so consequently in dismissing or letting them go ver 2. 3. though most like the ceremony of imposition of hands was performed onely by the Teachers and Prophets but with the foregoing consent of the Church according to the expresse direction of the holy Ghost And that not the governours severally but the Church with them separated and sent them vnder the Lords expresse nomination appears evidently Act. 14. 27. where vpon their return they made relation not to the officers but to the Church gathered together for that purpose what things the Lord had wrought by theÌ„ that so not onely the grace of God towards the Gentiles might be taken knowledge of and magnified but also that their service ministration might be approved to the Church which sent them And thus all may see how injurious this man is to the right and liberty of the brethren as formerly in the censures so here in the choise of officers making the governours alone the Church both in the one and the other And being both of them Church matters and parts of the publique administration of Christs kingdom the same scriptures which demonstrate the peoples interest in the one do conclude the same in the other In the beginning the Lord Iesus and his Apostles by his spirit appointed none other true visible Churches but particular coÌ„gregations of faythfull people for of the vanity of representative Churches in the new testament I have formerly spoken but as knowledge puffeth vp so within a few ages the officers and governours of the Church being men of knowledge began to swell with that poysoned humour of pride ambition wherewith Antichrist had infected them especially when they were once setled in peace and plenty and taking withall partly advantage by the peoples negligence in themselves and superstitious admiration of their guides and partly occasion by the abuse of their liberty have been bold to engrosse the liberties of the whole Church into their own hands and with them the name They alone must haue the keyes of the kingdome of heaven hanging at their girdell for the opening shutting of heaven gates which is all one as if in playn termes they should affirm that to them alone were committed the oracles of God the gospel of salvation see Rom. 3. 2. Iude 3. They alone must speak in the Church to adifâ—ing exhortation and comfort and so all the brethren must be silenced in the exercise of prophecying To them alone must the complaints of sinns be brought and they alone must be heard in the reforming of them and thus must the bottomles gulf of the governours authority svvallovv vp the brethrens liberty in the reproving and censuring of offenders They alone are to separate and chuse the ministers and of this branch of the povver of Christ amongst the rest must the body of the Church be stript And as there is no end of errours vvhere they once begin especially of those vvhich tend to the advancement of the man of sin in his Ministers above all that is called God so hath this iniquity prevayled yet further even to the bereaving of the people of the cup in the Lords supper and of the very scriptures in their mothers tongue the Preists alone communicating in both parts of the supper and inclosing the scriptures themselves vvith in the Romish or Latine language vvhich they alone to speak of vnderstood Yea to conclude so effectuall hath the delusion of Satan been this vvay that it hath been vniversally taught and beleeved that an implicite faith vvas sufficient in the lay people that no more vvas required of them then to beleeve as the Church that is the guides and governours of the Church beleeved though they were vtterly ignorant what their fayth was And what lesse in effect doth M. B. affirm in his 2. book where he writes that if the cheif do voluniarily receive professe proclaym a faith or religion it is to be accounted the act of all though the inferiours come not to consent he might as well haue added though they be ignorant of it or what it meanes Yea doth not this conclusion follow vpon the former ground that the officers are the Church Mat. 18. for the reproving censuring of offenders and for the binding loosing of sinns If the Officers be the Church for one religious or spirituall determination why not for an other And if the censures agreed vpon and ministred by the Officers be by way of representation the censures of the Church without the actuall consent of the people why is not the faith agreed vpon and published by the officers the fayth of the Church by way of representation before the peoples distinct knowledge of it or actuall consent vnto it Put the case the officers change their auncient fayth in some mayn point wherein the body of the Church still abideth and so differeth from them and that they take occasion to excommunicate some brother or brethrâ—n that most opposes them if this excommunication of the officers be the excoÌ„munication of the Church representatively without the peoples consent then is this new faith also of the officers for which this excommunication is practised the faith of the people notwithstanding their not onely not consenting vnto but their vtter dissenting from the same Now as the governours did thus engrosse the power and libertyes of the Church so no marvayl though with them they assumed the name Hence is it that they alone are called the Church the Clergy the spiritually the prophane idiotish laity are excluded both from the title and thing Symon the Sadler Toâ—â—kâ—â— the Taylour Belly the Bellowes-maker must be no Church men nor meddle with Ch matters As though it were eyther not true or to no purpose which is written that Christ himself vvas a Carpenter Paul a â—enâ—maker Peter Andrew Iames Iohn Fishermen One onely thing more I vvill adde so conclude this point which is that the Preists vvere not more eager at the first vpon the people till they had svvallovved vp their liberty then they vvere afterwards one vpon an other till one had gotten all from whom as from the Catholick visible head all power should issue and be derived to the severall partes of the body And hovv clean a vvay Mr Bern. and others vvhich knovving better have the more sin make to this mischeif in pleading that Paul alone 1 Cor. 5. the severall Angels alone in the severall Churches Rev. 2. 3. vvere to reform and censure abuses let the vvise reader judge The 2. allegation made by Mr B. against vvhich I except is that the Ministers vvith them have all things in substance required by the word of God for
their making as presentation election examination ordinatioÌ„ with imposition of hands and that the exceptions wee take are but about circumstances onely and same manner of doing which do not make a nullity or falsity of the deed done As we do except against the very office it self and against the mayn and most principall works of it by law required as works of will-worship and voluntary religion so do our exceptions against the very calling and enterance of your Ministers evince them sufficiently not to be the true Ministers of Christ. No man takes this honour vnto himself but he that is called of God as Aaron No Christ himself took not this honour to be made the high Prâ—â—st but he that sayd vnto him thou art my sonne this day begate I thee gave it him And if Christ the Lord of his Church did not take vpon him the solemn administration of his office till by the Father he was called thereunto from heaven it is great presumption for any man and he a bold vsurper that so practiseth to take vpon him any office in the Church not being chosen and called thereunto by them which under the Lord haue received this Charter thus to call Ministers which are onely his Church and people And by this doctrine of Mr Bern that faylings in circumstances and manner of doing make not a nullity or falsity of the deed it should follow that if a company of Papists Arians Anabaptists or of any other Haeretiques or idolaters should chose and call a minister though it were a child an idiote yea a woman that after the most prophane and superstitious manner that could be yet this made no nullity or falsity of the action for all were but errours in circumstances and manners of doing Yea by this trifling murther adultery and all the mischeifs in the world might be defended If a private person should take upon him without lawfull authority to be a judge and should condemn the inocent and justify the guilty person all the evill were but in the circumstances of persons judging and judged If a man gaue his body to the wife of another man the evill were but circumstantiall he might haue done it to another person namely his own or proper wife What coÌ„fusion would these excuses of circumstances onely manner of doing things bring over all estates if they were admitted of Of this mischeif I haue spoken pag. 21. 22. 23. 37. The 3. consideration in this matter is about such devises as Mr Bern. hath found for the shifting off such places as prove that the people ought to choose their Ministers The scriptures are Act. 1. and 6. 14. 23. to which also might be added Numb 8. 9. 10. Act. 11. 22. 1 Cor. 16. 3. 2 Cor. 8 19. vvith many others His ansvver is first that these places testify that such examples of practise were then but that there is no praecept for the perpetuity of it This is an vngodly evasion making the commaundements of God of none authority by mens traditions tending to the abolishment of the testament of Christ which he hath confirmed by his death vvherein he hath not onely by practise but also by the doctrine of the Apostles vpon which he hath founded the Church or temple of God for ever established this ordinaunce as a part of the nevv testament and that not vpon some extraordinary temporary and changeable occasion as some thing have been ordered and decreed by the Apostles Act. 15. 1. 2. 28. 29. but vpon ordinary constant grounds and vpon reasons and causes of perpetuall equity such as concern all Churches in all places to the vvorlds end as shall appear hereafter When the Lord Iesus sent forth his Apostles to gather Churches he gave them in charge to teach them to obserue all things whatsoever he had commaunded theÌ„ promising vvithall that in so doing he would be with them alway vntill the end of the world And that amongst other doctrines they taught the people this that they were to choose their officers the scriptures cited do fully testify See Act. 1. 15. 16. 16 23. 6. 2. 3. 5 6. 14. 23. Answerable vnto this is that which the Apostle Paul protesteth to the Elders of Ephesus at Miletum that he was pure from the blood of all men in that he had kept no thing back but shewed them all the counsel of God one part of which counsayl was that the people were to chuse their Officers which by Mr Bernards own graunt they observed to which also adde that the same Apostle writing vnto the Church of Corinth about a matter of order avoweth the things which he writes to be the coÌ„maundements of the Lord and chargeth all them as wilfully ignorant which do not so acknowledge them With what conscience then or colour of reason â—an this man say that this power and right of the people to chuse their Ministers was onely a matter of practise but not of praecept no immediate right from Christ but a graunt vnto them from the Apostles or vpon their exhortation for the tyme It is true he sayth in the same place 1. that the people did not elect or chuse but when the Apostles were amongst them 2. that they did it vpon their exhortation And for the first who denyes but that where faithful and godly officers are the people are by their direction government according to the will of Christ to vse their liberty in this and all the other affaires of the Church So for the second it was so the Apostles exhortation as it was also a divine institution by the spirit of God never reversed but by those vnclean spirits of Divels which like froggs came out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the Beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet part of the counsel of God never altered or departed from but by them which take counsayl but not of God and lastly one of the commaundements of Christ which the Apostles were bound both to teach and exhort the people to observe never disannulled but by the counter-commaund craft and violence of Antichrist who as one of your own Prelates hath truely observed never ceased till by cursing and fighting he had gotten all into his own hands The insinuation therefore which you make against vs in assuming this liberty vnto vs as a right of our selves is vnjust considering we have it conveyed vnto vs from Christ in the writings of the Apostles wherein they do as expresly teach it vs and as effectually exhort vs vnto it as if they were personally present with vs. And that which the people might then doe in their presence vpon their speach they may now do vpon their writings in their absence and in the absence of all other officers also if the particular Churches be for the present vnfurnished of them Now where he further addeth that the
people then were very iudicious and able to make a choise whereas it is now far otherwise with many it is of some consideration for the people Church of England but of none at all for the people Church of God If the people in the parish assemblies there should vsurp this power it would be far otherwise with them indeed for the most part then with people iudicious or able to make a choise Can blind men judge of colours or naturall men of spirituall things If a man would prophesie vnto them of wine and strong drink he were a Prophet for such a people It is certayn they would chuse Ministers like themselves ignorant loose fellowes for the most part the saying of the Prophet would be verifyed as is the people so is the Preist And yet worse then are made and chosen by the Bishops and Patrons generally they could hardly find But observe your self Mr B. when you plead for the ignorance and prophanenes of your own people you write that the Apostles received into the Churches persons very ignoraÌ„t and of lewd conversation Now when you come to plead against the liberty of the people of God you make them in the Apostles tymes to have been very iudicious able to discern of things far otherwise then the people now are Now for the exception it self it is of no valew But as the ordinances and administration of the Iewish Church remayned the same and vnalterable though the peoples knowledge were not alwayes the same but sometimes greater sometimes lesse so is it in the estate of the new testament with all theÌ„ which deem that Christ the Sonne is worthy of as much honour in his ordinances as was Moses a servant of the house in his And if this devise were admitted of that the liberty of the people should eb and flow according to the measure of their knowledge then should not all the brethren in the same Church haue the same Christian liberty in the choise of officers censuring of offenders and the like ordinances for all have not the same measure of knowledge nay it may be scarce two of all so divers is the dispensation of grace to the severall members Then should scarce two severall Churches in the world injoy the same Christian liberty the one with the other no nor any one with it self any long tyme since one Church differeth from another yea from it self at divers times in the measure degree of knowledge and other graces of God Besides if we should wey together in the ballances the Churches of Christ now and in the Apostles times the Christian liberty of the people would rather sway the ballance this way then the other way and to the people now then in the Apostles dayes For first there were present with the people in those first times besides other extraordinary officers extraordinarily indowed the Apostles themselves those great Maister-buylders which if any other in the world might lawfully haue deprived the people of their power in this the like cases which notwithstaÌ„ding they did not but on the coÌ„trary did faithfully inform direct theÌ„ according to the coÌ„maundement of Christ in the right lawful vse of the same And yet notwithstanding the Bishops of the Romish and English Church though not worthy so much as of the name of daubers in the Lords house in comparison of those other Maister-buylders dare without fear or shame engrosse all into their owne hands and haue their proctours this man and others many a one to plead for them in their vsurpation 2. The Churches in the Apostles tyme were newly converted froÌ„ Iudaism and Paganism and had still cleaving vnto them much ignorance in many great poynts And in particular the disciples or Church at Ierusalem after they were both possessed and had vse of this power of chusing officers were ignorant of no lesse a point then the calling of the Gentiles of which or the like mayn ground of religion no true Church of Christ now is ignorant as that Ch then was And thus it appeareth that the choise of Officers by the people in the primitive Churches was not a matter casual or of the Apostles courtesy but a commaundement of Christ left penned by the H. Ghost as is the rest of that story and of those Acts of the Apostles for our direction and the direction of all the Churches of Christ to the worlds end One shift more Mr Bernard makes from which he must be put and that is that the Patron chuseth for the people a fit man whom the Bishop finding fit by examination ordeyneth and that this is a lawfull calling To let passe that the Patrons vsually choose not for the people but for themselves and their own profits and pleasures which though it be apparant to all men is not without cause winked at by the Bishops considering how and by what meanes they procure their own choise I answer first that the patron doth not chuse for the people that is as the people did chuse in the Apostles tymes For the people then made choise of such as were before private persons but by their election to be ordeyned into office where the Patron chuseth a Clerk who is in office already and ordeyned by the Bishop before the Patron make choise of him The Bishop doth at the first make him a Minister at large and not of any particular Church and so sends him as it were to graze vpon the Commons till afterwards he be found by or rather find some Patron which by his presentation makes a gap and lets him into some vacant Vicarage or Parsonage there to minister accordingly But admit in the 2. place that the Patron stood in the room of the people to choose for them I would demaund who set him there or where the scriptures do eyther teach or approve of any such Aâ—â—urney-ships in the matters of religion of Gods worship as you make by telling vs in one place that the officers do make professioÌ„ of faith in another that they censure offenders here that they chuse Ministers for the people If som one maÌ„ in a parish had â—ntaâ—lâ—d to him and his heyres for ever the power of appoynting housbands to all the women in the parrish the bondage were intollerable though in a matter of Civile nature how much more intollerable then is the spirituall bondage of the parrish assemblyes vnder the imperious presentations of those Lord patrons whose Clerks they must receive and submit vnto whither they wil or no Great is the sin of the people which loose this liberty greater of the Patrons which engrosse it but the greatest of all is that for the Ministers which by their doctrine practise confirm both the one and the other in their iniquity all three conspiring together in this that they alter the ordinances and commaundements of Christ by his Apostles and so both diminish of his
institution adde of â—heir owne devise Now as the forenamed scriptures like a gratious charter given to this spirituall corporation the Church by the King thereof Iesus Christ do clearly plead the peoples liberty and power of the choise of their Ministers so will I adde vnto them certayn Reasons to prove this order and ordinance to be of morall and perpetuall equity The first is bycause the bond between the Minister and people is the most streyt and near religious bond that may be and therefore not to be entered but with mutuall consent any more then the civill bond of mariage between the housband and wife It makes much both for the provocation of the Ministery vnto all diligence and faithfulnes and also for his comfort in all the tryals and temptations which befall him in his Ministery when he considereth hovv the people vnto whom he ministreth have committed that most rich treasure of their soules in the Lord yea I may say of their very faith ioy to be helped forward vnto salvatioÌ„ to his care and charge by their free and voluntary choise of him It much furthers the love of the people to the person of their Minister and so consequently their obedience vnto his doctrine and government when he is such a one as themselves in duety vnto God and love of their own salvation have made choise of as on the contrary it leaves them without excuse if they eyther perfidiously forsake or vnprofitably vse such a mans holy service and ministration Lastly it is agreable to all equity and reason that all free persons and estates should choose their own servants and them vnto whom they give wages and maintenance for their labour and service But so it is betwixt the people and ministers the people a free people the Church a free estate spirituall vnder Christ the King the Ministers the Churches as Christs servants so by the Churches provision â—o live and of her as labourers to receive wages Thus much of the 4. Argument The 5. followeth the summe whereof is that bycause the Ministers of the English assemblies teach true and sound doctrine in the root and fundamentall points of religion they are therefore the true Ministers of Christ. And that sound doctrine is the triall of a true Minister Mr B. would prove from these scriptures 1 Tim. 4. 6. Ier. 23. 22. Of the vnsound doctrine of your Church and that more specially in the fundamentall points of religion others have spoken at large formerly and something is by me hereafter to be spoken for the present therefore this shall serve that since Christ Iesus not onely as Preist and Prophet but as King is the foundation of his Church and that the visible Church is the kingdome of Christ the doctrines towching the subiects government officers lawes of the Church can be no lesse then fundamentall doctrines of the same Church or Kingdome Which how vnsound they are with you appears in your Canons ecclesiasticall composed for that purpose Which if your ministers preach they preach vnsound doctrine and strike at a mayn pillar of religion viz the visible Church of God which is the pillar and ground of truth as the Apostle speaketh if not then are they schismatiques in and froÌ„ your Church whose solemn doctrines they refuse to publish Now bycause Mr Bern. every where beares himself big vpon the sound doctrines taught by the ministers in England and in this place brings in two scriptures to warraÌ„t their Ministery vpoÌ„ this grouÌ„d let vs a litle consider of the scriptures and of the intent of them and what verdict they give in on his side In the one place the Prophet Ieremy reproves the Preists and Prophets for not dealing faithfully with the people in laying before them their abhominations and Gods judgements due unto the same that so they might haue turned from their evil wayes and from the wickednes of their inventions but for flattering them on the contrary in their iniquities and for preaching peace vnto them for the strengthening of their hands in evil Now if the Ministers in England be measured by these mens line they will appear to ly levell with theÌ„ in a great measure For first the greatest part of them by far declare not the Lords word at all vnto the people but are tonguetyed that way some through ignorance some through idlenes many through pride And of them which preach how many are there mere men-pleasers flattering the mighty with vayn and plausibly words and strengthening the hands of the wicked and with prophane and malicious spirits reviling and disgracing all sincerity in all men adding vnto these evils a wicked conversation by which they further the destruction of many but the conversion of none And lastly for those few of more sound doctrine and vnblameable coÌ„versation let these things be considered First they are reputed schismatiques in the Church of Engl are generally excoÌ„municated ipso facto so wil appear to be to any that compares their practise with the ecclesiasticall lawes of that Church 2. They do with these sound doctrines mingle many errours yea the same things which in the generall they teach and professe they do in the particulars but specially in their practise gainsay deny 3. As they declare the Lords will vnto the people but by halves and keep back a great part of his counsel which they know is profitable for them wherin they would walk with them were it not for fear of persecution so are they ready to de silenced to smother the whole counsel of the L. not to speak one word more in his name vnto the people vpon â—hâ—ir Lord Bishops inhibition which were they perswaded in their consciences they were sent of God I suppose they durst not do Of which more in the seventh Argument Now for that in Tim. 1. Epist. 4. ch ver 6. if the doctrine of the Ministers agree with the doctrine and practise of the Ch they will appear liker to them of whom Paul speaks ver 3. then to Timothy ver 6. If it be sayd that the Church of England forbid not mariage vse of meates absolutely but in certayn respects I answer no more doth the Church of Rome but to certeyn persons and at certeyn times against whoÌ„ notwithstanding all Protestants do apply this scripture and so doth the Church of England forbid them though more sparingly as good reason the daughter come something behind the mother as mariage to fellowes in Colledges and to Apprentices and to all at certeyne tymes especially at Lent during which holy time the eating of flesh is also forbidden and abstinence commaunded and that in incitation of Christs fâ—â—ting for our sakes fourty dayes and fourty nightes and that for a religious vse namely the subdâ—ing of the flesh vnto the spirit for the better obedience of godly mottoâ—s in righteousnes
there is the right of calling and ordeyning the ministers of the gospell bycause we must fly the enemyes of the gospell as an Anathema And besides sayth he if wee should desyre of them the ceremony of ordinatioÌ„ they would not giue it except we would bind ourselves to renounce the true doctrine other wicked boÌ„ds would they cast vpoÌ„ vs. Neyther therefore ought the true Ch to be without Pastors without the keyes without the voyce of the gospell without forgivenes of â—inns bycause the tyranny of the Bishops eyther drives away or refuses to appoynt fit Ministers And agayn it is the confusioÌ„ of order to seek sheepheards froÌ„ the wolves And lastly this hath ever been the right of the true Church to chuse and call out of her own assembly fit Ministers of the gospel Thus far hâ— In the third place Peter Martyr shall speak who vpon the book of Iudges ch 4. vers 5. sayth thus Touching the ecclesiasticall Ministery we have signified before that it may not be committed to women that they are not fit for it But now wee adde that in the planting of Churches anew when men want which should preach the gospell a woman may perform that at the first but so as when she hath taught any company that some one man of the faythful be ordeyned which may afterwards minister the sacraments teach and do the Pastours duety faithfully 4. Zanchy vpon the fifth to the Ephesians treating of Baptism propounds a quaestion of a Turk comming to the knowledge of Christ and to sayth by reading the new Testament and withall teaching his family converting it and others to Christ and being in a countrey whence he can not easily come to Christian Churches whether he may baptise them whom he hath converted to Christ he himself being vnbaptized He answers I doubt not of â—â— but that he may and withall provide that he himself be baptized of one of the three converted by him The Reason be gives 〈…〉 bycause he is a Minister of the word extraordinarily stirred vp of Christ so as such a Minister may with the consent of that small Church appoint one of the communiâ—ants and provide that he be baptized by him Adde in the fifth place Tilenus who being demaunded of the Earl of Lavall from whom Calvin had his calling answered from the Church of Geneva and from Farell his praedecessour who had also his froÌ„ the people of Geneva who had right and authority to institute and depose Ministers which thing he also confirms by Cyprian Ephes. 14. The sixth and last I will name is Sadeel who writing a treatise of purpose touching the lawfull calling of Ministers against such as agreed with the reformed Churches in the doctrine they taught but excepted against them in this that they had not their Ministers by ordinary succession sâ—ewes that amongst and above other things the ecclesiastical Ministery of Rome is corrupted makes it a shamelesse thing that any boasting of the pure knowledge of God should obiect against them that they did not draw the pure reformation of the ecclesiasticall Ministery out of the drâ—gges of Popery The first argument he vseth to justify the calling of their Ministers is that they are called chosen and received of these assemblyes which do appear by manifest signes and arguments to be true Churches as having the true doctrine of fayth the pure administration of the sacrameÌ„ts the right and sincere â—â—vocation of Gods name observing religiously the discipline instituted by Christ and his Apostles and lastly testifying by the duties of love constancy of Martyrs and reformation of the whole life that they are by the great mercy of God adopted into the number of the faythfull as members of the Catholick Church c. And thus much of the Ministery both yours Mr Ber ours and more particularly to prove that an assembly of faythful people separating themselves from Heathenish or Antichristian idolatry have right within themselves to call and appoint their Ministers Now from this conclusion thus manifested do arise sundry others worthy the noting down for the common controversy As first that such an assembly though without officers is a true visible Church the kingdom of Christ City of God And I suppose it needs no confirmation to any good conscience that the choise of Church officers is a Church action a mayn part of the administration of Christs kingdom and a priviledge of that spirituall City the new Ierusalem and that such an assembly hath the power of Christ and from him authority and commission without vvhich it were intollerable usurpation to praesume to choose his officers especially the cheif officers in his kingdom as are they which administer the word sacraments of whom we principally entreat 2. That the people have power to censure offenders for they that haue power to elect appoint set vp officers they hav also power vpoÌ„ just occasioÌ„ to reject depose put them down so are part of that Church where officers are and the whole Church where they are not of which Christ speaketh Math 18. 17. where he sayth tell the Church Besides that the calling of officers and censuring of offenders are the two mayn administrations of the kingdome of Christ and so both of one nature 3. And lastly that the brethren out of office whether in a Church furnished with officers or vvithout them are not mere private persons as you Mr Ber and others would make them in the exercise of prophesy calling of Ministers and judging of offenders for scandalous sinns Considering them in deed severally one by one or in opposition to the publique officers they may be called private persons but take them joyntly and in these and the like acts of their communion and they are more then so and as the Church is a publique body so are they members of the body and parts of the whole and of the same publique nature with it and not private parts or members of the publique body which were a senseles contradiction and contrary to the rule in ReasoÌ„ The whole and all the partes ioyntly taken are the same When the brethren made choyce of Ioseph and Mathyas to be presented and afterwards of the seven Deacons after that of the Elders in every Church did they make a private choise of publique officers or could they as private persons merely make a publique choise When the Apostle Paul wrote to the Church of Corinth which you graunt to be the multitude or body of the Church about the censuring of the incestuous person did he will them to judge and censure him privately for his publique scandalous sin or could they as persons merely private passe a publique judgement The thing then is that when the Church is gathered or come together in one for the administration of the word sacraments censures and other exercises of religion parts of Gods worship the officers if there be any
came out of the earth the image of the beast both small and great ritch and poore free bond received his mark in their right hand in their foreheads And is the man of sin divels idols the beast al which Antichristians worship the true God Or is that notable idol their breadeÌ„ God in the sacrameÌ„t of the altar which they so much adore the true God Yea are the Virgin Mary other saynts to whoÌ„ they pray go in pilgrimage and perform other devotions in whose honour they have built the very temples we speak of the true God Oh Mr Bern that you should be dravvn to this pleâ—sor Rome Surely the hand of God is vpon you it is a fearfull thing you feel it not And as Antichristianism doth not vvorship the true God onely but false Gods or such as are no Gods with him therefore is both against the 2. 1. coÌ„mandement as hath been sayd so neyther is Paganism as you speak without all profession of the true God To let passe that the learned of our natioÌ„ have proved the contrary agaynst the Papists pleading for themselves as you do for theÌ„ that they worshipped onely the true God that which is written 2 King 17. if there were no more scriptures doth sufficiently manifest your errour It is there sayd that the King of Ashur taking Samaria carying away Israell to Ashur brought from Babylon and other Heathenish Countryes folk and placed them in the Cities of Samaria in stead of the children of Israel And in the same place it followeth that those Babylonians and other Pagans reteyning still their Paganism and worshipping as before the Gods of their own nations did withall worship Iehovah the true God Of like truth with the former is that which followeth namely that Paganism was wholly without the Church but that Antichrist sits in the Church of God For first admit it be true of Paganism in the land of Canaan before the Israelites entred into it yet afterwards it was otherwise as the scriptures testify and got too great footing in the Church in that place as it had done before in all places 2. it is not true you say that Antichrist sits in the Church of God he sits in his own Church into which the Church of God is degenerated though there remayn vsurped sundry things still which are of God It is a great vntruth to affirm that the Popish Synagogue in the present state is the true visible Church of God vnto which he hath promised his presence given his power As Paganism hath subverted other Churches so hath Antichristianism that Church loÌ„g agone And here I would demaund of Mr Bern. what he judgeth of the Israelites in and after Ieroboams apostasie especially in the time of Ahab Iezabell when Baall was espetially worshipped and temples and altars reared vp vnto him in Samaria Doth he judge them at that tyme playn Pagans Or was their worship simple Paganism I see not but as the religion of the Papists in the opposition it hath to Christianity is rightly called Antichristianism so the religioÌ„ of the ten Tribes in the oppositioÌ„ it had to the law given by Moses may fitly be called Anti-Iudaism And for the Baalims then and there worshipped they were even as the lesser Gods at this day which are called Patrons amongst the Papists The divell to the end he might bring in agayn the old Idolatry craftily borrowing the names of the holy Apostles and martyrs by whom it was in former tymes overthrown and driven away and by this meanes it hath put on another person that it might not be known Wherevpon it followeth by proportioÌ„ that as the temples altars and high places for those Baalims other Idols were by godly kinges to be razed downe and taken away no way to be imployed to the true worship of God so are the teÌ„ples with their appurtenances built to the virgin Mary Peter Paul and the rest though true saynts yet the Papists false Gods and very Baalims to be demolished overthrown by the same lawfull authority in the mean while as execrable things to be avoyded by them which have none authority to deface or demolish them Now howsoever the difference put by M. B. is neyther true nor to the purpose if it were true yet do I graunt a difference not in respect of the things but of the tymes and that there was something legall in many of the coÌ„maundements given by Moses touching these and the like execrable things yet so as there is one the same generall and comon equity bynding the Iewes then vs now that I consider in two respects the one in the detestation of Idolatry past and the other in the preservation of it for the tyme to come And as the godly vnder the law were to shâ—w their detestation of Idolatry by defacing and abandoning the monuments reliques and remembrances of it so are they now to manifest in the same manner their just and zealous hatred of the same or like impietyes and as the kings and mighty of the earth have in former tymes given their power vnto the beast and adorned the purple-coloured whore with many ornaments and with stately temples aedifices amongst the rest so shall they in the day of her full visitation strip her naked of these amongst her other ornaments and leave her desolate Now for the 2. reason who is ignorant how many thowsands in the land are most dangerously nourished in their erroneous superstitious perswasions by the howses themselves to let passe the particular both memorials of and incitements vnto Idolatry stil appearing in some places more in some lesse knowing none other Church to which God hath promised his speciall praesence and wherein he wil be glorified save in that of lime and stone putting holynes in the very place And how well your Church provides for this appeares in sundry things as in whyting the walls of the houses where you silenced the preachers in bynding the people absolutely to the places though litle care be taken what eyther they or the ministers to whom they come do there so they deale not too faythfully in the Lords buesines in tying ChristiaÌ„ buriall absolutely to the Church or Church-yard where the Minister with all his holy implements must meet the corpes at the Church-style and so with singing saying as is appointed admit it into the holy ground And lastly in teaching the people that by keeping their Churches in good repayr they shall not onely please God and deserve his manifold blessings but also deserve the good report of all godly people And for the Papists all men know what claym they lay vnto the places as in deed they do farre better fit their pompous religion then the simplicity of the gospel what new life they continually receive from them what religion they put in them and what devotion they haue
word of God a very charm in writing and teaching that the bare vse they might say the abuse of the word and sacraments by a company of people though eyther altogether or for the most part for feare fashion or with opinion of merit ex opere operato and without all knowledge or conscience makes them a true Church of Christ. The Argument from the externall efficient except it work absolutely necessarily to the effect is vnsound It were senseles to affirme that bycause physick is the meanes of recovering health therefore whosoever vse physick are healed much more to affirm that bycause the word is the means to gather a Ch whosoever vse it are a Church since physick is a naturall agent and worketh by a naturall power given it of God where the word is a morall agent having in it selâ— no naturall vertue but working merely by the will of the authour and supernaturall efficacy of the spirit which like the winde bloweth where it listeth The two next Reasons being indeed one in effect which the Ministers bring for the justification of their Church are 1. that their whole Church maketh profession of the true fayth for proof of which they refer vs to the confession of their Church the Apology of it and the Articles of religion agreed vpon in the Convocation house 2. that they hold teach and mainteyn every part of Gods holy truth which is fundamentall and such as without the knowledge and beleeving whereof there is no salvation All which afterwards they reduce to this one head as the onely fundamentall truth of religion That Iesus Christ the sonne of God who took our nature of the virgin Mary is â—ur onely and all sufficient saviour which truth say they whosoever receive are the people of God and â—n the estate of salvation they that receive it not cannot possibly be saved Math 16. 18. Mark 16. 16. 1 Ioh 4. 2. Col 2. 7. These two Arguments for substance have been handled in the former part of the book vnto which also M. Ainsworth hath given answer in the particulars of which I entreat the Reader to take knowledge and do therevnto annex these considerations First it is a very presumptuous thing for these ministers yea or for any men or angels thus peremptorily to determine how much knowledg a man must have to be saved that if he have iust so much then he may be or is it the state of salvation if he want any of that he cannot be saved Who knowes by how litle knowledge the Lord may and doth save a man that is faythfull in the litle he knowes and endevours by all means to further knowledge and so to further faythfulnes As on the contrary the Lord rejects many with greater knowledg for their vnfaythfulnes both in not practising the things they know and in neglecting to know more least they should learne that truth which they have no mynde to practise for feare or in other corrupt regards And howsoever I do acknowledge a difference of truthes and that some are more and some lesse principall yet do I wish more conscience in the application of this distinction For whereas the ministers are by the lawes and penaltyes Civill and Ecclesiastical limited in their doctrine and both the ministers and people in their obedience of and to the truth of the gospel and ordinances of the new testament this is made a salve for every sore that they have the substance of the gospell the doctrine of fayth all fundamentall truthes and whatsoever is necessary to salvation In which defence as it is made there are these evills First in it men not onely endeavour which is too much the curing of Babell but iudeed to make Babell beleeve shee stands in no great need of curing and that her wounds are neyther deadly nor daungerous 2. It tends to vilify and make of small moment many of the Lords truthes ordinances howsoever these ministers wil not heare of it And this will appeare if the end be considered of these distinctions and qualifications which is that men should setle themselves without pressing further in the disobedience and want of sundry of the coÌ„maundements and ordinances of Christ Iesus till with bodily peace and leave of the magistrate they might enjoy the same And if the Scribes and Pharisees were reproved of Christ for making the commaundements of God of none authority by their traditions do not they make the commaundements of God and ordinances of Christ of small moment who for the traditions and inventions of men yea of that man of sin though supported by the arme of flesh haue forborn and do forbear and so purpose to go on the obedience of the fame which whether it be not the very estate of these ministers in forbearing to preach that I may let passe other matters for the refusall of subscription and conformity let their own consciences judge And mark their defence They beleiv and teach that there is no part of the holy scripture which every Christian is not necessarily bound to seek and desire the knowledge of so far forth as in him lyeth Here is a great charge layd vpon every Christian to seek the knowledge of every part of holy scripture but no word of his obedience unto every part of it as if Christ had not sent out his Apostles to teach men to observ to the worlds end but to know what he had commaunded them and as if the word of God were onely a light and lanthorn vnto mens eyes that they might see the wayes of God and not to their feet and pathes that they might walk in them The same Prophet in the same Psalm entreats the Lord to teach him the way of his statutes that he might keep it vnto the end that he would give him vnderstanding that he might keep his law professing also in the same place that he was comforted in GOD against all that confusion which his enemyes would have brought vpon him that he had respect to all GODS commaundements and this respect was not of bare knowledge but of observation and obedience as appears in all the five verses before going Neyther therefore can the ministers excuse themselves from making some parts of the holy scriptures of small moment and needles as Mr Barrow chargeth them bycause they advise the people to desire the knowledge of them except with their knowledge they joyned obedience neyther ought the people to rest in that vnsound advise considering that to him that knoweth how to do well and doth it not to him it is sinn and that to him that knoweth his maysters will and doth it not many stripes are due 3. This pleading by the ministers that they hould and enioy every fundamentall truth and whatsoever is of necessity to salvation coÌ„sidering the end of it which is the stopping of the people from pressing vnto further obedience and profession of the will
that bycause one thing is done that an other might follow vpon it that therefore the latter which is to follow is also done And for the poynt as it is the work of the spirit to lead men into all truth as all that are Christs or mēbers of his body have his spirit so doth it follow that all the members of the Church have the spirit given them of God to lead them into all truth though it have not his full work by reason of the cōtrary work of the flesh in this life wher all mē know but in part 3. That Mr. Bar holds every truth in the scriptures fundamentall that is as they expound it Pag 147. such as if it be not known and obeyed the whole religiō and fayth of the Church must needs fall to the ground Mr. Ainsworth hath set down his words from which no such collection can be made he directs them that worthily agaynst these deceivers which knowing acknowledging that they want many speciall ordinances of Christ and are burdened in stead of them with the inventions of Antichrist do notwithstanding encourage themselves and others by these distinctiōs that they haue the fundamentall truthes of the gospell and whatsoever is necessary to salvation and the like in a purpose to go on all their life long in disobedience For which men how much better were it to consider how it is written that whosoever shall break one of the least commaundments and teach men so he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven then thus to turn vpon them which reprove them for their vnfaythfulnes and misinterpreting their sayings most injuriously to spend thus many words as these ministers do in confuting their owne corrupt glosses Their fourth and last Argument is for that all the known Churches in the world acknowledge their Church for their sister and giue her the right hand of fellowship This Argum. hath been sundry tymes vrged by Mr. Ber. and so answered sundry tymes both by M. Ainsworth and my self in the former part of my book whether I must refer the reader contenting my self with a breif observation of such vntruthes and errours as these ministers are driven vnto in the prosecuting of this Argument as First that all the known Churches in the world are well acquaynted with their doctrine and liturgy to which they should also ad their book of ordination and canons Ecclesiasticall for their ministery and government then which nothing is more vntrue Beza which was specially interessed in these matters will hardly be perswaded of the true state of things touching dispensations pluralityes the power of excommunication in one man and the like It is most vntrue that God hath sanctifed the testimony of Churches for a principall help in the decyding of controversies in this kind It is though some help yet lesse principall yea the least of many 3. That Paul feared that without the approbation of Iames and Cephas and Iohn he should have run in vayn Paul feared no such thing for he was both assured of his calling from the Lord and had also taken long before that tyme good experience of the Lords blessing vpon his ministery both amongst the Iewes and Gentiles and knew right assuredly that his preaching was not in vayne His care was to take away from the weak all scruple of mynde or iealousy of contention amongst the Apostles he went vp to Ierusalem to confer with them 4 That Paul sought to win cōmendation and credit to the orders which he by his Apostolicall authority might have established by the iudgement of other Churches Whereas the Apostle Paul did by his Apostolicall authority appoynt those orders in all those churches he speaks of as the scriptures quoted testify 1 Cor 4. 7. 17. 16. 1. Besides the Church of England can win no great credit to her orders by the orders of other Churches considering how contrary she is in them to all other Churches departed from Rome whom alone in very many the resembleth Fiftly the testimony which Iohn Baptist gave of Christ is vnfitly brought for the testimony of one Church of an other For it was the proper and principall work of †Iohns calling to give witnes of Christ wherein also he could not erre It is not so with or between any Churches in the world Where it is further affirmed that there are cases wherein one Church is commaunded to seek the iudgement of other Churches and to account it as the iudgment of God for which Act 15. 2. is alledged as it is true that one Church is in cases to seek the judgement and help of an other so is it vntrue that the judgement of that other Church or of all the Churches in the world is to be accounted as the judgment of God Indeed the decrees of the Apostles at Ierusalem being by imediate infallible direction of the H Ghost were to be accounted as the judgement of God but for any ordinary eyther Churches or persons to challenge the like vnto their determinations were popelike praesumption To the Ministers demand in the next place Sayth Christ to any particular congregation of the faythful in our land Whatsoever they bind in earth is bound in heaven Mat. 18. 18. and sayth he it not also to the Churches of other nations I do answer that if Christ have so sayd to the particular cōgregatiōs who hath sayd it to the Praelates their substitutes or to any officer or officers excluding the body of the Congregation Even none but he whose work it is to gainsay Christ to subvert his order 2. If any of your parishes be such congregatiōs why do not you as faythful Ministers exhort thē to guide them in the vse of this power of binding loosing which Christ hath given them Or are not you content to suffer them to go on and your selves to go before them in the losse of this liberty yea in a most vile subjection to their and your spirituall Lords which have vsurped it And for the Argument it is of no force for neyther hath any one Church in the world that power over an other nor all the Churches in the world over any one which the meanest Church hath over any her member or members whomsoever One Church may forsake an other but juditially to censure or excommunicate it may it not The same answer for substance may serve for that which is objected from 1 Cor. 14. 32. Besides no Church can so fully discern of the estate of an other Church as it can of the proper members apperteyning vnto it Yea I ad that in this respect wee are better able to iudge of the Church of Engl then are any forreyn Churches notwithstanding our weaknes bycause they do not in any measure know the estate of it as we do Lastly as that saying
King at any time write his letters to any corporation in the land about some such publick busines as wherein every free man hath an hand he directs them to the MAIOR BAYLY or some other cheife officer by whome they are to be published to the whole body and the matter managed which they conteyn though as I formerly sayd every freeman be to speak to and consent in the busines And here it is too much Mr B. should say as he doth that no mention in these places of the revelation is made of the people but of the governours onely where Christ expresly enjoynes Iohn to write his vision and to send it vnto the 7. Churches ver 11. where Iohn expresly salutes them with grace and peace as Paul and others do them to whom they write in the beginning of their letters v. 4. Where he also calls those candlesticks he saw in his vision the Churches though distinguished from the Officers or Angels whom he calls starres or lights ver 12. 13. 20. and lastly and specially where after his both commendations reproofs promises and threatnings he wills meÌ„ to listen what the spirit sayth not of but vnto the Churches Chap 2. 7. 11. 17. 29. 3. 6. 13. 22. which do necessarily conclude the people in them But to let passe generalls to come to such particulars in these Chapters as wherein the suffring of evills in the Churches is reproved Onely I must needs shew Mr B. his great oversight that where he should prove that onely the angels of the Churches were reproved for suffering evils vnreformed he points vs to sundry Angels and Churches where there is no mention at all made of suffring evils but all of doing as well by the Angels as Churches as in Ephesus Sardi and Laodicea and which is worse vnto other Angels and Churches where there were no evils at all worthy reproof eyther done or suffred as in Smyrna and Philadelphia And is not this sound dealing The Lord Iesus finds nothing in the Ch of Smyrna Phyladelphia worthy of taxatioÌ„ but all of coÌ„mendation ergo the cheif governours onely in these Churches are reproved for suffring evils vnreformed I now come to the particular scriptures in number two where mention is made of evils suffred vnreformed and reproof layd vpon them which suffered them in the two Churches of Pergamus and Thyatira And that Iohn directs his reproofs against the Churches and not against the Officers alone I do thus manifest 1. Them whose workes Christ commends for that dwelling where Satans throne was they kept his name and denyed not his fayth c. them I say he reproves and against them he deales for suffering them that mâ—â—nteyn the doctrine of Balaam of the Nicholaâ—tans v. 13. 14. 15. 16. 2. They which are commended by Christ for their workes love service fayth patience and encrease in works they are also reproved by him for suffering the woman Iezebell the false Prophetesse to teach and to deceive vers 19. 20. But it were senselesse to affirm that the Angel alone and not the people with him was commended for dwelling where Satans throne was keeping Christs name and not denying his fayth in persecution that the Angel alone was commended for his works love service fayth patience and the like and as senseles as to affirm that onely some of the Angel of the Church of Smyrna was to be cast into prison ver 10 and therefore as the faythfull the brethren the saynts the people had their portion in these Christian vertues and in the commendations given vnto them so also do they beare their part in the reproofs due to the toleration of such evils as were found amongst them and are exhorted to repeÌ„tance v. 16. And this the two adversative conjunctions but notwithstanding or neverthelesse v. 14. 20. do evidently declare In many graces these Churches did abound and faythfull they were in great tryalls but or notwithstanding in this they fayled that they were not zealous enough against such deceivers as crept in amongst them but suffered theÌ„ to others hurt their owne danger also ver 24. Of these things I have spoken something the more at large to discover the bold injury which Mr B. offereth vnto these scriptures which may also serve to manifest both the libertie dutie of the people for the reforming of abuses in the Churches against the usurpation of the English or other Clergie whatsoever Now to that which is inferred by way of conclusion that 1 Cor. 5. must be expounded by other places and by the whole course of scripture the like that tell the Church Mat. 18. 17. must be vnderstood tell the cheif Officers of the Church these severalls must be answered First let it alwayes be remembred that we beleeve and confess that the Elders which Christ hath left in his Church are to govern the same in all things provided alwayes the nature of ecclesiasticall government be not exceeded according to the lawes by him prescribed and that so doing the brethren are most streytly bound to obey them without disturbance intrusion or opposition vnder peyn of Gods wrath for their rebellioÌ„ against him and them Heb. 13. 17. But as els where is observed it is one thing to be the Church an other thing to govern the Church one thing for the officers to direct and go before the brethren in all things as guides and another matter vtterly to exclude the brethren from any part of the communion as neyther being the Church nor any part of it as this exposition doth These things Mr B. ignorantly blunders together and so he and others rayse odious clamours against vs of Anabaptism popularity and the like as if we confounded all persons and things and made the Church a very Chaos or Babel without form or order 2. I acknowledge that one scripture must be expounded by an other but ever the more dark and obscure by that which is more playne and lightsome now so playne cleare evident and perspicuous are the two scriptures in hand for excommunication the former Mat. 18. 15. 16. 17. for the order and degrees of proceeding the other 1 Cor. 5. for the persons interessed in the buesinesse as that to bring in other scriptures for the expounding of them is in truth as needlesse and lost a labour as to light the sun and moon a candle Now for the places severally and first for Math. 18. 17. where sayth Mr B. tell the Church is tell the cheif officers of the Church and so must be expounded Well the words are cleare as the sun tell the Church that is the congregation or assembly whereof the offender is a member But where you make the Church not the officers simply but the cheif officers therein you deale both wisely and dutifully Wisely to let passe other respects in preventing a quaestion which otherwise you could not possibly answer for if you had sayd the officers simply it would have demaunded