the Epistles of Paul Peter and Iames there is nothing meant of the inuisible Church Because the saide Epistles were written as you say to the visible Church Also that nothing in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus are spoken either of the inuisible or visible church But of Ministers The foundation whereof is that to whomsoeuer an Apostle writ an Epistle of them all in that Epistle is spoken and to be vnderstood Secondly I deny your assumption and affirme that Peter writ to the Church whereby I meane the same which we call the inuisible Church and euen so did the rest of the Apostles those Epistles excepted which were written to some speciall person For the ministery is giuen to the Church or Saints and Body of Christ Ephes 4.11.12 Which Body the inuisible Church is and not the visible And heere I reason thus as I haue once before To what Church or societie the ministery and Ministers were giuen of Christ to the same the Canonicall Epistles were written But to the Church militant the ministery and Ministers were giuen therfore to it the Epistles were written The proposition is manifest the assumption Ephes 4.11.12 doeth clearely prooue We may remember also heere how Peter in his first Epistle writeth expressely and by name to the Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father vnto sanctification of the Spirit and in the second thus Peter to you which haue obtained like precious Faith with vs which Faith onely the elect haue and therfore is the same in effect with the former Peter to the Elect c. In answering our aforesaide and last obiection Iustif 107. M. Robinson addeth this If you would graunt that onely they are true members of the Church which by the word of God which must be the rule of our iudgement may be iudged Saints it would end this controuersie But all that professe Religion may by the word of God bee iudged Saints as before I haue shewed Otherwise Saul Doeg Ioab Absalom the Scribes and Pharisees Iudas Demas with infinite such were not true members of the visible Church which with any truth you cannot affirme See that you be now M. Robinson as good as your word let this controuersie concerning the matter of the visible church bee ended And thus much concerning the matter of the vis Church Let vs now heare what is the forme thereof The forme say we is the profession of true religion The Separists teach otherwise some that this is the forme some that M. Ainsworth writeth thus Counterp 107. Ibid. 174. To the constitution of a Church there belongs first a people as the matter whereof and 2. a calling gathering and vniting together as the forme whereof the Church consisteth We must remember here that a little after these words he teacheth that Saints by calling are the matter of the visible Church If this be true then calling is comprised vnder the matter and therefore not vnder the forme so that gathering and vniting together must make the forme or else we haue here none That gathering now and vniting together are not the forme I doe thus prooue If a people be the matter and gathering and vniting together the forme of the true visible Church then euery people gathered and vnited together is a true visible Church But the latter is false Therefore the first The proposition is grounded vpon this certaine and vndoubted trueth that where matter forme of a true vis church is there is a true church The assumption to wit that euery people gathered and vnited together is not a true vis Church is likewise true otherwise the congregations of Papists Anabaptists c. bee true Churches for they consist of people gathered and vnited together But leauing this man let vs heare what M. Smith sayeth Principles and Inferences 11. The true forme saith he of a true visible Church is partly inward partly outward The inward part of the forme consisteth in three things 1. the Spirit 2. Faith 3. Loue. The Spirit is the soule animating the whole body Faith vniteth the members of the body to the head Christ Iesus Loue vniteth the members of the body each to other The outward part thereof is a vowe promise oath or couenant betwixt God and the Saints Euery peece and parcell hereof he seemeth to himselfe and to his Disciples to proue substantially he alleadgeth no lesse then twelue testimonies of Scripture for the proofe of one point Reply The forme saith he is partly inward and partly outward Then the matter of the visible Church must bee so too except he will haue a forme without matter which I know you will not say Tell vs therefore what is the inward matter of the visible Church and what is the outward for assuredly wee know not But let this goe The inward forme is the Spirit Faith Loue. One would thinke that this was rather the forme of the Church militant considering these three Spirit Faith Loue are onely to be found in the elect and cannot fall into any reprobate whereof the visible Church consisteth for a great part And first as touching the Spirit it is proper to the chosen as is manifest by Romans 8.14.17 Gal. 4.6 Tit. 1.1 And for this cause Faith is called the Faith of Gods elect because I say it is proper to the elect of God which is further confirmed by that in the Acts Acts 13.48 1. Ioh. 3.14 as many as was ordained to eternall life beleeued And concerning Loue Iohn telleth vs that thereby wee may know and bee assured that wee are translated from death to life The spirit saith hee is the soule animating the whole body By whole body he vnderstands the whole visible Church and his meaning is that as the body of man and all the members and parts thereof are animated that is are quickened and receiue naturall or corporall life from the soule so the whole visible Church and all the members thereof haue spirituall life from the Spirit of God From whence this necessarily followeth that euery one of the visible Church hath the Spirit of God Rom. 8.10.11 quickening him to righteousnesse and holinesse of life here and to immortalitie and eternall life in the world to come For both these effects the spirit worketh in whomsoeuer it is and is there fore-called the spirit of life The which if it bee true Rom. 8.2 I meane that euery member of the visible Church hath the Spirit of God as all of you doe in effect teach and namely as oft as you doe tell vs that a true visible Church is the bodie of Christ then in the visible Church there are none dead in trespasses and sinnes no dead but all liuing stones forasmuch as the whole body and consequently euery member thereof is animated and quickned by the Spirit from whence floweth spirituall life and motion Then in the visible church there be no hypocrites nor carnall or naturall men no wicked person neither openly
nor secretly wicked for as much as euery member of the visible church hath the spirit Apology 44. Counterp 127. euen the spirit of life or quickening spirit vvhich in whomsoeuer it is mortifyeth sinne in them crucifieth their flesh and naturall corruption freeing them from the power and dominion thereof and quickneth or inableth them to leade an holy and spirituall life Lastly then in the vis church there bee no Reprobates none that shall bee damned for as much as euery one in the visible church hath the Spirit of God and so the spirit of life wherewith whosoeuer is indued hath not onely spirituall but eternall life begun in him and therefore shall neuer die And here we may remember that the spirit of God is bestowed onely vpon Gods children Rom. 8.14.17 all which be heares of saluation Also that the Spirit is called the seale and earnest of our inheritance Gal. 4.6 vvhereby wee learne That whosoeuer hath the spirit he hath the earnest and seale of God of his heauenly inheritance and so is sure to be saued But the vvhole body of the vis Church say you hath this spirit animating it Therefore conclude I all and euery one of the vis Church are sure to be saued and so there be in it no Reprobates nor such as shall be damned This conclusion followeth also necessarily from that you doe adde Faith vniteth the members of the body to the head Christ By body here you meane the whole visible Church and so teach first that all the members of the vis Church bee vnited to Christ as to their head Secondly that euery one of the vis Church hath that faith which maketh this vnion or vniteth him to Christ his head Doth it not now from hence follow that all of the vis Church be heyres of saluation and that none of them shall passe into condemnation Joh. 10.26 27. For who can plucke from Christ that is vnited vnto him and is as it vvere part of him Or can any member of his die seeing to euery one of them hee communicateth life both spirituall and eternall Can any also indued with this effectuall faith be condemned Hee that beleeueth hath euerlasting life Ioh. 3.16.17.36 5 24. Rom. 8.1 is saued already and hath passed from death to life to him there is no condemnation That vvhich hee saith here of the spirit animating the whole body euen as the soule doth the whole body of man if he had spoken meant it of the Church without adding or vnderstanding visible the one of the which you alwaies doe and by body vnderstood the misticall body of Christ and by a member an elect vessell conuerted and brought to the faith then had hee spoken truely but vnderstanding by body the visible Church and by a member one particular person of that societie hee teacheth that which is very false There shift and euasion I know will be this that they do not meane that all the vis Church haue indeede the Spirit Faith and Loue but only externally so far as men can iudge This is absurd For in this they secretly imply that there are some in the vis Church which haue not the spirit nor faith nor loue and in this positiue Diuinitie of yours directly teach the contrarie For the spirit say you animateth the whole body If the whole body then all the members thereof and consequently there is no member that is destitute of the spirit This therefore you may not alleadge for your selfe except you vvill contradict your selfe After these men comes M. Robinson and hee fully agreeing with M. Smith concerning the matter of the vis Church doth yet differ from them both about the forme and tels vs that the couenant is the forme Saints saith hee is the matter Iustiff 88. 82. and the Couenant the forme from which two concurring the Church ariseth Hereby he and M. Smith who makes it the outward part of the forme meane a solemne vow oath promise or Couenant made to God of those that be of yeeres of discretion to renounce Idolatry and to cleaue to God and to euery part of his truth For the discouerie and conuincing of this your errour wee must remember that the oath and couenant which King Asa and his subiects made to seeke the Lord God of their Fathers from whence these men fetch this doctrine was in the 15. yeere of Asa as is said 2. Chron 15.10 and that he reformed the Church and restored the true Religion and worship of God in the beginning and entrance into his kingdome as appeareth by 2. Chro. 14. and 1. Kings 15.14 This couenant therefore cannot possibly be the forme of the Church seeing Iudah was a true church in Asia his dayes before they made this couenant and a thing can not bee or haue existance without the forme And here we may remember that this vow and promise in effect we make and passe into this couenant in baptisme when and whereby we are recciued and incorporated into the church Goe not therefore about to deceiue men in peâ—swading them that we haue entred into no couenant with God to be his people and to obey his commandements And are therefore false churches And here not vnfitly might I produce foure arguments of Iustif 3.27 M. Robinsons taken from the in-being of the vvâ—cked in our Church vvhereby he vvill proue our congregatioâ—s to be and reâ—aine vnformed and consequent y to be no true Churches First saith he because godly and wicked men are contrariâ—s as being guiâ—â—â— and led by contrarie causes the one sort by the spirit and the other by the flesh which are contrarie one vnto other Now two contraries are not capable of one and the same forme By this reason of yours if it were ought there is no vis Church formed and consequently none at all for you will not dâ—ny that in the vis Church there be godly and by your owne confession Pag. 106. there be hypocrites all which are wicked now these be contraries as being guided and led by contrary causes the one sort by the spirit and the other by the flesh which are contrarie one vnto another and two contraries are not capable of one and the same forme The rest of your arguments being no lesse friuolous then this I for breuitie omit And let this suffice concerning the matter and forme of the visible Church CHAP. IIII. Whether the couenant of life and saluation which God made with Abraham and his seede were made with the visible or inuisible Church TO this Societie meaning the vis Church say you A true description of the vis Church 11. is the couenant and all the promises of peace of loue and of saluation of the presence of God of his power of his graces and of his protection And in your Apologie you haue these words How else should a true visible Church haue assurance of the promises and scales of Gods Couenant presence and
and sanctifieth or maketh holy that before and till then were prophane and from vnder the power of Satan and his slauery bringeth into the glorious liberty of the sons of God bestowing his free spirit vpon them All this God doth to this end that they might shew forth the vertues of him who hath chosen and called them hereunto that is praise him for his exceeding rich mercie and goodnes towards them As in the aforesaid ninth verse so likewise in the fift verse of the said Chapter this our Apostle in the beleeuing Iewes doth yet further describe and set forth the Church or rather part thereof the Militant whereby wee may the better vnderstand the same and who be of it And yee speaking of the elect and beleeuing Iewes as liuely stones are made a spirituall house an holy Priesthood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ First the company of true beleeuers all which be the Militant Church are called liuely or liuing stones as hauing spirituall life or the life of God in them from that liuing stone Christ Iesus Ephes 4.18 mentioned vers 4. who is also the chiefe corner stone of this building As these before the time of their calling and vntill they doe beleeue are as stones without life Rom. 6.13 Ephes 2.1 2. Tim. 5.6 Iohn 5.25 Matth. 7.22 dead in sinne like to the widow who liuing in pleasure was dead while shee liued and to those of whom Iesus speaketh The dead shall heare the voice of the Sonne of God meaning in the Ministery of the Word and againe Let the dead bury the dead and being thus dead haue no more power or strength to doe those actions which are pleasing vnto God which we call good-workes then a dead man to performe the actions of life as to eate drinke talke walke c. So as soone as they be called and beleeue and euer from that time forward they haue a power conueyed into them from God whereby they are quickned and made able to doe the workes of God whereupon they are called liuing or liuely stones And it commeth thus to passe I speake of the inward and effectuall calling When God calleth a man which is when he receiueth grace to beleeue in Christ Iesus then hee bestoweth his Spirit on him according to that of Paul Ephes 3.17 Christ dwelleth in your hearts by faith meaning that in all which doe beleeue Christ dwelleth by his Spirâ—t which is confirmed by that other speech of the Apostle to the Romans Chap. 8.9 If any man haue not the Spirit of Christ the same is not his This Spirit being the Spirit of life as it is called Rom. 8.2 killeth and subdueth in whomsoeuer it is sinne so as though it remaine still in man yet it hath not that dominion and command that before it had and quickneth or inableth them in some measure to lead an holy and righteous life As is taught Rom 8.10 If Christ bee in you to wit by his Spirit or if the Spirit of Christ be in you the body meaning the body of sinne as Rom. 6.6 is dead because of sinne and the Spirit is life for righteousnesse sake From hence I say it is that the faithfull who bee the Militant Church are called liuing stones 1. Cor. 3.16.17 Secondly they are said to be a spirituall house and elsewhere the Temple of God as wherein God dwelleth by his Spirit whereof the Tabernacle and materiall house or Temple built by Salomon were a type and figure Of this inhabitation of God by his Spirit we shal heare more hereafter Thirdly as in the ninth verse they are termed a royall Priest-hood so heere an holy Priesthood They are said also to offer vp spirituall sacrifices As the Priests vnder the law were to offer sacrifices so these royall and holy Priests both vnder the Law and Gospell did and should offer not Lambes Calues yong Bullockes Psal 51.17 Psal 4.5 Heb. 13.15 or any earthly or corporall sacrifices as the Leuiticall Priests did but sacrifices of another kinde spirituall and heauenly the sacrifice of a contrite spirit and broken heart the sacrifice of righteousnesse the sacrifice of praise or the calues of the lippes yea themselues for a sacrifice consecrating themselues wholly to God throughout the whole course of their liues in all their actions studying to please him It is said further that the sacrifices which these Priests doe offer are acceptable to God by Christ Iesus Wherein are implied two things First Though all the sacrifices of the Leuiticall Priests were not pleasing to God and accepted of him yet all the sacrifices which these Priests offer that is all the good workes they doe should be accepted of God Secondly That these sacrifices bee not acceptable to God for any perfection or worthinesse that is in them but in and through Iesus Christ Confession of faith 6. and to Communion of Saints 248 and 470. Apologie 44. Counterp 198. Description of the visible Church p. 2. his mediation and intercession These two places of Peter viz the fift and ninth verses and likewise Reuel 1.6 and 1. Cor 3.16 17. our brethren of the Separation vnderstand of the visible Church and members thereof as hereafter we shall heare I trust by that is already said this error of theirs is manifest Yet haue we something more to say thereunto in his due place Finally of this blessed company that is to bee vnderstood in the Creed I beleeue the holy Catholike Church Where euery true beleeuer not onely professeth that hee beleeueth and is perswaded that there is such a blessed society as is aforesaid to whom only the benefits and priuiledges following in the Creed doe belong to wit the Communion of Saints the forgiuenesse of sinnes the resurrection of the flâ—sh and life euerlasting but that he himselfe is one of them This Church is said to be holy for that it consisteth of persons holy but of this we haue spoken already It is termed likewise Catholike that is Vniuersall because of this fellowship there are some heere and there through the vnâ—uersall world as also for that it containeth in it all the Elect and such as are and shall be saued from the beginniâ—g to the end of the world so that out of this Church there is no saluation Lastly it is to be obserued that we doe not say I see but I beleeue the holy Catholike Church whereby wee know that this Church is rightly said to be Inuisible Heb. 11.2 bâ—cause faith is of things which are not seene We beleeue this Church it must needs then be inuisible And it is called Inuisible hauing reference to men who can neither sound the secrets of God nor yet which is lesse the heart of man because I say we can doe neither of these much lesse both and so cannot see or know who be Elect of which alone this Church standeth therefore it is said to he Inuisible 2. Tim. 2.19 1.
Cor. 2.11 and of some secret inward or hidden The Lord only knoweth who are his And no man knoweth the things of a man saue the spirit of a man which is in him 2. Tim. 2.19 By departing from iniquity and other infallible tokens a man may be certaine for himselfe that he is one of this Church in Christian charity also hee is to hope well of others and to iudge rashly of none but no man can be sure of the election of another This society then is visible and knowne to God alone inuisible and vnknowne to men and is therefore called the Inuisible Church Thus vnto the Church many sweet and glorious titles are euery where in the Scriptures giuen and most ioyfull and excellent things of it spoken It is called as we haue heard the City of God the celestial Ierusalem the Church of the first-borne which are written in heauen the family or houshold of God a chosen generation a royall Priesthood an holy Priesthood being all Kings and Priests vnto God an holy Nation a peculiar people-redeemed and called by God out of darkenesse and the kingdome of darknesse into his marueilous light a spirituall house the Temple of God to be a Ephes 2.22 the habitation of God by the Spirit and the body of Christ It is also called a b 1. Cor. 14.33 Church of Saints c Iohn 10.27 the sheepe of the Lord d 1. Pet. 5.3 the heritage of God to bee short Christ his e Sal. Song 6.8 Doue his e Sal. Song 6.8 vndefiled who is f Ibid. 4.7 all faire and no spotte in her his g Ibid. 5.2 sister his g Ibid. 5.2 welbeloued h Ibid. 6.3 his loue his i Ibid. 5.1 Spouse his k Psal 45.9 Queene the ioy of the whole earth This Church is the Lords l Exod. 19.5 chiefe treasure aboue all people though all the earth be his and they in whom he delighteth as men doe in treasure Behold they are m Isa 49.16 grauen vpon the palme of his hand he that n Zachar. 2.8 toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye All of this society and onely these Iesus will o Matth. 1.21 saue from their sinnes and from the p Rom. 8.1 condemnation that is due vnto them for the same and q Iohn 10.27 will giue vnto them eternall life So that of all men these with Dauid may say r Psal 8.4 What is man that thou art mindfull of him And the sonne of man that thou visitest him for thou hast made him a little lower then the Angels and crowned him with glory and honor O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy name in all the world To this Church are made the promises of Å¿ Reu 1.13 God his protection presence of peace t Ier. 31.3 of loue u Prou. 1.23 of his spirit and to this society is that gratious * Gen 17.7 couenant of life and saluation made In conclusion this Church though in it x 1. Cor. 13.11 infancie it be y Song 1.4 blacke yet is it comely as the Tents of Kedar and as the Curtaines of Salomon and when it commeth to z Ephes 4.13 perfect age it shall be most a Song 6.3 beautifull and b Ephes 5.27 glorious without spot or wrinkle yea most wonderfull and euen c Song 4.9 rauishing men to conceiue much more to behold what then to enioy so blessed a communion And thus much concerning the doctrine of the Church which we call Inuisible Let vs now proceed to the vse thereof CHAP. II. The vse of the former Doctrine Iohn 3.3 Rom. 8 9 If the flesh or sinne beare rule and be the Lord master of the house commanding soule and body then man is and to be called carnall of a sinner But if the spirit haue the dominion or rule as he hath in all those in whom he is though not at all times and in all actions the flesh sometimes preuailing against the spirit then and from thenceforth such are indeed Saints or spirituall men so to be called and ought not to deeme themselues sinners or wicked men nor so by others to be accounted Exod. 4 25 Matth. 26.41 BY this we haue heard we may see what a holy and heauenly society this is and that blessed is the man who is one of the Church holy righteous are they in this life but more holy righteous in the life to come When once the Spirit of God regenerateth and dwelleth in one of these which in the appointed season he doth in them all and only in them then ceaseth he to be prophane and beginneth to be holy and forthwith becommeth of a carnall a spirituall man and a Saint of a sinner and is from thenceforth so to be called man hauing his denomination of the more principall or of that which is in him predominant Euery one of these from the time of this new birth or regeneration and this great and admirable change and alteration giueth to God that which is his that is worship liuing holily towards God and to man that appertaineth to him liuing righteously towards him Euery one of these is carefull to performe all duties to their superiours equals and inferiours Neyther will they wrong their neighbour in his person goods or good name or doe that to another which they could not bee contented should be done to them When through humane frailty for the spirit being willing the flesh is weak they faile in any duty to God or man by eyther omitting the good they should do or committing the euill they are forbidden to doe then their hearts smites and wounds them for the same and they haue no peace within nor their wound healed and bound vp vntill both they haue obtained a pardon from God in Christ for that sinne and a setled purpose and full resolution neuer by the grace of God to commit it againe He that hath receiued the Spirit of God knoweth that these things I write be true Who seeth not that these are an holy people indeed and holy Priesthood as the Scrâ—pture calleth them These are Saints indeed though on earth By this holines thou mayest know thou art of the Church one of Gods elect and heire of saluation If this be begun in thee in truth though in great weaknesse then it is certaine that thou art one of this society Iohn 9.31 Iames 3.2 and shall all of them be Saints in heauen All other the Scripture calleth Sinners but not these though in many things they all of them sinne Is not this an holy and heauenly company on earth before they come to heauen Holy heere in part though they shall be perfectly holy without spot and wrinckle only in heauen whereinto this holy nation alone shall enter and no vncleane thing These are blessed and sweet companions for him that is iourneying from earth to heauen By how much
word pretends faith in Christ and in deede denies him This is yâ—ur full answere and that a worthy one Hereby you impâ—y That none are in Scripture called Saints nor may lawfully be so called who be not true beleeuers holy Saints indeede their hearts being purified by faith But all in the visible Church be in holy Scripture called Saints and may lawfully therefore be so called Ergo all in the visible Church by your wise answere be true beleeuers And consequently they shall all be saued Iohn 3.16 For whosoeuer beleeueth shal not peâ—ish but haue euerlasting life If you deny that your words imply that I say then to what purpose serue they certainely they are then idle and haue not so much as the shew of answere in them which makes as little for your credit or cause But grant wee this it mattereth not much seeing but in the lease before in plaine words you in effect teach thâ— same Iustif 107. The scriptures say you doe call men Saints because they are Saints and not for any other cause Your reason followeth For what is it to be a Saint but to be holy We may well therefore thinke that you meant as much as I affirme I deny say yâ—u that euery profession of faith in Christ argues a true beleeuer So doe we A false dissembler is he say you and no true bâ—leeuer that in word pretends faith in Christ and in deede denies him The same say wee What of all this what makes this for you or against vs Nothing at all But besides the former implication it shewes that your fingâ—rs itched to bee scribbling against the profession of faith wh ch for asmuch as it may and doth often fall into dissemblers â—iues you no content and therefore in euery one of thâ— visible Church you will haue besides this profession true faith in Christ and all the members thereof true bâ—leeuers and consequently no disseâ—blers in the Church Thus you shut out of the visibâ—e Church all hypâ—crites and yet both a little before and after confesse that there bee such yea many such in the Church Reconcile But tell me M. Robinson why may not they that professe faith in Christ that holy one be therefore called holy or Saints notwi hstanding they haue no part of Christ his holinesse nor his holy Spirit dwelling in them as well as be cal ed Christ ans of Christ though they partake not vvith him in that holy annointing Againe the profession of Christ an Religion or of faith in Christ is an holy and glorious th ng and therefore vvhatsoâ—uer the persons be that thus professe be they holy or prophane worthily and fitly an holy and glorious name to wit Saints â—ay be giuen to such This saith M. Robinson is all one as if you should say The Scriptures doe not call men Saints because they are Saints but for some other causes knowne to you For what is it to be a Saint but to be holy Iustif 107. And what to be holy but to be of a sound iudgement pure affections and vnblameable conuersation Reply It is one thing to be called a Saint and an other to be a Saint one thing to be a Saint by nomination an other to be such in deede and veritie All that bee Saints indeede are Saints by nomination so called and to bee called and accounted But all that be Saints by nomination so called by the holy Ghost are not Saints indeede and so to bee reputed as you will needs haue it For then all in the Church of the Iewes were Saints or holy indeede forasmuch as they by the Holy Ghost are so called and consequently they were all saued which I trust you will not say Deut. 7.6 14.2 this is rendred for a reason why the Israelites should not conform themsâ—lues to the Nations about them neither in their religion or worship nor yet in other things of lesse moment as in cutting themselues in making baldnesse betweene their eyes for the dead For thou art an holy people vnto the Lord thy God And Deut. 14.27 Ye shall eate of nothing that dieth alone c. For thou art an holy people vnto the Lord thy God Againe Iam. 2.7 Doe not they euen those blasphemers saith Iames blaspheme the worthy name after which yee be named Hereby it is plaine that we are sometimes named or called not according to that which we be but in some other respect or as you say for some other causes else all of vs should alwaies bee such as our names pretend then vvhich nothing is more false The blasphemers here spoken of were named or called Christâ—ans yet sure you will not say they were Christians indeede They who at this day are baptised into Christ Iesus and profâ—sse faith in him haue the worthy and glorious name of Christians from Christ after whom they be so called yet all such bee not true Christians euen so all of the visible Church are called Saints and such by nomination and yet be not all Saints indeede not all of a sound iudgement pure affection and vnblameable conuersation as you tâ—ll vs. Lastly the Apostle might well call all in the visible Church Saints hauing respect and relation to those in it that vvere Sainâ—s indeede sanctified by the Spirit of God and faith in Christ Iesus the visible Church hauing this denomination of the better part by a Synecdoche all being called Saints because part of them are so indeede With this exposition maketh that those he nameth Saints are said to be sanctified in Christ Iesus Paul an Apostle to them that are sanctified in Christ Iesus Saints by calling And vvhy might not Paul in this titlâ— Saints respect only the true Saints Elect of God as well as in some other speeches of his in his Epistles 1. Cor. 12.27 6.11.19.20 and namely in these Ye are the body of Christ your bodies are the members of Christ your body is the Temple of the holy Ghost which is in you Ye are bought for a price Rom. 8 15. Gal. 4.6 Ye are washed ye are sanctified ye are iustified in the name of our Lord Iesus and by the spirit of our God Ye haue receiued the Spirit of Adoption Ye are the sonnes of God with infinite more such like Wee see a man is said to be a reasonable liuing creature of the better part the soule wherein alone is both the reason and life the body which is another parâ— wanting both Thus we vse to say Goe winnow the wheate in the barne not naming the chaffe though there bee more chaffe then wheate in the heape and that the wheate cannot be well seene for the chaffe Euen so the visible Church may bee called Saints in respect of the better part though the lesser and fewer in number be many the scripture therein ascribing to all that which is due properly and belongeth onely to some vvhich is vsuall in the holy scriptures as appeareth by the aforesaid testimonies
runne away Least otherwise you one day stand among the Goates and haue that fearefull sentence pronounced of you Depart from me ye cursed I know saith Iesus the blasphemie of them which say they are Iewes and are not Mat. 25.41 Reue. 2.5 but are the Synagogue of Satan As this is blaspemie so assuredly to account them Antichrists Samaritans Edomites Moabites Parall 6.26 Ammonites and Ishmailites who are Iewes and those Babilon Egypt Sodome false Churches Antichristian Churches the Synagogues of of Satan the holds of all foule spirits Defence of the Churches and Ministers of England 6. and cages of euery vncleane and hurtfull bird which are the congregations of Saints and Churches of God is likewise blasphemie Thus haue I answered all that M. Robinson obiecteth in a little Pamphelet of his intituled An answere to a Censorious Epistle Let vs heare now what he saith concerning the same point in a more large volume lately published called a Iustification of Seperation from the Church of England And though you M. Bernard say it neuer so oft and all the Diuines in the world with you that the visible Church is a mixt company yet doe the diuine Scriptures speake otherwise And with the Scriptures I doe affirme against you that the Church of Christ is no such mingled mâ—slnie Pag. 112. or monstrous compound but a body simple vniforme and one proportionable in euery member vnto the head informed by one spirit and called in one hope And twelue lines after Wee doubt not but the purest Church vpon earth may consist of good and bad in Gods eye of such as are truely faithfull and sanctified and of such as haue onely for a time put on the outside and vizard of sanctitie And againe after that hee hath produced and peruerted many testimonies of holy Scripture to proue that all in the visible Church are holy and good and none other therein he addeth these words Iustif 115. Here is no such mingle mangle as M. Bernard would make of good and bad but all good and so auowed by the holy Ghost though without doubt many of these were masked and hallow hearted hypocrites I will onely fight against you here with your owne weapons for I neede to vse none other The purest Churches say you may consist of good and bad faithfull and vnfaithfull of holy and prophane for are not they prophane who haue onely the outside of holinesse being within full of all filthinesse Also that in the same there haue been many wicked and hollow hearted hypocrites all which were wicked But a company consisting of such as all these is a mixt company and a monstrous or miserable compound being compounded of two sorts of men who bee as contrarie one to another as light to darknes Christ and Belial of Gods children and the Diuels children of the children of light and the children of darknesse Therefore the purest Churches consist of a mixt company and consequently is not simple vniforme c. as you teach If the purest Church that is be a mixt company much more they that be lesse pure And who in their wits but would affirme that such a body politick were vnmixt simple and one specially that it were proportionable in euery member vnto the head and informed by one spirit What euery member M. Robinson What proportion and likenesse is there betweene Christ and Hypocrites many of which in the generall you acknowledge to be in the Church Betwixt the sonnes of God and the children of the Diuell some of which we must needs confesse to be in the Church else all in the visible Church are indeed the children of God then which nothing is more false If euery member be informed by the spirit of God then euery one in the visible Church hath the spirit animating him Indeede this M. Smith teacheth expressely and all of you implicitely But how truely I haue shewed in the next Chapter If euery one in this visible Church be informed by one and the same spirit then if any in the visible Church haue the Spirit of God all haue And contrariwise If any in the visib Church be informed by the vncleane spirit all are Moreouer if euery member of the visible Church bee called in one hope then if any one in that visible Church haue that hope Rom. 8.24 the end whereof is the saluation of mans soule all haue it and so on the contrarie as before Behold what conclusions doe follow from your premises whereby wee may know how orthodoxall they be God forbid that all the Diuines in the world should teach such positions as these Hee hath itching cares vvho vvill rather giue care to you and two or three such more as your selfe then all the Diuines in the world Speake no more thus presumptuously You may remember vvhat sometimes I said vnto you mouth to mouth The spirit of the Prophets is subiect to the Prophets that is the doctrine which all men conceit is from the spirit of the prophets is subiect to the iudgement of the Prophets The ground of this your erring is not that you thinke that there are no wicked in the visible Church for you confesse that there are wicked in the visible Church yea men desperately wicked but because in your conceit the wicked that be in the visible Church are not true members of the visible Church That this is so it appeareth by your words next following the former And for wicked and vngodly persons so far are they from being the true naturall members whereof the body consisteth as the whole of the parts Instif 112. 110. as they serue indeede for no other purpose then to infect and corrupt the rest and if redresse bee not had in time to eate out the very heart of the whole Againe And for the church of the Iewes and of Corinth in which you instance as they were holy so they were desperately wicked amongst them no true members of the body but as putrified and rotten parts to be cut off and cast out from the rest I answere as putrified and rotten parts of the body are members of the body vntill they be cut of so wicked men putrifying and stinking with spirituall vncleanenesse their sinâ—es rotten and vnsound at the heart are members of the visible Church and that body politicke vntill by excommunication they be cut of And as a rotten tooth that is no way profitable but hurtfull seruing onely to infect and corrupt the rest is notwithstanding a part or member of the body vntill it be plucked out so the vvicked and vngodly that be in the visible Church that serue indeede for no other purpose then to vexe infect and corrupt the rest are neuerthelesse members of the visible Church vntill by excommunication they be cut of The falsitie of this your conceit I haue further discouered in the Chapter following vvhereto I referre the Reader onely in the meane season remember this and forget it not That all vvhich bee
a company of men are the matter of the visible Church and heere that Saints by calling are the onely matter In the one place he makes calling a part of the forme in the other part of the matter But I maruell greatly M. Ainsworth that you scornfully reiect this description of Saints seeing it suteth so well with all the writings and namely that whole booke of yours called Communion of Saints 66. The Communion of Saints In it you writ thus All men and women called to the faith of God are Saints by calling being sanctified by Christ Iesus and one with another are holy brethren Saints by calling by your owne exposition are those who 1. by Faith are vnited to Christ and 2. by loue one to another and 3. are sanctified by Christ Iesus that is by his Spirit dwelling in them He is very ignorant who thinketh that these haue not forsaken all knowne sinne and doe all the knowne will of God that is desire and endeauor it and he hath cleane forgotten that of the Apostle If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sinne and the Spirit is life for righteousnes sake which euidently prooueth the same Rom. 8.10 Moreouer you tell vs in the same booke communion of Saints in the end of the booke That in the Saints sinne dieth and righteousnesse renueth daily both inwardly and outwardly yea that in the Hypocrites which be in the Church righteousnesse increaseth outwardly If these positions of yours bee true not vnfitly nor vntruly do they teach that saints are men for saking all knowne sinne doing all the known will of God and increasing in grace Considering they meane externally and so farre as men can iudge You all teach that a true visible Church consisteth onely of Saints and by Saints you meane such as haue at the least external righteousnesse and liue vnblameablie in an holy conuersation before men And because all in our Church bee not such Saints but many scandalous in their liues you condemne vs for a false Churse This you cannot denie to bee true Is it not hereby manifest that all of you in effect though not in the same wordes doe likewise teach That Saints are men seperated from all knowne sinne doing all the will of God knowne doeth not that externall righteousnesse and outward sanctimony which you require in all Saints and membâ—rs of the visible Church impâ—y as much as these men heere speake can any be vnblamable which you require in all Saints who forsaketh not before men all knowne sinne and doeth not all the knowne will of God Why then doe you disclaime this discription of Saints You render this reason because from this discription diuers errors doe arise and therefore it must needes bee erronious and fa fe All this I confesse to be true Can you discerne this position or discription being taught by another to be erronious and that from it sunâ—ry errors doe growe whereupon you disclaime it and them and haue you not an eye to see and an heart to abhorre and disclaime the same doctrine when it is taught by your selfe But though M. Ainsworth disclaime this abbortiue yet M. Robinson being more naturall doeth take to it Iustif 105. This position quoth he which you M. Bernard account error rightly vnderstood and according to his exposition from whom you receiued it meaning M. Smith is an vndoubted trueth For of such onely externally and so farre as men can iudge the true Church is gathered and of them alone framed as of the subiect matter Seeing therefore you doe fully agree about the matter of the visible church and that your selues and others mistake it in thinking that you doe heere abouts differ knowe that that which followeth against your supposed matter of the visible Church is meant and spoken against you all and that iustly because it maketh as well against all of the seperation as any First then I demaund of you who teach that Saints are a people forsaking all knowne sinne doing all the knowne will of God increasing in grace c. And that such are the onely matter of the visible Church whether a company of people thus qualâ—fied and graced of God be a Church or to be held to be without and a Synagogue of Satan Surely you will blush and be ashamed to answere negatiuely And if you answere that such a societie is a Church then haue we a Church consisting onely of matter without the forme for such a people as these say you are the matter of a true visible Church wherevnto the forme remaineth to bee added which what it is you tell vs after Now you know it is vtterly vnpossible that a Church or any thing else should be without the forme seeing the forme giues being to a thing but set downe after another manner Secondly it cannot bee denied but such Saints as these are Conuerts yea so farre as man can iudge truely conuerted to the Lord. If the Church consist of such persons onely it followeth necessarily therevpon that men are conuerted not in the Church by the Ministerie of the Pastors and Teachers thereof but without I know not by whom nor by what meanes which is as false as your seperation is sinfull and therefore is this your doctrine false from whence this is inferred Indeed I know that this inference is with you orthodoxall For in your Apologie among the Positions you were bold to tender to his Maiestie this is one That discreet faithfull Apology 45. and able men though not yet in office of Ministerie may bee appointed to preach the Gospell and whole truth of God that men being first brought to knowledge and conuerted to the Lord may then be ioyned in holy communion with Christ our head and one with an other And for confirmation therof you produce seuenteene testimonies of holy writ and seuen reasons But to let your abuse of Scripture and of that reason which God hath giuen you goe I tell you this doctrine and position of yours is against Scripture and therefore as impossible to be proued either by Scripture or Reason By the fourth of the Ephesians it is plaine that Christ ascending on high gaue Pastors and Teachers to the Church as well for the gathering together of the Saints that is for the calling of men to the faith or conuerting them to God whereby men before profane and wicked are made Saints or holy ones as for the edifying and building vp of these Saints in the faith and other graces of the Spirit after they be called You teach now the direct contrary that Christ hath not giuen his Ministers Pastors and Teachers to the former of these ends aforesaid which is also the principall but hath say you appointed that men not in the Ministery but priuate no Church officers should conuert men to the Lord and the Ministers of Christ are onely to edifie and build them vp in grace So that priuate men they lay the foundation Ministers doe but
and are true onely of Gods elect vvho are the inuis Church And notwithstanding to tell vs That places setting forth the inuisible Church are not by you applyed to the vis Church And vvhere you say that the vis Church is Christs sister his loue and his spouse how can this possibly bee true seeing the greatest part of the vis Church and sometimes almost the whole vis Church is hatefull to God abhorred of him as before hath been made manifest And by what titles I pray you doth Iesus declare his loue to the inuisible Church if these be the titles of the visible Christ Iesus himselfe telleth vs that whosoeuer doth his fathers will which is in heauen the same is his sister But this doe onely they who are of the inuisible church They therefore onely are Christ his sister If the vis church and members thereof bee Christ his loue then none of them shall bee damned For it cannot bee that Iesus will condemne them whom he loueth It is the elect likewise and inuis church which being contracted here to Christ shall bee married to him the Kings sonne in the vvorld to come when they shall partake vvith him in glory And not the vis church whereof the greatest part shall be damned and but a few therof saued Lastly say you the vis Church is the body of Christ Wherevpon all those places in Pauls Epistles where mention is made of Christs body you expound of the visible when they are to be vnderstood of the inuisible church or the vvhole company of the faithfull which is a part thereof If the vis church be the body of Christ as you tell vs then euery one of the vis church is a member of Christ his body and hath therefore the same spirit abiding in him that is in Christ Iesus For the very same spirit that dwelleth in Christ the head is from thence deriued to his body and all the members thereof If any man haue not the spirit of Christ the same is not his But if the spirit of him that raised vp Iesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised vp Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you Rom. 8.9.11 Hereby wee know saith Iohn that we dwell in him and he in vs 1. Ioh. 4.13 because hee hath giuen vs of his spirit From hence wee learne that Iesus doth communicate his spirit to all his members so as whosoeuer hath not this spirit bringing forth the like or the same effects in him that it did in Christ the same is no member of Christ nor part of his body Christ dwelleth not in him nor hee in Christ As by loue all the members of this body are vnited together so by the spirit of God this body with all the members thereof are coupled and knit together to the head Christ whereby it receiueth grace and increase of grace growing vp into Christ Iohn 1.16 Ephes 4.15.16 for the furniture thereof according to the effectuall power of this spirit which is in the measure of euery part Ioh. 15.1 This spirit is as the iuice that from Christ the vine is conueyed into euery branch And it is as the soule of this body giuing spirituall life to all the members thereof euen as the soule of man doth animate the body with all the part or members thereof But euery one of the vis Church is not a member of Christ his body forasmuch as the spirit of Chr st dwelleth not in euery one of the vis church and therefore the vis church is not the body of Christ but some other company of men there is which make that body vvhereof Christ is the head and euery particular man of that societie a member thereof Neither can you deny that which I doe inferre herevpon and necessarily followeth vpon the former Namely if euery one of the vis church be a member of the body of Christ then euery one of the vis church hath the Spirit of Christ dwelling in him Counterp 128. Nay your selfe M. Ainsworth confesse and vrge this against vs saying That we cannot possibly be members of the body of Christ nor haue him for our head Being we are not partakers of his life and spirit It resteth therefore that either you yeeld to the conclusion That the vis church is not the body of Christ or else affirme That euery member of the visible church hath the Spirit of Christ dwelling in him Apology 44. That euery one of the vis church is not a member of Christs body hath already been sufficiently proued and is hereby likewise euident because then none of the vis Church could be damned For tell me I pray you can a member of Christ possibly bee condemned Euery member of Christ is as it were flâ—sh of his flesh and a bone of his bones We are members of his body Ephes 5.30 of his f esh and of his bones Doth Christ hate his owne flesh or rather nourish and cherish it Will or can Christ the iudge condemne any who is thus neare and deare vnto him It is not possible Againe Christ is life it selfe I am that way Ioh. 14.6 that truth and that life saith he Whereby we learne that as without Christ no man can haue spirituall and eternall life so whosoeuer hath Christ and is a member of Christ the same hath this life deriued vnto him a member from Christ the head How then can such a one die seeing he hath already life it selfe and that life begun in him which is eternall and whereof their is no end Herevpon the Scripture saith Rom. 8.1 That to them which are in Christ Iesus members of his body there is no condemnation And that to such Christ is made wisedome righteousnesse 1. Cor. 1.30 sanctification and redemption Besides what creature is able to pluck away a member from this body and to break that bond whereby one of these members is tyed to the head Christ Iesus Who can s perate betweene Christ and his members Surely not principalities nor powers much lesse flesh and bloud None shall plucke these out of my hand saith Iesus Rom. 8.35 Ioh. 20.28 Verse 23. I doe not deny but that as the vis Church in a certaine respect may be called the body of Christ so Christ Iâ—sus not in one but in diuers respects may fitly be called the head of the vis Church This lets not but thâ—t which I here affirme is true And hereof he rendreth a reason My Father which gaue them mee is greater then all and none is able to take them out of my fathers hand I and my Father are one But leauing this argument we will proceed to some others In the 5. to the Ephes Thus we reade The husband is the wiues head euen as Christ is the head of the Church and the same is the Sauiour of his body 25. Husbands loue your wiues euen as
Christs permitting his Disciples the people to heare the Scribes and Pharises The Scribes and Pharises saith he sit in Moses seate Mat. 23.2 All therefore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and doe Verily if it were vnlawfull for the faithfull to ioyne with open vvicked men in the worship of God and that they did pollute it vnto the faythfull as these men doe tell vs then had it been vnlawfull to haue heard and prayed with the Scribes and Pharisies who were men notoriâ—usly vvicked Which made Iohn the Baptist to greete them thus Mat. 3.7 23.33 O generations of vipers who hath forewarned you to flye from the anger to come And our Sauiour after many a fearefull vvoe denounced against them to cry out to the same effect with Iohn O serpents the generation of vipers how shall yee escape the damnation of hell This their wickednesse also was open and well knowne to the faithfull neither could they possibly be ignorant thereof Considering their open persecuting of Christ euen to death their open blaspheming of him Matth. 9.34 12.24 Iohn 9 22.34 and 12.42 and traducing of his works and their persecuting of the Saints insomuch that many durst not confesse Christ Iesus for feare of the Pharisees But your aâ—oresaid reason concerning the pollution of the faithfull and holy things of God by the wicked you will prooue by the Scriptures M. Francis Iohnson charging the forward Preachers of England with 17. points of false doctrine setteth downe this for one and the first in the rancke That though the open notorious obstinate offenders be partakers of the Sacraments yet neither the Sacraments nor the people that ioyne with them are defiled thereby Defence of the Churches and Ministers of England 70. Communion of Sâ—iâ—ts 469. Par. l. 71. 72. 73 This doctrine quoth he is contrarie to these Scriptures 1. Cor. 10.17 Hag. 2.14 15. 1. Cor. 5 6. 10.28 2. Cor. 6.15.18 Gal. 5 9. with eleuen more there quoted So that there is no want of witnâ—sses But let vs heare also what M. Ainsworth saieth If in our assemblies quoth he the wicked partake with vs neither we nor the holy things can sanctifie them but contrariwise they defile vs and euery thing they touch For confirmation hereof both these men and likewise M. Smith alleadge Hag. 2 13 14. with diuers other places of the olde Testament concerning ceremoniall pollution whereby they will haue it that this spirituall pollution is signified and shadowed foorth If saith Haggai one beare holy flesh in the skirt of his garment and with his skirt doe touch the bread or the pottage or the wine or the oyle or any meate shall it be holy And the Priests answered and saide No 14. Then saide Haggai If a polluted person touch any of these shall it be vncleane and the Priests answered and said it shall be vncleane I answere proue and make it plaine to vs 1. That by touching is signified our mutuall partaking in these holy things or in true diuine worship 2. That this polluted person doeth signifie an open wicked man in the Church Prooue I say these to haue this resemblance as your interpretation and application of them implyeth and I will confesse that you doe not misinterpret misapply these Scriptures as you doe the rest here But if herein you faile neither this Scripture nor any of this kinde will auaile you at all Concerning the first of these you say And this touching figured our fellowship together in the Church as the Apostle sheweth 2. Cor. 6.14 15 16 17. Communion of Saints 469. I deny this and affirme that this place of Paul prooueth no such thing The Apo perswading the Saints at Corinth not to ioyne with their neighbours who were heathens and Idolaters in their false and Idolatrous worship nor in any of their pollutions no not so much as with their bodies though they kept their spirit pure vnto the Lord vseth this phrase in the Lawe touch no vncleane thing not meaning thereby to teach what this touching figured but the Corinthian saints that they might no way pertake nor haue any thing to doe more nor lesse soule nor body with the Idolatrous worship or any other pollution of theirs Now what maner of proofe and argument is this We may not at all pertake with Idolaters in their false worship not somuch as touch it with a finger Ergo not with the open wicked in true diuine worship If wee communicate with Idolaters in false worship by touching that impure worship we our selues shall be made impure touch it not therefore come not at it Ergo if wee communicate with the open wicked in true diuine worship wee and that worshtp shall be made vncleane These two conclusions are your positions and the two Antecedents are Paules Let the Reader iudge of the consequence But let vs come to rhe other thing heere to be considered that is whom the man that was ceremonially vncleane did signifie You will not say I knowe the open wicked man but the sinner without any such limitation or restraint Wherupon by your expositioÌ„ this followeth That the sinner or man spiritually vncleane defileth the holy things of God Word Sacraments and Prayer and they that communicate with him therein are likewise defiled as the man ceremonially vncleane polluted whatsoeuer things he touched and they that touched him were vncleane But this inference is false because without any such pollution we may communicate wiâ—h hypocrites who be sinners and therefore this your exposition from whence it is inferred is false In this straite you haue no other refuge but this That by the vncleane man vnder the lawe was signified the open wicked man or knowne sinner Which I desire you would hereafter prooue vnto vs for we will take nothing of your word In the meane season this I say vnto you that had you or should you yet consider that howsoeuer the wicked whether openly or secretly wicked for all is one polluted indeede the holy things of God it is vnto themselues onely and not to others according to this Scripture vnto them that are defiled Tit. 1.15 and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure you wou'd neuer trouble the Church of God with this impure doctâ—ine This testimony of Titus you produce for your selues and it maketh against you Communion of Saints 133. Communion of Saints 464. 1 Cor. 5.6 Gal. 5.9 Answerable hereunto bee your other testimonies of holy writ and namely this so frequent with you a little leauen leaueneth a whole lump For the Apostles meaning is not that a few or one knowne wicked man by his open sinne doeth pollute the Word Sacraments and the whole assembly they be comming guiltâ—e of sinne and so defiled 1. Because they haue religious communion with him Paral. 71 72. 73 2. Because by this communicating with a knowne sinner in dâ—uine worshâ—p they doe approoue of his sinne and thus consenting thereto become accessary vnto it This
the first borne of the Iewes that were by Gods appointment to be sanctified to the Lord Exod. 13.2 and are they which out of mankind are of God sanctâ—fied and put apart to an holy vse that is the seruice or worship of God the rest of mankind attending proâ—ane and worldly affaires Also Exod. 4.23 Psal 4.6 Matth. 22.5 Esa 49.15 because they of this Church or company are as dearely nay more dearely beloued of God then the first borne children are of their parents Fourthly this Church is said to be written in heauen because all of them are chosen and appointed to life eternall and their names written in the booke of life enioying or hereafter to enioy it in heauen Lastly he maketh mention of the spirits of iust and perfect men meaning the soules of the faithfull which are now in heauen Whereby wee learne that part of the Church is now in heauen and the other in earth and hereafter to be on earth both these making the Church This Church or company then containeth all Gods Elect that euer haue beene are and shall be in this world from the beginning thereof to the end Whereof part we see is in heauen triumphing as hauing got the victory ouer their enemies and praysing God and is therefore called the Church triumphant and part on earth hereafter on earth to be warring or fighting with their spirituall enemies the flesh the world and prince thereof the Diuel called therefore the Church militant This Paul teacheth likewise in the 3. to the Eph. saying I bow my knees vnto the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ Vers 14.15 of whom is named the whole family in heauen and in earth By whole family he meaneth the whole Church one part whereof saith hee is in heauen with God the Lord Master of this Family magnifying him and namely for his goodnes towards theÌ„ the victory that by him they haue obtained Exod. 4.23 the glory honor and immortality he hath bestowed vpon them the other on earth for a time attoÌ„ding the busines he hath appointed them which is to worship him This the Apostle likewise teacheth Ephes 1.10 and in the first to the Coloss vers 20. In both which places he affirmeth that God hath reconciled to himselfe in Christ all things which are in heauen and which are in earth By the word Things hee meaneth Men as Reuel 21.27 where Iohn speaking of the new Ierusalem saith There shall enter into it no vncleane thing meaning no vncleane man or person By all things then both which words be vsed in eyther of these places the holy Ghost meaneth all the Elect for of these the Apostle speaketh in both places of which society part he telleth vs now three times is in heauen and the other in earth none in purgatory and that each part and euery member thereof is in and through Christ reconciled God and such only be the Elect. This whole company of the Elect is the Church which Ephes 1.22.23 proueth Christ is appointed the head to the Church which is his body the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all things As the parts of a man soule and body make but a man not men and the seuerall parts of the body one body not diuers so the societies whereof I haue spoken in heauen and on earth make but one Church We doe not then beleeue two Churches not two Spouses of Christ but we beleeue only one yet considered diuers wayes One as shee is in the blade growing and to grow together with the tares in the field or in the flore mixed with chaffe another as shee is in the garner one in the mine and another purifiâ—d one yet wrapped in the confusion of this world and wicked men another before her Spouse without spot or wrinckle But leauing the triumphant Church which is in this pure and perfect estate we will now intreat of the Militant The militant Church is vniuersall or particular Ephes 4.13.16 Vniuersall are all those throughout the world who beleeuing in Christ are by the spirit vnited to him and by loue one vnto another In a word the whole company of the faithfull Hereof Paul speaketh 1. Cor. 12.28 God hath ordained some in the Church first Apostles secondly Prophets c. And Ephes 4.11.12 where the very same in part is layd downe but in other words He therefore gaue some to bee Apostles and some Prophets c. for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the ministery and for the edification of the body of Christ In stead of the word Church he first vseth Saints because the Church is nothing else but the Congregation of Saints Secondly The body of Christ meaning that part of his body which is on earth the whole being set for a part by a Synecdoche And of this is that to be vnderstood in the Creed I beleeue the holy Catholike Church A particular Church is the whole company of beleeuers that be in a Country Citie Towne or Village Such was the Church at Ierusalem Rome Corinth the Churches of Galatia c. as after in the ninth chapter of this Booke is proued Paul an Apostle 1. Cor. 1 2. Gal. 1.2 vnto the Church of God which is at Corinthus Paul vnto the Churches of Galatia And thus rightly we doe and may call all the faithfull in England in Scotland in France the Church of England the Church of Scotland the Church of God in France and all the true beleeuers be they more or lesse in Islington the Church of Islington Thus haue we many Churches and yet but one Church many particular Churches and yet but one Catholike or vniuersall Church 1. Pet. 2.9 To the Militant Church Peter speaketh saying But yee are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that yee should shew forth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darknesse into his maruailous light Where he speaking to the Elect and beleeuing Iewes telleth them that they need not to feare nor be dismaid at this that God hath ordained some to destruction whereof he had spoken in the two next verses before for as much as they were not of those or of that Generation whom God to glorifie his Iustice and to shew his anger against sinne hath appointed to condemnation but were of that Generation and stock which out of mankind God hath chosen and ordained to life euerlasting that so hee might declare the riches of his glory and mercy in sauing them Of this societie the beleeuing Iewes whom Peter speaketh were part And therefore it is that the Apostle vseth this particle but saying But yee are a chosen generation Those that Peter calleth heere the chosen Generation are the same which the Scripture often cals the Church and Diuines vsually the inuisible Church And it is that company of men which God out of all mankind hath chosen in Christ to giue or bestow vpon them eternall
are to be found in diuine worship Such was the Religion and worship of the Iewes when Christ was vpon the earth at which time contrary to Gods appointment they had two high Priests Annas and Caiphas And where the high Priests office was to continue during his life they now held it but for a yeere To say nothing of their exceeding great corruption in doctrine and manners yet was the Religion and worshippe of the Iewes at that time the onely true Religion and worshippe but not a pure Religion and worshippe The same is true of the Church of Corinthus of the Churches of Galatia and of the seuen Churches in Asia And such is the Religion we professe in England and the worshippe we giue to God a true but not a pure Religion and worship And of this kind also wee may assure our selues is the Religion of the Churches in Scotland in France in the Low-countries yea euen of all the reformed Churches in Christendome though not all corrupted in the same degree True Religion is corrupted lesse or more And that is according as in diuine worship is omitted more or lesse of those things which God hath appointed or added and mixed therewith more or lesse which God hath not commanded or both As when any thing in Diuine worship is wanting which God hath ordained it is not pure Religion and worship but corrupted though it may be a true Religion and worship so when with Diuine worship are mixed Quaere de circumstantiis loci temporis habitus gestus c. or thereunto added some ceremonies more or lesse and ordinances of mans deuising which we call humane inuentions Religion then and worship are thereby corrupted and cannot be said to be pure and vndefiled The reason whereof is because God hath not left it to the liberty and will of man to serue and worship him as hee pleaseth and thinketh good but as he alone will be worshipped so in that manner as he not man hath appointed and no otherwise Nothing is left heere to the wit and will of man he may neyther adde nor omit any thing a Deut. 12.32 and 4.2 Prou. 30.6 Whatsoeuer I command you take heed you doe it thou shalt not adde vnto it nor diminish from it Hence it came to passe that b Leuit. 10.1 a fire came out from the Lord and deuoured Nadab and Abihu euen for offering strange fire before the Lord which he had not commanded them And that the Lord did slay c 2. Sam. 6.16 Vzzah holding vp the Arke of God when it was shaken and in danger to fall Hereby the Lord did shew how highly he is offended with this corrupting and defiling of his worship To teach the sonnes of men to beware thereof Thus you see the difference betweene pure Religion and the pure worship of God and true religion and worship corrupted Also that a people may be of a true Religion and haue the true worship of God and so be a true Church and yet not of that Religion which is pure and vndefiled nor haue the sincere worship As one beleeuing in Christ is a true Christian though he hath many infirmities So a company professing true Religion is a true Church though it hath in it many corruptions and bee a pure Church As a man beleeuing in Christ though he ought to be free from all impurity of soule and body and abound in all grace as much as is possible is a true Christian notwithstanding he attaine not to this perfection but haue many infirmities so a Church or company of men professing true Religion though in the worship of God it should be free from all humane inuentions and haue all the ordinances of God as much as is possible notwithstanding it attaine not to this height of purity or perfection but haue therein many corruptions is neuerthelesse a true Church CHAP. VI. That the profession of true Religion maketh one a member of the visible Church HAuing now prepared and made a way to the Readers better vnderstanding I returne to my former description willing thee againe to remember that I doe not say that a visible Church is a company of people professing the pure Religion of God but a company professing true Religion Adde thereunto if you will and enioying a true worship of God though not a pure worship And heere fitly I may frame another description of the visible Church That it is a company of men enioying and submitting themselues to the true worship of God Let there be an assembly ioyned together in prayer in hearing the Word and in receiuing the Sacraments a Touching the substance therof though not in euery circumstance and in that purity which ought to be according to Christs institution and it is a true visible Church If thou wilt soundly vnderstand Christian Reader what a true visible Church is and be preserued from that errour and Schisme into which many of late haue fallen thou must carefully obserue and remember these two things First The difference betweene pure Religion and true Religion corrupted betwixt pure worship and true worship corrupted whereof we haue spoken Secondly That to the making or being of a member of the visible Church a profession of true Religion and an outward submission to true worship sufficeth From whence these conclusions doe follow First That an Assembly may be a true visible Church though it professe not the Religion that is pure and vndefiled nor liue vnder a pure and sincere worship of God but such as is partly impure and corrupted Secondly That a man may be of the true visible Church though he be not religious and godly but indeed and in truth irreligious and prophane so that he professe the true Religion And that such may be and are of the visible Church who only outwardly submit themselues to the true worship of God though they be not true worshippers and doe not worship God in Spirit and truth This profession of the true Religion and submission I speake of is all in all in this case It is that which giueth life and being to euery member vnited to his body so as whosoeuer maketh this profession and vseth this submission being knit to this body and not cut off by excommunication is in and of the visible Church The matter of this Church is a company of men not one but a company lesse or more And yet not a company of Angels or Spirits but of men The forme is the profession of true Religion or submission to the true worship of God As therfore it is in all other cases that where the matter and forme of a thing is there is the thing it selfe euen so it is in this particular Ainsw to Master Stone pag. 18. Mark 1.24 Act. 16.16 In a Pamphlet set forth by Master Ainsworth as it is reported against Master Stone we haue to the premises this answere That this profession is not wanting in the Sinagogue of Satan For saith
our selues were Proselites of the Iewes Religion so of the visible Church and yet vndoubtedly they came not to be such by the call of the word or by the power and operation therof but by beholding the great and wonderfull workes which the Lord wrought by the hand of Moses and Aaron and the freedom of the Iewes from those plagues which fell vpon the Egyptians When Haman was hanged and Mordecai exalted and comfortable letters sent to the Iewes that they should be readie on such a day and auenge themselues on their enemies so as vnto the Iewes was come light and ioy and gladnesse and honor it is recorded in that story Ester 8.17 that many of the people of that Land became Iewes that is turned to and professed the Iewes Religion and so were ioyned to the Church and then immediatly is shewed how that came to passe not by the call power and operation of the Word but because the feare of the Iewes fell vpon them This is manifest likewise in the Gospell where many are said to beleeue in Christ that is to professe faith in Christ and so were of the visible Church of whom it is plaine they were not drawne thereunto by the word but some by the report they heard of Christ as Ioh. 4.39 some for their belly sake to be fed by him as Ioh. 6.26 and some by his miracles as Ioh. 2.27 Seeing then this is not necessarie and generally true of all the members of the Church that they are called by the word of God very vnfitly was it placed in the description of a visible Church which if it were good would be true and each part of it of euery member thereof If it bee true that a visible Church is a company of men then thus is it also true whosoeuer is not a man is not nor can be of the visible Church and therefore no Angels no spirits or soules of men can be of this Church euen so it is in this case If this be true that a visible Church is a company called by the word of God then this is true also that whosoeuer is not called by the word and hath not felt the force and power of this mighty word is no member of the visible Church Moreouer suppose that one of the visible Church haue children and seruants that be Papists and that he after other perswasions commands and threats shall say vnto them except yee forsake your idolatry and worship God according to his word and not after the traditions and deuises of men yee shall be no children nor seruants vnto mee And that thereupon they frequent the Church assemblies and in processe of time doe in policie outwardly seeme to be religious renouncing Popery and p ofessing the true Religion when in the meane season they continue Popish still And not those to be accounted of the visible Church Yes verily for what though they haue a heart and a heart that is nothing to man we must leaue that to God Yet these children and seruants came not to bee of the Church by the call of the Word And herein this Father and Master did nothing but what in duety to God Gen. 18.19 and loue to men he ought to doe For I know him saith the Lord that he will command his sonnes and his houshold after him that they keepe the way of the Lord to doe righteousnesse and iudgement that the Lord may bring vpon Abraham that he hath spoken vnto him May and ought the Master and Father of a family doe this and may not or ought not the Father of the Country according to that authority which God hath giuen him likewise do the like by his family If he may why doe you condemne as it should seeme the proclamation and commandement giuen in this behalfe by Queene Elizabeth not long after shee came to the Crowne whereby the gathering of our Churches was hastened You ought rather to haue commended her for it When Iudah was fallen to Idolatry whereby it became a false Church the Lord raised vp certaine Kings of Iudah to restore and purge the Religion and worship of God then greatly corrupted whereby it became againe a true Church And this that they might the better effect they a 2. King 23.21 2. Chron. 14.4 and 33.16 commanded the people to serue the Lord in that manner that he had appointed them and not after the fashion and appointment of men as they had done Of Iosiah it is said That b 2. Chron. 34 33. hee compelled all that were found in Israel to serue the Lord their God Yea some of them to this end c 2. Chro. 30.5.6.10 made proclamation throughout all Israel from Beersheba euen to Dan and accordingly sent forth the postes with the said proclamations or letters and that which is more d 2. Chro. 15.12.13 calling a Parliament made this statute or law That whosoeuer would not seeke the Lord God of Israel that is serue him according to his word as it is expounded 2. Chron. 14.4 should be slaine Concerning this also they caused the people to take an oath Then it followeth in the text And the Lord gaue them rest round about Whereby is intimated that God approued of this compulsion to serue him and therewith was well pleased Yee now that so greatly condemne the gathering of our Churches and teach that all who are of the visible Church are called by the word of God and thereby onely made members of that society That God heere must perswade the heart of man Counterpoyson 72. 170. That Christs Church to wit visible is a people begotten of God with the word of truth that Gods people meaning the visible Church are a voluntary people And thereupon condemne all force and compulsion vsed herein by the Magistrate Tell me I pray you whether all the Idolaters in the daies of Asa Hezekiah Manasseh and Iosiah that reformed themselues touching their outward profession were by the force and power of the word of God then preached brought to professe the true Religion and to ioyne with others in the true worship of God and so to be of the visible Church If you answere affirmatiuely he is a foole that beleeues you and such a one sure that if you say the crow is white will likewise beleeue you If negatiuely we need no more to conuince you For it some haue come to be of the visible Church who before were not and not by the call of the word which in giuing this negatiue answere you affirme then is not the visible Church a company of people câ—lled by the word of God as you define it Secondly I demand of you why commandements proclamations threates force and compulsion being vsed by the Kings or Queenes of England in the restoring or purging of the Religion and worshâ—p of God should not as well now bâ—e lawfull and pleasing to the Lord as the like proceedings vsed by the Kings of Iudah were in
In the second of Haggai the Prophet hath these words If a polluted person touch any of these shall it be vncleane and the Priests answered and said it shall be vncleane Then answered Haggai and saide so is this people and so is this nation before me saith the Lord. As heere notwithstanding the visible Church and people of the Iewes are said to be vncleane yet there were then in the Church many Saints Zerubbabel Iehoshua Haggai with many others as appeareth by chap. 1. v. 12.13 chap. 2. v. 5 6. Euen so albeit in holy writ the members of visible Churches are called Saints yet were there vndoubtedly in the same Churches not a fewe that were polluted and vncleane Neither is there any more force in this latter allegation to proue that all in the Church are outwardâ—y holy then in the former to proue that all in the Church in the Prophet Haggai his time were vncleane This might well suffice for an answere I will notwithstanding adde more therevnto that if it be possible your mouthes may be stopped But to come to a more direct answere I deny that Paul indited and writ his Epistles for and to the visible Churches in Rome Corinth Ephesus c. But to the seuerall and particular Churches that is societies of the faithfull in those and other cities and so framed his stile accordingly vnto this blessed and holy people many wicked and vnbeleeuers voide I meane of true faith ioyned themselues in the profession of the same faith and in holy Communion worshipping the same God after the same externall manner with them These latter and bad sort being all of them Hypocrites were in the Church but not of it no more then the chaffe that is mixt with wheate is wheate the first and good sort onely making the Church so much commended vnto vs in holy writ and the confused and mixt company of both these that wee call a visible Church They went out from vs saith Iohn but they were not of vs 1. Iohn 2.19 for if they had beene of vs they would haue continued with vs. Now to the Churches I say and not to the visible Churches the Apostle meant and writ at least chiefely his Epistâ—es as the inscriptions of the most of them besides many sayings in the same doe manifestly declare whereof we haue had a tast in the precedent section of which some I will repeate and adde some others To all that be at Rome beloued of God vnto the church of God which is at Corinthus to theÌ„ that are sanctified in Christ Iesus To the Saints which are at Ephesus and to the faithfull in Christ Iesus To them which are at Colosse Saints and faithfull brethren in Christ In like manner doth Saint Peter Peter an Apostle to the strangers that dwell here and there elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father vnto sanctification of the Spirit And in the second Epistle thus Simon Peter to you which haue obtained like precious faith with vs. And as in the inscriptions so in the Epistles themselues the Apostle vsually speaketh as to the Church and not to the visible Church To the Romanes Rom. 8.9.15 to whom he writ thus yee are not in the flesh but in the spirit because the spirit of God dwelleth in you Againe yee haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but yee haue receiued the spirit of adoption To them he writ at Corinthus 1. Cor. 1.7 vers 26.30 yee are not destitute of any gift waighting for the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ 8 Who shall confirme you vnto the end that yee may be blamelesse in the day of our Lord Iesus Christ 9 God is faithfull by whom yee are called vnto the fellowship of his Sonne Iesus Christ Brethren you see your calling how that not many wise men after the flesh c. But yee are of him in Christ Iesus Your bodies are the members of Christ Your body is the Temple of the holy Ghost yee are bought for a price 1. Cor 6.15 19.20 v. 27. Gal. 3.26 4 6. yee are the body of Christ To the Galatians thus Yee are all the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus Because ye are sonnes God hath sent foorth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts These speaches with infinite more of this kinde are true and can properly be said onely of the Churches and members thereof and improperly of the visible Churches and therefore mee thinketh it is very hard to vnderstand them of the visible Churches and members thereof rather then of the Churches themselues Neither can I conceiue what there is in religion or reason to leade vs from the litterall sence to your tropicall exposition specially considering these kinde of speeches be so frequent in the Epistles and few or none to be found in them which can properly be saide of the visible Churches This is further confirmed by 1. Cor. 12.28 but more plainly by Ephes 4.8.11.12 Where the ministery and Ministers are saide to be ordained for and giuen to the Church and Saints and body of Christ which body the Church or that we call the invisible Church is and not the visible And heere I reason thus To what Church or societie soeuer the ministery and Ministers of Christ were giuen to the same the canonicall Epistles were written But to the Church militant the ministery and Ministeis were giuen Therefore to it the Epistles canonicall were written The proposition is in it selfe cleare the assumption the former place of the Ephesians doeth manifestly prooue Whatsoeuer things are written Rom. 15.4 and therefore the Epistles of Paul and of the other Apostles are written for our learning or instruction who be of Gods election that we the elect of God through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope These things saith Iohn haue I written vnto you that beleeue in the name of the same God 1. Iohn 5.13 that yee may know that yee haue eternall life If Iohn write to the faithfull and to those who might assure themselues of eternall life which Faith and Life only the Church militant and elect that be on earth haue then vndoubtedly the Apostle Paul did write vnto the like seeing they were both guided by the same spirit and as pennes in the hand of the same Writer Finally as the Apostles whiles they were limited and confined to the nation and people of the Iewee were sent by Iesus to Preach to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel that is the elect Israelits Matth. 10.6 so vndoubtedly when the Apo coÌ„mission was enlarged they to Preach to all nations some of them to write they were of Iesus sent and inspired to Preach and write to the lost sheepe that is the elect of the Iewes and Gentiles And as the lost sheepe of the house of Israel were they whom Christ in his first sending and preaching of his Apostâ—es respectâ—d and of whom
yees renewed by you He that giues eare heere to you and to M. Ainsworth before brethren in error where he saith Counterp That the mixture of all sorts that is good and bad in the visible Church is contrary to the fiâ—st couenant of our redemption wherein God proclaimed a perpetuall enmitie and warre against the serpent and his seede cannot but thereupon coniecture or col ect these two things First that this enmity you speake of is not in the visiblâ— church and to be found among the members thereof but betwâ—xt the Church and the world and all in the visible Churâ—h are at peace among themselues and haue mutuall loue â—ach to other according to your descâ—iptâ—on of the visible Church That it is a company knit together by the bond of peace and loue vnfained 2. That there are none of the serpents seede within the visible Church that is none of the diuels children or no wicked neither secretly nor openly wicked for the secret wicked be as well his seede as the open wicked these conclusions necessarily follow of these your premised lines the scope and drift of them considered which if you will proue vnto vs we will embrace the seperation you contend for In the meane season knowe ye that wee from our soules abhorre both your doctrine and practise and condemne them to the pit of hell where this and all false doctrine was first founded But tell me M. Robinson whether that enmitie betweene the seed of the woman and the seede of the serpent is not to be seene or as you speake visibly manifested in our Church notwithstanding we haue not this actuall seperation you speake of I hope you will acknowledge it is so manifest that a man cannot chuse but see it if hee feare God feele it also Why then doe you say that this enmitie is visiblie manifested by this actuall seperation Seeing it is to bee found wher this seperation is wanting But let vs heare M. Robinson speake once more Pag. 33 How we would haue behaued our selues in the Temple where the many changers were and they that sold doues we shall answere you when you prooue your Church to be the Temple of God compiled and built of spiritual hewen and liuely stones 1. K. 5.17.18 6.7 1. Pet. 2.5 And of the Cedars firres and thyne trees of Lebanon 2. Chron. 2.8 framed and set together in that comely order which a greater then Salomon hath prescribed vnto which God hath promised his presence But while we take it to be as it is a confused heape of dead and defiled and polluted stones and of all rubbish of briers and brambles of the wildernesse for the most part fitter for burning then building we take our selues rather bound to shewe our obedience in the departing from it then our valour in purging it and to followe the Prophets counsell in flying out of Babylon as the hee Goate before the flocke Ier. 50.8 Heere is another conuiction of our Church and confirmation of their Doctrine to wit that a visible Church is a company seperated from the world that is a company coÌ„sisting of righteous men onely hauing in it none that bee of this world This conuiction is grounded vpon the confusion or commixture of good and bad in our Church We are a confused heape of dead and defiled and polluted stones and of all rubbish and fewe liuing stones whereas the true visible Church is built onely of liuely stones spiritually hewen and squared Whereupon Barrow saith That the visible Church enioyeth a most humble meeke obedient faithfull and louing people euery stone liuing Elect and precious euery stone hath his beautie his burden and his order This latter which we deny to wit A true dâ—scription of the visiâ— Church pag. 2. That the visible Church is built onely of liuely stones you seeme to your selues to proue by 1 Pet. 2.5 and to that purpose you quote it very often We answere that this place of Peter is true onely and to be vnderstood of the militant Church or whole company of the faithfull members of the inuisible Church who alone are endued with the Spirit of God which is the Spirit of Life whereby of dead they are made liuing stones that is of men dead in sinne able to liue vnto God These onely haue the life of God in them and so onely are these liuely stones Ephes 4.18 of which life many of the visible Church are destitute hauing no more power or abilitie to doe those things which are pleasing to God then a stone to mooue it selfe Such are all the reprobates all the Hypocrites and wicked in the Church Of the visible Church therefore this cannot bee meant seeing many of it are dead stones Obserue also that those who here be called liuely stones are saide to be made a spirituall house as being that house or habitation wherein God dwelleth by his Spirit whereof that materiall Temple built by Salomon wherein God did dwell and was present after a speciall sort was a type and figure But the Elect onely or those of this societie who be effectually called make this Spirituall house for as much as in them alone the Spirit of God and of Christ dwelleth Therefore the Elect are meant by these liuely stones and not the visible Church in many of which the Spirit of God doeth not dwell But Sathan by his Spirit Moreouer those heere called or compared to liuing stones are said as an holy Priesthood to offer vp Spiritall Sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ which many of the visible Church neither doe nor can doe their sacrifices being an abomination to the Lord. By these liuely stones therefore are not meant the visible Church and the members thereof as you euery where doe tell vs. But how prooue you that the Temple built by Salomon was a type and figure of the visible Church vnder the Gospell and those goodly carued and polished stones whereof it was builded 1. Kin. 8.10.11.12 of the members thereof I for my part doe thinke cleane otherwise that by that glorious Temple wherein God as in his house and the place of his habitation dwelled and which the Lord sometimes filled with hâ—s glory was signified First Christ Iesus in carnate and made man in whom all the fulnes of the Godhead dwelleth bodily Col. 2.9 Destroy this Temple and in three dayes I will raise it vp againe 20. Then saide the Iewes fortie and sixe yeeres was this Temple a building Ioh. 2.19 and wilt thou reare it vp in three dayes But he spake of the Temple of his body Secondly that the inuisible Church and misticall Body of Christ in whom God also dwelleth by his Spirit whereupon they are called the Temple of God the Tabernacle of God the habitation of God by the Spirit and in this place of Peter a Spirituall house and liuing stones True it is M. Robinson that in our Church there are dead defiled and polluted stones
Christ loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it 26. That hee might sanctifie it and cleanse it 27. That hee might make it vnto himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinckle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blame Here be diuers reasons to proue that that Church which in the holy scriptures is said to be the body of Christ and whereof Christ is the head is the inuisible Church and not the visible as you do hold For first Christ is the Sauiour of that Church or company of men which is his body But hee is the Sauiour and giueth saluation onely to the Church inuisible Ergo c. Secondly Ps 55. 11.5 Christ loueth the Church which is his body But hee loueth onely the elect and church inuisible hating all others as workers of iniquitie Rom. 9.13 Ergo c. Thirdly Christ died or gaue himselfe to death for the church which is his body But hee died onely for the elect and church inuisible Ergo the inuisible church on ly is his body Fourthly that church which is the body of Christ Iesus by his spirit in this life sanctifieth and cleanseth in part and peâ—fectly in the life which is to come at which time it shall be without spot or wrinkle holy and without blame and so a glorious church indeede But this onely Christ doth to the inuisible church and all the members thereof and not to the vis church the greatest part whereof hâ—e leaueth to the vncleane spâ—rit who leadeth them into all manner of vncleanenesse and wickednesse Therefore the inuisible church onely and not the visible is the body of Christ The seuerall Propositions of these foure arguments are euident by this present Scripture The Assumptions of them all are so cleere that you neither will nor dare deny It resteth therefore that you imbrace the conclusion Ephes 2.22.23 4.12 15.16 Col. 1.18.24 And here we learne how to vnderstand those places of holy Scripture where Christ is said to be the head of the Churth and the Church is called his body Not of the vis church as you doe but of the inuisible church or that company of the elect vvhich is by faith vnited to Christ and by loue one to another that is of the faithfull These are they which are the mysticall body of Christ whereof he is the head Counterp 127. Apologie 44. A true Description of the vis church 2. pag. 1. 1. Cor. 12.27 1. Cor. 6.19 7.23 But you will say doth not the Apostle writing to the vis church at Corinth say Ye are the body of Christ and members for your part What proofe can be more plaine then this I answere doth not the same Apostle writing to the same church likewise say Ye are not your owne yee are bought with a price If this argument of yours were ought hence it vvould follow that Christ Iesus hath redeemed the vis church and so by consequent Reprobates When Peter teacheth that only the Elect or church inuisible are redeemed with the precious bloud of Christ 1. Pet. 1.2.18 Confession of faith 26. which you likewise acknowledge From hence also it will follow that all of the vis church are in Christ Iesus and that Christ is vnto them wisedome righteousnesse sanctâ—fication and redemption because Paul writting to the Corinthians saith yee are of him in Christ Iesus 1. Cor. 1.30 2. Thess 1.1 who of God is made vnto vs wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption By this reason you may as well Prooue that all of the visible Church are the Sonnes of God and that therein is no childe of the diuell because Paul writing to the visible Churches of Galatia saith thus Yee are all the Sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus Gal. 3.26 And that all in the visible Church haue faith in Christ Iesus that is true and iustifying faith and an hundred more of most false positions will ensue of this kinde of reasoning as hath ben shewed before To make this argument good you must proue that all the speeches of Paul in his Epistles written to Church or churches were by him spoken meant to all the members of the visible Church and are true of them In the meane season for the better informing both of you and others we must vnderstand that where the Apostle writing to a Church or certaine Congregation saith that they are redeemed by Christ 1. Cor. 6.15.1 are in Christ Iesus that they beleeue in Christ that the Spirit of God dwelleth in them that their bodies are the members of Christ the Temple of the holy Ghost are sealed with the holy Spirit of promise the earnest of their inheritance Ephes 1.13 that they are all the Sonnes of God the body of Christ and euery one a member for his part and he their head Wee must I say knowe that these speeches with many more of this kinde are not spoken and meant simply of the visible Church and so of all the members thereof but of some certaine persons in the inuisible Church that is the elect These also are very probable the Apostle respected and meant onely in and by the title of Saints so often vsed in the beginning of his Epistles as Rom. 1.7 1. Cor. 1 2. Ephes 1.1 If by Saints we vnderstand Saints indeede that is such as whose hearts are purified by faith and sanctified or made holy by the Spirit of God which exposition these two last testimonies fauours much then this title he vsed onely in regard of the elect that were in the visible Churches whom solely or at least chiefly he respected in his saide Epistleâ— and for whose sake he did write them and not in respect of the visible Churches with all their members Which being so as it is very absurde to conclude from this title of Saints that none are in a true visible Church but Saints I meane Saints indeede so is it no lesse absurde to collect from this speech of Paul yee are the body of Christ and members for your part that the visible Church is the body of Christ and euery member thereof apart Yea this latter the two next verses going before these wordes yee are the body of Christ doe manifestly conuince for in them it is saide and implyed that as the members of a mans body haue care one for anoâ—her 1. Cor. 12.25.26 and such a fellow-feeling as if one member suffer all will suffer with it and if one member be had in honour all the members reioyce with it so is it with the members of the body of Christ But this care and fellow-feeling this mutiall sorrowe and reioycing is onely to be found in the faithfull and Saints indeede members of the inuisible Church they therefore are the body of Christ or at the most the visible Church is so called hauing relation to these These are they that weepe with them that weepe and reioyce with them that reioyce
in the prosperitie one of another These alone remember the affliction of Ioseph and them that are in bonds as if they were bound with them But with the visible Church it is cleane otherwise The visible Church we haue heard is a mixt company of good and bad Prou. 11.10 nay that in it there be men notoriously wicked Now when these perish saith Salomon there is ioy meaning amoÌ„g the godly And so on the other side when it goeth hardly with the godly as it doth alwayes more or lesse the wicked that bee in the Church they reioyce Of the members of this Church some forget and minde not the affliction of Ioseph others clap their hands for ioy Behold the care fellowfeeling the mutual sorrow reioycing that is between the meÌ„bers of the visi church Such it is as was betwixt Cain Habel of whom the one slew the other betweene Ismal and Izhak Esau and Iacob Saul and Dauid the Scribes and Pharisees and Christ himselfe with all that acknowledged and professed him whereof the one sort hated and abhorred the other as appeareth by the holy Scriptures Remember also what in holy writ is geneâ—ally saide that the righteous are an abhomination to the wicked Prou. 29.27 the wicked vnto the righteous This considered how can the visible Church bee the body of Christ and the particular persons of the visible Church members for their parts and this is yet further confirmed in the very same Chapter 1. Cor. 12.13 when Paul speaking of the body of Christ saith that by one spirit we are all baptized into one body and all the members of this body made to drinke into one spirit Whereby we learne that all the members of the body of Christ haue the spirit of Christ by which they are quickened and vnited to him the head But this spirit haue onely the membâ—rs of the inuisible Church who truely beleeue in Christ and by faith are ingrafted into him they therefore alone are the body of Christ The error of these men in this particular springeth from hence that those things which by the Apostle are spoken in a certaine respect and of a part of the visible Church they vnderstand simply and of the whole visible Church And that we may yet further and better see both your folly and sinne herein remember wee here First that the visible Church is a mixt company consisting of diuers sorts of people good and bad godly and wicked Saints indeede and sinners Secondly that from thence doe arise different kinde of speeches of and concerning the Church accordingly as God in his word directeth and intendeth his speech to the godly or wicked in the church When to the wicked God applyeth and bendeth his speech reproouing them or denouncing iudgement against them because of the multitude of such in the church he speaketh as if they were all wicked and no godly in it And this is frequent in the Scriptures The oxe knoweth his owner the asse his maisters scribbe but Israel hath not knowne my people hath not vnderstood 4. Ah sinfull nation a people laden with iniquitie c Isa 1.3 Heare O Princes of Sodom hearken O people of Gomorrah vers 10. Oh that I might leaue my people and goe from them for they bee all adulterers and an assembly of rebels Ier. 9.2 Trust you not in any brother for euery brother will vse deceite vers 4 5 6. The good man is perished out of the earth and there bee no righteous men they all lye in waite for blood euery man hunteth his brother with a net c. Micah 7.2 On the other side when in his holy writ God applieth and intendeth his speech to the Godly as either commaunding exhorting or comforting of them he speaketh as if all in the Church were such Of this kinde are these Yee are all the sonnes God by faith in Christ Iesus Gal. 3.26 Yee are sealed with the holy spirit of promise Ephes 1.13 1. Cor. 3.17 The Temple of God is holy which yee are knowe yee not that yee are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you You are the body of Christ and members for your part 1. Cor. 22.27 And where the Church is called Christs Spouse his Loue Salomons long Counterp 66. his Queene his Doue his Sster c. And let vs here remember a speech of M. Ainsworths and apply it to them You may saith hee much abuse any mans wordes if what hee speaketh respectiuely you will take and alleadge as spoken absolutely Thus deale you my brethren with the word of God Those things which in holy writ are spoken with respect and relation had to them of the inuisible Church you take as spoken absolutely of the visible Church Is this by your owne confession a great abuse and iniurie offered to mens writings and is it none torwe ye to deale in this manner with the holy Scriptures and writings of God In your Apologie you doe not onely tell vs that the visible Church is the body of Christ but who be the members of this body Not the Elect as one would haue thought but say you the Officers be members thereof Apologie 42. and 53. And some pages after The Church Officers are members of Christs glorious misticall body whereby Iudas comes to be a member of Christs misticall body for he was a Church officer If such be members of the misticall body of Christ then to be in Christ ingrafted into him euen a member of his body bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh is not a matter greatly to be reioyced in seeing it may fall into a reprobate which I hope you abhorre to say If you doe not speake it out Then also reprobates may be members of the misticall body of Christ For some Church Officers are reprobates and all Church Officers by your diuinitie are members of the misticall body of Christ But I will let these goe and vrge them no further If the visible Church be the body of Christ then say I againe all of the visible Church be members and not Church Officers alone And this you teach in vnderstanding 1. Cor. 11.27 Yee are the body of Christ and members for your part of the visible Church and M. Ainsworth in the 128 129. pages of the Counterpoyson In telling vs now that the Church Officers are members and therein appropriating the being of a member to an Officer and denying it to others and in another place and booke that all of the vis church are members of Christ his glorious body what doe you else but contradict your selues But to come nearer vnto you I confesse the visible Church is or may be compared to the body of man and the Officers of the Church to the members thereof thus or in this respect that as the body being one hath yet many members euery meÌ„ber his distinct office the tye to see the eare to heare the nose
they ioyned in diuine vvorship with him that was no member of the visible Church Did this congregation sinne therein If the church would not haue admitted him into holy communion with them because it is not lawfull to haue communion with such how had hee been added to the church and of an Infidell become a beleeuer But leauing these Corinthians I come vnto you You will willingly preach in any of our assemblies and in priuate also pray with vs though not so willingly if one of you may offer vp the prayers In either of these cases your selues haue religious communion vvith those as you say that are no members of a true vis church Doe you sinne thus doing I thinke you will say no shew vs then how this doctrine and practise of yours accord Doe you thinke that the words of seperation you vse in the entrance into prayer makes this said coÌ„munion of religious ciuill or if not so yet nullifies the communion When you haue proued this we will yeeld it vnto you Another thing to be obserued here is this If wee preach you will not heare and if wee pray in publike or priuate you vvill not ioyne with vs. And why we are not a seperated company of righteous men but a mixt and confused people of all sorts we are not members of a true vis church and therefore in the worship of God and religious exercâ—ses you may haue no communion with vs. For what fellowship hath righteousnes with vnrighteousnes And what communion hath light with darknesse and what part hath the beleeuer with the Infidell Tell mee now I pray you Is not the same company present whether wee or you preach or pray yes how commeth it to passe then that no communion may be held with this company when we preach and yet may when one of you doth preach your vvords of sepâ—ration in this straâ—t must helpe you which when I see I will beleeue else you will remaine succourlesse But I know what you will say that in the aforesaid cases both of the Apostles and your selues there vvas and is no religious communion because there vvas and is no couenant made first vvith God and then mutually by the Saints among themselues I answere you vvhen diuers ioyne together two three or more in any religious exercise or part of Gods vvorship that is religious communion albeit they are not ioyned together in and by that couenant you speake of vvhich thus I make plaine If any Christian should goe to Masse wee condemne that fact though hee enter not into couenant with them And vvhy Beeause a Christian may not haue communion vvith idolaters in their idolatrous vvorship Here is a communion without couenant If one of your church should partake with vs in diuine vvorship no such couenant as you speake of being made you will censure him for it And vvherefore because hee hath had religious communion vvith them which are no members of a true visible church Here your selues acknowledge a religious communion where no couenant is made but onely a partaking or ioyning together in religious exercises Therefore for the better informing of your iudgement and the Readers herein wee must know in vvhat case and vvith vvhom we may haue religious communion and in what case not Wee may haue religious communion vvith all men in true diuine worship be they what they may be good or bad as hereafter vvee shall heare But wee may not haue religious communion or partake in diuine vvorship vvith Idolaters in their false idolatrous worship heathen or Antichristian but must seperate and come out from among them and this 2. Cor. 6.16.18 Reu. 18 4. two Scriptures alledged here by you doe manifestly proue But neither these nor any of the other Scriptures quoted by you Mat. 18 17.20 1. Cor. 5.12 Act. 4.11.12 doe make any thing for confirmation of this yâ—ur principle No religious communion is to be had but with members of a visible Church and are therefore peruerted by you happily you vvill proue it from the aforâ—said place of the Corinthians and of the Reuelation thus Wee may not haue religious communion with Idolaters or those which are no members of the Church in their false vvorship Ergo to religious communion vvith them The Argument is naught concluding that vvhich is generall from a particular vvell may one proue a particular by a generâ—ll either affirmatiuely or negatiuely but not c contra The generall heâ—e is worsh p. The particulars of this generall bee true and false vvorship If thus one reason we may not haue communion vvith idolatâ—rs in diuine worship Ergo not in their false worship or therefore not in true diuine wo ship Either of these Argumeâ—ts is good and from the Antecedent the conclusion followeth necessarily But arguing as you doe we may haue no communion with Idolaters in their faâ—se worship Ergo not in diuine worship it is cleane otherwise This conclusion I say followeth not from the Antecedent The Antecâ—dent being true letteth not but that the conclusion may be false If we looke into the reason set downe in 2 Cor. 6.16 pointed at also in the other afore-named place of the Reuelation why we may not ioyne with Idolaters or false worshippers in their false worship we shall see that it makes nothing at all against communion with them in true worship and thâ—refore not against all communion as you would haue it but against some whâ—ch we also teach The reason is this Idolaters and all false worshippers in their worship doe not worship God but indeede the Diuell not Christ but Belial what doe the people of God then communicating with these vvorshippers in this vvorship So doing they worship the Diuell vvhich no man can doe and the Lord too If therefore saith in effect the Apostle you desire to worship God ioyne not vvith your neighbours in their vvorship no not with your bodies which hee calleth flesh reseruing your spirits pure vnto the Lord 2. Cor. 7.1 for then you shall be found vvorshippers of the Diuell and not of God So many of you therefore as are the sonnes and daughters of God come out from among them and seperate your selues meaning from their Idolatrous vvorship and all their pollutions vvhatsoeuer He saith not let them not come among you or haue communion vvith you in true worship but come out from among them that is ioyne not with them in their false vvorship but vvithdraw your selues Thus Paul denieth not all religious communion vvith Idolaters but all communicating vvith them in their false vvorship Nay it is so farre from being vnlawfuâ—l to haue religious communion with those which are not members of a true visible Church as you affirme that in some cases to deny it vnto them yea to the most grosse Idolaters that are it is very vnlawfuâ—l â—f Papists Turkes Heathens or some Infidels should offer to ioyne with vs in the hearing of the vvord prayer in vvhich case there is a religious
head thereof for it is written Counterp 127. God hath appointed him ouer all things the head of the Church which is his body Ephes 1 22.2â— and againe to the Church of Corinth it is said Ye are the bodie of Christ 1. Cor. 12.27 But the Church of England is not the body of Christ neither hath him for the head thereof Therefore the Church of England is not a true Church This Argument M. Smith likewise vseth against our Churches and Particular Congregations Your Parish assemblies haue not Christ for their head Ergo they be false churches Paralleles 87. Ephe. 1.22.23 1. Cor. 12.27 Gal. 3.16 Ephes 5.23 Wee answere that these and all other places of holy writ wherein Christ is said to bee the head of the Church or the Church is said to be his body that by Church wee are to vnderstand that societiee we call the inuisible Church or company of beleeuers which be a part therof or if in any of them we may vnderstand the vis Church it must needs be spoken in respect of them therein that are of the inuisible Church which commeth all to one And thus Christ Iesus is the head of the church of England and it is his body and so your Assumption is false Surely it is admirable that all of you are so farre blinded as to teach that a Confession of faith 10. 52. 58. 68. Apologie 44. Communion of Saints 6. 455. 475. Description of the vis church pag. 1. The visible Church is the body of Christ and that without any limitation exception respâ—ct or restraine For shew mee one line in all your bookes tending this way And heere behold the absurditie of your Proposition Euery true Church is the body of Christ meaning euery true particular visible Church or congregation wherevpon followeth that how many particular Churches there be so many bodies of Christ and so you make a monster of Christ But how monstrous soeuer this is you wil proue it and that by Scripture For it is written say you God hath appointed Christ ouer all things the head of the Church which is his body Ephes 1.22.23 I answere You speake of euery particular visible Church and the Apostle here of the inuisible Church which is Catholicke or vniuersall part whereof is now in heauen and part on earth as verse 10. For confirmation whereof also serue these words verse 22. God hath appointed him ouer all things How maketh this Scripture then any thing for you The inuisible Church and company of the Elect is the body of Christ Your proposition is Euery true particular visible Church is the body of Christ These are different propositions and euery babe may see the former of these is no proofe of the latter and that the former being true this latter may notwithstanding be false That this Scripture is to bee vnderstood of the inuisible Church it is manifest by that hath been said Also by the words next following in verse 23. which is his body euen the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all things Whereby we learne that without the Church here spoken of Christ Iesus doth not account himselfe full perfect and entire but as it were maimed euen as a head without a body Such is his loue to this church and high account of it But this fulnesse to Christ doth the inuisible Church bring Of the inuisible church therefore doth the Apostle here speake And marke how neither of the first words of your Proposition are vsed here by Paul He saith not euery Church as you doe which might seeme to haue implyed that he had spoken of the vis Church or Churches nor true Church which had made it cleare on your side For true cannot fitly be said of the inuisible Church forasmuch as there is no false inuisible Church Onely the word Church he vseth without any such addition which word in holy writ is indifferently vsed for the inuisible and visible Church as before I haue shewed and here for the inuisible as the reasons aforesaide doe manifest This Scripture therefore is preuerted by you and maketh nothing for you But bee it graunted that Paul speakes here of the visible Church and that there is no abuse of Scripture at least that if not here yet 1. Cor. 12.27 he speaketh of the Church visible yet neither will that helpe you seeing the visible Church cannot bee saide to bee the Body of Christ but in respect of the Elect that are in the visible church now this will not profit you at all for to vnderstand these Scriptures of the visible Church as you will haue it marke how your argument must be framed Euery true visible Church is the body of Christ and hath him for the head thereof in respect of the Elect therein The Church of England is not the Body of Christ neither hath him for the head thereof in respect of the Elect therein Therefore the Church of England is not a true visible Church Thus your argument should haue beene composed and what is wanting is to bee vndeâ—stood and then wee answere you by denying your assumption and doe affirme that the Church of England is the body of Christ and hath him for the head thereof in respect of Gods elect that be in it And in this sence also as well as in the former the same may be said of vs that Paule saide of the Corinthians Yee are the body of Christ and members for your part And here I cannot chuse but wonder at the extreâ—me folly of this maâ— Who prouing that the Church of England is not the body of Christ neither hath him for the head thereof whereas he should direct his speech against the goâ—ly among vs and prooue thaâ— they are not the Body of Christ nor haue him for their head in steaâ— thereof he doth direct it to vse his owne words to our prophane people Counterp 128 mockers and contemners of Religion that blaspheame God and his holy name euen in the stretes as they walke such as call themselues the damned crewe Familists Atheists and all other sorts of miscreants and wicked liuers These children of wrath saith he this sinfull generation cannot possibly be members of the Body of Christ nor haue him for their head seeing they are not partakers of his life and spirit nor called to his faith neither admitteth he any such vnto him vntill they repent he hath no concord with Belial therefore not with the children of Belial the members of his glorious body must not be the dead stinking and abhominable members of Sathan Light and darkenesse heauen and hell will as soone bee vnited together And in this path doe tâ—ey all tread Thus can I prooue that the church of the Iewes as in other ages so namely in Dauids time and in Isaiah his time was a false Church for as much as the Iewes then were a prophane people Isa 2 3â— mockers and contemners of Religion c. Of the
Church in the one of these times this complaint was taken vp Ah sinfull nation a people ladâ—n with iniquitie c. And of the other this Helpe Lord for there is not a godly man left c. These children of wrath might I now argue with you this sinfull generation could not possibly bâ—e members of the body of Christ nor haue him for their head and therefore was not a true but a false Church And marke heere gentle Reader I pray thee how this man affirmeâ—h first That all of the visible Church are members of the Body of Christ Secondly but more truely that all the members of the body of Christ are partakers of his life and spirit so as whosoeuer doeth not participate with this life and spirit is no member But with this lâ—fe and spirit the inuisible Church onely and company of the Elect I meane so many of them as are effectually called doe partake as before I haue prooued Therefore not the visible but the called of the inuisibâ—e Church are members of the body of Christ and make that body whereof Iesus is the hâ—ad And hereby he excludeth and shutteth out of the visible Church all reprobates all hypocrites and wicked men as well secret as open wicked and maketh it to consist onely of godly or righteous men indeede or if you will of the Elâ—ct alone For saith he all the members of the true visible Church are members of the Body of Christ not dead but liuing members partaking with the spirit and life of Christ But no râ—probate hypocrite or wicked man is a liuing member of the Body of Christ partaking with the spirit and life of Christ Therâ—fore none such are of the true visible Church Againe onely the Elect and sincere or truely godly are such liuing members Therfore onely such by your wise doctrine are of the true visible Church Moreouer obserue heere that by this mans doctrine in the true visible Church there are no children of the diuell For saith he Christ hath no concord with Belial therefore not with his children Againe All the members of the true visible Church are members of Christ his glorious Body But the dead stinking and abhominable members of Sathan are not members of Christs glorious Body therefore not of the true visible church Wherevpon foâ—loweth that all of the true visible Church are the children of God and so heires of saluation for if children heires And particularly that Cain Ismael Esau Saul Absalom Iudas and the Scribes and Pharisees were the children of God and are sauâ—d for all these were members of the true visible Church And tell me M. Ainsworth yâ—u that will haue no children of Beliall no dead stinking and abhominable members of Sathan members of the true visible Church but require that all the members of the visible Church bee members of the glorious Body of Christ hauing him for thâ—ir head fâ—r which cause you condemne the Church of England for a false Churâ—h because in it there be many dead and rotten members tell me I say in your next Treatise first whether this reason of yours proues not as is in part aforesaide as well the Church of the Iewes in Christs time as also before and after in the dâ—yes of his Apostles to be a false Church as weâ—l as ours Secondly whether Cain Esau Iudas and the rest aboue named were liuing members partâ—king of Christ his life and Spiâ—it or dead stinking and the abhominable members of Sathan And this latter being true which you cannot deny whether dead stinking and abhominable members of Sathan haue not beene members of the true visible Church seeing these were no better members and yet were all of the vis church Marke also how in the former words hee requireth faith and repentance in euery member of the visible Church And so he doeth a little before The people of EnglaÌ„d in the beginning of Q. Elizabeths raigne Counterp 127. did not enter into the church by repentance faith in Christ but by the commandement of the Magistrate were compelled vnto the Church Sacraments and ministery Now the Magistrates lawe cannot worke faith in any Ephes 2.8 Rom. 10.17 seeing faith is the gift of God and by his word onely is wrought in mans heart I haue told you before and now tell you againe that not faith and repentance but the profâ—ssion of these is necessary to the making of a membâ—r of the visible church and that thereunto the Magistrates law and authoritie will drawe and perswade men Had you and the rest of your societie learned this you would neuer then haue required these graces nor such holinesse at least externall in all the members of the visible church as you doe But it is no maruell though you requâ—re faith and repentance not in the iudgement of charitie but in deede and veritie in euery member of the visible Church Communion of Saints 321. and tell vs else where that this is the doore whereby a man must enter into the Church considering you teach that the visible Church is the Body of Christ and that all the members of the visible Church are members of his misticall body and partakers of his spirit and life For no vnbeleeuer and impenâ—tent person is member of the misticall bodie of Christ You now that require true faith and repentance in euery member of the visible Church say whether any of the visible Church can be damned For the Scripture saith He that beleeueth is saued alreadie hath passed from death to life And that If the wicked returne from all his sinnes which he hath committed and keepe all Gods statutes Ezech. 18.21 that is If he repent he shall surely liue and shall not die After many friuelous lines tending hereunto that there is peace and agreement betweene Christ and all of the visible Church That in the Church among the members thereof there is no hatred or enmitie both which are palpably false you drawing to an end of the proofe of your Assumption vse these words following By this it may appeare that Christ is no head of such Antichristians Pag. 130. nor of any other prophane wicked worldlings seeing his spirit giues them not life and motion but they are carried by the spirit of Satan that possessed them neither can they bee knit vnto him by ioynts or bands as all his body and members thereof are Therefore saith hee the Church of England is not the true Church of God Thus the second time you tell vs and truely That Christ his body and all the members thereof haue his spirit giuing them life and motion wherby as by ioynts or bands they are knit vnto him the head But againe say I the called of the inuisible Church only haue this spirit by this spirit are knit vnto the head Christ They therefore onely are the body of Christ and to him vnited as the head Againe many of the true visible Church that I say not the greatest part therof haue
not this spirit causing in them this life and motion thereby also as by ioynts or bands knitting them vnto Christ the head but in stead thereof are carried by the spirit of Satan that possesseth them as hath often been shewed Many therefore of the true visible church are not members of Christs body And therefore also the church of England may bee a true church notwithstanding there be many in and of it who be not the members of Christs body led by his spirit but prophane wicked worldlings carried by the spirit of Satan that possâ—sseth them You who teach that in the true visible Church there be no prophane wicked worldlings none that are carried by the spirit of Satan possessing them and for this cause will haue it to be a false church answere me I pray you First whether the Scribes and Pharises were pro phane wicked and worldlings Ioh. 6.70 and 13.25 and whether they were carried by the spirit of Satan yea or no and namely Iudas whom Iesus calleth a Diuell and of whom it is said that Satan entred into him Secondly whether all the Diuels children bee not carried by his spirit And let this suffice for answere to your first argument The second followeth Argument 5 Euery true Church of God hath Christ for the Mediator and Aduocate of the same For it is written There is one God Counterp 132. and one Mediator betweene God and Man which is the man Christ Iesus 1. Tim. 2.5 1. Ioh. 2.1 And if any man sinne we haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the iust Neither is there saluation in any other for among men there is giuen no other name vnder heauen wherby we must be saued Act. 4.22 But the Church of England hath not Christ for the Mediator and aduocate of the same Therefore the Church of England is not the true Church of God Paralleles 86. In like manner M. Smith reasoneth against vs The true Church hath Christ for their Mediator But your assemblies haue him not for their Mediator Therefore they be false Churches Answ I answere True it is that Christ is the Mediator and Aduocate of euery true Church that is of euery seuerall congregation or company of true beleeuers but that hee is such to euery true visible Church as you meane I vtterly deny And grant that it might be said That Iesus is the Mediator and Aduocate of euery true visible Church it must needs bee in respect and with relation had to them vvho be of the inuisible Church which makes nothing for you nor against vs. Your Proposition therefore is false neither doe the testimonies alleadged by you confirme it They onely proue that Christ Iesus is a Mediator betweene God and man and an Aduocate to the Father for him Who in their wits but you and your Disciples by man in Timothy will vnderstand the visible Church or euery true visible Church and not rather the inuisible Church and all of mankinde who be of Gods elect whose alone Mediator and Aduocate Iesus is The Papists may more probably by man vnderstand all mankinde and make Iesus the Mediator of all men as they affirme that he died for all men then you the visible Church seeing the letter of the Scripture here maketh for that exposition And surely the one is as true as the other As little doth the place of Iohn auaile you For neither doth he say That Christ is the Aduocate of the visible Church or of euery true visible Church which is that you are to proue and make your vnaduised Reader beleeue you doe proue when you doe nothing lesse Nay your Proposition may be conuinced by this Scripture so farre is it from confirming and strengthning of it For whose aduocate Christ is said here to be for their sins in the next verse he is said to be a propitiation But he is a propitiation onely for the sinnes of the Elect or inuisible Church which your selues will not deny Therfore the Aduocate onely of the inuisible Church and consequently not of the visible When Iohn had said that Iesus Christ is our Aduocate he addeth And he is the propitiation for our sinnes 1. Ioh. 2.2 and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world If by the whole world you vnderstand the whole visible Church as by your alleadging of this Scripture for proofe of your Proposition you seeme to doe you must needs doe or else cry peccaui for alleadging it then wil the whole Christian world reiect this your expâ—sition And know ye that that which is hâ—re said by Iohn is as true of the whole world as of the whole vis Church and that Christ is and shall as soone be a propitiation and aduocate for the sinnes of the whole world as an Aduocate for the whole visible Church The truth then is that by world here is meant all whosoeuer in the world beleeue in Christ Iewes or Gentiles or all Gods elect throughout the whole world For their sinnes Christ Iesus is said to bee a propitiation and for them onely is he an aduocate And this is confirmed by Paul Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that iustifieth Who shall condemne Meaning any of this chosen generation Implying that it is not possiblâ— that any of them should be damned And why Because for all of this societie as onely for them Christ died and rose againe and maketh request also for them If now one aske the question for whom Christ dâ—ed for whom he rose againe and for whom he maketh intercession the answere is readie for Gods chosen which be thâ—y we call the inuisible Church But you giue vs an other answere and say he is the Aduocate and maketh intercession for the visibâ—e church You may as well and truely say that Christ died for the visible church For by this Scripture it is cleere that hee is an Aduocate and maketh request to God his Father for them for whom hee died But he died Coâ—fession of faith 26. say you else-where for the elect onely therefore as Aduâ—cate hee maketh request onâ—ly for the elect And by consequent Iesus is not the Aduocate of the vis church as you teach except the vis church be the societie of the elect and the visible and inuisible church be all one Verse 20. In the 17 of Iohn our Sauiour saith I pray not for these alone meaning the eleuen Disciples but for them also which shall beleue in me through their word But the elect and inuisible church onely beleeue in Christ T it 1.1 Act. 13.48 wherevpon faith is called the faith of Gods elect and in the Acts it is said As many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued Therefore the elect and inuisible church onely haue Christ Iesus for their Aduocate Thus we see your first proofe of the Proposition maketh nothing for you the second greatly against you helping to conuince you
betweene vs and you eoncerning the same That little which is heere saide of our Ministery is as you may seâ— vpon occasion and by the way Truely I much desired to haue added something heere in dâ—fence of our Ministery and answere to your sophismes but for diuers reasons whereof some be mentioned in the epistles dedicatorie I thought good to forbeare and at this present to say no more CHAP. IX How the Separists to iustifie their separation from the Church of England doe shamefully peruert the holy Scriptures AS for the proofe of the particular points wherein wee and you of the separation doe differ you shamefully abuse and peruert the sacred Scriptures euen all of you without exception as manifestly appeareth by the premises so in the maine difference concerning the separating of your selues from our church you doe the like whereof I will giue the Reader likewise a tast For the iustifying of their separation they alleadge diuers places of holy Scripture and specially three which they take to be very pregnant for them One of them is taken out of the 19. Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles The wordes bee these Vers 8. Moreouer he that is Paul went into the Synagogue and spake boldly for the space of three moneths disputing and exhorting to the things that appertaine to the Kingdome of God 9. But when certaine were hardned and disobeyed speaking euill of the way of God before the multitude he departed from them and separated the Disciples and disputed daily in the Schoole of one Tyrannus We answere These men from whom Paul and other Christians separate were open contemners nay blasphemers of the way of God Because of this open contempt of theirs for it is saide they spake euill of that way before the multitude the Apostle durst not Preach the word of God vnto them neither could haue done without sinning against God for our Sauiour hath fordidden to giue that which is holy vnto Dogges Matth. 7.6 and to cast pearles before Swine And least wee should thinke this were onely true of priuate admonition or reproofe wee may remember that to the 70 Disciples hee giueth the same commaundement concerning publike teaching saying to them when he sent them foorth to Preach by two and two Luke 10.10 But into whatsoeuer Citie yee shall enter if they will not receiue you goe your wayes out into the streetes of the same and say Euen the very dust which cleaueth on vs of your Citie wee wipe of against you Except therefore we be such despisers as these this Scripture maketh not for their Separation but is misapplied and wrested by them And notwithstanding S. Paul with the other Christians did well in separating from them aforesaide they doe sinfully in departing from vs. Another testimonie of Scripture and of all the most vsuall and principall they take out of the 6. Chapter of the second Epistle of S. Paul to the Corinthians Vers 14.15 Bee not vnequally yoaked with Infidels for what fellowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse And what communion hath light with darkenesse And what concord hath Christ with Belial or what part hath the beleeuer with the infidell 16. And what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idoles for yee are the Temple of the liuing God as God hath saide I will dwell among them and walke there and I will be their God and they shall be my people 17. Wherefore come out from among them and separate your selues saith the Lord and touch none vncleane thing and I will receiue you 18. And I will bee a father vnto you and yee shall bee my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord Almightie Thus endeth the 6. Chapter and thus farre doe the Separists coate and vrge this Scripture but no farther But heereunto let vs adde the first verse of the 7. Chapter for that maketh greatly for the right vnderstanding of this Scripture Seeing then we haue these promises dearely beloued let vs cleanse our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and Spirit and finish our sanctification in the feare of God By these words of the Apostle it should seeme that sundry Christians in Corinthus according to their accustomed manner before the time of their conuersion went sometimes to their idols Temples where were nothing but grosse and heathenish Idolatrie and their with their neighbours vvho were heathens and infidels did ioyne together in their idolatrous worship or at least in their holy feasts as is said 1. Cor. 8.10 which they did celebrate to the honour of their Idols and so were dâ—fiâ—ed with the worship of idols thinking with themselues that they might lawfully ioyne with them in externall idolatrie and thus farre yeeld with their bodies so long as they kept their soules pure to the Lord. The Apostle hearing of this great corruption among many others telleth them that they must withdraw themselues from this idolatrous worship and defilement and separate themselues For they cannot worship God and the Diuell they are so contrarie one to another euen as light and darknâ—sse But if they thus worship idols they worship the Diueâ—l and thereâ—ore so doing they cannot worship God That they who worship idols doe worship the Diuell hee hath shewed them in his former Epistle in these words What say I then That the idol is any thing 1. Cor. 10.19 Or that that which is sacrificed to idols is any thing Nay but that these things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to Deuils and not vnto God and I would not that you should haue fellowship with the Deuils Ye cannot be partakers of the Lords Table and of the table of Deuils And whereas they excused this fact of theirs thus as sundry doe their going to Masse at this day that now they went not with this minde as sometimes they did to giue honour to the idols for they knew well that an idol is nothing that is that there is not any God-head in an idol and therefore did keepe their soules pure from all pollution hee answereth that they whom God vouchsafeth this honour to be his children must keepe themselues pure not only in soule but also in body 1 Cor. 6.20 called hâ—re flâ—sh glorifying God in their bodies and in their spirits for they are Gods that so they may be wholly pure Thus we see the occasion the scope and drift of the Apostle and the true sence and meaning of these words Whereby wee learne That the worshippers of the true God may not communicate with heathens and infidels in their idolatrous or idol worship which is no bâ—tter then the worship of the Diuell And to apply this That a Christian at this day being in Turkey may not pertake with them in their worshipping of Mahomet or beeing among heathâ—ns ioyne with them in their heathenish and idolatrous seruice Which maketh nothing for their separating from vs in the worship of the true God because of some corruptions therein Except it be all one when externall worshâ—p in