particular order and first because the Text saith that the scripture saith to Pharaoh for this purpose have I raised thee up that I may shew my power in thee I shall shew the Text and the cause why the Lord raised up Pharaoh and first see the Text Exod. 9.16 17. the which is thus read And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up for to shew in thee my power and that my name might be declared thorowout all the earth as yet thou exaltest thy self against my people that thou wilt not let them go from which word we may see that there was a cause wherefore the Lord raisedup Pharaoh and that was from these two great evils first because Pharaoh had persecuted his people by laying great burthens on them under which they grievously groaned insomuch as their sighing groans and cries went up into the ears of the LORD OF HOSTS besides his murdering their poor innocent Babes and only for this cause because he saw the Lord prospered them and they did multiply and secondly the cause why the Lord raised him up was for his contempt in saying when the Lord sent admonition to him Exod. 5.2 Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice to let Israel go I know not the Lord neither will I let Israel go as if he should have said in contempt of the Lord what is it to me you Moses and Aaron what the Lord saith What is he that wil assume such authority as to command me to let you go I know him not nor will I take notice what he saith by way of command neither will I let you go for this cause the Lord raised him up that Pharaoh might see him to be a God of power as if the Lord should have said will Pharaoh strive with his maker or doth he suppose that he is stronger than he for this cause I will try the title with him I will raise him up and harden him that he may try the best of his valour and in as much as he will not know me here yet I will make him to feel and know my power in the read sea and thus the Apostle makes use of this of Pharaoh as a President to Israel as if he should have said O house of Israel take heed of striving with your Maker in chusing of your own wayes and persecuting his people as you have done his Prophets and also his Son yet know that there was none that ever hardened themselves against God which went unpunished you might take notice how the Lord dealt with Pharaoh and the Lord railed him up on purpose to shew all men and more especially you O house of Israel what misery would befall such as chuse their own wayes and harden themselves against God in not hearing and obeying of his voice Obj. But peradventure some will object and say That God raised up Pharaoh and hardened his heart not for any evil he had done but because the Lord would have all men know that he would reprobate some and harden their hearts not for their personal sin but that they might do evill and so he be just in punishing of them Ans Let the Objection lye this or any way in this nature it will appear very far from truth it having neither Mercy or true Justice in it First by the way it it very strange that God should proclaim himself throughout the earth to be a God slow to anger and of great kindnesse and not willing to punish or afflict the children of men and yet would have his name known by hardening of men simply of his own will and not for any evill personally committed that they might then sin and then punish them because they do sin is this Gods doings surely no such a thing is to be found in God but this by the way but now to shew that there is no Mercy or true Justice in it and also to offer some Objections of the same nature and so pass to the next verse and first that there is no mercy in it is clear because Mercy respects and pitieth men which are in misery especially when they were made so not of their own Will but made subject to it by another the which is the very câ—se with the Sons of men if what you say be true for they were made subject to misery and that not of their own Will or personal fault but by reason of Adam that made them subject thereunto so then if the Lord leave such in misery and not put them in a state of Salvation there was never any mercy shewed them and then his mercy is not above or over all his Works for mans glory in Creation was not of Gods mercy but of his love for mercy opposeth misery but misery was not before the Fal therefore no place for mercy where there was no misery Obj. And if it should be said Gods mercy was to all men in raising them from the dead Answ I answer and say that there is as much mercy shewn to the Reprobates in raising them from the Dead if your opinion be true as there is shewn to a man that is taken from Prison where he lives at ease and carried to the Gallows and hanged secondly that there is no true Justice in it is clear for if God do proclaim mercy for every man and say it is his desire that such as perish should turn from sin and enjoy his Holy Spirit Prov. 1.22 and yet notwithstanding before they were born or have done good or evill appoint them for condemnation Ezek. 33.11 and so shut them up under unbeliefe and withhold Faith and Repentance from them and yet command them to Believe and Repent upon pain of Damnation and at last condemns them because they did not Repent and Believe the Gospel when before they were born he did appoint their Ruine and shut them up under unbelief that they might not believe how this will appear to be true or pure Justice I know not because it is just as if a man that hath a quarrel against his Servant should appoint him a great days Work beyond what he was able to do by the judgement of all men living to that end he might take an advantage against him and then punish him because he did not do it how this is pure justice I know not Again how it can be pure Justice in God to command such to Repent as he never did intend should Repent and shut them up in unbelief that they might not Repent and then punish as aforesaid because they did not Repent this seems a very strange Paradox to me but Gods Mercy is over all his works and his Justice is full of Righteousness Faithfulness and Purity therefore such things as aforesaid are not in God its only mens gross mistake in Scripture Obj. But again peradventure some will object and say doth not the Scripture say that God hath of old ordained some to condemnation Answ To which I answer
Eccles 3.18 19 in these words I said in my heart concerning the estate of the sons of men that God might manifest them and that they might see that they themselves are beasts for that which befalleth the sons of men-befalleth beasts even one thing befalleth them as the one dyeth so dyeth the other yea they have all one breath so that a man hath no preheminency above a beast for all is vanity all go to one place all are of the dust and shall return to dust again From whence we may see that man considered as of himself there is no difference between him and the beast onely there is something that is in man which is not of or from man the which maketh him to differ allthough the Soul in Scripture is frequently taken for the mortal part as in the book of Joshua and so Christ is said to pour out his Soul to death and made his Soul an offering for sins But when you write again show what it is that is the Soul and what it consisteth of And whereas you tell me a story of Levi paying of Tithes in Abraham Answer it was imputed to Levi because the matter that Levies body did consist of Job 31.15 Zach. 12.1 sprang from the loins of Abraham but it is the Lord that formeth and fashioneth us in the womb and createth the Spirit or Soul in us that which Abraham did was imputed to Levi because it might teach us that there was a time that Tithes was to be taken from Levi and given to Christ or that of proper right Tithes doth belong to Christ as I have already hinted at Again You charge me with one errour worse then Pilagius that is because I deny as you say that children were lost or indangered to be Eternally lost in Adam To which I answer Adam and all his posterity was in danger to be lost in the dust had not Christ saved them in delivering from the power of the grave and say in your sense I do deny that children were lost or in danger to be lost in Adam that is to say to be lost as men now shall be lost that die in their sins namely to die the second death in the lake of fire and brimstone but I do beleeve that children were in danger to be lost as in the first death that is if Christ had not come and saved us and them from the sting of death which is the power of the grave we had been kept there and for ever had been deprived from the presnce of God and the Holy Angels and been like water spilt upon the ground and thus they were in danger to be lost from whence Christ hath saved all men for he is the Saviour of all men but especially of them that beleeve and thus we all were in danger to be lost by Adams sin in Paradice but to be lost in your sense by Adams sin that I positively deny and I know or am fully perswaded there is not a man under the Sun that can prove it from the Scriptures Again in your fourteenth page you seem to hint at this That Adam had the promise of Eternal life upon his obedience That natural life that God gave to Adam in Paradice was a free gift and not upon condition To which I answer that the life which God gave to Adam in paradice was free without condition in respect of the gift of it for God breathed him the breath of life and put him into his inheritance freely and afterwards telleth him what he should do there and also sheweth him that if he did sin and transgress his Law that then he must die the death God never told Adam that if he would obey him that there was a further life and happiness in future to be enjoyed but sheweth that the life that then he did enjoy the which was but a natural life should be taken from him and the like But if it be Objected and said Object That the Lord told Adam that in the day that he eat of that tree he should surely die or in dying he should die the which he did not in body the same day To this I answer God calleth things that shall be as if they were and say that according to Gods decree and in Gods account who calls things that shall be as if they were in being as saith the Apostle save Adam and all his prosperity dead they were dead in Gods account that same day and so soon as Christ was promised God therow him looked upon all alive again in a state of Resurrection as you may see when God appeared to Moses in the bush Exod. 3.6 Mat. 22.31 32. he saith I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob and our blessed Saviour maketh use of it to prove the Resurrection shewing that in Gods account Abraham and Isaac and Jacob were alive in a state of a Resurrection to God And again the word will bear it from the Hebrew as in our English margen note in dying thou shalt die Job 14.1 2. that is Adam and all the sons of men are dying from the womb till they be dead never continuing in one stay but in the midst of life we are in death and so go from the womb to the grave and so in dying we do die or we be in a dying estate and condition till we fall into the dust Again in answer to what you say of our Souls being in Adam in essense and not in substance I say that then it is clear that Adam is the Father of our Spirits and not God for if it be so that our Spiritual Souls essentially be in and of Adam and not distinct then Adam must bear the name not onely of being the Father of our flesh but also of our spirit But if it should be Objected and said Object That God may bear the name of the Father of Spirits because he created or formed the Spirit in Adam Then we may as well say that God is the Father of flesh because he created and formed that but you say God may be called the Father of Spirits because he is Father of regeneration and sanctification The which is no answer There is three that bear witness in Heaven and three that bear witness in earth as I conceive at all for as much as there is not such a thing in Scripture to assist the answer as God is distinguished in three as in respect of his diversity of his operation the Spirit is that which begetteth newness of disposition so may be called the Father of regeneration and sanctification because the Spirit is that which sanctifieth and reneweth the Soul yet but one God and Father although thus distinguished and this hath more Scripture to countenance it and yet but a consequence But however there is in man or of man two parts viz. the flesh and Spirit and there is two Fathers the Father of the
repent and there is a sort of men that cannot or more properly a time when a sort of men cannot repent First There is a time when all men may repent if they withstand not the work of grace and there is a time when they cannot repent All men may repent if they have not withstood the day of grace because they are given up or shut up to condemnation And first to prove that there is a time wherein all may repent the wch I thus prove If God hath commanded to do no man more than he hath given him ability to do and yet command all men every where to repent upon pain of eternall destruction then God hath given every man ability so as they may repent if they withstand not the time of grace but God hath commanded no man to do more than he hath given him ability to do and yet hath commanded all men every where to repent upon pain of eternall destruct on That God doth command all men to repent is plain from there Scripturs Ezek. 14 6 18 30. Mat. 11.20 Luke 13.3 Act. 1.30 Rom. 2 4. 2 Pet 3.9 Ergo God hath given every man ability to repent this argument is nadenâ—ble because I hope no sober man will dare to say that God commandeth men upon pain of eternal death to do that which he hath not given them ability to do and yet destroyeth them because they do not that which he never meant they should do when he commanded them to do it nor gave them ability Sirs look about you how do you abuse the Aâ—ribuâ—e of Gods mercy sincerity uprightnesse and faithfulnesse the Lord will meet with you ere long and overth oâ— you he hath a controvercy to trye with you for laying the main cause of all the murder fornicatron and thest and drookenness upon his neglect in not giving the creature ability to do otherwise We as much ability to stand as Adam had Adam did sin so soon as he was tempted and we sin not before we be tempted thereunto But you will say they lost their ability in Adam Sir I tell you nay for the Scripture saith no such thing and also I pray resolve this question How Adam came to loose his ability that he withstood not the temptation in Paradice or had not God given him ability or did God intend he should eat and so fall when he forewarned him not to eat For I find that Adam had no more power to stand in Paradice than the sons of men have now for Adam did sin so soon as he was tempted thereunto and we sin not before temptation But you will say there is lust or desire in us to do evill It is true when by the temptation of Sathan set before us or suggested in us and so there was a desire in our first Parents to the fruit when it was by temptation represented unto them for as faith the Text it was fair to look on and desirable to make one wise and so forthâ— So it will appear there was lust or desire in our first Parents to the fruit before they eat it I could thorough the strength of God say more to this and the Argument before mentioned than you will be able to answer before you go to Ireland or after you come there but I spare you and passe to the second thing which is to shew there is a sort of persons that cannot repent or more properly as I have said there is a time when persons cannot repent the which I shall shew and also when the time is or the cause why they cannot repent There is a day of grace exhibited to the sons of men First That there is a time that men are so given up to a reprobate sense hat they cannot repent is clear from Heb. 6.4 5 6 and Rom. 1.24 and 1 Iohn 5.15 16. so that if Daniel Noah and Iob should pray for them they could not have such repentance to do them good but I need not trouble my self to prove this because it is your assertion But I shall shew the time or cause of this their deplorable condition and shall excuse Adam of this evill that is it came not by sin committed in him but by their own personall sins but to the cause and time of this hardnesse of heart and the time is when they have withstood the day of grace and so shall prove some had a day of grace and have out or The Spirit of God hath strived with such as are lost to repent that they might be saved withstood it and that there was a day of grace to the old world see these two places of Scripture Gen. 6 1 2 3 4. and 1 Pet. 3.19 20. Secondly that Israel had a day of grace in which they might have attained everlasting peace see Luk. 19.42 Matth. 23.37 And thirdly that the Spirit of God striveth with such to fasten grace and mercy on them that never do receive it Prov. 1.22 23 24. And fourthly the very cause why there is such a time when men cannot repent is because they do refuse grace and repentance when God offereth it for the Lord did strive by his Spirit to reclaim Israel from their sinnes that he might not cast them away and shut them up in unbelief but they refused to hearken and pulled away their shoulden Zach. 7.8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Iob. 21.12 13. Prov. 1.22 23 24 25 26 27 Esa 66.3 4 5. ch 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14. and stopped their ears that they should not hear yea they made their hearts as an adamant stone least they should hear the law and the words which the Lord of Host sent in his Spirit by the former Prophets and said to God depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy laws THEREFORE 〈◊〉 a great wrath from the Lord of Host THEREFORE it came to passe as he cryed and they would not hear so they cryed and I would not hear saith the Lord of Host for that they have hated knowledge and did not chuse the fear of the Lord. From whence we may see there are some that although they do reprint and cry to the Lord in their 〈◊〉 it will be to no purpose the Lord will laugh at their calamity and mock when there fear cometh from these and much more that I could instance you may see the cause and time of an hardened heart that is when a soul hath means of grace and maketh not use of it but walketh in his old sinnes and is not reclaimed at last the Lord giveth them up to hardness of heart and clappeth an oath upon their head that they shall never enter into his rest Heb 3.11 now what use may we make of this even to prise opportunity of grace and not to put the evill day far from us and so fould our arms in security untill misery cometh upon us as an armed man for assuredly when
tell the truth and what am I become your enemy because I tell you the truth receive fools gladly for as much as you are wise and remember there was a time in which you were a fool if you are yet grown wise And thirdly I am hot troubled because you call me Asse because an Asse is an innocent usefull creature and doth his master better service than a lasie slumbring Dogg that loveth to sleep and yet is greedy to seek gain at his quarters moreover I have once read that an Asse could see better than his Rider by which he reproved the folly of his Master but no more of this a word to the wise is sufficient but I shall try the next thing which is a question you ask say you Is not our Ordination good we had imposition of hands by the Ministers Answ It is not the imposition of hands in Ordination that I question but the lawfull subject who is to have hands laid on him and the lawful Presbyter and the like that is the thing which will be questioned in its time and place Page 27. And again whereas you say that It is in the Presbyters power and not in the Churches to appoint their Ministery for say you Paul left Titus in Creet to ordain Elders there and it is the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is used in Act. 7.10 where it is said the King of Aegypt did appoint Joseph Governour over Aegypt the which power say you was conceived to be in the King and not in the people To which I answer and say and first I know that a proud generation of men would willingly reign as Lords and would be masters to such as they ought to be servants to and exclude the Church in their Election or Ordination although they will not excuse the Church in donation so that one month in a year viz. harvest the Priest will make the people believe that he is their servant but eleven months he will be their master but this by digression and so to the matter which is you say It is in the Presbyters power and not the Church to appoint who shall be their Minister the reason is because say you Pharaoh did appoint Joseph to be Governour over Aegypt as supposed without the peoples consent and it is the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is used by Paul to Titus To which I answer what although the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie Ordination or appointment will it therefore follow because it is supposed that Pharaoh an heathen King did appropriate such power and authority to himself as to appoint a Governour without the peoples consent that therefore Paul dâ—d license Titus so to do or did Paul appoint Titus to be a second Elius over the Church a very pretty comparison as you think or strong reason to prove that Titus did Lord it over the Church to appoint what Governours he pleased because Pharaoh the heathen King did so as it is supposed and know ye not what our blâ—sled Saviour saith That the Princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them and they that be great exerciseth authority over them but it shall not be so amongst you but who so would be great amongst you Mar. 20.26 let him be your minister viz servant or under servant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from Mat. 20 26 27. as from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he that will be chief amongst you let him be your servant From whence we may learn that Christ doth not appoint unlesse in Churches such authority to sit as Lords amongst them but to walk humlby and self-denyingly as to be an example to the flock and moreover we finde the Church of Antioch did ordain Paul and Barnabas by imposition of hands and yet no Presbyter there that I find neither was Paul and Barnabas called Apostles before they were ordained and indeed the power lyeth originally in the Church as faith our Saviour If thy brother sin against thee tell him of his fault between thee and him and if he refuse to hear thee then take another with thee and if he refuse to hear you tell the Church and if he neglect to hear the Church let him be as an heathen or a publicane for whatsoever ye binde on earth in the plurall number mark that shall be bound in heaven From whence we may see that the power lyeth originally in the Church Finally God hath appointed the Church as in reference to have officers for choice and approbation and the Presbyters to appoint by prayer and laying on of hands as for charge and designation and thus they are to go hand in hand in that work as may further appear from the Apostles words to the Church at Jerusalem saying Chuse out amongst your selves men of honest report whom we may appoint or give charge over that matter Act. 6.3 So then if he that is but to take care of the body must not be imposed on the Church without their choice much lesse may there be a man imposed on them which is to take care and watch over their souls without their choice and approbation I might say very much to this but I passe briefly to the next thing which is say you Although we were in Rome and came through it yet we are now separated from their Ceremonies Page 27. and walk according to the rule of Gods word and pray did not our Saviour come from Adam through sinful lines Answ To which I answer and say That whereas you say that although you came through Rome or were in Rome yet you are now separated from the ceremonies thereof to which I say I do believe that you are separated from some of Romes Ceremonieis as may be compared to Anise and Cummin and the like but the fundamentals you stil practice and uphold that is your Ordination is from them and you in your Ordination are made a petty Pope by them witnesse your absolution of sins Although you suppose that you are separated from Rome yet you stand in her authority and own her doctrine that is they in your Ordination appoint you to forgive men their sins they that doubt of the truth of this may read the Book of Ordination of the National Ministery the which will shew them the truth of what I have said and secondly you practice and uphold that Ceremony of Baby-Baptism which was confirmed by Pope Innocent the third as was granted by one that was better read in the Fathers as I verily judge than your self but this by the way for it is both in the Articles of your faith and your I evident that Infant-Baptism that you are not separated from Romes Ceremony for first you do declare in the Articles of your faith that Christ did descend into hell and some of you have cited the Text in Peter 1 Pet. 3 19. which saith he went and preached to the
spirits in prison which implies that there is a place of Purgatory that Christ went thither oâ— to hell to preach and bring them fâ—om thence and so they shall come forth when they have paid the utmost farthing and this is Romes doctrine and the article of your faith he descended into hell And again you by your Articles must believe in the Catholick Church but you were better to believe and put your trust in God and how can you have a Catholick or universal Church so as to be an over spreading Whore unlesse you uphold Infant Baptisin the which makes all persons to be of the Church and so receiving the mark of the first Beast and are a cage of all manâ—er of unclean birds for as saith the Spirit All Nations have drank of the wine of her fornication and the Kings of the earth have committed fornication with her and you Merchants have been made rich through her and therefore you uphold and plead for her But wo wo wo unto thee Virgin daughter of Babylon thy Mothers pride and uncleanness and traditions seen in thee wo unto the Cities of Nations you must fâ—ll and then your Mother MISTERY BABYLON through whose loyns ye came shall come in remembrance before God so that both she and you that have commited fornication with hâ—r shall be cast into a bed together And again wo wo unto thee thy day is coming it hastens therefore flee out of her that the day of the Lords wrath fall not on you because it will fall with a heavy consumption on all that are found out of the simplicity of the Gospel but I passe to the next thing which is say you We may be true Ministers although come from Rome as Christ was the true Christ which came from Adam which waâ— finful lines This is plainly the sense of what you say To which I answer and say That although Christ came through the womb of the holy Virgin yet he was not begotten of or by man for if he had been in Adam as we were then had he been a sinner as we were for we all sinned in him and then no Saviour Rom. 5. but I passe this advising you to learn that great mystery of godliness to wit God minifest in flesh c. And whereas you say you may be a true Ministery and yet have your Ordination in or thorow Rome because Christ came from Adam as aforesaid to which I say there is no parallell because Christ was not of Adam or by the will of Adam as your Ordination was of the Pope and by the will of the Pope through his assigns viz the Bishops and much I might say to shew that there is no fit parallel either in Christ coming through the womb of the Virgin which was Gods appointment or Aaronâ— Priesthood Christ owns not that Priesthood that comes through Roms the which was according to Gods appointment but that God hath appointed a true Ministers approbation and Ordination to be from or through Rome or that they may be accounted as true Ministers which have their Ordination that way and so come through Rome I am yet to learn for who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean no not one and also such stones as come from Babylon must not be a corner-stone in Zion Christs Priesthood came not through a false state but was to be ordained in and by a true Church and all Ministers that are otherwise Ordained are not Christs Ministers And again whereas you tell me of a great story of several that lived in England who did refuse to submit to the Popes Supremacy and that also say you Origen confesseth that Christianity was in England in his time To this and such like discourse of yours I answer and say suppose it was granted that Christianity was in England long before Origens time to which possibly I could speak somewhat but if I should when I have done all possibly as few would believe me in that as do believe you in this which you have said Therefore our businesse is not to shew how long ago it was that Christianity was believed or practised in England but our businesse is to shew whether the Ministery or our Nation had their Ordination by a true Church or Presbyter or whether it were from the salse Church and Presbyter as the Lord Bâ—shop and so consequently from the Pope for what if the Gospel were preached and believed in England and so we may comparatively say that one of the Beasts heads was wounded yet there hath been time for his deadly wound to be healed and all the world to wander after him bence it comes to passe that we have in England a worldly Sanctuary and a worldly Ministery the which is not of God or by his appointment and therefore must fall and so I come to shew these two things First That the Ministery of the Nation as they now stand and have for a long time so stood are not Christs Ministers First in respect of the persons qualification ordaining And secondly the persons qualification ordained And thirdly their Office or work what they are appointed to and these in order And first to the first which is The persons qualification ordaining and the first is whether the Lord Bishop was a lawful Presbyter yea or nay the which if not then it wil appear plainly that the Ministery of the Nation is not a lawfull Ministery being not lawfully Ordained to the work of the Ministery The Ministry of the Nation no true Ministers of Christs appointment And fiâ—st we may consider his ordination or appointment whence it was whether by a true Presbyter or whether it were from a false to which I say of necessity it must be a false for whether it were the Pope Gregory the great or the like it is plain it was not from a true Presbyter because your own grant is that your Ordination came from Rome in the 27 page say you We were in Rome or came through Rome therefore I shall not trouble my self about the succession of your Ministery because it is affirmed by you and readily believed by me that it came from Rome But Secondly To his qualification as touching his good manners in life and conversation all England knowes that knows any thing that he was of such an evill conversation that he did not onely tollerate sin in himself but also in others 2 Tim. 4.2 so far he was from charging the Ministers â— as Paul did Timothy to preach the word instant in season and out of season that he in Pâ—int gave liberty to prophaâ—ation and to lay aside the preaching or Gods word for a season and to interpose Romes inventions together with dancing and laciviousness upon the first day when persons ought to be imployed in holy duties these things together with imprisoning men that were conscientious was the practice of him from whom as under the Pope you Ministers of the Nation were assigned and appointed
what had he to do to meddle with Gods word or ordinances 〈◊〉 16. seeâ—he hated to be reformed and Siâ—s this was your Reverend Father in God and hence the Pope and you come to be so near kin that he hath given each of you a Livery that you might remember him this was your Lord Bishop and Reverend Father in God and your head Presbyter from whom you received your Ministerial Function and therefore no doubt as you think but your Ministery is likely to be very good But I remember that 〈◊〉 of yâ—u have changed your vizzard and are gotten into another shape of Ordination and instead of being made Ministers under or by authority of the Pope you now becove Ministers by authority of Parliament they O 〈◊〉 you or by authorizing some to do the work for them but know the Lord will try you ere long and sweep away your refuge and hiding place for he knoweth full wel that you are a time-serving people and seek honour of men and that his love is not in you But I passe this and come to the second thing which is your Office or work that you are given in change to do namely your forgiving men their sins the which you know is a great work enjoyned on you to do as in your charge and also I have heard your tribe contending for it and I do assure you it giveth such a sound or eccho as if it came frome the bottome of the Popes belly 〈…〉 person and therefore hath raught you in the Articles of the Creed to believe in the Church not in the Pope for the Romane Chatholick himself is scarce so had because although he doth say that the Pope may forgive sins and that his words are of great authority yet it is not impossibe for hâ—m to erre say they as he is a single person but he and his Council or Church considered together cannot erre So that infalibility is not concluded by them at all times to be in the Pope considered as a single person but considered as with the Church And therefore the Article of your Creed doth not teach you to believe in the Pope as a single person but doth teach you to believe in the Catholick Church that is the Church and Pope as considered together Therefore he that appropriates all to the Ministery is worse than a Papist except he believe none be of the Church but the Ministery And now to shew you that the power of Remission or retaining of sins lies in the Church and not in the Ministery singly considered as such And first I shall begin with your own cited text as by some of you which is read thus Joh. 20.19 20 21 22 23. Whosesoever sin ye remit they are remitted and whosesoever sins ye retain they are retained In this Text we are to consider who the void YE respects whether the Church or Ministery the which is pain that the word YE respect the Church and not the Ministery unlesse we consider the among ther as the Church the first reason why I believe it 〈◊〉 the Church and not the Ministery is because there is no mention of the Ministery or Ministers but it is given to Disciples as such and therefore you have not the wâ—rd Ministery or Ministers read in the Original The power of binding and loosing is in the Church considered as such and not in the Ministery singly considered as such as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is Disciples as such and not Elders or Paltors or Apostles as such not that say that it is spoke to the Church exclusively so as to exclude the Ministery when they are considered together as a part of the Church neither do I say that there was not Ministers an ongst the Disciples at that time for I do believe that there was some of the eleaven but this is that which I say it was not given to them considered as Ministers or Apostles but that power of remitting or retaining of sins was given to them as considered a Congregation or Church of Disciples met or gathered together as such mark that and as it will appear in this Text considering the presidence so it will appear fully in my second Reason Mat. 18.1 18 19. which is gathered from the words of Christ in the Gospel of St. Matthew which saith Tell it to the Church and if they neglect to bear the Church let him be to thee as an heathen or publicane for whosoever YE viz. the Church binde on earth shall be bound in heaven Therefore faith the Apostle to the Corinthians 1 Cor. When YE viz the Church come together with my spirit and the power of the Lord Jesus deliver such an one to Satan shewing that the Church ought and had power to bind together with the Minister as considered a Church in order and as they had power to binde so they had power also to loose for saith Paul 2 Cot. 2.7 Sufficient is his sorrow Wherefore YE viz. the Church ought rather to forgive him and comfort him lest peradventure such an one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow From whence we may see that the power of binding and loosing lyeth originally in the Church as such and not in the Ministery singly as such bâ—â— being considered together they are an intire Church or a Church in intire order and so the power is committed to them and therefore God will not have any to be Lords over his heritage for he hath overthrown sâ—me of them already and ere long will trise and mightily shâ—ke the earth and then the Lord â—ill overturn overturn overturn the râ—sidue of them and make them as the chaff of the summer thrâ—shing floor and the whirl-wind of his wrath small scatter them so as their place shall not be found Obj. But if it should be objected and said That Christ gave the keyes of the kingdome to Peter Mat. 16.18 to binde and loose whom he pleased and therefore the power is committed to Ministers as such and not to the Church Ans To which I answer and say that where it is said Thou art Peter and upon this rock viz. the Son of God will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it viz the Son of God which was IT the rock and I will give unto thee viz the Church that is built on ME the rock the keyes of the Kingdom and whosoever thou viz the Church that is so bâ—â—t bind on earth shall he bound in heaven So then where the word is rendred thee and thou as if it were to Peter as a single person may respect the Church which is built upon that rock which indeed is considered but as one single Woman or Spouse they being but one body of whom Chist is the head And therefore in the metaphorical discourse of Christ and his Church in the Canticles he speaks to her as a single