duty that God not man hath appointed as such thereunto And in this sense is the Rule given by them about the Decalogue That which requires the duty requires the means conducing thereunto And except means be taken by him in this sense we deny his Major No Form may lawfully be used in Worship but that which is a means of the appointment of God to further a positive Duty If he prove his Common-Prayer-Book-Service to be such a Form he doth somewhat but till then Rapiunt conamina Venti Hebeats the air 2ly Why speaks he so faintly in his Minor Such May be the Forms Why speaks he not out and plainly as one that believes he speaks Truth Such Are the Forms of Prayer in the Common-Prayer-Book Now this we also deny not only 1. Because they are not means appointed by the Lord for that end But also because 2. The gift of Prayer consists in somwhat else than memory and eloqution viz. In an ability of mind to form words expressive of the desires of our hearts wherein these Forms are not pleaded to be helpful And yet 3. However it comes to pass we find not the most devout Liturgists to excel either in memory or eloqution And 4. Our own experience and the experience of the whole Nation tells us the contrary to what Mr. T. affirms The Common-Prayer-Book-Priests are of all persons the most dull unapt and heavy in that duty of Prayer who must have a prayeâ— penn'd for them for every occasion or they can say nothing Now Mr. T. hath not produced one convincing Argument to prove that a man must believe contrary to what he sees and knows We add in S. T. 3dly The common-prayer-book-Common-Prayer-Book-Worship is a Worship of which we find no foot-steps in the Scripture as hath already been demonstrated Whence it follows that 't is a Worship of pure humane invention which is not only not of Christs appointment but contrary to the very nature of instituted Worship as is proved in our first Argument and to very many precepts of the Lord in the Scripture Exod. 20. 4 5. Deut. 4. 2. 13. 32. Prov. 30. 16. Jer. 7. 31. Mat. 15. 9 13. Mar. 7. 7 8. Rev. 22. 18. The mind of God in which Scriptures we have exemplified Lev. 10. 1 2 3 4. Jos 22. 10. Judg. 8. 2. 2 Kings 16. 11. 1 Chr. 15. 3. What Mr. T. answers hereunto Sect. 6. is 1st No more than what he hath often said and hath been as often answered 2dly He hath culd out five or six Scriptures from the rest â—hich he yet wrests to another purpose than they were produced for We do not introduce them to prove the common-prayer-book-Common-Prayer-Book-Worship is an Humane Invention which we demonstrate it to be because not founded upon the Scriptures but that the Introduction of Humane Inventions into the Worship of God is interdicted in them The verity wheâ—eof the Reader will evidently see proved by a sober perusal of them 3dly He absurdly asserts that a Worship not founded in the Scriptures is not of pure Humane Invention I confess it may be Diabolical and is call'd Devillism or worshiping the Devil Psal 106. 37. But Divine it is not whilst not built upon that Basis 4. He yeelds the whole cause whilst he grants that all Inveâ—tions of Men whereby our Worship of God is signified are unlawful if made necessary when the Worship of God is placed in them or their use which all know to be the case of our Liturgical forms Of Jos 22. 10. we have at large treated chap. 2. We say further in S. T. 4thly That Worship which is not necessary for the edification comfort or preservation of the Saints in the Faith and Unity of the Gospel is not of the institution of Christ but such is the Worship of the Common-Prayer-Book Therefore The major is evident the particulars instanced in were the great aim and end of Christ in all Gospel-Administrations Ephes 4. 7 10 15. Col. 2. 19. Acts 9. 31. Rom. 14. 14 15. 1 Cor. 10. 23. 14. 3 4 5 12 26. 2 Cor. 12. 10. 1 Tim. 1. 4. The minor is proved by this that the Churches of Christ for the first four Centuries of years and more knew not any thing of such a Worship yet they enjoyed the ends of Gospel-Administrations mentioned To which Mr. T. Sect. 7. 1. Insinuates that the Scriptures produced are abusively wrested as proving nothing of Christs aim in his Institutions Answ 1. Let this be considered Ephes 4. 7 8. Ye have an account of the ascention of Christ and his giving gifts unto men as Apostles v. 11. For what end and purpose v. 12. For the perfecting of the Saints for the edifying of the Body of Christ Col. 2. 19. speaks of the Churches increase as a Body through the nourishment ministred in the Administration of the Gospel or through the Golden Pipes of Gospel-Institutions by which Acts 9. 31. it 's said The Churches were edified Rom. 14. 19 20. It 's pressed as the duty of Saints in Gospel-fellowship to follow after things wherewith one may edifie another and 1 Cor. 10. 23 24. tells us That some things in themselves lawful are to be forborn amongst Saints in Church-Communion because they edifie not Ch. 14. 3 4. c. 26. tells us That the end for which the gift of prophesying was given was the edification of the Saints which Paul professeth 2 Cor. 12. 19. to be the aim of his Soul and charges Timothy 1 Tim. 1. 4. to mind this as the great thing in his Ministry An evident demonstration that this was the main end of Christ in these Gospel-Institutions and that the Separatists as Mr. T. talks multiply not Texts impertinently bâ—t he needlesly cavils against what is from Scripture-evidence asserted and egregiously abuseth the unwary Reader 2. Doth he denie the things mentioned to be the aim and end of Christ in Gospel-Administrations Doth he prove that the Common-Prayer-Book-Service is necessary for the obtainment of these ends nor at all He tells us indeed That Prayers Praisâ—s c. are so Which if meant of such as are of his appointment managed according to his will in his own way by his own Spirit we grant to be true but he forgets to prove that the Common-Prayer-Book-Worship is so That we confound the form or mode of the Worship with the Worship is not true they themselves make these forms such a necessary part of Worship by their imposition that without them we may not pray to or praise God at all Whilst he grants Liturgical forms are not necessary for the ends mentioned he throws down the master Pillar upon which it stands upright in the thoughts of some the preservation of union amongst the people necessarily requires such an uniformity say the Masters of Ceremonies His retortion of the Argument is ridiculous We say not That that Worship which in respect of the mode or form of performing it is not necessary for the edification of the Saints in
the same or greater wickednesses are committed and increase groans to the Lord in us to cause the light of his glorious Gospel to arise and shine upon them as also stir us up to thankfulness for the light of the Gospel he hath sent amongst us and whilst we have it to walk in it not loving darkness more than light But thus far will the light of Nature engraven upon the heart lead us with respect to the right Worship of God and I humbly conceive ne plus ultra not a step farther 2dly As there is a natural or moral Worship of God so is there that which is ceremonial or instituted which depends upon Divine Revelation and is nothing but the expression of the moral and internal Worship of God our love faith fear subjection of and to him in those external wayes that are of his own revelation wherein he hath said he will have us manifest and express them and as a great encouragement thereunto hath promised in our so doing to meet with us and bless us This is that which is most usually in Scripture called the Worship of God and Christ And this is that Worship whereunto I refer hearing the Word as 't is a Gospel-Institution to be practised by the Saints which was so plainly asserted in the Sober Testimony that there was no occasion for Mr. T. to trouble himself or the Reader with his guessing at the meaning of the Author did he not delight to multiply words but to have owned it if true or otherwise to have addressed himself to the confutation thereof That which I asserted was that Hearing by the Saints under the dispensation of the Gospel for of them and their duty is the question proposed pag. 13. is part of Instituted Worship Which when Mr. T. endeavours the confutation of I may be supposed to be concern'd in his discourses but till then the most partially addicted Reader will acquit me from any bounden service or attendance on them 'T is an easie way of answering Books though not much to edification to desert the main point to be impugned and divertise ones self and Reader with discourses that are but at best collateral thereunto and scarce speak a word to that which is the alone thing to be spoken to as Mr. T. in this matter hath done So that in what he saith not speaking to the thing in question in these two first Sections I am little concerned yet can I not but take notice of one thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we pass on which I cannot close with him in viz. That we worship God in hearing when we hear which he pretends to prove from 1 Thess 2. 13. which as thus crudely proposed I humbly conceive is very remote from truth There is more to be done than so I am apt to think that those who worship God in hearing must first come to it as to an Institution of Christ Which if a man doth nor he worships not God at all therein For persons to come to hear a Sermon out of custom curiosity lothness to undergo the penalties of the Land censures of others for company or the like not heeding it or coming to it as an Institution of Christ will hardly be accounted by the Lord as worshipping him being indeed not at all so 2dly That they set themselves to hear what is spoken as the Word of the eternal God receive it in meekness faith love giving up themselves to its authority and conduct which except we do we worship not God Jehoiakim in Jeremiah heard the Roll read but he takes his Penknife cuts it in pieces and throws it into the fire The Pharisees hear Christ preach Luke 16. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they blew their noses at him in scorn and derision Act. 7. you have Stephen preaching to the Jews who for a great while hear him with silence and attention bâ—t v. 54. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were vexed so as if they had been cut with a Saw 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shewed their teeth and grind them like mad dogs against him To which many more instances might be added of such as heard the Word of God under such abominable passions Will Mr. T. say that such as these worship God in hearing what more absurd And yet if he deny it his Assertion falls to the ground That men worship God in hearing when they hear 'T is one device of Satan to undo souls and no mean one by miscalling things and appropriating those names and titles to them that do not belong to them to cause them to think that they have and do what they neither have nor do Some transient checks of conscience slight and superficial sorrow for sin assent to propositions of truth escaping the pollutions of the world saying their prayers going to hear he calls and would make poor hearts believe they are so the saving convictions of the Spirit Gospel-humiliation precious unfeigned Faith Evangelical Sanctication and Holiness worshipping God c. which if they do they have only this advantage that they go down with more pomp and state to Hell than those that know nothing of these semblances of Grace and Holiness 'T is a fond conceit that poor blind ignorant creatures flatter themselves with that their going to Church as they call it and joyning with the Preacher in the outward acts of praying and preaching supposing it to be according to the Institution of Christ is worshiping God and I am sorry to find Mr. T. by such expressions hardning them in this dangerous conceit Alas ye cannot thus worshâ—p God for he is a jealous God he is a Spirit and will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth Precious Mr. Burroughs in his Treatise of Gospel-Worship speaks excellently to this matter pag. 93. Though I do kneel down in prayer and present my body to hear the Word this is noâ— to worship God as a Spirit and yet he that worships him not as a Spirit worships him not at all And p. 109. Many people think it a very easie matter to worship God and so it were if Mr. T. his Assertion were true If it were nothing else to worship God but to come and hear a Sermon then it were the easiest matter in the world to worship God but there is more required in the duty of God's Worship than thou hast been acquainted with there is a power of Godliness in it And citing Josh 24. 19. he adds q. d. You think it is nothing to serve the Lord alas you cannot serve the Lord for he is a holy God and a jealous God you must have other manner of hearts than yet you have you must understand his Worship in another manner than yet you do until you understand God his Wayes and Worship you cannot serve the Lord i. e. you do not cannot worship him Nor doth the Scripture 1 Thess 2. 13. prove his Assertion but rather the contrary The words are For this cause thank we God without
instituted Officers of his own none are to be heard as speaking in his Name by virtue of an office-power but those that are so instituted by him for if we may hear any one what need of such an institution That hearing them is contrary to Scripture-Rule we demonstrate in the subsequent Chapters in S. T. What Mr. T. further offers in this matter is nothing to the purpose God commanded the Levites to read the Law Deut. 31. 9. Yet Shaphan reads it before Josiah 2 Chron. 34. 18. which was an accidental part of Worship warranted by permission Answ 1. The reading of the Law by Shaphan was not an accidental part of Worship warranted by permission which Mr. T. doth ill so impose upon us it was commanded Deut. 6. 6 7 8 9. and 11. 18. 2dly Had Shaphan acted therein as a Church-officer as is the case of the present Ministers it had been his sin and utterly unlawful for any one to have attended on him in so doing Luke 10. 16. hath been considered in our Answer to Mr. T. his Exceptions against the Preface of the S. T. Sect. 2. where we have manifested That the Spirit of the Lord in it lifts up himself against what Mr. T. endeavours to support by it Nor doth John 8. 47. communicate the least mite of assistance to his assertion 'T is expresly and particularly spoken with relation to Christ The Jews brag'd that they were Abrahams Children vers 39. Christ labours to drive them out of that hold Vers 39 40 by manifesting to them that they did not the works of Abraham They tell him that God was their Father Vers 41. He labours to convince them of the contrary and amongst other things asserts that general Aphorism Vers 47. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that is of God i. e. He that is born of God as 't is John 1. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heareth Gods Words i. e. subjects conforms to obeys them q. d. If ye were of God as ye say ye would believe obey the Word of God that I the Son of God the great Prophet of the Church preach to you Ergo It s lawful to hear Gods Word who ever brings it i. e. attend upon any Ministry though of evil Spirits unclean Frogs that come out of the mouth of the Dragon Beast and false Prophet Rev. 16. 13. quod erat demonstrandum The Apostle seems to be of another mind 1 John 4. 5 6. The next attempt of the Animadverter Sect. 3. is to dissipate what we offer for the confirmation of the Major Proposition viâ— That 't is not lawful to practise any thing being part of instituted Worship for which we have no warrant in the Scripture This I say is evident 1. From the nature of instituted Worship which consists in this that it be of divine Revelation This is true saith he of essential not of accidental parts of instituted Worship Answ 1. But we deny that there are any accidental parts of instituted Worship for if instituted i. e. commanded by Christ it cannot be accidental i. e. left to our liberty as what may or â—ay not be done without sin If accidental it may be a part of somewhat else but of the instituted Worship of Christ it cannot be And this was in effect told Mr. T. in S. T. but he is wise and resolves to take no notice of what he sees he is not able to make some kind of reply or other to His discourse of Jehoâ—akims hearing Jehudi read the Roll is not at all pertinent what may be thought to be of weight in it is already answered in the case of Shaphans reading the Law but now replied to 2dly From the Verdict of Christ who pronounceth all the Worship of man to be vain and fruitless and so unlawful that is bottomed on any thing but divine Revelation Mar. 7. 7. To which he answers This is true of those Actions in which the Worship of God is placed Answ Very good in hearing the present Ministers Mr. T. supposeth the Worship of God to be placed Let him produce an Institution for his so doing or his Worship by his own confession is vain sinful unlawful So that to what follows we need not say any thing The hearing the Law of God read was a part of Worship but whether in the Synagogue or in their own Houses was not so it related not to Worship as such at all being nothing but what was common to other actions to be performed by them in a Community Circumstances of Worship as such undetermined by the Lord to be appointed by men we deny and chalenge Mr. T. to make good These circumstances are such as without which the Worship of God is perfect or t is not if the first we need them not they are vain fruitless having without them a perfect Worship If the second the Worship God hath commanded as it comes out of his hands without humane additaments is imperfect but this is little less than blasphemy We assert 3dly If it be lawful to conform to any one part of instituted Worship without warrant from the Scripture 'T is also lawful to conform to another a third the whole This is granted saith Mr. T. and therein hath he yeelded the matter in controversie 'T is no more lawful to conform to any one part of instituted Worship without warrant from the Scripture than 't is to conform to the whole as our Animadverter grants but no man in his witts will say 't is lawful to conform to the whole of Instituted Worship without Warrant from Scripture Therefore But I add in S. T. That the asserting it lawful to conform to the whole of Instituted Worship without warrant from Scripture is the ready way to banish Instituted Worship out of the World This Mr. T. denies for this reason The Pharisees observed many Traditions from the Elders Mar. 7. 3 4. but this did not banish the Instituted Worship of the Passover out of the world Answ Egregie dictum and as became such a Doctor For 1st The many Traditions they practised from the Elders were but a part of their Religious Observances not the whole 2dly Had they practised nothing as a part of their instituted Worship but what they had received by Tradition from them they must most assuredly have banished the truly Instituted Worship of the Lord out of the world which except revealed by him is not his instituted Worship nor can it properly be so called We affirm 4thly That to assert it is lawful to conform â—o any part of instituted Worship without warrant from the Scripture reflects sadly upon the wisdom and faithfulness of Christ for either he was not wise enough to foresee that such a part of Worship was or would be requisite or had not faithfulness enough to reveal it though the Scripture compares him to Moses for faithfulness who revealed the whole will of God to the making of a pin in the Tabernacle Mr. T. replies It was neither for want
what is practised in his Worship without any warrant from him I must confess I know not what is Is not You shall sign with the Cross in Baptism kneel at the Sacrament wear the Surplice c. an adding to the Word of God when he is altogetheâ— in the Scriptures silent in these matters Mat. 15. 9. speaks of the Inventions of men with respect to accidental parts of Worship as Mr. T. accounts them The essentials of Worship as praying hearing c. they had from the Lord these things were not what Christ condemns in them as the Doctrines of men What was it then Mr. T. in his Fermentum Pharisaeorum on Mat. 15. 9. shall answer for me But in this place saith he that which our Saviour objects to them is That they sought to establish the Traditions of men chiefly that they taught men to observe things praeter Legem besides the Law in stead of Gods Law as the washing of hands before meals the washing of Cups and Potts with many such like Traditions inveâ—ted by men And afterwards Sect. 5. tells us That Bowings Duckings and such like Gestures Usages and Rites invented by men to express Humility Devotion and Reverence to God he contemns as Childish Apish Theatrical and ridiculous And Sect. 7. he adds That this teaching for Doctrine the Commandments of men intrencheth on Gods Prerogative who is the only Law-giver to his Church Jam. 4. 12. for his Worship and that with respect to the fashion and way of Service 'T is an injuring God whilest we conceive him to be so childish as to be affected with pomps and shews gestures and carnal Rites which he never appointed It opposeth Gods Word his Law his Gospel because it brings in another Rule of Worship than God's Law viz. Tradition of Elders Custom Example contrary to Deut. 4. 2. Pro. 30. 6. It opposeth the manifestation of the clear light of the Gospel as shadows the light of the Sun Look into the places where there is so much preaching of Ceremonies and Church-orders and such a regular observation of them as in places where the Cathedral and Canonical Preachers and officiating Priests do bear sway there is little spiritual understanding and lively feeling of the Doctrine and Grace of Christ to be found Sect. 8. with much more to the same purpose Lev. 10. â— Jer. 7. 31. expresly assert that their sin lay in doing that which God commanded them not which had he done it had been lawful Let Mr. T. shew where the offering of strange fire was expresly forbidden and he may be supposed to say somewhat that is pertinent Mr. Ainsworth whom he cites on Lev. 10. 1. is against him Strange fire he tells us is other fire than God hath sanctified on his Altar fire not commanded And the Assembly upon the place say rightly In God's Worship his Command not man's wit or will must be our rule The citation of Josh 22. 34. 2 Chron. 20. 3. 30. 23. Esth 9. 27 31. by this Animadverter is impertinent Josh 22. 34. gives us an account of their building an Altar but they expresly affirm it was not for burnt-offerings nor for Sacrifices not for an Ecclesiastical but a Civil use v. 22 23 24 26 28. Had they built it for the Worship of God it had in the judgment of the whole Congregation of Israel been Rebellion against him ver 16. So that this Scripture instead of supporting cuts the throat of his dying cause nor can Mr. T. ever satisfactorily answer this Argument 'T is great wickedness to commit a trespass against to turn away from following to rebel against the Lord But the doing or practising any thing in his Worship besides what God hath enjoyned to be done is to commit a trespass against him to turn away from following to rebel against him Therefore The Major no sober Christian will deny The Minor is evident from v. 16 18 19. Nor will Mr. T. his old shift of Essential and Accidental parts of Worship serve him in this case For 1. The erection of an Altar he supposeth to be but an accidental part of Worship 2. He produceth this Scripture to prove the lawfulness of mens orders in and about the Accidentals of Instituted Worship As for his other Scriptures 2 Chron. 30. 23. hath been already considered and answered in our Answer to Prof. Sect. 5. 2 Chron. 20. 3. Esth 9. 27 31. speak only of the Proclamation and Decree or Purpose of the King and People to observe and keep certain dayes unto the Lord upon the account of such signal providences that the Lord had brought them under wherein they judged he was calling them thereunto To what is added in S. T. touching the judgment of the Ancients Mr. T. replies but so jejunely that it deserves not to be taken notice of As for Cyprian's testimony 't is full up to the matter in hand the foundation upon which he dealt against the Aquarii being no other than what we are pleading-for that Christ alone is to be heard in matters of Instituted Worship as Mr. T. will grant the Sacrament to be I stand amazed at the confidence of the Animadverter in asserting that Beza's words on Phil. 1. 1. are to be understood of things determined in the Scripture when he expresly speaks of giving the title of Bishop for Polities sake peculiarly to him that did preside in the Assembly whereof he tels us the Devil began to lay the first foundation of Tyranny in the Church of God and then he adds Behold of how great moment it is to decline from the Word of God though but an hairs breadth if it be but in giving titles peculiarly to persons which are not so given to them in the Scripture And much more do I wonder if he did without blushing write that Luther is to be understood of Doctrines and Decrees if he oppose these to Church-Ceremonies which if he do not he yeelds his Cause when he expresly saith he means that nothing with respect to external Rites which he calls Traditions and the mixing the Worship of God with foolish Gewgaws is to be taught without the express words of God for our warrant 'T is true Dr. Whitakers words are meant of the Popish use of Oyl in their Sacraments but the ground of his opposing it is plainly the same with that we are contesting about viz. That nothing is to be added to the Instituted Worship as a part thereof without warrant from the Scripture for saith he we acknowledge no Oyl because we read nothing of Oyl in the Scriptures To these I say many may be added Take a few instances instead of many Whatsoever things men find and fain without the Authority and Testimony of the Scripture as if they were from Apostolical Tradition are smitten by the Sword of God saith Hierom Comment in Hag. c. 2. And again Men are saith he set to eat their meat without Salt when they are commanded any thing that hath no relish from the
detestandis Idolis The truth of these things is so generally known throughout the Nation that as I am sorry the mention thereof should drive Mr. T. into such a sweaâ—ing passion as it seems to do so can I not but wonder at his confidence in calling those things palpable gross untruths when the whole Nation knows the contrary His Satyrical expressions I omit The visible Lineaments and Characters of false Prophets being instamped upon the fore-heads of the present Ministers they are not to be heard but separated from CHAP. VIII Arg. 6. Sect. 1. A sixth Argument against hearing the present Ministers Saints must not have Communion with Idolaters The vanity of Mr. T. his arguings to the contrary evinced 1 Cor. 10. 14. 2 Cor. 6. 14 15 16 17 18 opened A threefold Idolatry Whether the Idolaters of old worshipped the creature terminatively Of the golden Calf Baal Molech That the Worshippers of them worshipped them not terminatively proved Of Devil-Worship Psal 106. 37 38 explained The Heathen Images dedicated to the true God The Testimony of the Heathens in this matter Of refined Idolatry Worshiping of God in a way not of his appointment is Idolatry The Testimony of Calvin Perkins Ames Pareus Willet Peter Martyr c. to the truth of the Assertion The Romans worshipped the Godds an hundred and seventy years and more without Images A Sixth Argument advanced in S. T. against hearing the present Ministers is this Those that are guilty of Idolatry Saints may not have communion with much less own them as their Teachers but ought to separate from them But the present Ministers of England are guilty of Idolatry Therefore The Major is bottomed upon express Commands from Christ 1 Cor. 5. 11. 10. 14. 2 Cor. 6. 14 18. To which Mr. T. replies 1. The Conclusion is not the same with that which Chap. 1. was undertaken to be defended That it is not lawful for Saints to hear the present Ministers which we may do though Communion with them be unlawful though we are bound not to own them as our Teachers but separate from them Answ Now this I confess I understand not Communion consists in giving and receiving a constant or frequent attending upon any ones teaching especially when by the Prelates instituted and inducted to such a Parish as a Teacher whereof I am a Member is an Argument of my owning him for my Teacher Separation from any one consists in this that I have no Communion with him in that in respect of which I am bound to separate from him That I should with frequency hear a man preach as a Minister of the Gospel and yet be said to have no Communion with him to separate from him is an Aenigma that needs some Oedipus to unravel He tells us 2dly The Major is not true if the Idolatry be in worshiping in any other way than what he hath prescribed or if the Idolatry be secret or if open if by infirmity a man falls into it and repents or be not censured as such or teacheth not such Idolatry nor requires any communion with him in his Idolatry Answ 1. If the Major be not true it follows that its lawful to have Communion with Idolaters for with persons guilty of Idolatry the Major saith we must not have Communion Mr. T. is driveâ— to his shifts indeed when to defend the cause he hath undertaken he is forced to plead for such gross absurdities so contradictory to the Scriptures and the judgment of all sober Christians that ever were in the world 2. If worshipping God in another way than he hath appointed be in Scripture Idolatry and in it we are commanded to abstain from such Worship and Worshippers then though the Idolatry consist therein the Major is true When the Scripture commands us to flee from Idolatry it means that which is so in its own sense not Mr. T 's 3. 'T is true I am not to separate from a person I know not to be guilty of Idolatry till I know he is so but this reacheth not the case of the present Ministers whom we prove manifestly guilty hereof When Ezekiel once came to understand that the Antients of the House of Israel committed Idolatry in the Chambers of their Imagery Ezek. 8. 7 to 13. he might not have Communion with them though they committed it in the dark 4. Repentance restores a man fallen into the same place amongst the Saints he was in before he fell but this is not at all to the purpose the present Ministers justifie their actings would compel aâ—l to do as they do 5. That 't is not our duty to separate from Idolaters till they are under Church-censure is a meer fancy 1st What if they are such as are in no Church-state persons without with whom the Church hath nothing to do 2dly What if the so called Church be generally overspread with Idolatry as our Animadverter will confess the Church of Rome is must I wait the Churches censure till I refuse to hold communion with Idolaters Is it ever likely that an Apostate Idolatrous Church will pass sentence upon it self or rational that I hold communion with them till they do So is 6. That 't is not our duty so to do except they teach it and require my communion with them in it For 1. he that practiseth it teacheth it by his practice 2. As it relates to the present Ministers 't is vain and frivolous they both practise and preach it and require my communion with them in it He saith 3dly The Texts do not prove the Major Answ Let the judicious Reader judge for himself whether they do or no 1 Cor. 5. 11. we have already vindicated from his exceptions That 1 Cor. 10. 14. is not to our purpose because the Apostle onely saith Flee from Idolatry not from teachers that are Idolaters is a fond conceit The intendment of the Apostle is to provoke to the greatest circumspection not onely to avoid the thing it self which saith Pareus Was not only the gross Idolatry of the Gentiles but every kind of Idolatry but all the occasions thereof And certainly the hearing or attending on the ministry of persons guilty of Idolatry is no mean occasion thereof 2 Cor. 6. 14 15 16 17 18. commands separation from the Idol Mr. T. grants Now I must profess I know not by what Logick he will prove that though it be my duty to separate from Idols I may so far retain communion with the Idolater as to own him for my Teacher the very repeating these absurdities is confutation sufficient Before we attempt the proof of the minor Proposition we premise in S. T. That Idolatry may be considered under a threefold Notion 1. Most gross and absurd Idolatry when the creature is worshiped terminatively This we say few are guilty of In the matter of the golden Calf Israel was not they worshipped God in it Exod. 32. 5. Maimonides de Idolat 8. 2 3. tells us That through the Idols Idolaters worshipped
ceasing because when ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of man but as it is in truth the Word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe Not to multiply words the Apostle with Silvanus and Timotheus chap. 1. 1. acquaints them in this verse 1. of the returns they were on their behalf making to God for the Grace was bestowed on them We thank God without ceasing 2. Particularly declares the ground and reason of this their thanksgiving which was their reception of obedience to the Gospel which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word of God which because they ministerially brought to them he calls also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word of hearing speech or report from them This he saith they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they tryed proved considered weighed in their spirits what was offered to them by the Apostles as learned Beza tells us the word signifies whereby it is saith he distinguished from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An entertainment that the Gospel did not every-where meet with being many times cryed out against run upon and violently opposed as were the Publishers of it without so much as soberly considering whether things be so or no nor here but by a very few the Rabble in an hurly-burly furiously assaulting the house of Jason Act. 17. 5. whither 't was like the Disciples were wont to repair And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having upon tryal found it to be of worth and weight they received imbraced it as Beza Zanchy c. on the place say the word signifies and that as the Word of God with reverence giving up themselves to his conduct How this came to pass he also asserteth it was from the effectual energy of the Lord upon their hearts by his mighty Power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they were not able to resist As learned Cameron in Myroth Evang. ad Phil. 2. And Praelect and holy Bains on Eph. 1. 11. say And they being thus powerfully and effectually wrought upon to the imbracing the Doctrine of the Gospel as the Word of God they become followers of the Churches of God which in Judaea were in Christ Jesus i. e. as they had before done who were in Christ before them so do they gather together into a distinct Body or particular Congregation for the celebrating the Ordinances of God together and worshipping him according to his will Therefore we worship God in hearing when we hear of which the Apostle speaks ne gry quidem as Mr. T. well knows Yet is this the only Scripture produced for the confirmation of his Assertion They were so far from worshipping God in their bare hearing that had they done no more they had not worshipped him at all no more than the rest of them of Thessalonica with the Jews who although they heard the Apostles consorted not with them but afterwards persecuted and opposed them Act. 17. 4 5. who 't is to be thought Mr. T. will not say worshipped him at all He need never fear miscarrying in any cause he thinks meet to undertake if he can but beforehand assure himself he shall meet with such partially addicted Readers as will take such proofs as these to be cogent and convincing but Parvas habet spes Troja si tales habet Strong and confident Assertions without more clear and evident proof are not likely to lead the understanding of persons soberly inquisitive after Truth into obedience of them Sect. 2. Of Instituted Worship Mat. 17. 5. explained What ever is to be practised by N. T. Saints in respect of Worship is solely to be bottom'd upon the authority of Christ Luke 10. 16. considered O. T. Precepts with respect to Hearing how obliging Luke 16. 29. explained The intendment of Christ in the Parable evinced 2 Pet. 1. 19. opened VVhom we are prohibited from hearing in the N. T. Mat. 15. 4. explained 2 Tim. 3. 5. considered and opened Of the scattered Disciples Acts 8. 1 4. touching whom Mr. T. egregiously trifles and abuseth his Reader No hearing the present Ministers as gifted Brethren VVhether hearing of Preachers be a moral and perpetual Worship common to all times MR. T. his first Section being spent in the consideration of the word Worship and some distinctions about the Worship of God the second is designed to the consideration of the word Instituted And having learnedly told us that the Instituted Worship of Christ is such as is by Christ's Institution i. e. the Instituted Worship of Christ is the Instituted Worship of Christ He further acquaints â—s what a Civil Lawyer saith of Institutions viz. That they are preceptions by which men are instructed and taught which after some exeâ—plification by particular instances he applies to the Worship of Christ under the Gospel and tells us that 't is such that is by Christ's preceptions taught directed or appointed in the time thereof which may be meant he saith of the Natural Worship which belongs to God or Christ such as Prayer to God giving Thanks to him Hearing which yet in respect of some peculiarities are to be divolved upon the Scriptures of the New Testament yet not excluding the Old or the Light of Nature so far as the Worship is perpetual and general to all people and times as being either natural or moral Answ Very good Hearing it seems then as a Gospel-duty to be performed by the Saints in the time thereof is part of Natural Worship for hereof must he speak or he speaks impertinently the question being about the duty of these Sober Testim pag. 13. which not attempting the least proof of we are bound to take no further notice thereof than to avouch the contrary If the Animadverter thinks that because some things are consonant to the dictates of right Reason the Light and Law of Nature therefore as to be performed by Saints under the Gospel they are not meerly of the institution of Christ and to be performed solely upon the account of his Authority and Command he shall not have me for his Rival Nor will any sober Christian tender of the honour and glory of his Lord and Master Christ swallow down such an Assertion without better proof About this matter a worthy and learned person hath spoken excellently in a Catechise lately published called A brief Instruction in the Worship of God where in pag. 84. Q. 18. are these words VVhereas sundry of these things viz. Prayer Preaching c. of which he had spoken before as principal Institutions of the Gospel are founded in the Light and Law of Nature as requisit unto all solemn Worship and are moreover commanded in the Moral Law and explications of it in the Old Testament how do you look upon them as Evangelical Institutions to be observed principally on the Authority of Jesus Christ Answ Neither their general suitableness unto the principles of right Reason and the dictates of the Light and Law of Nature
nor the practice of them in the Worship of God under the Old Testament do at all hinder them from depending on the meer Institution of Jesus Christ as to those especial ends of the glory of God in and by himself and the edification of his Church in the Faith which is in him whereunto he hath appointed them nor as unto the special manner of their performance which he requireth in which respects they are to be observed on the account of his Authority and Command only Mat. 17. 5. 28. 20. John 16. 23 24. Heb. 3. 4 5 6. Eph. 1. 22. 2. 20 21 22. Heb. 12. 25. In the explication whereof he speaketh after this wise The principal thing we are to aim at in the whole Worship of God is the discharge of that duty which we owe to Jesus Christ the King and Head of the Church Heb. 3. 6. 1 Tim. 3. 15. This we cannot do unless we consider his Authority as the formal reason and cause of our observance of all that we do therein If we perform any thing in the Worship of God on any other account it is no part of our obedience unto him and so we can neither expect his Grace to assist us nor have we his Promise to accept us therein for that he hath annexed unto our doing and observing what ever he hath commanded and that because he hath commanded us Matth. 28. 20. This promised Presence respects only the observance of his Commands Some men are apt to look on this Authority of Christ as that which hath the least influence into what they do If in any of his Institutions they find any thing that is suited or agreeable to the Light of Nature as Ecclesiastical Societies the Government of the Church and the like they say are they suppose and contend that that is the ground on which they are to be attended unto and so are to be regulated accordingly The interposition of his Authority they will allow only in the Sacraments which have no light in Reason or Nature so desirous are some to have as little to do with Christ as they can even in the things that concern the Worship of God But it would be somewhat strange that if what the Lord Christ hath appointed iâ— his Church to be observed in particular in an especial manner for special ends of his own hath in the general nature of it an agreement with what in like cases the Light of Nature seems to direct unto that therefore his Authority is not to be considered as the sole immediate reason of our performance of it But it is evident First that our Lord Jesus Christ being the King and Head of his Church the Lord over the House of God nothing is to be done therein but with respect unto his Authority Mat. 17. 5. Eph. 4. 15. 2. 20 21. Secondly and that therefore the suitableness of any thing to right Reason or the Light of Nature is no ground for a Church-observation of it unless it be also appointed and commanded in especial by Jesus Christ Thirdly That being so appointed and commanded it becomes an especial Institution of his and as such is to be observed so that in all things that are done or to be done with respect unto the Worship of God in the Church the Authority of Christ is alway principally to be considered and every thing to be observed is commanded by him without which consideration it hath no place in the Worship of God Thus far he with convincing brightness and evidence 'T is true Mr. T. tells us there are some particularities which God hath tied us to in the New Testament in hearing But of what nature they are he expresly tells us not Whether such as do constitute it new-testament-New-Testament-Worship without which it is not or cannot be accounted to be so The Scriptures cited by him are not wholly strangers to such a thing First Mat. 17. 5. fairly intimates that what ever is to be done in the New-Testament-Worship is to be done solely upon the Authority of Christ In v. 2. we have an account of Christ's transfiguration before Peter James and John Vers 3. Moses and Elias appear talking with him Moses was the great Lawgiver to the Old-Testament-Church Deut. 33. 21. i. e. in the portion or inheritance which Moses the Lawgiver according to the Command God had given to the Gadites Elias was the great Reformer of the Church in the dayes of Jezebels Apostacy from God men of great renown in their day Peter and the rest of them being amazed cryes out It is good for us to be here let us make three Tabernacles one for thee one for Moses and one for Elias Whereby he seems to equalize them with Christ each of them a tabernacle v. 4. What saith the voice of God v. 6. While he yet spake behold a bright cloud overshadowed them and behold a voice out of the cloud which said This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him And Mark tells us chap. 9. 9. That suddenly when they looked about they saw none but Jesus Moses and Elias were vanished and gone The intendment of the whole seems to be this That though betwixt Christ Moses and Elias there was a sweet coalescency and agreement they talked together yet in the Worship of God under the Gospel not Moses nor Elias but only Christ is to be hearkned and attended unto Therefore but a reasonable postulatum that the whole of the Worship of Christ in the times of the Gospel be divolved upon the Scriptures of the New-Testament He being appointed and deputed by the Father solely to be attended unto for Laws and Directions touching it for which also he came from the bosome of the Father John 1. 18. By whom he hath spoken to us in these last dayes Heb. 1. 2. To whom fulness of Power and Authority is delegated by the Father Mat. 28. 18. From whence the Commission to the Apostles for preaching the Gospel v. 20. doth originally spring and consequently our hearing or attending upon Preachers in that work is to take its measure from the Laws and Statutes which as Lord of the Family he hath given forth thereabout for his Houshold to observe and do Nor 2dly doth Luk. 10. 16. cited in the second place by this Animadverter serve to any other purpose but to cut the throat of the cause he hath at present undertaken the management of They are the words of Christ unto the Seventy whom he sent two and two before his face v. 1. and prove thus much That hearing those that are sent out by Christ is a positive Institution of his and such an Institution that therein we hear him which proves not the lawfulness of attending upon the Ministry of such as act not by vertue of any Authority received from him but the contrary If the Argument Christ here useth be valid That he who heareth them whom he sends in his Name heareth him and he
that heareth or receiveth Mat. 10. 40. him heareth or receiveth him that sent him viz. the Father as most certain it is I do not see that this can be accused of weakness and invalidity though such an one as Mr. T. cares not it may be to hear of viz. that he who heareth the Parish-Ministers heareth the Bishops and he who heareth the Bishops heareth the Pope from whom they originally received and derive their power and authority And yet it may be this may not be so distastful to this Animadverter as I had thought whom I already find pag. 344. pleading it lawful to hear the Jesuites a fair advance towards the personal hearing of his Holiness Thus insuccesful is Mr. T. in producing Testimonies every one of them speaking otherwise than he would have them and much to the disadvantage of the cause he undertakes the management of Nor do we say that the many Precepts in the Old-Testament about Hearing are vacated we rather establish them whilst we make it part of instituted Worship God was of old to be attended in his speaking in and by his Servants and Prophets whom he instituted and inspired to whom the Word of God came to communicate it to his People They that indeed came in his Name were to be heeded and hearkned unto and that by obligation from positive Law and Institution So are those that now come in the Name of Christ the alone Lord Lâ—wgiver and King over his House to whom all Power is given and intrusted by the Father who hath appointed his Stewards in his absence over his Houshold to give them their portion of meat in due season Luke 12. 42. Nor will those of the Houshold be ever able to acquit or justifie themselves before the Lord when he cometh if a thief or stranger break-in upon them and eject the Stewards appointed by him in their attendance upon him to say the meat he feeds us with is our Lord's meat which 't is true they should be ready to receive but from the hands destined and appointed to give it them 2dly Mr. T. supposeth that what is spoken of the Law and the Prophets Luk. 16. 29. is spoken as obliging to New-Testament-Saints but without the least attempt of proof If his own Ipse dixit will not carry the cause and persons will not suffer themselves to be guided by a worse if possible than the Popish phanatique Câ—edo or implicite Faith there is not much danger of his captivating any to his at present espoused opinion This being most usually the whole of what is tendred by way of evidence of what he is pleased confidently to aver from one end of his Theodulia to the other The contrary is evident 1. 'T is spoken to the Pharisees v. 14 15. 2dly One part of the aim and intendment of our Lord in the Parable seems to be to exalt the Institutions of God above whatever may be fixt upon by the children of men one or other of them as more probable to effect what they are instituted and appointed by the Lord for The rich man supposed that if one rose from the dead and testified to his Brethren they would repent v. 28. 30. No saith Abraham i. e. Christ If they will not hear Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one arose from the dead Hereby testifying the unalterable obligations that lie upon persons what ever specious pretences of edification profit or the like may be urged by the sons of men to an attendment upon Divine Institutions Not as if the Lord would have his New-Testament Saints attend upon Moses's Appointments or go to Mount Sinai for the pattern of his gospel-Gospel-Worship 3dly v. 16. he expresly tells us that the Law and the Prophets were but until John and since that time the Kingdom of God or Gospel-Church-state frequently so called in Scripture is preached But suppose Mr. T. had evinced or should ever be able to do so that the words of Christ did respect New-Testament-Believers any otherwise than hath already been intimated by us he had need do one thing more before they will stand him in any stead viz. manifest that they are spoken by Christ with relation to Worship that therein New-Testament-Believers are to be regulated by Moses and the Prophets for if they respect onely the Doctrine taught by the peculiar Types of that day and the Truths dropped by them touching Christ the Messiah they make nothing at all to his purpose which when he hath done Erit mihi magnus Apollo Nor doth 2 Pet. 1. 19. the other place cited by him contribute the least mite of assistance to his dying cause The Apostle understanding by Divine Revelation as 't is thought that he must shortly dye v. 14. As he was resolved whilst he lived not to cease to call upon them and stir them up as v. 12 13. so he was willing to leave this Epistle with them to put them in remembrance of the great things he had taught and communicated to them v. 15. which he tells them v. 16. were not cunningly devised fables so artificially interwoven as though they seemed to be true they were most false store of which had been in those dayes invented by Jews and Poets Oh no! had they been so he could have had no comfort in the review of them now he was going off the stage of the world which he had not having followed these when he made known unto them the power and coming or the powerful coming or coming in the power of our Lord Jesus Câ—rist manifested to be so in the efficacy of his Doctrine working Miracles his Resurrection from the dead they were he tells them eye-witnesses of his Majesty The honour and glory whereof he proves by a double Argument 1. The testimony and witness the Father bare of Christ the honour and glory put upon him when that Voice came from Heaven when he was on the Mount transfigured before them viz. Peter James and John 2dly From the word of Prophecy lest they should think the former Apparition was a fiction of his own he acquaints them that the Prophets have testified of his coming and glory Of which Word of Prophecy he asserts 1. That 't is of no private â—nterpretation i. e. the holy men to whom it came gave it forth as they received it from God without putting any of their own glosses meanings private interpretations to it 2dly That to this they do well to take heed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to which taking heed ye do excellently worthily and as becometh Saints as unto a light that shineâ—h in a dark place Yet 3dly with this limitation as to the time of their so doing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 until the day dawn and the day-star arise in their hearts Which if we should interpret of the day of the Gospel and the more clear revelation of the administrations thereof which some learned and judicious men do as the Assembly in their Annotations on the place
1 4. it was no sin to hear them they were not the strangers meant John 10. 5 c. I must crave leave to inform him of what he cannot be ignorant that he trifles and abuses his Reader egregiously 1. Christ did not only chiefly but solely enjoyn his Disciples to hear his Apostles and those that afterwards were sent by his appointment in his Name as acting in the ministration of the Gospel by vertue of an Office-power The instance of the scattered Brethren Act. 8. 1 4. is not at all to his purpose they were indeed to be heard but not as Ministers of the Gospel acting by Office-power in the promulgation thereof which they were not nor pretended to be but as gifted Brethren or private Christians receiving abilities from the Lord for that work and duty they were now providentially called unto 2dly Mr. T. knows that the Author of S. Test. is for the liberty of Prophesying though he seems to suggest the contrary in these expressions Nor did I ever think nor any man in the world in his wits that those scattered Brethren Acts 8. 1 4. were the strangers mentioned John 10. but some others as is proved in the Treatise under his consideration Those in Acts 8. were to be heard as was said as gifted Brethren not as Officers of Christ which they were not What this makes to proving the lawfulness of hearing the present Ministers to which good service it seems transiently designed is not easie to understand who preach not so whom we cannot hear as such except we would put out our eyes and renounce our understanding when they avouch they preach as Ministers and we see them daily in the exercise of that which suppose an Office-power as Baptism and breaking Bread for the doing of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these things must he speak to who considers Mr. T. his Papers for want of what is more material But perhaps Sect. 3. doth the business where he flourisheth on the head of it as if he were resolv'd to come up close to the matter in hand and demonstrate by irrefragable Arguments that Hearing as a duty incumbent upon the Saints in the time of the Gospel in the way appointed by Christ is not a meer positive or ceremonial Worship But perhaps saith he the Author means by instituted Worship such as is meerly Positive or as we use to speak Ceremonial such as Baptism and the Lord's Supper c. In which he hath almost hit the white of the Author's intendment and meaning as plainly expressed as he knew how which is this That however Hearing may put on the endument and property of Moral Worship yet as practised under the New-Testament it solely appertains to Positive Worship or the Institution of Christ and whoever performs it not as such I am apt to conceive worships not Christ at all therein What saith the Animadverter to this Why this Author seems to me very inconsiderate But seriously Sir I was well aware knew and well considered of what I writ in this matter He seemeth to me very inconsiderate is a pitiful Argument to evert the Assertion impleaded by Mr. T. it being not much to the purpose what seems to him or me to be considerate or otherwise These matters will be judged by others whether we will or no. As for what he adds 't is of no more weight than what went before That hearing of Preachers is a moral and perpetual Worship common to all times and persons He must 1. except Adam to whom at first it was no duty so to do except he make God the Preacher and then he altars the state of the question and afterwards 't is more than probable he preached to his Family not they to him 2. Except the time of ignorance God winked at when he sent no Preachers to the Gentile world but suffered them to walk in their own wayes 3. He had need to qualifie his Assertion a little better else it will not be found weight I am apt to think that hearing all Preachers and an indefinite Proposition as Mr. T. his is is equipollent to an universal is neither part of moral nor instituted Worship The Romans had their Flamins and Arch-Flamins from whence the pattern of Bishops and Arch-Bishops Baal had his Chemarims our forefathers in England the Druides who in their solemn acts of Worship were clad in a white-garment you may call it a Surplice from whence 't is probable that rag had its original all Preachers yet the hearing of them no part I hope of moral Worship Yea the Devil was once a Preacher and of the Gospel too till Christ silenced him Luke 4. 41. yet I very much question whether should he do so again as 't is not impossible our Animadverter would assert it lawful to hear him There were also Preachers of the Circumcision whom Paul thought it no part of the Worship of God to hear the duty of Saints lying in the direct contrary part by vertue of the Apostolical Injunction Phil. 3. 2. So that 't is evidently a mistake of Mr. T. to say that hearing of Preachers is a moral and perpetual Worship common to all times and persons Whereas 4. the very truth is Though hearing the Word of God whenever and however it shall please him to dispense it be a moral and perpetual Worship yet hearing these or those Preachers appointed by him to dispense it is purely of Sovereign Institution It being free to the Lord to have sent his Word alway by the hands of his Angels as sometimes he did to his Children as well as otherwise which had he done it had been so far from being our duty to attend upon Men-Preachers that it had been our sin to have heeded any other than these Angelical ones I must desire the Animadverter by the way to correct one passage of his it being a gross mistake wherein he seems to intimate that I make the hearing the present Ministers such an instituted Worship of Christ as is meerly positive and adds that herein I seem to be very inconsidèrate Which I confess I should be if I did so Mr. T. knows I am so far from making it such an Instituted Worship of Christ that I say 't is no Worship of Christ at all either moral or instituted to hear them and exprofesso prove as well as I can the contrary which that it is not satisfactory to Mr. T. I cannot help Some men will be satisfied with little except what hath the countenance of Authority on its side However I never said that hearing the present Ministers is any part of the instituted Worship of Christ which had I believed to be so I had done very wickedly to have opposed it He adds that should it be granted me that the whole of Gospel-Institutions were to be devolved upon the Scriptures of the New-Testament yet would it be to the disadvantage of my self and the rest of the Separatists who use many places of the Old-Testament about
the Sabbath Baptism Lord's Supper c. and I do so in this dispute Answ Egregie dictum excellently said indeed as if because we affirm that whatever is to be practised in Instituted Worship in the time of the Gospel is to be wholly bottom'd as to the Law and Precept instituting it upon some Commandment of Christ in the New-Testament therefore we assert that no use may be made of the Scriptures of the Old-Testament treating thereabout by way of prophecy or otherwise which is a Consequence this learned Animadverter will never be able to make good 'T is true many learned men do make use of some places of the Old-Testament to prove the morality of one day in seven or the seventh part of time not as I remember except Psa 118. 24 which some conceive by way of prophecy speaks of the Lord 's honouring the first day for the confirmation of the observation of the first day which they conceive Christ's resurrection on that day the practice of the Primitive-Church meeting together for the solemn Worship of God 1 Cor. 16. 2. Acts 20. 7. the appellation the Lord's Day which they judge is given to it c. is a sufficient warrant for their observation thereof in Gospel-times They plead not for Baptism or the Lord's Supper upon any other bottom than Gospel-Institution or their preception by Christ in the New-Testament Though 't is true as touching the subjects of the one and the other they judg they may by way of analogy argue somewhat from Old-Testament-Scriptures from which apprehension they see nothing so weighty in what is tendred by Mr. T. notwithstanding his brag and immodest Assertion pag. 18. Sect. 14. that such a way of arguing is irrational as if wisdom rested with him and he had the measure of it and a man could not differ from him but he must be a block or bruit to influence their departure That because the granting the Assertion would be disadvantagious to the Author and the Separatists therefore it should be in Mr. T. his opinion an unreasonable postulatum to devolve the question upon the Scriptures of the New-Testament I understand not He takes not a measure I presume of the reasonableness or unreasonableness of requests from their advantagiousness or disadvantagiousness to such contemptible creatures as we and should he do so he were much to blame as to infer from hence therefore I see no reasonableness in his Postulatum which is introduced not as the natural issue of any thing premised which he knows it is not but meerly for pomp and shew Sect. 3. The judgments of the Antients no sufficient substratum to build my practice upon in the Worship of God The opinion of the Antients â—hemselves in this matter None but the Spirit of God speaking in the Scriptures can satisfie the consciences of any dissatisfied in matters relating to Worship Our Faith not to be resolved into the Testimony of men which is a principle decryed by the Antients and Protestant Churches The consciences of none can be satisfied in what is written by the Ancients before they are assured 1. that what they read as or are told is theirs be indeed so and not counterfeited nor adulterated 2. That in their Writings they were as the Apostles and Prophets guided by an unerring Spirit The true use of the Testimony of the Ancients Congregational-Principles owned by them Of Councils and Schoolmen THe fourth Section is fronted with this The judgement of the Ancients not useless in this Controversie as if the Author of the Sober-Testimony had asserted it to be so which Mr. T. knows he no where doth This indeed the words of the Author not perplexing our selves nor the consciences of any with the judgments of men in generations past wherein they cannot acquiesce fairly intimate 1. That the judgment of none of the children of men though never so famous in their generation since the Apostles fell asleep is a sufficient Substratum to build my faith and practice upon in the Worship of my God In which we have the concurrence of the Ancients themselves Basil tels us that it is necessary and consonant to Reason that every man learn that which is needful out of the Scriptures both for the fulness of Godliness and lest they be inured to humane traditions Regul contract 95. p. 902. And Austin Epist 112. ad Paulin. saith If a matter be grounded on the clear authority of the holy Scriptures it is to be believed without all doubt but as for other witnesses and testimonies upon whose credit any thing may be urged unto us to believe it it is lawful for thee either to credit or not to credit them according as thou shalt perceive them of weight to deserve or not to deserve credit Origin saith Homil. 1. in Hierem. We must of necessity call the Scriptures to witness for our senses and interpretations without them are of no credit Famous is the saying of Cyril Bishop of Jerusalem Catech. 4. p. 15. We must not deliver any thing though never so small without the holy Scriptures neither may we be led away with probabilities and shews of words neither yet believe me barely saying these things unto you unless you also believe the demonstration thereof from the Scriptures for the security of our faith ariseth from the demonstration of the holy Scripture 2dly That not the sayings or judgment of the Ancients but the clear Testimony of the Spirit of God speaking in the Scriptures is sufficient and efficacious for the satisfying persons that are dissatisfied in any thing relating to Faith or Worship Come to a poor soul under real scruples of spirit with respect to these and tell him this Father is of this opinion and that Father of that you do but oleum operam perdere when you have said all he remains as he was dissatisfied and so will do without evidence from Scripture More than these two things the Animadverter cannot righteously infer from the expression he discants on What saith he to these not a word more or less And I am apt to believe of Mr. T. that he is a man of greater modesty than to oppose them He tells us indeed that it may be of good use to satisfie mens consciences that no such separation as now is from the present Ministers of the Church of England was allowed of by the first Fathers and Writers what truth there is in this suggestion shall by and by be manifested He will not say surely of what good use he supposeth it to be that the faith of any is to be resolved into their testimony which it must be if what they say satisfie the scrupling conscience i. e. I must believe what they say is true because they say it else that they say it will never tend to my satisfaction which yet is an homage and duty that we owe to none but the Lord. A principle decryed and abhorred by the Ancients themselves The saying of Austin Epist 48. is known
so in that excellent Treatise and manifested that not the prophaning the Name of God by the wayes mentioned by the Animadverter which they did not but the Reformation of the Church is by those expressions Gen. 4. 26. held forth Two things he tells us the words import 1. That the Saints set up distinct or separated Assemblies for the solemn performance of the Worship of God separating themselves from the Wicked of the day which they had not done before nor had they any need so to do whilst a Reformation might be accomplished without it which it might whilst the Church was contained within the limits of one family viz. by the ejection of the Contumacious 2â—ly That being thus separated they took upon them the peculiar name of the Worshippers or Sons of God which they retained to the next horrible defection from the wayes of God about one thousand years after both which our Interpreters approve who in the Text read then began men to call upon the Name of the Lord and in the margent add to call themselves by the Name of the Lord. That from this act of the Church of God some beams of Light may be communicated to Saints now under the same circumstances they were then touching the duty of segregation and aggregation though bottom'd on New-Testament-Precepts we are apt to conceive but Mr. T. knows better Yea but 2dly this Animadverter thinks that neither by him nor any other is it shewed that a separation was approved from Preachers that teach no worse doctrine than that is held forth by the Articles Homilies c. of the Church of England or from a Church no more polluted by Idolatry or other corruptions in Worship than are charged upon the Publick enjoyned Worship of the Church of England Answ 1. That such a separation as that from the Church of England hath not been proved lawful Mr. T. doth but think The works of Ainsworth Cotton Bartlet c. manifest the contrary 2dly If he mean that it hath not been proved by that learned Author nor any others that those from whom they separated were not more guilty of pollution by Idolatry or other corruptions than the Church of England he is not a little mistaken Dr. Owen in the foresaid place manifests as far as a matter of so long standing can be supposed to be capable of evidence that they were not guilty of Idolatry in the sense that the word is taken by this Animadverter the Worship of the only true God continuing as saith Josephus even to the 7th Age with whom R. Eliezer accords and most of the Ancient Christians as Cyril Epiphanius c. But 3dly Mr. T. pittifully begs the question whilst he talks of separation from a Church no more polluted than the Church of England which should we grant him was never proved lawful nor could be yet would it advantage him nothing except he prove that the Church so called of Engl. was ever a rightly constituted Church of Christ which he knows we deny and though he frequently beg it of us in these Animadversions yet shall we never upon those terms grant him that it is so being abundantly assured of the contrary What pollution and Idolatry the Church of Engl. may be charged with and whether these are sufficient to justifie our separation from her must afterwards be reviewed He adds If Gen. 4. 26. be meant of a Reformation by setting up separate Congregations as Dr. Owen conceives S. 2. cap. 3. it was that therein they might call on the Name of the Lord which shews it was from them that did not call on the Name of the Lord not from them that did as in the Worship of the Church of Engl. Answ 1. Others beside that learned man judge the words import a Reformation by setting up Separate Congregations So doth Dr. Willet who I dare say Mr. T. will acquit of the guilt of Separation who having rejected other interpretations of the words fixeth upon this asserted by him But now saith he when as the Worship of God began to be corrupted and prophaned in the wicked posterity of Cain then Adam Seth and other of the Righteous Seed began publickly to exercise Religion and to have their holy Meetings and Assemblies for the Service of God And afterwards more fully from Mercerus Wherefore the true meaning is as before expressed that now the Church of God being increased to a full number did make a publick Separation in their Worship from the generation of the Wicked and began apart in a solemn manner to worship God But 2dly That they separated to call on the Name of the Lord is true The end of their Separation was to worship God as a people alone from the wicked of the world amongst whom they lived according to his own Appointments nor can a Separation from any for any other ends be justified But this evidenceth that those they separated from did not call on the Name of the Lord. Ans Not at all They did call upon his Name That there was no Worship amongst them will not be asserted No Nation under the thickest darkness that ever overspred the World but had some worship of the Godds amongst them The worship of Idols properly so called was not yet invented as was said from Josephus c. nor introduced so that 't is evident they did call upon the Name of the Lord i. e. they had not rejected the true God nor all Worship of him This indeed follows that they had much degenerated in their Worship of him This we prove of the Church of England which would justifie our Separation from it as it did theirs from them could no more be said therein As for what he saith of Noahs Separation that it was from men that had fill'd the earth with violence 'T is true they had done so and that with other things mentioned chap. 6. 1 2 3 4 5 11. was the ground of Noah's Separation from them and God's sweeping destruction upon them Their apostacy from the pure Wayes of God that began in their toleration of the Wicked upon carnal respects in their societies arose at length to that height that the whole Earth was corrupt i. e. all the inhabitants of the World except Noah and his Family had depraved God's pure Worship as precious Ainsworth expounds it and the word frequently signifies Exod. 32. 7. Deut. 32. 5. Judg. 2. 19. 2 Chron. 27. 2. with 2 King 15. 35. and filled with Violence or Injustice and cruel dealings to men The usual pair we find walking hand in hand all along the Scripture Degeneracy in respect of Worship in the Ecclesiastical Violence and Oppression in the Civil state And now the Animadverter will yeeld it necessary to separate which is as much as we need to justifie our Separation Degeneracy of Worshop we prove the Church of England guilty of and Violence and Oppression open Unrighteousness and Injustice we every where meet with As if the Iron-Age had again took
more inferiour order of Ministers given for the help of the Priests to them in the work of the Sanctuary and solemn service of God Who are called Priests Psal 132. 9. and are said to have a Priesthood Josh 18. 7. upon the account of their destination unto the service of the Tabernacle and work of the Ministry to distinguish them from the Congregation or Body of the People of Israel they are so called They were indeed as was said an inferiour order to Aaron and his sons but draw nigh to God they did in the Service of God they were imployed on the behalf of the Congregation and are called Priests and said to have a Priesthood and hereupon one would think one might assume the boldness to call them so Mr. T. tells us indeed it was the Priests office to do that work in which was the Worship of God viz. to offer the Sacrifices sprinkle the Blood and such other duties the Levites were imployed to do other services as the bearing of the utensils and such like Wherein how truly and candidly he speaks is to be considered 1. 'T is true it was the Priests office Aaron and his sons to do that work in which was the Worship of God i. e. the work they did when they drew nigh to God or worshipped him was the Worship of God which by office they were bound to do But that it was their office exclusively to the Levites to do that work in which was the Worship of God as he must be interpreted if we suppose him to speak pertinently is false They ministred and by office whereunto they were set apart in the Service and Worship of God as was before proved Their bearing the utensils was as much the Worship of God being commanded by him as sacrificing or sprinkling the Blood of the Sacrifices upon the unclean And this Animadverter if I may assume the boldness to say so writes indiscreetly and fallaciously to oppose these 2dly 'T is true that to Aaron and his sons it did by office and exclusively to the Levites appertain to offer Sacrifice and sprinkle the Blood but that the Levites were only imployed in bearing the utenâ—â—ls and the like is not so They were as well as the Priests the sonâ— of Aaron 1. To teach the people and instruct them in the Law Deut. 33. 10. 2 Chron. 17. 7 8 9. 80 30. 22. 31. 4. 35. 3. Ezra 7. 10 11. Nehem. 8. 7 8. 9. 4 5. 2dly They were solemnly to praise God 1 Chron. 16. 4. 23. 30. 2 Chron. 8. 14. 20. 19. 30. 21. 31. 2. Ezr. 3. 10. Neh. 9. 9. 12. 24. 3dly To bless in his Name Deut. 10. 8. 4thly The Judgment of things sacred appertained to them as touching Leprosie Deut. 24. 8. 2 Chron. 19. 8 10 11. works in which the Worship of God was as eminently as Sacrifice c. upon the account of their designation whereunto they may be called Priests and are so in the Scripture Yet 3dly I no where use the name Priests to denote the Levites only in distinction from Aaron and his sons but make use of that term to denote the Officers or Ministers amongst the Jews designed and separated for the Worship of God and the management of holy things for and to them whether Priests or Levites who being so called by the Spirit of the Lord I thought I might warrantably use that appellation without distasting any one and as yet see no just ground for the change of my thoughts in that matter Sect. 7. Persons invested into the office of Priesthood not left to the liberty of their own wills or the wills of any the whole of their Worship with respect to the matter and manner thereof of divine Institution Of the Candlestick made by Moses The matter of it His obligation to the pattern in making it What it typed out The ground of the acceptance of Worship Several places of Scripture revised and considered THat persons invested into the office of Priesthood were not left to the liberty of their own wills or the wills of any of the sons of men that the whole of their Worship with respect to the matter and manner thereof was purely of divine Institution is a third Assertion of mine touching the state of things under the old Law which Mr. T. takes notice of Sect. 8. which he grants to be thus far true that what was of the Institution of the Lord both as to matter and manner they were not in their office left to their own wills or the wills of any others and so much he saith the Scriptures produced prove Sed dabitur ignis tamen etsi ab inimicis petam We will not thank him for his grant and doubt not but to manifest somewhat more viz. That nothing was to be intermixed with what the Lord had instituted nothing of man to be super-added thereunto whether you respect the matter or manner of the Worship And this the Scriptures instanced do prove Exod. 25. 9 40. According to all that I shew thee after the pattern of the Tabernacle and the pattern of all the Instruments thereof even so shall ye make it And look that ye make them after their pattern which was shewed thee in the Mount And this Dr. Willet upon the place plainly asserts It is hence gathered saith he the form of the Tabernacle is not left to the will of man no not to the judgment of Moses to teach us that God will not be served with will-worship according to the devices and inventions of men but as he himself hath prescribed Prelarg Piscat So our blessed Saviour alledgeth in the Gospel out of the Prophet Mark 7. 7. Num. 8. 4. According to the pattern which the Lord had shewed Moses so he made the Candlestick The Candlestick was a figure of the Church said to be but one here because the Church at this day was National as also Zech. 4. 1. But Rev. 1. 20. we reade of seven Candlesticks which are expresly said to be the seven Churches of Asia i. e. they signified the seven Churches of Asia they were represented by the seven Candlesticks said here and there to be made of Gold beaten Gold to point forth the matter constituting them to be visible Saints and to be made according to the pattern of which Exod. 25. 31. to type forth that no other ground or form of Doctrine or of the Church is to be brought in than that which is shewed of God 2 Tim. 1. 13. 1 Tim. 1. 3 4. 3. 15. Mat. 28. 20. To this Pattern Moses was so strictly bound that it was utterly unlawful for him to have added the least of his own invention which to have done had been not only great unfaithfulness in him but an impeachment of the Wisdom of God and his Love to his People Heb. 8. 5. Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to
make the Tabernacle For see saith he that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the Mount i. e. To the type and example set before him to imitate to which he was not to add the least pin of his own 1 Chr. 28. 11. The pattern of the Porch i. e. of the Temple saith Vatablus which David received either by revelation or by the hand of the Prophet 1 Chr. 28. 12 19. Exod. 8. 27. 39. 1 5 7 21 26 31 43. other places instanced in the S. T. preach forth the same thing These were types of the heavenly Ordinances in the Church of Christ Heb. 8. 5. And type out that nothing of man is to be superadded thereto but all things to be done according to Divine Commandment To the same thing doth the Spirit of the Lord bear witness Exod. 40. 23 25 29. Num. 8. 3. Exod. 35. 10 29. 36. 1 5. Isa 29. 13. To which may be further added Deut. 4. 1 2 40. Now therefore hearken O Israel unto the Statutes and Judgments which I teach you for to do them Ye shall not add to the Word which I command you neither shall you diminish ought from it that you may keep the Commandments of the Lord your God Thou shalt keep therefore his Statutes and Commandments which I command thee this day All which prove not only the obligation that lay upon them to conform to what was of the Institution of the Lord but the utter unlawfulness to add thereto or introduce any thing of their own in his service The ground of the acceptance of any Worship or Service offered to him being his Command and Institution and that with such evidence and brightness that it seems Mr. T. durst not look them in the face lest they shouâ—d have so reproved him as to have hindred his further advance in that good work and cause he was resolved having undertaken its defence to prosecute He only takes notice of two of these many places instanced in viz. Lev. 8. throughout which he grants speak of the investure of the Priests into their Office according to the Rites set down but whether any other might to these have been added to the sons of men he tells us not which yet he should have proved if he would have demolished and thrown down what it was his good pleasure to set himself against And he doth wisely not to approach too near this Scripture which stands with a two-edged Sword in its hand to defend the Truth opposed by this Animadverter No less than ten times viz. v. 4 5 9 13 17 21 29 34 35 36. The Commandment of the Lord is laid as the foundation of the whole of that procedure clearly importing that matters of this nature viz. things relating to his Worship are solely to be bottom'd on Divine Precepts and condemning and interdicting whatever of the like nature is offered to him on any other bottom Which Aaron's sons afterwards attempting to do Lev. 10. 1. perish in the flames of God's jealousie and wrath R. Menachem on Lev. 8. 36. hath these words In every other place it is said as the Lord commanded Moses but here because they added unto the Commandment he saith not so for they did not as the Lord had commanded and added moreover unto them strange Fire which he had not commanded them Lev. 10. 1. And Josephus b. 3. c. 9. saith thâ—s Nadab and Abihu bringing Sacrifices unto the Altar not such as were appointed by Moses but of that sort they were accustomed to offer aforetimes were burned by the violent flame that issued from the Altar that at length they died The other place he takes notice of is Isa 29. 13. which he refers to be discussed to the first chapter All the other places as was said are passed over in silence which manner of dealing is a great abuse both to the Truth and Reader To the Truth by waving the consideration of what is offered as the substratum upon which it is built To the Reader by pretending to answer to what is asserted by his Antagonist for the confirmation of Truth without advancing one step forward towards its confutation But perhaps he means not that where God hath given direction about any part of Worship it 's lawful to add any thing thereunto but onely wherein God hath not spoken and determined as touching the management of his Worship there the will of some of the children of men takes place and they may determine But if so 1. This is a most pitiful Petitio principii or begging the thing in question viz. That God hath not determined the whole of his Worship and Service but hath left somewhat to the wills of men relating to Worship as such to be determined by them which is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the thing in question and will never be granted him upon those terms 2dly Contrary to that fundamental principle placed in the nature of man and implyed and fairly intimated in each Scripture before instanced in that nothing in his Worship and Service is acceptable to him but what is of his own prescription 3dly Diametrically opposite to Deut. 4. 1 2. these additions let them be of what nature or in what case they will are additions to the Word of Jehovah Isa 29. 13. with Mark 7. 7. being evidently doctrines and institutions of men which the Spirit there tells us must have no place in the Worship of God That the Jews had their Service more fully particularized in all things pertaining to it than we have if he mean things relating to Service or Worship as such is spoken after the rate that a great many other things in this Treatise are viz. with confidence enough but without proof There being nothing relating to gospel-Gospel-Worship as such but is determined by Christ and appointed in the Scripture When he sends forth his Apostles Mat. 28. they were to teach what he had commanded them nothing more or less And he being Lord and Master of his House whose House are we Heb. 3. 6. who dares be so bold as to intermeddle with the affairs thereof without his appointment or can do so without an incroachment upon his Soveraignty He was faithful as Moses who received and revealed the Ordinances of the then House of God that he left nothing relating to the Worship thereof as such to the wills of men But of this more hereafter Sect. 8. Of the apostasie of the Jews from Divine Institutions The aim of the Author in remarking it It s application to the Church of England Whose Investions are expresly forbidden Of things in themselves out of the casâ— of Worship indifferent 'T is not in the power of the Church to make that which is left indifferent by the Lord a necessary Worship The judgement of the Protestant Writers Of the decency and order is in the Ceremonies of the Church of England Of their being imposed by Publick Authority How they draw from God
Of their rise from the customs and manner of the Nations directly contrary to many precepts The introduction of mens Inventions into the Worship of God idolatrous will-Will-worship Idolatry The judgment of the Ancients and others thereabout A departure from the Institutions of God to the Customs of the Nations called in Scripture a forsaking of God Several Scriptures reviewed Of the Jews worshipping other Godds How these things are applicable to the Church of England IN Sect. 9. This Animadverter examines what was asserted in S. T. touching the Apostasie of the Church of the Jews from the pure Institutions of the Lord mingling therewith the Inventions of Men and Customs of the Nations of which God sorely complaines and for it severely punisheth them the Contests of God from first to last being bottomed upon this foot of account which as it relates to the People of the Jews he acknowledgeth the truth of But to apply these things with the threatnings and punishments in the places mentioned to the imposing or using of such Ceremonies as are retained in the Church of England is a gross abuse Answ 1. But who applied them hereunto The utmost of the Athors intention in this assertion was only to manifest That a Church might be wonderfully gathered and separated by the Lord out of the World taken near to himself for his People yet soon apostatize and depart from him which the Jews did From whence I thought it had been lawful to conclude That another Church or Churches except some special Priviledge or grant to the contrary given to them of the Lord could be produced might likewise apostatize from God which when applied to the Church of England as â—e calls it only amounts to thus much that supposing it once was a true Church 't is possible if it hath not already it may apostatize and depart from God which Mr. T. will not deny And that this was the utmost of my intendment in this matter is evident from Q. 7. P. 11. Where are these words Whether any Church in the world we speak of a visible instituted Church hath greater security against Apostasie from God and that sore Judgment of having its Candlestick removed and being unchurched than the People of the Jews had If not Then whether supposing a National Church of the Institution of Christ it may not so come to pass that it may be so overspread with corruptions that it may lose the essence of a Church and justly be disrobed of that appellation Yet upon second thoughts I see not that there is such a vast discrepancy betwixt the Inventions of men charged upon the Jews for which they were threatned and punished and the Inventions are to be found in the Church of England as this Animadverter would compel us to the belief of He tells us 1. That their Inventions were expresly forbidden And are not the Ceremonies of the Church of England Inventions of Men he grants at least some of them to be Now all the Inventions of man in the Worship of God relating to it as such were then and now expresly forbidden whilest he supposeth the contrary he doth but beg the Question by the second Commandment and elsewhere as hath been shewed The learned Dr. Willet in his Coment on the 2d Com. tells us That the true Worship of God which according to his nature must be spiritual is commanded in this 2d Precept and that he will be worshipped according to his Will revealed in his Word to which it is not lawful to add to or take any thing therefrom as the Lord said to Moses Exod. 25. 9. He further acquaints us That all other kinds of superstitious Worship devised by man which the Apostle calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Will-worship Col. 2. 23. for we must saith he be contented with Rites and Ceremonies prescribed of God himself and the application of things of themselves indifferent so unto the Service of God as to make them a necessary part thereof is condemned by this Precept 2dly Mr. T. asserts That the Ceremonies of the Church of England are confessed out of the Case of Worship in themselves to be things indifferent Answ 1. And were there no Ceremonies amongst the Jews confessed out of the case of Worship to be so This Animadverter knows the contrary 2. By what authority doth any of the children of men make that necessary in case of Worship that is confessedly not so out of it i. e. make it a part of Worship for if necessary in case of Worship 't is evidently made a part thereof without which it cannot acceptablly be performed I confess Dr. Foen in Comitiis Oxon. An. 1605. one of their own Poets sings In Domini cultu si quid medium esse videtur Quod populti dubio stat cadit arbitrio Hoc Sacro-sancta parens Ecclesia si modo sanxit Inque sacris cultum hunc si velit esse ratum Non erit hic cultus medius cogetur ad illum Quisque necessarius hic quoque cultus erit Wherein he tels us That if any thing be indifferent in the Worship of God and Holy-Mother-Church shall establish and confirm it it ceaseth to be indifferent and becomes necessary Worship which every one is to be compelled to In which he speaks shall I say like a true Son of the Church of England or of Rome But he forgets to tell us upon what Scripture he bottoms these two Assertions First That there is any thing relating to the Worship of God as such of an indifferent nature Secondly That 't is in the power of the Church to make that which is left indifferent by the Lord a necessary Worship nor can he produce any but the unwritten Word or Law communicated to the Pope or his Conclave I know not when and kept I know not where which will prove no better at best than the proof the Jews bring for their Fopperies since their Apostacy and scattering abroad out of their Talmudical Writers or the Turks from their Alcoran i. e. frivolous and ridiculous This is generally decried and exploded by Protestant Writers Peter Martyr In Epist ad Hoop Episcop Glocest affirms of the English Ceremonies That Quoad aliter facere non liceat i. e. in their imposition as necessary parts of Worship they were grievous and burdensom Certain Princes of Germany to please Charles the Emperor Imposed the Surplice and other Rites upon the Ministers of their several Territories and are all condemned Supplicat Teolog German A. 1561. for this That they caused to sigh the Spirit of God and the hearts of good men It is Blasphemy to think that any outward thing may be made a Sign in the Church of any thing that is spiritual as the Cross in Baptism is unless it be expresly ordained in the Word and Commanded by God himself to be used to that end saith Lambert Danaeus Cont. Bellar. de Cult Sanct. Lib. 3. Cap. 7. Contrary whereto is the Doctrine of none of the Reformed Churches
besides the Church of England but of the Church of Rome the Basis upon which her pompous Worship is built which being removed would fall to the ground and perish with its own weight Yea but Thirdly The Ceremonies of the Church of England are for Decency and Order To which I shall onely say what one said of the like speech of the Monks of Burdeaux when they affirmed That the Signs added to Baptism were an Ornament to it We Reply saith he to them Num igitur sunt c. Are they wiser than Christ Jesus who hath ordained his Sacrament in so great Purity and simplicity and who knoweth better than all the men in the world what Ornament was sittest for it If it be but the Covenant of a man when it is confirmed no man abrogateth it or addeth any thing to it What arrogancy is it then to add to the Institution of Christ What the Animadverters private thoughts of the Ceremonies of the Church of England are with respect to their Decency and Oâ—der I know not as wise men as he think the contrary The Ceremonies which have been abused to Superstition as the Ceremonies of the Church of England have been can never serve for Order or Comeliness say the Divines of Germany who stood against the Ceremonies then enforced And for the Surplice one calls it A Player-like apparel Gualt in Hos 2. and Calv. Instit Lib. 4. Cap. 10. Sect. 29. A vain Vizard Another Baleus in Declar. of Bon. Arti. p. 100. A pretty Toy And Dr. Taylor Act. and Mon. p. 1659. An Apish Toy Another Baecon p. 1. Cathe p. 486. Histrionical Scenical and Scorner-like As for their being 4thly Imposed by Publick Authority So were the Jewish Inventions Jeroboam imposeth them upon the People who are so far from being excused upon that account that they are condemned for their fearful and slavish subjection to him Hos 5. 11. and elsewhere But Fifthly Their Inventions were such as drew them to serve other Godds and forsake the Lord. Answ If he means that they were by these immediately influenced to the rejecting the true God that made the Heavens and the Earth he talks like himself confidently and without proof This indeed they did draw them to a rejection of Divine Appointments and casting off that Obedience and Subjection they owed to God and so do the Inventions and Ceremonies of the Church of England No Innovation in Worship but is a stealing from God that Obedience and Service that is alone due to him and giving it to another viz. the Innovator In time also God gives them up in a judicial way as a punishment of this their departure from Divine Institutions to the Inventions of man to blindness of mind and strong delusions Thus he dealt with Israel Isa 6. 9 10. and 29. 10 13. So that they at last grew so sottish as to fall down before the stump of a Tree yet without the utter rejection or denial of the true God whom they worshipped through that false Medium They sware by the Lord i. e. Worshiped him when they sware by Malcham Unto what blindness of mind God hath given up many of the Pleaders for and Conformers to the present Inventions and Ceremonies I had rather leave to the silent thoughts of the Reader than express And what in time as a punishment for mingling the Worship of God with the Inventions of men and departure from Divine Institutions befel the Synagogue of Rome in respect of their Icolatria or Image-worship and the Church of England in dayes past and now in their falling down before the Sacrament of which in its proper place we must speak is known to all And I heartily wish that the review thereof might make us to tremble to provoke the Lord to jealousie by the works of ourhands But he adds None of the Inventions of men mentioned in the places cited are such as can be charged upon the Church of England for that I take to be his meaning nor are any threatned by the Lord or did he contest with the Jews upon the account of any Customs of the Nations but such as were Idolatrous and of this he saith Let all the Texts alledged be viewed Answer And we are contented they be reviewed only we crave leave to premise 1. That this Animadverter doth not deny that the Ceremonies of the Church of England at least some of them are derived from the Customs of the Nations nor indeed that mediately through the Church of Rome from whom we immediately received them they are so can be denied The Surplice Durandus indeed thinks Rational Lib. 3. Cap. 1. was borrowed from the Jews It was rather as we said from the Heathen Priests who were clad in white in their Ministration The Riâ—g in Marriage the Cross in Baptisme the distinction of the Priests from the Roman Heathen Flamins and Arch-Flamins and many of their Feasts as Eostar or Easter Epiphany c. smell of the same Forge which is directly contrary to many Precepts of the Lord in the Scripture Lev. 20. 23. Deut. 12. 30. So will I do i. e. not unto Idols but unto the Lord aâ— the next verse manifests Hereupon the Hebrews say Thou mayest not enquire or ask concerning the way of the service of an Idol how it is although thou serve it not for this thing occasions to turn after it and to do as they do Maimon Tract of Idol Cap. 2. Sect. 2. Not only the Worship of false Godds but false or Idolatrous Worship of the true God is here forbidden and all imitation of Idolaters is condemned 2 Kings 17. 15. Jer. 10. 2. Psal 106. 35. 2dly That this Animadverter supposeth That the Introduction of the Inventions of Men into the Worship of God is not Idolatry That such Ceremonies are not Idolatrous which we cannot yeild him it being the making an Image to our selves contrary to the second Commandment Nor am I singular in this opinion August de Consens Evang. Lib. 2. Cap. 18. Vasq de Adorat Lib. 2. Disput 1. Cap. 3. Dr. Bils against Apolog. p. 4. p. 344. assert That all will-Will-Worship is flat Idolatry And Mr. T. will yeeld That what is Praeter mandatum beside the Commandment is will-Will-worship 3dly That a departure from one or more of the Institutions of God to the embracement of the Customs of the Nations is in Scripture called a forsaking of God 2 Kings 17. 15 Deut. 28. 20 with 15. Isa 1. 4. which cannot be interpreted of their casting off the whole Worship of God which they did not for they continued to sacrifice to him to tread his Courts and made many Prayers they observed the New-Moons Sabbaths c. vers 11 12 13 so that totally they had not rejected him and his service but turning aside to the Inventions of men and mixing them with the Worship of God he saith They had forsaken him which that the present Ministers and Church of England have done we have evinced in Chap.
and what is his satisfaction to the removal of the offence given to the Church 4. The Parisian Doctors say truly Ecclesiam nunquam c. The Church cannot be taken for one person nor be govern'd by one Of which the Learned Chamier gives his reason How can it be that the Bishop should be the Church according to whose Ecclesiastical Authority things should be determined Mat. 18. when a long time after the Bishop himself by humane authority had his original of which Ambrose complains And as soon as the Lord had said tell the Church he speaks in the plural number all along afterward Verily I say unto you Whatsoever Ye shall bind on Earth c. Whence it plainly appears that the Church is not taken for one person but for many congregated together Pol. Eccles Yea Sutcliffe when disputing against Bellarmine saith Christ did not constitute the chief Tribunal in the hands of Peter but of the Church for not those who refused to hear Peter but those who refused to hear the Church were to be accounted as Heathens and Publicans De Pontif. Rom. l. 1. c. 5 6. Besides in matters of controversie Peter himself was subject to the Tribunal of the Church But a superiour cannot be judged by an inferiour If any controversie happened amongst the Apostles that could not be defined by particular persons but a Council of the Church was to be congregated This we see done Acts 15. Now one would think our present Bishops should not be so arrogant as to assume that power to themselves which when disputing with the Papists they will not allow to Peter 2dly In the judgment of our Brethren of the Presbyterian way Tell the Church is tell the Presbytery But they are I humbly conceive somewhat wide of the mark too My Reasons are 1. The Church is sometimes put for the Congregation as distinct from the Presbytery or Elders and Officers Acts 14. 23. 15. 22. never for these as distinct from the Congregation throughout the New-Testament 2. The Presbytery may be the party offending and then you must tell the Church that the Church offendeth i. e. go tell themselves But the Scripture is express that after private dealing with the offenders themselves upon non-amendment the Church as distinct from them is to be acquainted with it 3. What if the Presbytery themselves be offended whom shall they tell must they tell themselves If they are the Church they can go no further 4. Besides we find 1 Cor. 5. not the Presbytery alone but the whole Church concerned in the matter of Excommunication of which our Brethren confess Christ here treateth This Animadverter manifests his good will to interpret it of an Assembly of the Jews in their Synedrium or if extended as a direction to Christian Brethren whether to refer it to their Assembly under an Ecclesiastical consideration or Political i. e. the Christian Magistrate he seems to demur with an apparent inclination to the latter To the first of these Mr. Cotton answers †Treat of the Keys p. 40 An. 3. It is not credible that Christ would send his Disciples to make complaint of their offences to the Jewish Synagogues for is it likely he would send his Lambs and Sheep for right and healing unto Wolves and Tygres Both their Sanhedrim and most of their Synagogues were no better And if here and there some Elders of their Synagogues were better affected yet how may it appear that so it was where any of themselves dwelt And if that might appear too yet had not the Jews already agreed that if any man did confess Christ he should be cast out of the Synagogues Joh. 9. 22. To which we add 2dly Christ knew that within a little while the Synedrim and whole Church-Policy of the Jews would be at an end And 3dly in the mean while charges his Disciples to have nothing to do with them Mat. 15. 14. Tell them that they would persecute kill them and think in doing so they did God good service As it fell out afterwards accordingly So that it cannot with the least shew of reason be imagined that Christ should direct them to appeal to them and stand to their final determination 2dly The second desires not a reply Go tell the Church i. e. go tell the Magistrate is so wild an interpretation that the bare naming it is the giving it too much honour 1. The Magistrate is no where called the Church 2dly The Magistrate quâ talis hath nothing to do in the stating and determining Church-Controversies 3dly Sometimes and for the most part they have ever since been for above three hundred years afterward they undoubtedly were no members of the Church but enemies to it destroyers of it Mr. T. adds that he can find no Institution by preception or command of a Church i. e. there is no such thing as an instituted Church of Christ under the Gospel but 't is left to the prudence of men c. to determine whether they shall be Domestick Congregational Parochial Classical Diocesan Provincial Patriarchal or Oecumenical which how derogatory to the Honour and Sovereign Authority of Jesus Christ to his love and tenderness to his Children to his Faithfulness with respect to the obligation that lay upon him as Mediator to reveal the whole will of the Father to them others will judge For my part I am fully of his mind who some while since said That there were particular Churches instituted by the Authority of Jesus Christ ordained and approved by him that Officers for them were of his appointment and furnished with gifts from him for the execution of their employment That Rules Cautions and Instructions for the due settlement of those Churches were given by him that these Churches were made the only seat of that Worship which in particular he expressed his will to have continued until he came is of so much light in Scripture that he must wink hard that will not see it Which is as much as we need to say to this Animadverter in this matter what he saith herein being meer dictates of his own without proof which when he shall be able to evince that Christ hath not the Government of his Churches upon his shoulders that he is not sole King and Lord over them or having so hath not given them Rules to walk by of his own but left them to the liberty of their own wills or which is worse the wills of such as by Providence are permited to ascend the Throne though such as whilst they profess to know God in works deny him being abominable and disobedient and to every good work reprobate he will be supposed to say something in way of confirmation But of this more in Sect. 15. 'T is true de facto Parochial Classical Diocesan Provincial Patriarchical and Oecumenical Churches by the prudence of men c. have had and yet have their being it the World and the Animadverter deals ingenuously in acknowledging that their original
seeth to lye in his way which in sum is this The first Church of Christ under the Oeconomy of the Gospel was undoubtedly formed according to the mind of Christ But this was a particular instituted Church which though numerous was not so numerous but that they might meet together in the same place Therefore not a National Church but a particular Church of Christ is of his institution c. The first Proposition is easily demonstrated It was formed by the Apostles men of integrity and faithfulness who would not durst not innovate in the things of Christ who had but lately received charge from him to teach Believers to observe and do all things whatsoever he had commanded them and had promised thereupon his presence with them To whom also after his Resurrection he opened his heart or plainly spoke of things pertaining to the Kingdom of God or Gospel Church-state Acts 1. 3. Accordingly 'tis said of them That they revealed the Counsel of God not their own but his Acts 20. 27. delivered to them what they had received of the Lord Christ 1 Cor. 11. 23. To have done otherwise had been an establishment of Will-worship which they condemn Col. 2. 13. The Minor Proposition is manifest The first Church of Christ under the Oeconomy of the Gospel was the Church at Jerusalem This was a particular Church of Christ 'T is said of them Chap. 2. 46. That they continued daily with one accord in the Temple Vers 47. Such as we converted are said to be added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to that Church viz. which was at Jerusalem See Chap. 4. 23 24 29. and 5. 12. and 8. 1 3. and 11. 22. and 12. 5. and 15. 4 22. 'T is strange to me that when the Spirit of the Lord whenever he makes mention of this Church at Jerusalem speaks of it as one particular instituted Church of Christ any persons of sobriety should dare to assert that it was not such lifting up themselves against his dictates and Testimony Let 's consider what the Animadverter replies hereunto He tells us 1. That in Luke in many places the word multitude with an universal sign is not taken for every one not one exempted as Luke 8. 37. Acts 25. 24. 6. 2. 16. 12 30. 21. 22. To which briefly 1st 'T is granted though what he produceth Acts 16. 12 30 to evince I cannot tell I am sure 't is hugely impertinent to the matter in hand Nor 2dly Is it at all material whether in the places instanced in by us where that expression is used it be taken for every one none exempted or not This only is incumbent on us to prove First That the Church at Jerusalem was a particular Church of Christ And 2dly Such a particular Church as did meet all of them when not providentially hindred might do so notwithstanding their multitude for the Worship of God There was no impossibility in rei natura of their so doing which he must wink hard that doth not see shining forth in its brightness in the fore-mentioned Scriptures which when Mr. T. offers one Argument to evert it shall be considered His 't is not likely will not pass for demonstration amongst persons that look for proof of that which is asserted The Spirit of the Lord assuring us that the multitude of the Disciples were called together 't is not only likely but most certain that they were so Nor is it likely that those whose particular duty and concern lay in what was to be managed theâ—e would willingly absent themselves Mr. T. himself tells us in his Antipaedobaptism or the 3d part p. 340. that all the Church did come together Act. 5. 11 12. were gathered together Act. 14. 27. and that they were not parts of the Church who did not come together c. His second Reply is scarce worth the mentioning If it be granted that they then met for that business yet there is no likelihood that they met for Ordinances And why so I pray why 't is said Act. 2. 46. that they did break bread from house to house Ans 1. But that because they sometimes celebrated that Ordinance more privately it should necessarily follow that they never did it all of them together that they were not in a capacity were in an utter impossibility of so doing as is the case of a National Church is beyond the verge of any mans understanding but Mr. T. And 't is desired he would at his next leizure make good that consequence I am informed and doubt not the truth of it that Mr. T. after he had been in hearing of the Parish-Priest at Lempster not long since got as many of the Church to whom he once owned himself related as their Pastor together as he could and brake bread privately with them yet may it not thence rationally be concluded that he never celebrated that Ordinance with them more publickly or that he never intends to do so much less that the Congregation he still it seems holds communion with is so numerous that they cannot break bread together in the same place Such pittiful Sophisms as these will never pass for proof amongst persons that have the exercise of their understanding or reason Yet 2dly The Animadverter's Concession is a grant of the verity of that he sets himself to oppose If Act. 6. 2. the Church did meet in one Congregation for that business as Mr. T. saith 't is evident they were not so numerous but they might meet together in one Assembly which is the matter in controversie betwixt us He adds 3dly The Church of Jerusalem cannot be said to be the pattern of all Churches Answ 1. Nor is it necessary that we assert it so to be The discovery of the Will of Christ the Laws and Rules he hath given forth touching the aggregation of his Children into a Gospel-Church-state are the pattern of all the Churches of Christ in the World and whatever Church is not constituted according to this pattern is none of his nor will ever by him be owned so to be Yet 2dly This Church at Jerusalem being planted by the Apostles according to the mind of Christ may with reference thereunto be said to be the pattern of all rightly constituted Churches What hath our Animadverter to excepâ— against this He tells us this cannot be because 1. There was no distribution of Believers under particular Offâ—cers Answ 1. But what doth Mr. T. mean by the distribution of Believers under particular Officers doth he mean that they were not distributed into several Congregations under their particular Pastors no one saith they were we assert them to be one Church They are no less a pattern of particular Churches than if they had been so distributed so long as we find them in a possibility of meeting in the same place 2dly Doth he mean that they had no Pastors amongst them This is more than he will in hast make good For 1. They had Apostles 2dly They had fixed
whence Separation from her is warrantable by the Animadverters concession and grant 3dly That Separation from one part of Worship in a Church should be somewhat justifiable and not from the whole at some time and not alway things still remaining as they were is a mystery that I profess I understand not I presume he suggests it with reference to the Prayers and Sacraments of the Church a separation from which he supposeth is more justifiable than from their Preaching But seriously I would thank Mr. T. if he would take the pains to prove 1. That 't is lawful for me to joyn with that Church in any part of Worship with whom I am not obliged cannot in conscience pray 2dly That where the Sacraments are not duly administred there is a true Church The due administration of Sacraments having been hither to assertâ—d as one certain note of a true Church If they are duly administred in the Church of England why doth Mr. T. refuse to joyn in their Administration If they are not duly administred the Church of England is a false Church and not to be joyned with in any part of Worship What follows in this Section that the Separation pleaded-for is for the most part the fruit of pride or bitter zeal and tends to strife and confusion and every evil work must be imputed to the overflowing of Mr. T. his gall and passion 'T is at the least a fruit of the flesh which he will do well to wait upon God to humble him for and mortifie in him I shall only say The Lord forgive thee The Scripture instanc'd Jam. 3. 16. is more applicable to the Church of England than to those of the Congregational way as every considerate Reader will acknowledge To the tenth Query in S. T. viz. Whether supposing a Church apostatised as aforesaid never to be according to Truth a visible instituted Church of Christ and the People of God living in the Nation never by their free consent members thereof as it is on the pretended Churches part most unheard-of cruelty to compel them so it be not on the part of the free-born Children of God most stupendous folly and disvaluation of the Institutions of Christ and ingratitude to God for the light and liberty from the yokes of men received imaginable to joyn affinity with it in Worship or attend upon its Ministry he pretends to answer in his 26th Sect. I say he pretends to do so for Mr. T. must suppose that Reader to be distempered in his brain that shall take what he saith to be indeed an Answer to the Query proposed 1. He grants compulsion of men may be cruelty Answ But Sir the question is not about every compulsion but a compulsion to conformity to and communion with a Church so called that never was of the Institution of Christ of which we never owned our selves members Is not such a compulsion cruelty doubtless if there be any cruelty in the world this is so 2. He runs to his old shift of joyning with a Church that hath some humane inventions in Worship a Ministry that for the main preach the Gospel with some mixture of Errors not requiring persons to practise that which is in it self evil Answ 1. This hath been answered as it relates to the Church of England over and over 'T is an Argument our Animadverter hath little to say for the defence of his Church that is true when we hear the same story so oft which yet in a great measure is notoriously false as if he had been brought up at the feet of old Battus he speaks exactly like him subillis Montibus inquit erant erant sub montibus illis Montibus inquit erant erant sub montibus illis the same over and over for fear of failing But 2dly One Key will never fit every Lock nor one Answer servâ— to every Question Sir the Query is not what we may do with respect to a Church collapsed of which we before spake but whether it be not great folly for the People of God who by their own voluntary consent were never members of such a Church to joyn affinity with it in Worship and attend upon its Ministry which none of the Texts of Scripture produced by Mr. T. evince Acts 21. 18 c. 16 3. 1 Cor. 9. 19 20 21. give us an account of the readiness of Paul to condescend to weak Believers in what he lawfully might Ergo it is our duty for peace-sake to joyn with a Church which is not of the Institution of Christ Which consequence when Mr. T. makes good he will manifest himself to be a man of rare abilities indeed Mat. 17. 27. is so remote to his purpose that I wonder to what purpose he produceth it Christ works a Miracle to pay Tribute exacted of the Emperours Collectors Ergo we must not separate from a false Church but attend upon its Ministry joyn in affinity with it How he will in his next cover these palpable mistakes I know not nor can I advise him to a better Apology than that Semel insanivimus omnes CHAP. II. Sect. 1. Of Sanctifying the Name of God in our drawing nigh to him Of particularities of Worship and their Imposition Of an implicite Faith in matters of Worship The first Argument in the S. T. against hearing the present Ministers vindicated Of a Warrant by permission and part accidental of Instituted Worship Of Shaphan's reading the Law 2 Chr. 34. 18. Joh. 8. 47. explained The unlawfulness of practising any thing in Instituted Worship for which we have no warrant in the Scripture Whether Christ hath only revealed the essentials of Worship and left accidental Parts thereof to be determined by the prudence of Rulers The rise of Ceremonies Col. 2. 8 9 10. explained Of the Scriptures perfection The Testimonies of the Ancients Josh 22. 34. explained THe Preface of the S. T. being vindicated from the exceptions of Mr. T. wherein his skirmishings have been manifested to be velitary and weak indeed We attend his advance and on-set upon the Triarii or main Battel as he phraseth it against which let him do his worst after all his endeavours to rout it he will find it keeping the field against him Statque ut dura silex aut ut Marpessia cautes The first thing he takes notice of is a saying of mine in the beginning of Chap. 1. of the S. T. That God having said he will be sanctified in all that draw nigh to him It 's therefore the necessary duty of Saints in all their approaches to God to see to his Institution both in respect of the matter and manner of Worship To which he subjoyns This is yielded with respect to determined particularities but as to such as are undetermined by the Lord there may be too anxious care tending to be get scruples perplexities divisions which experience hath proved to cause fluctuating in mens minds inconstancy in their practice And it s therefore adviseable that
people of weak judgements did satisfie themselves in these things in the judgement of their faithful learned wise and holy Teachers and Rulers Answ Bravely spoken had it been at Rome our English stomachs can scarce away with such Coleworts O dura Messorum ilia 1. The Animadverter all along takes for granted that which we expresly told him Chap. 5. 7. of the S. T. pag. 41 62. we denied viz. That there are any circumstances or particularities of Worship relating to it as such undetermined by the Lord. 2dly Under the notion of particularities of Worship undetermined he shrouds the many Popish toyes and Antichristian inventions as Cross in Baptism Ring in Marriage Surplice yet retained in the Church of England These he would not have persons too careful about But seriously Sir those that know the Lord know him to be a jealous God and that he hath manifested his jealousie in such terrible rebukes against some of the sons of men as Nadab and Abihu Levit. 10. 1 2. Vzza 2 Sam. 6. 6 7. whom he slew in his fury for their Worshipping him otherwise than he had determined that be they never so weak they tremble and abhor to draw nigh to God in a way they have no Scripture-warrant for 3dly They desire to be satisfied in the authority of the Children of men in their attempts to impose upon their Consciences and make those things the necessary parts of Worship which they themselves acknowledge Christ hath left as particularities undetermined 4thly They would also be directed by Mr. T. to those faithful learned wise and holy Teachers he speaks of for they can find few or none such in a whole County And yet 5thly One thing more they would be satisfied in Whether an implicite Faith in matters of Worship be any more tolerable and justifiable than in matters of Doctrine And whether this will ever be a satisfactory answer to their mighty Sovereign the Lord of Hosts when he shall demand of them Who hath required this at your hands Why truth Lord we never read that thou didst ever do so but our faithful Teachers told us we might yea ought notwithstanding to practise these things and believe it will never be accepted as such 6thly His scurrilous reflections they can freely pardon though they know that the brood of Ranters c. he speaks of have not been produced by the inquisitiveness of any after the mind of God with respect to Instituted Worship but persons taking up with such slight thoughts of the Worship of the Holy God as such expressions as these used by him are apt enough to beget in the minds of men together with the instability and inconstancy of persons whom they have it may be owned as their Teachers and Rulers being ready to imbrace and shake hands with whatever is uppermost in the world labouring to support uphold and draw others to the imbracement of that now which not long ago they Prayed Preached against and with hands and eyes lift vp to Heaven they swore to seek to the uttermost of their power to root out and demollish Sir these things are some of those occasions through the subtilty of Satan and the corruption of mans nature of that Raâ—tism Atheism c. that is in the world And blessed be the Lord the Congregations of his People have been but little emptied hereby they are a brood issuing for the most part out of the Womb of the Church of England and are such as it 's known that little enquired into these matters taking all for Gospel that their Preachers taught them The next attempt of the Animadverter is the exatnination of the Arguments advanced in the S. T. against hearing the present Ministers of England The first is That which there is no warrant for in the Scripture â—eing part of Instituted Worship is not lawful for the Saints to practise But there is no warrant in the Scripture for hearing the present Ministers and Heariug is part of Instituted Worship Therefore To which he answers Sect. 2. Chap. 1. The sum is There is a Twofold Warrant by Command or by Permission Of Instituted Worship there are two Parts 1. Essential without which it is not or is not rightly called Instituted Worship 2. Accidental which may be present or absent and yet the Worship be or righteously be so called If the Major be meant of Warrant by Command and part accidental of Instituted Worship it is denied and so is the Minor Hearing the Word from this or that person is a part accidental of Instituted Worship undetermined and hath a warrant by Permission as being not contrary to any Precept or Rule in Scripture about such Worship Answ 1. This Animadverter continues still his old trade of begging and dictating without proof which doth not become him and being in matters wherein our souls are so nearly concerned we cannot bear it in him 1. He teâ—ls us That with respect to Instituted Worship there is a twofold warrant by Command or by Permission but would he had thought it incumbent upon him to have proved what he asserted This we deny Whatever hath not a warrant of Command in the Scripture is plainly interdicted and forbidden therein Deut. 4. 2. 12. 32. Rev. 22. 18. punished with no less than death upon those that have adventured to act exorbitantly without such a warrant as we but now manifested 2dly He tells us That there are two Parts of Instituted Worship Essential and Accidental but this also is false and untrue we expect his proof of it A part Accidental of Instituted Worship is a sort of gibberish that as it is unscriptural so it is little less than down-right-nonsence Instituted Worship is such Worship as is appointed by command from Christ or that is by Christs institution saith Mr. T. in answer to the Preface of S. T. Sect. 2. How any part of instituted Worship can be an accidental part i. e. such a part of Worship as though enjoyned by Christ which if it be not it is not instituted as may be done or not done without sin I must profess I understand not And desire Mr. T. would inform me not in a Dictator-like way as if he were a second Pythagoras but from Scripture-evidence And lest he should mistake this is that which is incumbent upon him to prove That a part of instituted Worship which is a Worship commanded by Christ may be accidental i. e. performed or not performed without sin 3dly That hearing the present Ministers of England preach the Doctrines and Traditions of men as he must do at some time or other that constantly attends on their Ministry or according to Mr. T. the Word of God hath Warrant in Scripture by permission as being not contrary to any Precept about Worship is another dictate of his that he will make good ad Graecas Calendas 'T is true the Light of Nature dictates That God is to be heard by whomsoever he speaks and 't is as true that God having
of wisdom nor faithfulness in Christ he did foresee what parts of Worship were and should be requisite and what parts were essential and necessary to be observed were determined in Scripture as for accidental things they were left to the prudence and authority chiefly of Rulers Who told him so This canting he surely learned of the Romish Cabal Christ was faithful in that he revealed what was his Fathers will in Spirituals but for Externals appointed but a few things and left the rest to be ordered under general Rules as it should be found convenient in after times Answ 1. These are Mr. T. his dictates of which you must expect his proofs when he hath greater leisure but in the mean while no man can reasonably be blamed if he refuse to subscribe to them 2dly If Christ hath determined what parts of worship are essential and necessary to be observed as he grants this part of the Controversie is at an end and must be by him acknowledged to be so till he have proved First That there are accidental parts of Instituted Worship Secondly That unnecessary trifles may be added to the essential and necessary parts of Worship as parts thereof Thirdly That what Christ thought not necessary to be observed is necessary to be observed because men think so But 3dly Would Mr. T. would direct us to the place where Christ hath granted that power to the Rulers or any else to add what they shall judge convenient to his Worship he being Head of his Body the Church and King of Saints we suppose he will not have the confidence to assert they may do this without his leave the doing so being a plain usurpation of his Throne and Kingly Authority I have read over the New Testament more than once and must profess I find not the least intimation of any such thing therein but the contrary 4thly We do not understand how Christ could be faithful if he revealed only what was his Fathers will in Spirituals and neglected to do so with respect to Externals as Mr. T. intimates when he was to reveal the whole will of his Father to his Church and for that end came into the world John 1. 18. Heb. 1. 2. Nor 5thly Can we conceive how it consists with the wisdom of Christ to leave it to men the greatest and wisest of them to determine what is fit and convenient to be added to his Worship because nothing is more evident than that they are incompetent Judges hereof Their folly herein being frequently remarked in the Scripture Jeroboam thinks it convenient that the People worship at Dan and Bethel and that they have golden Calves as visible representations of that God whom they worshipped Ahaz thinks it decent and convenient that a stately Altar the pattern whereof he had seen at Damascus be set up by the Altar of the Lord that was at Jerusalem which things were the provocation of the eyes of his glory The truth is the wretched additaments of the Sons of men to the Worship of Christ owe their original to this one abominable figment of Mr. T. That what is by men thought convenient in the Worship of Christ is left to be ordered by them In the Papacy Holy Water is by Pope Alexander thought to be convenient to be reserved in Temples to sanctifie the People and drive away Devils So is the Dedication of Temples by Pope Higinus That all of ripe years do every Easter receive the Sacrament by Pope Zephirinus That Priests Stand when the Gospel is read by Pope Anastatius The Letany by Pope Gregory Confirmation of the Baptized by Clemens as 't is said though many of these things are antedated and ascribed as to their Original to persons that would have abhorred them Scultetus Med. Patr. p. 1. l. 11. c. 10. saith Of all the Epistles of the first Popes no man that reads them attentively but acknowledgeth them to be forged The Epistles Decretal which pass under the Names of Clement c. are all forged and that for six Reasons saith Perkins The like saith Dr. Prideaux in his 9th Orat. de Pseudoepigraphis Sect. 3. The Celebration of the Mass upon the Altar by Xistus or Sixtus The Distinction of Parishes by Dionysius with a command to Preachers to keep within their Bounds The singing the Creed by Pope Marcus The Glory to the Father to be said after the Psalms And the Order of Queristers or Singing-Men by Pope Damasus The Dedication of Churches by Bishops by Foelix Pope Stephen the 7th thinks it convenient to Degrade all that had taken Orders from P. Formosus he himself gives them new ones John Sicco the Successor of Silvester an 1003 makes a Decree that the election of the Roman Popes should belong only to the Roman Clergy without the consent of the People because the People are to be led and not followed he establisheth the Feast of All Souls P. Urban An. 1096 ordained That no Clergy or Layman should eat Flesh from Shrovetide to Easter Innocent the third ordained Transubstantiatioâ— yea the Fathers of the Council of Constance publish a Decree in these words Although Christ after Supper hath instituted and administred to his Disciples this venerable Sacrament under both kinds of Bread and Wine yet notwithstanding the Authority of the sacred Canons the laudable and approved custom of the Church hath observed and doth observe that this Sacrament ought not to be finished after Supper nor administred under both kinds and seeing this custom hath been according to reason brought in and a long time observed by the Church and holy Fathers it is to be held for a Law Concil Const. Sess 3. And if the case be so with us as is suggested by this Animadverter 't is not to be thought that our condition is in the least better'd by the removing the carnal ordinances of the Jews 't is by many degrees worse than theirs They had a stinted number of Ceremonies of the institution of the Lord We have an innumerable company of the devising of man nor any security but we may have a thousand more for if â—â—e Rulers shall judge them convenient they may ordain them and we are bound to submit unto them if Mr. T. his Doctrine be true But blessed be the Lord things are far otherwise Christ hatâ— not broken the yoke of the Jewish observances off the necks of his Disciples to have them become such servants of men as to stoop to every Theatrical and Ludicrous Ceremony that under the notion of Conveniency shall be by them thought fit to be imposed on them If he hath let Mr. T. produce one Scripture in which he hath so done if not we expect he manifest so much Christian modesty as to retract his over-confident Assertion that Christ hath under general rules left what relating to the externals of Worship was to be added to be ordered as it should be found convenient in after-times We further add in S. T. That 't is not lawful
for the Saâ—nts in matters of Instituted Worship to practise what there is no warrant for in the Scripture because so to do 5thly pours out contempt upon the care of God over the New-Testament-Churches as if it were less to these than to that under the Law and the Oeconomy of the Gospel as not so compleat as that of old the whole of whose Worship Orders and Ordinances as was said was bottom'd upon pure revelation To this saith Mr. T. 1. This pours out no contempt upon the care of God over the New-Testament-Churches as is before proved in answer to the Preface Sect. 20. Answ What Mr. T. there dictates for he proves little we have already considered and removed out of the way in our reply thereunto 2dly He begs of us to yeeld him that Circumstantials of Worship as such are liable to variation are not bottom'd upon pure revelation divine but in many things left to humane prudence Answ 1. But be he never so importunately precaâ—ious herein we cannot yeeld it him but demand his proofs hereof else we judge he speaks injuriously both to Christ and Saints 2dly We cannot but demur a little upon that expression pure revelation divine upon which he saith these circumstantials of Worship are not bottom'd I hope he doth not think his Antagonists own any Revelation but that which is Divine Though as touching the Ceremonies he is under the notion of Circumstantials pleading for they are not indeed built upon Revelation Divine but Diabolical diametrically opposit to that which is Divine The language whereof is that nothing be offered up to God but that which is of his own prescription 3dly In many things he saith these Circumstantials of Worship are left to humane prudence Answ 1. Would he had told us in what things 2. Thought it incumbent upon him to prove his dictate 3. Manifested how we might be able to discern if an exect enumeration of particulars is not to be obtained betwixt those many that are left to humane prudence and the some that are not 4. Discover to us what security we have that if a Protestant-Bishop impose on us some of the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of Rome under the notion of Circumstantials and Accidentals of Worship though they are indeed such strange accidentals as were never heard-of in the world before viz. such as without which the Worship must not be performed that if the Papists should ever bear sway which is not impossible his Holiness the Pope shall not impose upon us all the rest that are as yet behind the Curtain upon the same pretentions 4. He tells us 'T is an effect of God's love and care over the New-Testament-Churches that he hath not tied them in so many things to external rites as he did the Jews Answ And we say so too but herein Mr. T. speaks not pertinently The Question is not Whether the Lord 's not tying us in so many things as he did the Jews to external rites be an effect of his care and love or no which we say it is but whether it be consistant with that his care and love in delivering us from these not to determine the whole of our Worship as he did determine the whole of theirs but leave us to the wills lusts and inventions of men to be ordered and ruled by them according as they should think meet and convenient Which when Mr. T. shall think himself able to perswade any but the blind when the Sun shines in its strength that it is not day he may attempt the proof of 5. He adds The Occonomy of the Gospel is not less compleat than that of old for this cause This reasoning if he understands the Apostle Col. 2. 8 9 10. is either the same or very like that of the Philosophical Judaizing-Teacher Answ 1. But Mr. T. his Assertion is no proof If the whole of the Worship of the Jews was compleat without humane additaments being built upon pure Revelation and ours be not compleat without many things that are left to humane prudence to determine relating to Worship as such ours is most assuredly less compleat than theirs 2dly Mr. T. his abilities of understanding I have little to say to Bernardus non videt omnia And he hath a strange faculty of discerning that can see our reasoning to be the same or much like to the reasoning of the Judaizing Teachers Col. 2. 8 9 10. 1st They diâ—puted for Jewish observances we argue as well as we can against them 2dly They asserted that they were not nor could be compleat without them this we oppose and affirm the contrary That neither our Persons or Worship are or can be any whit the more compleated by them or any other Observances in the world not instituted by Christ in the New-Testament Mr. T. indeed asserts that there are some Ceremonies left to be ordered by men according as they shall see convenient Which is somewhat like to the Doctrine of these Judaizing Teachers which the Apostle cautions the Church of Colosse against v. 8. That by the Rudiments of the world is meant Jewish Riâ—es we may grant the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Traditions of men seems to be somewhat else viz. humane Additions to Divine Institutions such as were those amongst the Jews that Christ calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 15. 3 6. which he interprets v. 9. to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Commandments of men Whether our reasoning or the Animadverter's be more like that here of the Philosophical Teachers is left to the judgment of the Judicious to deâ—ermine 3dly How little to Mr. T. his purpose this Scripture-citation is he already may discern how much it makes against the grand Design he is labouring to advance the proposing of one or two Arguments from it will fully evince 1. Those Traditions and Rudiments that are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after Christ i. e. according to the Doctrine and Institution of Christ which only ought to take place in the Church as say our Annotators upon the place are not to be complied with but to be watched warred against as such that do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lead us captive from Christ But the Rudiments Mr. T. pleads for are such as are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the Institution of Christ if they are let Mr. T. produce the place where they are so Therefore 2. If the Church at Colosse was so compleat in Christ that they needed not to subject ought not to do so to the Jewish Rites and Traditions of the Elders then much less need we to subject to the Rudiments of men or any of the accursed Rites and Ceremonies of the Papacy These Rites are much more weak and absurd than the former as never being of the Institution of the Lord but the devising and imposing of his profest enemy Therefore 6thly The Assertion That it 's lawful to practise any thing in Instituted Worship without warrant from Scripture we say
in S. T. reflects sadly upon its authority and perfection which is the next thing we affirm to evidence the truth of the major Proposition This M. T. saith is true with respect to all Doctrinals of Faith and Manners and Worship in respect of Essentials but not of Accidentals thereof undetermined in the Scripture Answ 1. The unscripturalness and vanity of that distinction we have already discovered 2ly We had thought that the perfection of the Scripture had consisted in this that the whole of that obedience that God required of us had therein been stated and enjoyned for which end we conceive it was at first commanded to be written and hitherto by the wonderful gracious providence of the Lord continued to us The Accidentals of Worship are either part of that Obedience we owe to God or they are not If not how come they to be such parts of Worship as without them we are interdicted to perform it or indeed whence is it that we are tendring them up to God when all our Worship is nothing else but the solemn tender of that Obedience that we owe to him if they are then there is some part of our Obedience that is not prescribed in the Scripture then is the Scripture imperfect and that with respect to the main end for which it was given forth viz. to indoctrinate and direct us in the whole of that Obedience that God requires of us and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Aristotle l. 2. de Coelo c. 4. But this is contrary to 1. The testimony and witness of the Spirit of God speaking in the Scriptures 2 Tim. 3. 15. Prov. 2. 1 9. Isa 8. 20. 2 Pet. 1. 19. Luke 1. 4. John 5. 39. 20. 31. 2 Cor. 4. 6. Lukâ— 10. 26. 16. 29. Deut. 12. 8 32. Prov. 30. 5. Mat. 22. 29. Gal. 1. 8. Eph. 2. 20. Heb. 4. 12. Rev. 22. 18. 2dly To the Witness of many of the Worthies of the Lord in their day The renowned Waldenses or the Church of Christ in the Wilderness some hundreds of years ago declare and attest that nothing is to be admitted in Religion but what only is commanded in the Word of God that all mens Traditions are to be rejected and therefore this singing and superfluous chanting in the Chancel to be left It is necessary and consonant to reason that every man learn that which is needful out of the Scriptures both for the fulness of Godliness and lest they be inured to humane traditions saith Basil Regul contract 95. pag. 502. God will ask no more of a Christian Believer in this life but only to obey the Precepts of that most blessed Law If any Prelate of the Church require more or else any other kind of obedience than this to be used he contemneth Christ exalting himself above God and so becâ—meth an open Antichrist saith the Lord Cobham in the Confession of his Faith offered to Hen. the 5th about the year 1413. Chrysostom calls them a most exquisite rule and exact square and ballance to try all things by Augustine expounding Gal. 1. 8. saith If we or an Angel from Heaven declare unto you either concerning Christ or his Church any other matter belonging to our Faith or Life any thing but that which you have received in the writings of the Law and the Gospel let him be accursed Cont. Lit. Petilian Don. l. 3. c. 6. de unitat Eccles cap. 11. Et honos praeter mandatum est dedecus God is dishonoured by that honour that is ascribed to him beyond his own prescription saith Hierome Yea 3dly our Protestant Divines disputing with the Papists about an universal Head of the Church Cardinals Purgatory Mass c. have ever thought this one good Argument against them that they find them not commanded in the Scripture and to assert them needful or lawful to be used in the Church of Christ they affirm to be derogatory to the perfection of the Scripture Suppose a Papist â—o say 'T is true the Scripture is perfect with respect to the essential parts of Worship not so with respect to Accidentals such as are Cross Spittle Salt in Baptism Holy Water Pope Cardinals Crosses c. What would Mr. T. answer hereunto 'T is a thousand to one but the same Answer would stop his own mouth in the reply to the Argument undertaken to be refuted by him We add in S. T. as a further confirmation of the truth of the Proposition under debate 7thly That God condemns not only that which is done against the warrant and direction of the Word but also that which is done beside it Deut. 4. 2. 12. 32. Mat. 15. 9. Lev. 10. 1. Prov. 30. 6. Jer. 7. 31. To which Mr. T. replies 1. That the Assertion understood of Accidentals of Instituted Worship is false Answ 1st Very good It seems then it is lawful to add what we please as accidental parts of instituted Worship for God no where condemns our doing so Altars Candles Crucifixes Baptism with Spittle Salt c. Dedication of Churches to He-Saints and She-Saints with the Inscription of Laus Deo S ta Helena of the Popes make Baptism of Bells the whole Farrago of Popish Inventions may by Mr. T. his arguing be introduced for these are but Accidentals of Worship and no where expresly interdicted Secondly The Protestant Divines have ever thought this a sufficient convincing Argument against these fooleries of the Papists That Christ hath no where commanded them therefore they may justly reject them as unlawful Christ being the alone Pastor Eccl. 12. 11. Master Mat. 23. 8 10. Prophet of his Church Acts 7. 37. Who shall dare to speak where he is silent or can do so without an open undervaluing and contempt of his Authority 'T were easie to fill many Pages with citations of Protestants to this purpose in whose Writings nothing is more frequent than this Nihil sine nihil extra nihil praeter nihil ultra Divinam Scripturam admittendum esse Peter Martyr on 2 Sam. cap. 6. pag. 212 213 saith From this History we may see that the true Worship of God he speaks of Uzzah's touching the Ark is not to be deduced from the Palestines or Ethnicks but the Word of God For God will be worshipped according to his own Praescript not our Inventions But as touching what pertains to the Worship of God nothing is to be sought without the Word of God It went ill with Uzza that he would imitate the Palestines with Nadab and Abihu that they would offer profane fire with Ozias the King that he would offer Incense in the Tabernacle when he was neither Priest nor of the Tribe of Levi. But Thirdly The Scriptures produced abundantly manifest the truth of the Assertion Let the judicious Reader seriously peruse them and they will lead him captive to the belief of it Deut. 4. 2. 12. 32. Pro. 30. 6. Strictly interdict mans adding to the Word of God which if it be not a condemnation of
Word and to build without Hay and Stubble like Israel in Egypt when they be not allowed some warrant out of the Scripture which only can combine the matter of the work and make the frame of the building sure And Chrysostom giveth a reason why we must take nothing from the Prelates which is not clarè perspicuously demonstrated from the Scriptures for our Cogitation halteth when the Word wanteth which halting is sâ—n because we are bound to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a full perswasion even in indifferent things and all Chrys in 1 Cor. Homil. 13. So the Churches of Helvetia The universal Church of Christ hath fully explained in the Scriptures whatever things appertain to saving Faith and to the informing the Life rightly to please God To which that nothing may be added or diminished is distinctly commanded by the Lord. We judge therefore that from these Scriptures true Wisdom and Piety is to be sought Also the Reformation and Government of the Church which are with Mr. T. Adjuncts of Worship and the Institution of all duties of Piety C. 1. Conf. Helvet poster in Harmon Conf. And those famous Witnesses of Christ the Waldenses speak after the same rate In hac enim de Scripturâ ejus perfectione loquuntur quae ad Doctrinam Sanctae Ecclesiae Disciplinam Gubernationem ad singulos universos in ordinario salutis Ministerio unde vera fides existit necessaria sunt Ea inquam omnia plene omnino quantum opus est ut in eximio artificiocissimoque Sancti Spiritus opere in hac comprehensae sunt conclusa quâ nec Angelus de Coelo ullus proferre aliquid certius potest si adferret diversum aliquid credi ei non deberet Conses Bohem. seu Walden in Harmo Confes Which if Mr. T. will not others will believe speak home to the matter in hand The Declaration of the Congregational Elders chap. 1. I own and told Mr. T. as much as they say in S. T. Circumstances concerning the Worship of God c. common to humane actions and societies are to be ordered by the Light of Nature and Christian prudence as place time of meetings c. but they assert not that Circumstances of Worship as such are so to be ordered or to be practised without warrant from Scripture which is that we deny Thus far of the Major Proposition of our first Argument His Exceptions to the Minor will receive a speedy dispatch of which in the next Section Sect. 2. Hearing the Word part of Instituted Worship proved Mr. T. his Objection refelled The Judgment of Mr. Burroughs in this matter Hearing the present Ministers not warranted in the Scripture Of the tendency of the Separation pleaded-for Mr. T. a self-contradicter Of declaring for or against things according to affection The saying of Hierome THe Minor Proposition of our first Argument against Hearing we say consists of two parts 1. That Hearing is part of Instituted Worship which we proved by this Argument That in which we wait upon God in the way of an Ordinance for the communication of good beyond the vertue of any creature to conveigh is part of Instituted Worship But in the hearing the Word we thus wait upon God Therefore To which Mr. T. replies 1. by way of concession In some sense he grants Hearing to be part of Instituted Worship But 2dly if he takes not the Argument to be demonstrative sith there be many things As Marriage Eating Drinking c. in which we wait upon God in the way of an Ordinance for the communication of good beyond the vertue of any creature to convey to us and yet are not parts of the Instituted Worship of God Answ 1. But how sophistically and ludicrously doth he argue The Argument is of Good Spiritual and Eternal Mr. T. talks of Good Natural Political Temporary If he will prove the Argumenâ— not to be demonstrative he must prove that that in which we wait upon God in the way of an Ordinance for the communication of Spiritual and Eternal Good beyond the vertue of any creature to convey to us is not part of Instituted Worship 2. Precious Mr. Burroughs speaks fully to this Objection When I am busied in natural civil actions there I must profess that these things can do me no good without God but I do not wait â—pon God in an Ordinance for the conveyance of Natural good beyond what God hath put into the creature 't is his blessing with it that God in the ordinary course of his Providence doth convey such natural or civil good in the use of those creatures But now when I come to hear his Word I here come to wait on God in the way of an Ordinance for the conveyance of some spiritual good that this Ordinance hath not in it self take it materially but meerly as it hath an Iâ—stitution in it and is appointed by God for the conveyance of such and such things God doth appoint meat to nourish me and together with his Appointment he hath given a natural power to meat to nourish my body that in an ordinary course of Providence is enough for the nourishment of my body But now when I come to hear the Word I must look upon that not only as a thing to work upon my soul and to save my soul by not as a thing that hath any efficacy put into it as the other hath in a natural way it is not in the nature of the thing that carries such a power in it but it is the Institution of God and the Ordinance of God in it But I say 3dly Hearing the present Ministers is not warranted in the Scriptures This will be manifested when we come to thâ— ventilating and scanning those places which usually are produced for the abetting the practice of some in this matter To which Mr. T. subjoyns 1. The Scripture warrants the hearing them whilst they teach the Doctrine of Gods Word Answ When he shews us where it doth so he will say somewhat till then we are not bound to believe him Every one that teacheth true Doctrine we have proved is not to be heard He adds 2. The Scripture forbids only the hearing false Prophets Mat. 7. 15. Antichrists 1 John 2. 18. c. Answ 1. This Assertion is false as we have already manifested 2. We have in S. T. chap. 6. proved the present Ministers to be false Prophets and in our Answer to Mr. T. his Exceptions to the Preface Sect. 10. He saith further 3. Personal Exceptions against their entry into the Ministry or their sinful practices or the ventilating the places produced for the abetting the practices of some in this matter will not prove the Minor Answ But if we prove they act from an Antichristian Call and that 't is the mind of Christ we should not attend upon a Ministry that so acts if we prove them guilty of such sinful practices as Christ commands us to withdraw from persons
in lesser matters differing in judgment from me according to that Apostolical rule Phil. 3. 15. Rom. 14. 1. That from Christs appointment of some as Ministers enjoyning others as their duty upon the collation of Gifts upon them to preach the Gospel for the edification of his Body a lawfulness to hear them as Ministers or gifted Brethren doth not necessarily arise is to say no more a strange assertion as implying that 't is unlawful to hear some whom Christ hath appointed to preach which is absurd as good we may reject Christ The reason he gives us hereof viz. Because a Minister or gifted Brother 't is possible may be Heretical and so to be shun'd Tit. 3. 10. is of no weight For those whom it is our duty to hear at one time whilst walking in the wayes of Christ 't is most undoubtedly our sin to hear at another when departed from those wayes But he hath found nodum in scirpo an assertion of mine that he makes himself for a season merry with and thinks he hath no small advantage by I say saith he 't is lawful to others to preach as their liberty permitted to them which if so then First 'T is lawful for Ministers to Preach as their liberty Answ 1. Who denies it 2. Why doth this Animadverters good friends the Bishops hinder them 3. It doth not sure thence follow that 't is lawful for Antichristian Ministers so to do He adds Secondly Then it follows that there is some practice that is a part of instituted Worship that is warranted in Scripture as persons Liberty by permission without command Therefore hearing the present Ministers may be warranted by permission without command which was my Answer to this Authors first Argument against hearing them is now confirmed by his Concession Answ 1. But what if this be not any Assertion of the Author of S. T. but a mistake of this Animadverter His conceived advantage and triumph is then suddenly extinct 2. That I no where assert it not in the place mentioned the review of the passage he descants upon may inform him 1st I say only that the permission of such as have received enablements from the Lord to exercise and improve them in praying and preaching for the edification of the Body of Christ though not solemnly invested into Office is assented unto by some of those with whom I have to do 2dly I immediately add that 't is enjoyned them as their duty viz. by Christ so to do Which with what Conscience the Animadverter could over-look that he might impose upon his Antagonist to his own seeming advantage what was never asserted by him I know not These things ought not to be Sect. 2. 'T is not lawful to hear the present Ministers as Ministers of the Gospel They are not such therefore may not be heard as such The validity of the consequence evinced Mr. T. his Exceptions enervated Hearers bound to satisfie themselves that he who pretends to come and act in the Name of Christ is indeed sent by him 'T is not above the ability of hearers to judge of the Ministers call Peaceable possession no evidence of Gospel-right The testimony of Nazianzen The impertinency of Mr. T. his arguing from Pauls speech to Ananias Acts 23. 5. from Caiaphas his prophesying John 11. 51. c. evinced IN Sect. 2. Mr. T. considers the proof we bring for the confirmation of the Minor Proposition viz. That 't is not lawful to hear them either as Ministers of the Gospel or as gifted Brethren 1. Not as Ministers of the Gospel they are not such therefore may not be heard as such To this Mr. T. replies I deny this consequence a man may be heard as a Minister of the Gospel though he be not such Answ 1. Nor can I help it or any man in the world if Mr. T. be resolv'd on 't if he deny the Sun to shine at noon-day 2dly The consequence presents it self with that evidence to the understanding of unbiassed men and shines so clearly in its own brightness that 't is hardly capable of further demonstration 3dly To hear a man as a Minister of the Gospel is to hear him as a Preacher sent from Christ that I may that is that it is my duty to hear one as sent from Christ that is not sent from Christ is an Assertion that the bear naming of is confutation sufficient I must believe that he is sent from Christ ere I can hear him as such that I am bound to believe a lie Mr. T. will not in haste prove We attend to what he is able to say for the confirmation of this Assertion whereof he gives you three Reasons First Because every hearer is not bound to examine the enterance of the Teacher into his Function Answ 1. This if meant of Christian hearers is false every such hearer is bound to satisfie himself that he who pretends to come and act in the Name of Christ is indeed sent by him else I see not how he can own or receive him as a Minister of Christ to him and perform those other duties if he so do he is obliged to do and perform to him by express command from Christ 2. Should it be granted That every hearer is not bound to examine the entrance of the Teacher into his Function it doth not follow that its lawful or the duty of persons to hear such as are not Ministers of Christ as Ministers of Christ This indeed would follow That 't is possible had they no other way of satisfying themselves in the truth of their Ministry they might through mistake do so but that they are bound by command from Christ so to do M. T. cannot prove 3. What if they receive Letters Testimonial from persons of known integrity in the Church or some verbal satisfaction from them touching them and it be the duty of Hearers not to receive them without these this may sure help to mend the matter Now this seems to be evident from the practise of the Saints Rom. 16. 1 2. Col. 4. 10. Acts 18. 27. 2 Cor. 3. 1. Acts 9. 26 27. Yâ—t 4. His inference makes much against himself Therefore saith he it is enough to hear them as such that there is nothing appears to the contrary for hence it follows that if there be any thing appearing to the contrary 't is not lawful to hear them as such Now we manifest in S. T. chap. 3 4 5 6 7 c. that there is much appears to the contrary Therefore 't is not our duty to hear them He adds 2dly 'T is lawful to hear them as Ministers of the Gospel though they are not such because it is above the ability of the hearers to judge of the Ministers call c. Answ 1. We deny this Consequence 'T is above the ability of Hearers to judge of the Ministers call therefore 't is lawful for them to hear as Ministers of the Gospel such as are not such who have indeed nothing
disorderly we prove Those that walk not after the tradition received from the Apostles and from the Primiâ—ive Church for above 300 years after Christ but according to the traditions of the old Bawd and Strumpet of Rome are such as walk disorderly But the present Ministers walk not after the tradition received from the Apostles but after the traditions of the Whorish Church of Rome Therefore The Major is bottom'd upon the express words of the Apostle in the place instanc'd in and were it not no person of ingenuity would have the confidence to deny it The Minor we prove by particular instances They have no Apostolical written Tradition for Liturgies Surplice Cross in Baptism c. If they have let them produce it and we are satisfied if not they are disorderly walkers and to be seperated from that they are such 2. cannot be denied by such as pretend to Reformation if submitting to ordination or reordination by a Lord-Bishop covenanting and protesting with detestation against a Reformation according to the Scriptures and the best reformed Churches be so In answer to which Mr. T. tells us 1. That it belongs not to him to speak for the present Ministers but to themselves Answ 1. And indeed many sober minded persons think so too It very ill becoms any man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to go about to build again the things he once destroyed But yet 2ly It s not the part of an Advocate thus to desert his Clients in open Court If he undertake their defence it appertains to him to answer for them to what is objected against them However he acquaints us 2ly what he conceives they would say for themselves 1. That they do not covenant and protest with detestation against a Reformation according to the Scripture and the best reformed Churches Answer The whole of my intendment in that expression was to intimate their renunciation of that Covenant wherein the Reformation intimated was solemnly engaged to be promoted whicâ— what is it less then to protest against the Reformation therein asserted and enjoyned That they did this is evident from their subscription of the declaration or acknowledgement following I A. B. do declare that I do hold there lies no obligation upon me or on any other person from the Oath commonly called the Solemn League and Covenant to endeavour any change or alteration of Government either in Church or State and that the same was in it self an unlawful Oath That they did because they judged the matter of the Covenant at least with respect to reformation of the Church by purging it of the Hierarchie to be sinful I do suppose they will not deny nor that they renounce sin without detestation So that the Author of S. T. will in the judgment of sober minded persons be soon acquitted froâ— being in this matter a Calumniator He tels us 2ly He conceivs they would justifie their submitting to Ordination or reordination by a Lord-Bishop their owning and reading a Liturgy in the Church their wearing the Surplice Crossing in Baptism c. Answ 1. No one doubts but they would nor can any other be expected from them who are in the practice of these things But that because they will justifie them therefore they are no disorderly walkeâ—s is not in my poor judgment an argument of the least weight The Papists will justifie their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or image-Image-worship and the rest of their abominable idolatries and bring Scripture to prove it lawful too Gregorius de Valentia tels us there is some worship of Images lawful and proves it from 1 Pet 4. 3. because the Apostle would there deterre them from the unlawful worship of Idols yet I hope Mr. T. will not affirm they are not disorderly walkers and to be separated from as such 2ly We say not that they themselves will confess that they are disorderly walkers but that such as Mr. T. who have covenanted against Bishops and pretended to be for Reformation cannot deny but that they are indeed so with respect to the matters instanced in which he must acknowledge to be true for they are the very things they covenanted against as intolerable disorders and abuses to remove out of the way So that however they might call me an egregious false accuser which yet were but a sorry answer to the charge laid against them yet one would not have expected such language from Mr. T. These things are disorders or they are not If they are not why did this Animadverter Covenant Preach Print against them glory that he was one of the first that in print testified his dissatisfaction touching them If they are most assuredly those that practise them are with respect to them disorderly walkers And is Mr. T. of late grown such a fond Admirer of them that a man cannot speak truth of them but he must call him an egregious false accuser I am afraid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and seriously to review with what spirit he writ such passages as these He adds 3dly These practices except the first are not of such a degree of pravity whether justifiable or sinful as that barely for them they should be reputed in the number of Disorderly walkers and so after due process to be separated from by vertue of positive precept from Christ Mat. 18. 2 Thess 3. 6. For 1. Mat. 18. 15 16. is meant of personal injuries the Separation permitted is a Separation only from civil eating and familiar reception not from Gospel-communion Answ 1. This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and hath already been fully confuted 2dly He further affirms that the disorderly walking 2 Thess 3. 6. must be understood of sins of greater pravity than the particulars instanced in and charged upon them except the first which they will deny Answ 1. But the first we have proved against them therefore they are disorderly walkers according to this Scripture by Mr. T. his confession and so to be separated from 2. Every sin is a disorderly walking if persons will stand in justifie plead for any sin they are to be separated from by vertue of this Apostolical precept But 3dly If the sins charged upon the present Ministers be too small to constitute the disorderly walking here mentioned what are the greater that do so The gross sins he tells us of of any Brother not a Minister who was bound to work v. 10. such as those 1 Cor. 5. 11. 2 Cor. 12. 20 21. Answ 1. Why the gross sins of a Brother not a Minister Is not the Ordinance of private admonition Church-Censures an Institution of Christ out of the abundance of his love for the good of his Children Is a Minister exempt from it more than others he will not sure say so 2dly Why such gross sins as those mentioned 1 Cor. 5. 11. 2. Cor. 12. 20 21. doth the Apostle charge the Church of Thessalonica with any such evils as those there mentioned nothing less These are instanced in because the Animadverter supposeth at
it is Is not the Discipline of their Church from the Canon Law with what forehead can he deny it Whence is the Hierarchy Ecclesiastical decrees Episcopal jurisdiction Procurations Dispensations Pluralities Non-residencies Popish-retained-Ceremonies their Excommunications by a Commissary Ordinations Absolutions Degradations Visitations Offerings Courts Silencing of Godly Preachers disquieting the Lords people for Non-conformity if not from the Cannon-Law These things are notoriously known to be from them So that Mr. T. grants the present Ministers may lawfully be separated from But this might be a slip of his pen before he was aware That it is our duty to separate from persons acting from an Antichristian Power Office or Calling we prove 2ly 'T is unlawful to attend upon the Teachings of Antichrist therefore upon the teachings of such as act by vertue of a power derived from him To this Mr. T. replyes If by teachings of Antichrist be meant the teachings of the present Doctrine of the Church of Rome and the power derived from him be meant the English Bishops Ordination it is impudency to say they derived their power from Rome Answ 1. We are not yet speaking of the Ministers of England to separate from those that act from an Antichristian power be they Ministers of Germany Holland if they so act in their Ministry they are to be seperated from and that because we may not attend upon Antichrist in his Teachings or Ministration doth Mr. T. deny tâ—is He saith indeed if they preach truth we may attend upon their Ministry though they so act Answ But this hath been often said without the least proof and as frequently replyed to and its inconsutilousness in its applâ—cation to the present Ministers who preach Popish Errours and are interdicted the preaching all truth manifested 'T is an assertion most derogatory to the Dignity and Authority of our Lord and King and not to be born by his Loyal Subjects Hath not he Servants enough of his own to do his work to preach his Gospel but he must be beholding to the greatest enemies he hath in the world to send forth Servants into his Vineyard 2dly The present Ministers of England deny their power from the Papacy or they do not if they do not it had been my mistake not impudency to say they did If they do as most certain it is they do and they themselves acknowledge it and plead it the Impudency is rather in Mr. T. to deny it I add in S. T. 3dly Christ calls his to separate from every thing of Antichrist Rev. 18. 4. 14. 9 10 11. Therefore from his Ministry or such as act by vertue of an Antichristian power To which our Animadverter replies 1 Rev. 18. 4. may be understood of a local departure from Babylon when her judgment of destruction from the Kings of the Earth draws nigh Answ 1. And who can hinder Mr. T. from making conjectures his it may be is no proof that it is However the ground of the Lord 's calling them out of Rome should it be granted him that by Babylon were meant the City of Rome is plainly intimated to be lest they should partake of their sins Not their dwelling in Rome but their complying with the Antichristian Ministry Worship thereof their abominable Rites and Ceremonies is that which is loathsom to the Lord. 2dly 'T is true God calls not his People to depart from every doctrine the Pope teacheth there is some truth remaining amongst them which is to be cleaved to because truth much less a rejection of the Bible These are but vain words empty flourishes this Animadverter knows full well that these things are not affirmed by those with whom he hath to do 3dly To a departure from her by forsaking Communion with her in Worship and leaving subjection to her Government he grants this Scripture may be extended which is all we need contend for The Worship of Rome and England are much the same as we prove The Church-government in use amongst us by Arch-Bishops Bishops issues from the same sourse and spring as is known Therefore a separation from the Worship and Ministry of England lawful by the Animadverter's confession 4thly When God commands to come out of her he must be interpreted to come out of every thing of her viz. that which is truly hers whatever hath not the stamp and authority of God upon it for the reason why the Lord would have his forsake any thing of hers is because it is hers and hath not his own Image and Superscription 'T is ridiculous to imagine that God should command a separation from her Worship and Government and not from her Ministry when this is a main part of her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Church-Government He adds 2dly By the Beast and his Image Rev. 14. 9 10 11. is meant some Empire or State which promotes Idolatry the Roman Papacy the worshipping of which is undoubtedly the acknowledging of its power and subjection to their Idolatrous Decrees and Edicts The receiving his mark is a profession of our being the servants of the Pope to subject to his authority and after the citation of Mr. Brightman and Mr. Mede speaking to this purpose he saith which doth evince that the worship of the Beast and his Image is not retaining every usage of the Papists though superstitious and corrupt but acknowledging the universal Monarchy of the Popes adoring Images the Host c. Answ 1. But what doth evince that this is all that is intended by worshipping the Image of the Beast Mr. T. would bear his Reader in hand as if he had produced somewhat for the confirmation of his Assertion when he hath not said the least word tending thereunto The very truth is 2ly The Beast mentioned Rev. 14. 9 10. is the same with the Beast mentioned Rev. 13. 11. or the false Prophet Rev. 19. 21. or Antichrist consider'd in his Ecclesiastical State composed of head the Popes and members the rest of the Antichristian Clergy whether at Rome or elsewhere for as the learned Mede saith the Pope alone maketh not up the Beast except the Clergy be joâ—n'd with him since the Beast doth signifie a company of men composed of a certain order of members like as the Beast hath not one man alone the Image of the Beast cannot be a dumb Image 't is expresly said to be a speaking one viz. the Ecclesiastical policy that in its Cannon-Laws upon which both that of Rome and England is founded breatheth forth nothing but Excommunication against such as shall disobey them upon which they are deliver'd over to the Secular Power here with us though not to be burned yet to perpetual Imprisonment The worshipping the Beast and receiving the mark is subjection to an Antichristian Ministry and Church-polity from which it is the duty of the people of God to separate and if we prove not the Ministers of England to be so we acknowledg this Argument to be null and that notwithstanding any thing in it
hitherto asserted it may be lawful to attend them We say in S. T. 4ly That there is not a command in the Scripture enjoyning Saints to take heed of being deceived to try the spirits but is an abundant demonstration of the truth of the first Proposition To which Mr. T. subjoyns 1. If by acting in the holy things of God by vertue of an Antichristian power be meant their acknowledging the power teaching the doctrine owning the calling of him that is truly Antichrist 't is granted Answ To this we have already replyed 'T is enough to prove any person ought to be separated from if he act in the holy things of God by vertue of an Antichristian power though the doctrine he preach be true He adds 2ly The Scriptures mentioned forbid command he means only to reject Antichristian Doctrine and Worship not every thing said by any without proof to be a thing of Antichrist Answ 1. Very well If we prove then the Worship of the Church of England to be Antichristian it is to be reiected Now it being the Worship of the Papacy which is acknowledged by him to be so I cannot see how it can be otherwise 2ly The Scriptures mentioned fairly import not only a command for the rejection of the Doctrine and Worship which is Antichristian but them also that pretend to be but really are not of God The persons are to be proved and tryed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 try them as Goldsmiths try Gold whether it be pure and right and if you find them not to be so reject them 1 John 4. 1. We proceed and in S. T. say further 5ly The institution of Officers of his own by Christ to be continued to the end of the World Eph. 4. 11. evinceth the truth of the Major proposition To this our Animadverter answers 1. 'T is true some of the Officers mentioned Ephes 4. are to be continued to the end of the World in the way appointed by him but that there is any particular way of Election of ordinary â—astors and Teachers in those words appears not Answ Who saith there is 'T is sufficient they prove the continuation of the Officers in the Church to be an Institution of Christ Of the particular way of their election we have mentioned elsewhere as we have shewed 2ly 'T is well this Animadverter will acknowledg that there is a way appointed by Christ in which Church-Officers are to be continued which as I conceive is a part of Church-Government which therefore cannot be left to such an indifferency as he sometimes intimates He tels us 2ly How the Major is proved by it he discerns not unless this be the Argument Christ hath appointed these therefore no other are to be heard which overthrowes the hearing of Gifted-Brethren Answ We are contented with the form our words are by him cast into only with this alteration therefore no other are to be heard as Ministers acting by vertue of an Office-Power which makes nothing against the hearing of gifted Brethren We further add in S. T. 6ly That there is no promise of a blessing in the whole Scripture upon persons attending upon such a Ministry Mr. T. replies 1. Though there be no promise of a blessing upon persons attending on such a Ministry yet if they Preach the Gospel truly there is Luk. 11. 28. Answ 1. 'T is not probable they should Preach the Gospel truly as touching the present Ministers of England they do not so 1. They preach it from a false mission 2ly They preach it by halves as is known 3. They mixt many humane traditions therewith and thereby obscure the Gospel as Mr. T. himself in his Fermentum Pharisaeorum asserts 4ly There is no blessing promised to persons attending upon such a Ministry Luk. 11. 28. Christ speaks not there of any such Ministry the whole of his intendment is that no external pâ—iviledge though it were to bear him in the Womb c. who was a true Messiah renders a man glorious blessed and excellent as a conformity to the divine will which how much it is to his purpose others will judge He saith 2ly If there were no promise of a blessing the Major is not proved unless this were true They are not to be heard but separated from to whose Ministry as such a blessing is not promised which makes unlawful the hearing of gifted Bretheren unless they can produce such a promise Answ Let me seriously ask this Animadverter whether he doth not when he goes to hear go to meet with God in that duty and to receive a blessing from him This he will not sure deny now I would know further whence it is he expects to meet with God and be blessed by him in his so doing can he or any one in the world give any other reason but this Because God hath promised to meet and bless his people while they are waiting on him in his own wayes Whether the work be managed by a Minister of Christ as acting by Office-power or a private Brother acting by vertue of Talents received for the profiting and edification of the Body we are not destitute of a promise of a blessing Exod. 20. 24. Isa 64. 5. Mat. 18. 20. Eph. 4. 11 to 15. But if we run to a false Ministry to such as act from an Antichristian office and calling I know not any promise of a blessing but rather the contrary So that the Major Proposition remains unshaken notwithstanding Mr. T. his Battery against it His next attempt is against the Minor of which in the next Section Sect. 2. The present Ministers of England act in the holy things of God by vertue of an Antichristian power office or calling proved They are not from Christ There is a twofold Church Ministry Worship Of Luthers Ministry The names office of the present Ministers their admission thereinto forreign to the Scripture Of Suffragan Bishops THat the present Ministers of England act in the holy things of God by vertue of an Antichristian power office or calling which is the Minor Proposition of the last mentioned Argument we say in S. T. wants not sufficient demonstration 1. The present Ministers of England are either from Christ or from Antichrist there is no medium That they are not from Christ besides what is already proved may be further evinced To which our Animadverter answers 1. Mr. Bradshaw asserts that there is a medium and that a Ministry may be from Christ in reâ—pect of the thing ministred though from Antichrist in respect of the way of entry into it yea he saith it is not necessary that the ministry of Priests and Deacons though ordained by Antichrist himself should be the ministry of his apostasie but notwithstanding his Ordination their ministry may be the Ministry of Jesus Christ as was the Ministry of Luther Hus c. Answ 1. All that Mr. Bradshaw saith is not Gospel nor to be believed because he saith it 2dly That the thing ministred should render that Ministry that
which yet they do but rarely if at all is not the Succession pleaded for by our Prelates They care not for Preaching hinder oppose it many of them dreading it as the Engine in the hand of the Spirit that would shake their Kingdom and utterly overturn and demolish it so they may have their Lordships Pleasures and Pallaces 'T is not indeed Antichristian for me to confess the Apostles Creed because it is conveyed to our hands through the Papacy for however it cannot be so called because the Apostles were the Formers of it which they were not yet the matter thereof being except in one Article bottom'd upon the Scriptures I ought to confess it But this is remote from what he is pleading for viz. A personal succession of Bishops through the Papacy receiving their Power and Authority from the man of Sin which I say still whilst the Bishops pretend to they do therein proclaim their shame and yeeld the matter in controversie though their Advocate shamefully prevaricates that he may with a multitude of words cover their nakedness omitting the consideration of what was incumbent upon him especially to have removed out of the way viz. The Arguments produced to evince That the Apostles as Apostles had no successor in that their Office Which if it remain good the present Bishops most assuredly cannot be their Successorâ— as Apostles He adds 5thly That Bishops as a Superior order or degree above Presbyters were not dreamt of in the world for several hundreds of years after Christ he thinks can hardly be made good but he wisely reâ—reats with a Protestation that he will not enter the lists with respect to that point The truth is he knows it hath been proved and that with that strength of evidence that he cannot bear up against That Clemens his not takeing notice of them as distinct from Presbyters is ballanced by the passages in Ignatius his Epistles which I am perswaded he rejects as spurious and counterfeit I am sure it were easie to manifest them to be so it is already done by others is such a pitiful covert that a man would never fly to but in case of extreme necessity when he knows not what to say Lombards words import he grants that the order of Bishops above Presbyters was not known till after the Apostles dayes and if so they are no order of divine institution in which he once more perfectly yeelds the cause they are not of the institution of Christ in the Scripture Though he cannot prove that by the primitive Church Lombard means the Churches in the dayes of the Apostles his words seem to import somewhat more And Bellarmins himself acknowledgeth that the name of Elders was given in common to Bishops and Elders And Eusebius lib. 5. c. 24. calls Victor Anicetus Pius Telesphorus Xistus who was almost three hundred years after Christ Bishops of Rome Elders And the learned Whitaker ingenuously confesseth That betwixt an Elder and a Bishop there was of old no difference That such Bishops as are now in the Roman Church in the English Church we may as truly say were from the beginning is most false and can never be proved There were then more Bishops i. e. Pastors of one Church Act. 20. 17. contr 2. q. 5. c. 6. p. 284. But Mr. T. tells us 'T is enough for his purpose if the office be found in Scripture though not their Superiority Answ And is this your pleading for your Clients Seriously Sir you would discourage any person in the world from entertaining you as his Advocate when you are exposing your Client thus to ruin by your own pleadings at every turn The question is whether the office of Lord-Bishops which as such consists in there Superiority jurisdiction over the Priests and Ministers of England be of the institution of Christ Saith Mr. T. their Superiority is not Very good what needed so many words to no purpose 't is well however he will be so ingenuous as to confess at last that the juridicial office of Lord-Bishop is not of Christs institution The words of Dr. Hammond he grants to be as we recite them but thinks we misapply them But certainly if as the Dr. saith a Primary Metropolitical seat was constituted over Episcopal Seats and Churches viz. such as are Diocesan that their state and frame may be accommodated to the state and condition of the Government of the Nations in the Empire he that hath but half an eye will see that hence it follows that the Primacy and Supremacy of the Bishops over these Churches was the result of the designs of men to accommodate the state and frame of the Church to the state and condition of the Government of the Nations But the truth of this Assertion depends not upon the Doctors concession it s notoriously known and acknowledged by several others The distribution of Churches ordinarily followed the destribution of the Common-wealth so that when some Regions were subjected to the Civil jurisdiction in any City the same were ordinarily subjected also to the Ecclesiastical and as they were reckoned to be of the same Province in respect of the Civil so were they of the same Church or Diocess in respect of the Spiritual Government saith Rainoldes Confer with Hart. And the Council of Constantinople decreed That if any new City by the Authority of the Emperor was erected that the order of Ecclesiastical things should follow the Civil and Publick form Hence by the same Council Constantinople receives the Primacy because it was New Rome Can. 5. which before Old Rome enjoyed for that very reason But that you may understand how the Pope incroached on Bishops by degrees untill of an Equal he became a Soveraign first over a few next over many at last over all I must fetch the matter of Bishops Metropolitans and Arch-Bishops somewhat higher and shew how Christian Cities Provinces and Diocesses were alotted to them First therefore when Elders were ordained by the Apostles in every Church Act. 14. 23. through every City Tit. 1. 5. to feed the flock of Christ whereof the Holy Ghost had made them overseers Act. 20. 28. They to the intent they might the better do it by common councel and consent did use to assemble themselves and meet together In which meetings for the more orderly handling and concluding of things pertaining to their charge they chose one amongst them to be the President of their Company and Moderator of their actions And this is he whom afterward in the Primitive Church the â—athers called Bishop i. e. the President of the Presbyters who was thâ— Bishop of the chiefest City whom they called the Metropolitane For a Province as they termed it was the same with them that a Shire is with us And the Shire-town as you would say of the Province was called Metropolis i. e. the Mother-City In which as the Judges and Justices with us do hear at certain times the causes of the whole Shire So the Ruler of the
unchristen themselves The persons I mean that they own as Lords and Governours that have a Law-making power are the Prelates in the Convocation-House That they own these as such to them and their Canons they promise obedience and subjection needs no more proof than the Sun at noon-dayes that it shineth Whether this be a denial of Christs authority rebellion against him let the Reader inform himself from Mr. T. Chap. 4. Pag. 119. of his Theodulia He that ascribes Kingly power to a subject doth make another King than the right King and so doth unking him this he tells us the Papists do when they assert the Pope can make Laws to bind the Conscience by virtue of his authority and I know no more power our Convocation of Bishops have to do so then the Pope Till that be shewed the Animadverter grants our Ministers asserting the same of them in this matter as the Papists of the Pope they really unking Christ Nor 3dly Let him think that he is to deal with such Children that with his drollery will be perswaded that they see and know not what they both see and know 'T is not the calling persons as he doth by what spirit let him judge Diabolical Calumniators Railers and Scolds in Latine and English that now a dayes will be taken for an answer or confutation of what the whole Nation know to be true And they themselves will acknowledge and plead for it A 2d Order and Institution of Christ we mention in S. T. viz. That 't is his will that those whom he hath called by his Word should separate from the World walk together in particular Societies and Churches 1 Cor. 1. 2. and 5. 12. 2 Cor. 6. 17. Rev. 18. 4. John 15. 19. and 17. 6. Acts 2. 40. and 19. 9. Phil. 1. 5. Acts 2. 41. and 17. 4. 2 Cor. 8. 5. This Institution we say the Ministers of England are at open defiance with admitting persons visibly wicked and prophane into their Communion To this Mr. T. replies Sect. 4. 1st He hath read somewhat in Ainsworth Cottons Writings for to them we refer the Reader for further satisfaction But he doth not find in them nor the Scriptures mentioned any such separation as these Authors press Answ The Separation we press is a separation from the visible wicked and prophane cannot the Animadverter find this in the Scriptures nor in the Authors instanced in Let me prevail with him in a sedate frame without passion or prejudice once more to review them and beg of the Lord to open the eyes of his understanding that he may see his mind therein 1 Cor. 1. 2. Phil. 1. 1 5. 2 Cor. 8. 5. Give us an account that those who constituted and made up those particular Churches were visible Saints sanctified in Christ Jesus The like instance might be given of the rest of the Churches mentioned in the Scripture The Disciples of Christ are said to be chosen out of the World John 15. 19. and 17. 6. The Saints in a Church-state are commanded not to suffer a Fornicator Covetous person an Idolater or a Railer or a Drunkard or an Extortioner in their Communion though allowed civil commerce with them in the world 1 Cor. 5. 12. In Acts 2. 40. 2 Cor. 6. 17. we find the Apostles pressing and Chap. 19. 9. practising Separation from the wicked World which is also commanded with respect to Antichristian worship Rev. 18. 4. If Mr. T. cannot see such a Separation as we press contained in these Scriptures I cannot but pitty him 'T is said that when this way was more countenanced he practised somewhat not much unlike thereunto 2dly He grants That Separation from the World in respect of Worship is the duty of Saints 2 Cor. 6. 17. but then by the World is meant professed Infidels or at least such as were professed unbelievers as John 15. 19. and 17. 6. Acts 2. 40. and 19. 9. Answ 1. That the word World is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word of various acceptions in the Scripture is known with which we shall not trouble the Reader The Animadverter grants That it is taken for persons living in the World Now these are but of two sorts that I know of regenerate or unregenerate such as walk after the Flesh or such as walk after the Spirit Believers or Unbelievers And when the word World is put in opposition to the Saints it s alwayes taken for the World of unregenerate persons that lies in wickedness or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in subjection to the wicked one 1 John 5. 19. That men are not of the World because from Tradition Education Compulsion Interest or the like they profess the Name of Christ though they never knew a work of Grace or change upon their spirits is a fiction of this Animadverter that he will never make good If such as these are not of the world they are chosen called out of it let us a little consider whether the Characters of these be found upon them 1. They are said to be Branches in Christ that abide in him and bring forth fruit John 15. 2 4 5. 2dly They are clean through the word that he hath spoken to them vers 3. 3dly They have a mighty power and prevalency with God vers 7 16. 4thly They have the words of Christ abiding in them vers 7. 5thly Are such whom Christ loves vers 9. 6thly His Lovers and Friends ready prēst to do whatever he commands them vers 14 15. 7thly To whom he hath revealed the Mysteries of God vers 15. Chap. 17. 6 14. 8thly They are hated of the world vers 18 19 20 21. and Chap. 16. 2 3 33. and 17. 14. 9thly Keep Gods Word Chap. 17. 6. 10thly To them Christ gives the glory that the Father hath given to him Chap. 17. 22. will have them to be with him where he is to behold his glory vers 24. with much more that might be instanced Elsewhere they are called such as are delivered from the power of darkness Col. 1. 13. Quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins Ephes 2. 1. Called to be Saints Rom. 1. 7. 1. Cor. 1. 2. Are Light in the Lord Ephes 5. 8. have received the Spirit which the World or Men of the world cannot receive and abide such John 14. 17. These are the Characters of those that are not of the world Do we refuse to hold communion with do we separate from persons of this complexion What more false We cry aloud to them woe beseech intreat them as many of them as are yet too much holding fellowship with the carnal wicked world in Worship to come out from them which was one and no small part of our design in S. T. As for others that know nothing of the things mentioned they are yet in their sins though they profess the Name of Christ under the regiment of the wicked one and of the world and therefore to be separated from as this Animadverter grants Of the Apostles going
into the Jewish Synagogues c. we shall speak in its proper place Though we have no command to separate from the true Worship of God and the professors of the true Faith walking suitable thereunto yet we have express precepts to have no communion in Worship that is of the devising of man the Pope Antichrist with persons as members of the same Body and that have the very Lineaments of Satan the portraiture of Hell upon them with whom Christ doth not will not walk The Scriptures but now instanced in evince as much Rev. 18. 4. commands separation from a false Church false either in constitution or by apostacy The Church of England Rome is so as we have proved and the false Worship thereof of this we have already spoken Let the Reader seriously consider the Scriptures he will find it to be so In a word the Babylon mentioned our Animadverter will grant is the Roman Church Chap. 17. 1 2 3. The scarlet coloured Beast is th Civil Power not once represented under the notion of Beasts Dan. 7. 3 17. by which she hath ever been supported from the beginning The seven Heads are the seven sorts of Governments viz. Kings Consuls Dictators Decemvirs Tribunes Caesars Christian Emperors and the seven Mountains upon which Rome was built Rev. 17. 9 10. The ten Horns are the ten Kingdoms which her abominations and filthiness of her fornications did overflow of which England was one as is known and generally granted vers 12 13. The coming out of her is a separation from the whole of her Abominations Ministry Rites Inventions which if we do not we come not out of her she hath in the ten Kingdoms by the power of the Civil Magistrate that supported her erected and by external force and violence compelled persons to bow down to with respect hereunto she is represented as drunk with the blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Jesus This is all we plead for from this Scripture We would not have the Institutions Inventions of this old Bawd and bloody Strumpet imposed upon us and subjected to as if from Christ Let the Animadverter or any one for him prove the Hierarchy of Arch-Bishops Bishops Deans Chapters c. their Parish-Churches as such Organs Singing-Service bowing before Altars Candles there placed Copes holy Vestments Service-Book to be of the Institution of Christ and we are ready to stoop to them and own those that practise them but if they have no other foundation but what â—he Mother of Harlots compelled the Civil Powers to give them when she rid them at her pleasure and made them serve her Lusts to the muâ—thering of millions of the Servants of Christ in the Nations as most certain it is they have not as it would be the honour of the chief Rulers of the Nations to eradicate them they remaining as a badge of their old slavery to the worst of Strumpets So it s eminently the duty of the Children of God by virtue of express precept from this Scripture in the mean while whatever they may suffer to separate from them The Church of England i. e. the best and most enlightned amongst the chief of the Nation thought it their duty in dayes past to separate from the Doctrine of the Papacy and some of her Trinkets to cast over-board we plead but for separation from her Discipline and Ministry and the rejection of the rest of her fopperies that as we profess our selves Christians we may have not the Canons of Rome but the Laws of our dear Lord for our Rule and sole guide in this matter which one would think above many Mr. T. might permit one peaceably to do 1 Cor. 5. 12 13. Phil. 1. 5. Act. 2. 41. and 17. 4. were brought to prove it the duty of Saints as such to walk together distinct and apart from the world not to distinguish of the duties of Pastors and People nor to prove any written Church-Covenant which we were not treating of So that in what follows in this Sect. we are not at all concerned We have thrown no dirt upon the face of the Church of England as he is pleased to talk we only tell her what diâ—t and filth is there that evety body sees but her Admirers Nor are we solicitous touching his throwing dirt in the face of the separated Churches from the Writings of any railing false accusers God will plead their Cause and bring forth their Righteousness in the fit season The third Institution of Christ mentioned in S. T. is this That he hath intrusted his particular Churches with power for the carrying on the Worship of his House to choose Officers admit Members excommunicate Offenders Acts 1. 23. and 6. 3 5. and 14. 23. 2 Cor. 8. 19. Mat. 18. 17. 1 Cor. 5. 4. The Ministers of the Church of England own not conform not to this Institution of Christ we manifest in the said Treatise Mr. T. his Reply hereunto is 1. The Election Acts 1. 23. was of an Apostle and that by Lot and contains no Institution of Christ we are bound to follow Answ 1. This last is Mr. T. his dictate which 't is fit should be rejected till he proves it especially considering that the Churches for some hundreds of years afterwards chose their own Officers 2. Though it was the Election of the Apostle yet he was I hope an Officer of Christ and that to the Churches 3. His being chosen by Lots doth not evince that he was not chosen by the Church they gave forth the Lots seems to be expressive of the way they took to manifest the person whom they chose What he hath said of Acts 6. 3 5. and 14. 23. is already answered The Election 2 Cor. 8. 19. being of a person imployed in service by them manifests that none are to do services for the Church but by their appointment Of Mat. 18. 17. we have at large spoken already and vindicated it from Mr. T. his Exceptions That 1 Cor. 5. 5. is more than Excommunication practised by the Churches of the Saints he cannot prove his turning Mat. 18. 17. also to another sence is an argument of his denial of any such Institution of Christ to be practised by the Churches in the World 1st That 'T is a Church-Act is evident from the words vers 4 5. The Church is to be gathered together for this end to deliver the Incestuous person over to Satan But no Church saith Mr. T. had power over unclean Spirits to command them to cruciat the Bodies of persons Therefore say we that cannot be here intended 2dly The Church comes together to do that which Paul condemns them that they had not done before stirrs them up to set about vers 2. Now it had been absurd to have condemned them for not doing that which they had no power or Authority to do 3dly That which he calls here a delivering to Satan he calls a purging out from among them the old leaven vers 7. 4thly To the working of
must either justifie their Canons or manifest that they themselves do not Secondly 'T is notoriously known that that the present Ministers justifie the aforesaid Canons Ecclesiastical and dare not but do so He adds 2dly 'T is not said Caâ— 7. That the Orders and Offices of Arch-Bishops Bishops c. are Orders needful and necessary in the Church of Christ nor is it required therein that Ministers promise subjection and obedience to them Answ 1. But the former of these is fairly implied in the foresaid Canon which saith T is a wicked Error to assert them to be Antichristian or repugnant to the Word of God for which persons are ipso facto to be excommunicated 2. The latter they actually do when they are Ordained Ministers And in Artic. 36. They are to subscribe to this That the Book of Common-Prayer and of Ordering Bishops Priests and Deacons contains nothing contrary to the Word of God and that it may lawfully be used and that they themselves will use the Form in the said Book prescribed in publick Prayers and administration of the Sacraments and none other Whence it follows that they own submit to whatever is contained in the Canons Ecclesiastical though in every particular Canon it is not said they do and the Common-Prayer-Book-Service the Orders and Rites thereof with the Orders and Rites of the Book of Ordering Bishops Priests and Deacons So that when we prove this or that to be contained it this or that Canon we prove their submission thereunto Canonical Obedience or Obedience to these Canons being what at the time of their Ordination as was said they promise to the Bishop which is a sufficient answer to all that Mr. T. asserts in this Sect. In Can. 4. The Liturgy-Worship is asserted to be the Worship of God whoever affirms It is a corrupt superstitious and unlawfull Worship of God is to be excommunicated They promise at the time of their Ordination as was said To use the Form in the Common-Prayer-Book prescribed in Publick Prayers and none other which if it be not a sufficient proof that they own and submit to it I must profess I shall for ever despair of ability to prove any thing His exceptions to the Third Particular touching their engaging to conform to the Rites of the Common-Prayer Book are not worth the mentioning They own Fourthly The Office of a Deacon to be the first step to the Order of Priesthood inasmuch as this is asserted so to be in the Book of Ordering Priests and Deacons to which they are to subscribe by Can. 36. and Can. 32. It 's fairly intimated also Fifthly That no person be admitteâ— to expound the Scriptures though judged worthy of the Cure of Souls withâ—ut License from the Bishop thereunto is plainly asserted Can. 49. Though the words judged worthy of the cure of Souls be not expressed they are evidently implied the Cure they there speak of can be no other thâ—n that they so call Sixthly That there be some lawful Ministers which are no Preachers And Seventhly That these unpreaching Ministers may lawfully administer the Ordinances of Baptism and the Lords Supper is fully asserted Can. 49 57. So is the Eighth particular touching the sentence of Excommunication to be passed upon such as refuse to have their Children Baptized or to receive the Sacrament from such dumb Ministers Ninthly Though it be not said in so many words That Confirmation by Diocesan Bishops is an Ordinance of God Can. 6. yet it is fairely implied and in the Common-Prayer-Book they bottom it upon the Apostles practice which fully evinceth they esteem it as such That it Tenthly appertains to the Office of Ministers to Marry the regulation of the Ministers therein by Can. 62. clearly manifests Eleven That the Bishop of the Diocesse may lawfully suspend a Minister from his Ministry for refusing to bury the Dead Mr. T. grants is presupposed Can. 68. So is 12thly The unlawfulness of Ministers Preaching and administring the Communion in private Houses except in time of necessity And 13thly The unlawfulness of appointing Fasts holding Meetings for Sermons Can. 71 72. I wonder he dare aver the contrary Whether 14thly It be not said Can. 74. That Ministers ought to be distinguished by their Vestments and Apparrel as Gowns Hoods c. Let the Reader satisfie himself by the perusal of the said Canon to which their practice is known to be correspondent Having instanced in these 14 particulars we add in S. T. Are any of these Ordinances of the appointment of Christ when and where were they instituted by him To which this Animadverter replies 1. That he might answer by cross interrogations Are the Church Covenant-gathering-Churches in the Congregational way election of Ministers by the Church c. Ordinances of Christ when and where were they instituted Answ 1. He may so indeed but he must not imagine that any one besides himself will take this for an Answer to what is proposed and argued in this matter by us 2. Of the particulars instanced by him we have hinted somewhat in S. T. and more largely in this Treatise proving them to be Ordinances of Christ Cotton Ainsworth Bartlet Robbinson Canne c. have distinctly proved these matters at large When Mr. T. or any one else is able to say half so much for the particulars instanced in we will openly acknowledge our errour and mistake But 2dly He grants They are not Ordinances and Institutions of Christ. Answ Ingeniously said Church-Government by Arch-Bishops Bishops and the rest of that Hierarchy is no Ordinance of Christ then are they not Ministers of Christ for none are such but by his Institution The lyturgie-Lyturgie-Worship Rites enjoyned in the Common-Prayer-Book the Office of a Deacon as the first step to the Priesthood denial to expound the Scripture without the Bishops License unpreaching Ministers or bare Readers administration of Sacraments by such Confirmation by Diocesan Bishops the Marrying of persons burying the dead by the Priest are no Ordinances of Jesus Christ is acknowledged by Mr. T. Yet all these and much more as a National Church are owned and submâ—tted to by the present Ministers Therefore they do own and submit to Ordinances that are not of the appointment of Christ their own Advocate being judge We add in S. T. That these are Posts set by the Lords Posts of which he complains Ezek. 43. 8. who sees not To which Mr. T. replies I see not I think him in a dream or phrensie that saith he sees it no Interpreters that I have met with so expâ—und the place Answ 1. 'T is no disparagement to Mr. T. that he sees not every thing though some think he sees further than he is pleased to own in his Theodulia or at least hath done so and are sorry to find him at that toilsom work of building again the things he once destroyed Nor am I 2dly concerned with his thoughts touching this matter If I am in a phrensie 't is through grace an holy one
and I would be more phrenetical for the Interest of my dear Lord Sorne think these expressions might have been spared though for our parts Contenti sumus hoc Catonâ— 3dly What Interpreters he hath met with I know not The Assembly in their Annotations upon the place are of our mind Their setting of their thresholds by my thresholds i. e. adding their Traditions to my Precepts Isa 29. 13. So is Mr. Greenhill c. We further propose in S. T. an Objection to consideration viz. That though these Canons and Constitutions owned by the Ministers of England be not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be found in the Scripture of the Institution of Christ in so many words yet by consequence they may rationally be deduced from thence As where it is commanded that all things be done decently and in order 1 Cor. 14. 40. which 'tis the duty of the Church to make Rules and Constitutions about which when it hath done it is the duty of every Son thereof to own or subject to them without questioning its Authority To this Mr. T. Sect. 3. subjoyns 1. He asserts not that the Canons and Constitutions of the Church of England may rationally be deduced from Scripture Answ Goodly Constitutions surely that cannot rationally be deduced from Scripture but have their Original singly from the bloody Canon-Law of the Papacy and worthy to be submitted to by such as profess themselves Ministers of the Gospel what greater contempt any one could pour forth upon them I know not But 2dly Whilst Mr. T. refuseth to assert this he plainly relinquisheth his concern in the Objection proposed by us and tells us He will not stand up in its defence However 2. This he asserts in the room thereof That Canons and Constitutions Ecclesiastical concerning Divine Worship and Church-Government may be made by Governours if not opposite to such Rules as are in Scripture about Gods Worship and the Rule of his Church and be indeed subservient and conducible to the well-ordering of such Worship and Rule which 't is the duty of the Members of such a Church to obey Answ 1. But I would be informed whether by Canons and Constitutions Ecclesiastical concerning Divine Worship he means only Canons touching the spreading the Table at the Communion with a linnen Cloth the Sermons beginning at the Reading of the Text at which rate he speaks in Sect. 4. Or whether he means Canons and Laws for the Institution of considerable parts of Worship together with such accidentals as he calls them that must be submitted to by such as are admitted to the publick managery of Worship without which they shall not be permitted so to do If the first he doth but trifle we have not been taking notice of things of such an inferiour allay If the latter I desire to be satisfied by what Law any Rulers or Governours do assume to themselves such an Authority which when Mr. T. shall be pleased to shew us we shall further consider it Heb. 13. 17. speaks not a tittle thereunto Of the vanity of its Application to the Governours of the Church of England we have already spoken The Reasons of his Assertion are these 1. Without such Regulations Church-Societies cannot be continued by reason of the difference of miâ—ds Answ 1. The contrary is manifest before ever such constitutions as those he speaks of were in the World Church-Societies were continued One of the first open breaches amongst them was because of them as he knows fell out betwixt Victor Bishop of Rome and the Eastern-Churches about the observation of Easter All the confusion differences breaches that have been in the Churches so called is for the most part to be charged upon their Impositions 2dly The Animadverter supposeth That without such Constitutions the Churches should be wholly destitute of Regulation but falsly 'T is derogatory to Christ the Scriptures perfection a pitiful begging the thing in question As Christ hath a Church in the world he hath Laws with respect to external politie by which he rules it needs not be beholding to Antichrist for his 'T is impious scandalous to conceive endite such dictates He further adds 2dly All sorts of Churches have had their Synods to this end Answ 1. To what end To make Laws and Constitutions for an Order of Ministry that Christ never established to impose a Lyâ—urgical Worship upon his Churches to set up an unpreaching Ministry in his House Mr. T. knows that these things are false and untrue If he mean not these I would advise him to speak pertinently in hâ—s next These are the Institutions we charge the present Ministers wâ—th submitting to 2. That all sorts of Churches have found it necessary to have Synods is more than Mr. T. can prove The Learned Whitaker tells us That they are not simply and absolutely necessary De Concil q. 1. p. 22. and I am sure they may be well enough without them Licinius interdicts them Euseb de Vit. Constant l. 1. c. 44. yet the Câ—urches continued aâ—d in a flourishing sttate 3dly That few or no Synods that ever were yet in the World have had a right Constitution were a facile undertaking to demonstrate The Synod so called of the Câ—urch of England by which the Laws we mention were out of the Popes Canon-Law collected was not so A right Synod is constituted of the Messengers of the Churches upon the account whereof they are said to be the Churches Representatives sent by them with Instructions from them touching matters to be debated in that Convention This cannot be affirmed of the aforesaid Synod nor of any Synod that ever was in the World since the Apostles fell asleep So that whilst our Animadverter is discoursing of them as necessary he is talking of the necessity of â— Non-ens a meer Chimaera 4thly The Churches of Christ had a perfect Discipline before ever the Synods he speaks of had a being in the World Nor 5thly had these ever from Jesus Christ any Authority and what they have not from him is not Obligatory to impose any thing upon the Churches to be observed by them by virtue of an Authoritative power seated in themselves 'T is a Yoke not to be endured by the free-born Subjects of Christ that any of the Children of men should impose upon them in the matters of their God The Synod of Jerusalem did not do so as we have proved His third Reason is down-right begging the thing in question Christ hath left nothing relating to the Worship and Government of his House as such undetermined against which I advise him not to talk so confidently in his next till he hath proved the contrary The Texts mentioned by him 1 Cor. 14. 40. Heb. 13. 17. prove no such thing as the lawfulness of additional Institutions in matters of Church-Polity as a part thereof to the Institutions of Christ 1 Cor. 14. 40. is afterward in S. T. Heb. 13. 17. hath already been considered That because Paul gives direction in some
is to be served after that way that pleaseth him best That â—he Will of God who is the alone Master of the House not man is solely to be heeded in the Ordering of his Family and Houshold Mr. T. would take it ill should I prescribe Rules to him for the well-ordering of his Family and that without his Licence and that after I know he hath Constituted and appointed Laws himself for that very end And yet I conceive he is not so far above me as the great and only wise God is above the mightiest and wisest of mortals So that whilest he would avoid the horns of the Dilemma that of the Poet is verified of him Incidit in Scyllam qui vult vitare Carybdim Nor do I see how he avoids the horns of the Dilemma by what he replies in this matter The Rulers Ecclesiâ—stical are either when they make Laws binding the Conscience indirectly bounded in their so doing by Scripture or they are not i. â— they must impose no Laws upon us without Scripture Precept or they may If the first we are bound to obey them no further than they are able to evince the justness and righteousness of their Commands upon the account of their being bottomed upon the Scripture Then no Obligation lies upon us to observe the Canons Ceremonies of the Church of England any further than they can manifest their Observation commanded therein then she and her Ministers do wickedly to Excommunicate Imprison Ruine us for not yeelding subjection when and where none is due If the second then whatever Ceremonies they introduce under the notion of Decency and Order that are not contrary to the Scripture must be subjected to which is an open in-let to the whole Farrago of Popish Inventions We fear the General Rules in Scripture the Laws of Nature right Reason other laudable Customs that Mr. T. tells us must be observed in this matter will be but a weak defence against them For who shall be judge of their consonancy to these Principles Shall every man be judge for himself This our Rulers think to be absurd and contrary to the Principles asserted by our Animadverter to be observed If our Governours they will tell us whatever they impose 't is consonant to all the forementioned Principles that we subject to them therein Ask our Bishops they will tell you so with respect to the whole of their Popish-English-Canon-Laws and Ceremonies Ask Mr. T. and he will tell you little less than That a blind obedience should be yeelded to them in undetermined particularities Chap. 1. Sect. 1. Ask the Pope and his Conclâ—ve they will tell you 'T is consonant to the fore-mentioned Principles that we subject to all his Ceremonies Nor indeed can we say of most of them that they are more dissonant to right reason than some that are retained amongst us So that the horns of the Dilemma are piercing the heart of the Cause whose defence Mr. T. hath undertaken We further argue in S. T. Yet were this also yeelded them they were never a jot nearer the mark aimed at except it can be proved that supposing a power of introducing Ceremonies to be invested in the Church thence a power for the Institution of new Orders and Ordinances the introducing of Heathenish Jewish and Superstitious practices in the Worship of God may be evinced And yet should all this be yeelded them how will they prove the Constitutions mentioned to be the Constitution of a right constituted Church a National Church the Church of England is not so Yet if all this were granted where are the Constitutions of this Church that we may pay the homage to them that is meet When was it assembled in the same place together in its several Members freely to debate and determine what Laws and Constitutions were fit to be observed by them If it be said That it is enough that it be assembled in its several Officers or such as shall be chosen by their Officers whose Laws every Member is bound to be obedient to We Answer But these Officers being not the Church nor are true Officers of a right constituted Church any where so called in the Scripture I owe no subjection to their Laws or Constitutions it being pleaded that 't is the Church that hath only power in this matter It remaineth therefore notwithstanding what is pleaded in this Objection That the present Ministers of England own Laws and Constitutions that are not in any sence of Christ's revealing and therefore oppose the Kingly and Prophetical Office of Christ To which Mr T. 1. I do not plead for the Constitutions of the Church of England Answ But the framers of the Objection proposed do Which if Mr. T. will justifie he must also plead for them but I shall not coâ—pel him to a warfare he is not willing to engage in he may take his liberty to stand by and look on but then he had done fairly not to have pretended to justifie what he scarce speaks a word to The impertinent Questions he speaks of are pertinent to the Objection and Objectors we have to deal with What he hath spoken of a National Church in answer to the Preface Sect. 15. we have removed out of the way by our Reply thereunto He tells us 2dly That the Church of England was Assembled at London in its several Members by Deputation freely to debate things at was the usage of the Synods in the antient times as the Kingdom is said to meet in the Parliament so the whole Church may be said to meet in their Synod Answ 1. No doubt Mr. T. and his Abettors thinks he hath now spoken to the purpose indeed but the emptiness of the whole is soon manifested No Synods whether antient or new can be supposed to represent the Church but upon the account of the free Election of the persons constituting them and deputation by the Members of that Church which they represent Whosoever is sent by the Church represents the person of the Church saith the Learned Whittaker De Concil q. 3. c. 3. p. 103. Yea Bilson himself tells us None are bound to the Council but those who send to the Council No Council doth bind the whole Church except the consent be general Con. Ap. p. 49 51. And Saravia tells us The Council represents no Churches except those who send their Messengers to the Churches Con. Gretz p. 379. Yea in every rightly constituted Synod the Laity as they are called are not to be excluded 'T is a Rule founded in Nature and Reason Quod omnes tangit ab omnibus tractari debet That which concerns all ought to be handled by all Although the Priests and Clerks do alone exercise Judgements Ecclesiastical yet where a matter is agitated that pertains to the Church Universal which consists not only of Clerks but also of Laicks it is not equal that the Laicks or Lay-People should be removed from these deliberations but all Decrees ought rather to be confirmed by
be called of sent by him So was Aaron Acts 14. 23. 6. 3 5. manifest that the Way of the Lord's mission is not by Lord-Bishops but by his Churches and People What he tells us he hath said in answer to any of these Scriptures we have replyed to Chap. 2. We add in S. T. 3ly That Prelates their Chancellors and Officers have power from Christ to cast out of the Church of God is owned by them contrary to Mat. 18. 16 17. 1 Cor. 5. 4. To which our Animadverter subjoyns He finds no such Law Answ It may be he is willingly ignorant hereof This he cannot but know that in the Name of Christ the Officers mentioneâ— do excommunicate out of the Church so call'd of Christ Do they do this without Law Is it not one of their Church-constitutions that they may do so Do not the present Ministers own them herein Whilst they cite present persecute their Neighbours for not coming to Divine Service as they call it it may be for refusing to pay them a four-penny-due in the Ecclesiastical Courts even to an Excommunication whose Act therein they afterwards publickly denounce and declare once and again in obedience to them What more evident The weakness of his answer to Mat. 18. 1 Cor. 5. we have already manifested We say further in S. T. That they own 4ly that the Office of the Suffragans Deans Canons are lawful and necessary to be had in the Church contrary to 1 Cor. 12. 18 28. Rom. 12. 7. Ephes 4. 11. The Officers instituted by Christ are sufficient for the edification and perfecting of the Saints till they all come unto a perfect man v. 12 13. In what sense the forementioned being not one of them of the Institution of Christ may be owned as lawful and necessary without an high contempt of the Wisdom and Sovereignty of Christ I am not able to conceive this is the sum Mr. T. replies 1. He knows not where this imagined Ordinance is Answ That there are such Officers and Offices in the Church of England established by the Laws thereof he cannot be ignorant To say They are Antichristian or repugnant to the Word of God is censured by the Canons thereof Can. 7. That the Ministers own submit to some of them is known The vanity and impertinency of Mr. T. his pleading for them not to mention his perjury therein is discovered in our present Vindication of Chap. 3. from his exceptions against what is by us therein argued We say they own 5thly That the Office of Deacons in the Church is to be imployed in publick Praying administration of Baptism and Preaching if licensed by the Bishop thereunto contrary to Act. 6. 2. Ephes 4. 11. Mr. T. replies 'T is not contrary to Christ's Revelation that they should be imployed in those works Ans 1. But when Christ hath instituted the office of Deacons for this end to attend Tables or look after the provision and necessities of the Saints That any persons may own an Office of Deacons in the Church to be imploy'd by virtue of Office-power in any other work than that for which they are intrusted by Christ and called unto Office without an advance against that Institution of Christ is absurd to imagine 2. That the present Ministers own such an Office he doth not deny 3. What he speaks of Stephen and Philip he had said before and to it we have replied already and need noâ— add more A sixth Law or Ordinance that we say they own is this That the Ordinance of Breaking Bread or the Sacrament of the Lords Supper may be administred to one alone as to a sick man ready to die Which is diametrically opposite to the Nature and Institution of that Ordinance 1 Cor. 10. 16. and 11. 33. Mat. 26. 26. Acts 2. 42. and 20. 7. To which Mr. T. This is not easily proved from the Scripâ—ures instanced in Answ Whether it be or not is left to the judgment of the judicious Reader to determine I am weary in pursuâ—â—g him in his impertinencies He grants a Communion is proved in that Sacrament 1 Cor. 10. 16. but vers 17. and 1 Cor. 12. 13. prove the Communion to be rather with all Christians Of which yet there is not one word in either of the places In vers 17. He speaks of the Church of Corinth that was one bread one body The other Scripture speaks nothing of Saints Communion one with another in this Ordinance 1 Cor. 11. 33. Acts 20. 7. he confesseth prove That it should be administred when all the Communicants Church or Brethren he should say are come together Whether its administration to one alone be not diametrically opposite hereunto as also to the very first Institution of this Ordinance Mat. 26. 26. let the Judicious judge Though it be said Act. 2. 46. that they brake bread from house to house it doth not follow there was none beside the Minister and the sick man the words import the contrary We manifest further in S. T. That they own 7thly a prescript form of Words in Prayer that a ceremonious pompous Worship devised â—y man and abused to Idolatry is according to the will of God and may lawfully be used under the New Testament Dispensation contrary to Mat. 15. 9. and 28. 20. John 4. 23. Deut. 12. 32. Jer. 51. 26. Rom. 8. 26. 1 Cor. 14. 15. By this prescript form of Words this ceremonious pompous Worship the Common-Prayer-Book Collegiat-Worship and Service is intended This I say is devised by man the owning whereof is contrary to Mat. 15. 9. and 28. 20. Deut. 12. 22. abused to Idolatry The owning hereof is opposite to Jer. 51. 26. It is Ceremonious and Pompous the abetting whereof is adverse to Joh. 4. 23. as is the owning of a prescript Form of Words to Rom. 8. 26. 1 Cor. 14. 15. To which our Animadverter replies 1. He should have told us what part of the Common-Prayer-Book was abused to Idolatry Answ The whole of it is so being Worship not appointed by the Lord and used in that Church that is the most Idolatrous Church in the world What he hath said in this Chap. Sect. 3. or in Chap. 3. Sect. 4. We have already answered His great out-cry of our abuse of Jer. 51. 26. produced to prove it unlawful to use any thing in the Worship of God abused to Idolatry will soon be evinced to be an empty sound Vox praeterea nihil 1. We have for our Companions in this Exposition persoâ—s not contemptible for wisdom and holiness who make conscience of applying Scriptures and abusing the Reader 2. Of all men Mr. T. iâ— the most incompetent for the management of this charge who most egregiously perverts Scriptures in this Treatise contrary to former Interpretations given by himself to them and to the plain intendment of the Spirit therein As we have in part manifested and may do further in our Appendix 3. He egregiously abuseth the Reader in this very passage whilst
he bears him in hand that we expound the words of a prohibition to the Jews That they should not use the stones of Babylon to build a Temple to God at Jerusalem because abused to Idolatry which we do not Nor was it likely they would ever have gone about to do so Babylon was too remote for them such a prohibition had been altogether needless and vain But 4. That Chap. 50 and 51. are one entire Prophesie that reacheth farther than the Destruction of Literal Babylon even to the ruine of all the Scripture calls so is evident For 1st This Prophesie relates to the restauration of all the Tribes Israel as well as Judah vers 4. 5. which to this day hath not been fulfilled The ten Tribes represented by Israel being in a dispersed state ever since they were carried away Captive by Salmanasser 'T is true Judah after the 70 years Captivity did return but what is that to Israel when this Prophesie is accomplished they must also be brought to their habitation which is again repeated vers 19. And I will bring Israel again to his habitation and he shall feed on Carmel This Carmel was the portion of the half Tribe of Manasseh belonging to the ten Tribes Jos 19. 2dly When God doth this the iniquity of Jacob shall be sought for and there shall be none vers 20. 3dly He will then make use of Israel as his Battle-Axe and weapon of War to destroy and break in pieces Kingdoms and Nations vers 20 21. 4thly The Deliverance and Vengeance here prophesied of is the issue of the groans and cries of the Inhabitants of Sion against Babylon vers 35 36. But against Literal Babylon the Children of Israel were not to cry but the contrary Jer. 29. 7. 5thly Many material passages in this Prophesie are applied by the Spirit of the Lord to Mystical Babylon as Chap. 50. 8. Rev. 18. 4. vers 29. Rev. 18. 6. Chap. 51. 6. Rev. 18. 4. 6thly The Babylon mentioned in this Prophesie and the Babylon spoken of in the Revelation is one and the same Babylon differing at most but as Type and Antitype Babylon is a Type of the City and Seat of Antichrist saith the Learned Ainsworth on Psal 137. v. 1. This is evident to the eye of the understanding Reader from the ensuing Scheme Jeremiah's Babylon Jer. 50. 8. Remove out of the midst of Babylon And 51. 6. Flee out of the midst of Babylon and deliver every man his soul be not cut off in her iniquity for this is the time of the Lords vengeance he will render unto her a recompence Jer. 50. 29. Recompence her according to her work according to all that she hath done do unto her for she hath been proud against the Lord against the Holy One of Israel Jer. 50. 39. The wild beasts of the desart shall dwell there and the owls shall dwell therein and it shall be no more inhabited for ever neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah Jer. 51. 7. Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Lords hand that made all the earth drunken the nations have drunk of her wine therefore the nations are mad Jer. 51. 8. Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed howl for her John's Babylon Rev. 18. 4. Come out of her my People that ye be not partakers of her Sins and that ye receive not of her Plagues for her sins have reached unto heaven and God hath remembred her iniquities Rev. 18. 6 7. Reward her even as she hath rewarded you double unto her double according to her works in the cup which she hath filled fill to her again How much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously so much sorrow give her Rev. 18. 2. Babylon the Great is fallen is fallen and is become the habitation of devils and the hold of every foul spirit a cage of every unclean and hateful bird Rev. 18. 22. The voice of harpers and musicians shall be heard no more at all in thee and no crafts man shall be found any more in thee vers 8. she shall be utterly burnt with fire Rev. 17. 2. With whom the Kings of the earth have committed fornication and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication And 18. 3. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornications Rev. 14. 8. Babylon is fallen is fallen Rev. 18. 2. Babylon the Great is fallen is fallen vers 9. And the Kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived deliciously with her shall bewail her saying alas alas for in one hour is thy judgement come vers 11 15 19. The sum is the Prophesie not being confined to Literal Babylon but eminently relating to Mystical Babylon or the false whoâ—ish Church in the Revelation the not taking a stone of her for a foundation having no respect to the Jews not using the stones of Babylon in building the Temple which it is not like they had the least intendment to do points out the duty of the spiritual Jew or Christian Believer in his departure from the Antichristian Church not to introduce any of her things once abused to Idolatry into the Worship of the House of God which we cited this Scripture to prove Mr. T. proceeds and tells us 2dly That external words and gestures are not contrary to John 4. 23. Answ Nor do we say they are this we affirm That a form of words enjoyned the Ceremonious pompous Worship of England managed and carried on in our Collegiat Churches and Chappels with outward pomp and state is so That which he saith in answer hereunto viz. That this Text excludes the Legal shadowy-shadowy-Worship of the Law establisheth what we say For if a pompous shadowy-shadowy-Worship once of the Institution of the Lord be excluded by this Scripture much more that which is so and of the devising and establishment of Antichrist In what he saith 3dly That we conceive a form of Words prescribed and devised by man to be contrary to Mat. 15. 9. and 28. 20. Deut. 12. 31. he openly prevaricates For though as commanded in the Worship of God it be so yet we rather refer those Scriptures to the whole of their humane devices in their Worship and Service viz. Surplice Organs Cross in Baptism c. that have not the least foundation in Scripture and are therefore contrary to them What Mr. T. dictates That if no prescript form of Prayer devised and imposed by penal Laws to be used by man for thus he must speak if he speak pertinently may be used then conceived forms of Prayer may not be used I desire him not to attempt the proof of because t is such an imposible task that he will never be able to make good That Christ hath commanded a set form of Prayer Luke 11. 2. Mat. 6. 7 8. is first false For 1st If he had done so it were utterly unlawful to use any other than the
Soveraignty over the Subjects of his Kingdom with respect to Worship be granted by him to any of the sons of men absolutely or conditionally If the first tâ—en must the Church be governed by persons casting off the yoke of Christ trampling upon his Royal Commands and Edicts for so its possible it may fall out those that attain this Headship may do as its evident many Popes of Rome the great pretenders hereunto have done If the second let one iota be produced from the Scripture of the Institution of such an Headship with the conditions annexed thereunto and we shall be so far from denying it that we shall chearfully pay whatever respect homage or duty by the Laws of God or man may righteously be expected from us But this we conceive will not in hast be performed and that for these Reasons 1. The Scripture makes mention of no other Head in and over the Church but Christ Ephes 1. 22. 5. 23 29. 2 Cor. 11. 2. To this Mr. T. answers 1. We use not the title of Head but of Supream Governour yet that title being given to Saul 1 Sam. 15. 17. and others 1 Cor. 11. 3. Ephes 5. 23. Exod. 6. 14. and may be used Answ 1. What We Mr. T. means when he saith We use not the title of Head I know not 't is the usual form of the present Ministers to stile the King in their prayers Under Thee and Thy Christ Supream Head and Governor But 2dly Head of the Church is a title nor to be given to any in that sence in which it is given to Christ this Animadverter grants I ask Hath Christ onely an Headship of influence to his Church communicating vital Spirits unto the true Members thereof Hath he not also an Headship of Government over it If he assert the first he knows he is departed into the Tents of the Antichristian Papal Shepherds who allow indeed such an Headship to Christ alone The second they divide betwixt him and the Pope as Mr. T. seems to do betwixt him and the King If the second be owned by him than none of the Children of men have an Headship of Government over the Churches of Christ they are not so the Supream Governors thereof as to give forth Laws and Institutions of their own for the Saints to conform to For this title of Head is not to be appropriated to any in that sense in which it is given to Christ as saith our Animadverter Besides 2dly If the Kings of the Earth are the Supream Governors of the Churches of Christ they have this Supremacy over them by grant from Christ and that either absolutely or conditionally if the first then whoever ascends the Throne of worldly Ruledom hath a right of supremacy over them though they themselves be such as have cast off the Yoak of Christ are trampling upon his Royal Laws and Edicts If the second let us see the proof thereof from Scripture with the conditions annexed to this their supremacy and we are satisfied This we told Mr. T. before but he was not pleased to take notice of it That because the Scriptures mentioned by him attribute â—he title of Head of the Tribes to Saul and the Man is called the Head of the Woman Therefore the Governors of the World may be called the Head of the Churches of Christ when that title of Head of the Church is given to none but Christ in the Scripture is such a piâ—iful non-sequitur as Mr. T. will not surely without blushing review Sir Saul was constituted by the Lord King over Israel a Man to have superiority over the Woman with allusion hereunto they are called their Head by the Spirit of the Lord But where is the Scripture constitution of the Superiority Kingship of any over the Church beside Christ Amongst whom he saith He will have no such thing Where is it that any have this title of Head of the Church ascribed to them by the Holy Ghost This must be proved or you must acknowledge the impertinency and invalidity of their present arguing the best of it is whether you will be so ingenuous or no 't is but a Fig-leaf covering that every eye can discern your nakedness through it We say in S. T. 2dly If there be any other Head of the Church besides Christ he must be either within or without the Church The latter will not be affirmed Christ had not sure so little respect to his Flock as to appoint Wolves and Lyons to their Governors and Guides in matters Ecclesiastical nor can the former for all in the Church are Brethren have no Dominion or Authority over each others Faith or Conscience Luke 22. 25. Mr. T. replies Though all in the Church are Brethren yet all are not equal nor doth Luke 22. 25. prove it Answ 'T is enough for our present purpose that all in the Church are thus far equal that being all brethren none may exercise any Ruledom or Authority over the rest without their consent nor any such Ruledom as to command in case of Worship where Christ is silent which is at least asserted Luke 22. 25. and Mr. T. may confute it when he is able Of this Scripture we have spoken at large Chap. 4. and of Rom. 13. 1. Heb. 13. 17. frequently and have fully removed out of the way what is here repeated touching the Laws of Rulers and their obligation upon Conscience nor need we add more We say further in S. T. 3dly If any other be Head of the Church but Christ then is the Church the body of some others beside Christ but this is absurd and false not to say impious and blasphemous To which Mr. T. Particular Churches in respect of that ministration and government which their Governors afford them may be said to be the bodies of their Governors Answ Boldly ventured however 1. The Church is frequently said to be the Body of Christ 1 Cor. 12. 12 27. Ephes 5. 30 32. Col. 1. 18. 2dly Is no where said to be the body of any other not of Peter Paul much less of Nero Domitian the Supream Governours of the Empire at that day By what Authority Mr. T. takes the body of Christ and joyns it to another Head besides himself I am yet to learn 3dly The Church is call'd his Body upon the account of that glorious nearness and union is betwixt Christ and them the reception of Spirits life from him their absolute indisputable subjection to him Is the Church the body of any other with respect hereunto beside Christ Where is it so called Is it united or in subjection to any other besides Christ as the Woman is to the Man upon the account whereof she is call'd his body Ephes 5. 28. his I say not anothers That Mr. T. should assert That upon the same account the Church may be called the body of some other beside Christ We add 4thly There was no Head of the Church in the Apostles dayes but Christ That upon any
to pay it under 20 years of age because till then they were not so fit for the service of the Common-wealth though at 8 days old they were reckoned as Church-members That because it was converted to the service of the Temple therefore it was not paid to God as their Political Head is a consequence Mr. T. will never make good since it belongs as he will say to Political Heads and Governours to take care for the furtherance and maintenance of the Worship of God 4. The sayings of the Author of S. T. interfere not inasmuch as he owns God to be both their Political and Ecclesiastical Head which the having visible Political Governors doth not in the least enervate 5. That the Kings of Israel had an Headship over the Church of Israel to make Laws relating to Worship as such is not proved by the Scriptures cited by him Hezekiah 2 Chr. 29. 27. commands no more than what was long before commanded by the Lord. Jehoshaphats act oh 20. 3. is warranted by divine precept Joel 1. 14. 2. 15. in appointing singers v. 21. he only revives what was by David from divine Revelation instituted Of c. 30. 1 2. we have already spoken What is mentioned ch 31. 2 3. makes against our Animad It was no constitution of his own framing but a revival of what was written in the Law of the Lord vers 3. CHAP. VII Sect. 1. A 5th Argument against hearing the present Ministers That they have the Characters of false Prophets upon them proved Jer. 23. 21. Rom. 10. 15. reviewed and expounded Of Christ's Mission Whether such a Mission be of the Essence of a lawful Ministry Of Spiritual Adultery Jer. 23. 14. opened THE 6th Chap. of S. T. contains a fifth Argument against hearing the present Ministers which is thus formed Those who have the Characters and Properties of false Prophets and Priests upon them are not to be heard but separated from But the present Ministers of England have the Characters and Properties of falsâ— Prophets and Priests upon them Therefore The Major or first Proposition is proved from the Injunctions and Cautions of Christ Mat. 7. 15. and 24. 4 5 23. 1 John 4. 1. 2 John 10. 11. Acts 20. 29. To which Mr. T. faith nothing but what we have already replied to The Minor we prove by the introduction of the signal Characters of false Prophets which are visibly upon the present Ministers The whole Nation knows they are truly affirmed of them Mr. T. hath assumed a forehead of brass whilst he deâ—ies it 2 Pet. 2. 1. is manifestly true of them as we prove Chap. 1. Sect. 10. The 1st Character we mention is That they run before they are sent Jer. 23. 21. That a Mission from the Lord is of the Essence of a lawful Ministry That whoever wants such a Mission is no Officer of Christ but a false Prophet and Minister of Antichrist may hence by way of Analogy be deduced is evident Which also exactly accords with what is asserted by the Apostle Rom. 10. 15. That the present Ministers of England want such a Mission hath already been demonstrated and we shall not actum agere from whence it follows that they have this Character of False Prophets upon them To which Mr. T. Chap. 6. Sect. 2. 1st The sending mentioned Jer. 23. Rom. 10. is not meant the mediate regular outward calling Answ Nor did we say it was but a Mission or sending from God either immediately or mediately which whoever wants and goes sorth notwithstanding to preach the Gospel authoritativè or by way of Office hath the Character of a false Prophet upon him The former of these the present Ministers pretend not to the latter we have already demonstrated they have not He dictates 2dly That a regular outward mediate Calling is not from a rightly constituted Church of Christ. Answ But we have proved the contrary by such evident Testimonies as Mr. T. will not in hast be able to refell He adds 3dly That either an immediate or mediate Mission are of the essence of a lawful Minister I deny Answ 1. If neither of these be of the essence of a Minister then a Minister may be a Minister without either of them then an outward calling is not necessary for him that takes on him the publick function of Preaching but this Mr. T. in the very next Page in contradiction to what he here asserts affirms to be necessary Then 2. The Institution of Officers by Christ to be sent forth in the way appointed by him is needless men may be Officers in his House without any such Mission from him which must be either mediate or immediate a third way of sending I believe he cannot easily coyn and both these he hath exploded 3. The directions given by Paul 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. with respect to the right management of this affair are vain and frivolous If a man spend a few years in Oxford or Cambridge read a little of Aristotle Logick Physicks and Metaphisicks get a few Notions of Divinity from some Common-place-Book though he have never read the Bible over in his life and is Ordained by a Prelate with a black Cassock and Girdle a Presentation Institution and Induction he is if Mr. T. may be believed because he can Preach some Truths a Minister of Christ without any more a-doe nobis non licet esse tam desertis The Churches of Christ have other thoughts and ever had from the beginning of this matter That because it is said They stood not in the counsel of God they prophesied lies in his Name therefore their running without a Mission from God is not condemned in them and made a Character of a false Prophet is such a perverting of the Scripture as cannot be justified He tells us 5thly To make an outward Mission of the Essence of alawful Minister is contrary to the Authors grant chap. 2. where he allows gifted Brethren to preach without such a Mission Answ He doth so indeed but who allows this Animadverter thus sophistically and openly to prevaricate I know not I aâ—low them to Preach but not by virtue of an Office-Power as Ministers of the Gospel which I expresly deny in the fore-cited place they may do Of the Preaching of the Brethren Acts 8. we have already spoken It is added in S. T. as a second Character of false Prophets 2. That they commit adultery i. e. spiritual adultery a departure from the Institutions of the Lord in Worship to the Inventions of meâ— is usually in Scripture expressed under that Notion Jer. 3. 8. Ezek. 23. 37. Rev. 2. 22. All Interpreters that I have met with so expone it and walk in lies a worship of humane devising called a lie Isa 28. 15. Am. 2. 4. Joh. 8 44. 2 Thes 2. 11. Jer. 23. 14. This Character we say appertains to the Ministers of England and ask which of the Institutions of Christ have they not mixed with their own inventions To which
Mr. T. Sect. 3. 1. Mr. Gataker interprets the Words of Corporal Adultery Answ 1. It may be so I have not that Author to converse with 2. He is no Oracle that his Dictates must be subscribed to 3. The Adultery mentioned in the Text is made a Character of a false Prophet which corporal Adultery Mr. T. saith is noâ— He saith 2dly Every departure from the Institutions of the Lord in Worship to the inventions of men is not any where committing Adultery Answ Of this matter we have treated chap. 1. sect 12. whither we refer the Reader 3dly Walking in lies he tells us is a character of a false Prophet but they are lies in Doctrine not Worship that is intended in the places cited Answ 1. Of the Annotators he cites not one of them is of his mind Diodati interprets the Phrase of false worships and superstitions as do the Assembly in their Annotations on Am. 2. 4. 2dly We have manifested from other Scriptures that the expression is used by the Spirit of the Lord in this sense both heâ—e and Sect. 10. p. 96. to refute which he offers nothing and his own Dictates will never pass for proof 3dly We demonstrate the present Ministers walk in lies in the sense contended for by this Animadverter chap. 10. of S. T. 4thly To the Qâ—eries he answers The Institution of Preaching the Gospel they have not mixed with their own inventions Answ But this they evidently do whilst none must be allowed to Preach the Gospel but such as subject to Episcopal Ordination promise Canonical Obedience to their Ordinaries observe the Regulations for Preaching given forth by the Pope of Canterbury they are bound to omit the preaching of the Gospel when they have not time to Preach and read Service too Wherein Divine Institution must give place to humane inventions In Baptism he will tell you they mix an Institution of Christ's with the inventions of man in respect of the wrong Subject and they evidently do so whilst they sign with the sign of the Cross and make it such an essential part of Baptism that it is not lawful to be omitted The Institution of the Lord's Supper they mix with that Popish humane invention of kneeling in the Act of receiving which they constitute such a necessary part thereof that they will not admit any to receive in any other posture To the second viz. From how many have they gone a whoring He answers it concerns him that accuseth to shew Answ And that concern I dispatched chap. 4. of S. T. To the third viz. Is not a great part of their Worship drops of the Whores cup of Fornication Mr. T. though he multiply many words answers not at all not understanding or being willingly ignorant of my intendment in those expressions which was solely this that their Divine Service wherein a great part of their Worship doth consist is for the most part taken out of the Service-Book of Rome which Mr. T. may disprove if he can Sect. 2. A third Character of false Prophets mentioned Jer. 23. 13. A fourth Jer. 6. 14. c. A fifth Isa 56. 11. c. Which exactly agree to the present Ministers THE third Character of a false prophet mentioned in S. T. is this That they strengthen the hands of evil doers that none doth return from his wickedness Jer. 23. 13. This it 's said the present Ministers do whilst though in the general they denounce the Judgments of God against sinners they Saint them in the Chancel tell them that the body of Christ was broken for them To which our Animadverter â—ubjoyns Sect. 4. 1. Mr. Gatakers Paraphrase upon the Text is That they confirmed them in their wickedness by bearing them in hand that they should do well enough whatsoever Gods Messengers tell them though they continue in their sins Answ 1. The sin laid to their charge is strengthening the hands of evil doers whether they did this practically or doctrinally is not expressed 't is all one Probably they told them they were the holy People the true Church had his Temple and Ordinances with and amongst them and therefore God could not reject destroy them notwithstanding the Prophesie of Jeremiah to the contrary whom they reviled as a made seditious fellow thereby labouring to take off the people from an attendance on the Prophesie and threatnings given forth by him This we charge the present Ministers to be guilty of as the holy People and Church of God they admit the visibly prophane and wicked to the Lords Table and their Children to Baptism bury them as holy Brethren whom they call so not upon the accoâ—nt of Creation but Christianity which their conversations contradict and Church-membership with them though they die in the very act of drunkenness of whose joyful resurrection to eternal Life they profess they have a sure and certain hope which can be referred to no other but the person interred they asperse reproach those who would deal truly and roundly with them as seditious mad persons that are fit for the Stocks Prisons Dungeons whereby they evidently strengthen their hands in their wickedness 2. It is not true that the false Prophets told them expresly that they should do well enough though they continued in their siâ—s they flattered them with the mercy and patience of God the priviledges and immunities he had crowned them with by which they lead them into the belief of this that God would not reject them 3. The Assembly in their Annotations explain the Phrase of strengthening the hands of evil doers with this they confirm them in their wickedness and so keep them from Repentance Ezek. 13. 22. Which by the wayes and means instanced in 't is known the present Ministers do 4. 'T is not charity as he intimates to say to a known Drunkard Swearer that the body of Christ was broken the blood of Christ shed for him that he should take and eat and drink the Bread and Wine in â— membrance that Christ died for him but cruelty tending to the nourishment of false peace and confidence to the ruine of millions of Souls If Judas was at the Sacrament he was a visible Saint is no Warrant to administer it to persons of the complexion intimated The expressions above mentioned are not at all like those used by the Apostle 1 Cor. 8. 11. Heb. 10. 29. He speaks of visibly Saints these are spoken of and to the visible wicked and prophane 5. That these things do not confirm and strengthen the hands of evil doers was the alone thing to have been proved by our Animadverter but to that he speaks not at all What he further mentions is a pretended reply to what is remarked touching the Ministers of England that it is a rare thing to hear of one Soul that is brought over to God by all their Preaching so that visibly that Judgment of God seems to be upon them Jer. 23. 32. Therefore they shall not at all profit this people
the God that made the Heaven and the Earth Mr. T. replies 1. To worship the Creatures terminatively is most gross-Idolatry the Israelites Exod. 32. and many Heathen Idolaters did not do so 2. 'T is not true that few or none worship the Creature terminatively for the most of the Idolaters of old worshipped the Host of Heaven and at this day the Devil himself is worshipped in the East and West Indies Answ 1. That most of the Idolaters of old worshipped the Host of Heaven is granted that they worshipped these or any other Idols terminatively our Dictator attempts not the proof of What is said of Baal 1 Kings 16. 31. or Molech Psal 106. 37 38. who is also call'd Moloch Amos 5. 26. and Milcom 1 Kings 11. 33. and Malcham Zeph. 1. 5. i. e. the Sun proves not that they so worshipped the Sun in commemoration of which these Images were erected 'T is true Psal 106. 37 38. 't is said They sacrificed to Devils but that therefore they worshipped the Devil as the utmost terminus cannot be conceived 'T is call'd Devil-worship because it was not from God but of the invention and instigation of the Devil as all the false worship in the World is Of their worshipping Molech or Milcham 't is expresly said that they worshipped the Lord too when they worshipped him Zeph. 1. 5. Heb. to the Lord and in Malcam as the Papists say they direct their worship to God only in or through their Images which fully answers what can be pleaded from Acts 7. 41 42 43. 2. The most learned of the Heathens do affirm That their Images were dedicated to the true God whom in them they worshipped reputing the Images themselves but Stooks and Stones and that in them they worshipped but one God Seneca saith By Jupiter standing in the Capitol with Lightning in his hand they understand the Preserver and Governor of all things the Maker of all the World Qu. natur l. 2. c. 45. Who it was that sang 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mr. T. is not ignorant See Arnobius l. 6. contra Gent. We premise 2dly That there is a somewhat more refiâ—ed Idolatry and to this Head we refer 1. The ascription of a God-head to any creature as to Herod Acts 12. 22. 2. The ascription of the properties of the God-head to any Creature 3. The worshipping God in any other way than what he hath prescribed which is the Idolatry forbidden in the second Commandment 4. The Oblation of Worship and Service to God that hath been offered up to Idols for which there is no prescription in the Scriptures 'T is this second sort of Idolatry we say the present Ministers of England are guilty of Mr. T. answers 1. The definition of Idolatry by Dr. Rainold â—ath hitherto been received by all Protestants that he knows of that it is exhibiting Divine Worship to a Creature proved from Rom. 1. 15. Answ 1. That this is Idolatry I grant that nothing else is so will not be proved Protestants affirm otherwise as Calvin Perkins Ames Paraeus Though 2. the very truth is when we submit to a Worship of humane devising we exhibit Divine Worship to a Creature viz. the deviser imposer thereof we worship him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 besides the Creator as Hilarius Beza expound the Phrase Rom. 1. 25. And Paraeus Explicat cate p. 3. Q. 9. p. 528. saith What is required in the second Commandment Answ That we express not God by any Figure and that we worship him not in any other way or manner than he hath in his Word commanded us to worship him 1 Sam. 15. 23. Deut. 12. 30. Mat. 15. 9. Idolatry is contrary to this Commandment which is a false and superstitious worship of the Deity of which there are two chief kinds one more gross ☜ as when a false Deity is worshipped this is forbidden in the first Commandment another more refined when the true God is pretended to be worshipped but there is a mistake in the kind of Worship i. e. when Worship is pretended to be performed to God in some work which he hath not required this is condemned in this second Commandment p. 529. Those who sin against the second Commandment sin also against the first because they who worship God otherwise than he will be worshipped they feign to themselves another God and indeed worship not God but the figment of their own brain To feign another Worship of God is to feign another will of God and by consequence another God Mr. Perkins Vol. 1. p. 659. saith When God is worshipped otherwise and by other means than he hath revealed in his Word that is Idolatry Idolatrous Worships are all they which are appointed without the Command of God Mel. Tom. 2. p. 107. We shall onely add what we find mentioned by the Learned Peter Martyr in his Comment on the first of Sam. ch 7. p. 40. Men are wont sometimes to feign to themselves Commentitious gods as Jupiter Neptune Mercury Sometimes to worship the one and true God but with a Worship that is forbidden or strange i. e. not commanded as if any one should slay his Son or do what King Ahaz did who constituted a Damascene Altar in the Temple of God To do thus is nothing else than to worship an Idol For men do hereby feign a God who will so be worshipped who is in truth no God Therefore August Quest 29. in lib. Jos in which place the same thing is proposed to the people by Joshua that is here by Samuel He that feigns to himself God to be other than he is doth carry in his heart another God Wherefore not only Jupiter and the vain Deities but also those Idols and Phantasms are altogether to be cast out of our mind This will be done if we constitute to our selves God to be such as he is described to us to be in the Holy Scriptures Tertul. in lib. de idololat saith Not only the Cross and made Worship of Images is Idolatrous for the Antients of old had Temples †The Romans for above 170. years worshipped the Godds without Images say Vario Plutarch without Images who were nevertheless Idolaters It matters not whether thou make to thy self a God of Plaiscering or Marble or of a Trunk of a Tree I add saith P. Martyr or of thy own Phantasm an Idol is so call'd of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a Form an Idol therefore is a little Form Samuel therefore exhorts chap. 7. 3. that they cast away commentitious Godds and vain Worship and evil Opinions of God out of their minds What this Animadverter mentions out of Tertullian in his Book of Idolatry c. 15. makes for us If Idolatry be when any thing that is not God is extolled beyond the measure of humane honour then when the Prescribers of Divine Service are so extolled as they are when the Service prescribed by them is subjected to it being the peculiar honour
things we are to pray for for at that time they were not bound to the use of so many words and syllables as are Tertullian Cyprian Cornelius a Lapide Musculus c. But 3dly should it be granted that Christ enjoyned the use of that form of Prayer as a form this will not prove that stinted forms of Prayer are lawful and as such may lawfully be imposed and used which can have no other basis then this 't is as lawful for Civil or Ecclesiastical Rulers to devise and impose forms of Prayer upon the Churches as for Christ a most absurd and blasphemous assertion As touching what he adds 2. Christ justifies the Childrens crying of Hosanna uses himself the forms which David used before in the Psalms c. We answer That in all this he doth but beat the Air and speaks not one word to the purpose We find no footsteps of any enjoyned Liturgie or stinted forths of Prayer imposed either in the old Testament or the New though we find the same words used sometimes by them yet that they might never use any other in their publick devotions which is the condition of stinted enjoyned forms the known case of the Ministers of Engl. with respect to their Church-Service we find not which is also a full answer to what he cites out of Cyprian touching their use of the Lord's Prayers and other Forms if they used any they were not bound to use them and no other When he proves this consequence the Saints of old used the same words in prayer sometimes and Christ used words before used by them Therefore a set and stinted Liturgy was in use amongst them and such an one as our Common-Prayer-Book-Worship I will be his Convert He knows the contrary His answers to Justin Martyr and Tertullian are impertinent and not worth the reciting The words of the former are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Atheists we are not seeing we worship the Maker of the World And in all our Oblations we praise him according to our abilities in the way of prayer and thanksgiving And afterwards tells us that the President of the Assembly poureth our prayers according to his ability and continues long in this work Tertullian tells us The Christians looking towards Heaven not on their Common-Prayer-Book with their hands spread abroad prayed without a Moniter because from their hearts expressions wholly exclusive of inconsistant with the formes of prayer contended for The sayings of Socrates in his Eccl. Hist l. 5. c. 21. who lived about the year 430. tells us That among all the Christians in that Age scarce two were to be found that used the same words in prayer He passeth over in silence as he doth the account I give of the use of them not till about the year 600. and the imposition by Charles the Great of Gregories Liturgy as is thought and the support thereof by threats and punishments ever since These things hâ— knows to be true and yet they are such as the Dragon he labours to support cannot possibly stand before Sect. 3. Common-Prayer-Book-Worship not of the appointment of Christ because an obstruction of some positive Duty charged by Christ upon the Saints Mr. T. his Exceptions refuted Of resting on the Sabbath Day Whether Sacrificing was an obstruction of that Duty Mat. 5. 12. explained Following Christ no obstruction of positive Duties to Parents Of the gift and grace of Prayer Rom. 8. 26. opened 'T is the duty of Saints to improve Gifts received common-prayer-book-Common-Prayer-Book-Worship contrary to Scripture 'T is not necessary to the edification of the Saints The Judgment of the Reformed Churches A Second Argument advanced in S. T. to prove that Common-Prayer-Book-Worship is not of the appointment of Christ is thus formed That Worship which is an obstruction of any positive Duty charged by Christ to be performed by the Saints is not a Worship that is of his appointment But this is undeniably true of the Common-Prayer-Book-Worship Therefore Christ hath given Officers to his Church Ephes 4. 11. to them he hath given gifts every way suiting the imployment he calls them forth unto the improvement whereof he expects and charges upon them 2 Tim. 1. 6. 1 Cor. 12. 7. Ephes 4. 11. Prov. 17. 16. Luke 19. 20. To think after all this that any Worship should be of the institution of Christ that shuts ouâ— as unnecessary the exercise of the gifts given is absurd and injurious to Christ To which Mr. T. answers Sect. 5. 1. The major is not in all cases true resting on the Sabbath Day was a positive Duty yet sacrificing which was an obstruction of that Duty called prophaning the Sabbath Mat. 12. 5. was Worship of Gods appointment following Christ preaching of the Gospel were Worship of Christs appointment yet they were obstructions to positive duties to be done to Parents Answ 1. Resting from our own works on the Sabbath Day was a positive Duty not from the works of Religion and the Worship of God as was Sacrificing 'T is true Christ saith Mat. 12. 5. That the Priests in the Temple prophaned the Sabbath but this is spoken in respect of the vulgar Opinion that thought the Sabbath violated if any necesâ—â—ry work were done therein not that indeed the Sabbath day was broken by them So Dr. Willet on Exod. 20. 9. and our Annotaâ—ors upon the place expound it 2. That following Christ is an obstruction of any posstive duty we owe to Parents Mr. T. will prove Quum durae quercus sudabunt roscida mella i. e. never 'T is true Christ sometimes calls us to leave Father and Mother for his Name and Gospel-sake but then our abiding with them is no longer any positive duty enjoyned us by him but the contraty so that the major Proposition abides firm To the minor viz. That the Common-Prayer-Book-Worship is an obstruction of a positive duty viz. the exercise of the gift of Prayer which is excluded hereby He answers 1. 'T is supposed that the Common-Prayer-Book-Worship is a different sort of Worship from such as is used by those who exercise the gift of Prayer Answ And so it is the one being of the Earth earthy carnal devilish the other from Heaven as good he may say the Ark and Dagon are the same as that the Common-Prayer-Book-Worship and the Worship of Jesus Christ is so When he proves the absurdities mentioned are the proper issue of this assertion we shall think our selves concern'd to take notice of them but till then we reject them as the spurious off-spring of his own begetting He adds 2dly The Author intimates that ability to conceâ—ve compose and utter in variety of Expressions Petitions to God is the gift of Prayer and the exercise of it is the exercise of that gift Answ I do so indeed That there are some that have ability so to do Mr. T. will not cannot deny nor that this ability may be where there is not true Grace what will Mr. T. call this Ability to
avowed principle as we afterward do So that we are wholly unconcerned in what follows in this Argument which yet we have already fully answered to 2dly His Argument is justly retorted upon himself thus The scandalizing of Brethren by giving of evil example in doing that which is of it self evil as joyning with an Antichristian Ministry and Worship is by enticing practices or persecution impelling to evil as those do who by their practices in hearing allure or by presenting or abetting those that do so by holding Communion with them impel such as are weak thereunto or by abuse of liberty in things lawful as some hearerâ— judge their hearing to be to the harm of another viz. the wounding grieving the consciences of the weak it may be striking them off the wayes of Instituted Worship when they behold the turning to and fro of a zealous forwardly professing people is scandalizing forbidden in the fore-cited Scriptures This Mr. T. grants But the Saints hearing the present Ministers is a scandalizing with respect to each of these particulars as we have shewed Therefore Arg. 2. His second Argument is That is not scandalizing forbidden in those Texts which doth not tend to one of those evils for preventing of which those precepts of non-scandalizing were given But the hearing the present Ministers tends not to any of those evils Therefore Answ 1. It tends to some or all of those evils mentioned in the Texts it tends to sin 't is a joyning with a false Antichrist an Ministry to the justification encouraging of them in the exercise of a false Ministerial power it tends to the sorrow or godly vexation of the Saints whilst they see their Brethren in the constant disobedience of the Calls of God to come out of Babylon forsaking those wayes in which they have found rest and peace and returning to those their souls lately loathed and abhorred His following Sarcasms he will one day know had been better omitted the representing hearing the present Ministers as dangerous and sinful occasions not any to fall to erroneous Principles and Practices The compliance of Professors together with the debauchery of the Priests is for the most part the source and spring hereof so that we may better argue 2dly That is the scandalizing forbidden in those Texts which tends to any of those evils for preventing of which those Precepts of not scandalizing were given this Mr. T. grants But the hearing the present Ministers tends to some of those evils as we but now shewed Therefore Arg. 3. His third Argument follows thus That is not scandalizing forbidden in those Texts which doth not arise from any defect of Charity or undue behaviour of the person offending but from the distemper of the person offended But the scandalizing by hearing doth not arise from the defect of either of these but from the distemper intimated Therefore Answ 1. We deny his Minor and expect is proof thereof by the next till when we crave leave 2. To retort this Argument upon himself That is scandalizing forbidden in the Text which doth arise from the defects intimated and not from the distemper of the person offended But this is the scandalizing by hearing 1. 'T is a defect of Charity to the souls of their weak brethren whom they wound grieve before whom they are continually laying a temptation of apostasie from Profession Religion whilst they behold noted Professors to cleave to those wayes persons and things that they once could have no communion with with hands lifted up to Heaven covenanted against 2. 'T is a defect of Charity to poor sinners who are hereby encouraged to sit under a dead formal sapless Ministry to abide in a lazy formal way of worshipping God And. 3. In both these respects 't is an undue behaviour 4. That it ariseth not from distemper we shall evince when we come to consider what Mr. T. hath offered to prove that to be the sourse and spring from whence it doth arise We attend his fourth Argument which is thus formed Arg. 4. That is not the scandalizing forbidden in those Texts which is not offending persons weak in the Faith and of doubting Consciences yet peaceably minded but of persons conceiving themselves strong But such is the disposition and carriage of those that pretend to be offended at hearing the present Ministers Therefore Ans 1. This Argument interferes with his first where he makes the giving an evil example by doing that which is in it self evil to be the scandal condemned Now I conceive not only persons weak in the Faith but strong Christians will be cannot but be scandalized at professors so doing But to wave that 2. We deny his Minor for the confirmation of which he offers nothing that may deserve the Name of proof For what if the persons offended think themselves strong able to argue against the practice of hearing the present Ministers oppose it with violence they may be weak in the Faith notwithstanding The weak brother thought himself able to dispute against the practice of him that ate the Idolothyte as sinful and yet a weak brother However 3. We are engaged to him for affording us a fourth Argument to prove the scandalizing by hearing to be the scandalizing in the Texts That is scandalizing forbidden in those Texts which is offending persons weak in the Faith and of doubting consciences yet peaceably minded But such is the scandalizing by hearing the present Ministers Hundreds of weak Saints tender young Converts are hereby offended Therefore Arg. 5. His fifth Argument is this That is not scandalizing forbidden in those texts which is by using our liberty where we know not any present that will be offended at the use of it or that signifies the offence at our action when we do it In which case the Apostle allowes the eating of things offered to Idols 1 Cor. 10. 27 28 29. and consequently the use of our liberty in other things lawful and if any absent be offended we are ready to give a just reason of our doing But so it is at the offence of persons in hearing the present Ministers Therefore Answ 1. We deny his Major partly because that scandalizing is forbidden in the texts which tends to the grieving the Saints now this they may be are as much by the report and information of their brethrens action that they conceive evil though these judge it their liberty as if they were present of which a just reason can never be given for if the thing I do be matter of liberty I can never give any just reason of my doing it to the grief and wounding of my weak bâ—other for my so doing is an express violation of the commandment of Christ in the Scriptures mentioned partly because the scandalizing in hearing is by giving evil example in doing that which is intrinsecally evil which whether the person offended be present or absent is condemned and no just reason thereof can be given Nor 2. Is the Minor alway true but
thus formed That the doing whereof doth cast contempt upon the wayes and Institutions of our Lord Jesus and hardens persons in a false way of Worship and Rebellion against him is utterly unlawful for the Saints to do But the hearing the present Ministers of England is that the doing whereof doth cast contempt upon the wayes and Institutions of our Lord Jesus and hardens persons in a false way of Worship and Rebellion against him Therefore The Major we understand of real contempt and hardening in which sense Mr. T. acknowledgeth the truth of it Chap. 9. Sect. 1. In the Minor we say three things are asserted 1st That hearing the present Ministers casts contempt upon the ways and Institutions of Christ The truth whereof we evince by the review of several Institutions of Christ which they pour forth coâ—tempt upon As 1. That separation from the World and all wayes of false worship and the inventions of men thereabout until the Saints of the most High be apparently a people dwelling alone and not reckoned amongst the Nations is one grand Institution of Christ Numb 23. 9. John 15. 19. 2 Cor. 6. 14 15 17 19. Ephes 5. 8 11. 2 Tim. 3. 5. Hos 4. 15. Rev. 18. 4. Prov. 14. 7. Which we say is not denyed by some of our conforming Brethren By the World we understand persons in an unregenerate state in their enmity rebellion against God who though accounted Christians are really visibly enemies to the Cross of Christ By the Saints dwelling alone we mean their distance from the worship of the World and worldly carnal anti-evangelical Church as Israel was from the wayes and worship of the Nations This saith Mr. T. is false and dangerous not proved by the Texts Numb 23. 9. Is a prophâ—sie of Balaam concerning the people of Israel after the flesh that they should dwell alone and not be reckoned among the Nations which yeelds a better proof for a Nations-Church-Christian than for separation This must be a little farther considered First then that the people of Israel were Typical of the Church and people of God hath hitherto for the most part been taken for granted These upon this bottom are call'd his Israel Israelites indeed Jews the Circumcision the Seed of Abraham who is said to be their Father an holy Nation a Royal Priesthood a peculiar People as Israel of old was called Heb. 8. 8. John 1. 47. Rom. 2. 29. Phil. 3. 3. Gal. 3. 29. Rom. 4. 16. 1 Pet. 2. 5 9. They are the chosen called of God taken by Covenant near to him above the rest of the World sensible and sighing under a worse than Egyptian bondage from whence God brings redeems them by an out-stretched Arm Their Enemies pursue overtake them they are surrounded with Red-Sea difficulties ruine destruction inavoidable in the eye of reason yet God lifts up his hand wonderfully for them and makes a way for escape they then magnifie him and sing his Praises They are brought into a Wilderness yet not without the Pillar and Cloud the directing protecting presence of God with them Lions Bears Beasts of prey continually ready to devour them yeâ— upon them as his glory Jehovah hath a defence provides plenteously for them and at last brings them into the rest remaining for them as Israel in the Letter and Type 2dly Of this the Apostle discourseth at large 1 Cor. 10. 11. their Institutions and Ordinances were all Typical of the Spiritual things of the Gospel Their Laws and Statutes touching the Non-admission of persons legally unclean into the Camp Sanctuary Temple Numb 5. 2. 19. 20. for which end Porters were set at the Gates 2 Chron. 23. 19. were Types of the exclusion of persons morally so from the New-Testament Churches their Canaan was a Type of the Rest that remaineth for the People of God into which Joshua will lead them Heb. 4. 1 2 3 9. There dwelling alone not being reckoned amongst the Nations i. e. their separation from the Nations of the World with respect to Faith and Worship as Exod. 19. 5. Levit. 20. 24 26. Ezra 9. 2. was Typical of the separation of the New-Testament Saints from the Wicked of the World in their Communion Worship and Service of God Answ 1. That Israel should in most remarkable passages be Typical of New-Testament Saints and not in this as remarkable as any upon some accounts the most remarkable of them all is not probable 2. With respect to their Separation from the World they are called Exod. 19. 5 6. A peculiar Treasure to God a Kingdom of Priests an Holy Nation In answer whereunto Peter so calls New-Testament-Believers 1 Pet. 2. 9. The Chaldee saith Ye shall be before me Kings Priests and an holy People such hath Christ made the Saints unto God Rev. 1. 6. 5. 10. 1 Pet. 2. 5. Rom. 12. 1. 3. Accordingly the Church of Christ is said to be chosen out of the World John 15. 19. 1 Pet. 2. 9. They are said to be of God in opposition to the whole World beside which is said to lie in wickedness 1 John 5. 19. So that evidently the duty of the New-Testament-Believers with respect to separation from the World and its Worship is typed out in what is spoken of Israel according to the flesh the great Type of them Numb 23. 9. The weakness of Mr. T. his Assertion that from this Scripture a National-Church-Christian may better be proved than separation is from what hath been said abundantly evinced Israel was to the Nations of the World what the Churches of Christ now in the Nations thereof are distinct from them in their Ministration Worship and Service Herein they were Types not of National Churches which are not of the institution of the Lord in the New-Testament but of particular Churches as we have proved His exceptions to the other Scriptures will receive a speedy dispatch In his answer to John 5. 19. He supposeth that persons professing Christ from education or compulsion being formed up by Penal Laws into a National Church under Ecclesiastical Heads and Governors that are forreign to the Scripture though they live in a course of debauchery and actual Rebellion against him are not the World nor so call'd by Christ Of which we expect his proof Of this matter we have discoursed at large in this Treatise What he hath before said of 2 Cor. 6. 14. Ephes 5. 8 11. Rev. 18 4. we have already considered What Paul writes to Timothy 2 Tim. 3. 5. he writes 1. For our Instruction 2. It being a prophesie of the last dayes Apostacy under the Conduct and Regiment of Antichrist it was more directly and immediately intended for us than him 3. 'T is not a separation in respect of Arbitrary society in the World the Apostle is giving directions how we should behave our selves with respect to Instituted Worship that is enjoyned and yet if it were certainly those with whom we may not have such society we may not walk with in the fellowship
the Apostle would have them abstain from 2. Mr. T. himself saith pag. 279 That it was unlawful for them to touch or go to the Idols Temple and sit at meat there 3. The place it self in our case is the Idol it s worshipped adored idolized by the People of the Nation as it s known therefore not to be touched He saith further 2. They which joyn not in any Idol-Service or Honour keep themselves from Idols as is required 1 John 5. 21. Answ All self-devised Worship as is the Worship carried on in those places at this day is Idol-worship the deviser thereof being in a conformity thereunto idolized the second Precept touching Idolatry thereby violated those that would keep themselves from Idols must upon Mr. T. his own grounds keep themselves from that Worship and consequently from those places where it is solemnized and carried on 2. The place it self as was said is the great Idol of the Nation if we must keep our selves from Idols we must keep our selves from it Jude 23. enjoynes us to avoid the very appearances and occasions of evil and is therefore righteously urged by Mr. Robinson for Separation from the places of false Worship Rev. 14. 9. 18. 4. enjoyn a total relinquishment of all the things of Antichrist whereof his Ecclesiastical Holds as Mr. Mede calls them are a part What he talks with respect to the Common-Prayer-Book-Worship hath been shewed we have already replied to and proved it to be false-worship notwithstâ—nding all our Dictator is able to say to the contrary He adds Were there some superstition in the Worship it were not sufficient to make the places places of false-Worship as is evident from 1 Sam. 2. 17. 1 Cor. 11. 20 21 22. 14. 26. nor were it necessary to go out of them except Idolatrous Answ But if false-false-worship be managed and carried on in the places they must undoubtedly be places of false-false-worship i. e. places where false-false-worship is managed and carried on to assert the contrary were absurd and ridiculous Nor is there any thing in either of the Scriptures produced by our Animadverter that speaks the least syllable to what 〈◊〉 produced by him for The first gives us an account of the wickeâ—â—â—â—s of Samuels Sons but that they offered not the Sacrifices commanded by the Lord upon the Altar of the Lord at the place appointed by him it saith not The latter condemns some disorder about some acts of Worship in some Members of the Church but thâ—t there was any superstition in the Worship it saith not much less was there as in our case the introducing a new formal sapless Service cut out dressed and served in for the nourishment of an Idol and idle dumb Priesthood of which the Scriptures speak not a tittle 3. The places themselves are superstitious and Idolatrous as we have shewed and therefore Hos 4. 15. Am. 4. 4. are rightly cited by us as our Animadverter hiâ—self acknowledgeth What he adds That Gods People were required to go up to Jerusalem to worship after it had been defiled with Idolatry and the Idol removed and that Christ himself went up thither he â—ill upon the review I suppose raze out upon the account of its egregious impertinency That place was built by the appointment of the Lord his Name placed there there was the Ark Altar c. there he was solemnly to be worshipped and would be no where else none of which can be said of the Temples of England He further tells us That its false that we cannot go to hear the present Ministers without we go to their places and Assemblies of false Worship Which if understood of the publick Meeting-places allowed by Law as he must mean if he speaks pertinently for of such is the reason of the consequence meant I suppose he cannot prove That they frequent private Meetings set up Conventicles as they are call'd is not likely it being expresly against the Canons of their Church To which he adds That we are guilty of Judaizing in tying people to worship only in the place of the separated Churches contrary to John 4. 21. 1 Tim. 2. 8. Answ 1. This is notoriously false we tie persons to worship in no place upon the account of its holiness but an House a Mouâ—tain a Ship any place if not polluted with Idolatry is equal and alike esteemed by us 2. This may righteously be retorted upon the Clergy of England who judaize in their going about to compel us to worship in their Temples dedicated to Antichristian Mahuzzims and consecrated with Popish Holy Water and Prayers and accounted more holy than other places in the Nation of which they are notoriously guilty contrary to John 4. 21. 1 Tim. 2. 8. Sect. 3. There is no promise of a blessing upon hearing the present Ministers therefore 't is not lawful to hear them Isa 55. 3. Luke 11. 28. explained Sion typical of the New-Testament-Churches Babylon of the Antichristian Herd National Churches bear a resemblance not to Sion but old Babel THE 11th Argument produced in S. T. against hearing the present Ministers is That upon the doing whereof Saints have no promise of a blessing nor ground to expect it is not lawful for them to do But in the hearing the present Ministers there is no promise of a blessing nor ground to expect it Therefore The Major or first Proposition we took for granted But Mr. T. is pleased to enter his demurrer against it Sect. 8. He tells us Blessings are of many sorts 1. Immunity from evil or punishment in this sense the Major is true 2. Collation of some special good in this sense it is not true there are many things lawful to be done as eating drinking buying selling in respect of which men have no ground to expect any such blessing Ezekiel preached lawfully when he was told Israel would not hearken Ezek. 3. 2 7. And Jonah when he thought Niniveh would not repent Jonah 4. 2. Answ 1. Not to make many words the things done by the Saints are either such as appertain to the sustenance of their life and being the management and carrying on the concerns of their particular Callings in the World in respect unto which they have ground to expect not only a general but a special Blessing Psalm 1. 3. 1 Tim. 4. 8. 2. The things relating to the Worship and Service of God in which sense the Major is to be understood his instances of eating drinking are impertinent hereunto that I am to do nothing in the Worship of God in the doing of which I have no promise of a blessing nor ground to expect it viz. a special Spiritual Blessing God having said Where he records his Name he will meet with his People and bless them Exod. 20. 24. That where two or three are met together in his Name he will be in the midst of them Mat. 18. 20. viz. In respect of his gracious prâ—sence or communication of special Grace I had thought we
the 5th Whether Officers instituted by Christ are not only Pastors Teachers Deacons and Helpers he replies I find not Helperâ— Officers instituted by Christ but others I find here mentioned 1 Cor. 12. 28. Eph. 4. 11. Answ 1. Of helpers you may read Rom. 16. 3 9. 2. There are indeed other Officers mentioned of Christ's Institution in the places cited by him but they being such as are confessedly gone off the Stage we purposely omitted them Those mention'd are the alone knownstanding Officers in the Churches of Christ directions touching whose qualifications Election Office Work are laid down in the Scriptures To the 6th Whether the Offices of Arch-Bishops Lord-Bishops Deans Subdeans Prebendaries Chancellors Priests Deacons as the first step to a Priesthood Arch-Deacons Subdeacons Commissaries Officials Proctors Registers Apparitors Parsons Vicars Curats Canons Petty-Canons Gospellers Epistolers Chanters Virgers Organ-players Queristers be Officers any where instituted by the Lord Jesus in the Scripture He Answers Some are some are not See the Answer to Chap. 3. Answ To our Reply thereunto we refer the Reader for satisfaction in this matter To the 7th Whether the Calling and admission into theâ—e last mentioned Offices their Administration and Maintenance now had and received in England be according to the Word of God he replies This is answered before in sundry places Answ The vanity of his Answers we have already discovered To the 8th Whether every true visible particular Church of Christ be not a select company of People called and separated from the world and the false worship thereof by the Spirit and Word of God and joyned together in the fellowship of the Gospel by their own free and voluntary consent giving up themselves to Christ and one another according to the will of God He answers The terms are so ambiguously used that in some sence it may be answered Affirmatively in some Negatively Answ We have already explained the terms and demonstrated the truth of the Question in the Affirmative in all the branches thereof To the 9th Whether a company of People living in a Parish though the most of them be visible Drunkards and Swearers or at least strangers to the work of Regeneration upon their souls coming by compulsion or otherwise to the hearing of publick Prayers or Preaching are in the Scripture account Saints and the Church of Christ according to the pattern given forth by him He answers If their Faith be right they are i. e. if I mistake not If they assent to the Doctrine of the Church of England if they own no other Doctrinals but what are right for as to true saving Faith the persons described are undoubtedly strangers to it 't is impossible but they should be so whilst they abide such Now I believe never man in the world gave such an account of Saints Saint Drunkard and St. Swearer and St. Whoremaster sounds but harsh in the ears of men of understanding they themselves will swear they are no Saints That external profession of Faith is sufficient to constitute a person a Church-Member Bellarmine indeed affirms it may be Mr. T. received his notion from him and is therein opposed by the learned Whitaker who cites that saying of August Collat. 3. cum Donat. The Church is one Body in which is both a Soul and Body the Soul is the internal gifts of the Holy Ghost i. e. the internal graces The Body is the external profession of Faith and Communion of Sacraments And Sutliffe one of their own saith better To the Church not only profession of Faith but also holiness is required If the persons characterized by us are not the Church of Christ the Bride the Lambs Wife as we have proved they are not they must be accounted Daughters of the old Whore and Babel spoken of in the Scripture To the 10th Whether in such a Church there is or can rationally be supposed to be a true Ministry of the Institution of Christ He replies It may But we have proved the contrary To the 11th Whether the Book of Common-Prayer or stinted Liturgies be of the prescription of Christ and not of mans devising and invention he saith The Worship or matter for the greatest part of the Common-Prayer-Book is of Christ though the method and Form of Words be of men Answ 1. Modestly spoken however The whole of the matter of the Common-Prayer-Book he seems to grant is not of God though the greatest part he thinks is 2. Sufficiently impertinent 't is the method and Form of words that is the Liturgie or stinted Service to these men are tied If these are not of Christ as he grants their Liturgie is not To the 12th Whether some part of the Worship used by a People be polluted the whole of the Worship be not to be look'd upon in a Scripture account as polluted and abominable according to 1 King 18. 21. 2 King 17. 33. Isa 66. 3. Hos 4. 15. Ezek 43. 8. Zeph. 1. 5. So that if their Prayers be nought and polluted their Preaching be not so to He answers No nor is any such thing said in these Texts Answ Let the Reader consult them and he will find that they condemn the whole of the Worship though they did somwhat that was for the matter of it right and of the appointment of the Lord as polluted and accursed because some part of it was so His talk of the Imperfections of Ministers in prayer is impertinent every imperfection in Prayer renders not the Prayer naught and polluted in that sence in which we affirm the prayers of the Church of England or their devised Liturgie to be so upon the account of its non-institution by the Lord and oblation to an Idol To the 13th Whether a Ministry set up in direct opposition to a Ministry of Christ which riseth upon its fall and falls by its rise can by such as so account of it be lawfully joyned unto He replies No but they are bound to leave this account if it be erroneous Answ 1. But they think it not to be erroneous And 2. Mr. T. was lately of their mind when he swore to extirpate the Hierarchy To the 14th Whether such as have forsworn a Covenant-Reformation according to the Word of God and swear to a Worship that is meerly of humane devising that have nothing of the essentials of a Ministry of Christ to be found upon them may be accounted of as his Ministers and be adhered to He replies No. Wherein he hath given away the Cause pleaded for by him The Ministers of England are known and we have evinced it in this Treatise to be persons of the Complexion intimated To the 15th VVhether such as shall do so be not guilty of casting contempt upon the Institutions of Christ and disobedience against his Roâ—al Edicts commanding them to separate from persons of the complexion intimated He saith They would be if they should do so wittingly and willingly Answ But if they do it ignorantly though their sin be not
Reason of our Assertion that they denied Christ to be the Messiah blasphemed him in his Doctrine as the deceiver of the people in his Life as a Wine-bibber and gluttonous person in his Miracles as one that wrought them by the Devil who are therefore condemned by Christ as guilty of the very sin of blaspheming against the Holy Ghost Mat. 12. 31. And we cannot imagine that Christ would permit his Disciples to hear such as thus blasphemed him Our Animadverter replies The third Reason hath the same answer with this overplus that to prevent any conceit of allowing the hearing of them in their blasphemy he avoucheth himself to be their Master and Teacher v. 8 10. Answ 1. They took all occasions to blaspheme him and if they attended their Ministry with any constancy 't was impossible â—ut at one time or other they must hear them so doing But 2dly What is this to the purpose Is it lawful to hear such as blaspheme Châ—ist Is it likely that Christ would permit his Disciples to do so That the Scribes and Pharisees were persons of such a complection is known 3dly The same Answer he talks of is already replied to We add 4thly We no where find the Disciples attending upon the Ministry of the Scribes and Pharisees notwithstanding this supposed command or permission of Christ Mr. T. replies This is but from a testimony negatively â—nd so of no force we read not that they used the Lords Prayer yet none will say they did not less that they might not Answ 1. But if Christ had commanded or permitted them so to do and that with an intendment to make it a president to walk by with respect to persons of the same or like qualifications with these who should in the last dayes stand up to speak in his Name to his Childâ—en 'T is more than probable that the practice of the Apostles herein would have been registred as well as in matters of lesser concern 2dly We find expressions touching the practice and deportment of the Disciples that utterly evert this figment Acts 1. 23. 10. 41. 3dly That we no where read of the Disciples using the Lords Prayer when we have an account of other of their Prayers its an Argument they did not use it that they might not so do Of which before at large 4thly Of their Almes we have mention Acts 11. 29. Although they haviâ—g little in the world it was not possible they should be over-liberal oâ— over-frequent in almes-giving 5thly 'T is more than probable they did not fast while Christ was with them Mat. 9. 15. No wonder we have no account of their doing so during that season Afterwards we have mention made hereof Acts 13. 2 3. 10. 30. 14. 23. 2 Cor. 6. 5. We say in S. T. 5thly We cannot but think the supposition of Christ's permitting his Disciples to hear the Scribes and Pharisees not only inconsistent with and opposite to that expression concerning Christ Mar. 6. 31. but also to that command Acts 2. 40. and the practice of the Disciples vers 42. To which our Animadverter 1st Christ did conceive the People to be without a Shepherd notwithstanding the Pharisees teaching the duties of the Law because though that doctrine were right and to be observed yet it was not sufficient to feed them to Eternal Life Answ Here are several mistakes in these few words 1st That the Pharisees teaching the duties of the Law was right Doctrine which is most notoriously untrue 'T is true the Doctrine of the Law was right Doctrine but the Pharisees teaching the duties of the Law was not so For 1. they taught duties of the Law that were not contained in the Law Mat. 5. 43. 2. They corrupted perverted the duties of the Law by their traditions Mat. 15. 3. They prest the duties of the Law for justification of life which was not right Doctrine 2dly 'T is false and not to be supposed without great reproach to Christ that he should send his Disciples to attend upon such a Ministry as break not the Bread of life preached not the Doctrine which was sufficient to feed them to eternal life He saith further 2. Peter did well to exhort his Auditors to save themselves from that untoward Generation viz. in not doing their works nor following their perverse Doctrine and the Church did rightly practise in continuing in the Apostles Doctrine v. 42. Yet he was not to disswade them from hearing or practising the Pharisees Doctrine of observing the duties of Moses 's Law Answ 1. The Pharisees Doctrine of the observing the duties of Moses his Law was that men observe them for life this as I remember the Apostles opposed and it was their duty to do so 2. Our Animadverter supposeth That the exhortation of Peter Acts 2. 40. was only meant of their not doing their works non-embracement of their perverse Doctrine but 't is evident from v. 42. that Peter meant it of non-communion with them in acts of Worship And I cannot discern how I can hear a man preach but I must have Communion with him in that act which is an act of Worship We add 6. Were that the intendment of Christ as is suggested and the Argument of our Brethren valid a lawfulness to hear the veriest blasphemer in the World that denies Christ is the Messiah affirms that he was a deluder of the people a gluttonous person a Wine-bibber one that did Miracles by Belzebub the Prince of Devils that persecutes even to death Christ in his people might by a like parity of reason be deduced Christ commanded or at least permitted his Disciples to hear the Pharisees who were such as hath been proved therefore it s lawful to hear persons with the same Character upon them But God forbid any such injurious dealing should be offered to Christ or that any who pretend to fear God and I hope do so in reality should stand by a cause that hath no better Arguments to defend it than what may be as righteously every way made use of for their attending upon the Ministry of the greatest blasphemer and opposer of Christ in the World To which Mr. T. I grant it lawfull to hear any man preach Truth with whom God allows us converse and communion as we are mâ—n Answ 1. Would he had given us his reasons of his monstrous assertion 2. Thought it incumbent upon him to have reconciled it with former printed passages of his own 3. I am allowed converse and communion if my occasions and calling in the world compel me thereunto with the worst of men as men a Turk a Jew thâ— Pope himself a Drunkard Swearer Adulterer or Adulteress but that I may have Communion with these in instituted Worship as I have when I hear them is such a monstrous Figment so devoid of Scripture evidence so opposite thereunto so abhorred and abominable to the Spirit of God breathing in his Children that I stand amazed he should assert it But
dissenting Brethren say they are For 1. there was never yet any heretical Preacher in the World but he preached some truth 2. The Devil himself 3. The Popish Priests did do so yet who will say 't is lawful to attend upon their Ministry To which Mr. T. 1. All that preach some truth are not to be heard yet all that preach the great truths of the Gospel notwithstanding some errors non-fundamental may be heard 2. 'T is no sin to hear either Heretical Preachers or Popish Priests who preach errors which overthrow the Foundation preach truth 3. The Devils we are to have no communion with God having put an enmity between the Serpent and the Seed of the Woman To which briefly 1. The two first assertions are meer Dictates without shew of proof and therefore fit to be rejected So abhorred by the Saints and contrary to all the solemn cautions given by our Blessed Lord with respect to this duty of hearing touching which we have already spoken that it were frivolous to take further notice thereof 2. To the third we answer If we may not hear the Devil because we are to have no communion with him God having put an enmity between him and the Seed of the Woman then may we not hear a wicked Priest the Lord having said We must not have communion with the wicked who are the Seed and Children of the Devil Mat. 23. 33. 1 John 3. 10. John 8. 44. betwixt the Righteous and whom God hath put an enmity Gen. 3. 15. 'T is added in S. T. 3. That the present Ministers preach truths but by halves and dare not preach any thing they are inhibited by the Bishop to meddle with though never so clearly revealed in the Scripture To which our Animadverter The Bishops allow them to preach truths necessary to Salvation and if they forbid them to preach things disputable as Church-Constitution they have the same reason as Christ had for not acquainting his Disciples with many things he had to say to them and is agreeable to the Apostles rule Rom. 14. 1. and practice Acts 15. 28. If they preach those truths by halves it 's lawful to hear those halves Answ 1. That it is lawful to hear such as are such perfect Servants and slaves of men upon the account whereof they cannot be the Servants of Christ that they dare not for fear of a Lord-Bishops Inhibition communicate what of the mind of God they have received from him is intollerable confidence to impose on us without proof 2. Their so doing is direct rebellion against Christ in whose Name they pretend to act who hath charged all that so act to publish and declare whatever he reveals to them 3. There is no truth that Christ hath revealed but is for the comfort stablishment peace edification or direction of the Saints that he is to be heard as a Minister of Christ who will suffer his mouth to be muzzled by a sorry thing called an Arch-Bishops Prohibition is the first-born of absurdities to imagine 4. The Scriptures cited are most impertinently alleadged by him John 16. 12. Christ tells his Disciples He hath many things to say which they are not able to bear Rom. 14. 1. Paul adviseth That the weak Christian be received but not to doubtful disputations It seems good Acts 19. 28. to the Holy Ghost and to the Apostles to lay upon the Gentiles no greater burden than those necessary things Therefore an Arch-Bishop may interdict persons to preach any other truth than he hath a mind they should is some of Mr. T. his Lempster Logick which a young Sophister would laugh to scorn What follows is already answered 'T is added in S. T. 2. The main truths they preach at least many of them are contradicted in their practice conforming to Institutions and Laws that are not of his prescription This we have abundantly demonstrated What Mr. T. tells us he hath replied hereunto we have already removed out of the way We say 3. With the truth they preach they mix many errors Instances of this kind have been already exhibited to which may be added many more We name several in S. T. the very truth is they are grosly erroneous in most of the chief heads of Divinity as a man may run and read in the following Particulars 1. Concerning the Scriptures they hold 1. That they are not the certain exact and alone rule of all things which appertain to Religion and Worship but that humane additaments make it more decent and amiable 2. That traditions that have no foundation in the Scripture are to be believed received practised 3. That Apocryphal Books which have in them Errors 2 Mac. 12. 44 45. 14. 41 42. Eccles 46. 20. Wisd 19. 11. Untruths 2 Esd 14. 21 22 23. 2 Mac. 2. 4 8. Tob. 5. 11 12 13. with 12. 15. Judith 8. 33. 10. 9. with v. 12. 11. 6 12 13 14 15. 2 Mac. 1. 13 to 17. 9. 1 5 7 9 28 29. Blasphemy Tob. 12. 12 15. with Rom. 8. 34. 1 Tim. 2. 5. Rev. 8. 3 4. Magick Tob. 6. 6 7 8. 9. 2 3. with 3. 7 8. 11. 10 11 13. with 2. 9 10. and contradiction to the Canonical Scriptures Judith 9. 2 3 4. with Gen. 49. 5 6 7. Esther in the Apochrypha Chap. 12. 5. 15. 9 10. with Esther Canonical Chap. 6. 3. 5. 2. Eccles 46. 20. with Isa 57. 2. may be used in the publick Worship of God Mr. T. replies This is not preached as I know of by any of them Answ 1. Their pactice in readiâ—g them according to their Calender-directions in their publick Worship is a loud preaching that they may be so used What the Animadverter adds in this matter is inconsideroble 1. We charge them not with owning them as part of the Canonical Scripture 2. Nor say we that they are all read but this we crave leave to add That it is most wretched and accursed dealing to have such Writings as these so full of abomination to be used in the Worship of God to the justling out of a great portion of the Canonical Scriptures which are not read at all which we are apt to think is a fearful contempt and undervaluation of God and his Laws 3. What was once resolved by Arch-Bishop Abbot I am not at all concerned with notwithstanding which they are still appointed to be read 4. That any of the places instanced in are capable of an easier censure than I put upon them he may demonstrate when he is able so to do 5. That they are read when and where we need not be present signifies little they are read in their Worship to the shutting out the Canonical Scripture which we account a notorious error 2. Touching God and Christ they own 1. That it 's lawful to bow down before that which is not God in Religious Worship as the Altar the repetition of the Name of Jesus the Bread and Wine in the Sacrament of
which one of their Reverend Prelates hath been moâ—e than once heard to say That the presence of Christ in the Sacramenâ— is not Symbolical but Realiter and upon that account we give adoration 't is like more are of his mind as horrible Idolatry as bowing before a Crucifix or Image 2. That Christ is not alone the Head of the Church 3. They seem to attribute greater efficacy to the Blood than the Body of Christ whilst they pray That their bodies may be made clean by his Body and their souls by his most precious Blood as they do in the prayer before that which is used at the Consecration 4. That Christ descended into Hell as if he descended into the place of the Damned as â—he Papists hold To which Mr. T. 1. 'T is in the Creed call'd the Apostles Answ 1. This is no part of Scripture Nor 2. ever composed by them whose name it bears Nor 3. is it certain when or by whom it was so done 4. To this very day it was never in any full and general Council confirmed and established So that its being in the Creed proves it not so authentick as that we are bound to believe it 5. What is said by Bishop Usher touching this matter I have not leisure to enquire since it 's put after his burial it can signifie no other descent but into the place of the damned which is as rotten a figment as ever was invented 3. Touching Man 1. They generally own I speak especially of them who are called the Church free-will And 2. an implicite Faith not in words but really and indeed whilst they say We must practise in Worship the determinations of the Church though we our selves see no reason for them because she hath determined them and that this is reason sufficient for our so doing i. e. We must in these things believe â—or Faith must preceed practice in the Worship of God as the Church believes 4. Touching Worship They hold 1. That Worship devâ—sed by man though abused to Idolatry is the Worship of God with which he is well-pleased 2. That God is more particularly to be worship'd in one place than in another and that these places being Consecrated are the Houses and Churches of God and upon that account holy and to be reverenced 3. That reading an Homilie or a few Prayers out of the Liturgie is a more excellent worship of God though no where commanded in the Scriptures than Preaching which must therefore give way to it 4. That none must be suffered publickly to worship God or privately except in their own Families but according to Forms of mans devising Which 5. they say Is the Worship of God 5. Touching the Sacraments 1. They seem to intimate that there are more than two when they say there are two only generally necessary to salvation 2. That Women may Baptize in casu necessitatis as the Papists hold and that such Baptism is valid 3. That Baptism is to be administred with a Cross in the fore-head 4. That all Children when baptized are regenerate and received by the Lord for his own Children by adoption Common-Prayer-Book of Publick Baptism 5. That Children being baptized have all things necessary for their salvation and shall undoubtedly be saved 6. That all that are baptized have received remission of sins Confirmation before the imposition of hands 7. They seem to make the imposition of hands a Sacrament when they say 'T is a sign to certifie Children of Gods grace and favour towards them Ibid. in the Prayer after the imposition of hands Yea they really do so if the definition they themselves give of a Sacrament be right viz. That it is an outward and visible Sign of an inward and spiritual Grace 8. So they to make Matrimony by that expression used by them consecrated the state of Matrimony to such an excellent mystery in one of the Collects in the form of the solemnization of Matrimony 9. They adore before the Elements of Bread and Wine 10. That the wicked and ungodly may receive it 11. That though the most notorious offenders be partakers of it yet the People that joyn with them are not defiled thereby 12. That the Body of Christ was broken the blood of Christ was shed particularly for them 6. Touching the Church 1. That under the time of the Gospel there is a National Church 2. That the most wicked and their seed may be compelled and received to be members of the Church which is notoriously known nor have they the face to deny it though Mr. T. talkes as if they would to be consonant to their principles and practice 3. That 't is not lawful to separate from this Church whoever do so are Sectaries Schismaticks to be excommunicated imprisoned a bloody error 4. That the Clergie is the Church as is the Pope and his Conclave to the Romanists 5. That these is another Head of the Church besides Christ 6. That 't is not in the power of the Church to choose their own Officers 7. That 't is in the power of Kings to appoint the highest Church-Officers 8. That Lord-Bishops are Officers of the Church of Christ though no where of his appointment 9. That Lord-Bishops can give the Holy Ghost and power to forgive and retain sins 10. That 't is in the power of a Priest to absolve from sins In the Visitat of the Sick 11. That 't is not in the power of the Church to excommunicate but the Bishop 12. That Pastors and Teachers are to be ordained by Lord-Bishops 13. That dumb Ministers are lawful Ministers of Christ 14. That the Ministry Worship and Government which Christ hath appointed to his Church is not to be received or joyned unto unless the Magistrates where they are reputed Christians do allow it And this their practice preacheth forth 7. Touching things supposed indifferent 1. That 't is in the power of the Church i. e. the Bishops in their Convocation to make that which is in it self indifferent a necessary part of Worship 2. To devise what Rites it pleaseth and add to the Worship of Christ 3. That Marriage may be forbidden at certain Popish seasons as in Lent Advent Rogation week 4. That the Cope Surplice Tippet Rochet are meet and decent Ornaments for the Worship of God and ministry of the Gospel 5. That Altars Candles Organs are necessary and useful in the Church of God Mr. T. his thoughts are vain when he thinks that they will not assert this Certainly they will not be so imprudent as to aver that they lavish the Gold out of the Bag for the erection of that in the Service of God which is neither necessary nor useful 6. That there may be Holy Dayes appointed to the Virgin Mary John Baptist the Apostles all Saints and Angels together also with Fasts on their Eves on Ember dayes Fridayes Saturdayes so called heathenishly enough Mr. T. answers They will deny this to be their Tenent and câ—tes Whitgift c. telling
may put Mr. T. to the blush upon the review thereof He argues further Arg. 25. Schismatical and arrogant conceits that the VVord of God is from them as the only right Teachers or confined to them as the only persons to whom it was communicated and from whom it might be received is condemned by the Apostle 1 Cor. 14. 36. But such conceits and inclosures they have and make who deny the present Ministers to be heard conceiving the separated Churches and Ministers the only right Churches and Ministers to be heard Therefore Answ 1. We deny the Minor we make no such inclosures as the Apostle condemns which are not what are mentioned by this Animadverter There were no Churches of Christ in the world at that day so much as in Name and pretence but such as were separated these were the right Churches and no other no ordinary Ministers but such as were related to and Ministers of such separated Churches This the Apostle cannot be supposed to condemn But if this be not that he condemns What is it Briefly 2. The Church of Corinth was one of the most famous Churches of Christ upon the account of what is mentioned by the Apostle Chap. 12. at that day in the world by reasoâ— whereof they were apt enough to be sweld puft up against other Churches that were as equally the Churches of Christ as they who had not the excellency of gifts they had This the Apostle condemnes in them and gives them to understand that the Word of God came not out from them they were not the first Church to whom it was communicated and from whom it was transmitted unto others nor came it unto them only i. e. other Churches had received embraced it as well as they therefore they ought not to carry it proudly towards them which what it makes against the inclosure our Animadverter mentions I know not The Apostle condemns one Congregational Church for being puft up against another therefore to assert Congregational Churches and Ministers to be the only right Churches and Ministers is condemn'd by him is such a strange consequence as will never readily be imbraced But 3. we make not such inclosures I believe there are hundreds in England that are not of that way who have the Spirit of God and are deservedly to be attended in their Ministration of the Word of Truth That because we deny it lawful to hear the present Ministers we must be necessitated to deny the hearing of all others but men of Congregational Principles is a supposition as monstrously false and absurd as the former We give some special and peculiar grounds of our not hearing those that can be applied to no other He adds Arg. 26. The Apostle Phil. 3. 15 16. presseth such as were perfect or well instructed in the Christian Doctrine of liberty from the Mosaical Laws not to separate from but hold Communion with such as were weak in the Faith and otherwise minded that thought Mosaical Laws were yet obligatory Therefore we may not separate from Christians and Ministers by reason of diversity of judgement about Church-Government and Liturgy and different practice about Conformity and Non-conformity to them which are of less moment than those differences about Meats and Dayes Answ 1. We deny his Consequence That because it was the duty of Saints to hold Communion in a true Church-State without altercations about Meats or Drinks therefore 't is our duty to hold Communion with a false Church and a false Ministry our Animadverter can never prove 2. That the business of Church-Government wherein the Kingship of Christ in a great measure lies is of no more moment than the eating or not eating about which the contests among the primitive Believers in the dawning of the Day of the Gospel did in a great measure lie he will not easily demonstrate 3. That the retention for a while of Mosaical Ceremonies whilst the Temple was yet standing to which they were affixed should be a greater ground of separation from a true Church of Christ then the reception imbracement of the Liturgy and Ceremonies of Antichrist in and by a false Church and Ministry from it is as absurd an assertion as ever dropped from the mouth or pen of so learned a person And yet fail he in the proof hereof this Argument is of no moment We attend his next Arg. 27. The holy Ghost hath recorded the prophesie of Balaam Num. 24. 3 4. Of Caiaphas Joh. 11. 51 52. Yea the sayings of Infidel Iâ—olatrous Poets Acts 17. 28. 1 Cor. 15. 33. Tit. 3. 12. Therefore it 's lawful to hear the present Ministers Answ Now I confess if he be able to make good this Argument it will follow that we may not attend the Ministry of the present Ministers of England only but the very vilest and worst of men Yeâ— I think we may righteously deny his Consequence and expect his proof thereof before we credit it The reading of Poets or citation of them is no part of instituted Worship as I remember which we have proved hearing the present Ministers to be He proceeds Arg. 28. The Apostle 1 Thes 5. 20 21. requires Christians not to despise prophesyings but to prove all things and hold fast that which is good And the Apostle 1 John 4. Believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they are of God They make it not sin meerly to hear them that are erroneous if they try them they may hear pretenders prophesying if they prove it much more those Ministers who preach truth Answ 1. Prophesyings are not to be despised all things are to be proved the Spirits to be tried whether they are of God buâ— all this must be done in his own way For persons from hence to take liberty to go to Mass hear the Jesuites frequent the meetings of Ranters is dangerous and a plain tempting of God 2. Why he should accommodate 1 Thes 5. 20. to the preaching of the present Ministers and impose it upon us as our duty not to despise prophesyings who tells us pag. 136. l. 30. That he knows not of any at this day that have the gift of prophesie I understand not 3. 'T is abominable wickedness to violate other commands of Christ upon the pretext of these Scriptures and a plain irrision of Christ when he hath charged us as we have pâ—oved to have nothing to do with such a generation for us upon pretence of trying all things to attend their Ministry and Worship is abominable prophaness not to be justified 4. There are some things so visibly opposite to Christ and his wayes that they need no trial in order to a discovery Whether drunken ignorant Priests the shame and contempt of the Nation be Ministers of the Gospel Whether a formal sapless self-devised Worship and Ministry from the Pope and Bawd of Rome be the Worship and Ministry of Christ are things so palpably and noâ—oriously foreign to the Scriptures that a man need not put them to the