you vs of this as a consideratioÌ to reduce us to your church when we because such Atheists wicked ar coÌtrary to Gods wil suffred among you doe separate from your Church 3. Agayn who be those godly ministers and people you mean If such as are called Puritans they haue I suppose moe adversaries theâ freinds in your church yea the publick state alwes and canons of your church are against them and all that know the truth of God and theâr estate aright haue just cause to blame them for theâr long halting and dissembling If the Prelates be those godly minâsters they haue in regard of their vnlawfull places and proceedings many good people for their aduersaries both within and without the land and your selues also which suffer for sâparation in your church By neither of these two contrary factions among you ar men ordinarily conuerted unto Christ both sorts setting your selues against the true way of Chrâst for gathering and gouernmenâ of the Church and worship of God and so do hinder mens saluation and deserâe to be not approued but reproued in the name of the Lord. The 5. Consideration 5. GOD hath giuen witnââ for the truth of our ministerie by the vndoubted tâstimony of his gracious presence and approbation of the same by his gifts of 1. sanctifiâation 2 knowledge 3 spirit of discerning 4. of vtterance 5 of power and authority in teaching 6 effectuall and ordinarie âalling and begetting to the faiâh of God and bringing them from darknâs to light from the old man to the nâw from the flâsh vnto the spirit which ministery of ours begat you âlso if ever you were truây bâgotten in the spirit by Gods mârcie hath begotten me other hâs vnworthy seruants Answer 1. THe Papists will say as much as all this and more too if words will serâeâ for the ministery of their church they boast of theâr Friers Iesuâts holines knowledge utterance authority in teaching and their maruelous effects in conuerting to Christianity the Indians other âeâthens all ouer the world Yea what religeon glorieth not in tâe sanctitie gifts and effects of their ministerie But Gods word must try all 2. The ministerie of âour Church being Archbishops L. Bishops Deanes Archdeacons c Priests and Deacons as is to be seen in the books statutes and canons of your church you brâng not here any one word of God or text of scriptures which are his testimonies to witnes for the truth of your ministery and this is indeed worthy to be considered of vs of al that shall read your Considerations 3. Your own brethren heretofore confessed and complayned to the Parliament that you lack in England a right ministery of God that the ministers are neithâr proued elected called nor ordeyned according to Gods word This testimonie being true how then doth God giue witnes for the truth of your ministery 4. The witnesâes that you bring if they be examined wil say little ar nothing to this purpose For 1. The gift of santification is a common note of Christianity 1. Thes. 4.3 1 Pet. 2.9 and therefore no speciall note of a ministery This was Korahs argument when he would haue vsurped the Priesthood All the congregation is holy euery one of them why may they not therefore be Prâests Num. 16.3.10 But what saith the scripture No man taketh thââ honour to himselfe but he that is called of God as Aaron was Heb. 5.4 2.3 The second and third 2 knowledge 3 of the spirit of discerning are also generall for the whole church and not speciall for the ministerie Rom. 15.14 Phil. 1.10 Yea some in the flock may have a greater measure both of sanctification and of knowledge then the Pastor or teacher or any Officer It cannot be denied but Barsabas had knowledge as wel as Matthias yet was he not therefore an Apostle Act. 1.23.26 and they whose genealogies could not be found had knowledge as wel as the other Prâests yet were they not therâfore kept in the Priesthood Ezra 2.62 Boast not you therefore of your knowledge but shew vs yoâr genealogies in the scriptâres There be a great many in your ministerie called dumb Priestâ whâch are but bare readers by whose meanes many people perish for want of knowledge these testimonâes will be dumb for them yet your ââurch proclaymeth them to be ârue ministers Your best ministerâ of whose knowledge you boast shew themseluââ ignorant or worse in the ãâã or ãâã âlanting of a church whâles they will haue it as their âractise proueth with commixââre of al form without separation whereaâ they cannot shew any true church since the beginning of the world but was of a separaâed people Gen. 61.2 12 1. Lâv 20.23.24 Ezr. 6 21. Act. 2 40.41 19 9. c. 4. 5. The fowrth and fift 4. vttârance with 5 power authority in teaching are needfull in such as are ministers but no neceâsarie proof of a true ministerie For had not the false Apostles and Prophets utterance and power that preached wâth eloquence and wisdom of words dâsgracing the Apostles and Prophets of the Lord 2 Cor. 10.10 11.13.15 1. Kin. 22. â4 Ier. 23.31 28.1.2.10 11. 2 Tim. 3.8 Your ministers many preach not at al many preach to mayntain the pompous prelacie laudable ceremonies of your Church and they that prâach best shew little power or authority For how many yeers haue they been preaching for Discipline and against some corruptionâ of your church yet nothing preuailed but are further now at last then they were at the first Who knoweth not that the prelates haue closed vp the mouthes of many Ministers that the prophesie of Esaias is verified vpon them Isa. 56.10 and yet you boast of theâr utterance auâhority in teaching But lamentable ministers are they âll and the best of them may be seen to be but briers and to haue betrayed the authority of Christ For when they took the Order of Priesthood as they call it they solemnly promised euen before the Lord and by his help that they would giue their faithfull diligence alwayes so to minister the doctrine and sacraments and the discipline of Christ as the Lord hath commanded as this realm hath receiued the same according to the commandements of God so that they mought teach the people committed to their care and charge wâth all diligence to keep obseruâ the same They promised also reuerently to obey their ordinary other chief ministers is to whom the gouernmeÌt charg is commited ouâr them following with a glad mind and will their godly admoniâion and submitting theÌseluââ to their godly juâgement Yet your forward preachers as they are esteemed doe not minister the doctrine sacraments and discipline of Christ as thâ Lord hath commanded but sue and wait for authority from the Magâstrate to haue that whâch they count the true discipline of Christ erected in theâr parishes which because the ciuill Magistrate doeth not they practise
appoynted them These Elders called generally Bishops or Ouerseers had charge of their particular flocks and might not goe from them as did the Apostles but attend and feed them These now could not properly be sayd to beget their peoâle to the faith as the Apostle noteth to the Corinthians but to feed and instruct them and therefore are not called Fathers but Feeders or Pasters and Pedagogues Child-leaders or Instructeurs From which I gather that people must regenerate and borne again before they may be admitted into any particular church or haue officers ouer them and that ordinary ministers which feed their flocks cannot be sayd to beget them as is the common vawnt of you Ministers in England which me thinks even reason it selfe might shew you For you that are now over your parishes how found you your people at first a church or no church If you say a church then you begat them not but entred vpon other mens labours that were before you if you say they were not a church then you condemn the state of your parishes as they were planted before you were their Ministers Now then to come to your âroposition In whatsâever churches that is assemblies for so I vnderstand you to vse the werd generallie as the Scripture sometime vseth Ecclesia is such an ordinance of God in publick vse and force by which there is ordinarily made an vndoubted new birth c. they are true visible churches of Christ This I denie for in the assemblies of the heathens in the Apostles daies as before is proued there was such an ordinance of God sometimes in publick vse and force as by it ordinarilie there was made an vndoubted new birth as th' fruit of th' Apostles preaching sheweth· yet were not those assemblies of heathens true visible churches of Christ. but such onelie as were converted to God and separated from the rest that beleeved not and joyned in a holy communion togither were true visible churches Whereas you assume that in the best of your assemblies is such an ordinancâ of God c this also I denie for your ministers are not Gods ordinance he hath not called or sent them they execute no lawfull office in your assemblies But your assumption you say is manifest because by that ordinance âf preaching which is in publick vse and force there is ordinarily made an vndoubted new birth I answer first in verie many of your assemblies there is no such ordinance of preaching in publick use as you here bâast of but bare reading onely yet those assemblies are by the Constitutions of your church to be reputed as true visible churches as the other SecoÌdly in those other other where preaching is I deny that there is ordinarily madâ an vndoubed new birth Your proof is because thâre do ordinarily appear in many the undoubted fruites and testimonis of Gods spirit c. I answer first if this be so yet what will these many help the moât and greatest âumber in whom such fruits appear not When many of the hethens beleeued the Apostles word did their beleef bring the other that beleeued not into the church did not the Apostles separate the beleeuers from the rest and teach them to come from among them Yet you for the faith of some will vnite all the assemblie vnto Christ and his church contrary to the Apostles practise and to all the scriptures Secondly I deny that there doth ordinarily appear in many such vndoubted fruits of Gods spirit after your ordinary preaching as for which we may esteem them true visible churches Some fruites I knâw there doe appear so doe there among the Papists yea they take occasion for such things to reproch you that there follow not so many good works after your preaching as after their doctrine but among neyther of you are those fruits seen whâch by the testimonie of scriptures will proue you true visible churches So we haue here but your bare affirmation to rest vpon and though I might thus end with as bare a deniall tâl you bring further proof yet for to help the reader I wil shew that ordinarily there appeareth not a new birth after your preaching Because of your publick idolatrous estate whereân you stand subiect to Antichristian Prelatâs and canons whiles you haue your publick worship after the Romish idolatrous manner and are stil comming led in one bodie with the profane and serâents seed with many other evils among you which plainly shew you want the new birth and are stil in your old mothers womb This the scriptures which you allege in your proposition will confirme for the Apostles shew Iam 1 18 1 Pet 1 23. that Christs church is a people begotten of God with the word of truth that is the Gospell but your church was first begotten gathered constituted ordered and is still continued by the Magistrates word and authority which if it did not inforce the people the estate wherein you now stand would soon be changed your church dissolved and eyther be better or Worse And where you learned so to inforce fââth and constrein men to be members of your church I can not tel vnlesse you follow Mahomets doctrine who taught that men should be compelled to the faith by warr and sword Againe the Apostle addeth this for a testimony and end of our new birth that we should be as the first fruitâ of Gods creatures This men are not till they be as was Israel hallowed to the Lord Ier 2 3 which was by separation from the world Levit 20.26 and a willing covenant with the Lord Exod. 19.5 6.8 Dâut 26 17 18 19 And that the like must be of vs Christians an other scrâpture confirmeth saying These are they wâiâh are not defilâd with women for thây are virgins this implyeth a seâarâtâon from the world âhâsâ fâllow the Lamb whithârsoeuer he goeth this argueth a couenant and communion with Chriât and in the next words both poynts are repeted these are 1 bought from men being the first fruits 2 ânto Gâd and to the Lamb after this followeth the fruit and in their mouth ãâã found no guile for they are without spot before the throne of God Whereas therefore you haue stood so long against vs for separation and would mainteyn a meer confusion of all sorts of people in a Câârch vpon an imaginary separation made in the clowdes of your own fansies whiles outwardly and indeed you are one body with the wicked you are vndoubtedly âot yet borne a new your Church hath not strength to bring forth your ministers are vnskilfull midwiues and the saying of the Prophet coÌcerning the people of Ephraim is verified also vâoÌ your people be is an vnwise son els would be not stand still such a time even in the breaking forth of the childâen Hos 13 13. The 4. Argument IN what churches soeuer all things needfull to saluation by publick authoryây and gânârall approbation are ordinarily and
ground whereby thou maist good reader iudge the better of that which shal be sayd Yet mean I not to handle this poynt at large which in so many other writings thou moyst profitably read but onely to obserue such principall things as may giue light vnto the simple who many of them mistake this doctrine of the Churâh and erring once are ây seducers further led astray The Lord reduce all hiâ that erre and stablish his seruants in the truth for euer THis our English word Church through custome of speech is commonly vsed for the Temple or place where people come togither for the worship of God but they that are any thâng excercised in religion know that it also signifieth the People which gather togither for diuine service and this is the âirst and proper meaning of the word Churâh as it is vsed to expresse the originall scripture termes Kahal and Ecclesia 2. This name Church we English men which câme of the Saxons haue receiued from the Saxon German and Duitch cames Cyriâ Kirch Kerck whereby those nations now doe vsually call their Temples or meeting-places but the people which come togither in them they call the Gemeine and the Gemeinte that is to say the Communialtie we in our first English Bibles called it the Congregation 3. As all religion is learned out of holy scriptures so the name and doctrine of the church is from thence to be deduced and there the Church is called in Hebrew Kahal or Kehillab which signifieth a Convocation or Assemblie of people and Ghnedah that is to say a Congregation in Greek it is named Ecclesia that is in like manner a Conuocation or people called forth to an assembly and sometime Synagâgee that is a Congregation which word is also vsed for the place whereân the people assembled 4 The Hebrew word Kahal is diversly vsed sometimes more generally for a great or vniuersall multitude as of nations and of peââles sometymes more particularly for an aââembly of one nation as of the Israelites somtimes for apart of them as the Elders and Gouernours or some of the tribes of Israel apart or some of all the trâbes euen men women and children and indifferently for any assemblie and this not only of Gods people but of heathens also infidels 5. Likeweise the Greek word Ecclesia is of as large extent and signification vsed sometime for the church âenerally sometime for a particular church or congregation in a citie sometiâes more âarticulaâly in a house or family sometimes in the Greek version of the old testâment for an asâembly of Governours or company of Prophets or congreâatâon of the people and finally for any asâembly lawfull or vnlawfull of good men or of evill 6. These words thus genreall are in more speciall sort both by the scriptures and by vse of speach among all religious peoâle restreyned and applied to such Assemblies and congregations as are called and gathered for diuine excercises and so our English name of church is attributed peculiarly to spirituall or religious assemblies called ecclesiasticaââ and not to any other assemblies ciuill or polâtâcall 7. Of religious or ecclesiasticall assemblies generally considered there ar many sârts in the world all disalowed of god saue one sort onely which he acknowledgeth to be his and hath separated to himself from all the rest 8. The many false sorts may be reduced vnto fowr 1 The asâemblies of Pagans or heathen people which profesâe some God Gods or Goddesses whome they doe worship ignorantly hauing chaâged the truth of God into a lie and so seruing creatures not indeed the creator which is blessed for ever Amen 2 The assemblies of Iewes who professe the true God after a sârt and allow the writings of Moses aâd the prophets bât abhorre Christ Iesus our Sauiour and reiect the new testament 3 The aââemblies of Mahomisâs as Persians Turks Moores c. whâch professe also after their manner that one true God of whom Moses and the prophets wrote and acknowledge Chrâst to be a Proâhet sent of God yea and the breath or sâirit of God yet beleeu âhey not that he is God or the sonne of God or sauiour of the world but follow the lies and fablies of their false prophet Mahomet 4. Finally the churches or assemblies of false Christans which professe God and âiâ Sonne Christ into whose name they are baptised but by theâr works doe deny him and by their erroârs and heresies doe overthrow the truth of relââion 9. The 1 thrâe sorts Pâgans Iewes and Mahometists becaâse of theiâ so open and manifest dâny all of Christ and saluation by him are generally generally of Christians reputed as no Churches the laâter are reâuted no true but false churchâs and so also doe they esteem of true Christians and one of another Herevpon is continuall controuersie beâween true ând and false chrâstians which is the true church and how it âay be knowen 10. To help the weak and doubtfull in this case I will so truely and plainly as by the grace of God I can describe the trâe Church which in the holy scrââtures is called the Congregation and churâh of God consisting of godly and holy peoâle named Saints opposed to the wicked or malignant churchâs the Synagoues of Satan 11. The true church is a people called of God by the Gospell from the world vnto the communion or fellowshiâ of his sonne Iesus Chrâst in whome they are coupled and built togither to be the habitation of God by the spirit 12 The church is said to be a people nation or generation because it consisteth of many persons or of a mâltitude little or great for though a particular Christian is called and of the church yet no man is a church or congrâgation 13. It is a people called because every concourse or assemblie is not a true church none of themselues can come vnto this estate vnlesse they be called or drawen therevnto and they are sayd to be called of God because he onely calleth and draweth men vnto Christ with a holy calling and addeth them to his church no humane power or authority âs able to doe it 14. The Gospel noted to be the the meanes of our calling he maketh knowen vnto his people outwardly by his word spoken and written and inwardly by his holy spirit and thus the Church are all the taught of God 15. The state out of which the Church is caled is sayd to be out of or from the world whereby is meant first Satan the Prince of this world from whose power they are turned vnto God secondly the wicked people of the world called the children of the Diuill from whose communion and fellowshâp in their religion and all other wicked actions
comfort one another in the faith and feare of God whose power and presence they haue with them in all estates and places 44 So to conclude a true church is a sacred communiallty consociate and knit togither into a mistical body whose head is Christ whose members christians of any nation or condition whose soul is the word and whose spirit is the spirit of the liuing God who gathereth togither dry desolate bones layeth synewes on them makes flesh to grow and couereth them with skin and putteth breath in them that they may liue and stand vpon their feet an exceeding great army Vnto him for all his blessings be praise in his churches throughout all generations Amen Amen ARGVMENTS Disprouing the present estate and constitution of the CHVRCH of ENGLAND EVery true Church is the body of Christ and hath him for the head thereof For ât is wrâtten God hath appoynted him ouer all âhângs the head of the church which is his body Eph 1 22 23 and agayn to the church of Corinth it is sayd yâ are the bâdy of Christ 1 Cor 12 27. But the church of England is not the body of Christ neyther hath him for the hâad thereof Because it waâ first constituted as now it standeth of the members of Antichrist namely the idolatrous Papâsts which openly professed Antichristian sme in Q. Maries dayes haâing Abadden the Pope for their head and spilled much christian blood that they might mainteyn their Romish abominations Who all except some few that of themselues refused were at the beginning of Q. Elisabeths reign receâued into the body of the church and so haue continued they and their seed euer since Yet did they not then enter in by repentance and faith in Christ which two things are the beginning and foundation of the kingdome of God but by the commandement of the Magistrate were compelled vnto the Church sacraments ministery c. which then were by law establâshed and euer since continewed Now the Magistrates law cannot work faith in any seing faith is the gift of God and by his word onely is wrought in mans hart So that the Magistrate though he ouâth to abolish idolatrâe and set vp Gods true worship to suppresse all errours and cause the truth to be taught yet cannot he constreyn men to ioyne vnto the church but they must doe it williâgly and gladly the Lord perswading them herevnto And these of whome we speak not being perswaded by the Lord and his word but âs the worldly multitude alway is beâng ready to receiue any religion the prince woâld establish rather then they would suffer persecution wherein that their popish estate the body of Antichrist yet then compelled and vnâted vnto this church Agayn not onely those that were popishly ãâã and superstitious but such also as were profane and irreligâous atheists blasphemers whoremongers theeues drunkards witches and all other vngodly persons of which then were and still are too too many in the land these al though by reason of their wicked and miserable estate âhey wârlimmes of Satan and as the scripture calleth such children of the Diuill were yet receiued into the Church likeweise they and âheir seed so continew as the state of that Church plainely sheweth For eâen to this day profane people mockers and contemners of religion thaâ blasphem God and his holy name even in the streets as they walk such as cal themselues the donned crew Familists Atheâsts and all other sorts of miscreants and wicked liuers are members of the Church of Enâland vnited with the body and partakers of the sacraments and other holy actâons of the same Now these children of wrath this sinnfull generation cannot possibly be members of the body of Christ nor haue him for their head seing they are not partakers of his life and spirit nor called to his faith neither admitteth he any such vnto him vntil they repent he hath no coÌcord with Belial therefore not with the children of Belial the members of his glorious body must not be the dead stânking and abominable members of Satan Light and darknes heauen and hel will as soon be vnited togither Neyther will it be yenough to say that some are affected to reliâion are of better life and conuersation c. and that for their sakes the residew are sanctâfied and may be ioyned vnto and reputed Christs body and Church for they that professe more sincerity yet are not come to a true ârofeâsion of the Gospell or renoâncing of Idolatrie but after theâr false and popish manner worship God with the rest remayning one body one Church with them Now we are taught of God that the religious are so farr from sanctifying the wicked as contrariweise the wicked doe pollute them whatsoeuer the vnclean person toucheth sayth the Lord shal be vnclean and the person which toucheth him shal be vncleane â wherefore come out from among them and separate your selues and touch no vnclâane thing and I will receiue you and I will be a Father vnto you and ye shal be my sonns and daughters sayth the Lord almighty So then the religious and well affected people must separate from the rest if they would be acknowledged of God for his and not think by their holynes to sanctify the profane Agayn it is as easy to make peace agreement between Christ the Diuil as between Christ and such open obstinate synners the children of the Diuill yea it ouerturneth at once the first promise of saluation made by God and so the uery ground of Christian religion For when God first promised redemption to mankind it was by Christ the seed of the woman that should crush the serpents head who in due time appeared for this purpose that he might loose the works of the Diuill destroy and abolish him And as then the Lord put enmity between Christ and the serpent so did he also between him and the serpents seed that is wâcked men which being children of the Diuill would take the Diuâls part to hate and kill Christ and root out his châldren and reliâion accârding to whâch decree and word of his Father oâr Lord Iesus set himselfe not onely agaânst the Serpent but against sâch wicked men also as would not be turned from their impietie therefore he sayth by his proâhets Dâe not I hate them that hate thee ô Lorâ c I hate thâm with an vnfeighned hatred as they were mynâ vtter enemies I hate the assembly of eâil doers and company not with the wicked Betimâs wil I destroy all the wicked of thâ land that I may cut off all the workers of iniquity from the city of the Lord Three shepheards I cut of in one moneth and my sowl loathed loathed them and their sowl abhorred me with many such like speeches throughout the scriptures whereby Christ shewed how farr he was and would be from being head vnto