preaching against the true Christ preaching against the Scribes and Pharisees and they affirming him to be a deceiver And I dare maintain that what they preach contrary to what we preach in publick if they do to be contrary to sound doctrine Object You say you do nothing but what is good you set open the great doors and little doors not caring who sees who heareth you Answ 1. Admit that what is preached is good yet it is not well done good things should be well done according to rule and order 2. The Tree is known by the fruits and by your such Meetings we see the publick Ordinances slighted neglected contemned 3. I cannot accuse what is delivered in your Meetings but if it is contrary to what we preach in publick it is not good doctrine And let me tell you that John of Leyden infused his dangerous opinions in private Meetings and how our Mr. Thrask in publick preached sound truths but in his private Meetings he did indoctrinate his followers with his pernicious principles Object They who preach to us in private Meetings are pious men the other are profane vicious scandalous Answ 1. If this be true that some of us are such we are sorry for it yea such we will not justifie and when was it otherwise nor is all done by the other justifiable 2. There are more sins than swearing and drunkenness who can forget the swarms of sins in our late Tragedies and who were actors of many of them in it 3. For the present Are not despising of Authority disobedience Cobler of Gloc. to wholsom Laws sins from which are these men free 4. Blessed be God although we all are proclaimed to be profane and naught yet there are very many as free from idleness drunkenness swearing and such like vices and as painful pious charitable and inoffensive as the strictest in your commanded company 5. But to be plain with you All professions whilst kept under it is their interest to be orderly but when these men of late had their liberty we are able to prove the profane excesses of some of them even to publick scandal by Epicurism intemperance and uncleanness to say no more For my part I cannot think but that the respect such who are in Authority bear to themselves their care to have their Laws and Religion upholden their obedient Clergy not vilified and people kept from Atheism and rebellion will awaken them in time strictly and by severity to do that which their clemency will not do You cry out much against Popery yet your doings endeavour to bring it in and set it up it is a Jesuitical plot to sow division amongst us to make our Religion odious and that they may fish in troubled waters From a good Author I will tell you a story which is this Before our troubles one Meridith an ancient Dr. Nicols and learned Jesuit told one reconciled to the Church of Rome that in England they had been long and industrious about the work of conversion but it went on slowly and so would do until they took a wiser course Two things there were that must be done before they should bring their business to a full effect they must first find a way to remove the Bishops and Ministers in whose rooms they must bring it so about that all should have liberty to preach Then secondly they must get down the Common-prayer-Book and suffer every man to use what prayer he list And we cannot but remember how far they effected this in our sad troubles Besides if you expect such priviledge why may not they expect the same They being Christians they being subjects they and some of you being Recusants why not they their Mass as well as you your Meetings Object Why Those you hear in your Meetings have rare gifts they are pious and precious men Answ I envy no mans gifts but bless God for other mens parts and piety 2. Comparisons are odious otherwise we could say as St. Paul of the false Apostles in his time Are they thus and so so are we 3. The forbidden fruit without doubt was excellent yet it had been good for our first Parents to have contented themselves with their allowed Trees and fruits Many mens Wives and Diet come short of other mens yet it is fit their own should content them 4. Blessed be God your allowance is large you may hear every week three Sermons in an approved way and none of them to be contemned And as for Popish Priests do you not think theâ— will say for their Priests and Jesuits the same that you do for your Preachers you say yours are rarely gifted men great Scholars pious painful and what you will more They will not conform to the Book of Common-prayer nor observe the Orders appointed by the Church of England they will not assent and consent They can and will say the same of theirs If you say yours will take no Livings they can say the same and add not Wives neither If you say that yours live by providence going about to do good they can say theirs have no setled abiding but are sometimes here and there to promote and spread the Catholick cause and are maintained by the peoples bounty We acknowledge that we and Papists are Christians agreeing in many things for we and they acknowledge unity in Trinity but we with them acknowledge no Queen of heaven to pray unto We and they acknowledge the Scriptures to be the Word of God but we with them make not the Apocrypha Canonical We with them make the Word of God the ground of faith but we with them make not unwritten traditions of equal authority We and they agree in admitting doctrinal traditions agreeing with Scripture or thence deduced yea ritual for order and decency left to the disposition of the Church although but of positive and humane right they not being childish nor accounted parts of God's Worship nor with opinion of merit nor burdensom for multitude But we with them believe not traditions obtruded as Articles of Religion grounds of faith and parts of God's Worship they not being deduced from Scripture by inference nor expresly commanded such we reject We and they receive and believe the three Creeds but we with them receive not the Creed of Trent We and they believe the true God is to be worshipped in Spirit and truth we with them believe not that he is to be worshipped by Images We and they believe that we are to pray with fervency and sincerity but we with them pray not in an unknown tongue We and they pray to God but we with them do not pray to Saints and Angels We and they acknowledge Christ to be our Mediator of redemption and intercession but we with them do not at all rely upon the intercession and merits of Saints and Angels We and they do honour Saints departed but we with them do not worship them We and they do urge to good works we as necessary
worth or respect we have to any man but to search and see that they have a sound bottoming from the Word So we are not to wonder why the best of God's messengers cannot take men off from their unwarranted opinions The Jews retain their opinion that neither Elijah nor Christ are come The Papists retain their opinions and will die in their errors rather than embrace the truth It will be no strange thing then if I endeavouring to I neither do nor can remove you from your erroneous practises 1. In vilifying not coming to but absenting your selves from the publick prayers of the Church no not by Scriptures the testimony of holy Martyrs the hatred Papists bear to it the strictness of the Law under which we live the excellency and usefulness of it nor by the approbation the Reformed Churches give of it of all which I have made use but in vain 2. In not baptizing your children or baptizing them in an illegal and irregular way although I think I have shewed sufficient grounds and authorities and Mr. Baxters opinion which is That they who deny baptism to their children play the devils part yea do herein heinously exceed the Devil Some who admire the man will be his Interpreter saying his meaning is If they may have them baptized in his way and then will not but refuse Read his Book of Infant Church-membership through and through and you shall find no such limitting to this way or that he acknowledgeth ours to be true baptism valid and not to be reiterated And whereas some who think they know more than they do say It is the duty of parents to have their children baptized although it doth children no good such sensless silly speeches shew that some folks bolts are soon shot It is a duty and yet doth it no good Do Scriptures so highly Act. 23. 8. Rom. 6. 4. Tit. 3. 4. commend Baptism as we read and doth it no good Is it no good to be a member of Christ's Church but to be in the same condition with Turks and Pagans 3. In not coming to the Communion of which I have spoken often and at large but I see you are resolved notwithstanding I will intreat you to take notice that if your practises are erroneous as they are 1. That to be obstinate in an error is dangerous for mans salvation The ugliness of obstinacy in error doth appear from the Author of it who Mat. 5. 19. Mat. 13. 25. is not God but the Devil so obstinate errors diabolical and naturally it produceth Heresie or Schism and is such that St. Paul wished to be cut of A mutinous Soldier is Gal 5. 12. hanged when an open enemy hath fair quarter Consider also that errors in the end bring terrors such making men like children hulk on the Sea without rudder for in such a condition are such who flote on groundless errors yea errors Eph. 4. 14. make men as bones out of joint which cost groans to bring them in place again Alas what is a traveller in the night out of the way how is he troubled A Rebel out of the Kings favour how is he perplexed erroneous persons are Travellers out of the way and as Rebels out of favour Object You are deceived Papists Anabaptists Quakers we and other more you think do err are not troubled we fear not we suffer for our consciences Answ Admit some live and die confident in gross errors never fearing harms to follow So some run into the fire fearlesly and rush upon dangers desperately but they are frantick or foolish not wise and well-guided persons And that we may not err take heed of pride which provokes men to errors and factions Take heed of prejudice against any thing causelesly Take heed of covetousness Act. 8. 9. Act. 19. 32 Tit. 1. 11. truths adversary for some subvert houses for lucre sake gain perswades many to maintain errors that errors may maintain them And be we careful to this end constantly to believe what is taught you by the Scripture and conscionably to obey what is commanded you by the Church provâ—ded it be not contrary to Scripture Be careful to fasten our faith upon Scripture If Scripture saith it I will believe Gal. 1. 8. it To fasten our charity upon our Mother the Church and her directions and see that we our selves be humble for whereas many object all alledge Scripture we confess it to Mat. 4. be so The Devil himself did so yet it is certain if we will read the Scriptures carefully and faithfully hear the Church charitably and esteem of our selves modestly we shall understand Scriptures sufficiently to keep us from error Once again let me intreat you brethren not to err with any Master Some think they may safely do this or that because of such whom they follow To them I say as St. Aâ—gustine of Cyprian Although there are many things that Cyprian did excellently teach yet there are some things wherein Cyprian might have learned more than he knew So say I of some men such shall be my friends I love them well for the good service they may do but I must and do love the truth better since a wise man will not alter an ancient truth for the love he bears to the Author of any novelty Gal. 1. 8. and a good man dare not For although men are wonderfully pleased with their own conceits and their opinions must be the great Monarch to rule even the Monarchs of the world although they suppress truth to advance falshoods yet they are but like a cumbersom heap of sands a congested heap of groundless opinions good for nothing not worth any thing only fit to deceive here and to destroy hereafter a fruitlesâ— heap bearing no other fruit than to abuse our neighbour dishonour God and betray mens souls to Satan a disagreeing heap not fast joyned together Errors and falshoods may for a time be patch'd together like a beggars cloak but they continue not long united and an inconsistent heap for they who embrace errors are not long constant but run from one absurdity to another Let me therefore acquaint you how some have drawn and do draw well-meaning people into error being stirred thereunto 1. Sometimes by covetousness Paulus Samosetanus expecting preferment from the Queen of Arabia fell into such Schisms which in the end wrought his own overthrow Some men finding it an easie thing to live at another mans Table although so doing is base to a generous mind speak often things to maintain and please a faction Tit. 1. 11. Sometimes by ambition which hath often caused contention and separation because Arrius could not get the Bishopwrick of Alexandâ—ia Donatus of Carthage Aerius of Ponts they became enemies to the Church 3. Sometimes by intollerable pride working contempt of Authority the contempt of which causeth separation and mens self-love is the cause of this contempt Self-love as Lib. 14. cap. 18. decivitat Dei
unjustly hurt and vex the godly without cause and good men through love by discipline do justly correct others for their miscarriages The discipline of the Church being as Cyprian saith the preserver of hope the guide to salvation the retainer of faith and cherisher of godliness The correcting voice of discipline oft doth and may do good to such who will not be moved with the sweet voice of intreating St. Augustine saith He who binds a frantick man and awakes him who is in a Lethargy is troublesom to both yet he loveth and helpeth both So to bind men with the cords of justice that they may not wrong themselves and others is a great good it being also far better to weaken some by justice than suffer them to go on to weaken others by faction Object But if I will complain for neglecting Communions and Chatechising why not of swearers and drunkards Answ 1. I hear no oaths I see no drunkards I see absenters from God's Ordinances and I preach against the one and the other 2. Most speak against swearing and drunkenness as gross sins the other go under the notion of goodness 3. Swearers and drunkards deny not our Church to be a true Church they deny not the Ordinances and they might be better wrought upon and reformed was it not for our divisions The other do little less than seek the overthrow of the Church 4. I hope I am a friend to no vice and such an enemy to all that if any will bring me as good evidence and will stand to it that such and such are incorrigible swearers and drunkards as I have that such and such come not to Communions if I then endeavour not their amendment by Church-censures if I cannot by perswasions let me be blamed I intend not to create any just offence or real hurt to any mans person for truly I know not the man living or creature breathing to whom I do not heartily wish grace mercy and peace My desire is to endeavour in this place to stop the current of opinionists blown by the spirit of error over many parts of this Land to the dishonour of God and endangering of many a mans salvation and staggering well-meaning people and drawing them to disobedience Schism and Faction And whilst I am so doing when I have done I hope to make it appear that as I never yet did shew the least malice nor discontent to them who formerly sought to ruine me and mine so that now I bear not any ill will either to the party or any other but that I do what I do in love and that if they make tryal they may truly say of me as it became a Proverb concerning Arch-bishop Cranmer Do my Lord of Canterbury a shrewd turn and then you may be sure to have him your friend for your labour whilst you live Thus you and I being men are subject to err and it being dangerous to live in error according to my Office and duty I have declared wherein you err that I may not be guilty of the same by my silence If you can bring me convincing grounds that I thus differing from you in judgment and in thus discharging my duty do err you shall soon perceive and see that I will not be obstinate in error And if what I have said contain convincing arguments to make it clear that you do err then I desire the same of you that you may not obstinately persist in error that so both I and you may follow this blessed counsel of the holy Ghost by the Apostle Saint James speaking to you and me in these words Do not err my beloved brethren Preached October 6 13 20. Certain sayings of Mr. Baxter in his Infant-Church-membership THe main scope of their endeavours in publick and private is to propagate their opinions and if they preach any wholsom doctrine it is usually subservient to their great design that the truth may be as suger to sweeten their errors Pag. 144. that they may be easier swallowed They perswade the people that Ministers are seducers lyars c. judge therefore 16. what good may people expect from Ministers How hath it grieved my spirit to see and hear men professing to be more godly than others to make it the business of their lives to disgrace the Ministers of the Gospel When poor people hear those despise the Ministry that 16. once were constant hearers Sure these men having tryed see some evil in that way c. O how it stumbleth and drives off the poor ignorant people 145. from Religion when they see those that have seemed Religious prove such And when they see us at such difference one with another and when they see so many Sects and Parties that they know not which to turn to They think that all strictness doth tend to this and so that the godly are but a company of giddy proud unsettled singular persons that know not where to step till they are besides themselves O! how are the Papists hardened by this I have spoken with some of them that once began to be moderate who now upon the observation of these Sects are generally confirmed in their way and say Now you may see what it is to depart from the bosom of the Church to make the Scriptures common c. The Episcopal Party are more confirmed in their way by it and say You have mended the matter well c. yea those who were offended at the Prelates cruelty do now think they did well and that which was needful for the quenching of this fire whilst it When to whom was a spark And many who began to stagger at the Kings late Wars are now many thousands of them perswaded of the lawfulness of it from the miscarriages of these men And if report too probable do not lye thousands and And other grounds millions of Papists in all Countreys of Europe where they dwell are confirmed and hardened in their Religion by the odious reports that go of the miscarriages of these men in England These say they are your Reformers And this is your Reformation How many thousand Professors of Religion are quite ruined in their souls and turned into Monsters rather than Saints How many sad distracted divided Congregations What dividing and subdividing and subdividing 149. again and running from Church to Church and from opinion to opinion till some are at such a loss that they affirm Christ hath no Church c. How many distracted Families in England that were wont to worship God in unity and joyfulness One will pray and the other will not pray with him because he is unbaptized 16. and a third saith Family-duties are not commanded in Scripture One will sing praise to God another scorneth it as if it were singing of a Jig and a third will sing Psalms from the dictate of the Spirit only One will be of one Church and another of another Envying and strife hath taken place while
unity and love are laid aside because that truth is josled out by error What a multitude do I know that are most notorious for 150. pride thinking themselves wiser than the ablest Teachers when they have need to be chatechised Some of them run up into the Pulpit to preach some will not come in publick are constant Teachers in private where they vilifie the Ministry and make poor souls believe that the Ministers are ignorant of the truth of God in comparison of them I have wondred formerly why St. Paul speaks so much against 151. Heresies and Schisms and what made even all the primitive Fathers spend most of their zeal painful writings against Heresies and Errors as doth Ignatius and almost all when we in these dayes were ready to think these to be scarce sins But now we begin to know their meaning and I can say as good Dadianus I never knew what Heresie or Schism was till now Thus he and abundance more A DISSWASIVE FROM ERROR A PERSWASIVE TO ORDER By a Lover of and Labourer for Truth Peace Unanimity Uniformity and Order Joseph Bentham JUDE 3. Earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the Saints London Printed by W. R. MDCLXIX A Visitation-Sermon PREACHED At Kettering Octob. 6 15. 1666. 1 COR. 14. 40. Let all things be done decently and in order MANY enormities and disorders were amongst the Corinthians incest unpunished bolstered not lamented Law-suits before Pagans to the scandal of the Gosspel men covered women uncovered in Divine Service negligent and unworthy coming to the Lord's Table abusing of gifts to vain glory denying the resurrection c. The Apostle having handled some things concerning matters of decency as womens praying covered in token of subjection and mens praying or prophecying namely being present at praying and prophecying uncovered in sign of their superiority Having also spoken of some things more properly pertaining to edification by silencing such who used tongues without interpretation and of some things peculiar to order as to speak by two or three in the close he sets down a rule or Canon by which all must be squared a touchstone to try and a ballance to weigh Church-orders whether they be right which they are In regard of the end v. 26. when they tend to edification and in regard of the manner when they are done decently and in order since all things should be done without confusion of persons and proceedings in just and due order therefore what is in the Church as it is to be decent so it ought to be in order Doct. Order in the Church of God is a good and an excellent thing And it is so 1. In regard of God who is a God of order v. 33. Order proceeds from him and from his throne who also is a lover of it delighting in it all loving their own works and what conforms to them 2. In regard of the Church which in Scripture is called (a) Cant. 4. 12. a garden enclosed therefore to kept in order an (b) Cant. 6. 4. army with banners therefore to march and to be Marshalled in order And (c) 1 Tim. 5. 15. Gods house therefore to be governed and kept in order 3. In regard of good men who so prized order That the (d) 1 Chr. 5. 55. Priests are commended for keeping order They are (e) 1 Chr. 15. 15. blamed and punished for not observing order St. Paul (f) Col. 2. 5. rejoyced beholding the order of the Colossians he (g) 1 Cor. 11. 34. promised to set things in order at Corinth he charged (h) Tit. 1. 5. Titus to do the same at Creet and himself was perswaded publickly to declare at Jerusalem his walking according to (i) Act. 21. 24. order 4. In the great book of nature there is order Bees have their Queens Cranes have their leader Locusts their troops so that order is the beauty of Nature the ornament of Art and honour of the World 5. From the contrary we may see its excellency since where order is not kept (1) 1 Cor. 14. 33. peace cannot be kept confusion and peace agree not (2) Job 10. 22. Death is evil and that is without order in it are no orderly changes of night day heat cold nor do men in dying keep order rich and great men going first But rich and poor young and old promiscuously die without order and Hell the worst of all hath in it no order surely then it is a kind of death to see any disorder Sleidan Comment lib. 10. An. 1555. and a kind of Hell to see all in disorder yea popular inequality was so burdensom to the seditious Anabaptists in their rebellion that contrary to their doctrine they made one their Captain another their King so seeking to have order in their hurly-burly disorders 6. Yea such is the excellency of order that civil order is the beauty of Kingdoms spiritual of the Church that the fabrick of the World is upholden by order that States and Kingdoms are maintained by it and without it nothing can well flourish or prosper And since it hath or should have place in all things surely the Church should not be without it for order and uniformity in discipline is an hedge to unity and doctrine And where rules for order are despised and every man left to himself usually so many Citizens so many Sects whereas where all things are done in order there union in Law breeds union in love uniformity in fashion uniformity in faith Eph. 4. 3 4. But alas where is our order when as at Corinth so with us one is for Paul another for Apollo and might not any of 1 Cor. 1. 12 these have been acceptable and given content Sure this is not agreeable to order since St. Paul for their so doing pronounceth 1 Cor. 3. 4. such to be carnal when some go to private meetings when they should go to the publique Ordinances when some go to the Lords Table more keep away than come sure it is neither decent nor according to order Oh my beloved brethren for the Lord's sake a God of order for the Churches sake the houshold of God to be well ordered live in peace be of one mind and observe good order Because many are divided into factions shall we must we needs sin with others or because disorders are abroad let us unite at home and be orderly Order is of God disorder is not so some must begin to make up the breaches and to quench the flames Oh that we could be the men for why should we open the mouths of our adversaries to reproach our Religion as if in it we had no agreement no order why should we tear the Church of Christ into pieces by our disorders why should we be stumbling blocks to people making them at a stand not knowing what to do whether to be of this or that or the other or of no Religion why should we
things lawful If it is superstition when men not contented with the prescribed manner of worship gather together an heap needlesly then when men beyond Gods restraint increase restraints upon themselves or others to please God they are thereby superstitious in the Negative Col. 2. 21. forbids will-worship in Negative observances Touch not taste not handle not They therefore who add restraints where God hath not in so doing may be negatively superstitious as the Pharisees in not doing some things on the Sabbath day and the Philistines not treading upon the threshold of Dagon In abstaining therefore from things lawful as unlawful there may be a negative superstition There is then a superstition positive and negative the one when men count that holy which God never made holy the other when men condemn that which God never condemned both faulty It is not for us to make sins or duties To make more sins than God made is a condemning of the rule as imperfect as if the Law was not full and exact enough but needed to be pieced up by mens fancies yet so do some who upon their own will and sense without any warrant from the Word condemn men for using things indifferent Rom. 14. no where forbidden and by authority commanded Take heed take heed that our hatred of superstition make us not mad-headed like some modern Antitrinitarians who reject the doctrine of the Trinity because the Pope holds it or such who will meddle with nothing which in Popery was polluted If things enjoyned be not sinful like theirs Mat. 15. 9. if they are of things necessary or useful for the time Act. 15. 28. such do bind the conscience and are no violation of it Christian liberty a freedom from the tyranny of sin the curse of the Law the yoak of Moses and the like as before is a great liberty which may content and a precious thing to stand fast in but we must not turn it to license Gal. 5. 13. Although we are free yet we must not use our liberty Gal. 5. 1. as a cloak of maliciousness but know we are still the servants of God and owe him obedience and to every one of 1 Pet. 2. 16 his commandments whereof this is one submit to every 1 Pet. 2. 13. humane Ordinance for the Lords sake and by love bound to serve one another Gal. 5. 13. 1. Consider the frequent and peremptory charge of submission of obedience Rom. 13. 1. 1 Pet. 2. 13. 2. Consider that to despise dominion is very dangerous 1 Pet. 2. 10. Jude 8. 3. That vain janglings about indifferents have much scandalized the Gospel of Christ 4. And hazarded the loss of God's Ordinances and made many deprive themselves wofully of them 3. Thirdly Must all things be done decently and in order 1. Then you must have a Teacher else where is order In an house no Steward or Governour in a War no Director sure no order 2. This Teacher must not be any one not every one that was Jeroboam's sin and of later times a cause of much of many and sad disorders 3. This Teacher must have maintenance fitting to his function so that feeding the Flock he may eat of the milk of the flock for when such are contemned in regard of poverty when in regard of it they are scorned when there is a ragged Minister and a rich people what decency what order 4. This Preacher and people must consider they are members of a Church and subject to its government and therefore in all things they are to submit and obey its lawful Ordinances and injunctions For instance 1. Our Church enjoyns us to come at the beginning and stay until the end of the publick Worship of God and this is agreeable to Scripture Ezek. 46. 10. Luk. 1. 21. 2. The Church enjoyns us to pray kneeling which is agreeable to Scripture precept and the practise of the best men as David Solomon Paul and our Saviour Christ yet we have some who at the publick prayers of the Church will not Psal 95. 6. stand with the Pharisee nor kneel with the Apostle neither stand as servants to a Master nor kneel as subjects before a Prince but sit as if they were to bless God not he them much less imitate those who with wives and children and as is most probable being they passed through the City in their better apparel and yet in prayer would kneel although in a most incommodious place to wit the Sea-shore Act. 21. 5. Sure it argues ignorance or arrogance to refuse to kneel in prayer to God in which duty no gesture so fitting as kneeling if possible if not injurious if not hindering edification 3. The Church enjoynes men to be uncovered in the service of God and there is no doubt but that we may testifie our reverence to God as we do to men nor do I know of any Church where the Minister is uncovered and the people covered too much in use with us he being there as God's Embassador the people as they to whom he is sent he as a Teacher they to learn Give me leave to tell you what an eminent Divine saith He who thinks saith he he may not be uncovered out of fear to offend God may be superstitious Dr. Nicolson's answer to Mr. Mathews pag. 187. yea whilst he speaks against all ceremonies is ceremonious and he that thinks upon no occasion he may cover his head is ceremonious also and yet for his superstition he hath a fairer excuse than the other for the one doth it for the most part out of contempt and perverseness and in a disobedience to some higher power the other â—ut of a kind of necessity which his present condition may put him upon and 't is a certain rule charity dispenceth with all ceremonies The one by it may give â—ccasion to suspect his irreverence the worst that can be made of the other is that he desires to serve his God with fear and reverence as judging himself in his presence before whom he cannot be tâ—o vile The one hath no countenance nâ—r colour of any Scripture for what he dâ—es the other looks upon these plain words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. 4. and thinks he is obliged to it as indeed he is till the meaning of the Text â—e otherwise cleered to him The one is disobedient to higher powers the other obedient to the same as he ought better grounds by far than the other who will do or not do because he will or he will beâ—â—use such and such do so 4. The Church enjoyns all Communicants to receive the Communion three times in the year of which Easter to be one A duty of order yea more for if not comers to the Passeover were to be cut off surely God who was so severe Num. 6. 9 13. for the neglect of that Sacrament inferior to the Communion how severe will he be think we to the contemners of this so sacred an Ordinance Since
also not to come is a disobedience to Christ's command Do this which is divine And 1 Cor. 11. 23. St. Paul saith I have received of the Lord that which I delivered unto you And v. 26. As often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup Which as often implies often as the Apostles and primitive Christians understood it yea and the not comers neglect the memory of Christs death by which we are redeemed in his way They neglect also the communication of Christ's body and blood and shew themselves none of Christ's Disciples not obeying him his Sheep hearing his voice in this nor imitating him whom we are to follow who did eat the Passeover a type of his Passion as to put an end to it so to honour his Ordinance and to shew us our duty what we are to do to shew his subjection to the Law as our pattern and example But alas what are we come unto whither shall we go If in some places where are hundreds of families and not one hundred to communicate if some who are married if some of thirty if not forty years of age were never at the Communion if in populous places and Congregations the most turn their backs upon this Ordinance Is this for edification is this order Obj. 1 I dare not come saith one lest I come unworthily Answ 1. And why will you come unworthily why will you prefer your sinful lusts before Christ and salvation Repent amend 2. To come unworthily is sinful not to come may be as great if not a greater sin He who comes doth what he is enjoyned although he fail in the manner and so may shew a neglect the other who comes not shews contempt of Christ's command Do this so contempt of the memory of Christ's death by which we are redeemed and shews himself none of Christ's Disciple and surely contemners sin fearfully To neglect to come therefore is a gross sin where a man in coming as well prepared as he can he doth his duty and humbly commits himself unto God's mercy Obj. 2 I cannot come saith another because of the company many being admitted to come who are bad and with such St. Paul saith I must not eat and if I may not eat with them then not come to the 1 Cor. 5. 9 10 11 12. Lords Table with them Answ 1. I may not be his familiar his companion therefore I may not communicate with him not go to the Church with him is weak and frivolous for to eat at home is an indifferent action left to my choice and I may not chuse evil To eat at the Sacrament is part of Gods service not to be omitted without sin it being his and my duty Although I must separate from him in civil familiarity which is common and unnecessary where I have liberty not else 1 Cor. 7. 13 14. yet I may not in sacred society and the service of God which is his duty and mine if he be not cast out of the Church by excommunication As I am to avoid the least partaking of other mens sins so am I bound to the greatest partaking with them in duty and yet I may eat with him if occasionally I be cast upon the same Inn Ordinary and Table c. 2. Scriptures enjoyning separation from wicked men command to depart or separate from their ill courses their sins not from being with them in Gods Ordinances Should a sick man say I will not accompany such who are sick to a Physician and be healed is he not guilty of his own death for so doing 3. Sure it is an error to imagine that communicating with wicked men is a sin in the worthy Communicant or a being polluted by their company since the keeping company with them in such sacred meetings is only an acknowledgement that they are in the number of them whom Christ came to redeem and so saith St. Peter It is only a joyning with 2 Pet. 2. 1. them in Christian profession and a confederating with them to lead Christian lives all which are Christian acts and tokens of humility unlike the Pharisee who condemned and triumphed over the Publican whereas it would be better to look more at home to our own wayes and works and leave judging of others than to deprive our selves of so sacred an Ordinance for other mens coming since St. Paul reproves not the giver nor the worthy receiver at Corinth only the unworthy comer since upon such grounds of separation there will be no resting and since to forbear because of other mens unworthiness is a new-found groundless fancy not in our Saviours time when Judas came nor in St. Pauls time when many came unworthy 1 Cor. 11. Obj. 3 We cannot touch pitch and not be defiled we encourage them in their sins by our presence whom we must reprove Answ It hath already been shewed that it defileth not to do a good duty with a sinful man as the Pharisee did not scruple to go to the Temple with the Publican Luk. 18. Obj. 4 But we cannot communicate with that Church which hath no discipline Answ Discipline there is although perhaps not of that kind which some desire yet such as the Church hath stood and flourished under since the Apostles time until the last Century And such as hath made as good Christians in this Nation and as zealous Martyrs as any in the world And if this discipline be not executed it is the sin of those unto whom Augustin cont parmâ—n l. 3. c. 2. it is committed unless as it often happens the multitude of offendors or the difficulty of the times impede the same Obj. 5 We would come might we receive it as we would Answ You would obey might you disobey and your disobedience doing as you list go for obedience Obj. 6 Oh no We desire to receive in a Gospel way in which we may imitate Christ which we do not if we kneel Answ Very good you desire to imitate Christ then kneel for we who do kneel desire to and do imitate Christ for our Saviour at the Passeover did conform to the Passeover gesture enjoyned by and practised in the Church wherein he lived we therefore kneeling according to the practise of the Church wherein we live do imitate Christ Obj. 7 What Christ did we must do Answ Prove that Christ did not kneel and that he forbad us to kneel That Christ did sit and commanded us to sit and we He did sit what Christ did not do we must not do He did not kneel what Christ did we must do Whoso reads seriously the Evangelists will not take Christs example as a rule to guide the Church in all circumstances in administring and delivering the Eucharist for must we deliver it upon Maunday Thursday in a chamber not in a Church only to twelve at once those only men and Clergy men Must we deliver it to them lying or leaning upon one anothers bosom not in the morning but at night
he cannot be able soundly by the Word of God to disprove any part of it When he who was called Protector sent a command to look to Ale-houses and Readers of the Common-prayer Mr. Gatford since Doctor of Divinity a sequestred Divine sent to him and his Parliament-House a tart rebuke in print for joyning the Common-Prayer with Ale-houses and a bold challenge requesting that all might be commanded to object what they could against it promising that he and some few of his sequestred Brethren would make good That that Book is absolutely the best and freest from exception that ever saw light in the Christian world and that it is none of the weakest forts the Church hath against Popery and Errors John Carelesse in his examination before Dr. Martin it is only in the first Edition of the Book of Martyrs which is in one volume saith That same Book which is so consonant and agreeable to the Word of God being set forth by common authority both of the King that dead is Edward 6. and of the whole Parliament-House ought not to be despised by me or any other private man under pain of Gods curse high displeasure and damnation except they repent Object It is Popery Answ Dr. Weston Prolocutor in the Convocation house in Queen Maries reign made a bitter invective against it In whose reign also Papists articled against some of the Martyrs for using of it for being present when it was used Arch-Bishop Cranmer affirmed that he with Peter Martyr and some few more would defend the Book of Common-Prayer against all Papists in the world for of a long time they only were the opposers of it and Papists now so abhor it that they are to and will lose two parts of three of their rents rather than hear it and yet Popery Fie besides what one Popish thing is in it Is there prayer to Saints or Angels Is there prayer to the dead or in an unknown tongue Is there any allowance of Purgatory of Merit Is it not directed against all the material points of Popery so that if it was observed it was impossible Popery should come into England Object Something in it is in the Mass-Book it was taken out of it Answ Is the Lord's Prayer Popery because it is in the Mass-Book Kneeling to Jupiter was unlawful to God is required St. Paul borrowed of Pagans Act. 12. 28. Tit. 3. 12. The Pope defends the Trinity shall we therefore deny it The Devils and Pagans believe on God so do we There hath not been nor can be a greater cause of triumph to the Papists nor cleerer vindication of their innocency in suffering so much in their estates for absenting themselves from our service than such doings of some Protestants who make the use of that service scandalous and so great a crime Upon this advantage given what may the Papists say how may they plead I pray judge and consider And take heed lest in calling that Popery which is not you bring it in by taking away such Bull-warks which should keep it out And I beseech you brethren do not flatter your selves by saying the Martyrs had not such gifts as you nor such lights as you have 1. As for gifts they were so gifted as to seal the Gospel Mr. Fox Preface to the Works of Mr. Tyndal saith Albeit increasing of learning of Tongues and Sciences with quickness of wit in youth and others doth marvellously shoot up as it is to be seen to the sufficient furnishing of Christs Church yet so it happeneth I cannot tell how the farther I look back into those former times of Tyndal Frith and other like more simplicity with true zeal with humble modesty I see with less corruption of affections in them In opening of Scriptures what truth what soundness can a man require more or what more is to be said than is found in Tyndal c. The same is the judgment of the Learned and witty Prefacer to the Treatise called the Book-Fish containing certain Treatises of John Frith the Martyr taken out of a Cod-fishes belly in Cambridge Market Anno 1626. and after published The Author of that notable Preface is thought to have been Dr. Thomas Goad of Haddenham one of our five Divines that were at the Synod of Dort This Author saith also He knows not how but he finds a better spirit more vivacity and efficacy in the writings of the first Reformers than in the more accurate labours of these of our times For new lights hear the judgment of the old Non-Conformists Opinions now embraced as new truths and lights are no other for substance but the old errors and dotages of Barrow and Greenwood long since published by them and by the godly opposed so that like rusty weapons they are newly furbished and being but the same metals and materials are cast into a new mold with an addition of some things more of the same sort with their blood as to confute their adversaries and defend the truth And Mr. Fox saith that Hadley a Town of Tradesmen where Dr. Tayler that great admirer of and commender of the Book of Common-Prayer lived was like an University for knowledge 2. And as for your new lights Did S. Paul hold nothing back but declare all the counsel of God Act. 20. 27. Did he pronounce him accursed who preached any other doctrine Gal. 1. 8. and command Timothy to keep the commandement until Christ's appearing 1 Tim. 6. 14. and must we now look for new lights I cannot imagine that the holy Ghost should give Timothy as solemn a charge as was ever given to mortal man to observe the rules given until Christs coming and new lights to be expected yet many pretend much to new lights and new wayes and gaze upon them so that as some gazing upon ignis fatuus lose their way and fall into ditches so these men stare so much upon their new lights that they cannot find the way to God's house and they lose the true light which hath shined and doth in the Church of God But whence come these new lights If from Scripture we had them before if not from Scripture they are false and deceitful lights Great is the wantonness of many in greeting new opinions and Opinionists as if former truths were sapless yet truth is alwayes flourishing although too many are even sick of new opinions The Fryars had formed a new Gospel and called it the everlasting Gospel they cryed it up to be worthier than the Gospel of Christ as much as the Sun is more perfect than the Moon the kernel than the shell this continued about thirty years with little reproof it was openly read and expounded in Paris 1235. but 1256. it was opposed by the Parisian Doctors and burnt as ignis fatuus is a vanishing Meteor so these new lights will I believe vanish and fade as did the Fryars Evangeâ—ium aeternum 6. The Church enjoyns God-fathers and God-mothers at Infant-baptism They are at Geneva They are
in the Assembly saith he they are but consulting how to build the Church not in the Presbytery for that is a Church unbuilt as yet not among the Parishes they are not Scripture Congregations as Smectymnus saith where is the Church of England Dr. Field of the Church will tell you Mr. Saltmarsh That there are some who profess the truth described by the Son of God but not wholly and entirely as Hereticks some who profess the whole saving truth but not in Unity as Schismaticks Some who profess the whole truth in unity not in sincerity and singleness of a good and sanctifyed mind as hypocrites and wicked men outwardly Some who profess the whole saving truth in unity and simplicity of a sanctified and good heart and I hope you will say they are the Church not excluding the other from the visible Church a net a field c. The old Non-conformists in a book set forth by Mr. William Rathband will shew you that the Church of England as formerly established was the true Church of Christ and that you should not separate from it Mr. Ball a Non-conformist writing against Can a Separatist Page 75. shews you that the Church of England is a true Church of Christ a people in Covenant with Christ to whom he hath committed his heavenly Oracles and Seals of the Covenant c. and in the second Chapter he shews the Church of England governed by Bishops to be the true Church of Page 79. Christ Sir Edward Deering in one of his Speecâ—â—s to the like purpose saying I am bold to forbid any man from this Page 125. house for 1600 years and upward to name any one age nay any one year wherein Episcopacy was out of date in Christendom in another Speech he saith I am none of those men that 1600 years after my Saviour came to plant his Church will consent to give a new Rule a new invented Government to his Church never known untill this age yet Mr. Howel tells us that the holy Titles of Bishops and Page 138. Priests are grown odious amongst poor Sciolists who scarce In his addition Letters p. 5. In Vind. of King ch 1. p. 49. know the notions of things And we have amongst us as Mr. Symonds saith such who love strife and although they have already offered most wrong yet still are most full of clamours and as another saith who cry out much against the Pope to whom they do better service than they are aware so that he saith it is a thousand pities that our Sectaries Regum Sacr Sancto Majest by J. A. pretending such zeal against Popery who no less maliciously than confidently rub upon sound Protestants the aspersions of Popery and malignancy do joyn with the worst of Papists in the worst at least in the most pernicious Doctrine Page 70. of Papists At the beginning of as in our troubles His Majesties Declaration of Aug. 12. 1642. shews us Page 18. that nothing was discountenanced and reproached but a dutiful regard to us i. e. the King and our honour and a sober esteem and application to the Laws of the kingdom and may it not prove so again if not prevented and so be more advantage to run the contrary course if a good conscience â— A. Reg. Sac. San. Maj. to the Reader could allow as one saith for if the conforming obedient Clergy must lie under the lash of being prophane and scandalous and the irregular and disobedient accounted and cryed up for the pious powerful and precious men was Mr. Burton now alive he might better say than when he wrote thus What father after a while will be so improvident Mel. p. 126. to bring up his sons to his great charge to necessary beggary what Christian will be so irreligious as to bring up his sons in that course of life which by all probability and necessity will entail on him symony and perjury for he might now add scorn and contempt if he be an obedient son of the Church for what in regard of pretended conscience to that Idol Covenant which Lilâ—urn calls the make-bate persecuting soul-destroying Englands dividing and undoing Engl. Birth-right p. 29 Covenant what in regard of the boldness of some-daring people and the connivence of some in Authority it had been better for conscientious subjects that some Laws had not been made than that being made their obedience to them should be their disgrace and the disobedience of others to them their honour and dignity I know that some mens natures are easiest cured by lenities and that if violence be offered they will struggle they being easier led than driven but it is not so with all for since his Majesties happy Restauration some now daring people began to be tractable and orderly but feeling the reins of Government somewhat loose like unruly horses they get the bit into their teeth they kick and think to run away with and throw their Rider Amongst certain passages I have read in the reign of King James this I remember he who deceives Regum Sacr. Sanc. Majest me once it is his fault but if twice it is my fault What these men have done cannot be forgotten if it is let J. A. remember them that the best of Kings in whom malice it self how quick-sighted soever could not find any thing blame-worthy except it be a crime to be too good and transcendently clement forced to flee his Royal Consort necessitated to flee beyond sea the Royal family divided one from another his Revenue seized his forts and holds Curia Politiae employed to destroy him and another speaking to them thus you have violated all sorts of right in the person of your King you have raised a war against him you have often assaulted and imprisoned him you have abused the confidence Page 12. he had in you and destroyed him with great cruelty and insolency when such men have acted so vigorously against the Lords anointed and some of them not so wary as their fellows say they cannot repent and are such of whom Mr. Edw. Sparks writing of Primitive devotion saith This Page 106. stolid disobedient age contemns their devotions and are so Pâ—â—e 53. immodest as to grudge God the hat the knee whatcan we hope for from such men we may remember the moral of the Country-mans snake which would take away life from him who preserved hers and not forget that of the young mans beloved Cat turn'd into a Maid which soon shewed again her cattish disposition having an opportunity by the sight of a Mouse Some think I wish they be mistaken that in regard of the speech and carriage of some that they have a second part to act after the same or a more doleful tune however it cannot but be good with the snake in the fable who thought her self not secure in that house wherein the great hatchet was which had almost slain her not to give too much credit to such who have formerly dealt as they have done error being obstinate and making men so Religio Medici shews the obstinacy of the Jews in all fortunes that the persecution of 1500 years hath but confirmed them in Page 49. their errors that they have already endured whatsoever may be inflicted and have suffered abundance even to the condemnation of their enemies concludes persecution to be a bad and indirect way to plant Religion It is so but means must be used to preserve Religion that we loose it not Society of Saints p. 29. p. 244. in an Assize Sermon Some I suppose will blame me for writing thus now having formerly pleaded for Puritans I own what I have written and wish these were such for which I and Mr. Bolton plead for namely practising Protestants loyal to Princes obedient to Laws just pious charitable labouring to be in truth what they seem to be we plead not for factious irregular disorderly followers of Barrow and Greenwood the old Puritans being their great opposers I judging with Mr. Howel that the itching of scriblers is the scab of the times Page 62. purposed no publication of these notes which made me careless in naming of my Authors but considering that Nicholas Causin had learned to regard the works of the worst Writers and not to censure them and seeing the flame to increase at home and abroad and those who have much water in their deep wells and buckets to vent it lie in a sleep I have presumed with my pitcher to shew mine endeavour to stop and extinguish this fire of error some perhaps impute it to dotage I being well-near such years which are labour and sorrow and scarce able to go with Crutches let men think as they please my desire is to cure error and to procure order for which end I will conclude with a passage in Mr. Vines fore-named Sermon which is this If conscience Page 60. be warrant for practises and opinions and liberty of conscience be a sufficient license to vent or act them I cannot see but the judicatories either of Church or State may shut up their shop and be resolved into the judicatorie of every mans private conscience and put the case that the Magistrate should conceive himself bound in conscience to draw forth his Authority against false teachers and their damnable heresies and upon that supposed error should challenge a liberty of judging as we do of acting would our liberty give us any ease so long as he had his and were it not better for him to judge and for us to walk by a known Rule and if we should say that his liberty of judging is unlawful it is as easie for him to say our liberty of Preaching or professing errors is so too FINIS
manners Some ignorantly say you have no power you can do nothing That you have power this meeting shews you calling us hither and I hope for some good end Let your power and authority I beseech you be exercised as St. Pauls was 2 Cor. 10. 8. for edification That it may appear we live in a flourishing Christian Church where good Laws are and they well observed and executed where Religion is professed and practised where the youth are catechised and principeled in Religion where the Sacraments are duly and orderly administred where the houses of God are solemnly frequented where Schisms and Factions are discountenanced where vice is punished and vertue encouraged where mens lives are reformed so that obedience to Governours charity and righteousness to men may and do appear and according to this Scripture Canon all things are done decently and in order The POSTSCRIPT I Reading in Mr. Howel Engl. speaking thus I that have Englands Tears pag. 2. been accounted the Queen of Isles the darling of Nature and Neptunes minion I that have been stiled by the character of the first Daughter of the Church that have converted eight several Nations I that made the morning beams of Christianity shine upon Scotland upon Ireland and a good part of France I that did irradiate Denmark Swedland and Norway with the light thereof I that brought the Saxons with other Germanes high and low from Paganism to the knowledge of the Cospel I that had the first Christian King that ever was Lucius and the first reformed King the eight Henry to reign over me I out of whose bowels sprung the first Christian Emperor that ever was Constantine I that had five several Kings viz. John King of France David King of Scotland Peter King of Bohemia and two Irish Kings my captives in less than one year I under whose Banner that great Emperor Maximilian took it an honour to serve in person and receive pay from me I that did so abound with Bullion c. Behold behold I am now become the object of pity to some of scorn to others of laughter to all people my children abroad are driven to disavow me for fear of being jeered they dare not own me their Mother upon the Rialto of Venice the Borle of Auspurge the New-bridge of Paris the Cambios of Spain or upon the Quoys of Holland for fear of being bafled and hooted at I reading in Mr. Vines what we had been a people His last Sermon March 10. 1646. of as powerful godliness as any in the world that practical divinity was improved to a great height of clearness and sweetness and his lamenting our miserable declination in the same Sermon from the life and power of godliness which is come to pass within these few years so that our practicals our inward and close wayes of walking with God in faith and love are sublimed into fancies and vapours into fumes of new opinions and which is worst of all we take this Dropsie to be growth and conceive our selves more spiritual Page 56. and refined because more airy and notional Liberty of Religions is become the golden calf of the times And Page 2. the Ministers are laid low in order to a twofold liberty the one of prophesying every one to set up Trade who is Page 23. able and liberty of lusts and ways of looseness I considering In his Fast Sermon March 10 1646. what Mr. Hodges saith we have long enjoyed as clear light and as full discoveries of fundamental truths as any Church others have lighted their Tapers more at our flame than we at theirs our Church once the great eye-sore to Hereticks envy of Papists refuge of Orthodox glorious for Doctrine a praise in the earth the Mother of many Stars of the first magnitude faithful Martyrs famous Confessors and innumerable souls in Heaven c. and yet after his preaching in his Epistle he saith the Prince of flies hath raised such swarms of flies in every corner of our Land that many of our Congregations and Families are miserably fly blown with Heresies and corrupt Tenets I reâ—â—mbring some passages in Sir Edward Deerings Speeches Octob. 23. pag. 23. in Parliament at the beginning of it saying if we let forth the Government into a lose liberty for all Religions we shall have none Libertinism will beget Atheism a little after Men upon whose merit let my credit stand or fall in this House complain with grief of heart to see their now infected sheep after long pastoral vigilance and faithful Ministery to run and straggle from them more in these ten Nov. 20. pag. 98. moneths than in twenty years before in another he saith there is at present such an all-daring liberty such a lewd licentiousness for all mens venting their several senses sensless senses in Matters of Religion as never was in any Age or any Nation until this Parliament was met together Thus the Church of England once the glory of the Reformed Religion is miserably torn and distracted so that you can hardly say which is the Church of England c. These shew what we have lost and what we have found And I living in the best times that ever England had and seeing what I see cannot but wish with Jeremy That my eyes were a Jer. 9. 1 2. fountain of tears that I might weep day and night for the divisions and destractions in England I now seeing the truth of Mr. Burtons saying superstition will run along like a Murrain Melanch pag. 606. in Cattel scab on sheep nulla scabies superstitione scabiosior He who is bit of a Mad dog bites others and all in the end become mad either out of affection of novelty simplicity blind zeal hope fear the giddy headed multitude will embrace it So he Mahomet was but a poor Orphan he Mr. Alexand Rosse History of the World p. 109. marryed his Mistriss Chediga whom he made believe that his falling sickness proceeded from the sight of Angels which appeared to him yet he was the beginner of the Mahumetans which are so multiplyed some following Alli some Endocar some Acmar and some Ozimen Mahomets successors whose followers are subdivided into seventy two Melanc p. 582. Englished by Sir Rob. Stapelton sorts as Leo Affricanus reports saith Mr. Burton and also that Poland is a receptacle for all Religions No marvel then if Fabianus Strada calls heresie the School of Pride and affirms that for a man to be an Heretick and a good subject is impossible and saith it is with less difficulty kept out than shut up And sad experience doth fully demonstrate how errors and heresies swarm amongst us so that Mr. Saltmâ—â—sh in his groans for liberty pleads Whether an hundred and fourscore Opinions are more to be cast into the face of Religion Groans p. 13. l. 1. c. 2. p. 15. than six hundred in the dayes of Nazianzen and a little after because of our many Opinions and divisions he crys out where is the Church now not