from among vs whom wee call Brownists contrarie minded who both reiect the aforesaid doctrine as erronious and condemne our Parish assemblies for false Churches it remaineth we heare what they likewise teach concerning the Church and their Arguments whereby they would proue our Church to be a false Church that so wee may more clearely see on which side the truth is whereby the louers of the Truth shall be preserued from error and Wisdome iustified of her children THE SECOND BOOKE CHAP. I. A confutation of H. BARROW his description of a true visible Church WEE haue spoken in the former Chapter of the first vse wee make of the aforesaid Doctrine of the visible Church And there we haue seene how fitly it seemeth to iustifie the Church of England and to proue her to be a true Church now by it wee will also conuince the Brownists false doctrine of the visible Church And that shall be the second and lâ—st vse of the Doctrine aforesaid For the better vnderstanding of the Brownists doctrine concerning the true visible Church let vs heare how it is described by them It is saith BARROW a company and fellowship of faithfull and holy people gathered in the name of Christ Iesus A true description of the visible Church pag. 1. their only King Priest Prophet worshipping him aright being peaceably quietly gouerned by his officers lawes keeping the vnity of faith in the bond of peace and loue vnfained Generalâ—y coÌ„cerning this description I affirme that a Apology 44. Counterp 115. Princ. Infer 8. 10. as al the rest of the descriptions or definitions of the visible Church which they do giue so this likewise is rather a description of the inuisible Church militant then of the visible That which is hâ—ere set downe is true onely of the Elect and cannot properly and truely bee spoken of any Reprobate whereof a true visible Church may in part consist as well of the Elect for as the Elect only are faithfull and holy indeed and effectually called so Christ Iesus is their onely b Though Christ Iesus be in diuers respects King of the visible Church yet he is not King Priest Prophet of the visible but only of the inuisible Church hee cannot be said to be Priest of the visible Church but with relation had to them that be of the inuisible Church King Priest and Prophet they alone doe worshippe him aright are gouerned by his lawes keepe the vnity of faith in the bond of peace and loue vnfained But let vs brifely consider of the seuerall parts of this description That your meaning is the visible Church consisteth only of faithfull holy persons it is hereafter made manifest and appeareth also by the last page of H. Barrow his book intituled A true description of the visible Church where hee saith that into the visible Church there entereth no vncleane thing or person but all such are without how true this Doctrine is wee shall anon heare as also of the gathering heere spoken of And that the visible Church and consequently all the members thereof haue not Christ Iesus to be their King Priest and Prophet in the end of this booke it is made manifest Omitting therefore these things wee will come to that which in the description followeth In it you adde that the visible Church consisteth of a Company that worship Christ aright and to proue this you send vs to three places of Scripture the two first viz. Exod. 20.7.8 Leuit. 10.5 speake neuer a word for you The last and onely testimony you haue is Ioh. 4.23 where Iesus saith That the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and truth and that the Father requireth such to worship him And hereof our Lord rendereth a reason in the words next following saying God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and truth which in effect is this that God being of a spirituall nature requireth a spirituall seruice agreeable to his nature Of a company of such kind of worshippers say you doth the visible Church consist But how can this possibly be true seeing Christ Iesus speaking to some of the visible Church Matth. 15.7 saith thus O Hypocrites Esaias prophecied well of you saying this people draweth neere vnto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but their heart is farre from mee but in vaine doe they worship me These were no true worshippers worshipping God in Spirit and truth but only outwardly and Hypocritically whereupon Iesus calleth them Hypocrites and yet were these worshippers members of the visible Church And whereas of the visible Church the greatest part are Hypocrites or hypocriticall worshâ—ppers by this description and doctrine of yours there can be no Hipocrites in it for you teach that the visible Church is a company that worship God in Spirit and truth but no Hypocrites worshippe God in Spirit and truth therefore by your doctrine no Hypocrites are of or in the visible Church That no hypocrites doe worship God in spirit and truth which resteth only to be proued it is hereby manifest First because they doe not worship God with a true and sincere affection of the heart Secondly Because this worshipping of God in spirit and truth is that worship which God requireth to be performed to him by men accepteth of and is well pleased with but the worship of hypocrites God forbiddeth reiecteth and abhorreth Hypocrites therefore doe not worship God in spirit and truth Thirdly As many as thus worship God in this world Heb. 11.6 Psal 19.11 he will honor in the world to come and for their poore seruice done to him on earth he will aboundantly reward them in heauen now woe be to Hypocrites saith Christ And againe giue him his portion with Hypocrites This is the hypocrites reward Where you say that the visible Church is a company peaceably and quietly gouerned by Christ's officers and lawes considering the greatest part of the visible Church are reprobates and so rebels against Christ taking part with Satan against him how can this be truely said of the visible Church and consequently of all the members thereof Cain Ismael Esau Saul Absolom the Scribes and Pharisies were all of the visible Church These and thousands more such in the Church haue beene so farre from being quietly gouerned by Christs lawes that with them in the second Psalme they haue said Verse 3. Let vs breake their bonds and cast their cords from vs. The visible Church therefore is not a company of such loyall and obedient subiects to Christ as these men affirme How peaceably and quietly was Saul gouerned by the lawes of God and Church officers then when he caused the Priests of the Lord to be slaine and eagerly persecuted Dauid thirsting after his bloud and that all his life time The same may be said of Cain killing Abel of Ismael mocking or as the Apostle saith persecuting Isaak of Absalom
part is corrupted as in some matter of circumstance or ceremonie and when it is corrupted in the whole substance and body thereof which no man sure in his wits will affirme These men in alleadging this Scripture for the iustiâ—ying of their Separation doe compare and equall first our publike worship of God with the Idolaters of Corinthus their publike worship Secondly those Idolaters with vs. And except there bee a likelihood and equalitie betweene these worships and worshippers this place of holy Scripture they peruert and abuse because otherwise it proueth not their Separation to bee lawfull Let vs therefore see the sweet harmony that is betweene these things and persons Wee in our Churches or Church-assemblies vvorship the true and liuing God and touching the substance according to his word Wee in our Temples haue the Word of God read and as soundly interpreted and â—ightly applyed as either is or euer hath beene in Christendome since the Apostles dayes with great power fruit and efficacie in the hearts of the hearers so as sinners are thereby conuerted from going astray themselues being iudges Wee in our publike assemblies call vpon the liuing God and that onely in the name of Iesus Christ and doe receiue onely the Sacraments which the Lord Iesus hath instituted But the Corinthians in their Temples fell downe before their Idols which vvere representations of their feined gods prayed before them and to a false God and together with their Idols worshipped the Diuell as wee haue heard And as for these Corinthians they were all Heathens and Infidels voide of all knowledge and profession of the true Religion whereas wee all professe the true religion and many of vs through the grace of God walke according to our hoâ—y profession Considering then the great difference and inequalitie betweene vs and them our worship theirs it may very well be nay is lawfull to communicate with vs in diuine worship and yet vtterly vnlawfull to partake with such grosse Idolaters as these Corinthians in their worship And what an absurd kinde of reâ—soning is this We may not ioyne with Heathens and Infidels in their idol-worship and seruice indeede of the Diuell Therefore not with Christians in the worship of the true God corrupted This testimonie of the Apostle proueth only this Antecedent or first part of this reason and the conclusion here is that which in the general you inferre of this Scripture Looke well I beseech you in the feare of God of this consâ—quence and consider of the lightnesse and vanity thereof To alleadge this Scripture or any such like for the proofe of the aforesaid conclusion and the iustifying of your seperation is a very childish part and to no purpose and yet there is not any thing more vsuall with you If you will write and speake as beseemeth but men and to the point in hand shew vs where the Apostle moueth the Christians in Corinthus or elsewhere which were more holy and sincere then the rest to seperate from the other Christians because of some corruptions in the externall worship of God And this may aboundantdantly suffice for answere to this your second testimony of holy Scripture Wherein I haue been the larger because the wise and considerate Reader may from thence receiue an answere to the third place of Scripture here alleadged by you taken forth of the 18. Chapter of the Reuelation where thus S. Iohn speaketh Verse 2.4 And I saw another Angell come downe from heauen and he cryed out mightily with a lowd voice saying it is fallen it is fallen Babylon that great Citie and is become the habitation of Diuels and the hold of all foule spirits and a cage of euery vncleane and hatefull bird 4. And I heard another voice from heauen say Goe out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sinnes and that ye receiue not of her plagues Both these Scriptures teach and perswade though by diuers reasons one the same thing that is That wee must separate and goe out from idolaters and not communicate with them in their idolatrous or idol-worship and therfore one and the same answere may serue them both They differ onely in this that the one speaketh of heathen the other of Antichristian Idolatry and idolaters condemning all communion with them in externall worship And heare that which before we haue heard wee must againe remember and not forget That it is one thing when the worship of God is corrupted in the substance and whole body thereof as it is in the better of these worships and another thing when it is corrupted in part as vvith humane ceremonies or ordinances of lesser moment With the former of these kindes of worship we may haue no communion which these two places of holy Scripture doe directly proue but nothing else With the latter kinde of which our worship is vve may lawfully communicate Thus vve see how the principall testimonies vvhich out of the sacred Scriptures the Separatists produce to vvarrant their separation are falsely applyed miserably vvrested and peruerted by them The scope vvith the true sence applyed to a lâ—ke case is a true allegation of Scripture else it is but a wretched abuse thereof as one saith very well Nay you haue so accustomed your selues to sinne in your allegations and quotations of Scripture that oftentimes when you haue the truth in hand and goe about to confirme that by Scripture you are then also faulty herein vvhereof I vvill giue you and the Reader a taste Princip and Infer 12. The meanes say you of saluation are the Word Sacraments Prayers Censures and the ordinances of Christ for the dispensing of them all Rom. 3.2 4.11 Luk. 19.46 Mat. 18.15.17 Act 2.42 1. Cor. 11.23.26 Mat. 28.19 Psal 149 6.9 Who considering these manifold testimonies can otherwise thinke but that this proposition in euery part therof is soundly proued I deny not but acknowledge this to be an vndoubted truth but onely take excâ—ption against your manner of prouing it You are to proue here and pretend to proue first that the word is a meanes of saluation To this end you send vs to Rom. 3.2 Vnto the Iewes were committed the Oracles of God Is not heere a goodly proofe of the aforesaid Proposition Tell me I pray you whether any place in Scripture wherein mention is made of the word of God be not as good a proofe as this produced by you Had you quoted Ioh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them ye thinke to haue eternall life Or 1. Pet. 1.23 Where the word of God is calâ—ed immortall seede Or 1. Cor. 1.28 21. It pleaseth God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue those that beleeue Or any such as thesâ— whereof there be store in the booke of God then had your allegation bâ—en pertinent where now they be friuolous And what meane you to omit these vvitnesses which would speak materially and to purpose and instead of them bring forth such as doe not
the like case You answere thus M. Ainsworth Counterpoyson 229. The examples they alledge of reformation by the Kings of Iudah fit not their turnes for Iudah was a true Church though some corruptions had crept in as will easily doe into the best Abâ—jâ—h the Predecessor of Asa maintained Gods true Religion and worship against idolatrous Israel both by word and sword So Asa found not his Kingdome a false Church as King Edward and Queene Elizabeth found England Afterwards when abominations had ouerspread the Land Hezekiah laboured a godly reformation and opening the doores of the Lords house he brought in the Priests and Leuites not the Chemarims or Baals Priests as the Popish Clergie were brought in or rather retained still in this Church 2. Chron. 30.6 Hezekiah sent ouer all the Land to conuert the people from idolatrie who laughed the messengers to skorne and mocked them howbeit diuers submitted themselues and came to Ierusalem Finally Iosiah purged the Land of idols and false worship and reduced his people vnto the true seruice of God Obserue this mans euasion and what shift he makes to help himselfe in a strait They will seeme to answere when they do nothing lesse For the iustifying of this That Christian Princes may and ought to command their subiects being Idolaters to forsake their Idolatry and worship the Lord and consequently to ioyne themselues to the true Church Wee alleage the examples and practise of certaine Kings of Iudah and namely of Asa Hezekiah Manasseh and Iosiah who did the like For answere to the first of these examples you tell vs that howsoeuer the Religion and worship of God was corrupted in Abijah his time the predecessor of Asa yet was it true Religion and worship that was then maintained and a true Church which Asa found when he came to the Kingdome but such was not our estate and condition when King Edward and Queene Elizabeth entred vpon their Kingdomes The case therefore is not alike But we desire you to proue That in the dayes of Abijah Iudah was a true Church and that Abijah maintained Gods true Religion and worship I confesse that in Iudah God had a Church people in Abijah his raigne who were of the true Religion and worshipped him truely yea I adde that at this time in Israel vnder Ieroboam the Lord had his Church and people that were of the true Religion and worship as is plaine by 2. Chron. 11.13 14 16. But I deny that Iudah was then a true Church and that Abijah maintained Gods true Religion and worship and affirme that Iudah was now Idolatrous as well as Israel whom your selfe calls and that truely idolatrous Israel though both these Kingdoms were not idolatrous in like degree That this is so it is plaine by the holy Story of these Kings and times For marke what Asa Abijah his sonne and successor is said to doe vpon his entrance into the Kingdome He tooke away the altars of the strange gods 2. Chron. 14.3 4 5. and the high places and brake downe the Images and cut downe the groues Heere is mention of the altars of strange gods of Images to wit of false gods of the high places where they offered to these gods and of the groues which were dedicated vnto them which Asa succeeding Abijah forthwith destroyed Doe not these things euidently declare that in the raigne of Abijah Idolatry was set vp and maintained in Iudah and therefore ABIIAH maintained not Gods true Religion and worship If you obiect that these Altars Images and High places were not erected and set vp by Abijah but by Rehoboam his father only through want of zeale he let them alone and did not abolish them and that this only was his sinne and the sinne of Iudah I answere the contrary is manifest 1. King 15.12 where thus we reade And Asa tooke away the Sodomites out of the Land and put away all the Idols that his Fathers had made By Fathers here must needs be vnderstood Rehoboam and Abijah If further you obiect that howsoeuer Abijah was an Idolater yet the Kingdome was not fallen to idolatry but the people generally worshipped God truly I answere this cannot possibly be true for euermore it went thus with the Iewes like Prince like People If the King were religious then the People and State embraced and professed true Religion and worship and if the King was an Idolater and false worshipper then generally the people were such Besides this obiection is answered and conuinced 2. Chron. 12.1 And heere I reason thus with you That King and people which set vp and maintaine the worship of a false god or gods is a false Church But Abijah and his people set vp and maintained the worship of false gods Therefore Abijah and his people were a false Church The Proposition none will gain-say and the Assumption is proued by the aforesaid testimonie of Scripture Againe that ABIIAH did not maintaine Gods true Religion and worship and consequently Iudah in his dayes was not a true Church it is confirmed by the fourth verse of the former Scripture 2. Chron. 14 3 4. And Asa tooke away the altars of the strange gods c as is aforesaid and commanded Iudah to seeke the Lord God of their Fathers and to doe according to the Law and the Commandement In that Iudah is heere commanded by Asa to worship the Lord according to the Law and Commandement of God giuen in that behalfe for this is the meaning of the words thereby is insinuated that before and in Abijah his time they did not worship God after his Law and Commandement but otherwise euen after their owne inuentions which is idolatrie and false worship Lastly I reason against you thus Iudah was an idolatrous and false Church in Rehoboams time Therefore in Abijah his daies The Antecedent I proue by 1. King 14.22 23 24. compared with 2. Chron. 14.3 4. and 1. King 15.3 also by 2. Chron. 12.1 And when Rehoboam had established the Kingdome and made it strong he forsooke the Law of the Lord that is to worship the Lord according to his Law which is true worship and all Israel meaning all Iudah with him The consequence is corfirmed 1. King 15.3 And Abijah walked in all the sinnes of his Father which hee had done before him but his Father set vp and maintained a false Religion and false worship Therefore the sonne You tell vs that ABIIAH maintained Gods true Religion and worship against idolatrous Israel both by word and sword How can this possibly be true seeing Abijah maintained in Iudah a false Religion and worship as well as Ieroboam in Israel and was an Idolater as Ieroboam was Suppose there were now warre betweene the King of Spaine and the Pope about some Ciuill matter some Territories or other commoditie that each of them make claime to If because of this I should affirme that the King of Spaine maintaineth Gods true Religion and worship against idolatrous Rome
religion from all those which make no such profession so are without the Church Thus the Iewes vntil the death of Christ were seperated from the Gentiles Thus in the Apostles time and after the Saints that is the professors of Christian Religion in Rome Corinthus Ephesus Galatia c. were sepâ—rated from their neighbours being heathens and infidels And thus are we seperated from all Pagans Turkes and Infidels Of this seperation the Lord speaketh Leu. 20. I am the Lord your God which haue seperated you from other people Ver. 26.24 that ye should be mine This seperation agreeth with the Scriptures and hath good warrant from the same and thus farre you and we agree But you rest not here but require besides a seperaration in the Church and among the aforesaid professors vrging and enforcing this that the godly in this societie must seperate from the wicked and haue no religious communion or fellowship with them Ephes 5.11 1. Cor. 5 9.1â—.11 Herein we differ Yet wee confesse that the godly must be seperated from the euill manners customes and fashions of the wicked that they may not haue any fellowship with them in the vnfruitfuâ—l workes of darknesse neither may thâ—y haue them to be their familiars in these such like respects the righteous must seperate from the wicked in the Church and haue nothing to do with them But that they may not communicate together in diuine worship but must seperate in things concerning God this seperation is manifestly repugnant to the Scriptures as appeareth by the premises and shall further appeare hereafter In the meane season this I affirme that if this doctrine of yours were true then for as much as in all ages there were aboundance of notorious wicked men in the Church of the Iewes the Prophets Christ and his Apostles should haue had no communion with them at least in their Synagogues the contrarie wherevnto you both know and acknowledge Then also there ought to haue been a seperation made at Corinthus and in the Churches of Galatia not only from the Infidels and grosse Idolaters amongst whom they liued but also betwixt the Saints and professors of Christian Religion seeing among them there were diuers knowne wicked men as is in the next Chapter made manifest But wee read of no such seperation made or yet vrged by the Apostle either among the Corinthians or Galatians or any other of the Churches to whom hee writ Therefore there hath not been in former times nor ought to be such a seperation in the Church as you speake of to wit betwixt the godly and the vngodly If any obiect here 2. Cor. 6.14 c. I answere that the Apostle perswades the Christians at Corinth to seperate from and to haue no communion with the idolaters their neighbours in their false and idolatrous worship or idol feasts and not to a seperation among themselues The seperation pressed by Paul-was betweene them in the Church and those which bee without which we deny not and not a seperation in the Church betwixt the godly and the wicked there which is that you vrge and we gaine say But I returne to M. Ainsworth Counterp 133. A third argument for confirmation of the point now in hand hee hath in another place which may fitly be inferred here Seperation saith he from the vngodly vnto this day is resisted and pleaded against and the holy scriptures vnsufferably abused to maintaine a confuse mixed multitude of all sorts of people to be a true Church But Christ is no Mediator for such a mixture as himselfe said to his Father I pray not for the world c. Ioh. 17.16 Your reason is this Christ is the Mediator of euery true vis Church But Christ is not the Mediator of any confused and mixt company consisting of all sorts of people Thereâ—ore no confused and mixt company is a true visible Church Wee deny your Proposition and say That Christ is the Mediator of the inuisible and not of the visible Church but in respect of them in it that are of the inuisible You tell vs heere secretly and after in expresse words That Christ is the Mediator and Aduocate of the visible Church and for proofe thereof alledge Ioh. 17.9.16 and afterwards 1. Tim 2. â—5 1 Ioh. 2.1 Act. 4.12 Counterp 131. Note their peruerting of Scripture If this Proposition of yours be false as in the last Chapter of this booke is made manifest then are these Scriptures abused by you The 9. and 16. verses of the 17. of Iohn are spoken and meant of the eleuen Apostles The same you apply to the vis Church herein you abuse the Scripture though alwaies I confesse this holdeth not In the former of these verses of the eleuen Disciples Iesus saith thus I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast giuen mee for they are thine Behold your proofe and how you doe vse the Scripture who tell vs so often of our abuse thereof Christ prayeth for or is the Mediator and aduocate of the Apostles Ergo he prayeth for and is the Mediator and Aduocate of the vis Church By world here all men of iudgement vnderstand the Reprobate for thereby must needs be meant those for whom Christ prayeth not and such are the reprobate generation you say thereby is meant a confuse mixed multitude wherein your selues acknowledge be many of Gods chosen I hope this also is an abuse of holy Scripture The words of the 16. ver are They are not of the world as I am not of the world Where our Sauiour affirmeth that to bee in part true of his Disciples vvhich vvas wholly and altogether and perfectly true of himselfe that though they were in the world yet they were not of it that is worldly minded affecting and chiefely desiring and seeking after the things of this world This testimonie of Iesus you produce to proue That a true visible Church is not a mixt company consisting of all sorts of people good and bad or That Christ is no Mediator for such a mixture For proofe of whether so euer of these you meane it who seeth not that this Scripture is likewise abused by you 1. Whether you or we then do vnsufferably abuse the Scriptures and namely touching the mixture of bad with good in the Church let the godly Reader now he hath heard vs iudge Oftentimes you tell vs of this abuse The word say you Counterp 171. pag. 171. is vnsufferably abused to the maintenance of the confusion that is among you This doth as ill beseeme you as a common Strumpet to call an honest and sober matron Whore But let vs heare what M. Ainsworth saith further against this confusion or commixture of all sorts in the Church Your church saith he hath the essentiall note of a false church Counterp 14. namely a confuse prophane worldly people Thus can I proue that the Church in Dauids time in Isaiah his time and other
they ioyned in diuine vvorship with him that was no member of the visible Church Did this congregation sinne therein If the church would not haue admitted him into holy communion with them because it is not lawfull to haue communion with such how had hee been added to the church and of an Infidell become a beleeuer But leauing these Corinthians I come vnto you You will willingly preach in any of our assemblies and in priuate also pray with vs though not so willingly if one of you may offer vp the prayers In either of these cases your selues haue religious communion vvith those as you say that are no members of a true vis church Doe you sinne thus doing I thinke you will say no shew vs then how this doctrine and practise of yours accord Doe you thinke that the words of seperation you vse in the entrance into prayer makes this said coÌ„munion of religious ciuill or if not so yet nullifies the communion When you haue proued this we will yeeld it vnto you Another thing to be obserued here is this If wee preach you will not heare and if wee pray in publike or priuate you vvill not ioyne with vs. And why we are not a seperated company of righteous men but a mixt and confused people of all sorts we are not members of a true vis church and therefore in the worship of God and religious exercâ—ses you may haue no communion with vs. For what fellowship hath righteousnes with vnrighteousnes And what communion hath light with darknesse and what part hath the beleeuer with the Infidell Tell mee now I pray you Is not the same company present whether wee or you preach or pray yes how commeth it to passe then that no communion may be held with this company when we preach and yet may when one of you doth preach your vvords of sepâ—ration in this straâ—t must helpe you which when I see I will beleeue else you will remaine succourlesse But I know what you will say that in the aforesaid cases both of the Apostles and your selues there vvas and is no religious communion because there vvas and is no couenant made first vvith God and then mutually by the Saints among themselues I answere you vvhen diuers ioyne together two three or more in any religious exercise or part of Gods vvorship that is religious communion albeit they are not ioyned together in and by that couenant you speake of vvhich thus I make plaine If any Christian should goe to Masse wee condemne that fact though hee enter not into couenant with them And vvhy Beeause a Christian may not haue communion vvith idolaters in their idolatrous vvorship Here is a communion without couenant If one of your church should partake with vs in diuine vvorship no such couenant as you speake of being made you will censure him for it And vvherefore because hee hath had religious communion vvith them which are no members of a true visible church Here your selues acknowledge a religious communion where no couenant is made but onely a partaking or ioyning together in religious exercises Therefore for the better informing of your iudgement and the Readers herein wee must know in vvhat case and vvith vvhom we may haue religious communion and in what case not Wee may haue religious communion vvith all men in true diuine worship be they what they may be good or bad as hereafter vvee shall heare But wee may not haue religious communion or partake in diuine vvorship vvith Idolaters in their false idolatrous worship heathen or Antichristian but must seperate and come out from among them and this 2. Cor. 6.16.18 Reu. 18 4. two Scriptures alledged here by you doe manifestly proue But neither these nor any of the other Scriptures quoted by you Mat. 18 17.20 1. Cor. 5.12 Act. 4.11.12 doe make any thing for confirmation of this yâ—ur principle No religious communion is to be had but with members of a visible Church and are therefore peruerted by you happily you vvill proue it from the aforâ—said place of the Corinthians and of the Reuelation thus Wee may not haue religious communion with Idolaters or those which are no members of the Church in their false vvorship Ergo to religious communion vvith them The Argument is naught concluding that vvhich is generall from a particular vvell may one proue a particular by a generâ—ll either affirmatiuely or negatiuely but not c contra The generall heâ—e is worsh p. The particulars of this generall bee true and false vvorship If thus one reason we may not haue communion vvith idolatâ—rs in diuine worship Ergo not in their false worship or therefore not in true diuine wo ship Either of these Argumeâ—ts is good and from the Antecedent the conclusion followeth necessarily But arguing as you doe we may haue no communion with Idolaters in their faâ—se worship Ergo not in diuine worship it is cleane otherwise This conclusion I say followeth not from the Antecedent The Antecâ—dent being true letteth not but that the conclusion may be false If we looke into the reason set downe in 2 Cor. 6.16 pointed at also in the other afore-named place of the Reuelation why we may not ioyne with Idolaters or false worshippers in their false worship we shall see that it makes nothing at all against communion with them in true worship and thâ—refore not against all communion as you would haue it but against some whâ—ch we also teach The reason is this Idolaters and all false worshippers in their worship doe not worship God but indeede the Diuell not Christ but Belial what doe the people of God then communicating with these vvorshippers in this vvorship So doing they worship the Diuell vvhich no man can doe and the Lord too If therefore saith in effect the Apostle you desire to worship God ioyne not vvith your neighbours in their vvorship no not with your bodies which hee calleth flesh reseruing your spirits pure vnto the Lord 2. Cor. 7.1 for then you shall be found vvorshippers of the Diuell and not of God So many of you therefore as are the sonnes and daughters of God come out from among them and seperate your selues meaning from their Idolatrous vvorship and all their pollutions vvhatsoeuer He saith not let them not come among you or haue communion vvith you in true worship but come out from among them that is ioyne not with them in their false vvorship but vvithdraw your selues Thus Paul denieth not all religious communion vvith Idolaters but all communicating vvith them in their false vvorship Nay it is so farre from being vnlawfuâ—l to haue religious communion with those which are not members of a true visible Church as you affirme that in some cases to deny it vnto them yea to the most grosse Idolaters that are it is very vnlawfuâ—l â—f Papists Turkes Heathens or some Infidels should offer to ioyne with vs in the hearing of the vvord prayer in vvhich case there is a religious
by the testimonies themselues Now herein you might haue saued your labour and rather haue bestowed more paines in prouing that we deny then that we grant But any thing you thinke will serue to delude the simple Yea but the three last testimonies 2. Cor. 6.17 Act. 2.42 Heb. 10.24.25 speake to the issue for they directly prooue That the children of God of the light and day and the heires of blessing are commaunded to seperate from meaning in diuine worship the children of men of this world of the diuell and of curse and to entertaine and continue an holy communion among themselues onely Thus saith M. Ainsworth in plaine and expresse wordes It is true that in the first of these places to the sonnes and daughters of God this commandement is giuen Come out from among them and seperate your selues But vvho are those of whom the Apostle speaketh and from whom he commandeth the children of God for to seperate and not ioyne with in diuine worship It is euident they were the Corinthian Idolaters that worshipped a false God The highest degree of Idolatry and most grosse Idolaters that can be What doth Paul now require of the Corinthian Saints to whom he writ this That they ioyne not with these idolaters their neighbours in their idolatrous and false worship nor in any other of their pollutions This hindreth or prohibiteth not but that they might communicate with these Idolaters in true diuine vvorship publike or priuate But suppose that this place of Paul prohibiteth all communion with all idolaters in their false and idolatrous worship whether they worship a false and fained god or the true God falsely which is all that is forbidden in the word that letteth not but that wee may haue religious communion with idolaters in true Diuine worship If then we may lawfully ioyne together with idolaters in the worship of God in hearing the word and Prayer then certainely with the children of men of this world of the Diuell and with them that are without and no members of the church For such as these are all Idolaters Thus wee see this Scripture makes nothing for you and is therefore peruerted by you Let vs now proceede to the next testimonie Act. 2.42 And they continued meaning the members of the vis Church in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers This declareth how greatly they of the Church were affected towards the word and worship of God vvherein they did dayly exercise themselues both in publike and priuate but neither denyeth nor forbiddeth all communion in diuine worship with them that are without no more then this Scripture there following And they sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men of the Church as euery one had neede forbiddeth all communicating of our goods with them which are without And as well may one from hence conclude that such as are of the visible Church may not minister vnto the necessities of them that are without as this from ver 42. that they of the visible Church may haue no religious communion with them that are without Fâ—ame your argument when you please for the proofe of this latter and I will compâ—se as good a one for the former Your third and last testimony is Heb. 10.24.25 Let vs consider one another to prouoke vnto loue and to good workes not forsaking the fâ—llowship that we haue among our selues as the manner of some is but let vs exhort one another We answere first it is not cleere that the Apostle speakes here of the publike assemblies but happily of the priuate meetâ—ngs the faithfull had And this latter is probable for these two Râ—asons Fâ—rst bâ—caâ—se the priuate and brotherly fellowship serueth spâ—cially to the increase of mutuall loue wherevnto the fai hfull be here exhorted Secondly in the words immediatâ—ly precedent and subsequent hee exhorteth to priuaâ—e duties wee may vvell therefore thinke he doth the like also If this now be so this Scripture maketh nothing at all for you no more then that of Peter 1. Pet. 2.17 Loue brotherly fellowship But be it granted that this is meant of the pubâ—ike assemblies against which I vvill not contend notwithstanding it makes not any thing against vs. For who doubteth but that the faithful that is the professors of faith in Christ or members of the vis Church doe vsually they alone and none but they assemble and ioyne together in hearing of the Word and prayer And that vsually it falleth out in the Church that some playing the Apostates forsake these assemblies of the Saints eyther ioyning themselues to some other assemblies as being Heretickes or Schismatickes or else vvith Demas imbracing this present world This is it we here learne and from this latter onely wee are here dehorted Doth it now herevpon follow that the faithfull may not admit vnbeleeuers and them that are without the Church to communicate with them in diuine worship and haue religious communion together with them Nothing lesse Here is no such thing forbidden no more then in and by this speech Gal. 6.10 doe good to the houshould of Faith that is to all that professe the same faith with vs to wit the members of the vis Church we are forbid to doe good vnto all or to them that are without But besides these expresse and plaine testimonies of Scripture as you thinke you haue a forcible reason drawne from the word for the fortifying of this your opinion Wee may not say you ioyne with them that are without or with the open wicked in the worship of God Communion of Saints 469. or haue any holy communion with them For by their wickednesse both the faithfull Defence of the churches and Mâ—nistery of England 70. and the holy things of God are polluted This doctrine of your owne you apply vnto vs. Into your assemblies say you doe come many open and notorious sinners knowne drunkards whoremongers prophaners of the Sabbath swearers c. Whereby the holy things of God and the faithfuâ—l are defiled Reasons for Seperation for this cause wee dare not haue religious communion with you but seperate Wee answere It maketh nothing for you nor against vs that there are knowne wicked in our assemblies which vvee deny not seeing by their presents neither the faithfu l nor the holy things of God are polluted vnto the faithfull which thus we make manifest If any sinners pollute the holy things of God to the faithfull as the word sacraments prayer then certainely doe notorious wicked Ministers which in such speciall manner are occupied about them They are the mouth of God to the people and the peoples to God they touch with their hands the holy elements But notorious wicked Ministers defile not the holy things of God to the Saints Therefore none be they neuer so notorious wicked That Ministers notoriously wicked pollute not the worship of God nor the faithfull ioyning with them therein it is manifest by
Christs permitting his Disciples the people to heare the Scribes and Pharises The Scribes and Pharises saith he sit in Moses seate Mat. 23.2 All therefore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and doe Verily if it were vnlawfull for the faithfull to ioyne with open vvicked men in the worship of God and that they did pollute it vnto the faythfull as these men doe tell vs then had it been vnlawfull to haue heard and prayed with the Scribes and Pharisies who were men notoriâ—usly vvicked Which made Iohn the Baptist to greete them thus Mat. 3.7 23.33 O generations of vipers who hath forewarned you to flye from the anger to come And our Sauiour after many a fearefull vvoe denounced against them to cry out to the same effect with Iohn O serpents the generation of vipers how shall yee escape the damnation of hell This their wickednesse also was open and well knowne to the faithfull neither could they possibly be ignorant thereof Considering their open persecuting of Christ euen to death their open blaspheming of him Matth. 9.34 12.24 Iohn 9 22.34 and 12.42 and traducing of his works and their persecuting of the Saints insomuch that many durst not confesse Christ Iesus for feare of the Pharisees But your aâ—oresaid reason concerning the pollution of the faithfull and holy things of God by the wicked you will prooue by the Scriptures M. Francis Iohnson charging the forward Preachers of England with 17. points of false doctrine setteth downe this for one and the first in the rancke That though the open notorious obstinate offenders be partakers of the Sacraments yet neither the Sacraments nor the people that ioyne with them are defiled thereby Defence of the Churches and Ministers of England 70. Communion of Sâ—iâ—ts 469. Par. l. 71. 72. 73 This doctrine quoth he is contrarie to these Scriptures 1. Cor. 10.17 Hag. 2.14 15. 1. Cor. 5 6. 10.28 2. Cor. 6.15.18 Gal. 5 9. with eleuen more there quoted So that there is no want of witnâ—sses But let vs heare also what M. Ainsworth saieth If in our assemblies quoth he the wicked partake with vs neither we nor the holy things can sanctifie them but contrariwise they defile vs and euery thing they touch For confirmation hereof both these men and likewise M. Smith alleadge Hag. 2 13 14. with diuers other places of the olde Testament concerning ceremoniall pollution whereby they will haue it that this spirituall pollution is signified and shadowed foorth If saith Haggai one beare holy flesh in the skirt of his garment and with his skirt doe touch the bread or the pottage or the wine or the oyle or any meate shall it be holy And the Priests answered and saide No 14. Then saide Haggai If a polluted person touch any of these shall it be vncleane and the Priests answered and said it shall be vncleane I answere proue and make it plaine to vs 1. That by touching is signified our mutuall partaking in these holy things or in true diuine worship 2. That this polluted person doeth signifie an open wicked man in the Church Prooue I say these to haue this resemblance as your interpretation and application of them implyeth and I will confesse that you doe not misinterpret misapply these Scriptures as you doe the rest here But if herein you faile neither this Scripture nor any of this kinde will auaile you at all Concerning the first of these you say And this touching figured our fellowship together in the Church as the Apostle sheweth 2. Cor. 6.14 15 16 17. Communion of Saints 469. I deny this and affirme that this place of Paul prooueth no such thing The Apo perswading the Saints at Corinth not to ioyne with their neighbours who were heathens and Idolaters in their false and Idolatrous worship nor in any of their pollutions no not so much as with their bodies though they kept their spirit pure vnto the Lord vseth this phrase in the Lawe touch no vncleane thing not meaning thereby to teach what this touching figured but the Corinthian saints that they might no way pertake nor haue any thing to doe more nor lesse soule nor body with the Idolatrous worship or any other pollution of theirs Now what maner of proofe and argument is this We may not at all pertake with Idolaters in their false worship not somuch as touch it with a finger Ergo not with the open wicked in true diuine worship If wee communicate with Idolaters in false worship by touching that impure worship we our selues shall be made impure touch it not therefore come not at it Ergo if wee communicate with the open wicked in true diuine worship wee and that worshtp shall be made vncleane These two conclusions are your positions and the two Antecedents are Paules Let the Reader iudge of the consequence But let vs come to rhe other thing heere to be considered that is whom the man that was ceremonially vncleane did signifie You will not say I knowe the open wicked man but the sinner without any such limitation or restraint Wherupon by your expositioÌ„ this followeth That the sinner or man spiritually vncleane defileth the holy things of God Word Sacraments and Prayer and they that communicate with him therein are likewise defiled as the man ceremonially vncleane polluted whatsoeuer things he touched and they that touched him were vncleane But this inference is false because without any such pollution we may communicate wiâ—h hypocrites who be sinners and therefore this your exposition from whence it is inferred is false In this straite you haue no other refuge but this That by the vncleane man vnder the lawe was signified the open wicked man or knowne sinner Which I desire you would hereafter prooue vnto vs for we will take nothing of your word In the meane season this I say vnto you that had you or should you yet consider that howsoeuer the wicked whether openly or secretly wicked for all is one polluted indeede the holy things of God it is vnto themselues onely and not to others according to this Scripture vnto them that are defiled Tit. 1.15 and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure you wou'd neuer trouble the Church of God with this impure doctâ—ine This testimony of Titus you produce for your selues and it maketh against you Communion of Saints 133. Communion of Saints 464. 1 Cor. 5.6 Gal. 5.9 Answerable hereunto bee your other testimonies of holy writ and namely this so frequent with you a little leauen leaueneth a whole lump For the Apostles meaning is not that a few or one knowne wicked man by his open sinne doeth pollute the Word Sacraments and the whole assembly they be comming guiltâ—e of sinne and so defiled 1. Because they haue religious communion with him Paral. 71 72. 73 2. Because by this communicating with a knowne sinner in dâ—uine worshâ—p they doe approoue of his sinne and thus consenting thereto become accessary vnto it This
betweene vs and you eoncerning the same That little which is heere saide of our Ministery is as you may seâ— vpon occasion and by the way Truely I much desired to haue added something heere in dâ—fence of our Ministery and answere to your sophismes but for diuers reasons whereof some be mentioned in the epistles dedicatorie I thought good to forbeare and at this present to say no more CHAP. IX How the Separists to iustifie their separation from the Church of England doe shamefully peruert the holy Scriptures AS for the proofe of the particular points wherein wee and you of the separation doe differ you shamefully abuse and peruert the sacred Scriptures euen all of you without exception as manifestly appeareth by the premises so in the maine difference concerning the separating of your selues from our church you doe the like whereof I will giue the Reader likewise a tast For the iustifying of their separation they alleadge diuers places of holy Scripture and specially three which they take to be very pregnant for them One of them is taken out of the 19. Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles The wordes bee these Vers 8. Moreouer he that is Paul went into the Synagogue and spake boldly for the space of three moneths disputing and exhorting to the things that appertaine to the Kingdome of God 9. But when certaine were hardned and disobeyed speaking euill of the way of God before the multitude he departed from them and separated the Disciples and disputed daily in the Schoole of one Tyrannus We answere These men from whom Paul and other Christians separate were open contemners nay blasphemers of the way of God Because of this open contempt of theirs for it is saide they spake euill of that way before the multitude the Apostle durst not Preach the word of God vnto them neither could haue done without sinning against God for our Sauiour hath fordidden to giue that which is holy vnto Dogges Matth. 7.6 and to cast pearles before Swine And least wee should thinke this were onely true of priuate admonition or reproofe wee may remember that to the 70 Disciples hee giueth the same commaundement concerning publike teaching saying to them when he sent them foorth to Preach by two and two Luke 10.10 But into whatsoeuer Citie yee shall enter if they will not receiue you goe your wayes out into the streetes of the same and say Euen the very dust which cleaueth on vs of your Citie wee wipe of against you Except therefore we be such despisers as these this Scripture maketh not for their Separation but is misapplied and wrested by them And notwithstanding S. Paul with the other Christians did well in separating from them aforesaide they doe sinfully in departing from vs. Another testimonie of Scripture and of all the most vsuall and principall they take out of the 6. Chapter of the second Epistle of S. Paul to the Corinthians Vers 14.15 Bee not vnequally yoaked with Infidels for what fellowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse And what communion hath light with darkenesse And what concord hath Christ with Belial or what part hath the beleeuer with the infidell 16. And what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idoles for yee are the Temple of the liuing God as God hath saide I will dwell among them and walke there and I will be their God and they shall be my people 17. Wherefore come out from among them and separate your selues saith the Lord and touch none vncleane thing and I will receiue you 18. And I will bee a father vnto you and yee shall bee my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord Almightie Thus endeth the 6. Chapter and thus farre doe the Separists coate and vrge this Scripture but no farther But heereunto let vs adde the first verse of the 7. Chapter for that maketh greatly for the right vnderstanding of this Scripture Seeing then we haue these promises dearely beloued let vs cleanse our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and Spirit and finish our sanctification in the feare of God By these words of the Apostle it should seeme that sundry Christians in Corinthus according to their accustomed manner before the time of their conuersion went sometimes to their idols Temples where were nothing but grosse and heathenish Idolatrie and their with their neighbours vvho were heathens and infidels did ioyne together in their idolatrous worship or at least in their holy feasts as is said 1. Cor. 8.10 which they did celebrate to the honour of their Idols and so were dâ—fiâ—ed with the worship of idols thinking with themselues that they might lawfully ioyne with them in externall idolatrie and thus farre yeeld with their bodies so long as they kept their soules pure to the Lord. The Apostle hearing of this great corruption among many others telleth them that they must withdraw themselues from this idolatrous worship and defilement and separate themselues For they cannot worship God and the Diuell they are so contrarie one to another euen as light and darknâ—sse But if they thus worship idols they worship the Diueâ—l and thereâ—ore so doing they cannot worship God That they who worship idols doe worship the Diuell hee hath shewed them in his former Epistle in these words What say I then That the idol is any thing 1. Cor. 10.19 Or that that which is sacrificed to idols is any thing Nay but that these things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to Deuils and not vnto God and I would not that you should haue fellowship with the Deuils Ye cannot be partakers of the Lords Table and of the table of Deuils And whereas they excused this fact of theirs thus as sundry doe their going to Masse at this day that now they went not with this minde as sometimes they did to giue honour to the idols for they knew well that an idol is nothing that is that there is not any God-head in an idol and therefore did keepe their soules pure from all pollution hee answereth that they whom God vouchsafeth this honour to be his children must keepe themselues pure not only in soule but also in body 1 Cor. 6.20 called hâ—re flâ—sh glorifying God in their bodies and in their spirits for they are Gods that so they may be wholly pure Thus we see the occasion the scope and drift of the Apostle and the true sence and meaning of these words Whereby wee learne That the worshippers of the true God may not communicate with heathens and infidels in their idolatrous or idol worship which is no bâ—tter then the worship of the Diuell And to apply this That a Christian at this day being in Turkey may not pertake with them in their worshipping of Mahomet or beeing among heathâ—ns ioyne with them in their heathenish and idolatrous seruice Which maketh nothing for their separating from vs in the worship of the true God because of some corruptions therein Except it be all one when externall worshâ—p in