man that is conversant in the Scriptures will dare to affirme since into heaven no unclean thing shall enter and therefore Revel 21.27 1 John 3.3 2 Cor. 7.1 he that hath this hope purifieth himself even as he is holy and to that purpose those directions and exhortations are 2 Cor. 7.1 Having therefore these promises dearly beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the fear of God and Rom. 12.1 2 1 Thess 5.23 with infinite places to the same purpose Do we not teach the Doctrine of Regeneration as well as your selves that a man must be born again if he will enter into the Kingdome of heaven and that of this Doctrine there be two parts John 3.3 Rom. 6. a death to sin and a life to righteousnesse your demand is therefore very unreasonable and I interpret it somewhat like a mock that I would finde in my heart to give you some notice of that which you know I do not defend and acquaint you with the grounds of that which hath no ground and therefore no good ground to stand upon This motion then as touching this part might have been spared and needs from me no farther consideration and meditation except it be to practice it And to that end you and all other Christians have need of it also if they are desirous to have a lively hope that they shall be everlastingly happy Now to that other part of this disjunctive or the seed of unholy parents you by this time know what I will answer that there is a right and priviledge belonging to the seed if the parents though wicked be Professours and Members of the visible Church It is but in vain to repeat the grounds upon which I have formerly defended it and till I see them made nâ—ll I shall defend it still and yet not so frowardly obstinately but that when I am convinced I shall readily yield You conclude all with these words This motion is my heavenly motion for my self the granting of which will engage me yet further to be to remain and also acknowledge my self From my lodging this 22. of the 8. Month. 1656. Your thankful Remembranceâ— In his nearest Approaches To the Throne of Grace The Reply That the motion is for your self I very much respect it because I have ever since I knew you born unto you much affection as judging that dislike you bore first to this my Mother of England to proceed rather from a mistake in judgment than any peevishnesse malice or frowardnesse of will not from any carnal or secular end but from tendernesse of heart But now that you have added heavenly to it it quickens me to embrace it the more for what friend what Christian friend would not lay out himself to help his friend forward in his way to heaven It was Cains churlish answer what am I my brothers keeper this is the voice of a Reprobate not of one guided by the spirit of lenity for such a one knows he ows to his brother consilium auxilium Bernard and that debt I have here paid If it may any way conduce to that end I intend it let God have the honour whom I have often sollicited in my prayers to assist and direct me in it All the weaknesse I take to my self and shall be ready to acknowledge and retract it when discovered Some passages in it you must needs passe by because you begin and a reviled parent hath made a dumb son speak If the words seem many consider how many and several things I had to answer In this length I have studied brevity and said as little as I could to every head and yet not so little but I hope I have cleared up all difficulties If it work not fully to change your judgment yet I hope it may have this effect to make you conceive a little better of our cause then hitherto you or rather yours have done and that it is not without reason that we remain what and as we were Pray let us have your pity if we may not partake of your mercy and think of us yet so charitably as Luther did of the Anabaptists of his t me O quam honesta mente hi miseri errant 't is with a good meaning these poor souls do mistake and therefore made a request unto Frederick Duke of Saxony that in his Dominion they might be favourably dealt withall and spared for that their errour exempted they seemed otherwise very good men The infamy that we were wont to be loaded withall was that we were worldlings time-servers pleasers of men not of God but time hath washed off these aspersions and shewed that we have little regarded the world in comparison of that we are fully perswaded is truth and Gods Ordinance Those indeed among us who were time-servers have served the time and become servants of men and if you look with an impartial eye upon the men you have little reason to boast of your purchase by them being for the most part such who should not have been continued among us but have been ejected by us could the desires of honest men have prevailed The better part have been constant chose rather to lose all then not to follow Christ Nudi nudum Some pity then I beg if it be but for their sake You may perhaps except that in many passages I make use of the Fathers Councels and Church-Records Pray remember that you began the way and cited to my hand Eusebius Socrates Evagrius the book of Martyrs Secondly remember of what the controversie is It is about the Agends and practice of the Church in all ages and of that how can any man be certifyed but by Records he must be held an unreasonable man who would look to finde that in the Scriptures no part of which was written in the Apostles dayes and could not therefore relate what was done afterward If any thing in them can be found contrary to the Scriptures by their own open Confession they may be rejected But when they tell you plainly what they were taught out of the Scriptures and what they finde generally believed and practised through the whole Church have they not reason to take it unkindly to be cast aside If you will examine their veracities by all those circumstances that are usually considered in taking mens depositions you will finde them strong on their side They were gracious and right honest men not only believed but known to be such by all the world They are acknowledg'd on all hands to be so judicious as would more blemish ones judgment than theirs to call it in question What they wrote of were matters of their own cognizance art and profession in which sure they would have a great care not to be mistaken Why then should we brand them in whom there was so much ability and good meaning to inform us of truth with the imputation of falshood and ignorance flattering
been the father and founder in this Land even then when he was stoutly and stifly oppos'd by the Monks of Bangor Anno Domini 596. and in the reign of King Ethelbert witnesse Fox his Martyrol page 119. together with the rest of our Eng. Hist and Evagr. lib. 2. c. 8. Reply Sect. 5. YOu so promiscuously use these termes Presbyterial and Combinational that I know not readily how to shape my answer for were I to deale with the Presbyterians I should reply one way but to you I must returne another answer You say here that the third degree of corruption was when it degenerated into the Provincial Church But this is not likely for when the Church became Cathedral and Parochial your Combinational Church vanished it was no more now what hath no existence cannot by degrees degenerate since degrees belong to qualities which have must have some subject to exist in Had you then said the Church by these degrees rottened it had been sense but to say that that which long before this was not did rot and degenerate is not intelligible But to omit this I shall now consider in what you place this Degeneration 1. This was when it climed to be stiled a Provincial Church 2. When the Pastour was not afraid nor ashamed to assume the name and office of Arch-bishop and Metropolitane 3. When he left the servile and subservient names or titles of Prebend Surrogate and Vicar-General to inferiour Officers 4. That of this proud and prophane Pest-house Austin sent from Gregory was the father and founder in this our Land This is the summe of what you deliver To which I returne you this answer with what brevity I can 1. The degeneration was when it climbed up to be a Provincial Church But what if this prove no Degeneration at all For every thing is said to degenerate when it is changrd to the worse whereas this change if there were any which I shall not easily grant you was into the better for by this the Church was better ordered and governed than it could be without it At first the Church was so small that an upper roome was able to containe it it enlarged in Cities then in Countries after into whole Provinces Governed it must be when small or great and governed it was by the Apostles while they lived and by those whom they appointed These Governours by them placed were seated in chief Cities as at Jerusalem Antioch Ephesus Corinth c. And because they had the Provinces allotted to them the Churches were called Provincial This I have shewed before clearly in Titus who was set over Crete But it may be said the Provinces were not then converted how then could such Governours be set over them This is not material For as the Apostles might rightly be called the Governours of the whole world because Christ committed all Nations to their charge though at first a small Congregation did obey them actually So that Governour that was placad in any Metropolis or chief City by them though actually he had in his communion and subjection some few yet he had in Charge the conversion of the whole Countrey and being converted they were under his government and he was called their Metropolitane That you startle not at the word I have told you before that it was very ancient to be found in the Apostolical Canons in the Nicene Antiochian Conc. Ephes edictum post adventum episc Cypri and Ephesine Councils the words of this last Council being these It seemeth good to this sacred and Oecumenical Council to reserve unto every Province untouched and undiminished the rights which they have had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the first beginning every Metropolitan having liberty according to the old custome to take the copy of our Acts for his security I know well what you will cast in my teeth that this was the wisdome of the flesh and the wisdome of the flesh is enmity with God But first consider that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a custome of old and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a custome from the beginning and the period of that may be for what we know to the contrary set in the Apostles Secondly I deny it absolutely to be the wisdome of the flesh For there is flesh that is unregenerate and the wisdome of that flesh is enmity with God for ambition that is a corrupt quality residing in it will prompt it to desire honour covetousnesse to aime at wealth selfe-love to promote and serve its lusts But there is flesh again that is regenerate and borne anew which is contented to be guided by Gods Spirit instructing a man to obey Gods will revealed in his Word and this is not enmity with God I shall never think that Grace outs any man of his reason it may perfect heighten enlighten it but darken or dimme it it can never do Whatsoever therefore a man shall do by the light of reason raised by Grace to this pitch I shall not call it the wisdome of the flesh nor be perswaded it is enmity against God The first Fathers of the Church were men very eminent for the graces and gifts of the Spirit men who were signal for illuminated reason Even reason taught them that there must needs be confusion where there was no order where there was equality there could be no order and therefore in an equality it was not possible the Church should continue They saw that there was in one family but one Master in one Army but one General in one ship but one Pilot in one Bee-hive but one King reason taught them that there must be and experience that there was sub supra in all Societies and therefore that it must be so in the Societies of Gods people Thus farre nature But Reason improved by Grace taught them again that God would not be served according to mans inventions and therefore they must look that though Reason suggested this or that yet nothing must be done that was contrary to Gods will revealed in his Word They here then cast about to finde if they could any thing contrary to what reason dictated now this appeared not but rather the contrary for they found it written Let all things be done decently and in order all to edification and that this was a precept for the regulating of the Church And upon it it was established 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the beginning to this day that in all Provinces there should be one chief Bishop which from the mother City was called a Metropolitan to whom all the other Bishops should be subject and who to him should be accomptable for what was done through the whole Province This then was not the wisdome of the flesh but the wisdome of God who would have all things done in order If any man did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 teach other things than he taught or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 teach any new things and not according to the
cura commissa est A Law there was made by Solon that all Assemblies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch in Solone were unlawful that the highest authority did not cause to meet Among the Heathen Nebuchadnezzar makes a Law Darius a Decree the King of Nineveh sends forth a Proclamation for a Fast for a Religious service which certainly they had never done had it not been received that they were empowred And among the Romans there was no sooner an Emperour but he took upon him potestatem pontificiam In the Acts we read that the City of the Ephesians was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Mr. Selden teacheth us was an Office to take care of the whole worship and Temple of Diana Seld. not in Marmor Arundel Now this could not be done by any warrant from Scripture evident therefore it is that even by the light of nature seen it was that the supreme power is invested with anthority in Religious duties Care they ought to take that God be served as well as the people governed since they have been hitherto taken to be Custodes utriusque Tabulae 2. Thus it was while reason bare the sway But now let us look into the Scripture How is it written in the Law how read you There it was ordained that the King should have a book of the Law written by the Priests and the end was Deut. 17.18 19 20. that he might fear the Lord and keep it And in this Law there be many precepts that concern him as a man many as a Prince for as Austin Rex servit Deo aliter qua homo aliter qua Rex as a man by a holy Conversation as a Prince by making and executing holy constitutions Austin Ep. 50. As he is the Superiour he is there made the Guardian of Gods Law and the whole Law is committed to his charge By vertue of which Commission when the Kingdome and Priesthood were divided Moses the Civil Magistrate made use of his power over Aaron and reproved him for the golden Calf Joshua a Prince no Priest by the same authority circumcised the sonnes of Israel erected an Altar of stone caused the people to put away their strange gods and renewed the Covenant betwixt God and the people And what other Kings did you have heard before These Acts of these famous Kings performed in Ecclesiastical causes shews clearly what power Kings had under Moses Law And one thing more let me put you in mind of that when there was no King in Israel that was a supreme power for it was no more every man did that which was good in his own eyes and that good was extream bad as the story shews 3. Yea but it may be said that thus it was while the Judicials of Moses were in force but why so now Now the Superiours authority is confined to Civil Lawes Now the Kingdome is Christs and he must rule Indeed could we finde in the Gospel any restriction or rather revocation of what power had formerly belonged to Superiours this plea were considerable but since the rule is true that Evangelium non tollit precepta naturae legis sed perficit The Commission once granted to the Superiour by nature and the Moral Law must be good And be it that the Kingdome is Christs and all power in his hands yet this will be no impediment to what I contend for neither That Christ wants no Vicar on earth but as head of his Church doth govern it is a truth beyond exception But this is to be understood of the spiritual internal government not of that which is external because he must be serv'd with the body as well as with the Spirit in an outward forme of worship as well as an inward therefore he hath left superiours to look to that Their power extends not their accompt shall not be given for what is done within for they cannot see nor cannot judge what is done in that dark cell they have nothing to do with the secret affections of the heart with the sacred gifts of the Spirit with the stedfast trust of future things They are only to moderate and direct the outward actions of godlinesse and honesty and what may externally advance Christs Kingdome So that the question is not here of the internal and properly Spiritual but of the external government order and discipline of the Church which when the supreme power administers as it ought it sets up and no way pulls down the Kingdome of Christ These two are then well enough compatible that the Kingdome is Christs and yet the Superiour way make use of his power in Christs Kingdome A Prophesie there was that under the Gospel Kings should be nursing fathers and Queens nursing mothers to the Church Isa 49.23 Nourishment then they must give that ordain'd for babes that for men the Word and Sacraments they cannot give no more then Uzziah could burn incense or Saul burn Sacrifice no nor yet ordain any to do it The sustenance then which Christians are to receive from them must be that of external discipline and government Those that gave such food were call'd nursing fathers those that denyed it tyrants and persecutors without the favour and execution of this duty Christian Religion had never been so highly advanc'd and therefore the Apostle ordains that Christians pray for those in authority that we may live a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlinesse 1 Tim. 2. and honesty Godlinesse comprehends all duties of the first Table Honesty all duties of the second and where those who are in authority are careful both will be observed both shall be preserved because they know they have a charge of both Thus you see reason Law and Gospel have given a supremacy to those in power non solum in ijs quae pertinent ad humanam societatem verum etiam in ijs quae attinent ad religionem divinam I have enlarg'd my self on this subject beyond my intention least you should split upon that dangerous rock of Jesuitisme while out of a dislike of the British King you make him a violent head of the National Church for what you say of him is as true of all others and what is denyed of him is denyed of all others in that their claim and right is all alike and in case it be not just their violence and usurpation is all alike which to affirm is perfect Jesuitisme And wheresoever this doctrin is turn'd into practice it sets up regnum in regno and if it should be brought into this Common-wealth would reduce again what Henry the eight cast out though under another notion for every Eldership of a Combinational Church would be perfect Papacy absolute independent answerable to none to be guided by none in Church matters punishable by none but themselves to which if you will give a right name it is meere Popish power This is it which Superiours have wisely disclaimed and not admitted themselves like children to be