all things I have kept my self from being burdensome to you and so will I keep my self and what I do in this kinde that I will do and the ground of this practise he declareth to avoid scandall that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion and that he might stop the boastings of those false Apostles dececeifull workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ that wherein they gloried they may be found even as we 3. When Paul was neeessitated to labour with his hands he numbers it in the Catalogue of his sorrows as part of his sufferings To this hour we both hunger and thirst and are naked and buffeted and have no certain â—welling-place and labour working with our own hands 4. Though Paul refused maintenance yet he still taught Beleevers that it was a Gospel-Ordinance to maintain their Ministers for Who goeth to warfare at his own charges Shall Souldiers have no pay because when they are lawfully called forth they offer themselves freely to serve the publike Who planteth a Vineyard and doth not eat thereof 5. When Paul in the cases and for the persons above-mentioned refused maintenance yet he telleth the Corinthians that he received much from others I robbed other Churchss taking wages of them to serve you for that which was lacking to me they which came from Macedonia supplied and he abundantly commendeth the Philippians who were careful for his outward subsistence And their supply sent unto him he calleth an Odour of sweet smell a Sacrifice acceptable well-pleasing to God and that hereby fruit did abound to their account The sixth Argument is drawn from the Promises If God hath made particular Promises to them that work in this Ministry then this Office is by Divine Institution For God did never promise to keep up that Office in the Church which he hath not set up but hath said the contrary that every Plant which our Heavenly Father hath not planted shall be plucked up But God hath made peculiar Promises to them that work in the Ministry 1. That his speciall presence shall be with them Lo I am with you in this work of Teaching and baptizing though many or most may be against you 2. His speciall assistance God alone is alsufficient to make them who are insufficient of themselves to think one good thought able Ministers of the New Testament not only of the Letter but of the Spirit God alone continues these abilities from the perpetuall supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. From this speciall assistance it is that they which have this Ministry faint not under all affronts and discouragements totally and universally because they receive new supplies of Mercy from the Lord. 3. His speciall protection of them in all assaults He is present with all his Saints to protect and preserve them He is in the midst of the seven Golden Candlesticks and he walks in the midst of them These seven Golden Candlasticks are declared to be the seven Churches of Asia But God doth more then so to the Ministers of those Churches He is not only in them and walks in the midst of them but he holds the Stars in his right hand 4. Unto them he promiseth the power of the Keys and engageth himself that whatsoever they ministerially binde on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever they loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven And this promise first made to Pâ—ter was not limited to Peters person alone for Christ after his Resurrection makes good the same promise to all the other Apostles Whose sins soever ye remit are remitted and whose sins soever ye retain are retained And that this promise was not liimted to the Apostles as Apostles but was given to the Apostles as Ministers of the Gospel is evident from Mat. 18.17 18. where the same power is given to the ordinary Church-Officers that was given to the Apostles and the same encouragement given to them to exercise that censure 5. Christ Jesus promiseth speciall sympathy with them whatsoever entertainment they meet withall in the discharge of this Office He that receiveth you receiveth me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me And when the Ministers are despised hated and contemned Christ tels us he takes it is to himself as if these contempts were done to himself in his own person He that hateth them in reference to the r work hateth me He that despiseth them despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent mâ— which great promises though eminently given to the Apostles yet are not limited to the Apostles as Apostles but extended to all the Ministers sent to preach the Gospel for so Christ himself expounds these Promises Verily Verily I say unto you He that receiveth whomsoever I shall send receiveth me Now if the promise be to all whomsoever Christ sends then not only to the Apostles for besides them Christ sent other Pastors who were not immediatly called and sent as the 12. and the 70. yet they were proved before to have been sent and set in the Church by Christ. 6. Christ is so tender of the good or bad usage of his Ministers that he hath undertaken to recompence all that good done to them He that receiveth a Prophet in the Name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophets reward And though this be true also of every righteous man and Disciple in his proportion yet our Lord doth evidently there distinguish betwixt the Prophet by Office and the righteous man or disciple as he doth also betwixt a Prophets reward and a righteous mans reward And so in all ages God hath taken it kindely when his faithfull Ministers have been protected and countenanced It stands upon record as a token of the sincerity of Obadiah that in that general persecution by Iezabel he had a hundred of the Lords Prophets and hid them fifty in a Cave and fed them with bread and water And of Hezekiah that good King who walked before the Lord with a perfect heart there is this testimony recorded that he spake comfortably unto all the Levites which taught the good knowledge of the Lord But those Kings and Rulers that abused the Ministers are noted as enemies to God himself Ahab and Amazia c. And contempt of Ordinances and Ministers sent from God is made the saddest fore-runner of ruine and desolation When they mocked the Messengers of God despised his Word and misused his Prophets Then the wrath of the Lord rose up against his people till there was no remedy The Lord was tender of the Ministry of the Law because glorious Now doth not the holy Ghost tell us that the Ministry of the Gospel doth exceed in Glory That among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater then Iohn Baptist Notwithstanding he that is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater then he not
ISA. 66.21 I will also take of them for Priests and for Levites saith the Lord. EPHES. 4.8 11 12 13. When he ascended up on high he gave gifts unto men And he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ. Till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. HEB. 5.4 5. And no man taketh this honour to himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high-Priest but he that said unto him Thou art my Son to day have I begotten thee 1 TIM 4.14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee which was given thee by Prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery LUTH Tom. 4. Lat. Ien. fol. 19. Non fortunat Deus labores eorum qui non sunt vocati quanquam salutaria quaedam afferant tamen non aedificant Ius Divinum Ministerii Evangelici OR THE DIVINE RIGHT OF THE Gospel-Ministry Divided into two Parts The first Part containing A Justification of The Gospel-Ministry in general The Necessity of Ordination thereunto by Imposition of hands The Vnlawfulnesse of private mens â—ssuming to themselves either the Office or Work of the Ministry without a lawfull Call and Ordination The second Part containing A Justification of the present Ministers of England both such as were Ordained during the prevalency of Episcopacy frâ—m the â—oul aspeâ—sion of Antichristianism And those who have been Ordained since its abolition from the unjust imputation of Novelty Proving that a Bishop and Presbyter are all one in Scripture and that Ordination by Presbyters is most agreeable to the Scripture-Patern Together with an Appendix wherein the Iudgement and Practice of Antiquity about the whole matter of Episcopacy and especially about the Ordination of Ministers is briefly discussed Published by the Provincial Assembly of London LONDON Printed by Iohn Legat and Abraham Miller 1654. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER IT is reported of Bucer that he was so eager of Peace with Luthâ—r that he was like to a man Qui prae nimia aviditate etiam foeces haurireâ— who by an overmuch greediness after Unity was ready to swallow down many of Luthers errours For our parts Though we should be loath to buy Peace with the loss of Truth yet such have been the unexpressible mischiefs that the divisions of Brethren have brought upon this Nation and such is our earnest desire after an happy Accommodation that we hope we can truly close â—hough not with the former yet with another saying of Bucers That we would willingly purchase with the losse of our lives the removing of the infinite scandals that have been given to the Churches of Christ by the divisions of Christians Eusebius reports of Constantine though a great Emperour That he was more troubled with the dissentions of the Church then with all the warres in his Dominions That he took them so to heart that he could not sleep quietly for them yea although he had a spiritfull of heroick valâ—ur yet the dissentions of the Church were such evils to him as to cause him to shed many a tear c. Our prayer to God is that the same affection towards the Churches of Christ in these three Nations may be kindled in all our brests And We doubt not but through the grace of God We are able in Sincerity to profess with Luther That we are as desirous to imbrace Peace and Concord as We are desirous to have the Lord Iesus to be propitious to us And therefore fore-seeing that this ensuing Treatise will meet with many Adversaries of different Perswasions and with much opposition We thought fit to give the Reader notice of our intentions here lest We should be thought to be enemies to Peace and hinderers of that long desired and often praied for Union between dissenting Brethren There are six sorts and ranks of men whom We have occasion to deal with in this Book 1. Such as are against the very Office of the Ministery and that affirm That there is no such Office instituted by Christ to be perpetual in his Church We look upon this Assertion as destructive unto Christian Religion and to the souls of Christians 2. Such as say That it is lawfull for any men that suppose themselves gifted though neither Ordained nor approved by able men to assume unto themselves a power to preach the Word and Administer the Sacraments This Opinion We judge to be the high-way to all Disorder and Confusion an inlet to Errours and Heresies and a Door opened for Priests and Jesuites to broach their Popish and Antichristian Doctrine 3. Such as hold That the Ministry of England is Antichristian That our Churches are no true Churches but Synagogues of Satan and that there is no Communion to be held with us This Opinion We conceive to be not only false and uncharitable but contradictory to Peace and Unity 4. Such as say That Episcopacy is an higher Order of Ministry above Presbytery by Divine Right That Christ hath given the sole Power of Ordination and Jurisdiction unto Bishops And that Ordination of Ministers is so appropriated to them by the Gospel that all Ordinations by single Presbyters are null and void and that Sacraments by them administred are no Sacraments These Assertions We look upon not only â—s groundlesse and unscriptural but as cruel and utterly overthrowing all the Protestant Reformed Churches and Ministers Now though We hope We can truly say that We have with all Meekness and Christian Moderation managed the Debate with these four sorts of Adversaries and shall be ready to exercise all Offices of Christian Love and Affection towards them and by requiting good for evil labour to heap coals of fire upon their heads yet notwithstanding such is the great Distance between Them and Us in Judgement and Practice and such is the bitternesse of their Spirits in their Opposition against Us that We have little hope for the present till the Lord be pleased to work a happy change of Judgment in them of any real and hearty Accord and Agreement with them 5. A fifth sort are our Reverend Brethren of New and Old-England of the Congregational way who hold Our Churches to be true Churches and Our Ministers true Ministers though they differ from Us in some lesser things We have been necessitated to fall upon some things wherein they and We disagree and have represented the Reasons of Our Dissent But yet We here profess That this Disagreement shall not hinder Us from any Christian Accord with them in Affection That We can willingly write upon Our Study-doors that Motto which Mr Ieremiah Burroughes who a little before his Death did ambitiously indeavour after Union amongst Brethren as some of
temporary but morall and so perpetuall All the Disciples of Christ now need the same means as the Christians during the Age of the Apostles that we also might be baptized into Christ to be baptized into his death buried with Christ by Baptism that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newnesse of life Neither doth the Baptism of the Spirit disanull the Baptism of water but rather confirm it For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body whether we be Jews or Gentiles bond or free 3. If we consider the nature use or efficacy of Baptism it is called by the holy Ghost a saving Ordinance and is unto believers and their seed in the New Testament as the Ark was to Noah and his â—amily in the Old world who being in the Ark was saved from perishing in the waters when the rest were drowned so Baptism that doth now save us not only or mainly the outward part of it the putting away the filth of the flesh which yet is an Ordinance to further our salvation but when the Spirit of Regeneration effectually concurs so that we finde that there is a renewing of the holy Ghost and thereby the answer of a good Conscience towards God Thirdly For the Sacrament of the Lords Supper it is evident 1. That it is an Ordinance of God appointed by Jesus Christ for he alone who gives grace hath power to appoint the means whereby he will convey grace as no man can create new Articles of Faith to be bâ—â—eeved so no man can appoint new Sacraments to be received Only Jesus Christ the Prince and Mediatour of the New Covenant the High Priest of our profession who hath all power in Heaven and Earth and who alone is able to fill all his own Ordinances which in externall appearance seem but mean with inward efficacy and sprituall fullnesse He hath first instituted this Sacrament and also administred it even the same night in which he was betrayed 2. This Ordinance was not only appointed to and for the Apostles to whom it was first administred but unto all believers both Jews and Gentiles by whom it is to be received not only once as Baptism for we reade no Institution to baptize the same person more then once But our Lord hath prescribed the frequ ent reiterated use of this Sacrament that we should often â—at this Bread and drink this Cup and accordingly the Apostles and the primitive Christians did frequently celebrate thiS Ordinance 3. It is evident that this Sacrament was appointed not only for that age but for all succeeding generations therefore Believers are commanded to frequent this Ordinance and in eating this Bread and drinking this Cup to shew forth the Lords Death till he come for our Lord that will have his Church to continue in all successions till the day of his appearance hath both enjoyned all Beleevers as their duty to perpetuate the use of this Sacrament in their severall generations and hath also foretold for their comfort that this Ordinance shall continue till the day of his last coming So then these Ordinances being appointed by God to continue to the end hereby it appears that the Lord hath designed the Office of the Ministry to hold up and hold forth his Ordinances to the end of the world If the Promises which Christ hath made to uphold the Ministry be perpetuall then the Office is perpetually necessary But these Promises are perpetual That Christ hath made promises to uphold the Ministry hath been proved in the former Proposition out of Mat. 28.20 c. The only doubt which can remain is Whether these Promises were limited to that age wherein the Apostles lived or whether they do reach all succeeding ages to the end of the world Wherein who can better resolve us then Christ himself in the words of the promise Go teach and baptize and lo I am with you alwaies to the end of the world 1. This Promise we grant was made first and immediatly to the Apostles but the Query is Whether solely and only unto them as they were Apostles It cannot be denied but many precepts and promises given to them were of a different nature 1. Some to the Apostles as Apostles and 2. Some to Apostles as Ministers and 3. Some to Apostles as Beleevers If any demand how shall we know when Christ spake to them as Apostles when to them as Ministers and when to them as Christians We answer That the best way to discern this is to consider the nature of these precepts and promises if they be of an extraordinary nature â—â—ove what God hath commanded or promised to all beleeverâ— oâ— to all ordinary Ministry Then these commands or promises are peculiar to Apostles as Apostles as extraordinary Officers For instance When Christ had called the twelve He gave them power against unclean spirits to cast them out and to heal all manner of sicknesses and all manner of diseases And these being extraordinary promises it appears they were made to the Apostles as Apostles and not to them either as Beleevers or as Ministers If they be of a common nature wherein all Saints and Disciples of Jesus Christ are equally concerned then though they were given to the Apostles yet not only to them as Apostles but to them as Beleevers who also partake of like precious faith with them through the righteousnesse of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ When Christ commanded them to watch for ye know not what hour the Lord will come this duty was laid upon them immediatly and apart from others as appears His Disciples came to him privately saying When shall these things be Yet this duty is of such a nature as is common to all beleevers and so elsewhere Christ expounds it What I say unto you I say unto all Watch When Christ taught his Disciples to pray in them he taught the same duty to all beleevers And all these commands to deny our selves take up the Crosse and follow him are so given to the Apostles as they also oblige all beleevers So when Christ praied for the Apostles that God would sanctifie them with all truth he prayed not for them alone but for all that were given to him of the Father which should also beleeve in him through their Word So all those great and precious promises which pertain to life and godlinesse whereby all beleevers partake of the divine nature having escaped the pollutions which are in the world through lust were given not only to the Apostles but to all Beleevers The ignorance or non-observance of this distinction hath led the Papists into many absurdities as when Christ gave the Cup to the Apostles because they all were Ministers therefore they do not conceive themselves obliged by that example to give the Cup to the Laity whereas Christ gave the Cup to the Apostles not
Prophets saying Let us go after other gods So in the Apostles times there rose up many false Teachers who desired to be Teachers of the Law understanding not what they say nor whereof they do affirm Who crept into Houses and did leade captive silly Women laden with sin and led away with divers lusts which false Teachers could countenance or at least connive at any errour though never so absurd and destructive to the tenents which themselves professed yet they did ever joyn in resisting the Truth men of corrupt mindes reprobate concerning the Faith It was the danger of the Christian Churches planted by the Apostles to be assaulted and deluded by false Teachers among the beleeving Romans there were some to be marked and to be avoided which did cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which they had learned and those Seducers did not serve our Lord Iesus Christ but their own bellies and by their good words and fair speeches deceived the hearts of the simple Among the Corinthians there were False Apostles deceitfull workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ and no marvell for Satan though he never change his nature and malice yet he oft alters his habit and pretences and when he cannot prevail as an opposer he turns professour and preacheth and so transformeth himself into an Angel of Light and therefore it is no great thing if his Ministers be transformed as the Ministers of righteousnesse These cried down the Ministry and Apostleship of Paul to set up themselves and their own errours which forced that holy Apostle to insist so largely in defending his Ministry in the 12. Chapter of that Epistle Among the Galatians there were some that troubled them whom Paul wisheth were cut off and these perverted the Gospel of Christ and by whom the Galatians were soon removed from him that called them into the grace of Christ unto another Gospel For even Satan and his messengers when they cannot prevail by their cunningly devised fables Then as Luther observes the Devil hath his Gospel and his agents will broach new truths such as Paul and the rest of the Apostles knew not Among the Ephesians Paul fore-told that after his departure grievous wolves should enter in among them not sparing the flock also of your selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw disciples after them And the Apostles have foretold us That in the last times errours shall abound and men shall not only privily as then but even boldly and arrogantly as it is now bring in damnable heresies denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction And the most groundlesse errours because more sutable to our depraved natures draw more in a day then the most solid truths can obtain in many years Luther thus complains It is a grief and lamentation that Satan more hinders and wounds the Gospel by his ministers and phanatical spirits then all the Kings Princes and Prelates which with their open force have persecuted it or yet continue in the persecution of it How hard a thing is it to prepare a people for the Lord Ten years are spent before the foundation of a Church is well laid and when it is laid there creeps in some simple and ignorant fanatick that can say and do nothing but rail at Gods faithfull Ministers and this silly idiot in one moment overthrows a work of so many years Whose heart doth not bleed at the thoughts of such a sad disaster And therefore the hearers and followers of Seducers shall multiply many shall follow their pernicious wayes by whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of In the Church of Pergamus There were some who held the doctrine of Balaam and also some that held the doctrine of the Nicholaitans which thing saith God I hate In Thiatyra there was the woman Iezabel though never called of God to any office yet she called her self a Prophetess and who taught and reduced many of Gods servants to commit fornication And in the last dayes the holy Ghost fore-tels expresly That men shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits And therefore the Ministry is and shall be perpetually necessary in the present and future ages And hence it is that Satan and his messengers do so extreamly traduce and vilifie the Ministers of God who withstand their errours and multitudes of men who drive on various interests and scarcely agree in any one thing yet they can all unanimously agree in this to Oppose and so much as in them lies to Extinguish the Ministers and will entertain no thoughts of peace but upon this condition that the Ministers be abolished and then they seem to promise to themselves and others rest as if they would proceed no further which is much like that wherewith Demosthenes refuted Alexander that that league must needs be destructive to the flock wherein the Keepers and Shepherds of the flock must be abandoned And if this be once obtained the people shall soon finde That when the Shepherd is smitten the flock will be scattered Mat. 26.31 Secondly As the need is perpetual and as great in these times as in former so God is careful to provide for the necessities of his Saints as well in the later times as in the former dayes This needs no proof because many rather now think that God neglected all former Saints in comparison to us and so magnifie the Saints of this present age that they either condemn or lightly esteem the generation of righteous men that lived before us But however sure it is that God is tender of his youngest children and that the Primogeniture shall not carry all away If our elder Brethren had a double portion yet God hath provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect However we are sure that the Covenant is the same to us that it was to them Christ the Mediator of the Covenant is the same yesterday and to day and the same for ever The relation of the Church to hi m is tender Acts 9.5 and Christ undertaking is as full a ever so to preserve the Church That the gates of hell shall not prevail against it Thirdly As our need and Gods care are perpetual so the great and sole ordinary means which our Lord in his tender regard to the souls of his hath appointed to heal our nature so corrupt to clear his mysteries which are so high to detect the frauds of Satan which are so prevalent and to counter-work seducers which are so many and so active is the Ministry of the Word For God hath not revealed any other way in Scripture whereby he hath promised to call home his elect effectually to separate them from an evil world to be a peculiar people to himself then by the preaching of the Word Therefore the Ministry is perpetually necessary to bring in
despise the balm of Gilead and reject all healing medicines It is in the number of those sins which go before us unto judgement when people put away the Ministry of the Word from them they are said by the holy Ghost before the day of Judgement come to judge themselves unworthy of eternall Life And thus we have done with the Arguments proving the perpetuity of the Ministry there remains one great Objection to be Answered CHAP. III. Wherein the grand Objection Asserting the Loss of the Ministry under Antichrist is Answered WE confesse that there was a Ministry Ordained of Christ and continued all the daies of the Apostles and some Centuries after yet the Mystery and Ministry of the Man of Sinne was then working which at length so farre prevailed that all the world wondered afâ—er the Beast and power was given him over all Kindreds and Tongues and Nations so that be causâ—d all both great and small rich and poor bond and free to receive his Mâ—rk in their Right hand or in their Foreheads In this Apostacy the Church which had been a chaste Virgin became the Mother of Harlots and Abominations and not only the Kings and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the Wine of her Fornications but especially the Priests in all Nations were the abominable Pandors to promote the filthinesse of her Whoredoms they were the Merchants made rich by her Fornications Now under this Reign of Antichrist Bethel was turned into Bethavâ—n the Ministry was wholly lost being only in pretence for Christ but in reality for Antichrist And therefore we look upon all Ministers now as Members of that notorious Strumpet as Locusts from the bottomlesse Pit as Priests of Baal and Limbs of Antichrist and so account it not a sinne but a duty to contemn their persons and abhorre their Ministry We acknowledge first that the Apostacy under Antichrist was exceeding dreadfull Secondly That not only the people and the Princes but the Priests also had a great hand and were chief agents in this defection Thirdly That its the duty of Gods people to come out of Babylon that they partake not of their sins nor receive of their plagues But yet we need the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in Christ that we may know the things that differ that we may not call good evil and evil good but according to the Word of truth judge righteous judgement And therefore we intreat the Reader or this Objector conscientiously to ponder these Considerations 1. Consider as there have been many false Christs so there are and have been many mistaken Antichrists and the holy Ghost bids us not to beleeve every Spirit but to try the spirits when many shall say Loe here is Christ and loe there is Christ And it s as true of Antichrist some say Lo here is Antichrist Some Lo there yet the Lord commands us saying beleeve them not The Truths Ordinances Servants and Ministers of Christ do not therefore cease to be of Christ because some either by mistake or by design shall say they are of Antichrist The Doctrine of the Deity of Christ who is God blessed for ever will not cease to be a most precious Truth because Michael Servetus Georgius Blandatra Franciscus David Laelius Socinus and his adherents condemn it as an Antichristian Errour Was Valentinus Gentilis therefore a friend and Martyr to God the Father because he died as an enemy to God the Son Were the Valdenses who appeared against the Romish errours the limbs of Satan because some of the Romanist affirm that Satan was let loose in Berengarius and his Disciples How luxuriant and confident are the fancies of many concerning the things contained in the Revelations wherein modest Christians would chuse rather to be humbly inquisitive then Dogmatically positive Was Innocent the third the lesse nocent or was Pope Calixtus the more holy because some of their followers make them to be the Angel coming down from heaven having the Key of the bottomlâ—sse pit to binde Satan as if the binding of Satan were nothing else but to Excommunicate Emperours and to depresse the Imperial power under the Papal Shall Dominicus or Franciscus those two great Founders of the Orders of the Friars Dominican and Franciscan the great upholders of Papacy shall they be lesse suspected because some of their disciples admired them and confidently averred them to be that Angel ascending from the East having the Seal of the living God Rev. 7.2 Men have no power to make Christian Unchristian or Antichristian either persons or things according to their pleasure The Word of God is established in the heavens and his Truths do not vary after the variety of mens mistaking fancies Therefore we have great need to be sober and humble and to beg of the Lord the spirit of love and of a sound minde that we may neither justifie the wicked nor condemn the Righteous 2. Consider concerning Antichrist Though we grant it that Antichrist is not an individual person as Bellarmine and the Papists generally affirm But the state and succession of men which with one and the self same spirit oppose Christ. 2. That the seat of this great Whore is not as some intimate Constantinople nor Ierusalem as others affirm but Rome that great City that then reigned over the Kings of the earth spiritually called Sodom and Egypt And 3. that the Antichrist is not the Turk and Mahumetanism in the East But the Pope and Papism in the West yet there is no ground to condemn every thing in that Antichristian Synagogue for Antichristian for without all question the Books of the Old and New Testament were wonderfully preserved even in mystical Babylon As formerly when the Oracles of God were committed to Israel the Lord continued the holy Scripture in the Jewish Church notwithstanding their spiritual Apostacy and Babylonish Captivity The good Word of the Lord is no lesse the Word of Truth because the false Antichristian Synagogue do acknowledge it no more then the Scripture ceaseth to be the Scripture because Satan the father of lies did alledge it Gold is gold wherever you finde it Truth is truth however men either accept it or contradict it It 's a vast comprehensive Errour to reject all Tenents though never so true for errours because an erroneous Society doth confesse them For all is not false which the false Church asserteth Every errour is founded upon the mistake of some truth as every evil doth usually arise from the abuse of some good In this mixture of good and evil light and darknesse where there are many precious truths yet many abominable falshoods it 's our duty to sever between the righteous and the vile that we neither swallow down all for truth because there is a mixture of truth nor reject all for false because there is superadded a redundancy of falshood Antichrist sitteth in the Temple of God and his coming is
with all deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse therefore we must Watch and Pray for the spirit of discerning that we may distinguish between things that differ 3. Consider as the Lord had his truths so he had his Church in Babylon during the rise and growth and reign and continuance of Antichrist The Apostacy though generall over all tongues and kindreds and Nations yet it was not so universall in all individuall persons but that there were a remnant according to the Election of grace As in the Baalitish Apostacy the Lord reserved seven thousand who had not bowed their knees to Baal So in this Antichristian defection the Lamb upon Mount Sion had 1â— times 12. thousand that adhered to the doctrine of the 12. Apostles and these 144000 had their Fathers name written in their Forehead redeemed from among men bâ—ing the first-fruits unto God and to the Lamb and in their mouth was found no guile and they were not defiled with those Antichristian whoredomes For they are Virgins they were the true seed of the woman which keep the Commandments of God and have the testimony of Iesus Christ against whom the Dragon raged And therefore when the Romanists ask where was the Church before Luthers time We answer it was in and among them though it was not of them The Waldenses Albingenses Berengarians Pauperes de Lugduno or Lionists Lollards in severall places having many other severall names and these in the severall ages of the Reign of Antichrist held the truth of Jesus and opposed the errours of the man of sin which severall Popes endeavoured to destroy but could never effect All the Kings and Potentates of the earth were stirred up against them and a Decree made that if any temporall Lord did neglect to expell them out of his Dominions that he should be excommunicated his subjects absolved from allegiance and all their Lands confiscate and given to others Hence some of the Princes of the earth made it Treason for any of their Subjects either to hear or harbour them or any waies to releeve them And the armies raised against the Saracens and Mahometans were converted against these poor Christians and plenary indulgence pardon of all sin promised to all that would fight against them And if in France alone as it s reported in the History of that War there were slain ten hundred thousand what shall we think the number of them to be who were slain in all other Nations Yet under all these pressures and persecutions though they were often dispersed yet they could not be extinguished but these afflicted people of the Lord being scattered fled into Provence and the Alpes some into Calabria Bohemia Polonia and into Britain as Thuanus in his Preface And though many Opinions were imputed to them to make them odious yet their accusers do wofully and wonderfully contradict themselves as some of our Learned men do prove and some of them ingenuously confesse yet their main tenents were that they renounced the Church of Rome as the mysticall Babylon contemned the Pope as the man of sin and rejected their severall Popish opinions as Antichristian They held the same truths for substance that the Protestants now professe Insomuch as some of the adversaries confesse that they who are now Calvinists were anciently called Berengarians and the New Protestants are the Old Waldenses This Sect some of the Papists complain to be of all most pernicious to the Church of Rome 1. Because it is most ancient and durable having continued from the time of Pope Sylvester Others say from the time of the Apostles 2. Because most generall no part of the earth scarce free from it 3. Because it hath the greatest appearance of godlinesse for they live justly towards men and believe all things well concerning God only they blaspheme and hate the Church of Rome As the Lord had his Saints during all the Reign of Antichrist so he raised up his Ministers who in their severall successive ages in severall places testified against the spirituall whoredomes idolatrous worships and deceiving frauds of Antichrist it 's true as the generality of the people so the generality of the Priests in those times did worship the Beast even all that dwelt upon earth whose names were not written in the Lambs Book of Life and some observe that it was the righteous judgement of the Lord upon the Church at that time that such an Apostate people should have such apostaticall Priests and the holy Ghost maketh this one expresse ground because men did not receive the love of the truth that they might be saved therefore God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeve a lie that they all might be damned who beleeved not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse But in this generall defection both of people and of their Teachers The Lamb had a remnant with him who were called and chosen and faithfull even an afflicted poor remnant of Pastors as well as of people reserved in the midst of Babyltn who did trust in the Name of the Lord and those godly pious Priests were both obedient unto and bold in the faith of Jesus Now if there were such Ministers during the reign of Antichrist that followed the Lamb did not defile their garments but preached and prayed and lived and died in their constant and consciencious oppositions of the man of sinne then surely the Ministry was not totally lost under the reign of Antichrist But that there were such appears both by Holy Scripture-prophesie which foretels it and unquestionable History of the Church that confirms it In the one men may learn what God spoke with his mouth In the other what the Lord fullfilled with his own hand The holy Ghost expresseth that there should be some to prophesie in Sackcloth one thousand two hundred and sixty daies Now not to dispute but taking that for granted which the best Interpreters assert and by Arguments out of the Revelations prove 1. That those One thousand two hundred and sixty daies are not naturall daies but propheticall every day taken for a Year as Ezek. 4.6 Num. 14.14 2. That those two Witnesses prophesying were not two individuall persons as Enoch and Elias as Bellarmine and other Papists affirm but a succession of Holy men stirred up all that time to testifie the truth of Christ against Antichrist as our learned men prove 3. That the Reign of the Beast continuing for 42 moneths which moneths taken prophetically as before every day for a year and reckoning for every monâ—th 30 daies now multiply the 42 by the 30. and the reign of the Beast is 1260 years and though there be great difficulty when to begin the rise and reign and most Expositors herein much vary yet in the continuance there is a generall accord and none can rationally make any question about it 4. That these Sackcloth-prophecies though but very few comparatively to the Locusts out of
pure and then peaceable gentle easie to be entreated But the Spirit of Antichrist is high and hot and furious usurping an infallibility of judgement and unchurching all that differ from him and do not you unsaint all persons and unchurch all Societies dissenting from you and may not this rise from the spirit of delusion which worketh strongly in the Children of disobedience 4. It is the Opinion of many that the slaying of the Witnesses is not past but that the time thereof is very near when Popery shall once again prevail And the Reformed Churches shall be punished by taking away these Witnesses for a time because they received them not according to the dignity of their Embassage And are not you preparing your selves and others to help on this slaughter why do so many pray in bloud and offer strange fire upon Gods Altar as if nothing could give content till the Ministry be ruined and doth not this Tenent That the Ministers are the Limbs of Antichrist binde you to shed their bloud and to account it good service to God not only to unsynagogue them which you have done already but to kill them That so among you also may be found the bloud of the Prophets and of the Saints Q. 2. Do you not hereby wound all the Reformed Churches darkning the beauty and obstructing the progresse of Reformation When the Lord stirred up Luther in Germany Zuinglius at Zurich Calvin at Geneva to set upon this great work multitudes in all Nations begun to embrace the truth and to fly from the rents of Babel Antichrist was made so naked and bare in all the filthinesse of his whoredomes that the whole world was ready to forsake her Had not Satan stirred up this cursed Tenent wherewith many were levened Rotmannus Cnipperdoling Iohn Leyden and others opposed Luther as a false Prophet as bad as the Pope and of the two they said Luther was the worst Antonius Pockquius under pretence of spirituall liberty seduced many into the reality of carnall security and how furious the Antinomians and Anabaptists were in Germany we had rather lament then expresse And did not Satan by these Agents prevail to weaken the hands of those Heroick Worthies and so caused the work to cease and many to relapse How little hath been the Progresse of the Protestant Religion ever since And now of late when the Lord stirred up many in this Island to seek to serve the Lord with a pure worship the work went forward with great felicity till this conceited opinion obtained since which time the spirits of professors have been so alienated and embittered that the way of truth is every where evill spoken of Q. 3. Hath not the Lord greatly testified from Heaven against this Tenent in his spirituall Judgements upon many the great promoters of it Since they despised the Ministry deserted the Ordlnance how are they fallen from heaven some turning Scepticks and Seekers others Ranters and Quakers and what not falling and falling till at last they grow openly prophane and profligate Atheists Q. 4. Doth not this opinion greatly endanger the souls of others Are not all sinfull enough naturally hating Teachers and scorning to be reproved being enemies to light and truth Why should you strengthen the hands of sinners that whereas formerly they could not sin against light but they had many checks of conscience now they despise instruction and hate to be reformed and when they sin most fully and fouly yet they sin without reluctancy and glory in their own shame so that if these men perish in their gain-sayings yet may not their bloud be required at your hands who have not only misled them into errour but have killed them with prejudice against the remedy which should reclaim them Q. 5. Is not this opinion the sad abuse of the great liberty now enjoyed In times of former trouble How did Professors live sincerely love fervently pray and fast and mourn together But by these Tenents the Staff of Bands and Beauty is broken and dashed in pieces one upon another which may justly provoke the Lord to cut short the day of liberty that men may learn by the want of liberty how to prise and sadly bewail their wofull abuse of it Q. 6. If your principles about an universall liberty be true why are you so untrue to your own principles you can well endure men that deny the Immortality of the soul the verity of Scriptures the Deity of Christ the God-head of the holy Ghost and those that defend any thing whatsoever is contrary to sound doctrine These you can tolerate defend hug in your bosome and if any one speak against any the broachers of those errours You cry out Persecution Persecution yet at the self same time you persecute to your uttermost all Ministers who take themselves bound in conscience to defend the Ministry You do and can tolerate the most prophane and hereticall but these Ministers Consciences you cannot tolerate Are you not partiall in your selves and become Judges of evil thoughts whilst you justifie that in your selves as a duty which you condemn in others as an abominable iniquity Why are your professed principles so uneven and you so contradictory to your own principles Be not like the Jews who please not God and are contrary to all men Q. 7. Have you not cause to fear that the Lord may leave you as he did your Predecessors in Germany who held the same Tenents with you gloried as much as you in their own confidences and condemned as you do all others Railed first against the Ministry then raged aginst the Magistracy brought both Church and State into confusion put the Countrey into burning Flames wherein at length themselves were consumed to ashes Do not therefore persist in kindling these false fires Walk no longer in the light of the sparks that you have kindled lest you have this at the hand of the Lord to lie down in sorrow CHAP. IV. Containing part of the Third Proposition SHEWING That none ought to take upon him the Office of the Ministry without a Call IT is manifest by the Word of God That no man ought to take upon him the Office or work of a Minister till he be lawfully called and ordained thereunto As the Church and State are distinct Polities so have they Subjects Laws and Officers distinct alwaies in the formal conception though materially in divers things they may agree Mat. 12.21 Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things that are Gods The things of God and Caesar are distinct Thus Luke 2.11 Man who made me a Iudge or divider over you a Preacher and a Judge are two distinct callings These Officers for their Institution Vocation Incouragement depend not solely nor principally upon man but are given and confirmed to theChurch by Christ the King of Saints and great Shepherd of Souls for ends and purposes most honourable and necessary in all ages of the world Mat. 28.29
the Tabernacle ver 16.24 Quest. 1. But why did not they go unto the Tabernacle as the rest did Ans. Tostatus saith It was out of a modest bashfullnesse and sense of their own unworthinesse Ainsworth saith that it is probable that as Saul when he was to be made King withdrew and hid himself among the stuffe 1 Sam. 10.22 so these two unwilling to take the charge upon them withdrew their shoulders and came not to the Tabernacle yet the Lord by his Spirit found them out For whether shall men go from his Spirit or whither shall they go from his presence Psa. 139.7 See more for this out of Ainsworth upon the place Quest. 2. But if these were two of the seventy Elders why doth Ioshua desire Moses to forbid them Ans. 1. Because he might not know that they were set apart to be members of the Senate as well as the rest 2. Because they obeyed not Moses to come out to the Tabernacle as he commanded for the Disciples forbad one that cast out devils in Christs Name because he followed not them Luke 9.49 50. 3. Especially thus he spake out of an envious zeal for his Master Moses sake as the verse following sheweth that he would not have the use of the gift of prophecy common â—nd therefore Moses answereth ver 29. Enviest thou for my sake But though Ioshua would have had them inhibited prophesying yet Moses did not forbid them which is argument sufficient to prove that they were persons lawfully chosen to this Office for if Moses so sharply rebuke Corah and his company for intruding into the Office of the Priesthood without a call surely he would not have approved of Eldads and Medads taking upon them the office of Prophets without a Call Quest. 1. But what then is the meaning of Moses prayer Would God that all the Lords People were Prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them Answ. This was an excellent and imitable desire in Moses for though he knew that God had decreed not to diffuse this gift of prophecy unto all yet he here discovers his humility in wishing that all the Lords people had the gift of prophesie And the man is â—ot worthy the name of a Minister that doth not heartily desire that all Gods people might excell in gifts and graces Hunc Spiritum charitatis imitentur omnes concionatores saith Cornelius de Lapide qui non suam sed Dei unius gloriam quaerunt petuntque quod Martha petiit a Christo Dic sorori ut adjuvet me But this doth not at all prove that a private man without a lawfull call may do the work of a publique Preacher for Eldad and Medad were lawfully called and though Ioshua knew it not yet it appears plainly by this very Praier of Moses that he knew that they both were Prophets and that the Spirit of God did rest upon them even the same that rested upon the other 68 Elders and therefore he praieth Would all the Lords People were as thâ—se two and the rest of the Elders And this is our daily prayer That the Lord would multiply his gifts and graces upon his people and because the harvest is great and the labourers are few That the Lord of the Harvest would send forth more and more able Labourers into his Harvest Object 4. Another Objection is from the example of Iehosaphat 2 Chro. 17.7 8 9. who in the third year of his Reign sent to his Princes even to Benhail and to Obadiah c. to teach in the Cities of Iudah And with them he sent Levites even Shemaiah c. And they taught in Iudah and had the Book of the Law with them c. Here the Princes are said to teach as well as the Levites Answ. 1. The Princes are thought by some to have been sent to teach not Ecclesiastically but Politically viz. by countenancing the Levites and by their civil authority compelling the people to hear them they taught the people regaliter not ministerialiter Thus R. Sol. Iarchi upon the place It was proper saith he to the Priests and Levites to teach inasmuch as it is written Deut. 24.8 According to all that the Priests and Levites shall teach you do ye but the Princes went with them lest they should have rebelled against their words that they might compell them to obey Great men are said in Scripture to have done those things which they did not in their own persons but were done by their authority and command Solomon is said to offer a Sacrifice of 22000 Oxen and 120000 Sheep that is not in his own person for he should have sinned Vzziahs sinne in so doing but by the Priests Pilate is said to scourge Jesus that is by his Officers And the chief Eunuch Dan 1. to teach Daniel and the rest of the Israelitish women that is by appointing them Masters to teach them so also in this place the Princes may be said to teach that is by the Levites whom they did accompany countenance and encourage in the work Answ. 2. Iehosaphat intending a full Reformation and establishing his Kingdom in Righteousnesse and Religion in matters of God and matters of the King he sends out mixt Commissioners for the civil affairs his Princes for the businesses of God the Levites The Princes taught Ius regium the Levites Ius Dei and so there was no interfering in their employment Vide Pelican in loc This answer seems the more probable because in his second visitation of his Kingdom mentioned ch 19. Iehosaphat himself making as here joynt Commissioners divides the work into Civil and Ecclesiastical the matters of God and the matters of the King over the former he sets the Priest over the latter the prince as was observed in the stating of the Question Object 5. Some argue from Luke 8.39 The man dispossessed went about preaching what Christ had done for him And from Ioh. 4. The woman of Samaria preached Christ to the Samaritans and many beleeved And the man that had but one talent and hid it was therefore cast into hell And from the example of the Saints in evil times speaking often one to another Lastly From the command of the Apostle to stir up the gift of God that is in us Answ. To which we answer shortly To the first we answer that the dispossessed did no more then he had a Commission from Christ to do and therefore is no president for such as preach without a calling if he did more he sinned To the second The woman of Samaria did not preach but only charitatively and as private persons may declare what she had seen and heard and if any thing can be concluded from hence for Preaching without Ordination the lawfulness of womens preaching must be concluded To the third The man was cast into hell for hiding and not imploying his talent that is in his own calling as hath been often suggested It is the duty of every Christian to stir up the gift ofGod that
Digby recorded in a letter of his full of excellent learning writen to Sr. Kenelme Digby This Gentleman was a great adorer of Monarchical Episcopacy and yet observe what he saith He that would reduce the Church now to the form of government in the most Primitive timeâ— should not take in my opinion the best nor wisest course I am sure not the safest for he would be found pecking toward the Presbytery of Scotland which for my part I believe in point of government hath a greater resemblance then either yours or ours to the first age of Christs Church and yet it is never a whit the better for it since it was a form not chosen for 〈◊〉 best but imposed by adversity under oppression which in the beginning forc'd the Church from what it wish't to what it might not suffering that dignity and state Ecclesiastical which rightly belonged unto it to manifest it self to the world and which soon afterwards upon the least lucida intervalla shone forth so gloriously in the happier as well as more Monarchical condition of Episcopacy of which way of government I am so well perswaded that I think it pitty it was not made betimes an Article of the Scottish Catechisme That Bishops are jure Divino By this passage it is easie to perceive the indiscreet zeal of this Gentleman towards Lordly and Monarchical Prelacy and yet we have here his free clear and full confession That in the first and best and purest times of the Church the Presbyterian government was practised and not the Episcopal which is the thing which we undertook to make out in this third Proposition Against all thâ—t hath been said in this Proposition it is objected That the Blessed St. Ignatius who lived in the first Century hath in his Epistles clearly and fully asserted Episcopal government as it is distinct from Presbyterial And that therefore there was no space of time wherein the Church ofChrist was governed by the common Councel of Preâ—byters without Bishops properly so called In answer to this we must intreat the Reader to take notice that in the Primitive times there were abundance of spurious and supposititious works put forth under the names of the Apostles and blessed Martyrs which were none of theirs but fatherâ—d upon them ut ementitis titulis fidem authoritatemque erroribus suis â—onciliarent That by their counterfect titles they might gain belief and authority to their errors Such were the Epistle of Paul to Seneca and Seneca's to Paul The lawes and constitutions Apostolical The works of Dionysius Arâ—opagita and divers others The like fraud hath been used in Ignatius his works It is certain That the Epistle of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Ignatius and of Ignatius to the Blessed Viâ—gin and two other Epistles of Ignatius unto St. Iohn the Apostle are spurious and counterfeit And as for his other twelve Epistles five of them are by invincible arguments as we conceive proved by Vedelius to be written by à Pseudo-Ignatius Eusebius and Ierom make mention but of Seven And for those seven though with Scultetus Vedelius and Rivetus we do not renounce them as none of hiâ— yet sure we are they are so much adulterated and corrupted that no man can ground any solid assertion about Episcopacy from Ignatius his works The Reverend Archbishop of Armagh saith That there are but six of these Epistles that are genuine and that even these six are miserably depraved and corrupted Rivet saith very judiciously That in these Epistles some things are defective some things added some things changed And therefore they cannot merit oisr belief but onely in those things in which thâ—y agree with the Apostolical writings Baronius indeed saith that all his Epistles are come to us integrae inâ—orruptae intire and uncorrupted But yet notwithstanding it seems forgetting what he had said he tells That when there is mention made in the Epistle to the Philadelphians of the marriages of Pâ—ter and Paul That the word Paul iâ— foysted in And he also tells us as Vedelius observes That the words Gratia and Amâ—â— with which Ignatius was wont to conclude his Epistles were left out incuria librariorum in all his Epistles except two And whereas it is said in the Epistle to the Philadelphians That not onely the bread was given but the cup also was distributed to all Bellarminâ— saith That the Greek Copâ—es are corrupt For our parts we will not trouble the Reader with a large discourse about this subject If he please he may read that what thâ— Archbishop of Armagh what â—ivet Vedelius and Cook in his Censura Patrum And what Salmasius and D. Blondel say about it who all of them bring divers arguments to evince the invalidity of these Epistles There is a learned Doctor that hath undertaken to answer the objectionâ— of the two last But this Doctor should do well to answer also to what the learned Archbishop of Armagh hâ—th written about these Epistles who proves at large That six of them are Nothae the other six Mixtae and none of them to be accounted omni ex parte sincâ—rae gâ—nuinae Who also tellâ— us out of Casaubâ—nâ— That amongst all the Ecclesiâ—stical monuments there are none in which the Papists put more confidence then in Ignatius his Epistles That Baronius in his first Tome almost in every page cites Ignaâ—ius to confirm his Popish traditions In the Second Tome Anno. 109. he confesseth and disputeth it at large That these Epistles are the very Tower of the Pontifician doctrine and that it stands upheld by them as by a pillar and he often saith That there was never any found who called the truth of these Epistles into question c. And therefore this Reverend Doctor ought not to be offended if we advise him to take heed how he complies with Baronius in justifying of Ignatius from all depravations and interpolations left out of overmuch love of Prelacy he be found an advancer of Popery We shall briefly offer three Reasons why we cannot build our judgment concerning the doctrine of the Primitive Church about Episcopacy upon Ignatius his Epistles Because there are divers things quoted out of his Epistles by Athanasius Gelasius and Theoâ—oret which are either not to be found in their Epistles or to be found altered and changed and not according as they are quoted This is Rivets argument and pursued at lâ—rge by the Archbishop to whom we refer the Reader From his overmuch extolling himself in his Epistle to the Trallians where he saith That he had attained such a measure of knowledge That he understood heavenly things The Orders of Angels The differences of Archangels and of the heavenly Host The differences between Powers and Dominations The distances of Thrones and Powers The magnificencies or magnitudeâ— of Aeâ—nes or Principalities The sublimity of the Spirit The excellencies of Cherubims and Seraphims The Kingdom of the Lord and the incomparable divinity of the Lord God