onely erect and build further vpon that which they haue laid These discreete priuate men they alone are fathers begetting men to the faith and as for the Ministers they are but nurses to giue sucke nourish and bring vp men in it Thus you doe not onely crosse this Scripture and ordinance of Christ who hath perpetually appointed Pastors and Teachers in the Church to the aboue-named ends but doe also hereby prefer priuate mens teachings aboue Ministers For is it not a matter of great power and excellencie to conuert men vnto God then to confirme them that be conuerted and to beget men to the faith then to nourish them that are begotten Consider what I say and the Lord open your eyes that you may see your errour But leauing this hearken what further reasons we haue against your description of Saints and matter of the visible Church Thirdly I haue in the former Chapter shewed that many haue been members of the visible Church that haue wanted externall holinesse yea being outwardly and openly prophane this to a wise man may suffice for the confutation of this description yea of all that you teach concerning both the matter and forme of the visible Church Cain Ismael Esau Saul Doeg Ioab Absalom Iudas the Scribes and Pharises were all of the visible Church and yet not thus qualified Nay as contrary to these Saints as darknesse to light and as farre from this sanctimonie as heauen is from earth Such Saints then as you speake of are not the matter of the visible Church For then the aforesaid persons were not of the visible Church seeing they were not such matter which I trust you will not affirme And if such vvicked and abominable men as these openly and apparantly wicked were matter of the visible Church and vvere Saints to wit by calling or by profession which kinde of Saint-ship sufficeth to make men members of the visible Church how do you truely affirme That all Saints are men seperated from all knowne sinne doing all the knowne will of God growing in grace and continuing to the end and that such are the onely matter of the visible Church And with what truth doe you teach that all the members of the visible Church haue been are and of necessitie must be outwardly holy hauing an externall righteousnesse for which cause they bee called Saints so as if men bee not thus qualified they are not true matter neither of nor in the Church But proceede wee now from the Church of the Iewes vnder the Law to the Churches of the Gentiles vnder the Gospel and specially to the primatiue and purest Churches that haue been which you thinke are so cleere for you and against vs as nothing can bee more cleere and euident In the Church of Corinth there were many very corrupt men some in iudgement others in manners and conuersation or in both To omit diuers of their errours some held a 1. Cor. 6.12.13 fornication to be lawfull or a thing indifferent as to eate or to drinke others that which was farre worse and more dangerous that b 1. Cor. 12.20 there was no resurrection which caused the Apostle by many reasons to proue it In the same Church there was great c 2. Cor. 12.20 1. Cor. 1.11 3.3 strife enuying wrath contentions back bitings whisperings swellings discord and as about other things so namely their Ministers some depending of one some of other some despising all did call themselues the Disciples of Christ and would heare none In it there were diuers whom Paul not onely calleth d 1. Cor. 3.3 carnall but by some vvorkes of the flesh vvherevnto they were giuen proueth to be carnall and to walke as men that is to liue as those who be more naturall men not hauing the spirit In the same Church there were not onely that e 1. Cor. 6.1.6.8 went to Law together a brother I say with a brother and that vnder vniust and infidell Iudges but that did wrong and harme euen to their brethren In it there were which liued f 2. Cor. 12.21 in vncleannes and fornication wantonnes yea there could not but be many sornicators considering they held fornication to be no sinne from whence it is that Paul vseth g 1. Cor. 6.13 sundry forcible reasons to dehort them from this sin and those words chap. 5.9 I wrote vnto you in an Epistle that yee should not company together with fornicators and least they should mistake him he telleth theÌ„ that he meaneth not this of them that were without the church the Infidels but of the fornicators that were in the church that professed the Chris Relig Nay ther was h 1. Cor. 5.1 such fornication among theÌ„ as was not once named or heard of among the Gentiles that one should haue his fathers wise And that which is more the delinquent for so haynous a sin was not at all censured yea they were not so much as sorry at so great a scandall in the Church but this notwithstanding whatsoeuer things besides were amisse in their Church they were puffed vp and reioyed as though all were well and nothing amisse There were in this Church that went to the Lords table i 1. Cor. 11.17.18.21.29.30 not to their profit but to their hurt eating and drinking vnworthily not discerning the Lords body and so did eate and drinke their owne iudgement by reason of the discentions among them they would not tarie one for another and some being drunke went to the Lords Supper In it there were also that called k 1. Cor. 9.1.2.3 the Apostle his office into question despised and disgraced both him and his preaching saying That howsoeuer l 2. Cor. 10.1.10 11.6 he being absent was very bold in his letters yet when hee was present and among them he was base his bodily presence weake and his speech of no value nay ruder in speaking And thus they preferred their vaine-glorious and eloquent teachers and their Ministers who m 2. Cor. 2.1.4 came vnto them with axcellency of words and in the intising speech of mans wisedome more like orators then Preachers of the Gospell aboue the holy Apostle and his heauenly ministerie Moreouer in this Church there were that accused S. Paul of pillage and to be a craftie and subtile man that howsoeuer he did not openly take wages and charge them yet sor as much n 2. Cor. 12.16.17 he was craftie he tooke some secretly and by guilc Did I pil you saith the Apo by any of them whom I sent vnto you as I am accused to haue done Thus there were in the Church of Corinth who did not onely deny S. Paul to bee an Apostle debase his preaching but that did besides touching his â—fe and conuersation slaunder him and take away his good name as much as in them lay In the churches of Galatia there were diuers false Apostles who taught the rightâ—ousnesse of workes that man is â—ot iustified
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
the faithfull are onely doth and can offer such sacrifices Therefore the inuisible Church are this royall Priesthood or kingdome of Priestes and not the visible Church If I should haue saide nothing M. Ainsworth himselfe wil suffice for the conuiction of this error Communion of Saints 248. They whom Christ hath made Kings and Priests vnto God his father being a Kingly Priesthood euen a kingdome of Priestes and a holy nation hauing part in the first resurrection the second death may haue no power ouer them but sit with Christ in his throne euen as hee ouercame and sitteth with his Father in his throne From your owne words I argue thus against you They who are this royall Priesthood that is Kings and Priests vnto God haue part in the first resurrection the second death hath no power ouer them but sit with Christ in his throne But the inuisible Church onely and company of the Elect haue part in the first resurrection the second death hath no power ouer them Ergo the inuisible Church is this royall Priesthood The proposition your owne words doe prooue The assumption needes no proofe And againe in another place hee conuinceth himselfe and his friends Seeing then saith he we haue receiued such grace from God Communion of Saints 487. 488. so many as beleeue in the name of his sonne Christ as that we are through his mercy made a chosen generation a kingly Priesthood washed from all our sinnes in the blood of Christ and raigning with him on earth by mortifying and subduing our earthly members what remaineth then but that we purge our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and Spirit From hence I inferre that either the visible Church and consequently all the members thereof are washed from their sinnes mortifie and subdue their earthly members which no man will affirme or else the visible Church is not that royall Priestood whereof the Scripture speaketh for they that are this royall Priesthood are washed from their sinnes by your owne confession Iudge now thy selfe Christian reader whether this that M. Ainsworth writeth heere doeth not conuince that he saith else where Communion of Saints 470. And now that all Christians are made Priests vnto God euen a Kingly Priesthood to raigne vpon earth and to haue their power of Christ to iudge all that are within the Church and cast out the wicked from among them they ought to reteine and vse their power By Christians he meaneth here the members of the visible Church and of all them he affirmeth that the are Kings and Priests vnto God And to increase his sin after his and their accustomed manner he alleadgeth three places to prooue this his error namely 1. Pet. 2.9 Reu. 1.6 5.10 For the conuincing of which errors their are no testimonie in holy Scripture more excellent as we may appeare by the premisses Whereby it is euident they are strangely blinded in their vnderstanding seeing in the middest of a glorious light they see not the light but grope as men in palpable darkenesse And heere fitly I returne that vpon you M. Ainsworth which you falsely apply to vs. The Reader may see how your right eye is blinded to bring Scriptures so plaine against your selues Besides the three former testimonies you alleadge one another that likewise maketh not for but against you If you will heare my voyce indeede Counterp 79. Exod. 19.5 and keepe my couenant then you shall bee vnto me a kingdome of Priests but the Elect onely and they which are of the inuisible Church doe this which the Lord heere requireth Therefore they onely are the kingdome of Priests here spoken of Againe the visible Church these fewe excepted in it which are of the inuisible Church doeth not heare Gods voice indeede but contemne it doeth not keepe but breake his couenant and therefore is not a kingdome of Priests to God For what though this speech was spoken to the visible church They therein of the inuisible Church onely could did keepe the condition heere required They therefore alone make this Kingdome of Priests Thus your owne sword helpeth to pierce your side Neither is that so fit a title for the visible Church the sheepe of Lord seeing in the Scriptures specially of the new Testament ordinarily by sheepe are ment the Elect and Church inuisible I am the doore of the sheepe Ioh. 10.7.15 Matth. 25 33. I lay downe my life for my sheepe when the Sonne of man commeth in his glory he shall set the sheepe on his right hand and the goates on the left In a word If wee would knowe who indeede are the sheepe of the Lord and rightly so to be called Christ himselfe telleth vs againe in the 10. of Iohn saying Vers 27. my sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me and I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish Thereupon M. Ainsworth saith well such were not of Christs sheepe for then he would haue giuen them life eternall and for confirmation therof he quoteth this place of Iohn Communion of Saints 58. Wherby he imployeth that all Christs sheepe shall haue life euerlasting From whence it followeth that this title Christs sheepe or the sheepe of the Lord appertaineth to the elect and inuisible church and cannot rightly be saide of the visible Church except all the visible Church shall be saued A great part of the visible Church are so farre from being like to sheepe that they may more fitly be compared to wolues Mat. 10.26 Luke 10.3 Behold I send you as sheepe in the middest of wolues These whom Christ calleth wolues were the visible Church of the Iewes In which Church were but a fewe sheepe You teach further that the visible Church is in the Scripture called the Temple of God and this you will proue by 1. Cor. 3.17 Knowe yee not that you are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you 17. If any man destroy the Temple of God him shall God destroy for the Temple of God is holy which yee are I would desire no better place for the confutation of this error then this you alleadge for probation thereof See you not that the Spirit of God dwelleth in all those who be this Temple of God now God his spirit dwelleth onely in the Elect They are of the Elect therefore and inuisible Church who are the Temple of God That God breatheth his Spirit onely into the Elect it is manifest by Rom. 8.14 as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sonnes of God And by Gal. 4.6 And because yee are sonnes God hath sent foorth the Spirit of his sonne into your hearts which cryeth Abba Father Againe the Temple of God is heere saide to be holy which must needes be because the Spirit of God dwelleth in him that is this Temple and it is holy which is therefore called the holy Spirit and the holy Ghost â—â—to oâ—eâ—y
they are not of that generation and stocke of mankinde which God hath ordained to destruction as the former despisers of Christ but of the generation which God hath chosen and appointed to life euerlasting which generation is that we call the inuisible Church Why the elect bee heere called a chosen generation you may reade further Chap. 1. And there also see that these titles royall Priesthood holy Nation peculiar People which these men vnderstand of the visible Church cannot be so taken But are meant of the faithfull or true beleeuers al which are of the inuisible church Both by the words themselues then of this Scripture â— meane verse 9. and also by the coherence or depeâ—dance thereoâ— with that goeth bâ—fore it is euident that this Scripture is peâ—uerted by thâ—se men and misapplyed Nay this is euident by their owne vvritings And here with mee obsâ—rue a secret ouer ruling hâ—nd of God M. Ainsworth hauing made a large Treatise iâ—tituted the Communion of Saints and there hauing spoken many excellent and glorious things of the Saints rightly vnderstood that is of Saints indeed or the faithfull sanctified by the Spirit of God and Faith in Christs who are so of the visible Church as withall they be of the inuisible Church but by him meant and misapplyed to all the members of the vis Church Saints by profession which shameth the whole Treatise making it almost as full of lies as lines Hee I say hauing done this euer and anone throughout his whole booke behold how in a conclusion which he affixeth to the said booke he conuinceth himselfe of errour touching a great part of that hee had said before and namely concerning this place of Peter which a Pag. 470. before he vnderstood of the visible Church and members thereof Thus beginneth he his conclusion b 487. 4. 88. seeing we haue receiued such grace from God so many as beleeue in the name of his Sonne Christ as that we are raised vp from the graues of sinne c. being through his mercy made a c 1. Pet. 2.9 chosen generation a kingly priesthood washed from all our sinnes d Deut. 1.5 in the bloud of Christ and e Reu. 5.10 raigning with him on earth by mortifying and subduing our earthly members what remaineth but that wee purge our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit With your owne weapons thus I fight against you All they and they only who beleeue in Christ are by his bloud washed from their sinnes mortifie and subdue their earthly members are this chosen generation and royall priesthood But onely the elect and inuisible Church beleeue in Christ are by his bloud washed from their sinnes mortifie and subdue their earthly members Therfore the elect onely and inuisible Church are this chosen generation and kingly priesthood and therefore not the visible church as these men do teach The proposition is your owne the Assumption deny if you will But M. Ainsworth by three reasons will proue that this scripture is not to bee vnderstood of the inuisible Counterp 158. but of the vis Church The first is layed downe in these words This place of Peter speaketh of and to the vis or sensible Church for the Apostle wrote to the vis Christians the strangers that then dwelt in Pontus Galatia c. In the tenth Chapter of this booke I haue answered this reason at large and shewed the vanitie of it notwithstanding something I will adde heere Be it granted that Peter writ to the vis church though something might be said against it as that he writeth to them that had obtained like precious faith with him which none but the chosen and of the inuis chureh haue yet this proues not that this 9. verse is true and to be vnderstood of the vis Church no more then it followeth that these sayings of Paul are true and to bee vnderstood of the vis Church and all the members thereof Yee are bought for a price 1. Cor. 6.20 Rom. 8.15 Gal. 4.20 3.26 Ephes 1.13 yee haue receiued the spirit of Adoption ye are the sonnes of God who hath sent forth the spirit of his Sonne into your hearts ye are all the sonnes of God yee are sealed with his holy Spirit of promise the earnest of our inheritance with many such like because the Epistles wherein these are vvere vvritten as you affirme to visible or sensible Churches The second reason followeth in these words This which Peter speaketh chap 2.9.10 is as Moses spake of old to the visible Church of Israel Exod. 19.6 I answere though Exod. 19.6 was spoken to the vis church of Israel yet it was in respect of them therein vvho were of the inuisible church and of Gods elect and is true onely of such as I haue shewed before euen so it is here Your last reason followeth Againe say you Peter mentioneth the end of their calling to this dignitie viz. to shew forth the vertues of him that hath called them out of darknesse into his maruellous light which whether it appertaines not to the visible Church I leaue it for euery true member thereof to Iudge It cannot be denied but that Peter speaketh of them vvho of God are called out of darknesse that is out of sinne and ignorance into his maruellous light that is to the knowledge of God and holinesse for which maruellous mercy receiued out of the very sense and feeling therof they praise God and indeauour all the dayes of their life to walke worthy of it which is heere called the shewing forth of the vertues of him that hath called them But the inuis church onely and company of the elâ—ct are called out of darknesse into this maruellous light being called therefore the children of the light and they alone out of a sensible feeling of this great mercy doe praise blesse God for the same and indeauour to liue to him vvho hath thus called them Of the inuisible Church therfore called heare a chosen generation doth the Apostle Peter speake in this place So this reason maketh greatly against you Counterp 158. No lesse blame-worthy are you for maintaining this That no places of Scripture setting forth the inuisible Church are by you brought to set forth the visible Church The contrary to this appeareth plainely by this Treatise To proue that they vvho be of the true vis church are called out of the world Apologie 44. Counterp 133. or seperated from the world a seperated company of righteous men vsually you quote Ioh. 15.15.19 and 17.9.14 16.20 Tell mee now who be they that beeing in this world are not of this world Are not the elect onely such know you not that they who be not of this world doe belong to a better world Moreouer doth Christ pray for the vis Church or the inuisible onely and company of the elect what meane you then to apply Scriptures concerning these things to the vis Church seeing they be spoken
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
If you looke vpon the outside of these men and further for certaine wee cannot goe I meane the carriage of themselues towards God and sometimes to man specially to godward in the parts of his vvorship you vvill thinke they be Saints indeede Such a one was Iudas vvhom none of the Apostles did discerne to bee an hypocrite and so like to be the traytor Iesus spake of And Demas vnknowne for a time to the Apostle Paul And all those it is probable Iohn speaketh of 1. Ioh. 2.19 such as these you accompt to bee hypocrites and none other as appeareth by M. Ainsworth vvho describing Hypocrites saith they bee such As are outwardly religious Commun of Saints in the end but inwardly wicked such as ashamed of their nakednesse couer it with Fig-leaues of their owne externall righteousnesse And againe Hypocrites saith he are they who restrained by the terrour of the Law from open wickednes doe increase outwardly in righteousnesse This kinde of hypocrites you only acknowledge Whereupon it is that Maister Ainsworth in the same place permitting Hypocrites to be in the Church doeth yet cleane shut out of the Church open wicked licentious and prophane liuers which cannot stand together if any open wicked may be Hypocrites But you must knowe that there is another sort of Hypocrites which bee not close Hypocrites and hardly discerned to be Hypocrites and consequently wicked but open or manifest Hypocrites easily knowne to be Hypocrites and therefore wicked as bâ—acke is knowne from white These are the open wicked in the Church wherewith it hath euer abounded doeth and will vnto the worlds end Of this kinde were these hypocrites oft mentioned before Ismael Esau Saul Absalom Ioab Doeg the Scribes and Pharisees and vsually they who in al ages haue murdâ—red and persecuted the Saints specially among the Iewes before the comming of Christ Of such Hypocrites as these Paul speaketh 2 Tim. 3.1 2 3 4 5. verses and Titus 1. vers 16. These you may as easily discerne to be Hypocrites as knowe a Goate from a Sheepe and tares from wheate And of this kinde of Hypocrites bee the open wicked in our assemblies whom had you knowne to be Hypocrites you would neuer haue denied our Parish assemblies to be true Churches because they consist partly of them or because of the mixture and confusion you so much speake of and condemne in our Church Considering a truâ— visible Church is a mixt company of Saints indeede and Hypocrites and that such companies be our pâ—râ—shioners assembles and therefore true visible Churches Of both these kindes of Hypocrites the Apostle speaketh 1. Tim. 5.24 Some mens sinnes are open before hand and goe before vnto iudgement but some mens followe after Of the latter sort or kind in these words Some mens sinnes are open before hand and goe before vnto iudgement of the first in these some mens follow after Obiection But let vs now come to the maine obiâ—ction that not some but all of you doe make You obiect that of the Apostle 1. Cor. 14.33 God is not the authour of confusion but of peace Apologie 44. as we see in all the Churches of the Saints By Churches say you he meaneth visible Churches the members whereof he calleth Saints Againe say you the same Apostle writing to the Church at Rome at Corinthus Ephesus Phillippi c. Writeth to visible Churches in the beginning of which his Epistles he calleth them Saints To the Saints which are at Ephesus To the Saints which are at Philippi Are not all the members then of the visible Church Saints and such as haue at least an outward holinesse Answ We answere S. Paul writing to the Church of the Thessalonians beginneth thus Paul vnto the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Iesus Christ 1. Thess 1.1 2. We giue God thankes for you all 3. Remembring your effectuall faith and diligent loue 4. Knowing beloued brethren that yee are elect of God 6. And yee receiued the word in much affliction with ioy of the holy Ghost Now by this reason of yours if it were good can I prooue that all of the visible Church are in Christ Iesus to whom is no condemnation haue this effectuall faith Rom. 8.1 diligent loue and ioy of the holy Ghost nay are the elect of God because the Apostle writing as you say to the visible Church of the Thessalonians saith thus of them yea of them all as it might seeme by vers 2. Againe thus arguing can I prooue that all in the visible Church are beloued of God because Paul writing to the Church of Rome saith of them that they all are beloued of God called Saints And consequently there are no wicked in the Church neither openly nor secretly wicked seeing God hateth all such And whereas the most in the visible Church are the children of the Diuell Psal 5.5 Rom. 1.7 one may prooue by this kinde of reasoning that they are all the children of God because Paul writing as you affirme to the visible Church at Rome saith Rom 8.16 Yee haue receiued the spirit of adoption And to the visible Churches of Galatia yee are the sonnes of God And that which is more yee are all the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus From this ground also it followeth that all in the visible Church are Saints indeede and haue the spirit of God sanctifying them and making them of prophane holy and that there is no carnall man and by consequent no Hypocrite in the Church for all hypocrites be carnall Because Paul writing to the visible Church at Rome saith thus of them Yee are not in the flesh but in the Spirit that is yee are not carnall but spirituall because the Spirit of God dwelleth in you Rom. 8.9 And writing to the Church at Ephesus Ephes 1.13 saith of them yee are sealed with the holy Spirit of promise and to the Church of Galatia Gal. 4.6 God hath sent forth the spirit of his Sonne into your hearts which cryeth Abba Father Thus also can I proue the contrary herevnto that all in the visible Church are carnall and none spirituall because Paul writing to the visible Church of Corinthus as you tell vs saith of them that they are carnall 1. Cor. 3.13 And I could not speake vnto you as vnto spirituall men but as vnto carnall for yee are yet carnall for whereas there is among you enuying and strife and diuisions are yee not carnall and walke as men He saiâ—h not onely that they were carnall and this often and that without any limitation or restraint also that they walked as men that is liued after the manner of naturall or carnall men but besides all this prooueth that they were carnall by certaine workes of the flesh whereunto they were giuen and wherein they liued Hereby wee may plainely see that this is a deceitfull kinde of reasoning and that this they obiect is of no momâ—nt
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
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
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