worship of God and being neyther the preaching of the word nor the sacraments nor prayer must needs be the true word of God so you must prove theÌ„ or els the truth of your assertioÌ„ is disproved Touching your discourse of the order of Gods worship before in and after the Apostles tyme I observe to let passe other particulars your errour in making the particular Synagogues of the Iewes as the particular Churches are now The Synagogues were not entyre Churches of themselves but partes or members of the nationall Ch neyther could they haue vse of the most solemn parts of Gods worship as were then the sacrifices neyther could the cheif Ministers in the Church execute their office in them but as they depended vpon the temple in Ierusalem so were the people to cary their offerings thither and there to enjoy these ministrations But particular congregations now do stand in no such dependancy they may enjoy within themselves the word sacraments and prayer which are the most solemn services in the Ch now and so by consequence all the rest In deed it is with your parrish assemblyes somewhat as it was with the Synagogues they cannot enjoy the Ministers by and from within themselves nor have the vse of ecclesiasticall government but must depend vpon their Ierusalems the Bishops Chappels and Consistories for these their most solemn and peculiar administrations Mr B in his 2. book to prove their worship true worship pretends 3 distinct ArgumeÌ„ts The first bycause it is according to the word of God 2. bycause it is not forbidden in the scripture 3. bycause it is after the manner of the worship of the true Churches of God set downe in the word An other man would have comprehended these three reasons in one and so might Mr Ber. have done well enough considering his confirmation of them wherein he brings not so much as one scripture or reason from scripture to prove their prescript leyturgy by man devised and imposed of which our mayn quaest on is to be according to the word of God c. onely in the 3. Argument he toucheth an obiection which he calles a conceyt of ours viz that it quencheth the spirit to which he gives a double answer First that it is agaynst known experience 2. that it is the groundwork of Mr Smith casting of reading the scriptures in the assembly Other things he speaks are not worth the insisting vpon let vs consider of his answers To the former of them touching known experience I do reply two things first that the experience of supposed good in a course or by meanes not warrantable by the written word of God is of all godly wise men to be suspected 2 though the experience of good be certayn yet must men take heed they honour not one thing for an other as the means of that good but they must put difference between that which is good and that which is evill in the same compound action Many do avouch they have wrought in them much hatred of murder treason and the like evils by a stage-play others that their devotion is much furthered by organ musick and the chaunting of quiresters yea by the prayers in a tongue they vnderstand not all these will alledge their knâ—wn experience But to leave these things The Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 14. testifyeth that a man speaking a strange language may â—diâ—y himself though not the Church and though he pray in a strange tongue without the vnderstanding or benefit of the Church yet that his spiâ—â—t may pray Might such a man therefore alledge his known experience for prayer in a strange tongue contrary to the Apostles expresse inhibition neyther is it any justification of the service book in the vse we speak of that people do in the reading of it find by experience their affectioÌ„s furthered God may doth therein honor the simple honest affectioÌ„s of his people so far as to receive the request of their heart which he seeth in secret covering in mercy the outward manner of putting vp the same wherein they of ignorance or infirmity fayl And that these stinted and devised forms do quench the spirit of prayer appears in that they deprive the Church minister of that liberty of the spirit of prayer which God would haue the vse stinting the Minister yea all the Ministers in the kingdom to the same measure of the spirit not onely one with an other but all of them with him that is dead and rotteÌ„ and so stinting the spirit which the Lord gives his Ministers for his Church and that so strictly as till the stint be out it may not suggest one thought or word otherwise or when it is out one more then is praescribed The manifestation of the spirit sayth the Apostle is given to every man to profit withall But in the reading of a praescript forme of prayer there is not the manifestation of the spirit of the minister given him to profit the Church withall but the manifestation of of the spirit of him that devised and penned the service book Now for M Ber 2 Answ namely that this conceipt of ours saying that set prayer quencheth the spirit is the groundwork of Mr Smithes casting of reading the scriptures in the assemblyes first he wrongeth M. Smyth who doth not deny the reading of the scriptures in the assembly but that the reading of them is properly a part of Gods worship 2. Not our conceipt but his own ill collection is the groundwork of his errour Let the indifferent reader iudge whither this consequence be good or no. Bycause the reading of the Apocrypha Prayers of the Bishops of Rome or of England or their Chapleyns for prayer quencheth the spirit or is not the true manner of prayer which Christ hath left therefore the reading of the Canonicall scriptures penned by the Prophets and Apostles for reading quencheth the spirit and is no part of Gods worship Other observations M Ber hath in his Answer some nothing to the purpose and others against himself as for example The Iewes in the ould Testament did meet together at set times commaunded by the Lord so did the Churches of Christ in the new or the first day of the week Ergo the Church of England doth wel in meeting at set times yea holy times not commaunded by the LORD and that farre more solemnly then on the first or LORDS day 2. The Iewes had preaching every Lords day in every Synagogueâ— therefore the Church of Engl is in good estate where there is no preaching or as good as none in one parish of ten on the Lords day or at other tymes 3. The Iewish Church had singing of the Psalmes of David and of other propheticall men and Christ himself did vse the same therefore the Church of England doth coÌ„mmendably in singing besides them the Apocrypha songs of men ful of errours and vanities as that the Saints and Angels in
of your owne hart But let vs heare your advise Quaere Whether it be an offence iustly given by thee or taken without iust reason of others thou not offending and they displeased the fault is their own and thou not chargeable therewith But you must vnderstand Mr B. that in the vnseasonable vse of things in themselves indifferent there is an offence both given taken and so a double sinn coÌ„mitted he that gives the offence sinns through want of charity and he that takes it through want or weaknes of fayth And so where actions simply good do onely hurt him that takes offence and actions simply evill him that gives it the vse of things indifferent agaynst expediency hurts harmes and destroyes both Rom. 14. 15. Now the parts of your secoÌ„d enquiry viz. whether men be offended in respect of what themselves know or butled by affection disliking of other mens dislike are insufficient For men do oft tymes take offence at things done and yet neyther in respect of their own knowledge nor of other mens dislike but merely through want of knowledg and vpon ignorance of their christian liberty And such were the weak brethren spoken of Rom. 14. 1 Cor. 8. and 9. which how they were to be tendered in their weaknes let the places iudge And for persoÌ„s partially affectionate or foolishly froward which is the mayn point in the 3. Quaere they are no way to be regarded as weak but on the contrary to be reproved as wayward contentious that folly and sinne may not rest vpon them Onely let men take heed they iudge not vncharitably of their brethren because they would practise vncharitably towards them as Nabal reviled David and his men as runnagates because he would deal churlishly with them and would shew them no mercy In the forth place it is demaunded What authority may do in things externall for outward rule in the circumstances of things How colourably you cary all the abominations in your Church vnder the shadow of circumstances and of how great moment even circumstances are in the case of religion I have formerly spoken let me onely ad thus much If a subject should vsurp the crown and exercise regall authority the difference were but in the circumstance of person which notwithstanding made the action high treason Or if a Preist comming to say his evensong should fall a sleep on his desk it were but a matter of circumstance in respect of tyme and place it might lawfully be done in another place and at another tyme yet there then it were a great prophaning of the service book What sway authority hath in the Church of England appeareth in the lawes of the land which make the goverment of the Church alterable at the Magistrates pleasure and so the Clergy in their submission to K. Henry 8. do derive as they pretend their ecclesiasticall jurisdiction from him and so exercise it Indeed many of the late Bishops and their Procters seeing how monstrous the ministration is of divine things by an humane authority and calling and growing bould vpon the present disposition of the Magistrate have disclaimed that former title and do professedly hold their eclesiasticall power and jurisdiction de jure divino so consequentâ—y by Gods word vnalterable Of whom I would demaund this one quaestion What if the King should discharge and expell the present ecclesiasticall goverment plant in stead of it the Presbytery or Eldership would they submit vnto the government of the Elders yea or no if yea then were they traytors to the Lord Iesus submitting to a goverment overthrowing his goverment as doth the Praesbyterian goverment that which is Episcopall if no then how could they free themselves from such imputations of disloyalty to Princes and disturbance of States as wherewith they load vs others opposing them But to the quaestion it self As the kingdom of Christ is not of this world but spirituall he a spiritual King so must the goverment of this spirituall kingdom vnder this spirituall King needs be spiritual all the lawes of it And as Christ Iesus hath by the merits of his Preisthood redemed as well the body as the soule so is he also by the scepter of his Kingdom to rule reign over both vnto which Christian Magistrates as well as meaner persons ought to submit themselves the more Christian they are the more meekly to take the yoke of Christ vpon them and the greater authority they have the more effectually to advance his scepter over themselves their people by all good meanes Neyther can there be any reason given why the merits of saynts may not as wel be mingled with the merits of Christ for the saving of his Church as the lawes of men with his lawes for the ruling and guiding of it He is as absolute and as intire a King as he is a Preist and his people must be as carefull to praeserve the dignity of the one as to enjoy the benefit of the other The next Quaere is Whether authority commaunding doth not take away the offence which might otherwise be given in a voluntary act This question is answered affirmatively by the Bishops their adhaerents and so with one voice they affirme in their books pulpits and other publik determinations but herein as palpably flattering the Magistrate as ever Canonist did the Pope What more was ever given to the Pope then that he might dispence with the morall law And what lesse is given to the King when by his authority I vse things indifferent with offence to my weak brother Is not love the fulfilling of the law And is it not against the law of love to vse things indifferent with offence which must the more carefully be avoyded coÌ„sidering the effects it drawes with it which are not onely the grief vvhich were too much but even the destruction of him for whom Christ dyed ver 5. 20. 1 Cor. 8. 11. Onely he which can strengthen the weak faith which is the cause of the offence can take away the offence and stablish him that is weak Rom. 14. 4. Men may and must vse meanes for that purpose and not nourish the weak in their weaknes but beare them they must in love and much love will have much patience Lastly for I passe over the 5. Quaere as comprehended in those which go before where you advise meÌ„ to studie agayn to study to be quiet and to follow those things which concerne peace it is needfull counsel and againe needfull considering what vnquiet spirits are to be found in all places Onely let men in their counsayls which you leave out ioyne with peace aedification and holynes as the scriptures teach and so separating the pretious from the vile they shal be to vs as Gods mouth and let their peace be in the word of righteousnes the ioy of the counselers of peace shal be vpon
do take hold of the promise of the spirit beleeving that they are his people and he their God and that thru God and man are invisibly vnited and 3. by love by which men take hold one of another and so are vnited together invisibly And all this he confirms sufficiently by the scriptures Answerable vnto which 3. invisible hands for this invisible vnion he makes 3. visible handes for the visible vnion 1. vnto the spirit the word 2. vnto faith the profission of faith 3. vnto love the sacrament of the Lords supper for â—o he proportioneth them The colour of truth which these things may seem to haue in their mutuall reference will â—ub off in the very touching of the particulars But if Mr B. would haâ—e observed just proportion and haue set things down playnly he should haue said thus or to this effect As the invisible internall and effectuall vnion of God with man of man with God and of one man with another is raysed from the invisible internall and effectuall work of the spirit invisible internall and effectuall faith and love which are onely seen and known of God and of the parties themselves in whom they are so must the visible externall and apparant vnion of God with man of man with God and of one man with an other arise from the visible externall and apparent work of the spirit visible externall and apparant faith and love which are seen of men and made sensible to the ey of charity which judgeth probably of thinges which are not seen by the things which are seen For albeit it be true which Mr B. hath in his 2. book that wee are not therefore a Church of God bycause men so judge vs but bycause God hath received vs into covenant with himself yet it must also be considered that the Church is not called visible in respect of God but of men to whom it doth or may appear by whom it is so discerned and judged probably The scriptures do speak of a iustification before God which is by â—aith alone and of a iustification before men which is by workâ— the former of which we may truely call invisible justification as known to none but God and the conscience of the party justifyed the other visible justification as being manifest and made visible vnto men by works as ver 18. of the Chapter before named where the Apostle speaketh of shewing manifesting or making visible faith and so consequently justification by works And look what is here sayd of visible and invisible faith and justification the same from other scriptures compared together may be affirmed of visible and invisible election redemption sanctification as also of visible and invisible saynts for the matter and of the visible and invisible vnion for the form of the visible and invisible Church the invisible being certayn infallible and so known to be of God the visible morall probable and so appearing vnto men There is in deed and in the right disposition of things by the revealed will of God but one Church of Christ which is his body whereof he is the head and which he hath purchased with his blood for Christ hath not purchased two Churches with his blood but one neyther is the head of two bodyes but of one and according to this purchase of Christ and ordinance of God all that are of the visible Church are also of the invisible and all of the invisible of the visible Church which are indeed not two but one Church in two sundry respects as I have formerly shewed I deny not but that as it hath been sayd of old there are many sheep without and many wolves within many of the visible Church which are not of the invisible Church and so answerably many of the invisible Church which never come into the visible Church But this say I is not according to the revealed will of God in his word but by mans default and sin It is their sin of ignorance or infirmity which being of the invisible Church do not if possibly they can joyn themselues vnto the visible Church there to partake in the visible ordinances it is their sinne of hypocrisie and presumption which not being of the invisible Church do adjoyn themselves to the visible Church there to prophane the Lords covenant ordinances to which they have no right For how can they being wicked and vnholy chalendge the LORD to be their GOD that is all happines goodnes vnto them which is one part of the covenant or professe themselves to be his people which is another part when the Divel is their God and their lusts and they his their people and servants to whom they obey or what have they to do to meddle with Gods covenant whom he expresly forbids to take it in their mouthes It is therefore a vile profane defence which you are driven to Mr B by pleading that wicked persons are true matter of the Church and so admitted into covenant with God in the 2. book that obedience onely followes the covenant as the fruit of it and that God requires not actuall obedience or that wee should be actually good or holy before or when we covenant with him but that he should make vs good and that wee should be good and perform actuall obedience afterward which as it is notable Anabaptistry and in deed the ground of that haeresy being applyed to the covenant of the Iewish Church so being applyed to the covenant of the Church now it is worse then Anabaptistry And consider this man he makes the sacrament of the Lords supper a ground and part of the covenant and yet affirms that God for mens entering into this covenant requires not that they should be holy and good and so by this deep divinity it must needs follow that the Lord requires not that men should be good or holy for their partaking in the sacrament of the Lords supper The particulars now follow in which you place this visible vnion and covenant of the Lord with his people of them with him and of one of them with another The first whereof is his word which say you is the onely first visible note and testimony from God by which he makes a people his people Ps. 147. 19. Rom. 3. 1. 2. Ioh. 17 6. and so you go on to prove that this word is Gods outstretched hand to subdue people vnto him the sword of the spirit by which he smiteth the immortall seed by which he begetteth and maketh alive the word of reconcilation by which he reconcileth his Church and people And therevpon you conclude that to whomsoever God sends his word to them he testifieth his love and desire to make them his Church and people To let passe the repugnancy in your words as first where you speak of the onely first note as though there could possibly be more firsts then one and 2. where you make the word a note and testimony
if there be any in that Ch by and to which the latter are called so neyther doth the age wherein you first instance draw any such straight line of succession or conclude any such necessity of ordination by praecedent officers as you praetend And that you may more clearly see this you must take notice of your errour in affirming that God raysed vp extraordinary Teachers till the law The first born in the families were the ordinary Teachers ordinarily succeeding til the Levites were appointed the office of Preisthood being annexed to their birthright In which respect it was that God told Cain his brothers desire should be vnto him and that he should rule over him For which purpose see also Gen. 21. 9. 25. 31. 32. 33. 34. 49. 4. with Deut. 33. 8. Adde vnto this also that the Lord would haue every first born amongst the chidren of Israel consecrated vnto him that the Priests or as it is better turned the administers of the holy things which come neare to the Lord should sanctify themselves and that Moses sent the young men of the children of Israel to offer burnt offrings and sacrifices vnto the Lord. But most evidently doth this appear in that the Levites were appointed to teach the people and to offer sacrifices and to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation for the first born that openeth the matrice among the children of Israell And as the first born were the ordinary Teachers successively before the law in whose stead the Levites afterwards were appointed so was this order in sundry persons and vpon sundry occasions broken and interrupted As in CAIN for his murder in TERAH for his Idolatry in ISMAEL for his mocking in ESAV for his prophanenes To descend lower When the order of succession in the Preisthood was so far estalished as that it did divolve by the word of God from the parents vpon the children as by an haereditary right yet then wee see it was sometimes for the sinns of men broken off and interrupted Take for instance Eli and his house The Lord God â—f Israel had sayd that his house the house of his father should walk before him for ever but now the L saith is shall not be for them that honour me I will honour and they that dispise me shal be despised Behold the dayes shall come that I will cut off the arm of thy fathers house c. then he addes and I will stir me vp a faithful Preist that shall do according to myne hart and according to my mynde c. which was also especially accomplished in Salomons dayes when the Preisthood was translated froÌ„ Abiathar to Zadock 1 King 2. 35. To the same purpose tends that which the Prophets Ezechiel Hose threaten and denounce against other Preists of Israel for their idolatrie and other iniquities The Levites sayth the Lord which went back from me when Israel went astray shall bear their iniquity and they shall not come neare vno me to do the office of the Preist vnto me c. And againe by Hose bycause thou hast refused knowledge I wil also refuse thee that thou shalt be no Preist to mee and seing thou hast forgotten the Law of thy God I will also forget thy children I will change their glory into shame For the shutting vp of this point the Lord Iesus himself comming to repayr the decayed places of Sion to enlarge the walles of Ierusalem did not chuse his Apostles out of the nuber of the Preists other ordinary Teachers but els where They in deed supposed as the Prelates Preists now do that the Lord could neyther propagate nor mainteyn his Church but by them bycause they were the childreÌ„ of AbrahaÌ„ but Iohn Baptist tells them all other with theÌ„ that hang vpoÌ„ the same or like lyne of personall succession which they did that except they prevent the Lords wrath and bring forth fruits worthy amendement of life he will with the ax of his wrath hew them down cast them as vnfruitfull trees into the fyre raysing vp vnto Abraham seed and children of the very stones If now the Lord haue thus ever and anon from the beginning of the world chaunged the course and current of succession for these sinns namely murther idolatry persequution profanenes and the like is it possible that the stream should still run by the Lords appointment without stop or change for so many hundred yeares in the Romish Church where these and all other sinns and iniquities haue abounded and where they all as so many members coÌ„pact together make the man of sum coÌ„plete Is the Lord lâ—sâ—â— zealous now a dayes then in times past of the honour of his name and ordinances Or hath S. Peter procured some Charter of impunity for his successours the Popes of Rome what impieties soever they haue faln or can fall into Or doth this man think by any plea he can make for them to hold them in possessioÌ„ of that right which they haue so notoriously forfeyted so many wayes and for so many yeres and whereof the word of God hath so evidently disseyzed them For conclusion of this particular the Apostle Paul foretelling the generall apostasy of that man of sin the child of perdition advancing himself above all that is called God or is worshipped addeth that the Lord will destroy him with the spirit of his mouth In which words we are to observe first the vniversality of the apostasie advancing it self above all that is called God and secondly the manner of restauration of the Church which is to be by the Lord the spirit of his mouth where if it were to be by the ministers of Antichrists making or the Popes calling theâ— should the man of sinne consume himself Ioyn with this scripture another of the same nature wherein the H Ghost speaking by the mouth of Iohn of the same generall apostacy foretells how God would rayse up his two witnesses which should prophesy against the beast which came out of the bottomelesse pit and against all the abhominations of Antichrist whereas by the doctrine of successioÌ„ no witnesses should be raysed up against Antichrist but by himself Now by these scriptures instances it appears that the stream of succession hath not run so currantly from the dayes of Adam hitherto as Mr B praetendeth but that it hath sundry tymes been stopped and turned by that most specially in the Romish apostasy The thing I purpose in the next place is to prosequute certayn Arguments of Mr Smythes and the rather bycause himself hath in a measure forsaken this truth with others adding also some others vnto them to prove that the ministery and so other the holy things of God is not tyed by Christ to the succession of office or order but of faith The Arguments I vvill take vp as Mr Bernard
of God and ordinances of Christ is injurious both to the growth and sincerity of the obedience of Gods people For whereas they ought to be led forward vnto perfection this teacheth them to stay in the foundation as if it were sufficient for the building of the house that the foundation were layd secondly it insinuates that it is sufficient if men so serue God as they can obteyn salvation though with disobedieÌ„ce of a great part of the revealed wil of God occasioning them thereby to serve him onely or chiefly for wages as hypocrites do As if a child should be taught so far to honour and please his father as he might get his inheritance but not much to trouble himself about giving or doing him any further honour or service Secondly I do answer that this truth which the ministers make t 〈…〉 onely fundament truth in religion is held and professed by as vile haeretiques as ever were since Christ came in the flesh May not a coÌ„pany of excoÌ„municates hold teach and defend this truth and yet are they not a true Church of God 3. I deny that the whole Church of England hath received and doth hold and professe this fundamentall truth how boldly soever these ministers affirme it They graunt there are many Atheists in the land they might say in the Church for Atheists are and ever wil be of the Kings states religion many ignorant and wicked men besides who make not so clear and holy a profession of the true fayth as they should And do these Atheists hold and professe the true fayth and every article of Gods holy truth which is fundamentall Are there not many thowsands in the nationall Church ignorant of the very first rudiments foundations of religion as the Apostle noteth them down and can they hold and professe that whereof they are ignorant Yea how can any wicked men hold that CHRIST is their saviour but they hold an apparantly in the eyes of all men for which notwithstanding these Ministers wil have them reputed true members of Christs body I ad that since the body of that Church or nation consists of mere naturall men and that naturall men are Papists in the case of justification and look to be saved by their good meaning and well doings it is most vntruly affirmed by those ministers that their Church accounts none her members but such as professe salvation by Christ onely They hold otherwise and so professe if an account of their fayth be demaunded as I have shewed by the testimony of Mr. Nichols and could do by the testimony of others if all men did not see it too evidently And yet see what these men affirme and that confidently and without fear for their advantage as that their whole Church makes profession of the true fayth that it holds and maintayns every article fundamentall of Gods holy truth and particularly that Iesus Christ the sonne of God and lastly that they that receive this truth are the people of God and in the state of salvatioÌ„ Whervpon it must follow that their whole nationall Church is in the state of salvation And surely so had it need be in the judgment of men having the promises and seales of the covenant of salvation applyed and ministered vnto it and to every member of it Lastly though the whole Church of England and every member in it did personally professe the true fayth in holines as all the true members of the Church do which are therefore called both saynts and faythfull and that we had do just exception agaynst that prophane and implicite profession for which both Mr. Ber. and the ministers plead yet could nor this make it or them a true Church The bare profession of fayth makes not a true Church except the persons so professing be vnited in the Covenant and fellowship of the gospel into particular congregations having the entyre power of Christ within themselves As hewed stones are fit for an house but not an howse nor any part of it till they be orderly layd and couched together so are men professing fayth and holines fit for the Church but not a Church nor of it before their orderly combination into a particular assembly having in it the power of Christ for the ministery government censures and other ordinances A company of excoÌ„municates put out of the Churches order may professe the same fayth they did formerly so may a sect of schismatiques putting themselves causelesly out of the Churches order so may many particular persons never ioyning themselveâ— vnto any Church at all You your selves define a Church to be a company of faythfull people c. so is not your nationall Church but many companyes not distinct and entyre in themselves and so onely one in nature as all the true Churches of God are but one by monstrous composition in a praeposterous and absurd imitation of the Iewish nationall Church and government Thus much of the Arguments in the handling of which the ministers insinuate agaynst Mr. Barrow sundry vnjust accusations which I will breifly cleare As first that he will account none members of the visible Ch but such as are truly faythful not onely in outward profession and appearance but even in the Lords ey and judgement bycause a Church is described a company of faythfull people that truly worship God and readily obey him But wherefore should the ministers thus interpret him doth he not speak of the visible or externall Church and so by consequence of visible and externall fayth and obedience which are seen of men In their Articles of religion a Church is made a company of faythful people if they must not be truely faythfull then they must be falsâ—ly faythfull And for true worship and ready obedience the Lord requires them in his word according to which we must defyne Churches and not according to casuall corruptions and aberrations brought in by mans fault 2. They charge Mr. Barrow to hold that every member of our assemblyes is led by the spirit into all truth and that it is evident he would have none to be accounted the people and Church of God who eyther know not or professe not every truth conteyned in the scriptures bycause he af firms in his Discovery that to the people of God and every one of them God hath given his holy sanctifying spirit to open vnto them and to lead theÌ„ into all truth It followes not that bycause he affirmes they have received the spirit to lead them into all truth that he therefore affirmes they are led into all truth by the spirit May not the Papists as truly avouch that Paull teacheth that the Church is without spot or wrinkle or any such thing bycause he teacheth that Christ hath given himself for it that he might make it vnto himself a glorious Ch without spot or wrinckle or any such thing It is then an il collectioÌ„
that bycause one thing is done that an other might follow vpon it that therefore the latter which is to follow is also done And for the poynt as it is the work of the spirit to lead men into all truth as all that are Christs or mēbers of his body have his spirit so doth it follow that all the members of the Church have the spirit given them of God to lead them into all truth though it have not his full work by reason of the cōtrary work of the flesh in this life wher all mē know but in part 3. That Mr. Bar holds every truth in the scriptures fundamentall that is as they expound it Pag 147. such as if it be not known and obeyed the whole religiō and fayth of the Church must needs fall to the ground Mr. Ainsworth hath set down his words from which no such collection can be made he directs them that worthily agaynst these deceivers which knowing acknowledging that they want many speciall ordinances of Christ and are burdened in stead of them with the inventions of Antichrist do notwithstanding encourage themselves and others by these distinctiōs that they haue the fundamentall truthes of the gospell and whatsoever is necessary to salvation and the like in a purpose to go on all their life long in disobedience For which men how much better were it to consider how it is written that whosoever shall break one of the least commaundments and teach men so he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven then thus to turn vpon them which reprove them for their vnfaythfulnes and misinterpreting their sayings most injuriously to spend thus many words as these ministers do in confuting their owne corrupt glosses Their fourth and last Argument is for that all the known Churches in the world acknowledge their Church for their sister and giue her the right hand of fellowship This Argum. hath been sundry tymes vrged by Mr. Ber. and so answered sundry tymes both by M. Ainsworth and my self in the former part of my book whether I must refer the reader contenting my self with a breif observation of such vntruthes and errours as these ministers are driven vnto in the prosecuting of this Argument as First that all the known Churches in the world are well acquaynted with their doctrine and liturgy to which they should also ad their book of ordination and canons Ecclesiasticall for their ministery and government then which nothing is more vntrue Beza which was specially interessed in these matters will hardly be perswaded of the true state of things touching dispensations pluralityes the power of excommunication in one man and the like It is most vntrue that God hath sanctifed the testimony of Churches for a principall help in the decyding of controversies in this kind It is though some help yet lesse principall yea the least of many 3. That Paul feared that without the approbation of Iames and Cephas and Iohn he should have run in vayn Paul feared no such thing for he was both assured of his calling from the Lord and had also taken long before that tyme good experience of the Lords blessing vpon his ministery both amongst the Iewes and Gentiles and knew right assuredly that his preaching was not in vayne His care was to take away from the weak all scruple of mynde or iealousy of contention amongst the Apostles he went vp to Ierusalem to confer with them 4 That Paul sought to win cōmendation and credit to the orders which he by his Apostolicall authority might have established by the iudgement of other Churches Whereas the Apostle Paul did by his Apostolicall authority appoynt those orders in all those churches he speaks of as the scriptures quoted testify 1 Cor 4. 7. 17. 16. 1. Besides the Church of England can win no great credit to her orders by the orders of other Churches considering how contrary she is in them to all other Churches departed from Rome whom alone in very many the resembleth Fiftly the testimony which Iohn Baptist gave of Christ is vnfitly brought for the testimony of one Church of an other For it was the proper and principall work of †Iohns calling to give witnes of Christ wherein also he could not erre It is not so with or between any Churches in the world Where it is further affirmed that there are cases wherein one Church is commaunded to seek the iudgement of other Churches and to account it as the iudgment of God for which Act 15. 2. is alledged as it is true that one Church is in cases to seek the judgement and help of an other so is it vntrue that the judgement of that other Church or of all the Churches in the world is to be accounted as the judgment of God Indeed the decrees of the Apostles at Ierusalem being by imediate infallible direction of the H Ghost were to be accounted as the judgement of God but for any ordinary eyther Churches or persons to challenge the like vnto their determinations were popelike praesumption To the Ministers demand in the next place Sayth Christ to any particular congregation of the faythful in our land Whatsoever they bind in earth is bound in heaven Mat. 18. 18. and sayth he it not also to the Churches of other nations I do answer that if Christ have so sayd to the particular cōgregatiōs who hath sayd it to the Praelates their substitutes or to any officer or officers excluding the body of the Congregation Even none but he whose work it is to gainsay Christ to subvert his order 2. If any of your parishes be such congregatiōs why do not you as faythful Ministers exhort thē to guide them in the vse of this power of binding loosing which Christ hath given them Or are not you content to suffer them to go on and your selves to go before them in the losse of this liberty yea in a most vile subjection to their and your spirituall Lords which have vsurped it And for the Argument it is of no force for neyther hath any one Church in the world that power over an other nor all the Churches in the world over any one which the meanest Church hath over any her member or members whomsoever One Church may forsake an other but juditially to censure or excommunicate it may it not The same answer for substance may serve for that which is objected from 1 Cor. 14. 32. Besides no Church can so fully discern of the estate of an other Church as it can of the proper members apperteyning vnto it Yea I ad that in this respect wee are better able to iudge of the Church of Engl then are any forreyn Churches notwithstanding our weaknes bycause they do not in any measure know the estate of it as we do Lastly as that saying
our selves in psalmes and to teach and admonish our selves in Psalmes and himnes and spirituall songs What greater difference In prayers wee speak onely to God in psalmes to our selves mutually or one to another Neyther had Mr Giffard any advātage in the words following where wee are taught to sing with a grace in our harts to the Lord for by singing with a grace is meant such singing as ministreth grace vnto the hearers contrary to that corrupt or rotten communication Eph. 4. 29. And in this as in all other things we must propound the glory and honour of God vnto our selves 3. There are very many both of Davids and others Psalmes wherein there is no title of prayer but they are merely to be sung for doctrine instruction and meditation as Psal. 1. 2. and many more The Ministers write that the most Psalmes that David made were sung not onely as meditations and doctrines for the instructions of the Ch but as prayers to God bycause they are sayd to be sung vnto the Lord for which purpose they instāce in one onely which is Psal. 66. 2. 3. Well not to fall to reckoning with them wherein they and I should not agree for I would except against their picked instāce Ps. 66. 2. 3. which all mē may see was not sung for prayer nor vnto the Lord as they mean but for instruction and provocation of the Church to prayse God if they consider it they should have proved not that some but that all psalmes are prayers otherwise they may not be confounded made one ordinance as by them they are But to come to that which is specially to be observed even those Psalmes whose matter is prayer are not prayers neyther is the singing of them the outward ordinance and exercise of praying And this is the very state of the controversy Which that it may be vnderstood the better it must be considered that the very same matter of prayer may be vsed diversly and so formed into divers externall ordinances It may be read preached heard written sung or prayed Now who is so simple as to say herevpon that reading preaching hearing writing singing praying are all one If a man read Davids prayer that the Lord would turn the counsayl of Ahitophel into foolishnes or eyther read or sing the 6. Psalm where in his prayer he professeth that he causeth his bed every night to swim and waters his couch with teares or Psalm 42. that he remembers God frō the Land of Iorden c. doth that man therefore pray to God that he would turn into foolishnes the counsel of Ahitophel or doth he professe that he waters his couch with teares every night remembers God from the Land of Iorden or is it not evident he reads and sings those prayers onely for instruction of himself others And so wee read in the inscription of the last named psalm that it was committed to the sonnes of Corah not to pray it which they could not do without folly but for instruction And as truely may it be sayd that the reading of Noahs curse or Schemies is cursing as that the reading or singing for singing is but a reading in tune of Davids prayers is praying But it will here be asked is it not then lawfull for a man in the singing of Davids psalmes consisting of prayer to lift vp his hart and to have it affected accordingly as he can apply the matter in them to his present state occasions yes certaynly it is both lawfull and godly but withall it must be remembred that the quaestion here is not about the inward affection of the heart but about the outward ordinance and 2. that a man may so lift vp his heart and have the affection of prayer and thanksgiving in preaching hearing writing reading and yet not perform the outward exercise and outward ordinance of prayer of which our quaestion is Lastly in psalmes there is of necessity required a certayn known form of words that two or more may sing together according to the nature of the ordinance wherein many joyning vocally do make a concent or harmony But who will say there is such simple necessity of a set form of words for prayer wherein one is to utter a voyce according to the suggestions of the spirit in his heart and the rest to consent by silence with saying Amen By which it appeareth how vnadvisedly these ministers and others do thus agayn and agayn vrge set formes of psalmes to prove set formes of prayer Thus much of the first head the second followeth in which such scriptures are to be considered of as are brought to prove a set stinted form of words to be imposed for prayer The principal scriptures for this purpose and vnto which the rest may be reduced are Numb 6. 23. 24. Math. 6. 9. Luk. 11. 2. It is a troublesome thing that that these Ministers thus vrge the letter of the scriptures as if the quaestion were not about their sense and interpretation which they should prove to be for their stinted service as they should also disprove our reasons to the contrary But herein they are vtterly silent and think it sufficient to inculcate the words Thus shall ye blesse the children of Israel and say vnto them c when you pray say thus Our father c. even as the Papists vrge these words this is my body First then wee do acknowledge these words to be in the scriptures by them cited 2. wee hold it lawfull to vse those very words in our-prayers all or any part of them if wee be therevnto guided by the Holy Ghost in whom we must alwayes pray and by whose help we must make our requests vnto God But the quaestiō is whether Moses tyed and stinted the Preists to that form of words in blessing the people and whether Christ tyed and stinted his disciples to that very form of words for prayer so to be vsed by the one and other without alteration addition or diminution And that this is not the meaning of the holy Ghost I do manifest by these Reasons First these particles thus or on this manner say do not vsually in the scriptures designe or note out the form of words but the substance of the thing spoken of Take an instance or two When the Lord sent Moses vnto Pharaoh King of Aegypt it was vnder these terms Thou shalt say to Pharaoh thus sayth the Lord Israel my sonne my first born wherefore I say to thee let my sonne go that he may serve me c. But when Moses came to deliver his message in the next chapt ver 1. 2. he doth not ty himself to the self same words nor vseth them He did not vnderstand thou shalt say to Pharaoh thus sayth the Lord of the form of words but of the substance of the thing The same in effect may be sayd of Abrahams servant going about a wife for Isaak