that which you doe from hence vsually collect and vrge against vs. CHAP. II. A confutation of another description of the true visible Church giuen by the Brownists Where much is said concerning the first gathering of a Church and commixture of good and bad in the Church BVt omitting this description of H. Barrowes wee will proceed to another of theirs laid downe in their Apologie Apologie 44. It is say they a company of people called and seperated from the world by the word of God and ioyned together by voluntary profession of the faith of Christ in the fellowship of the Gospell If this be a true description then whosoeuer is not called and seperated from the world by the word of God c. is not a member of the visible Church for of such a company so called and qualified it doth consist as you affirme But some not called and seperated from the world c. haue bin are and shall be of the vâ—sible Church as is euident by that which followeth this therfore is not a true description of the visible Church It is a company of people say you called by the word of God whereby you meane that by the power and force of the Word only in the Ministery and preaching therof men are brought to be of this societie that is of the visible Church and not by the call perswasion or commandement of the Magistrate or any mortall man And this you put downe in your description that thereby you might proue our Parish assemblies to bee no true but false visible Churches because in the beginning of Queene Elizabeths raigne the people then liuing were not called by the Word and gathered by the preaching thereof but all brought in at once by her commandement and proclamation Hereupon it is that in the former description of the visible Church they say It is a company gathered in the name of Christ Iesus And Master Iohnson applying this to vs saith We were neuer rightly gathered together according to Gods ordinance Defence of the Churches and Minist of Eng. 86. that is as heere he speaketh not called by the word of God meaning the preaching thereof as appeareth by his quotations of Scripture in the margent We answere If we speake of a Church when it is first planted I meane of a Nation when first it commeth to embrace and professe the Gospell and true Religion the people of such a Nation for a great part there of are called by the word of God before they come to be a visible Church By the power and truth of the Word and diuine maiestie shining euery where therein the children of men be brought to forsake their false Religion and worship and to ioyne together in the profession of true Religion whereby they become a visible Church And this is confirmed throughout the whole story of the Acts of the Apostles both in the conuersion of the Iewes or gathering visible Churches of them set downe in the nine first Chapters and likewise of the gentiles continuing from the beginning of the tenth Chapter to the latter end of that booke In the second of the Acts where mention is made of a great increase or addition to the visible Church that before that time was among the Iewes of about three thousand soules and in the fourth of the Acts of a further increase to about fiue thousand Act. 2.14 and 4.4 in both these places the meanes is specified whereby this was brought to passe and that is said to be the hearing and and receiuing of the word of God preached by Peter and other of the Apostles In the eight chapter of the Actes wee reade of a Church gathered in the Citie of Samaria by Philip his preaching Christ vnto them and in the eleuenth Chapter of the Acts of a great Church gathered by the preaching of certaine Prophets and Euangelists in Antiochia in Syria In a word where in the Acts we reade of the conuersion of a people to God as in Antiochia a Citie of Pisidia in Iconium Listra Derbe Philippi Thessalonica Berea Athens Corinthus and Rome in the same places we heare that they were called and the said visible Churches gathered by the preaching of the word But mark all these Churches were now first planted and these people newly conuerted from Iudaisme or Gentilisme that is eyther from the Iewish Religion or false Religion of the Gentiles to the Christian Religion In such a case to the gathering and beâ—ng of a Church the preaching of the Word is absolutely necessary so as without it a company of people cannot bee brought to be a Church But if we speake of a Church established or of a Country where for some time true Religion hath beene professed and God truly worshipped though sometimes interrupted broken off and discontinued which is our case then this holdeth not As vnder the Law both Iewes and Gentiles professing the Iewish religion by Circumcision so by Baptisme Christians vnder the Gospell are incorporated into the visible Church and made members thereof Are not the children of the faithfull by Baptisme receiued into the visible Church and thereby made members thereof And not by the call of the word the sound whereof many of them do not heare and if they doe they cannot vnderstand it And what letteth why some of these when they bee growen men may not thorough hypocrisie continue in the Church though in the hardnes of their hearts they neuer were affected and touched with the word many such hypocrites and hard-hearted men dead in their sinnes and trespasses and that haue consciences seared with a hot Iron haue euer beene are and shall be in the Church who neuer by the call of the word and power thereof would haue become members of the Church nor haue felt any touch that way but onely because they were borne and brought vp in the Church and not cast out either through the want of due execution of discipline or else through their deepe dissimulation and hypocrisie they being like painted tombes which appeare beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones and all filthinesse Surely it is not to be thought that Cain Ismael Esau with others that many of the fatte Bulls of Basan that many of those who in Israel killed the Prophets and stoned them which were sent vnto them that many of the Scribes and Pharisies were affected with the Word or so much as tasted of the power and sweetnes thereof and yet were they all of the visible Church How were these then called by the word of God Againe that without this call by the word men may come to be of the visible Church it is yet more euident by the scripture In the twelfth chapter of Exodus where mention is made of the departure of the Children of Israel out of Egypt it is said That a great multitude of sundry sorts of all people went out with them Verse 38. now all or most of these we may assure
Christs permitting his Disciples the people to heare the Scribes and Pharises The Scribes and Pharises saith he sit in Moses seate Mat. 23.2 All therefore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and doe Verily if it were vnlawfull for the faithfull to ioyne with open vvicked men in the worship of God and that they did pollute it vnto the faythfull as these men doe tell vs then had it been vnlawfull to haue heard and prayed with the Scribes and Pharisies who were men notoriâ—usly vvicked Which made Iohn the Baptist to greete them thus Mat. 3.7 23.33 O generations of vipers who hath forewarned you to flye from the anger to come And our Sauiour after many a fearefull vvoe denounced against them to cry out to the same effect with Iohn O serpents the generation of vipers how shall yee escape the damnation of hell This their wickednesse also was open and well knowne to the faithfull neither could they possibly be ignorant thereof Considering their open persecuting of Christ euen to death their open blaspheming of him Matth. 9.34 12.24 Iohn 9 22.34 and 12.42 and traducing of his works and their persecuting of the Saints insomuch that many durst not confesse Christ Iesus for feare of the Pharisees But your aâ—oresaid reason concerning the pollution of the faithfull and holy things of God by the wicked you will prooue by the Scriptures M. Francis Iohnson charging the forward Preachers of England with 17. points of false doctrine setteth downe this for one and the first in the rancke That though the open notorious obstinate offenders be partakers of the Sacraments yet neither the Sacraments nor the people that ioyne with them are defiled thereby Defence of the Churches and Ministers of England 70. Communion of Sâ—iâ—ts 469. Par. l. 71. 72. 73 This doctrine quoth he is contrarie to these Scriptures 1. Cor. 10.17 Hag. 2.14 15. 1. Cor. 5 6. 10.28 2. Cor. 6.15.18 Gal. 5 9. with eleuen more there quoted So that there is no want of witnâ—sses But let vs heare also what M. Ainsworth saieth If in our assemblies quoth he the wicked partake with vs neither we nor the holy things can sanctifie them but contrariwise they defile vs and euery thing they touch For confirmation hereof both these men and likewise M. Smith alleadge Hag. 2 13 14. with diuers other places of the olde Testament concerning ceremoniall pollution whereby they will haue it that this spirituall pollution is signified and shadowed foorth If saith Haggai one beare holy flesh in the skirt of his garment and with his skirt doe touch the bread or the pottage or the wine or the oyle or any meate shall it be holy And the Priests answered and saide No 14. Then saide Haggai If a polluted person touch any of these shall it be vncleane and the Priests answered and said it shall be vncleane I answere proue and make it plaine to vs 1. That by touching is signified our mutuall partaking in these holy things or in true diuine worship 2. That this polluted person doeth signifie an open wicked man in the Church Prooue I say these to haue this resemblance as your interpretation and application of them implyeth and I will confesse that you doe not misinterpret misapply these Scriptures as you doe the rest here But if herein you faile neither this Scripture nor any of this kinde will auaile you at all Concerning the first of these you say And this touching figured our fellowship together in the Church as the Apostle sheweth 2. Cor. 6.14 15 16 17. Communion of Saints 469. I deny this and affirme that this place of Paul prooueth no such thing The Apo perswading the Saints at Corinth not to ioyne with their neighbours who were heathens and Idolaters in their false and Idolatrous worship nor in any of their pollutions no not so much as with their bodies though they kept their spirit pure vnto the Lord vseth this phrase in the Lawe touch no vncleane thing not meaning thereby to teach what this touching figured but the Corinthian saints that they might no way pertake nor haue any thing to doe more nor lesse soule nor body with the Idolatrous worship or any other pollution of theirs Now what maner of proofe and argument is this We may not at all pertake with Idolaters in their false worship not somuch as touch it with a finger Ergo not with the open wicked in true diuine worship If wee communicate with Idolaters in false worship by touching that impure worship we our selues shall be made impure touch it not therefore come not at it Ergo if wee communicate with the open wicked in true diuine worship wee and that worshtp shall be made vncleane These two conclusions are your positions and the two Antecedents are Paules Let the Reader iudge of the consequence But let vs come to rhe other thing heere to be considered that is whom the man that was ceremonially vncleane did signifie You will not say I knowe the open wicked man but the sinner without any such limitation or restraint Wherupon by your expositioÌ„ this followeth That the sinner or man spiritually vncleane defileth the holy things of God Word Sacraments and Prayer and they that communicate with him therein are likewise defiled as the man ceremonially vncleane polluted whatsoeuer things he touched and they that touched him were vncleane But this inference is false because without any such pollution we may communicate wiâ—h hypocrites who be sinners and therefore this your exposition from whence it is inferred is false In this straite you haue no other refuge but this That by the vncleane man vnder the lawe was signified the open wicked man or knowne sinner Which I desire you would hereafter prooue vnto vs for we will take nothing of your word In the meane season this I say vnto you that had you or should you yet consider that howsoeuer the wicked whether openly or secretly wicked for all is one polluted indeede the holy things of God it is vnto themselues onely and not to others according to this Scripture vnto them that are defiled Tit. 1.15 and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure you wou'd neuer trouble the Church of God with this impure doctâ—ine This testimony of Titus you produce for your selues and it maketh against you Communion of Saints 133. Communion of Saints 464. 1 Cor. 5.6 Gal. 5.9 Answerable hereunto bee your other testimonies of holy writ and namely this so frequent with you a little leauen leaueneth a whole lump For the Apostles meaning is not that a few or one knowne wicked man by his open sinne doeth pollute the Word Sacraments and the whole assembly they be comming guiltâ—e of sinne and so defiled 1. Because they haue religious communion with him Paral. 71 72. 73 2. Because by this communicating with a knowne sinner in dâ—uine worshâ—p they doe approoue of his sinne and thus consenting thereto become accessary vnto it This
had the signe and seale of the righteousnes of faith in and vpon their flesh And that the Scribes and Pharises vvere hypocrites it is euident by the testimonie of our Sauiour Mat. 15.1.7 and by that speech of his so often repeated Mat. 23. Woe be to you Scribes and Pharises Hypocrites But the most of your assemblies be open and knowne wicked men some of them being knowne to be swearers others to be Prophaners of the Sabbath Drunkards Theeues Whoremongers couetous and malicious persons c. and cannot therefore bee accounted hypocrites And your selfe doe confesse that in the Church there are these two sorts of men onely hypocrites or hypocriticall professors and sincere worshippers I answere you well vnderstand not who be hypocrites and doe wholly mistake the matter in supposing that open wicked men cannot be reputed such whereas the open wicked nay most vile and abominable men notoriously also knowne to be such professing true religion be hypocrites Esau was very prophane and as his prophanenes did no doubt shew it selfe in the whole course of his life so in taking for his wiues two women of the Hittites but chiefly in selling his birthright for a messe of pottage Now these his sinnes were knowne specially the former to Isaack his family vvhich then vvas the Church Hereunto adde that he both purposed and said that he vvould slay his brother Iacob Gen. 27.41.42 and that this vvas knowne to some of Isaacks family who told it to Rebekah Yet vvas this notorious prophane man and knowne murderer an hypocrite Doeg vvas an horrible murderer his murther also could not but bee knowne to the whole Church of God and an hypocrite For it is said that vvhen Dauid came to Nob vvhere the Tabernacle of God then was Doeg was abiding or caused to tarry before the Lord 1. Sam. 22.18 22.7 either because of the Sabbath or some vow or some such religious respect whereby is implyed that he continued there for some dayes worshipping God or to that end That Saul vvas an hypocrite I neede not to proue Hee vvas so forward in offering to the Lord burnt offerings and in the outward worship of God 1. Sam. 13.12.13 and 15.22.23.31 That by Samuel hee was diuers times reproued sharpely for the same Yet did hee so hate and so openly and furiously persecute Dauid to his death as it could not but bee knowne to all Israel and so was openly and notoriously wicked But this is more then manifest by the Scribes and Pharisees who were very wicked and vile men hating blaspheming and persecuting Christ and his members and knowne to be such to the Saints then liuing who tasted of the fruit of their hatred and yet by the witnesse of Christ Iesus they were Hypocrites Euen so vndoubtedly were all they which killed the Prophets and stoned them which were sent vnto them Mat. 21.35 and 22.6 and 23.37 open vvicked men and Hypocrites Hypocrites also vvere they and yet knowne vvicked men of vvhom Christ speaketh thus They shall excommunicate you yea the time shall come Ioh. 16.2 that whosoeuer killeth you will thinke that he doth God seruice I omit to vrge that place of Paul to Timothy where foretelling of the grieuous sinners that shall bee in the last dayes vvhereof some be open sinners in the end he knitteth it vp thus 2. Tim. 3.1.5 They shal haue a shew of godlinesse but haue denied the power thereof Whereby he sheweth that this he meaneth of the Church and hypocrites that shall be therein and not by them vvho are vvithout As if he had said The wicked pâ—rsons I speake of who shall be so grieuous to the godly specially to godly Teachers and cause the last times to be so perilous as ver 1. be the hypocrites that shall be in the Church But I cannot passe by that Tit. 1. is They professe that they know God but by workes they deny him and are abominable and disobedient and vnto euery good worke reprobate Hereby it is euident that open wicked men disobedient to God yea such as bee abominable and reprâ—bate to euery goâ—d vvorke may be hypocrites For the Apostâ—e speaking thus of professors They professe said he that they know God it is thereby plaine that he meaneth this of them that were in the Church and so of the hypocrites therein and not of them vvho be vvithout for they make not this profession Thus we see that very vvicked and vile men and notoriously knowne to be such haue been and may be hypocrites And therefore the open scandalous wicked in our assemblies may be and indeede are all of them hypocrites Our assemblies being mixt companies of Saints indeede and hypocrites and such a company hath euermore the true visible Church been It is a fancy and vaine imagination of yours that the vvicked in our assemblies are not hypocrites and so to be accompted because their wickednesse is not secret but manifest and to be seene of all men Whereas all that professe Christianitie and liue not the liues of Christians are hypocrites But such bee the open and secret wicked in our publike assemblies Therefore as well the open as the secret wicked in our publike assemblies are hypocrites In Math. 15. our Lord vseth these words to the Scribes and Pharises O hypocrites Esaias prophecied well of you saying This people draweth neere vnto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but their heart is farre of from me But in vaine they worship me Hence wee learne that all they vvhich draw neere vnto God vvith their mouths and honour him vvith their lips hauing their hearts farre off from him be Hypocrites But such bee both the open and secret wicked in our assemblies Therefore both the open and secret wicked in our assemblies are hypocrites I am assured you vvill greatly maruell at me and it may be some of you be ready to hisse at this that the open wicked in our parish assemblies be hypocrites Your ignorance herein hath been one principall cause of this false doctrine of yours In the true visible Church there are no open wicked but it is a separated company of righteous men vpon which false ground you condemne our parish assemblies to be false Churches and therevpon haue departed from vs which hath also caused mee to insist so long vpon this point You confesse there bee hypocrites in the Church according to the Scriptures But you suppose them to bee such as haue an outward holinesse and such as in charitie we cannot but accompt Saints or holy ones whereas those that make profession of godlinesse though they haue no externall righteousnes nay be notoriously vvicked are hypocrites vntill such time as by excommunication they be cut off from the Church And for the better satisfying of you herein you must vnderstand there be two sorts of hypocrites First close hypocrites vvhich are such as goe in sheeps clothing when as indeed they be goats These are in appearance Saints
because in his owne nature he is holy or holinesse itsâ—lâ—e but also in respect of his effect and operation for that all those in whom he is he sanctifieth and maketh holy Hereupon it followeth that if the visible Church and members thereof be the Temple of God Then are they sanctified by the Spirit of God and Saints indeede and consequently such as to whom the heauenly inheritance belongeth For the inheritance shall be giuen to all them that are sanctified as is taught Act. 20.32 Besides we haue heard that prophane Esau and many more who haue beene vnholy and vncleane disobedient yea abhominable rebellious and reprobate to euery good worke haue beene of the vis Church We may heere also remember that this Spirit which dwelleth in euery one that is the Temple of God is called the Spirit of Life as Rom. 8.2 not onely because in whomsoeuer it is it killeth and subdueth sinne and quickeneth to righteousnesse as Rom. 8.10 But for that he who hath this Spirit hath life it selfe euen eternall life begun in him This Spirit likewise is called the seale and earnest of our inheritance 2. Cor. 2.22 Ephes 1.13 Whosoeuer therefore hath this spirit is sure to inherite the kingdome of heauen because he hath God his seale and earnest thereof For as much therefore as the inuissible Church onely and members thereof haue and shall haue this life and inherite this kingdome They therefore onely haue this spirit and consequently are this Temple And this argument one may drawe from your owne words thereby to conuince this your error Christ say you dwelleth in and gouerneth by his holy Spirit his elect Confession of Faith 34. which he hauing once giueÌ„ neuer taketh away from them but still begetteth and nourisheth in them repentance faith and loue and all Christian vertues vnto immortallity From these and some other lines of yours I argue against you thus They whosoeuer they be which are the Temple of God haue the spirit of God dwelling in them whereby they are quickened and haue the life of God in them yea are quickned to immortallitie But the Elect onely haue this spirit as your selues affirme pag. 34. of your confession of Faith whereby they are quickened as pag. 26. of the same booke therefore the Elect onely and inuisible Church are by your owne doctrine the Temple of God and not the visible Church Thus your owne sword againe helpeth to pierce your side And heere this reason may be vsed against you Those whom Peter calleth a spirituall house 1. Pet. 2.5 Ephes 222. and Paul the habitation of God by the spirit bee heere called the Temple of God but by the first are meant the faithfull who are of the inuisible Church therefore by the latter the proposition is euident And so is the assumption to them who vnderstand these places it hath also in part beene cleared and shall be further foorthwith Finally this is easily conuinced by 2. Cor. 6.19 Knowe you not that your body is the Temple of the holy Ghost which is in you whom you haue of God And you are not your owne for you are bought for a price Here we see that they who are the Temple of the holy Ghost or the Temple of God are saide to be redeemed or bought with a price But the elect onely are redeemed euen by your owne confession therefore they are of the Elect and Church inuisible who bee the Temple of God and in whome God dwelleth by his Spirit But it is no maruell though this and many other Scriptures which by the holy Ghost are meant of the members of the inuisible you vnderstand of the vis Church Description of the vis church 2 seeing you doe the like by 1. Pet. 2.9 then which there is scarce a place in holy writ Confession of faith 6. Apologie 44. Communion of Saints 248. 470. Paralleles 61. Iustification 44. wherein the Spirit of God speaketh more manifestly of the inuisible Church or those thereof vvho be effectually called and that can worse be vnderstood of the visible And this I haue shewed in the second Chapter where I speake at large of this Scripture So that it may seeme altogether needlesse to adde any thing thereunto Yet neuerthelesse I will And the rather because you being told of your mis-applying of this Scripture doe iustifie it and confidently affirme that it is meant of the visible Church and argue for the same Counterp 158. Iustification 43. For the better vnderstanding vvhereof I will set downe some verses going before Yee as liuely stones bee made a spirituall house an holy priesthood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ Wherefore it is contained in the Scripture Behold I put in Sion a chiefe corner stone elect and precious and he that beleeueth therein shall not be ashamed 7. vnto you therefore which beleeue it is precious but vnto them which be disobedient the stone which the builders disallowed the same is made the head of the corner 8. And a stone to stumble at and a rocke of offence euen to them which stumble at the word being disobedient vnto the which thing they were euen ordained 9. But yee are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar people that yee should shew forth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darknesse into his maruellous light In the fift verse of this Chapter they who are spoken of in this 9. verse are there called First liuely stones Secondly a spirituall house Thirdly an holy priesthood Fourthly as Priests they are said to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ Now these liuely stones this spirituall house and these priests offering sacrifices acceptable to God in Christ are such onely as bee of the elect and inuisible Church as I haue plainely shewed in the second Chapter and euery babe in knowledge may hereby know because the Reprobate cannot offer any acceptable sacrifice to God Therefore of the inuisible Church and not of the vis Church Peter speaketh in this 9. verse By the 6. and 7. verses it is plaine that in this 9. verse he speaketh of the faithfull euen such as doe beleeue in Christ And this alone the elect doe In the 7 and 8. verses this our Apostle turning his spâ—ech from them that did beleeue to them that were so farre of from beleeuing in Christ that they did stumble at him so as hee was to them a rocke of offence endeth the 8. verse thus vnto the which thing they were euen ordained least now the beleeuing Iewes of whom hee had newly spoken should be terrified with that he had said of reprobation and some of them in their weakenesse feare least they were of the number of the Reprobates and such as God bad ordained to iust condemnation he telleth them in the 9. verse that this he meaneth not by them neither neede they to feare this at all for as much as