in your schisme and errours and hearken to the counsell of Salomon Pro. 19.27 My sonne heare no more the instruction that causeth to erre from the words of knowledge Goe not I beseech you in the name of Iesus one step more forward in the way you are in For I call heauen and earth to record that it leades to destruction And why will ye die O ye children of men It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God for our God is a consuming fire I know you perswade your selues of better things and such as accoÌ„pany saluation You think that the way you now are in is the only way to life But what if you mistake it Christ telleth vs that many shall seeke to enter in at the straight gate Luk. 13.24 and shall not bee able Which cannot be vnderstood of men minding earthly things whether it be their profits or pleasures For they neither desire nor seeke after any such thing But of heretickes Schismatickes and sectaries You will say I know that you are no schismatickes because you separate from a false Church onely and ioyne to a true in deede if that which you teach of the visible Church were true then were all our congregations false Churches But heare and marke well what I say Such a visible Church as you require and pretend to be there is not in the world neither euer was You teach in this point that which is repugnant to the Scriptures and a thing vnpossible in it selfe to be Such a societie as you say a true visible Church is is not visible cannot possibly be seene or discerned But some of you will say are not our Ministers learned Yes That lets not but that both they may and indeede doe grossely erre in those things wherein they dissent from vs and from all the learned in the world Who knoweth not that among the Papists there be many of great learning and gifts which haue very great knowledge and skill in the arts in the languages are of excellent vtterance expert and ready in holy Scriptures can speake and write truely agreeing with the Scriptures of sundry of the secrets of the Kingdome of heauen as of God his nature persons attributes Of Christ Iesus his incarnation his birth life preachings sufferings comming to iudgement of the Resurrection of the life to come with many more of this kinde and yet notwithstanding in those points wherein they differ from the Church of England and all other true Churches they are blinde as beetles But you will obiect further that what you of the Separation hold is proued plentifully out of the word of God I acknowledge indeede that you abound and superabound in your allegations of Scripture Neuer any men contending for lyes did therein goe beyond you nor equall you neither If hereunto we adde their externall holinesse wee may safely say that in no faction or schisme that euer yet was in the world Satan did more transforme himselfe into an Angell of light then in this But what Their Scriptures being peruerted as the truth is and so tending to the destruction of the Reader all this is but sheepes clothing Mat 7.15 whereof Christ biddeth vs to beware Horrible and fearefull is your abusing and wresting of holy Scripture and to some incredible It had been well for you if you had been more sparing in your quotations then had yee lesse taken Gods Name in vaine who will not hold you guiltlesse for the same except ye repent And now dearely beloued behold Christ Iesus stands at the doore and knockes aloud tarrying and abiding there as one very desirous to come in and loth to be kept out He that hath the keyes of the house of Dauid who shutteth and no man openeth and openeth and no man shutteth open the doore of your soule that you may let Christ enter in And to that end open I humbly beseech you the eyes of your minde that you may bee able to discerne betweene things that differ and know truth from falsehood and reiecting and abhorring the one which is from the Diuell may imbrace the other which is from God And here my deare countrimen who lately are gone out from vs and become Anabaptists I beseech you consider of this one thing with me When you first separated from the Church of England did not you highly esteeme and reuerence the Church of Amsterdam euen as the deare spouse and body of Christ I meane the Brownists Church there Would not you then gladly haue had communion with them if possibly you could when you refused the same with vs Did not then all of you assure your owne soules that that way which then and still we call Brownisme was the onely way to life wherevpon in that way you would needs walke come on it what would imprisonment or banishment life or death Did not then some of the chiefe of you in my hearing magnifie M. Fr. Iohnson and their bookes specially the Apologie aboue all bookes next to the holy Bible And in all this you reioyced exceedingly How commeth it now to â—asse that so quickly not onely our Churches but the aforesaid Church at Amsterdam is likewise become an Harlot and Babylon That you abhorre now as much to haue religious communion with them as with vs How commeth this I say to passe but because that which the Apostle saith generally of all deceiuers is and must needs be in the particular true of you your selues being deceiuers That you wax worse and worse deceiuing and being more and more deceiued Thus haue I in few words by way of commination exhortation dehortation and supplication indeuoured to perswade you my brethren of the Separation speecially my countreymen who are lately entred into this way to renounce your errours and to breake off by repentance your grieuous sinne of separating and all the sinnes accompanying it If this I haue published preuaile not thus farre though not with all yet with some of you as to bring you to the sight and acknowledgement of your erronious doctrine concerning the visible Church and your peruerting of holy Scripture for confirmation thereof as my hope is it will I for my part doe confesse that I vtterly despayre of doing any good of you and say to you as I haue learned from the Apostle to speake in this case If any man be ignorant let him be ignorant I shall also hold it vaine to contend any further with you 1. Cor. 14.38 11.16 If any lust to be contentious saith Paul wee haue no such custome nor the Churches of God And so I end leauing the successe hereof both with you and others to the Lord whom in Iesus Christ I beseech to accept of this my poore and weake seruice and to grant that it may prosper to that end wherevnto by me his most vnworthy seruant it is intended euen to the glory of his great Name and edification of his Church Amen IOHN DAYRELL A
Let the Christian Reader iudge of this kind of dealing But let vs heare more of your answere These examples we acknowledge all Christian Princes should follow hauing equall power with these Kings of Iudah Counterpois 230. to abolish all idolatrie within their dominions yea and to punish obstinate idolaters and not suffer any superstitious worship among their subiects but to procure their conuersion by the word yet not to compell them to be members of the Church because they cannot giue them Faith and Repentance which is the onely doore into Christ Kingdome and cannot be opened to any but by God alone And a little after Your people should haue yeelded their owne willing consent which they neuer did but were and still are compelled by law and penaltie to bee of the Church and Religion established Replie If Christian Princes haue equall power within their dominions with that the Kings of Iudah had in theirs then are they not onely to abolish all idolatry within their dominions which you confesse but also to command and by law and penaltie to compell their people to be of the true Religion and to worship God according to his word that is to professe true Religion and worship for further then the outward profession man cannot goe which maketh a member of the visible Church But the former of these is true by your owne confession therfore the latter The consequence of the proposition is grounded vpon this that the Kings of Iudah proceeded thus farre when they reformed the Church as appeareth by the premises and namely by the 2. of the Chro. 34.2 which Scripture is singular to this purpose And Iosiah did that was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God 3. For he tooke away the altars of the strange gods and the high places c. 4. And commanded Iudah to seeke the Lord God of their Fathers and to doe according to the Law and the Commandement 5. Therefore the Kingdome was quiet before him Here we see that Iosiah did not only abolish idolatry and all false worship but besides commanded his people to worship the true God called here the God of their Fathers according as he had commanded which is that wee call true worship And it is euident that therein he did well First because this is rendred for a proofe or instance of that which is generally said of him in the second verse And Asa did that was good and right in the eyes of the Lord for he tooke away the altars c. And commanded Iudah to seeke the Lord c. that is to serue the Lord in that manner he had commanded Secondly because for this very act of his God blessed him with outward peace as vers 5. Therefore the Kingdome was quiet before him Are Christian Princes only to abolish idolatry within their dominions and to punish obstinate idolaters and not to compell their subiects any further Then belike they may let their people be of no Religion euen Atheists and not punish them so long as they be not idolaters But why may not Kings compell their subiects to professe true Religion and to submit themselues to the true worship of God which maketh them members of the visible Church Because they cannot giue them faith and repentance which is the only dore into the Church and cannot be opened to any but by God alone It is true indeed that Princes though their power is great yet are too weake hereunto But we must know that profession of faith and repentance sufficeth to the making of a member of the visible Church and thereunto the Magistrate can compell That which you say of the visible Church is true of Heauen faith and repentance is the only dore into it and God in Christ only can and doth open it But is very vntruely said of the visible church especially considering your quoted Scriptures for confirmation thereof require faith and repentance indeed and speake of true repentance and sauing faith It greeueth me to see how many places of Scripture are heere peruerted by you as namely Ioh. 6.44 No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him and I will raise him vp at the last day And againe vers 65. No man can come vnto me Note heere their abuse of holy Scripture except it be giuen vnto him of my Father That which is heere spoken of the members of the inuisible Church when they are inwardly and effectually called and indued with faith in Christ Iesus That it is God and he alone who giueth them to beleeue meant hereby by comming vnto Christ you ignorantly vnderstand of and apply to all of the visible Church whereof the most haue only the externall calling and will by these Scriptures proue that no man can be of the visible Church except God call him and draw him and by his Spirit perswade him Counterpoys 134. Cant. 1.3 For which purpose also as I remember you alleage elswhere that speech of the faithfull Draw me and we will runne after thee He that seeth not this your abuse of Scripture it is because he wanteth some of that eye-salue mentioned Reu. 3.18 to anoint his eyes with The rest of your quotations for breuity I passe by together with this your doctrine the falshood whereof shall hereafter be made euident in a more conuenient place You tell vs that Christian Princes are to punish obstinate idolaters yet not to compell men to be of the Church First Because in such a case they must yeeld their owne willing consent Secondly Because they cannot giue them faith and repentance which is the only doore into the Church and cannot be opened to any but by God alone Suppose I. N. an idolater by the Kings authority be for his idolatry punished with imprisonment or losse of goods or some such like punishment and that he remaining still an idolater in the loue to his liberty or goods pretendeth great hatred to idolatrie and loue to the true worship of God whereupon after profession of his faith and repentance made he is receiued into the Church Yee cannot deny but that this man is a member of the visible Church for against such a one you cannot shut the doores of the Church and all in the Church are members thereof Tell me now First whether this man became not a member of the Church by compulsion and whether by punishment men are not after a sort compelled to doe the contrary to that for which they are punished and whether this is not intended and aymed at in punishments And so heere that I. N. being punished for his idolatry should forsake that and worship God according to his Word which makes one a member of the visible Church Secondly whether this hypocrite and deepe dissembler doe this of his owne willing consent or rather against his heart and will compelled thereunto by law and penalty Thirdly I demand whether this man hath faith and repentance and hath passed
in the visible Church are members of it vntill by excommunication they bee cut of But by your owne confession wicked men are in the visible Church therefore wicked men are members of it Which if it bee true all your doctrine almost of the visible Church is false But to put an end to this point and part of your description By the premises it is plaine that a true visible Church is not seperated from the world that is a company of righteous and godly men onely seperated from the open wicked of the world For if a visible Church be a mixt company of good and bad godly and vngodly for which cause it is compared to a barne floore to a field and to a draw-net as hath been shewed out of the holy Scriptures againe if from time to time in the ages precedent both vnder the Law and Gospell there haue beene and remained in the true visible Church vvicked yea many wicked and open wicked as hath likewise been made manifest by the Scriptures how can it possible be true which you affirme That a visible Church is a seperated companie of righteous men not mixed with but seperated from the wicked of the world If this doctrine of yours be true the one of these doe necessarily follow either the former persons of whom I haue spoken so much Ismael Esau Doeg Saul Absalom the Scribes and Pharises were not openly wicked and men of this world or not in the Church but without or else that the Church wherein they in thâ—ir time liued was not a true but a false Church The premises considered it is very fondly done of you so often to obiect against vs the mixture of good and bad in our Church Calling it Cofusion Babel Babilonish confusion and our Churches because of it Babylon and a meere madnesse for this cause to seperate from our Church And thus much concerning this clause in your description seperated from the world The rest of your description I omit as not greatly to bee found fault with though something might bee said against it For where you say It is a company ioyned together by voluntarie profession you should raâ—her haue said ioyning together c. Wee are ioyned and knit together by loue and doe ioyne and agree in the same profession And where you require a voluntarie profession of the faith of Christ and tels vs elsewhere that a true Church consisteth of a voluntary people and that ours are confused and compelled and so a false church You must know that a man may bee of the visible Church albeit his profession be not voluntarie as hath been declared before Neither is that so fit you adde of the Faith of Christ as if you had said of the true Religion The Papists professe the faith of Christ and so doe the Anabaptists Families with sundry others and yet are they false Churches But whatsoeuer societie professeth true Religion is a true church To conclude Apology 44. Confession of Faith 11. Counterp 133. this I say that vnderstanding these words seperated from the world as Christ meaneth Ioh. 17.14.16 and 15.19 Which testimonies you here in your confession of faith and in the Counterpoyson alledge for the proofe of this and therefore must so vnderstand them without manifest peruerting of the said Scriptures then is this a description rather of the militant Church or those of the inuisible Church that are effectually called then of the visible Church CHAP. III. Of the matter and forme of the visible Church AS these men doe greatly erre in their description of the visible Church so doe they likewise in other points touching the same and namely about the matter and forme thereof Iustification 88. 82. The constitution of the Church saith M. Robinson is the orderly collection and coniunction of the Saints into and in the couenant of the new Testament wherein the Saints are the matter the couenant the forme from which two concurring the Church ariseth and is by them constituted And in another place deliuering the very same with this hee addeth And this is that which giues true being of a Church and nothing else Because of this let vs so much the more carefully seeke out the true matter aâ—d forme of the visible Church and remember that if the Separists mistake the matter and forme of the visible Church as the trueth is they doe they cannot iudge aright of the Church and therefore their iudgement and account of our Church is to be despised We hold as hath already beene saide men not Angels or any other creatures but a company of men to be the matter of the visible Church and the profession of true Religion to be the forme So that wheresoeuer there is a company of men ioyning together in the profession of true Religion the same is and may truely be called a visible Church The Seperators teach otherwise and first that Saints are the matter of the visible Church forgetting that a company of Saints are a Church by the Testimony of the holy Ghost as before hath beene shewed in the third Chapter of the first booke and therefore such a societie containeth in it as well the forme as the matter without both which nothing can be But we must know that howsoeuer the Separists euen all of them agree in this That Saints are the matter of the visible Church yet notwithstanding they disagree at least in appearance about the matter because they differ about these Saints who Instif 105. principles and Inferenâ—es 10. M. Smith in his Answere to M. Beâ—n rd 27 28. Separatists Schisme 83. Counterp 174. and what they be Saints say some of them are a people forsaking all knowne sinne doing all the knowne will of God growing in grace and continuing to the ende and these say M. Smith and M. Robinson are the onely matter of the visible Church This being conuinced by some of our side M. Ainsworth answereth thus This position meaning the aforesaide description of Saints and that such are the matter of the visi church I deny and also disclaime the errors which be gathered from it and therefore will spend no time in answering it but referre M. Bernard to them that haue so spoken or written if any be This we hold and let vs see what M. Bernard can say against it That Saints by calling are the onely matter of a true visible church For confutation of this that M. Ainsworth and the more auncient of this schisme doe maintaine that little which hath beene saide may suffice and the rather because but a litle before M. Ainsworth accordeth with vs and is as contrary to himselfe herein as we be Counterp 170. To the constitution of a Church saith he there belong 1. A people as the matter whereof and 2. A calling gathering and vniting together as the forme whereof the Church consisteth Where obserue how he contradicteth himselfe 1. Hee expressely affirmeth that a people which is the same that wee teach
by faith onely in Christ but by obseruing and keep ng the Law of God giuen by Moses not the Law morrall onely but the ceremoniall also whereupon they vrged circumcision as neâ—essary for Christians vnto saluation This was very dangerous doctrine and pernitious ouerturning as I may say the foundation which made the Apostle to write thus Gal. 5.2 If yee bee circumcised as the false teachers which be among you would haue you Christ shall profit you nothing 3. For I testifie againe to euery man which is circuÌ„cised that he is bouÌ„d to keepe the whole law 4. Yee are abolished from Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the law yee are fallen from grace And because S. Paul had formerly in the planting of these Churches taught Iustification by Faith onely in Christ without the workes of the Lawe as also that the ceremoniall Lawe giuen by Moses was by Christ abolished which doctrine being true theirs must needes be false therefore they said that Paul was no Apostle but spake of himselfe and preached mans doctrine not Gods but as for them they came not of themselues but were sent os the chiefe Apostles This doctrine so dangerous these seducers did no more readily teach then the Galatians receiue and beleeue as appeareth by these speeches of the Apostle Gal. 1.6 I maruell that yee are so soone remooued away vnto another Gospell from him that had called you in the grace of Christ And againe O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the trueth Ye now which teach glorious things of all the members of the visible Church answere mee Were all in the Churches of Galatia and Corinth such Saints as you speake of Were they that denied the resurrection that were giuen to strife enuying wrath contentions backbitings whisperings swellings and discord that liued in vncleannesse fornication and wantonnesse that denied Paul to be an Apostle disgraced and despised both him and his preachings traduced and slaundered him Were these I say seperated from all knowne sinne and did all the knowne will of God so farre as men can iudge Did these growe in grace and therein continue to the ende or as M. Ainsworth saith Did righteousnesse encrease outwardly in these Of the most of which the Apostle saith thus Gal. 3.3 4.92 Are yee so foolish that after yee haue begun in the Spirit ye would be made perfect in the flesh ' Also how turne ye againe vnto impotent and beggerly rudiments whereunto as from the beginning you will be in bondage againe Or had these that externall righteousnesse and outward sanctimonie or holinesse which you say all in the visible Church haue M. Robinson in a large Treatise of his lately set foorth Iustif 107. hath these words It is all one M. Bernard as if you should say the Scriptures doe not call men Saints because they are Saints but for some other causes knowne to you For what is it to be a Saint but to be holy And what to be holy but to be of a sound iudgement pure affections and vnblameable conuersation That which this man heere saith they all doe hold and this is one speciall stone whereat they often stumble I demaund therefore of them all whether all the Corinthians and Galatians I speake of were such Saints and holy ones as they teach all in the visible Church are and namely whether they were of a sound iudgement pure affections and vnblameable conuersation If they answere affirmatiuely that they were all men will cry fye vpon it and then the incestuous person in the church of Corinth the false teachers among the Galatians were such to wit men of a sound iudgement pure affections vnblamable conuersation If they answer negatiuely then forasmuch as these were in the Church some are in the Church who are not Saints and so to be called which is against their owne doctrine or then some are in the church who are not such Saints as these men say all in the visible church are and must be And here we are to remember these things 1. That many of the persons we speake of were openly wicked That these were godly men and Saints indeede hauing their hearts purified by Faith no man sure will affirme If they were not godly then which must needes be true of some of them I meane the false teachers among the Galatians because against them Paul wisheth or prayeth thus Ephes 5.12 Would to God they were euen cut of which doe disquiet you which hee would neuer haue done had they beene godly And if they were wicked then openly wicked and knowne to be so because their sins were open and knowne to men 2. Wee must remember that these Churches when S. Paul writ vnto them were true visible Churches which must needes bee because by the holy Ghost they are so called and intituled and this the Separistes doe readily acknowledge yea that they were of the purest Churches that haue beene 3. That all the members of a true visible Church are Saints by nomination so called in Scripture and consequently all these aforesaide in the Churches of Corinth Galatia This also the Separistes will freely confesse 4. We must know that all which be once admitted into the church do remaine members of the same Church be they neuer so wicked vntill either they themselues depart from it or else by excommunication be cast out and that coÌ„sequently all the scandalous persons aforesaid were in and of the Church yâ—a the incestuous man till hee was excommunicated This they of the Seperation will likewise acknowledge to be true Now from the premises these two conclusions doe necessarily follow 1. That a societie of men wherein be sundry wicked yea openly wicked may notwithstanding be a true church 2. That the open wicked and scandalous persons in the church are Saints by nomination and the Scripture doe sometimes call men Saints not because they are holy but for some other causes or respects whereof hath beene spoken in the former Chapter The Brownists teach conclusions directly contrary to these which is the cause of their erring so grossely in the doctrine of the visible Church and the principall cause of their condemning our Church to be a false Church and consequently of seperating from vs. But whether they or wee doe herein agree with the Scriptures let the Christian Reader iudge Some other arguments did I long since set down against your aforesaide description and this That such Saints as those you dedescribe be the onely matter of the visible Church which M. Bernard hauing thought of also and published and M. Robinson lately answered I thought it ther fore best rather to spend some lines about a reply to M. Robinson then inlarging and pressing those arguments It is true that both M. Ainsworth and M. Smith haue likewise answered that Booke of M. Bernards wherein the reasons I meane are contained The title of this booke is Separatists Schisme but we must know
I cast not away If this bee not meant and properly and onely to be vnderstood of the Elect I know not what is Those here spoken of are said to be giuen to Christ of his Father Secondly to come vnto him that is to beleeue in him as ver 35. declareth Thirdly none of these Christ casteth away that is reprobateth and condemneth But these things are true onely of the Elect Of them therefore alone Christ here speaketh and therefore not of the visible Church as you tel vs wherin be many that the father hath not giuen to Christ and which beleeue not in him and which he will cast away as a man doth drosse or reprobate siluer Againe to the same end you f Apology 44. Iustificat 115. quote Act. 2.47 where Luke speaketh first of them that had singlenesse of heart which grace is peculiar to the Elect Secondly of such as should bee saued and that I trust your selfe will confesse the elect onely shall be Moreouer you produce to the end aforesaid g A true description 1. Rom. 8.34 where the Apostle speaking expressely and by name of the elect in the verse precedent Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that Iustifieth Hee addeth vers 34 Who shall condemne meaning any of the said chosen whom God iustifieth And this hee further confirmeth in the words next following to wit that none of this societie shall be damned forasmuch as Christ died for them rose againe and maketh intercession This also all the verses following to the end of the said Chapter doe confirme Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ It is hereby euident and by verse 39. that Paul speaketh of those whom God loueth in Christ But in Christ Iesus God loueth the elect onely therefore of the elect alone hee here speaketh All the places of holy Scripture which you alleadge concerning h Descript 2. Apology 44. the body of Christ are so many abuses of Scripture in this kinde as Ephes 1.23 and 4.11.16 1. Cor. 22.27 as I haue else where made manifest in this Treatise Nay your selfe M. Robinson haue your part herein if you be not the chiefe in this trespasse To proue the holinesse of this visible Church you i Answere to a Censorious Epistle 33. produce 1. Pet. 2.5 which in the end of the Chapter precedent I haue shewed is true onely and to be vnderstood of the militant Church or whole company of the faithfull members of the inuisible Church Furthermore but foure leaues after this you vaunt That not one Scripture forsooth is brought by you to proue the holinesse of the visible Church which is meant of the inuisible You teach k Iustification 115. that all of the visible Church were purchased with the bloud of God were all partakers of the grace of God hauing effectuall faith diligent loue and patient hope in the Lord Iesus growing in grace euery one of them And for proofe of these positions and a few such like you quote Act. 20.28 Phil. 1.3.4.6.7.8 1. Thess 1.2.3 2. Epist 1.3 Now all these Scriptures with many more must bee vnderstood of the Militant Church or if we vnderstand them of the visible Church they must bee taken figuratiuely the whole Church being set for a part thereof by a Synecdoche which in effect is the same Againe in the same place to proue the holines of the vis church Iustif 115. you tell vs m that the visible Church bee such and none other as are not of the world but chosen out of it and hated of it as do receiue the word and cōmunicate al of thē in all things gladly as euery one hath neede and that in gladnesse and singlenes of heart and haue receiued testimony by the holy Ghost himselfe that they were such as should be saued And for confirmation therof you quote Ioh. 15.18.19 17-16 Act. 2.41.42 46.47 I would as soone beleeue you if you should teach that all in the visible church shall be saued For I pray you are not they sure to be saued of whome the holy Ghost testifieth that they shall be saued But this testimony of the holy Ghost say you all and euery one of the visible Church haue Therefore all and euery one of the visible Church shall bee saued and none therein bee damned Thus many testimonies in holy Scripture which are onely spoken are meant and true of the inuisible Church you vnderstand of the visible Church and apply to that societie and yet spare not to say that you bring not one Scripture meant of the invisible Church and apply it to the visible Let the Reader now iudge whether herein you speake truely or the contrary imputation of ours be iust As touching 1. Pet. 2.9 M. Robinson hath foure arguments to prooue that it is meant and to be vnderstood of the visible Church and therefore not of the inuisible his first argument is this If Peter wrote to the visible Church of the Iewes Iustif 44. and not to the inuisible among them then in Cap. 2.9 Hee speaketh of the visible Church and not of the inuisible But Peter wrote to the visible Church of the Iewes and nor to the inuisible among them Therfore in Chap. 2.9 he speaketh to the visible Church of the Iewes and not of the inuisible The proposition or consequence of this argument which we deny as being palpablie false he indeuoureth not to proue at all to wit that to whomsoeuer Peter writ of them all that which he writ must be meant and vnderstood which no man of vnderstanding will graunt The assumption he strengthens with sundry reasons as first Peter wrote to that Church and societie whereof hee was the Apostle But he was the Apostle of the visible Church of the Iewes Ergo Peter wrote to the visible Church of the Iewes and consequently not to the inuisible 2. Peter wrote to that Church and societie which he knewe But hee did knowe the visible Church and not the inuisible which is knowne onely to God Ergo he wrote to the visible Church and not to the inuisible These proofes he inserts in his first reason but not content therwith he confirmes his assumption with two more arguments laide downe in his third and fourth reasons To that Church Peter writ wherein were Elders and a flocke depending vpon them But the visible Church had Elders and a flocke depending vpon them and not the inuisible Therefore to the vis Church Peter write not to the inuis Againe to that Church which had the word of God preached amongst them the Apostles did write But the word was preached to the visible Church Therefore to it he writ The summe of these three arguments 1.3 4. is this Peter writ to the visible Church Ergo 1. Pet. 2.9 cannot be meant of the inuisible Church but of the visible By this argument I can prooue that the Epistles to Timothy Titus and Philemon excepted in all
blessing to appâ—rtaine vnto them Apology 44. This likewise M. Smith teacheth in his Principles and inferences pag. 11. For confirmation whereof ye alleadge many places of Scrâ—pture but all in vaine By many of them it is indeede euident that God hath made a couâ—nâ—nt of life and saluation with man not with Angels or any other creature nor yet with all mankinde Herein both you and vvee agrâ—e and herevnto all accord that bee of any vnderstanding But the question and doubt to bee decided is with whâ—m God haâ—h made this Couenant Seeing not vvith all mankinde with vvhat part of mankinde Seeing not vvith all m n vvith what societie and company of men vvhich is that wee call a Church In a word whether with the Church inuisible or visible Wee say with the inuisible Church you affirme with the visible Church and pretend to proue it by many witnesses If you will haue their testimonies doe you any good you must not so much shew that thâ—y speake of a promise of couenant of life euerlasting which God maketh with his people make it appeare that by people is meant the visible Church and the members thereof This none of you haue attempted For the ending of this controuersie let vs consider of Gen. 17. Where the Lord maketh this couenant with Abraham a principall place of Scripture also alleadged by you Moreouer saith God I will establish my couenant betweene mee and thee and thy seede after thee in their generations for an euerlasting couenant to be God vnto thee and to thy seede after thee 8. And I will giue thee and thy seede after thee the land wherein thou art a stranger euen all the land of Canaan for an euerlasting possession and I will bee their God For the right vnderstanding of this Scripture and of some other in Genesis and else where we must know that this part of the couenant on the Lord his part I will be thy God and the God of thy seede Doth contaâ—ne in it promises of this life and of the life to come Touching this life the Lord makes a couenant with Abraham and his seede that is all his posteritie according to the flesh concerning the land of Canaan a land that flowed with milke and hony that he would giue it vnto them to inhabâ—te Concerning the life to come signified by the land of Canaan God also maketh a couenant with Abraham and his seede tâ—at is with all those whether Iewes or Gentiles that should be of the same faith with Abraham By the seede of Abraham then with whâ—m this couenant was made is meant partly they which were bâ—gotten of Abraham by carnall generation called in the Scripture children after the flesh and saide to be borne after the flesh that is the people of the Iewes who vntill the death of Christ were the onely visible Church which we may fitly call the carnall Israel partly all that beleeue in Christ as Abraham did of what nation soeuer Rom. 9.8 Gal. 4.23.29 Gal. 6.16 called the children of promis and said to be borne after the Spirit and may be termed the spirituall Israel called also the Israel of God This distinction of Abrahams children we haue in Rom. 9.6 7 8. Thus we see there be two kindes of couenants made with two sorts of men or different soc eties and yet all but Israel The one an earthly that is concerning the pleasures and comforts men enioy heere on the earth the other an heauenly and touching the ioyes thereof The first of these God made with the naturall posteritie of Abraham the visi Church for a time The latter with the spirituall posteritie of Abraham and Church inuisible These things being made manifest by the Scripture your error will thereby likewise appeare That God made a couenant with Abraham and his seede nothing can be more cleare That by Abrahams seede we are somtimes to vnderstand his children according to the fleshe and that with Abraham and them God made a couenant of inheriting the land of Canaan that fruitfull land it is plaine by the latter of the former verses viz. ver 18. and by Gen. 13.15.17 All the land which thou seest will I giue vnto thee and thy seede for euer Arise walke through the land in the length thereof and breadth thereof for I will giue it vnto thee And likewise by Gen. 15.18 In that same day the Lord made a couenant with Abraham saying vnto thy seede haue I giuen this land from the riuer of Egypt vnto the great riuer the riuer Euphrates 19. The Kenites and the Kenizites and the Kadmonites 20. And the Hittites and the Perizzites c. Hereunto adde Gen. 12.7 Act. 7.5.6 That by the seede of Abraham sometimes is meant the faithfull onely such I meane as haue iustifying faith of whom it may be saide which was spoken of Abraham their father They beleeue God and it is counted vnto them for righteousnesse and so of the church inuisible or members thereof Iewes and Gentiles it is by the holy Scriptures as euident In the 13. of Genesis the Lord making a couenant with Abraham saith vnto him thus I will make thy seede as the dust of the earth so that if a man can number the dust of the earth Gen. 15.5 then shall thy seede be numbred The like speech God vseth vnto him at another time Looke vp now vnto Heauen and tell the Starres if thou bee able to number them and he saide vnto him so shall thy seede be If any shall be so simple as to vnderstand these Scriptures of the carnall and not chiefely of the spirituall children of Abraham his error is corrected Rom. 4.18 Where these wordes of Moses So shall thy seede be are repeated and we taught by them to vnderstand those who are of the Faith of Abraham of what nation soeuer For which cause he is there called the Father of many nations that is the Father of all that beleeue of what nation soeuer and had his name changed from Abram to Abraham and a litle before is saide to be the Father of vs all as if the Apostle had saide the father of my selfe and of all that beleeue This is confirmed and made more plaine in the 11. vers of the aforesaide Chapter Abraham receiued the signe of circumcision at the seale of the righteousnesse of the Faith which he had when he was vncircumcised that he should bee the Father of all them that beleeue not being circumcised that righteousnesse might be imputed to them also 12. And the father of circumcision that is of the circumcised or of the Iewes not vnto them onely which beleeue and are of the circumcision but vnto them also of the Gentiles that walke in the steppes of the faith of our Father Abraham that is beleeue as he did which faith he had when hee was vncircumcised And againe vers 16. Therefore it is by faith meaning the heauenly inheritance that it might come by grace and the promise that
they are not of that generation and stocke of mankinde which God hath ordained to destruction as the former despisers of Christ but of the generation which God hath chosen and appointed to life euerlasting which generation is that we call the inuisible Church Why the elect bee heere called a chosen generation you may reade further Chap. 1. And there also see that these titles royall Priesthood holy Nation peculiar People which these men vnderstand of the visible Church cannot be so taken But are meant of the faithfull or true beleeuers al which are of the inuisible church Both by the words themselues then of this Scripture â— meane verse 9. and also by the coherence or depeâ—dance thereoâ— with that goeth bâ—fore it is euident that this Scripture is peâ—uerted by thâ—se men and misapplyed Nay this is euident by their owne vvritings And here with mee obsâ—rue a secret ouer ruling hâ—nd of God M. Ainsworth hauing made a large Treatise iâ—tituted the Communion of Saints and there hauing spoken many excellent and glorious things of the Saints rightly vnderstood that is of Saints indeed or the faithfull sanctified by the Spirit of God and Faith in Christs who are so of the visible Church as withall they be of the inuisible Church but by him meant and misapplyed to all the members of the vis Church Saints by profession which shameth the whole Treatise making it almost as full of lies as lines Hee I say hauing done this euer and anone throughout his whole booke behold how in a conclusion which he affixeth to the said booke he conuinceth himselfe of errour touching a great part of that hee had said before and namely concerning this place of Peter which a Pag. 470. before he vnderstood of the visible Church and members thereof Thus beginneth he his conclusion b 487. 4. 88. seeing we haue receiued such grace from God so many as beleeue in the name of his Sonne Christ as that we are raised vp from the graues of sinne c. being through his mercy made a c 1. Pet. 2.9 chosen generation a kingly priesthood washed from all our sinnes d Deut. 1.5 in the bloud of Christ and e Reu. 5.10 raigning with him on earth by mortifying and subduing our earthly members what remaineth but that wee purge our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit With your owne weapons thus I fight against you All they and they only who beleeue in Christ are by his bloud washed from their sinnes mortifie and subdue their earthly members are this chosen generation and royall priesthood But onely the elect and inuisible Church beleeue in Christ are by his bloud washed from their sinnes mortifie and subdue their earthly members Therfore the elect onely and inuisible Church are this chosen generation and kingly priesthood and therefore not the visible church as these men do teach The proposition is your owne the Assumption deny if you will But M. Ainsworth by three reasons will proue that this scripture is not to bee vnderstood of the inuisible Counterp 158. but of the vis Church The first is layed downe in these words This place of Peter speaketh of and to the vis or sensible Church for the Apostle wrote to the vis Christians the strangers that then dwelt in Pontus Galatia c. In the tenth Chapter of this booke I haue answered this reason at large and shewed the vanitie of it notwithstanding something I will adde heere Be it granted that Peter writ to the vis church though something might be said against it as that he writeth to them that had obtained like precious faith with him which none but the chosen and of the inuis chureh haue yet this proues not that this 9. verse is true and to be vnderstood of the vis Church no more then it followeth that these sayings of Paul are true and to bee vnderstood of the vis Church and all the members thereof Yee are bought for a price 1. Cor. 6.20 Rom. 8.15 Gal. 4.20 3.26 Ephes 1.13 yee haue receiued the spirit of Adoption ye are the sonnes of God who hath sent forth the spirit of his Sonne into your hearts ye are all the sonnes of God yee are sealed with his holy Spirit of promise the earnest of our inheritance with many such like because the Epistles wherein these are vvere vvritten as you affirme to visible or sensible Churches The second reason followeth in these words This which Peter speaketh chap 2.9.10 is as Moses spake of old to the visible Church of Israel Exod. 19.6 I answere though Exod. 19.6 was spoken to the vis church of Israel yet it was in respect of them therein vvho were of the inuisible church and of Gods elect and is true onely of such as I haue shewed before euen so it is here Your last reason followeth Againe say you Peter mentioneth the end of their calling to this dignitie viz. to shew forth the vertues of him that hath called them out of darknesse into his maruellous light which whether it appertaines not to the visible Church I leaue it for euery true member thereof to Iudge It cannot be denied but that Peter speaketh of them vvho of God are called out of darknesse that is out of sinne and ignorance into his maruellous light that is to the knowledge of God and holinesse for which maruellous mercy receiued out of the very sense and feeling therof they praise God and indeauour all the dayes of their life to walke worthy of it which is heere called the shewing forth of the vertues of him that hath called them But the inuis church onely and company of the elâ—ct are called out of darknesse into this maruellous light being called therefore the children of the light and they alone out of a sensible feeling of this great mercy doe praise blesse God for the same and indeauour to liue to him vvho hath thus called them Of the inuisible Church therfore called heare a chosen generation doth the Apostle Peter speake in this place So this reason maketh greatly against you Counterp 158. No lesse blame-worthy are you for maintaining this That no places of Scripture setting forth the inuisible Church are by you brought to set forth the visible Church The contrary to this appeareth plainely by this Treatise To proue that they vvho be of the true vis church are called out of the world Apologie 44. Counterp 133. or seperated from the world a seperated company of righteous men vsually you quote Ioh. 15.15.19 and 17.9.14 16.20 Tell mee now who be they that beeing in this world are not of this world Are not the elect onely such know you not that they who be not of this world doe belong to a better world Moreouer doth Christ pray for the vis Church or the inuisible onely and company of the elect what meane you then to apply Scriptures concerning these things to the vis Church seeing they be spoken
coÌ„munion wee should finne greatly in putting them backe no lesse then the Corinthians should if they had put backe the vnbeleeuer pressing to come to their congregation By the premises it is euident Communion of Saints 6. Ibid. 6. that M. Ainsworth swarneth from the truth vvhen he saith The Saints must not hold communion in the true worship of God with any but in the light and in the faith meaning but vvith the children of the light and the faithfull And againe The children of God of the light and day are commanded to seperate from the children of men of this world of the diuell and of curse and to entertaine and continue a holy communion among themselues Marke how he condemneth all communion vvith hypocrites for hypocrites are the children of men of this vvorld of the diuel and of curse But with none such may we haue any religious communion Ergo vvith no hypocrites And â—f wee may not communicate in the vvorship of God neither vvith opâ—n and knowne wicked vvhich euery vvhere all of you vvith open mouth cry out vpon as an execrable thing nor vvith close secret wicked ones hypocrites I meane as here you teach then must wee communicate vvith the elect onely and by consequent vvith none at all because wee know not vvho bee elect The Lord onely knoweth who are his Againe wee must entertaine say you and continue a holy communion with the children of God of the light and day the heires of blessing and seperate from all others But all the children of God of the light c. are elect Therefore vvee must haue religious communion onely with the elect The Proposition is your owne The Assumption I am sure you will not deny But I know your euasion That by children of God of the light and day you meane not such onely as are the children of God indeede and the children of the light indeede and truth for all such you confesse are elect but all the members of the visible Church all which wee are to account the children of God and of the light yea the elect of God And so M. Smith teacheth in his Principles and Inferences All of the vis Church are to be accounted faithfull and elect Page 7. till they by obstinacie in sin and Apostacie declare the contrarie I answere you Christ in the parable of the seede and also by that speech of his Mat. 13.3 22.14 many are called but few chosen teacheth vs that few of the vis Church are elect all the rest being Reprobates Shall I now contrary to the truth hold and account all the members of the vis Church elect I haue shewed heretofore that in the visible Church there haue been are and wiâ—l be to the end of the world most notorious wicked and abominable men How can one seeing such men committing sinne with greedinesse and running headlong in the way to death account the same men at the same time elect and to bee of those few which are ordained to life Nay but will they say We doe not deny such to be elect as are obstinate sinners wee onely hold that all the members of the vis Church are to be accounted elect vntill they by obstinacie in sinne and apostacie declare the contrarie But happily some will say If we doe not account all of the vis Church Elect children of God and of the light this is against charitie which thinketh not euill of any but beleeueth all things 1. Cor. 13.5.6.7 and hopeth all things I answere that it is saide likewise of charitie It reioyceth not in iniquitie but reioyceth in the trueth But to deeme all of the visible church elect and therein as it were to ioy when the Scripture telleth vs cleane otherwise that all of the vis church a fewe excepted are reprobates this is not to reioyce in the trueth nor to iudge according to the trueth And therfore such iudgement is not agreeing with charitie To account and so to call them the children of God whose workes declare the contrary and the children of light that giue themselues to the workes of darkenesse is iniquitie and no lesse then to iustifie the wicked which is an abhomination to the Lord Pro. 17.15 Isa 5.20 to think and speake good of euill to put light for darkenesse and sweete for sower Against whom the Prophet pronounceth a fearefull woe The Scripture teacheth that this is rather hatred then loue We must know therefore that as charitie is not suspitious Pro. 13.24 but beleeueth and hopeth the best so she is not a foole but iuditious iudging of persons and things wisely and as neare as shee can according to the trueth But tell mee M. Ainsworth you I say who will haue all of the visible Church to be accounted the children of God Tell mee I say whether if you should see such members of the vis church as those mentioned Ioh. 8.44 of whom Iesus saith ye are of your father the Diuell and the lustes of your father yee will doe you would account such the children of God or no. If you answere affirmatiuely the speech of Christ to their predecessors doeth euidently conuince you If negatiuely that such are not to bee accounted the children of God you contradict your selfe and therein acknowledge that in the visible church there are some children of the diuell and that thâ—refore we may haue religious communion with the children of the diuell seeing by your owne doctrine wee may haue communion with all the members of the visible Church But leauing these let vs proceede to some other If in the true vis Church you should see such as the Scribes and Pharisees their right svccessors would you account and call them the children of God of the light c. Notwithstanding their palpable hypocrisie and other their abhominations their blasphemies and daily persecuting of Christ in his members these you must account and call the chilldren of God if your doctrine be true For I trust you will neither deny that the Scribes and Pharisees were members of the true visi church nor that there may bee such in the true Church as well now as in former time And here I must giue you to vnderstand that M. Ainsworth in the margent right against the aforesaid lines hath produced a full Iurie of witnesses and some to spare to prooue as at the first blush it might seeme to some That the children of God of the light and day may not entertaine an holy communion with the children of the Diuell The simple Reader is ouerwhelmed with such a clowde of witnesses And thereupon doubts not of the matter whereas the witnesses when they come to speake eleuen of them say not a word to the point but onely prooue this that of men some are named the children of god of the light and day c. Others the children of men of this world of the diuell and of curse as is plaine both by your own words
not this spirit causing in them this life and motion thereby also as by ioynts or bands knitting them vnto Christ the head but in stead thereof are carried by the spirit of Satan that possesseth them as hath often been shewed Many therefore of the true visible church are not members of Christs body And therefore also the church of England may bee a true church notwithstanding there be many in and of it who be not the members of Christs body led by his spirit but prophane wicked worldlings carried by the spirit of Satan that possâ—sseth them You who teach that in the true visible Church there be no prophane wicked worldlings none that are carried by the spirit of Satan possessing them and for this cause will haue it to be a false church answere me I pray you First whether the Scribes and Pharises were pro phane wicked and worldlings Ioh. 6.70 and 13.25 and whether they were carried by the spirit of Satan yea or no and namely Iudas whom Iesus calleth a Diuell and of whom it is said that Satan entred into him Secondly whether all the Diuels children bee not carried by his spirit And let this suffice for answere to your first argument The second followeth Argument 5 Euery true Church of God hath Christ for the Mediator and Aduocate of the same For it is written There is one God Counterp 132. and one Mediator betweene God and Man which is the man Christ Iesus 1. Tim. 2.5 1. Ioh. 2.1 And if any man sinne we haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the iust Neither is there saluation in any other for among men there is giuen no other name vnder heauen wherby we must be saued Act. 4.22 But the Church of England hath not Christ for the Mediator and aduocate of the same Therefore the Church of England is not the true Church of God Paralleles 86. In like manner M. Smith reasoneth against vs The true Church hath Christ for their Mediator But your assemblies haue him not for their Mediator Therefore they be false Churches Answ I answere True it is that Christ is the Mediator and Aduocate of euery true Church that is of euery seuerall congregation or company of true beleeuers but that hee is such to euery true visible Church as you meane I vtterly deny And grant that it might be said That Iesus is the Mediator and Aduocate of euery true visible Church it must needs bee in respect and with relation had to them vvho be of the inuisible Church which makes nothing for you nor against vs. Your Proposition therefore is false neither doe the testimonies alleadged by you confirme it They onely proue that Christ Iesus is a Mediator betweene God and man and an Aduocate to the Father for him Who in their wits but you and your Disciples by man in Timothy will vnderstand the visible Church or euery true visible Church and not rather the inuisible Church and all of mankinde who be of Gods elect whose alone Mediator and Aduocate Iesus is The Papists may more probably by man vnderstand all mankinde and make Iesus the Mediator of all men as they affirme that he died for all men then you the visible Church seeing the letter of the Scripture here maketh for that exposition And surely the one is as true as the other As little doth the place of Iohn auaile you For neither doth he say That Christ is the Aduocate of the visible Church or of euery true visible Church which is that you are to proue and make your vnaduised Reader beleeue you doe proue when you doe nothing lesse Nay your Proposition may be conuinced by this Scripture so farre is it from confirming and strengthning of it For whose aduocate Christ is said here to be for their sins in the next verse he is said to be a propitiation But he is a propitiation onely for the sinnes of the Elect or inuisible Church which your selues will not deny Therfore the Aduocate onely of the inuisible Church and consequently not of the visible When Iohn had said that Iesus Christ is our Aduocate he addeth And he is the propitiation for our sinnes 1. Ioh. 2.2 and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world If by the whole world you vnderstand the whole visible Church as by your alleadging of this Scripture for proofe of your Proposition you seeme to doe you must needs doe or else cry peccaui for alleadging it then wil the whole Christian world reiect this your expâ—sition And know ye that that which is hâ—re said by Iohn is as true of the whole world as of the whole vis Church and that Christ is and shall as soone be a propitiation and aduocate for the sinnes of the whole world as an Aduocate for the whole visible Church The truth then is that by world here is meant all whosoeuer in the world beleeue in Christ Iewes or Gentiles or all Gods elect throughout the whole world For their sinnes Christ Iesus is said to bee a propitiation and for them onely is he an aduocate And this is confirmed by Paul Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that iustifieth Who shall condemne Meaning any of this chosen generation Implying that it is not possiblâ— that any of them should be damned And why Because for all of this societie as onely for them Christ died and rose againe and maketh request also for them If now one aske the question for whom Christ dâ—ed for whom he rose againe and for whom he maketh intercession the answere is readie for Gods chosen which be thâ—y we call the inuisible Church But you giue vs an other answere and say he is the Aduocate and maketh intercession for the visibâ—e church You may as well and truely say that Christ died for the visible church For by this Scripture it is cleere that hee is an Aduocate and maketh request to God his Father for them for whom hee died But he died Coâ—fession of faith 26. say you else-where for the elect onely therefore as Aduâ—cate hee maketh request onâ—ly for the elect And by consequent Iesus is not the Aduocate of the vis church as you teach except the vis church be the societie of the elect and the visible and inuisible church be all one Verse 20. In the 17 of Iohn our Sauiour saith I pray not for these alone meaning the eleuen Disciples but for them also which shall beleue in me through their word But the elect and inuisible church onely beleeue in Christ T it 1.1 Act. 13.48 wherevpon faith is called the faith of Gods elect and in the Acts it is said As many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued Therefore the elect and inuisible church onely haue Christ Iesus for their Aduocate Thus we see your first proofe of the Proposition maketh nothing for you the second greatly against you helping to conuince you
they may maintaine this errour of their confused order and mixture of all sorts of persons together they peruert the Parable of the Tares Math. 13.24 teaching that all are the Church Which doctrine is against the truth of the Scriptures yea against our Sauiours owne interpretation in the 38. vers who teacheth that by the field is meant not the Church but the world in which his Church is militant And as therein there is the good seede the righteous the children of the Kingdom so there are also tares hypocrites the children of the wicked who as they are often espied in this life by the righteous seruants of God so shall they in the great day be perfectly seuered from the godly by the Angels verse 38.43 This their doctrine also is against the heauenly orders motioned Mat. 18.8.9.15.16.17 1. Cor. 1.26.29 c. Hâ—re is our false doctrine and your confutation I maruell wherein this fourth point of false doctrine differeth from the third I would haue thought that this were rather a confirmation of the former Yea but then the number of false Doctrines would not be so great But letting this goe wee answere you that as the aforesaid doctrine is true so it is confirmed as by other parables of our Sauiour sâ—t downe in the same Chapter so by this For saith our Lord as in a field both Wheate Tares or other weeds grow together and so are mingled that without danger to the Wheate men can not seuer the one from the other vntill the haâ—uest euen so saith he in the Church or company of people professing true Religion there is and will bee such a mixture of good and bad godly and wicked sincere and counterfeit professors that without danger to the godly a full and perfect seperation betweene them cannot be made vnto the end of the world that the one sort be receiued into heauen the other sent to hell As by wheat we are to vnderstand the godly and by tares the hypocrites or wicked that are in the Church so by the field is meant the Church For by the field must needs be vnderstood that place or those places wherin the godly and wicked are most nearely ioyned together growing as it vvere together so as the one touch an other and such is the Church or visible Churches They who are in the Church liue not onely together buy and sell eate and drinke as all men in the world doe but doe besides ioyne together and are as it were conioyned in and by one and the same profession worshipping one and the same God after one and the same manner hearing the word of God together praying together and receiuing the Sacraments together Againe it cannot bee denie I that by field is meant that place or those places or that societie or societies in which are as well godly as wicked and that visible so as both sorts may be discerned and knowne to be such as appeareth by verse 26. Now out of the Church in all other parts of the world or societies therein there are no godly to be sâ—ene but wicked By field therefore wee may not vnderstand the world but those parts of the vvorld where visible Churches be And vvho that is well aduised will say that at this day Asia Africa and such parts of Europe as professe not Christian Religion are this field or part of it seeing therein the wheat blades spring not vp and bring forth fruit so as they appeare as is expressely said of this field verse 26. Moreouer as in the field here mentioned in the protases or first part of the comparison good seede is sowne by the seruants of the houshoulder from whence the wheate doth come or spring as verse 24.27 So in that place or societie meant by the field or compared to a field the immortall seede of the word by the Lords husbandmen the Ministers is sowne from whence doth spring that pietie or godlinesse in men But this immortall seede is sowne only in the Church according to that in the Psalme Psal 147.19 He sheweth his word vnto Iaacob his statutes and iudgements vnto Israel He hath not dealt so with euery Nation meaning not vvith any other Nation besides And Paul tellâ—th vs that the Oracles of God are the preforment aâ—d prerogatiue of the Church aâ—d that the Church onely is the pillar and ground of truth Rom. 3.2 1. Tim. 3.15 the truth being to bee found onely in it and preserued by it In the Church alone also are the Lords husbandmen plowing harrowing sowing and performing other parts of sp rituall husbandry The Church therefore and not the world is the Lords field and husbandry and consequently the field Iesus here speaketh of And this the Apostle teacheâ—h expresly 1. Cor. 3.9 We the Ministers together are Gods labourers ye are Gods husbandry or fieâ—d And thus also in the parable next precedent this word field though not expressed yâ—t necessarily vnderstood is to be taken The sower went forth to sow Math. 13.3 c. Here is a sower that is the Minister The seede is the word preached and the field vvhere this seede is sowen is and must neâ—ds be the visible Churches or assemblies of the Saints Euen so I say is this word field to bee taken in this parable also De zizanâ—s tritico dissentio nâ—tu est propter mundo nomen quod Don â—tillae nolebant intelligi Ecclesiâ—m quia scriptum est ager est hic mundus Aug. Tom. 7. collat cuÌ„ Donatistis Verse 3.8 Answ Not say you with the Donatists by field is meant the world and not the Church And in the aforesaid place you alleadge three reasons for confirmation thereof and confutation of vs. The first is taken from Christs owne words who interpreting this parable of the Tares saith thus The field is the world What can be more plainely and directly said will some thinke for you and against vs I answere whosoeuer wisely obserueth not which be proper and with vnproper or figuratiue speeches in the Scriptures cannot chuse but erre greatly in vnderstanding the same May not yea doe not the Papists say as much as this for transubstantiation What words sâ—y they can be more plaine and direct to proue the sacramentall bread to bee the very body of Christ then those of Iesus This is my body And yet is nothing more false and vnpossible to be true But to come to this parâ—icular I answere you that these words of Christ cannot possibly be vnderstood properly and therefore you are much to blame that vrge the letter seeing the sence of the Scriptures is Scripture The field is the world So then it is as if Iesus had said The field whereof I speake in the Parable signifieth the world or is like the world is an image of the world So the good seed they are the children of the kingdome that is signifieth or resembleth the children of the kingdome The good seede that is the men signified by