of the people the Text would â—avâ— declared it thus unto us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and when they had ordained to themselves Elders and not as it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when they had ordained them Elders as speaking of others Mr. Selden hath a large discourse in his book de Synedâ—iis veterum Hebraeorum shewing that the word signifies to Elect Decree Ordain and is to be understood of the Apostles Act in this place and not of the peoples What comfort then can Mr. Nichols have from this place especially if he understand Greek and the whole context and from those many more produced by me and unanswered by him to satisfie his conscience when thus by Scripture he is fully convinced to be no lawfully ordained Minister of Iesus Christ Which was the first thing I discovered by Argument against his Church or Congregation that it was not the house of God not being the pillar and ground of the Truth where the Truth of Ordination according to the word of Christ and the practise of the Apostles so much faileth and is by him opposed Thus far beloved my Arguments reached upon the day of our dispute against Mr. Nichols his second Proposition And seeing we are come to this main point of the controversie of these times concerning popular Election and Ordination and popular Government in the Church which popular men too much affecting popularity for their ends to draw away our people from our Churches have devised and of late stirred up I shall yet a little more inlarge my Judgement and Discourse for the better resolving a doubt so necessary in these times to be unfolded This Monstrous opinion can plead no Scripture except those three places by me above rehearsed out of the Acts of the Apostles To that whereon Mr. Nichols leans I have answered as also to that of Act. 6. Chap. where although the people look out honest men for Deacons yet the Apostles appoint them over that business and to that ordain them by Imposition of hands which sheweth more than a meer looking out for them and approving or allowing of them The third place is out of Act. 1. vers 23. They appointed two Joseph called Barsabas who was surnamed Justus and Mathias From whence some of the separation will settle Ordination upon the people because in this peculiar work the people were joyned with the Apostles But observe first from this place that there the Electours were eleven Apostles to guide the other But Mr. Nichols will allow those to chuse him who have no Officer to guide them amongst whom no doubt but there are very many weak persons Secondly It was very easie to chose one of these two Ioseph or Mathias who had accompanied with the Apostles all the time that Jesus went in and out among them vers 21. This was easie to know But to chose a man fit for a Pastour requires more skill than so Thirdly In this Election God was peculiarly seen the Apostles not knowing who it should be Fourthly in vers 26. They gave forth their lots and their lots fell upon Mathias They that will make any thing of this place may as well make casting of Lots an Essential to Ordination as give this power to the people who were never constituted appointed or ordained by Christ to be either the proper first or immediate subject of the power of the Keyes which I shall indeavour to clear thus unto you That which is the first subject is the proper subject No doubt of this But the proper subject is reciprocated and convertible with his Accident As for example A living Creature is the proper subject of sense and feeling A man is the proper subject of laughing or laughter And from hence we say reciprocally Every man is Risible and Every thing that is Risible is a man Every living Creature hath sense and feeling and so likewise Every thing that hath sense and feeling is a living Creature This is called Axioma 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But every Axiome that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth include in it the Rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where the Predicate is true of the subject in all place and at all time This is true of a living Creature and feeling of a Man and Risibility And so if the people or the Fraternity be the proper subject of the power of the Keyes It must be true that they are and have been the proper Subject of the power of the Keyes omni tempore omni loco in all places and at all times But if we finde the power of the Keyes exercised in time before there was a Christian Fraternity then certainly there was some other subject of the power of the Keyes in whom this power was as in a proper subject When Paul came to Corinth he preached Authoritative and with power and Commission Eâ—go Then the power oâ— the Keyes was in some â—ubject but the Fraternity at that time was non Enâ— had no being in Christianity How then could they be the subject And if then they were not the subject how can they now be the proper subject of the power of the Keyes who were not in all place and time the proper subject of it Yet Mr. Nichols could grant that the people were the subject the proper subject and the fiâ—st subject of the power of the Keyes But he â—ruely might as well have granted that in these times Man is the proper subject of Risibility but was not alwâ—yes and that at some time Man was not Risible nor at some time a living Creature the subject of sâ—nse and feelâ—ng though now he be Buâ— secondly This Absurdity will appear thus Those who are the effect of the power of the Keyes are not the fiâ—st subject of it But the Fraternity is the effect of the power of the Keyes It was so in all the Churches which the Apostles gathered and is indeed to this day So that which is primum Subjectum the fiâ—st subject is Immediatum Subjectum the immemediate subject But how can the Fraternity be the immediate subject of the power of the Keyes since then mediantibus Apostolis by means of the Apostles and now mediantibus Ministris by means of the Ministers the Fraternity is made up I but the Elector is before the Elected It is true of Christ who Elected the Apostles and gave to them the Keyes from whom by a continued succession of Ministers still the Fraternity was made But had not the power of the Keyes had some effect there had not been a Fraternity to chose an officer though they are now in time before him whom they now Elect Yet they were not before him or them qua Fratres who by the power of the Keyes in the Ministery made them capable to chose an Officer Therefore the power of the Keyes was in some subject before them Besides Election is no power of the Keyes Therefore to argue The people Elect ergo They are the first subject of the
understanding to have been from Eli he ran unto him and said Here am I vers 5. To whom the Priest replying I called thee not ly down again Samuel had no sooner returned to his rest and shut his eyes but God gives him a second call And Samuel arose again and went to Eli and said Here am I for thou didst call me And he answered I called not my Son ly down again vers 6. The third time he went to his rest and it is observed in the 7. verse that Samuel did not know the Lord neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him But in the 8. verse The Lord called Samuel again the third time and he arose and went to Eli and said Here am I for thou didst call me And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the Childe And then Eli instructed him what he should do saying Go ly down and it shall be if he call thee that thou shalt say speak Lord for thy servant heareth vers 9. And so he did the fourth time that the Lord called him then he knew his call to be from Heaven and answered unto the Lord as the Priest had instructed him Now what from hence I observe is that God might the first time have spoken and revealed unto Samuel what he did after without three several returnings to the Priest telling him at the first It is not Eli that calleth thee but I but he would not as ancient Writers observe because God would have Samuel go the right way to work being young and not yet acquainted with lights and Revelations he would have him go to the Priest that he might instruct him what to do and that the Priest might judge of his light and calling A good example in Scripture for men in these times to know that if any must try and judge their lights their Revelations their calls and gifts they must not be the people but the Ministers And therefore Mr. Nichols surely is much deceived in giving to the people and slighting in the Ministers that which God would have Samuel acknowledge fitter for Eli to try and judge his call from Heaven than for the people But least it should be answered that this was the old Policy but the New Testament allows no such Doctrine nor respect or duty to Ministers more than to the Community of the faithfull I shall with the new Policy under the Gospel prove the like In the 8. of Acts Luke tells us what happened to the Eunuch who riding in his Chariot read that part of the Prophesie of Isaiah He was led as a sheep to the slaughter and as a Lamb dumb before the shearers so opened he not his mouth In the mean while The Angel of the Lord spake unto Philip saying Arise and go towards the South unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza vers 26. When Philip was come to the place Then the Spirit said unto him Go near and joyn thy self to this Chariot and Philip came thither to him and heard him read the Prophet Isaias and said understandest tâ—ou what thou readest And he said How can I except some mâ—n should guide me And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him vers 29 30 31. Philip answered his desire and went up to the Chariot and taking occasion of the Prophecy he was reading instructed him so far iâ— the Mysteries belonging unto Iesus Christ that he truely believed and was baptized I observe also from hence what hidden Mystery may be here that the Angel who instructed Philip what he should do and observe is not allowed by Gods permissiâ—n to instruct the Eunuch in the points of faith but Philip a Church Officer must do it And the very same may be observed in the History which Luke also relates Act. 10. of Cornelius the Centurion a Religious man given to prayer and Alms-deeds yet wanting more instruction in the Mysteries of the Faith of Iesus Christ to whom God sends an Angel vers 5 6. who said unto him Send men to Joppa and call for one Simon a Tanner he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do Why might not this Angel also who spake to Cornelius or some of the Community of the faithfull thereabouts if they had the power of the Keyes instruct Corneâ—ius while he stayes sor the coming of the Apostle but Peter an Officer of the Church must do it he must instruct guide and convert him Austin his answer is that God would teach us herein that he hath not appointed us Angels for our Instructers Masters and Leaders nor any other to tell us of lights Revâ—lations gifts and callings but hath left us Officers of his Church to do this work and farâ—her that so far we are to believe Angels if they should speak unto us as here to Cornelius and such lights as they should reveal unto us as they may be examined tried judged whither they be true â—ights or strong delusions from Sathan who often times transfigures himself into an Angel of light by such as Philip was as Peter was by Officers of the Church and true Ministers of the Gospel to whom and to no other Christ hath committed the power of the Keyes Yet further Aâ—stin observes from Act. 9. what Christ himself answered Saul vers 6. when he said Lord â—hat wilt thou have me to do And the Lord said unto him Arise and go into the Citie and it shall be told thee what thou must do Who must tell Saul what he must do who must try examine and judge of his calling who must instruct him who can instruct him better than Christ himself who is talking with him Yet Ananias a Church-Officer in the judgement of many very grave Divines must do it To him he is sent but not to the whole Community of the faithfull to judge of the light which compassed him about in the way to Damascus to examine the Revelation he had there Nay Christ would remit him to his Officer in his Church to shew that this is the ordinary way of Government by himself left to his Church that not the people but his Ministers by virtue of the power of the Keyes shall try and examine gifts and callings and such as they finde true by the Touch stone of the word to allow and admit such into the Church and to 〈◊〉 belonging to Church Government And without this trial by Church Officers and Ministers I cannot safely judge Mr. Nichols a true Pastour of a Church while preferring the people before the Ministers and taking orders from them he slights the ordinary way of Christ for Church Government and those Officers whom God hath shewed us to be respected And thus beloved I have shewed unto you the first errour and untruth meerly Antichristian practised in Mr. Nichols his Church which he calls Gods house which cannot be Gods house being the Pillar and Ground of the Truth and yet there the Truth of Ordination according to the Scripture is
for the satisfaction he had of him that he was a fit man to take care of their state and in the mean time he sends unto them Epaphroditus vers 25. and exhorteth them to receive him in the Lord with all gladness and hold such in reputation vers 29. and this without the peoples Election judging their after-approbation to be sufficient Even so for our peoples Election of a Minister if it be not before the Minister comes to a place and he be sent by a Patron yet sometimes the peoples acceptance and approbation afterwards may supply the want of Election at the first as Iacobs after-consent and acceptance of Leah made her to be his wife though he chose her not at the first Now fourthly For the final cause requisite for the compleating a true Minister of Christ it appeareth in many of us by our profit in converting many Souls Yea those that have separated from us must confess that they also were at the first awakened by us We have then Gods ordinary and dayly assistance in our Ministery for the perfecting of the Saints for the edifying of the body of Christ Ephes. 4. vers 12. which is the end of the Ministery and not Babylonish or Antichristian This is clearly seen and proved for Gods assistance appeareth in his effectual working mens conversion by the work of the Ministery for conversion is by the word 1 Cor. 4. vers 15. Rom. 1. vers 16. through the Spirit and not by the word delivered without the Spirit and it is not in man to move the heart to grace 1 Cor. 3. vers 5.6 2 Cor. 3. vers 5. But God doth take the power of conversion to himself Deut. 30. vers 6. Act. 16. vers 14. The means indeed is the word Iames 1. vers 18. Examples hereof we have throughout the Acts of the Apostles Therefore iâ— men be here converted God doth aid the Ministers and is with them by the power of his Spirit in that work 2 Cor. 3. vers 3. by which the Apostle proveth to have the power of the Spirit in his Ministery by the conversion of his hearers All which considered and finding the four causes requisite to make up and compleat true Ministers to be with us I conclude that the Parish Officiating Ministers in England for the most part are men sufficiently qualified by God orderly called to the Ministery and to do that work which Christ appointed his Ministers to do and consequently that they are not Babylonish but true and lawfull Ministers of Iesus Christ. 4. Argument They that have the true properties of true Shepheards are Christs true Ministers But the Parish Officiating Ministers in England have the true properties of true Shepheards Ergo The Parish Officiating Ministers in England are Christs true Ministers and consequently are not Babylonish or Antichristian The Minor I prove thus from the 10. of Iohn for first these go in by the door vers 2. that is by Iesus Christ v. 7. by his call and the Churches as I have proved before Secondly the Porter openeth unto them vers 3. who invisibly letting men into the Church by Christ the door is Gods spirit who doth qualifie true Ministers with gifts and graces and is forcible by them to win people And visibly the Porter is the Authority committed by the Church unto some for admitting men into the house the Church of God Thirdly they lead them forth vers 3. that is from pasture to pasture from milk the grounds of Religion to strong meat Catechizing and otherwise interpreting the holy Scriptures unto them Which true properties of a Shepheard being found in the Parish Officiating Ministers here in England it appeareth that they are true Shepheards and so true Ministers of Iesus Christ and therefore neither Babylonish nor Antichristian or Popish Thus having with Arguments proved unto you that our Ministers are true Gospel Ministers for the further clearing this truth it remains that we answer to what they object against us who do separate from us which is chiefly this Object The Ordination of the Ministers who aâ— this time are Parish Officiating Ministers came from the Romish Synagogue they also were ordained by Bishops Ergo They are not true Ministers or thus Those Ministers which stand by a Romish Institution are no true Ministers But the Ministers of England stand by a Romish Institution Ergo They are no true Ministers but Babylonish and Antichristian 1. Answ. The Minor of this Syllogisme must be denied for we stand by no Romish Institution for Ordination is none of Romes inventions but instituted by the Lord Iesus Christ. So that the Ministers of England stand by an Institution of Christ descending to them from the Apostles through the Church of Rome must be the meaning of this Argument To which we answer that the passing through Rome nulls not the Institution of Christ. As we cast not away the Scriptures Sacraments and what ever Ordinances we have now though they have descended to us from the Apostles through Rome Which Argument runs as strong against Baptisme which though mingled with Romish inventions is not therefore nulled The vessels that were once dedicated to God by his own Institution though they were put into the house of Nebuchadnezars Gods and those that were fit very likely used to drink Wine in when he praised the Gods they were not so much as new cast again but carried to Ierusalem Ezra 1. vers 11. Yea Mr. Iohnson a great man of the separation seeing one that was a Minister in the Church of England afterwards to be chosen a Teacher to a separate Congregation without any new imposing of hands undertakes to justifie the Action thus in five Propositions 1. Imposition of hands is of God and not an invention of man It was not a Post or a Threshold first brought by Antichrist into the Temple of God but had therein before ever Antichrist sate there 2. Baptisme and Imposition of hands are joyned together among the Principles of the foundation spoken of Hebr. 6. vers 2. Therefore they ought to be regarded 3. Imposition of hands is in the Church of Rome still given to the Ofâ—â—ce of the Ministery and in the name of the Lord as they do also still administer Baptisme 4. We finde not either precept example or ground in the Scriptuâ—e binding to the repetition of it 5. The Priests and Levites in Israel becoming unclean when afterward they were cleansed retained still their places of being Priests and Levites and the Children of the Priests and Levites â—ucceeding after them did administer without a new anointing or new Imposition of hands Thus Mr. Iohnson and with him also Mr. Ainsworth though in their judgement both for the Separation opposed rebaptization because baptisme is an Ordinance of God which was had in the Church of Rome before the sell into Apostasie and hath been there continued ever since the Apostles times however commingled with many inventions of their own So likewise Mr. Iohnson defended
by reason of their corruptions And if not lost in them then in them it still continued and if it continued in them then still in them there was by vertue of their true Ordination for substance potestas in and potestas ad a power in in themselves to preach and to pray still and a power to or towards to or towards others to communicate this power by imposition of hands to others to other Ministers and Presbyters in whom neither could Ordination for subsâ—ance be lost for their superstitions and corruptions could not make void null the Acts of Office belonging to them from a Root and Fountain without and Authoritatively derived to them from the first Institution of Christ and from their Ordination by imposition of hands by the former Presbyters still true for substance And if their Superstitions and corruptions could make Ordination void and null the Superstitions and corruptions of the former should also have made it void and so it must be said to decay in the first in whom it decayed not they having been rightly ordained for substance before their fall apostasie Now the Superstitions corruptions of those that succeeded the first were in kinde of the same nature and quality with those that were found in the first and so they could not being the same in kinde and nature do more then the first noâ— make void and null that Ordination for substance which the first corruptions in the first Apostates never made void and null So that in those Presbyters who succeeded the first back-sliders there was also potestas in and potestas ad power in themselves to preach and to pray and power to or towards others to communicate this power by imposition of hands to others And so in them neither could ordination for substance still right die or decay And so successively ordination for substance continued true notwithstanding the corruptions and evil qualities of Officers till the glorious light of Reformation began again to shine As in a wall which onâ— day is seen and known by the colour of a white plaistering over it but the next day is found with another colour even dawbed over with black yet still continues in the substance of the stones and other materials to be the same wall the black dawbing or any other paintings not being so destructive as to destroy the substance of the wall Even so Ordination as a strong wall to the Church of Christ though at first in the pure and Primitive times it was observed and known by the true white colour of Imposition of hands by the Presbytery with fasting and prayer without any Oyls or dawbing ointings and Chrisms by praying and preaching onely without that black corruption and Superstition of Mass-mumming or paintings of an unbloudy Sacrifice yet continues and then continued true for substance and was not quite destroyed or abolished by the colours of Rites and Superstitious Ceremonies put upon it by corrupt Bishops Presbyters who lived in England in the height of Pope y and Romish Superstition And thus as I have looked back to the beginning of Popery and there have found no nulling no destroying of true Ordination for substance nor any decay or loss of it in the succâ—ssion of Presbyters following and succeeding untill the Reformation Let us now take a view of the first Reformers who were ashamed of the former corruptions and Apostasies who left off Mass-mumming and offering an unbloudy sacrifice in the Mass and let us now see whether in them continuing Preaching and praying Ordination for substance were lost and decayed so that in them there remained not still potestas in and potestas ad power in in themselves to Preach and to Pray and power to or towards others to communicate to other Presbyters by Imposition of hands the same power to pray to Preach the word and to Administer the Sacraments Object It may be Objected and said of them that they being Ordained to the Mass as well as to Preaching Praying and Admistring the Sacraments could not Ordain others to Preaching and Praying and Administring the Sacraments onely unless they Ordained them to what themselves had been Ordained to wit to Sacrifice also and to the Mass because their power reached to the latter as well as to the former And so the Ministers succeeding them and yet not truely Ordained to the same full power of Massing and Sacrificing to which they that Ordained them had been themselves Ordained but being Ordained to one part onely of their power to wit to Preaching and Praying and Administring the Sacraments and not to Sacrifice and the Mass were not truely Ordained because the first Reformers had shaken off and renounced their own full power which themselves had received by abjuring the Mass and Sacrifice to which their power reachâ—d and so could communicate no power to others but in that fulness of power for kinde and nature which themselves had formerly received Ans. To the which Objection I answer with this plain and easie instance of a Justice of the Peace now amongst us whose former power was onely to Administer Justice and to act by Law against Delinquents and Offenders binding them over to the Sessions or committing them to the Gaol or Prison But now to this his power is further added by an Act of Parliament another power to joyn in the State of Marriage such as shall come before him to be married and to declare them Man and Wife giving them his Certificate that they are truely and lawfully coupled together in the State of Matrimony If now a Justice of the Peace should make a scruple of doing this as some I hear already do his Conscience telling him that Marriages have for many years in all sorts of Churches yea in the best Reformed Churches alwayes belonged to the Ministery as an Ordinance of God though not as a Sacrament as Rome â—eaâ—eth and for that Matrimony is an honourable estate in its Relation to Christ the husband and the Church his spouse Eph. 5. Chap. and not rashly to be undertaken but with grounds reasons and Scripture to be laid upâ—n cleared to the Parties that are to be Wedded and that with good counsel Admonition and prayer to God for a blessing upon the Parties to be maâ—â—ied for the better knowing their duties each to the other better performing those duties and for the better guiding their lives in love peace and unity for the time to come If I say upon these grounds acknowledging himself unlearned in the Scriptures unfit for such good counsel instruction and Admonition having not a Spirit of prayer for such a purpose he should renounce that power given unto him to joyn Man Wiâ—e together and should absolutely refuse to practise it any longer as not belonging to him according to the Dictate of his Conscience Yet the other part of his Power to Administer Justice against Offenders would still continue in force his Power Authority and Commission for that
A full SURVEY OF SION and BABYLON And A clear Vindication of the parish-Parish-Churches and Parochial-Ministers of England from the uncharitable Censure the infamous Title and the injurious Nick-name of Babylonish Or A Scripture Disproof and Syllogistical Conviction of M. Charles Nichols of Kent his Erroneous Assertions Justifying his Separated Congregation for the true House of God and branding all the Parochial Churches and the Parish Officiating Ministers in England with the infamous Title of Babylonish Delivered in three Sabbath-dayes Sermons in the Parish Church of Deal in Kent after a Publick Dispute in the same Church with the said Mr. Charles Nichols upon the 20. day of October 1653. By Thomas Gage Preacher of the Word to the Church within the Bounds and Limits of Deal in Kent 2 Tim 3. vers 9. They shall proceed no further for their folly shall be manifest to all men Gen. 49. vers 6. O my Soul Come not thou unto their secret unto their Assembly mine honour be not thou united Ex Augustino Con. Epist. Pelag. Lib. 1. Cap. 1. Cum non desinant fremere ad Dominici gregis caulas atque ad diripundas tanto pretio redemptas oves aditum undique rimari commune nobis est pestilentibus insidiantibus eorum scriptis medentia munientia scripta praetendere quibus rabies qua furunt aut etiam ipsa sanetur aut à loedendis aliis repellatur London Printed by W. Bentley and are to be sold by Ioshuah Kirton at the Kings Arms in St. Pauls Church yard 1654. To the Worshipfull his ever Honoured Friend Captain JOHN LIMBERY Esquire Iustice of the Peace for Middlesex and of the Admiralty for Oyer and Terminer SIR OF all things which the Lord hath made in this great World Man is the most noble for whose sake other Creatures were created to whose feet the things below are subjected Of all the Essentials which Man the little World doth consist of the Soul is the most excellent It is infused by God which notes out the Dignity of it It hath command of the body which notes out the Authority of it It is a work as one calleth it both great Divine and admirable Of all the powers in the Soul none is comparable to the Reason Of all the Branches in the Reasonable part none is equal to the Minde none excelleth the understanding Of all the vertues in the Minde Wisdom gives the greatest light Wisdom swayeth with chiefest might Oh the breadth that Wisdom spanneth Oh the length that Wisdom reacheth Oh the heigth that Wisdom climbeth Oh the depth that Wisdom gageth when once it comes into a Soul cleared by Gods Spirit in some good measure from those duskish Clouds of Ignorance and Errour with which before it was obscured Without this how can men discern of things that differ how can they see what is good and what is evil and so exercise the power of their reason in ensuing the one in eschewing the other When dangers are imminent and coming against us Wisdom foreseeth them forecasteth against them When troubles are incumbent and lying upon us it doth either remove them or preserve us in them In a word what Walls are to Cities what skins are to beasts scales to fishes feathers to birds and shells to some creeping and baser Creatures the same is wisdom to that naked born Creature Man even a Covering a defence Yea Wisdom saith the Preacher strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the Citie And they are truely endowed with wisdom who by the light of it do distinguish Gospel-truths from errours and keep their Souls pure and undefiled from the infection of false and time-poysoning Doctrines Wisdom truely is in them who by the light and guidance of it have found out and continue in the true Church of Christ the true Zion of God where salvation is truely placed where pardon of sin is onely obtained where Soul-feastings and Divine teachings are truely enjoyed where are protections on every dwelling place where are true Ministers cloathed with salvation where the Saints do shout aloud for joy where all afflictions are sanctified where all good news are to be heard and where God hath commanded the blessing and life for evermore And such a gift of wisdom Worthy Sir have I admired in you by which light in your far and forraign travails you have alwayes discerned good from evil Truth from Errour Religion from Superstition Zion from Rome and Babylon It is true in you that wisdom hath preserved you from many snares to folly If Riches be snares the Riches of the West-India's even those Treasures amongst the Spaniards never ensnared your conscience If honour entice who of our English Nation was ever more honoured by Spaniards in the West-India's than your self as the â—ime of your abode in Hispaniola and at the Court of Santo Domingo doth sufficiently witness If favour of Great men and Princes doth allure and often obscure the light of true wisdom who ever of our English Nation enjoyed such a favour from that Greâ—t Don of Spain the Duke of Medina Sidonia as your self as also from the Duke of Nacara the Duke of Maqueda the King of Spains Chief favourite that great Conde Dugue Earle of Olivares and the Count of Castilia then President of the India's being trusted by the first to go and view the Silver and Golden Treasures of America a favour denied unto others and fully empowered by him to make choice of what Ports you pleased and there to lade your Ships with what Commodities might seem most advantagious unto your self If pleasures and vanities do tickle where do they abound more than in the India's and in that place especially where with so much honour from the best and Noblest in Santo Domingo you did sometime abide Yet in the midst of all these snares with wisdoms light you eyed Zion still you kept your self free from errours you were never defiled with Babylons superstitions Yea when troubles and evils were incumbent and lying upon you even the loss of ship and of Riches at your return into England wisdom preserved you in the midst of evils and as a true Member of Zion you found your losses and afflictions sanctified unto you Zion and Babylon Truth and Errour are the subject of these my weak indeavours which must be known by the light of wisdom With which light as you have hitherto discerned good from evil so I desire you may with the same take notice of Zion and of Zions true Ambassadours pointed out unto you in this my Treatise and eschew those Errours of Babylon and Antichristian fallacies which as Rocks and Sands under the waters are here discovered to be amongst us under a pretence of Christian and Gospel-Truths I must confess that when I called to minde that Proverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 know thy self I was not without some â—nwillingness drawn to a publick Dispute and afterwards to preach in publick upon this subject not being ignorant
true Zion and of the errors and Antichristian practises of Babylon Oh what a grief is it to think how in these times the true Zion is mistaken unknown yea by seducing spirits even termed Babylon Oh beloved if so many blessings comforts Soul-feastings as I have shewed unto you belong to Zion what enquiry what search ought we all then to make to finde out this true Zion that our Souls may not be deprived of the blessing and life for evermore which God hath enâ—ailed unto his Zion I beseech you judge it not passion then in me if I shall yet pursue what the other day was by way of dispute but begun in this place and for want of time could not then be finished My conscience leads me to this work the spirit commands me to clear this point unto you though some Adversaries do threaten me with stones as the Iews did Christ and to heave me out of this place to deprive me and mine of the lively-hood I here enjoy because with Scripture and reasons I oppose their contrary judgements yet I must not be unfaithfull to that trust and charge which from my Master Iesus Christ I have over your Souls I may say with Paul I have kept back nothing that was profitable unto you but have shewed you and have taught you publickly Acts 20. vers 20. and vers 27. I have not shunned to declare unto you all the Counsell of God these five years together and therefore though now so much threatned by some I resolve to say with Paul in the worst triall of my Adversaries spight and malice None of these things move me neither count I my life dear unto my self so that I might finish my work wâ—â—h jâ—y and the Ministerie which I have received of the Lord Iesus to testifieth Gospel of the grace of God Acts 20. vers 24. But not for my trust over your Souls onely shall I make a large search into Zion and Babylon but also for mine own Souls sake so dear unto me that I must ingenuously confess before you that for the saving of it I have hitherto forsaken the pleasures of sin and Egypt which for twelve years I enjoyed in the parts of America from whence the Lord in mercy hath brought me to his marvellous light unto Mount Zion and unto the Citie of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable companie of angels to the generall assembly and Church of the first born Heb. 12. vers 22 23. For the which Zion I have forsaken all kindred after the flesh and in the which Zion I acknowledge to have enjoyed these fourteen years many sweet comforts many Soul-feasts and banquets And now to hear from Mr. Charles Nichols that neither you nor I belong to this Zion but rather unto Babylon hath so much troubled me that I could not in conscience shun a publick dispute with him about it resolving with my self that after so many steps as may be in nine thousand miles which through Gods mercy I have travailed to finde out Zion in England if he could shew me by the word on step further out of Babylon cheerfully to go out of her and according to my present observation from Zechariahs Counsel to loyter no longer about Babylon but to take so fair an opportunity to deliver my self and you also from whatsoever he might prove to be Babylonish in our Church and worship Let us therefore beloved with care and diligence for our Souls good search the Scripture and in them search out Zion and Babylon and what the last Thursday want of time allowed us not let us again examine Mr. Charles Nichols his three Propositions as stated by him against us against our Parochiall Churches and against ours and all Parish officiating Ministers affirming further his Congregation separated from us and our Parochiall meetings to be the true house of God which in these words he thus laies down 1. Proposition Parochiall Churches are Babylonish 2. Proposition We i. e. the Church I serve in Christ are the house of God 3. Parish officiating Ministers are Babylonish I shall to these give my answer in order as they lye and faithfully lay down my Arguments with his answers as far as on the twentienth day of this moneth we proceeded and then go on to prove by reason and Scripture how falsly and erreneously these Propositions are asserted by him for that neither our Parochial Churches are Bâ—bylonish neither his Congregation or Church wherein he serves is Gods house Nor the Parish Officiating Ministers justly to be termed Babylonish My first Argument against his first Proposition was framed thus a definitime ad defiâ—itum from the parts defiâ—ing or describing a thing to the thing defined or described which is a most sure and infallible kinde of Argument to convince and prove any thing that is doubâ—ed of or denied As for example A man is defined and described essentially by these parts to wit that he is a living Creature Risible and Rational if then I prove these parts to be in Peter I shall evidently conclude Peter to be man and if these essential parts be not in him I shall on the contrary conclude that he is no man You may then remember that my first Syllogiâ—me was from the essential parts constituting and describing a Parochial Babylonish or Romish Church in the Major or first Proposition And in the Minor or second Proposition shewing that those parts were not to be found in our Parochial Churches and then concluding our Parochial Churches not to be Babylonish thus 1. Argument A Parochial Babylonish Romish Church is a people living under obedience to the Pope gathered together under the Advocation or Patronage of some particular Popish Saint for whose greater glory on his day yearly they enjoy from Rome pardon of sins and Indulgences Congregated under a Popish Priest whose Mass they hear to whom auâ—icularly they confess and from whose hâ—nds they once a year at least receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper under transubstantiated Bread and Wine But our Parochial Churches are not a people living under obedience to the Pope nor gathered together under the Advocation or Patronage of any particular Popish Saint nor for any such Saints greater glory on his day enjoying from Rome pardon of sins and Indulgences nor congregated under any Popish Priests whose Mass they hear to whom Auricularly they confess and from whose hands they once a year at least receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper under transubstantiated Bread and Wine Eâ—go Our Parochial Churches are not Babylonish This Argumenâ— Beloved was so convincing that indeed it was never in order answered but rather complaint made by Mr. Nichols that it was so long that he could nor well repeat it nor remember it for the helping of whose memory I propounded one by one the contents of the Major and desired him then like a Schollar to grant deny or distinguish which by no means I could get him to do But at last
people of God But in the 1 and 6 verses they are observed to be a people not separated from the wickedness of the World but at that time were in the height of corruption in â—he act of Idolatry In the 1 Sam. Chap. 12. vers 22. Samuel calls the people Gods people and so a Church But at the same time they were under corrupâ—ions and had grievously rebelled against the Lord their God Ergo. A people under corruption may yet be called truely a people and Church of God I doubt not beloved but you well remember and have taken notice of this Argument and I hope you have also lâ—id up in your memories the slight and fâ—ivolous answer noâ— any way â—atiâ—factory to a troubled and doubting Conscience in so weighâ—y a controvâ—rsie quâ—stioning Gods true people and Church Mr. Nichols forsooth as if he had to deal with Babes or silly women to be led captivâ— thought to stop our mouths here with any anâ—â—er â—hâ—ugh but an invention of his own brain and not considering that he stâ—oâ— in the presence of a grave and learned Assembly Yet as I peâ—câ—â—ved troubled with the Authority of Scripture answered acknowledging that at those times there was much and gross corruption in the people but yet God having then but one people was loath to cast them off A pretty evasion as if God were bound to a people never so corrupt as if love to one people must make him wink at their corruptions and notwithstanding their gross corruptions to own them and call them his people And why may not we plead as much love to us since Christ exhibited Why must we be cast off from being a people and Church of Christ because some corruptions and corrupt Members are amongst us Is God an accepter of persons or of one people more than of another Are these the priviledges of the Gospel Are fire and sword cutting and casting off for some mens corruptions and altogether unchurching a people the happy times of the Gospel of Christ But before I could go f orward to second my Argument begun in the Iews with an instance of the Church of Corinth of the Churches of Asia and all the Chuâ—ches to whom Paul directed his Epistles my learned Moderatour taking notice of Mr. Nichols his answer and speaking a word to the purpose of my Argument upholding with me that a people under corruptions of some might yet be called Gods Church and people Mr. Nichols his spirit began to rise against my Moderatour telling him he wondred that he would seem so prophane as to maintain such an errour which my Moderatour taking for a kinde of challenge you may remember he answered Mr. Nichols that what he had said he would maintain either with his pen or in publick dispute Whereupon Mr. Nichols thought fit to breath a little after my hot pursuing him and turning his coat of a Defendant into an Opponent though against the practise of all School Disputants propounded a few Arguments of little worth to my Moderator all to that purpose of Paul 2 Cor. 6. vers 15 16. What concord hath Christ with Belial Or what part hath he that believeth with an Infidel and what agreement hath the temple of God with Idols To which my Moderator answered both learnedly and convincingly insisting upon the same Epistle of Paul unto the Church at Corinth and to the Saints at Corinth and yet as he shewed there were amongst them many wicked and corrupt persons as I shall hereafter shew from some particulars I confess besides much froth and shadows of truth the most that I could observe in Mr. Nichols his Arguments to my Moderator was a kinde of wondering exclamations against wickedness and against corruptions in a Church as if he knew not any difference between a visible and an invisible Church nor would take any notice of the corruptions shewed unto him in the visible Church of Corinth to the very last end of his Argunents wondring at our prophaneness in affirming corruptions and wickedness possible in a Church and people of God Whose wandrings and ungrounded exclamations call to my Remembrance a strong controversie in the Church of Rome between the Iesuites and the Dominican Friars concerning the Conception of Mary the mother of Christ whom the Dominicanâ— affirm to have been conceived in Original sin as all that have descended from the loines of Adam and prove it both by reason and Scripture To which the Iesuites not being able to give any Satisfactory answer yet draw most of the common people to side with them yea to make vows to die rather than to forsake that pious and Godly opinion so they term it that Marie was conceived without any spot of Original sin though common to all others that even descended from Adam And though they can produce no Scripture to prove it nor any solid reason yet they work upon the people and answer the Scriptures alleadged by the Dominicans with wonders and exclamations saying What the Mother of Christ a sinner what A spot of sin in her who bare the Lambe without spot in her womb what Defilement of sin in the Temple of Christ and in her whose womb was as a Temple to harbour God and man Such like exclamations were Mr. Nichols his Arguments yea and answers to apparent Scriptures to draw silly people to his seemingly pious opinion What prophaneness wickedness drunkenness corruptions in the house in the Church and among the people of God what concord hath Christ with Belial But no answer to the Church of Corinth all this while At last he replied to my Moderatour Shew me where ever the Apostles received wicked and corrupt persons into their Churches as into your Churches they are received To which demand he answered that neither the Apostles nor we receive wicked and prophane persons into our Churches and Church Communions qua prophane and wicked as prophane but qua as Prosessours and Converts Thus my Worthy and Learned Moderatour and Reverend Pastour of the Church at Word having repulsed Mr. Nichols his darts and blunted the edge of all his Weapons without any â—oyl but rather with great credit as was after confessed by some well-affected to Mr. Nichols himself ended his single Combat and Mr. Nichols made use of that liberty granted him to oppose against me also falling once more upon the word Parishes saying he would prove them not to be Churches which he would indeavour to prove from Queen Maries dayes But I desiring him to look back further to the beginning and fountain of Parishes and Parochial Churches long before Queen Maries dayes he would not frame his Argument from that time of the height of Popery in England as I desired him aiming as I conceived at the abominable corruptions brought into Rome by the Councel of Trent convocated in the year 1547. when our Reformation began as Sleiden observes de Stat. Relig pag. 909. lin 1. Remembring also what before I had shewed him of some dissenting parties to
that even in Countrey Parishes there was a seed and remnant left of Godly people who would not with Baals Priests bow their knees unto idols But as if this known truth were not satisfactory Mr. Nichols following his usual way of Arguments as I have observed in him either changing new terms or not minding what hath been granted denied or distinguished gives a sudden leap from England to Rome and from thence fetcheth a reply thus 3. Object In those dayes Parochial Churches were subject to Rome Ergo In those dayes Parochial Churches were Babylonish All this being answered before in substance carried not his Argument one step further than it was gone before though he went so many steps to fetch it Who doubts but then the major part were subject to Rome and so were Babylonish But here is no reply to what had been distinguished of the Martyrs of the holy remnant in those dayes who would not be subject to Rome But perceiving what a formal Disputant I had to deal with I granted all according to my former distinction and let him run on to this ensuing Enthymema 4. Object Rome then was no Church Ergo England then was no Church Here you see again how Parishes are laid aside and the word Church as if his terms were now altered from Parochial Churches to a National Church is revived But here though I might again have answered with my former distinction of the Godly remnant in England and shewed him that though Rome was not a Church then yet there was a Church and people of God in Eâ—â—land then Yet purposely for Arguments sake I resolved to turn his Byass from England to Rome himself iâ—clining by Arguments that way to try if yet he knew more of Rome than he had shewed to know in his answer to my first Argument concerning Parochial Babylonish Romish Churches and to try further whether he could as yet tell how like a Schollar to reply with a formal Argument to the several heads of a distinction and therefore I distinguished his Antecedent thus Rome then was no Church Qâ—oad substantiam or in some substantials as Ordination Baptisme the Scriptures a confession of Christs Birth Death Resurrection and Ascension and the like I denied his Antecedent But in corruptions of Rites and Ceremonies in Superstitions and in some Scripture opposing Doctrines I granted his Antecedent Here Mr. Nichols began to Triumph hoping now to regain what he had formerly lost by his slight answers to my Arguments and called out with a great exclamation and wonder to the people to take notice that I granted that Rome then was a Church But remember beloved how cunningly and craftily he concealed my distinction and never bad the people take notice that I had granted that it was a Church onely quoad substantiam or in some substantials yet remaining as Ordination Baptisme and the like Neither pursued he â—is advantage if any against me like unto Scâ—ollars who in Schooles are taught to reply against that part of the distinction which denieth and so whereas his Antecedent was this Rome then was not a Church and the negative or denying part of my distinction was this Rome thâ—n was not a Church quoad substantiam or in some substantials as Ordination Baptisme the Scriptures a confession of Christ his biâ—th dâ—aâ—h resurrection and ascension and the like I denie it he should have replyed against this and proved it was not a Church quoad substantiam or in any substantials neither in maintaining Ordination by Imposiâ—ion of hands by the Presbytery as from Christ neither in upholding Bâ—ptisme as also an ordinance of Christ neither in acknowledging the Gospel to be from Christ and not a fable of mans invenâ—ing and the like But as one that had quite forgotten his schoole and University lessons and Rules for arguing and hoping that the generality of the people understood not the words quoad substantiam he waves them and goes on thus 5. Object Rome then in those dayes was no true Church Ergo Rome then in those dayes was no Church If he had argued thus Rome then in those dayes was no true Church in any substantials Ergo your deniall is false I should have liked my Cambridge Schollar better But to change his term in the former Antecedent Church in this Antecedent into true Church having had deniall to Church onely is a way of arguing I have never yet found out Surely Mr. Nichols cannot be ignorant of a false Church and a true Church and that a false Church in some sense is usually called a Church or else why doth he call our Parochiall Churches being Babylonish and false in his opinion yet Churches I might therefore here have stopped his further proceeding by granting his Antecedent and denying his consequent but to try how far he would run upon new terms I told him that if he argued â—ill mid-night I would answer with the same denying part of my former distinction till he replied against it and so again I distinguished his Anâ—ecedent quoad substantiam or in some substantials it was no true Church â— denyed it In many corruptions ceremonies superstitions and some Scripture oppâ—sing doctrines I granted it And here Mr. Nicâ—ols like the Ieâ—uites spoken of before not being able to prove by arguments or Scripture that Mâ—ry was conceived without Original sin falling yet into eâ—clamations and wondring so he not being able to prove by any strong Argument or Scripture Authority that our Parochial Churches are Babâ—lonish â—ell into exclamations into both wondring and forgetting himself wondring that I should grant Rome to be a Church and forgetting my distinction and in what sense I granted it to wit in some substantials onely forgetting also that in the other branch of my distinction I denied Rome to be a Church to wit in her corruptions superstitions and many Scripture-opposing doctrines But here Mr. Nichols having pumped his brain dry and finding the stream of his Enthymema's to flow no more from him being not able to prove our Parochial Churches to be now Babylonish from any instance of Romes being or not being a Church without any further reply to my denial quoad substantiam or in some substantials which I long expected left off And so ended beloved our dispute and Arguments upon the first Proposition affirming Parochial Churches to be Babylonish As for his second Proposition concerning his own Church and Congregation and what was by Argument objected against it I shall speak of that after I have more fully cleared my judgment unto you yet concerning our Parochial Churches and to what hath been already said added such strong reasons and Arguments as want of time upon the day of dispute suffered not to come forth to light But before I satisfie your expectations and desires herein I must first clear my self from the harsh judgement and censure of Mr. Nichols his party against me for granting Rome to be a Church in some substantials which distinction they waving I am
informed that some have said that my heart is still at Rome whose mouthes must be stopped and those bâ—ats of spight and envy coming forth from thence like the frogs that came out of the mouth of tâ—e Dragon of the Beast and of the false Prophet Revel 16. vers 13. must be crushed least from câ—oaking at the first they proceed further to poison and envenome that good name and reputation which I hope I have purchased unto my self both by a known affection to the state affairs and Governours and by soundness of Doctrine these ten years that I have lived in Kent where my Teaching hath had the Approbation of all sorts of people of sound judgment who far and near have resorted to me and acknowledged from me the comfortable work of the Ministery uppon their Souls And as for any inclination or bending of my heart or affection to Rome I doubt not but that all England hath taken notice of my writings and actings against that Triple crowned man of sin and his Emissaries the Priests and Iesuites here in England against whom I have been often by Authority commanded up to London to the Sessions held at the old Bayly and without any competent satisfaction from the State have spent and wasted much of my poor estate which should have been my Wives and poor childrens portion and comfort hereafter In which Bell the Franciscan Friar Sanderson alias Holland and Wright both Iesuites and some others whose names are at present out of my memory have been discovered and according to the Laws of the Land brought to condigne punishment at Tyâ—urn For which service I have been often assaulted and threatned with murther by my bloud thirsâ—y enemies the Romish Papists to whom Mr. Nichols his party rashly judgeth my heart inclines as unto friends but especially by one Burke an Iâ—ish Gentleman in Alders-gate street and in Shoo-lane by one Captain Vincent Burton who came from Flanders purposely to kill me and had glutted his malice with bloud in my very châ—mber where I lodged had not the ever watching Providence of heaven prevented his murtherous intentions Which dangers threatning my life were well seen and credited by the Right Honourable my Lord chiâ—f Iustice Rowls when at the execution of Wright the Iesuite he charged one Mr. Thomas Mayo an Officer of the State to guard me during my abode in London and offered me more strength to secure me would I have accepted of it which I refused having constantly about me a Trooper also at my charge well known unto you of this Parish But can my heart be at Rome where if my body were it would be burnt to ashes for my good services to England as were the bones of the Byshop of Spalato after that upon fair promises he returned from England unto the Pope But these somes of malice are against me because I durst dispute with Mr. Nichols a private man and contend as the Saints have formerly done for the truth and because as a Schollar by way of Argument I have granted that the contrary whereof he could not prove nor so much as offered to reply against it to wit that Rome is a Church and true in some substantials though not in her corruptions of Rites foolish ceremonies superstitions and some false Doctrines contrary to the Scriptures Which opinion Beloved I shall never hold tenaciously noâ— heretically by inhering to it if by sounder judgements I may be convinced of the contrary to whom I shall willingly submit and not disturb as too many do the tender flocks of Iesus Christ. The ground therefore whereon at present I say this Opinion may be grounded and by me was truely intended when I answered Mr. Nichols saying that Rome was and was not a Church in several respects was this First Although it be true that the Councel of Trent convocated in the year 1547. did desperately wound the Church of Rome first in that it did heighten and multiply her damnable errours Secondly in that it did draw all the poison into one entire monster and body of errour and presented it all to the world as the Doctrine of the Church Yet as the dissenting parties from other councels setling the Popes Supremacy communicating in one kinde of worshipping of images disallowing the use of the Bible to the people forbidding Priests to marry and in England Mr. Iohn Wickliffs Tenents as I have shewed before were ground sufficient to discover a party a people a Church in Rome and in England which Mr. Nichols himself opposed not but rather seem to grant it then the like may be said since the councel of Trent for if any have opposed or dissented from or disallowed that councel they must be said to disallow those damnable errours that poison drawn into one entire monster and body of errour But many there are who have opposed dissented from and disallowed that councel Ergo They must be said 'to disallow those damnable errours that poison drawn into one entire monster and body of errour The Minor is known to such as have travailed beyond the Seas and no doubt to all learned Divines who have perused such Bookes as do lay down the State of Rome since the councel Wherein they shall finde that the whole Kingdom of France to this day hath opposed that councel besides many other learned Divines and among them the whole University of the Sorbonites at Paris who unanimously and strongly maintain the Oath of Allegiance to Kings Princes Governours of Nations against the Pope and so vigorously have opposed the Popes supremacy voted in the councel of Trent that had not Vrban the Eight complyed with the Court of Paris when Cardinal Richlieu was in his height of command and prosperity either he â—imself or one Friar Ioseph a Capuchin had been made Antipope for France and all Addresses to the Pope of Rome had been forbidden to the people of France in general at which they have been aiming these many years and I believe will ere long effect it if this Cardinal at present Mazarini continue in favour and keep close Prisoner that Popes great favourite Cardinal de Retz such is the regard that Kingdom hath to the councel of Trent to the Popes supremacy â—etled by it The same Oath of Allegiance hath been vigorously maintained and the Popes supremacy strongly denied these many years in England by some also of the Popish Religion as by Mr. Roger Widrington in his Apology but especially by the order of the Bendictines amongst whom Price the superiour of that family in England and before him Doctor Preston a Prisoner formerly in the Clinke who being excommunicated by the Pope for his opinion was by King Iames protected against the Pope the like Sir William Howard otherwise a Papist hath opposed in print all these slighting the councel of Trents determination as a point of faith and disregarding the Popes thundering out excommunications against them Besides these what dissenting parties must needs be there whereas many
Comparatively in respect of Iews and Turks they are good and true Or else surely the Title of Learned Mr. Fuller his book called The holy War and the holy State is false wherein he treats of the Christians Wars against the â—uâ—ks and against Ierusalem and of their State-Government in the Citie of Ierusalem and other places subdued by them But the Christians then were most such as lived under Popery and as Christians they joyned together against the enemies of Christ that the name of Christ might be propagated and confessed where it was most hated and blasphemed and this work by all Writers is called a holy work Then I infer that where such holy indeavours are for Christs name and the propagation of it there Christ in substantials is acknowledged and to confess and acknowledge Christ is some part and Character of a people and Church of God Ergo They are a Church in some part and in some substantials of a Church But fifthly I answer that this my opinion is no such strange Doctrine as Mr. Nichols and some others would judge it to be It hath been held by many sound and Orthodox Divines both at home and abroad Learned Morneuâ— Du Plessis who wrote against Rome and hath been held alwayes a â—ound Protestant in his book de Ecclesia pag. 343.350 holds Rome to be a Church and his chief Argument is indeed the same that hath alwayes moved me to this opinion before ever I read it in him which is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Antichrist must in full height sit in Templo Dei in the Temple of God What then is that or where is that but in the Church â—rom whence I form this Syllogisme If the Pope be Antichrist he must sit in the Temple and Church But the Pope is Antichrist Ergo He siâ—s in the Temple and Church Then further But the Pope as Antichrist sits in no Temple or Church except it be in the Church of Rome Ergo The Pope either is not Antichrist or Rome is a Church But the Pope is Antichrist and must sit in a Temple or Church Ergo Rome is a Church But Rome is not a Church in her corruptions Supersttions and Idolatries Ergo Rome the seat of Antichrist is a Church in some substantials So Mornâ—y also discourseth in his book de Ecclesia pag. 349.350 with these words which I have faithfully transcribed In that we affiâ—â— that Antichrist rulâ—th there we consequently hold that it is the Church in as much as he cannot sit any where but in the Church But it is one thing to separate our selves from the Church of Rome defiled by Antichrist and another thing to depart from the Communion of the universal Church Again we depart not from the Temple but from the Idolatry committed in the Temple nor from the Common-wealth but from the Tyrannie which oppresseth the Common-wealth nor from the Citie but from the pâ—stilâ—nce which inâ—ecteth the Citie nor from the Communion and fellowship of the people but from the conspiracie of Antichrist and of his maintainers We therefore renounce not their baptisme but we ratifie it And further for this point of baptisme that for substance it is true in Rome he â—aith thus pag. 147. It is not the Heretick that baptizeth as long as baptisme remaineth sound but Christ by the hand of the Heretick wherein we follow the practise of the Primitive Church and the determination of the fiâ—st Councel of Nice that they which were baptized by Hereticks renouncing their Hereâ—ie they shall not be rebaptized except those that have been baptized by the Samoâ—arens who keep not the essential words of baptismâ— And Doctour Reynolds speaking warily of the Church of Rome denies it not to be a Church but saith Ecclesia Romana nec est Ecclesia Catholicâ— nec sâ—num memâ—â—um Ecclesiae Caâ—holicae It is neither the Catholick Church not a sound Member of the Catholick Church In which words he seems to acknowledge it a diseased Member or a sick Member Which indeed puts me in minde of what I have read of a Commencing Doctour long since in Oxford whose question was Ecclesia Romaâ—a non 〈◊〉 Ecclesia vâ—â—a The Church of Rome is not a true Church And in his Pâ—â—ition or to speak properly in Oxford stile in his supposite he shewed the many coâ—â—â—ptions and spiritual diseases of the Church of Rome A Doctouâ— replying on him used this Argument Ecclesia vivâ— est Ecclesia vera Ecclesia Romana est Ecclesia viva ergo vera The Minor being denied the Opponent proceeded thus Ecclesia aegra est Ecclesia viva Ecclesia Romana est Ecclesia aegra Ergo viva Thus you see that by other sound Divines the Church of Rome hath been held a Church though sick diseased unsound in her corruptions which argues that under those diseases and corruptions there is some life yet in her and some truth of substantials as C rist Baptisme the Scriptures Ordination and the like 1. Object But it may he Objected that I speak things contradictory and do aver two contradictories in the same subject simul semel at once and the same time saying They are a true Church and yet again saying that in their corruptions superstitions and some Doctrines they are a false Church But true and false are contradictories not Predicable of the same subject at the same time Ergo I seem to speak things contradictorie Answ. To which I answer that contradictories are not predicable of the same subject at the same time if taken in one and the same respect but in several respects they may be predicable As I may say Peter is a man and Peter is not a man and in several respects both may be truely verified Peter truely is a man in respect of the substantials and essentials of a man in him and Peter is not a man but a beast in respect of his madness and beastly conversation Rome likewise is and may be said a Church and not a Church A Church in respect of some substantials in it belonging to a Church and not a Chuâ—ch in respect of the filthy corruptions Idolatry and Superstitions in it and Doctrines contrary to the â—â—uth of the word of God 2. Object Secondly it may be objected If in some substantials Rome be a true Church why then did I separate and doth all England separate from Româ— Where is our Warrant to separate from a true Church Ans. To which I answer that we have warrant sufficient to separate from Rome though not for the substantials which they yet maintain Their Idolatries their â—superstitions their false doctrines are waâ—rant sufficient to us out of the word of God to separate from them True it is every disease must not keep a man from his Neighbours society a man being Animal sociabile a sociable creature born into the world among other ends for comerce and society with his Neighbours Yet so infectious and contagious so filthy and loathsome may the disease be
as for us he careth not for us which would be absurd The instance also in the Churches of Asia is unanswerable which though corrupt are called Golden Candlesticks Revel 1. vers 20. What corruptions were in Ephesus What in the Church of Pergamos where if not Nicholaitans yet Nicholaitans whom God hated were followed Revel 2. vers 15. What in Thyatira Where a Iezabel was suffered to preach Revel 2. vers 20. What in Sardis that had a name to live but was dead Revel 3. vers 1. What in lukewarm Laodicea that is commended for nothing good in her Yet all these are called Churches by Iohn for the patience of some the good works of others and doubtless for the profession and Godliness of many that lived among them It is the principal pâ—rt that gives the denomination to a thing and not that which is more base and vile in it A Princely Palace is named a stately Palace and building from those stately and capacious banquetting Rooms Galleries Walks Halls Parlours Balconies Chappels Towers and Turrets about it though in it there may be also some dark and dismal Entries and passages some slovenly greazie disordered Kitchins and Cook-Rooms and about it some outward stinking Sâ—able Rooms and Dunghils Even so the Churches of God take their denomination and are called even Saints a principaâ—iori parte from the more principal part of the wholesom and sound Doctrine preached in it of the true Faith conâ—â—ssed of the right use of the Sacraments ministred of the obedience to the word acknowledged in it and finally of those who turn not to riot and excess with the wicked of which sort commonly there are some Ergo Our Churches are true and not Babylonish But further that a Parochial people meeting â—nd gathering together for the true worship of God there being nothing in such our meetings qua as meetings Babylonish are not to be called Babylonish but that they are true Churches I shâ—ll prove by these strong reasons and following Arguments out of Scripture 1 Argument Apostolical constitution is a true constitution But such an one is ours Ergo The Minor I prove thus First The people of this Nation was converted to Christ as true Histories do witness by either Apostles or Apostolical men neither is it to be doubted but that in their dayes the Gospel was far spread as may appear by Paul's Testimony Rom. 10. vers 18. and Colos. 1. vers 6. Secondly Because we hold and maintain the same things Apostolical whereby we and other Churches were made Christians and Christian Assemblies to wit the word external profession of Iâ—sus Christ and the holy Sacraments by which and for which the people in the Apostles dayes were accounted Christians As for the word who doubts of the excellency of it and what an excellent people it fashioneth where preached and received as I shall in these places shew In the 2 Epistle of Iohn vers 9. 10. we have this commendation of the word and Doctrine and of them that receive it He that abideth in the Doctrine of Christ he hath the Father and the Son And if there come any unto you and bring not this Doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed Secondly The word is said to make Disciples to Christ Matth. 28. vers 18. Mark 16. vers 15. Thirdly The word it is that reconciles men to God so Paul saith God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5. vers 19. Fourthly By this word the Apostles wrought and converted many as may appear from Peter standing up and lifting up his voice and saying to the people Hearken to my words Act. 2. vers 14. compared with verses 37 38. and Paul and Silas by the word converted the Jaylour and his Family as is clear in these words Thâ—y speak unto him the word of the Lord and to all that were in his house and he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes and was baptized he and all his straightway Act. 16. vers 32 33. Fifthly This word given to a people is Gods covenanting with them for so his Declaration of his will by his word is called his Covenant Deut. 29. vers 9. compared with the 12. verse And the people receiving this word and professing their Faith to God is their taking of God to be their God and covenanting with him Deut. 16. vers 17. He loved the people all his Saints are in thine hand and they sate down at thy feet every one shall receive of thy words Deut. 33. vers 3. Of such hath he received a reconciliation Iob 33. vers 23 24. Sixthly Such professours the Apostles admitted into the Church as those that had covenanted with God and were not to be denied the Seal of the Covenant Act. 8. vers 12. compared with the 37 38. verses And as for the Sacraments they combine and knit us together Matth. 28. vers 19. 1 Cor. 10. vers 16 17. Therefore unless Mr. Nichols deny all this unto us he cannot deny us Apostolical constitution Oh then we having the Father and the Son by the Doctrine and word of Christ we being discipled by the word we being reconciled by the word to God we findeing dayly upon our Souls a powerfull working of the word of the Ministery God having covenanted with us to be our God and we by this word having taken him for our God shall the Seals of this Covenant be denied unto us which the Apostles denied to none tâ—at professed the word no not to Simon Magus Act. 8. vers 13. and though strongly knit and united together in Christ and made one body and partakers of that one bread shall we be unchurched unreconciled uncovenanted unknit and separated from Christ as Babylonish Surely this Assertion of M. Nichols will seem to the World not onely uncharitable but most absurd and Antichristian contradicting so much of Scripture as it doth 2. Argument Those that profess the Name of Christ without superstitious inventions of man are a true Church But a Parochial people meeting and gathering together here in England for the true worship of Christ profess the Name of Christ without superstitious inventions of man Ergo They are a true Church The Major is proved thus for Churches planted by others are onely thus described by their terms where Christ was named as you may read Rom. 15. vers 20. So have I strived to preach tâ—e Gospel not where Christ was named least I should build upon another man's foundation which words Learned Mr. Iohn Diodati expoundeth thus that it was the Apostles meaning to make it his onely glory to plant new Churches not standing to manure those which were already planted by the Ministery of others Which cannot be understood well to be the sense of the Apostle if by these terms where Christ is named he understand not true Churches planted and erected So it appears that where
them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Jerem. 32.40 Thirdly God hath brought us out of the Egyptian bondage of that Roman Antichrist which is another part I have heard the groaning of the Children of Israel whom the Egyptians kept in bondage and I have remembred my Covenant Exod. 6. vers 5. Fourthly because we have the book of the Covenant which is read to us as formerly by Moses to the people who took the book of the Covenant and read in the audience of all the people and they said All that the Lord hath said will we do and be obedient Exod. 24. vers 7. We have the holy Commandments and the Gospel the words of the Covenant Exod. 34. vers 28. And it is a special prerogative to Gods people to have the word of God as Paul observes in the Iews prerogative and advantage what advantage then hath the Jew Much every way chiefly because unto them were committed the Oracles of God Rom. 3. vers â— 2 Which David also sets down as a great priviledge and prerogative He shewâ—â—h his word unto Jacob his statutes and his judgements unto Israel he hath not dealt so with any Nation Ps. 14. v. 7 19 20. All which bound up in one bundle of an impartial judgement tâ—ue consideration will make it to appear unto the world that surely Mr. Nichols his Assertion is most erroneous and false affirming as much as this that a people offering their prayers to God in the name of Iesus Christ taking the same Iesus Christ onely for their Mediatour and Advocate condemning as Babylonish the Mediation and Advocation of all Saints and Angels partaking of the Covenant made by God to his people through Iesus Christ having true knowledge of Gods word and his Law written in their inward parts having the fear of God possessing their hearts having been brought out of Babylonish and Antichristian bondage having the book of the Covenant read unto them having the holy commandments the Gospel the words of the Covenant and acknowledging obedience due unto them and enjoying that peculiar priviledge and prerogative of Iacob and Israel in the word Yet notwithstanding all these particulars and sure truths out of Scripture that such a people is no true Church but Babylonish and Antichristian Mr. Nichols may say so but I am sure the Scriptures say the contrary which must be yours and my guide to the which I beseech you to lean as you tender your Souls For my part I am so convinced out of the word of the contrary to Mr. Nichols his Assertion that I hope I shall never be so seduced nor blinded as to incline to so gross and false an opinion And I hope my good God my true guide my Prophet and onely Teacher will not hereafter judge or condemne me for the lighâ— which in this particular point of controversie I am resolved till death to follow All these Arguments upon the day of dispute should have been objected against Mr. Nichols had he answered like a Schollar Categorically to every Proposition and not so much indeavoured with Speeches and Orations to stop the stream of them Many more I could propound unto you were it not that I have already found the work to increase like the Widows Oyl much in my hands and nothing yet spoken of the second Proposition which I know you expect to have it further cleared unto you than it was the other day by a few Objections against it But before I come unto it I must briefly answer the scruple of one or two of the Clergy my fellow-labourers whose impatient mutterings against Parochial Churches wherein they serve and can willingly enjoy the milk of such flocks were taken notice off by some who seem not to deny Parochial Churches in Mr. Nichols his sense counselling or Preaching a separation from them but in another sense Presbyterial they would fain call it but unjustly as disagreeing with the Classical way and with Provincial Churches which one of them told me were to be called onely Churches and Parishes not truely Churches but onely integral parts of such Classical or Provincial Churches So that the whole County being divided into Classes the Parishes also are to be divided so as that a competent number are to belong to such and such a Classes as formerly to such and such a Cathedral and all that number of Parishes to make up but one Church to be ruled by Officers and Elders according to the word but singly every Parish taken by it self not to be called a Church Which Opinion being but a Cavil as I suppose against my self by the party insisting on it I shâ—ll wave as unwilling to disturb and as willing to submit for peace and quietness sake especially in this which well understood doth not cross my Opinion and judgement of holding Parish Societies to be true Churches nor my Opinion cross the judgement of the Learned and Reverend Divines of the Presbyterial way who affirm the Presbyterial Government by Preaching and Ruling Presbyters in Congregational Classical and Synodal Assemblies to lay the truest claim to a Divine Right according to the Scriptures with whose own Doctrine I shall confirm this truth that Parochial Congregations are to be called truely Churches The aforesaid Divines in their book of the Divine right of Church-Government take notice of the whole Church the whole Body of Christ and of larger particular Members of that Body of Christ and thirdly of smaller single Congregations Which threefold distinction of Churches is truely grounded upon the Scripture Thus Paul calls the whole Body of Christ Church Now ye are the Body of Christ and Members in particular And God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers 1 Cor. 12. vers 27.28 So Matâ—h 16. v. 18. and often elsewhere So likewise larger particular Members of that body of Christ such as Provincial Churches are in Scripture called Churches as the Church of Ierusalem Act 8. vers 1. the Church of Antioch Act. 13. v. 1. the Church of Coâ—inth 2 Cor. 1. vers 1. and the Church of Ephesus unto the Angel of the Church of Ephesus write these things Revel 2. vers 1. In which places there were no doubt many single Churches and Congregations as appears plainly in Corinth where Paul taught Apollo taught and Cephas taught and in Ephesus where Eusebius Emissenus reckoneth up above three-score several Churches and Congregations all which in Scripture are called one Church And I cannot here but declare my judgement upon those words of Iohn Rev. 2. vers 1. Unto the Angel of the Church of Ephesus that certainly if there were in Ephesus many single Congregations and particular Churches and yet called but Church as if but one Church were there then it appears evidently that those many single Churches made up one Provincial Church as integral parts of the whole which I will not deny to my Caviller though
you my Arguments as upon the day of Dispute they were Objected against him with his answers to them and then I shall further inlarge my discourse to prove his Congregation to be no true Church nor house of God but to practise things Babylonish Antichristian and against the word of God You may beloved call to minde that after his first Proposition had been awhile canvassed and as I complained which to many seemed Passion in me little satisfaction given by his answers why he should term our Parochial Churches Babylonish I told him it was time to come to his house he having been so long in ours and I desired him to hear me an Argument or two against his pretended Church which at first he was unwilling to grant unless he might first argue against this Parish of Deal in particular which neither my Moderatour nor my self would yield unto First because it was not a Proposition stated nor agreed upon to be disputed Secondly to avoid tumults and quarrels that might have been caused in case before your faces and upon your own ground his Arguments should tend to the affronting of any of you in particular particularizing any particular misdemeanour miscarriage or sin of any or making use of Nick-name or aspersion unjustly laid upon you as he seemed to intimate he would do saying he would speak of you but as you were characterized abroad But being stopt from casting any affront in particular upon you with much unwillingness he yielded at last tâ—at I should Object somewhat against his second Proposition And having against his first Assertion begun my Argument from the description or definition of a Babylonish Romish Parochial Church I thought it would prove my best way of objecting against his second Proposition also to begin with a true definition or description of the true house of God which I performed thus 1. Argument The house of God is the Church of the living God the pillar and ground of the truth 1 Tim. 3. vers 15. But your Congregation is not the Church of the living God nor the pillar and ground of the truâ—h Ergo your Congregation is not the house of God The Major being granted and the Minor denied I proved it thus Where many things are practized against the truth there is not the Church of the living God nor the pillar and ground of the truth But in your Congregation many things are practized against the truth Ergo your Congregation is not the Church of the living God nor the pillar and ground of the truth The Major was granted and the Minor denied which I proved thus The truth of the Word ordereth to a true Church a true Pastour But in your Church and Congregation there is no true Pastour Ergo In your Congregation things are practized against the truth The Minor or second Proposition being denied I proceeded thus In your Church and Congregation there is no known Pastour but your self But you are no true Pastour Ergo In your Church and Congregation there is no true Pastour The Minor still I proved A true Pastour comes in â—o his flock by the true door of Christ and his word But you came not in to your flock by the true door of Christ and his word Eâ—go you are no true Pastour The Minor I cleared thus The true door of Christ and his word for a Pastour to come in to his flock is by true Ordination But you came not in to your flock by true Ordination Ergo you came nâ—t in to your flock by the true door of Christ and his word The Minor appeared thus True Ordination according to Christs word is by imposition of hands by the Presbytery But your Ordination is not by imposition of hands by the Presbytery Ergo you came not in to your flock by true Ordination Here Mr. Nichols denying the Major that true Ordination according to Christs word is by Imposition of hands by the Presbytery said that he came in to his flock by the Election of the people which he said was true Ordination according to Christs word Against which answer I framed thus my second Argument 2. Argument That which is most warrantable for Ordination from tâ—e word of God is truest Ordination But Ordination by Imposition of hands by the Presbytery is more warrantable for true Ordination than the Election of the people Ergo Imposition of hands by the Presbytery is truer Ordination than the Election of the people The Major he could not deny but the Minor he denied which I thus proved Ordination by Imposition of hands by the Presbytery is clear and warrantable from the word of God in these eight places of Scripture at the least Act. 6. vers 6. Act. 13. vers 3. Hebr. 6. vers 2. 1 â—im 4. vers 14. 1 Tim. 5. vers 22. Titus 1. vers 5. Rom. 10. vers 15. Hebr. 5. vers 4. compared with verse 1 But you can shew me no such places of Scripture nor so many to warrant Ordination by Election of the people Ergo Ordination by Imposition of hands by the Presbytery is more warrantable for true Ordination from the word of God than the Election of the people Here the light of Scripture dazled Mr. Nichols his eyes the Authority of so many places wrapped up in one Proposition startled him so that fain he would have ridded himself of so much Scripture against him And he began to cavil and to question me how I knew that he was not ordained by Imposition of hands by the Presbytery having through some trouble of minde forgot that he had granted it before unto me and confessed his Ordination by the Election of the people as I told him I knew his Ordination by his own confession Then fain would he ouâ— of order form and Syllogisme know how and where I was ordained A thing beloved not very pertinent to the force of my Argument against him neither needed I to have given him in publick such an account of my self till some Argument from him against me had questioned my Ordination as mine did his yet to ease his minde I told him by whom I had been lawfully Ordained and forcing him on again to my Argument he began â—o say somewhat First that indeed he acknowledged that Imposition of hands by the Presbytery was used in the Apostles time as a Ceremony which now might be left off and so was now by many Godly men omitted To which slight answer I replied thus 3. Argument That which is a Principle of the Doctrine of Iesus Christ ought never by any Churches to the end of the World be omitted or laid aside But Imposition of hands by the Presbytery is a Principle of the Doctrine of Iesus Christ. Ergo Imposition of hands by the Presbytery in Ordination ought never by any Churches to the end of the World be omitted or laid aside Here Mr. Nichols shewed himself yet more troubled and quite to have forgotten the Scriptures or else he would not have granted my Major
and have denied my Minor which immediately I proved thus from St. Paul to the Hebrews 4. Argument St. Paul in Hebr. 6. Chap. vers 1 2. sets down with Baptisme Imposition of hands to be a Principle of thâ— Doctrine of Christ. But Baptisme because it is a Principle of the Doctrine of Christ â—ught never by any Churches to be omitted to the end of the World Ergo Imposition of hands by the Presbytery in Ordination also ought never by any Churches to be omitted to the end of the World Here Mr. Nichols began to perceive his errour and want of knowledge in the Scriptures when he denied the Minor and that Imposition of hands by the Presbytery was a Doctrine of the Principles of Christ which being made clear unto him he could give no answer to it and so my Syllogisme was in the discretion and sound judgement unanswerable and unanswered But Mr. Nichols his Moderatour perceiving the unresistible force of the Arment and seeing his friends mouth almost shut up spoke a word to this purpose that it was doubted by some Authours whether that place of Paul Hâ—br 6. vers 1 2. did intend Imposition of hands by the Presbytery in Ordination or some other end in Imposition of hands in that place To whom I â—ad replied had not Mr. Nichols his mouth begun to open again for my beloved some of the Authours which understand that place of Paul not of Imposition of hands in Ordination but to some other end intend that end to be Imposition of hands by the Byshop in Confirmation whose judgement I cannot follow neither will Mr. Nichols or his Moderatour dare to follow that Opinion unless they will acknowledge Bishops again amongst us to Confirm and Bishop our Children that such a Principle of the Doctrine of Christ in that sense may not be omitted in our Churches Which I am sure Mr. Nichols his Moderatour whom I respect as a Divine of sound judgement doth not allow but onely to strengthen his friend in his weakness and that in the mean time he might recollect himâ—elf for some better answer was pleased to make such a motion and put in such a Caâ—â—at Some other Authours understand that place of Paul Hebr. 6. vers 1.2 to mean laying on of hands on the sick which the Church of Rome continues to this day superstitiously maintaining extream Unction and anointing the sick with Oyl hallowed by their Bishops Either of which Opinions had Mr. Niâ—hâ—â—â— insisted on I should soon have shewed him his errour and such a second trouble to have befallen him as the Poet speaketh off saying Incidit in Scyllam cupiens vitare Charybdin and as the Iews spake to Pilate So the last errour shall be worse than the first Matth. 27. vers 64. This beloved I do mention but to call you to minde to remember it that you may take notice how with the strength yea evidence of my Argument which truely to me is undeniable Mr. Nichols was put to his shifts And so indeed after a while he betook himself to another shift saying that Imposition of hands by the Presbytery in Ordination had been so abused and corrupted by the Bishops and by the Church of Rome that now by the Godly it was thought fit to be omitted and laid aside Ah beloved and can this answer perswade any sound Conscience to slight a Principle of the Doctrine of Christ Must Bishops or Romes corruptions make us more corrupt Must their corruptions make us deny our Principles Might not Mr. Nichols as well have answered that because the Church of Rome hath corrupted baptisme with Rites and Superstitious Ceremonies therefore we ought utterly to forsake to forget slight and omit baptism which also is a Principle of the Doctrine of Christ Surely for all this his answer you will be unwilling to deprive your Children of baptisme so purely and rightly administred in England because in Rome it is corrupted And so shall I for all this poor shift of Mr. Nichols be as unwilling to deny Imposition of hands by the Presbytery in Ordination as a Principle of the Doctrine of Christ because in Rome it is corrupted with anointing with Oyl the thumbs and fore-fingers of the Priests and with other foolish superstitious needless Rites and Ceremonies never practised by the Apostles But yet to shew Mr. Nichols his folly in this answer I demanded of him why then if he made such scruple of us Ministers who had been ordained by Bishops formerly with their Presbyters and of those Reverend Presbyters who in some places of this Land did still ordain without Bishops why then had he not the Imposition of hands by some Ministers nearer in judgement unto himself who had been beyond the Seas in Holland and doubtless there were ordained by some purer Presbyters who never succeeded Bishops These at least might better have ordained him than the people who have no power to ordain nor any power of the Keyes But this last Mr. Nichols denying and affirming the power of the Keyes to be in the people I replied against it thus 5. Argument The power of the Keyes wheresoever it is must be in that Subject which Christ hath ordained But Christ ordained not the people to be the Subject of the Keyes Ergo The people are not the Subject of the power of the Keyes The Major Proposition he granted and the Minor without any distinction at all he denied To which I replied If Christ ordained the people to be the subject of the power of the Keyes then the people must needs be the proper subject of the power of the Keyes But the people are not the proper subject of the power of the Keyes Ergo Christ ordained not the people to be the subject of the power of the Keyes The Major was granted and the Minor was yet denied to the which I replied with another Syllogisme If the people are the proper subject of the power of the Keyes than they are thâ— first subject of the power of the Keyes But the people â—re not the first subject of the power of the Keyes Ergo The people are not the proper subject of the power of the Keyes This Minor also he denied that the people were not the first subject of the power of tâ—â— Keyes till a friend whispering him in the ear made him to see and â—â—flect upon his oversight and better to consider what he had denied But I forthwith replied against him thus If the people were the first subject of the power of the Keyes then the power of the Keyes was in them first and before it was in the Apostles converting and baptizing them But the power of the Keyes was not in the people first and before it was in the Apostles converting and baptizing them Ergo The people are not the first subject of the power of the Keyes Here beloved Mr. Nichols finding himself by this Syllogisme quite cast upon his back followed his whispering friends as is supposed good counsel and though
ye retain they are retained John 20. vers 21 22 23. And again Go ye theresore and Disciple ye all Nations and lo I am with ye allway even to the end of the World Math. 28. vers 19 20. Thirdly Christ being the wisdom of the Father Colos. 2. vers 3. and faithfull as was Moses in all his house yea more faithfull Moses as a servant over others he as a Son over his own house Hebr. 3. vers 2 5 6. It cannot stand with his exact wisdom and fidelity to commit the grand affairs of his Church Government to such as are not duely gifted and sufficiently qualified by himself to the due discharge thereof Thus you have the Major cleared and the Minor will as easily appear evident thus First The Scriptures teach that gifts for Ministery and Government are promised and bestowed not on all but on some particular persons onely in the visible body of Christ. To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom to another the word of knowledge c. not to all 1 Cor 12. vers 8.9 seq If a man know not how to rule his own house how shall he take care of thâ— Church of God 1 Tim. 3. vers 5. The Hypothesis insinuates that all men have not gifts and skill rightly to rule their own houses much less to govern the Church Secondly Experience tells us that the multitude of the people are generally destitute of such knowledge wisdom prudence learning and other necessary qualifications for the right carrying on of Church Government Ergo Christ makes not the Community of the faithfull the first subject of the power of Church Government But this truth will yet more clearly appear by answering the Arguments and Objections of those who stand so much for Popular power and Government 1. Object First They Object thus To whom Christ gave all power to them it chiefly and primarily belongs But Christ gave all power to the body of the Church which is the Community of the faithfull Ergo To the Community of the faithfull all power belongs chiefly and primarily The Minor they prove from the Apostle Whither Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours 1 Cor. 3. vers 22. from whence they conclude that Paul Apollo Cephas and their successours in the Ministery belong to them and are under their power and Order Answ. To which I answer that Christ gave all power to the body of the Church finaliter objective finally and objectively that is for their use and benefit for their service and salvation So that if the Ministers preach administer the Sacrament exercise the power of the Keyes it is all for the good and benefit of the faithfull Community they are the Object they are the end the Ministers aim at in the work of the Ministery But we are not theirs so as to be of their making and Authorizing Church power is first seated in Christ the head and Apostle of our profession and from him committed to his Apostles and from them to the Presbytery and Ministers They commit the same to others which themselves had first received But according to that known rule Nemo dat quod non habet No man can give to another that which himself hath not first received Therefore the people which never received Orders nor power to administer the word Sacraments and Keyes how can they bestow it on others This is besides all Scripture and reason 2. Object Christs Disciples arâ— Christs Church But Christs Ministerial power is given to Christs Disciples Ergo Christs Ministerial power is given to his Church Proved from Math. 16. vers 13.20 Ans. In this Argument is changed the Copulative which ought not to be in a true Syllogisme But these Popular men may as well break the rules of art as the Faith of truth Again This cunning Sophister useth deceit in the word Disciples which he expounds by this Argument to be other than Apostles or such as were Disciples sent forth to preach when the place of Math. 16. vers 13.18 is evidently against this For he cannot prove at this time any to be with Christ but the twelve as may appeâ—r by Luke As he was alone praying his Disciples were with him and â—e asked them saying whom say the people that I am Luke 9. vers 18. Neither doth the place of Mathew say that these Disciples are Christs Church as this Sophister maketh shew but rather the 18. verse in that place of Mathâ—w manifesteth that Christ made himself a difference between tâ—e Disciples in the Person of Peter and the Church both which are there distinctly mentioned at the most they be but part of Christs Church and not the whole Church and then so meant this Argument gaines nothing For the Copulative Is given it is to be taken two ways Primarily and Immediately or Secondarily and Mediately If it be taken in the first sense and the word Disciples also for the Apostles then it is for us and against this Sophister If in the second sense and the word Disciples taken for the whole Church then I grant all for I confess the poweâ— of Christ to be given to the Church Mediately that is as I said before unto others for the Churches bâ—hoose and benefit If the Sophister understand it to be given Primarily to the whole multitude I deny it as utterly false till he can prove that by Disciples in Math. 16. vers 13 20. is meant the multitude which he calls the Church and not onely the Apostles 3. Object The wife hath power immediately from the husband and the body hath power immediately from the head But the visible Church or a Communion of faiâ—hfull people are Christs Spouse the wife of the Lamb and Christs mysticall body as appeareth Ephes. 5. vers 30 32. and Ephes. 1. vers 22 23. and Revel 21. vers 2. Ergo The visible Church or Communion of faithfull ones have Christs Ministerial power immediately from him Ans. There is more in the Câ—nâ—lusion than in the premises for there is the word Ministeriall which is in neither of the former propositions as in right arguing it ought to be lt is no Syllogisme and the Argument is but a similitude which may illustrate an approved truth but proves not nor gives resolution to a doubting minde much less decides our our Cause in hand 4. Object One Relate gives the Essentiall Constituting cause to another But Pastor and People are Relates Ergo The People give to the Paâ—tor the Essentiaâ— Constituting causes of â— Pastor 1. Ans. I answer first with Mr. Rutherfoâ—d that Ordination doth first make a Minister and Election after doth not make him a Minister but onely doth appropriate him to such a place and to such a People 2. Ans. Secondly I answer that in many cases Ordination may go before Election The Apostles were Ordained and sent before they were appropriated by any peculiar people So in the India's
Antichristian or Babylonish which I prove thus Those who by their life and Doctrine have witnessed against Antichrist could not be Antichristian But our Bishops since the Reformation have witnessed against Antichrist Ergo They were not Antichristian The Minor is clear in Cranmer Ridlâ—y Hooper Latimer Farrar Iewel Pilkington Sands Babington Abbot Davenant Hall Morton Usher and Dr. Brownrigge in his sound and Orthodox Divinity taught and professed publickly in Trinity Colledge in Cambridge against the unsound and corrupt Divinity taughâ— and professed in Rome But thirdly I answer that they did indeed Ordain our Ministers not qua Lord Bishops but qua Presbyteâ—s and had other Presbyters to joyn with them so that our Ordination from them is valid and may in no wise be disclaimed more than thoâ—e Ministers who were ordained in the Pâ—imitive Churches They were ordained in Cyperians time by Bishops and Presbyters The fourth Councel of Carthage ordered that no Bishops should ordain without the Counsel of his Clergie Antichrist was not then got in his feaâ— A Bishop if we consider him meerly as a Bishop was but a Minister and set apart to do the work of a Minister And so Ordinaâ—ion from them was bâ—t as from Ministers who have Commission fâ—om Christ to ordain and therefore the Argument proves nothing against us to null our lawfull succâ—ssion and Ordination Thus beloved having made a large progress through Mr. Nichols his three Erroneous Propositions having by Syllogistâ—cal Reasons and by Scriptures shewed unto you what is Babylonish and Antichristian and what not to wit that which is agreeable with the word of God with the express Command of Christ and with practise and example of the Apostles or that which crosseth the word the Command of Christ the practise and example of the Apostles have cleared our Churches and shewed unto you that as Parochial they are not Babylonish neither in their first Constitution Parishes having been constituted before Antichrist was discovered nor in the end of their Constitution that being for the better and more convenient feeding of many Souls by many Pastours nor in their mixture of good and bad together which mixture I have proved in all those Churches to whom Paul in his Epistles did write having shewed also unto you what practises against the word the express command of Christ the examples of the Apostles and according to the Iesuites examples are practized in Mr. Nichols his Congregation which he calls â—he House of God and finally having vindicated our Parochial Pastours and Parish Officiating-Ministers from Mr. Nichols his false aspersion and uncharitable censure of them branding them with the infamous Title of Babylonish I shall draw nearer to an end and conclude wiâ—h a use of Exhortation to some few duties 2. Vse of Exhortation I have beloved these three Lords dayes carried you about the bounds of Zion and Babylon I have shewed you at large what people what Churches are the Zion of God and what practises are Babylonish and how free our meetings and our Ministers are from such practises and in these three dayes surveying these bounds I have blown my Rams horns that the Walls of Babylon might fall as did the Walls of cursed Iericho formerly at the blowing of them I shall yet cause the sound of them to be heard all the Nation over committing what I have here spoken unto you to the Press that so whatsoever practises are Babylonish in the Land and Nation may be discovered Babylons strength and walls may be more ruâ—ned while Zâ—on shâ—ll stand as a Rock unmoveable and Hell-Gates Councels and practises shall never I hope prevail against her I have found in my search and Survey of Zions Walls and Bulwarks that yet she stands amongst us Our Churches I have found by the light and truth of Scripture â—o be Gods spirituâ—l Zion I have found their Antiquity as Parishes to be â—â—om the fiâ—st Pâ—imitive times and that it belongeth to the Decency and good Order of Zâ—on that in so stately great a House there be many Chambers and several distinct Tables where the Ordinances of God may be dispensed and the mulâ—itude of Souls belonging to Zion may be more conveniently fed I have found also out of Scripture that our Parish Officiating-Ministers are true Shepheards with the true properties of Shepheards and true Pastours Ordained by Christ his own Commission to feed the Souls in Zion having the lawfull power of the Keyes by Imposition of the hands of â—he Presbytery without which all Commission given by the people is subreptitious and false and against the Institution of Christ and consequently Babylonish and Antichristian And finally I have found Mr. Niâ—hâ—ls his three Assertions against us to be false not enduring the Trial and Touchstone of the Holy Scriptures and nothing by him truely Objected to prove us Babylonish but that we are a mixt multitude with many corâ—upt persons and sinners amongst us which he might as well have Objected against all the Churches mentioned in the several Epistles of Paul to prove Paul false in calling them Saints and Churches and against the Churches of Asia and yet not have unchurched them â—s upon this ground he hath not been able to unchurch us Yet because our sins onely are the great block and beam in his eye which hindreth his sight that he cannot see where a true Church is nor see that we are true Churches yea truer than his I beseech you let it be your care and indeavour for the time to come to give him no further offence by your sins but to live so religiously that this block and beam being removed from his eye he may see that we of Deal as well as those of other Parishes are a Church he may be won and recalled by your Godly walking and Conversation to come back to us and to send back again unto our Churches those whom he hath caused to separate from us Which that ye may perform the better give me leave to conclude this large discourse with an Exhortation to these duties following 1. Duty First Let us humble our selves for our sins which have been such Offences and Scandals to our Friends and Neighbours which have brought such destructions and divisions amongst us which have stirred up forraign Enemies against us which threaten us yet with greater miseries than those which hitherto we have suffered which make us as unclean as Lepers and cause others to loath us yea to separate from us Oh Let us read our sins in our miseries in our wars in our divisions which are amongst us We have nourished Malignant lusts Babylonish and Antichristian Brats within us which rebâ—l against the Spirit and fight against the Soul we have made sport and pass-time with those sins which shed the bloud of the Lord Jesus Oh Let those sins draw tears from us which drew bloud from Christ. We have grieved the holy Spirit and therefore well may the Spirit refuse to comfort us who have grieved him Well may
he in his private discourse brought no such Scripture to prove somewhat though nothing denied by me while I asseâ—t single Parishes to be true Churches and herein I hope I dissent not from the Reverend Presbyters whose Zeal in these troublous dayes I admire whose Godliness and profund Learning I cordially acknowledge and with reverence respect But secondly what from the word Angel I observe is that not many Angels are written unto in so many single Congregations but one onely Angel is named to one onely Angel the writing was directed though in several Churches of that Citie according to the number of them there were several Pastours also from whence I gather that the Discipline in that Citie was so Presbyterial that over all the single Congregations there was some one overâ—seeing power whether by the name of Bishop or Superintendent as to this day in Swedland and Denmark or some chief Provincial Classis wherein was some chief Moderatour governing with Presbyters Officers Teaching and Ruling Elders to whom in particular Iohn is commanded to write concerning all the other Churches making up as integral parts that one Church of Ephesus But thirdly the holy Spirit of Christ is pleased to stile also single Congregations Churches which my Caviller seems to deny as you may observe in these places Let your Women keep silence in the Churches 1 Cor. 14. vers 34. where note that several single meetings Societies and Congregations making up one Church of Corinth are called Churches and oftentimes mention is made of the Church that is in such or such a House as Rom. 16. vers 5. 1 Cor. 16. vers 19. Coloss. 4. vers 15. Philem. vers 2. whether this be interpreted of the Church made up onely of the Members of that Family or of the Church that ordinarily did meet in such houses with a particular Teacher in that place it implies however a single Congregation and to my purpose such a single Congregation is called Church which it seems is the main point that my Caviller stumbles at who further told me that I could not maintain Parishes to be Churches nor any single Congregations to be Churches but in an Independent way the contrary whereof I shall prove thus briefly in a Presbyterial way The Presbytery grants that many single Congregations as parts make up one Classis or one Provincial Church Ergo Those many single Congregations are true Churches which thus I prove If any thing oppose their true being of Churches it must be according to my Caviller because they are but parts of a Church or body made up by them But their being parts of a Church or body made up by them doth not oppose their true being of Churches Ergo single Congregations are true Churches The Minor proposition I prove thus They are such parts of the whole Church or body made up by them as do partake the nature of the whole But the whole body made up by them is a true Church Ergo The parts and single Congregations making up that whole body are also true Churches The Major or first Proposition I prove thus They are not Heterogeneal parts but Homogeneal parts making up the whole partake the nature of the whole Ergo They are such parts of the whole as do partake the nature of the whole And then But the whole is a true Church Ergo Parishes and single Congregations as Homogeneal parts partaking of the nature of the whole which is a true Church are also true Churches Which beloved that you may the better understand I shall clear it with an instance of Heterogeneal and Homogeneal parts First In mans body the parts making up a compleat body of man are the Head the Shoulders the Arms Hands Leggs and the like Of these parts we cannot say The head is truely the body the Arm is the body the Legg is the body because they are Heterogeneal parts of several natures not partaking the nature of the whole nor of the body But secondly in the Sea or Ocean the parts making up the whole Sea or Ocean are many drops of water which are called Homogeneal parts parting the nature of the whole whose nature is water and every drop of water is as true water as the whole Ocean and of every part or drop it may be said It is water as of the whole it may be said It is water For Homogeneal parts are parts of the same kinde and nature But such parts are single Congregations or single Churches and Parishes making up a Classis or Provincial Church for it cannot be said of many of them that the one is a part as the Head the other as the Arm the other as the Hand or Legg making up that body as Heterogeneal parts of several and distinct natures Ergo They are Homogeneal parts and as the nature of the whole is to be a Church so likewise the true being and nature of these is to be Churches But further This whole Church or Provincial body made up of many single Congregations is Predicable of many inferiours it being as Generical or Specifical in respect of many particulars But such Generical or Specifical Predicates are predicable of inferiours of their own kinde Ergo The inferiour and subordinate Congregations to to this Provincial body are of the same kinde and nature of the whole and of the superiour which being a true Church the inferiours are also true Churches As Man Specificable is Predicable of this Individual of that Individual Man and the other Individual all which Individuals and particular Inferiours agree with the Superiour and common Species in the kinde nature and self-same being of Man Thus having answered this scruple and having fully laid down my judgement against Mr. Nichols his first erroneous Assertion That Parochial Churches are Babylonish and having proved that they are neither Babylonish in their Constitution as Parishes nor in the end of their Constitution or division into Parishes nor in their mixture of good and bad nor to be denied to be true Churches as subordinate to higher Classes I shall hereafter commit to the Press and publick vieu of the World this my judgement delivered here unto you as not ashamed of the Gospel of Iesus Christ nor of any truth belonging unto it And I shall desire Mr Nichols if in case he shall reply that he will answer positively first to my grounds and Arguments in form as I have here laid them down by Syllogismes granting denying distinguishing taking notice of the Authority of the Scriptures expounding them if he can better than my self have done and then to make use of his fair Speeches and Orations by adding what he can to disprove my judgement and to clear his own better than upon the day of our Dispute he did otherwise to expect no second reply from me In the mean while I shall pass on to his second Assertion in the which he affirms that his Congregation is the house of God First I shall lay down and repeat unto