true holynes as the Collect for the first sunday in Lent witnesseth But admit the Ministers of Engl taught foundly in all the mayn points of religion as I acknowledge some doe in the most yet did this no way prove them true Ministers of Christ that is lawfully called to true offices in the Church In what mayn point of religion as you valew points could Corah be chalenged and yet he was no true Preist of the Lord but an vsurper of that office v. 10. 11. as on the contrary they were true Preists in respect of their office who deceived the people here and every where as the scriptures manifest So that both he which is no true minister of Christ may teach the maâ—n truthes of religion and he also that is a true Minister may erre greatly yet not presently cease to bear both the place and name of a true minister of Christ. Otherwise all Ministers are Popes that cannot err To end this Argument Mr B. in both his books vvould have probation and tryall to be made of a mans gifts and graces before he be admitted into the ministery And not onely he but Paul himself amongst above the rest requires aptnes to teach and ability to exhort with wholesome doctrine and as this gift must be in him so must it be known to be in him before he can be lawfully called into the ministery and this Mr B. affirms expresly and that by the exercise of this gift his knowledge zeal and vtterance is to be manifested Wherevpon I conclude that if tryall by sound doctrine must be made of them which are no ministers at all as indeed it must in the exercise of prophesying then cannot sound doctrine be any sufficient tryall that is proof or Argument of a true minister The sixth Argument for the justification of the ministers in Engl. is Gods ordinary and dayly assistance of them in theyr ministery for the working mens conversion vnto the Lord. God forbid I should eyther deny or make doubt of the effectuall conversion of men vnto salvation in Engl. neyther doth Mr Ainsworth say as you charge him in your 2. book that none are converted by you but he shewes first how you coÌ„tradict your selves in saying that you convert men to God and yet affirm that the same persons before their conversion were true Christians and 2. that considering the swarmes of graceles persons wherewith all your parrishes are filled you have more cause of blushing then of boasting this way But this I deny that the conversion of men vnto God is a sufficient Argument to prove a true minister of Christ that is to prove a lawfull calling into a true office of ministery according to Christs testament It is most evident that whosoever converteth a man vnto God that person doth in truth and in deed minister the word of God the spirit by the word so may be sayd to be sent of God but that every one whom God so honoreth though never so ordinarily should therefore be a true Church officer lawfully called to publique administration which is the quaestion betwixt Mr B. and me is most vntrue coÌ„trary both to many scriptures which shew that men in no office may and to much experience which shewes they do convert and save sinners And if onely officers may convert vnto the Lord to what purpose should private persons exhort instruct and reprove any vpon any occasion whatsoever But here I am driven to take vpon me the defence of them whom Mr B. pag. 299. of his 2. book challengeth for cavellers upon the same ground he chalengeth Mr Ainsworth for deceipâ—ful dealing pag. 304. of the same book Mr Ainsworth denyes that qualification with good gifts is a proof of a lawful Minister Herein sayth Mr B. he severs deceiptfully things to be conioyned for this reason with the rest in my book shewes who is a true Minister In like maner we except against his 6. Argument affirm that others besides Ministers do coÌ„vert men to God that therfore conversioÌ„ argues not a true minister This is cavelling sayth Mr B. for both these and others may convâ—rt and agayn this is but one Reason but there be mâ—re besides which are sufficient to prove our ministery And is it cavelling in vs or ignorance in you thus to speak you do acknovvledge pag. 304. that qualification with good gifts is a Reason amongst the rest to shew a true Minister and pag. 298 you make the conversioÌ„ of men a distinct argument to prove the same thing And know you not that every sound Reason or Argument must prove or argue of it self the thing for vvhich it is brought Many Reasons indeed or Arguments may be produced to prove one and the same thinge and so for further confirmation may follovv one vpon another but so as every one of them severally be of force to prove the thing in quaestion othervvise it is not vvorthy the name of a Reason or Argument but is a meer sophistication Eyther therefore Mr Bernard bring such Arguments as vvil of themselves evince that they are brought for and then reckon them vp by sevens as you do here or by tvventies if you vvill as els vvhere you doe or els cease to abuse the Reader vvith a multitude of maymed proofs as your custome is Novv bycause the conversion of men to God is much vrged by the Ministers and much stood at by many vvell minded people as indeed both in equity and good conscience men are to respect the instruments of Gods mercy tovvards them I vvill enlarge my self in this point further then othervvise I vvould And first for the tvvo scriptures quoted in both your books Rom. 10. 14. 15. 1 Cor. 9. 2. from the former of vvhich you coÌ„clude that bycause you so preach as people thereby do heare beleeve call vpon God you are therefore sent of God Let the Reader here observe that the Apostle in both these places speaks of the conversion of Heathens and Infidels to the fayth of Christ as were the Romayns and Corinthians before the preaching of the Gospel vnto them and so let him demaund of Mr B. whether the Ministers in England haue had the same effect in their preaching vnto the people there with them that preached vnto the Romayns and Corinthians and brought them by preaching from infidelity to beleeve in God If they haue then vvere the people Infidels before and vvithout faith and so are the rest not thus effectually converted by their preaching if not how then stands the comparison or proportioÌ„ between the effect of their Ministery then and theirs in England now or what Argument can be taken from these effects compared together In the generall I confesse there is a proportion and so in that generall and large sense wherein Mr B. pag. 313. expounds the word sent or Apostle I do acknowledge many Ministers in Engl sent of God
them and the blessing of peace-makers vpon their heads Of Mr B. disswasive probabilities THe next thing that comes into consideration is certayn probabilities likelyhoods as the authour calls them consisting for the most part of personal imputations di graceful calumniations whereby he labours to withdraw the harts of the simple froÌ„ the truth of God unto disobedience as Absalom did the people into rebellion against the K. by slandering his goverment 2 SaÌ„ 15. But if Mr Bern. followed his sound judgement in this booâ— as he professeth in the Preface and so laboured to lead others he would neyther go himself nor send them by vnstable guesses and likelyhoods as he doth The truth of God goes not by peradventures neyther needs it any such paper-shot as likelyhoods are to assault the adversary withall The word of God which is profitablâ— to teach to reprovâ— to correct and to instruct in righteousnes is sufficient to furnish the man of God with weapons spirituall and those mighty through God to cast downe strong holds and whatsoever high thing is exalted against the knowledge of God And if M. B. speak according to the Law and Prophets his words are solid arguments if not there is neyther light in him nor truth in them and so where truth is wanting must some like-truthes or images of truth be layed in the place like the image in Davids bed to deceive them that sought after him when he himself was wanting 1 Saâ— 19. 13. The first probabilitie that our way is not good is The noveltie thereof differing from all the best reformed Churches â—â— Christendome It is no noveltie to hear men plead custome when they want truth So the heathen Phylosophers reproched Paul as a bringer of new doctrine so do the Papists discountenance the doctrine and profession of the Church of England yea even at this day very many of the people in the Land vse to call Popery the old law the profession there made the new law But we for our parts as we do beleeve by the word of God that the things we teach are not new but old truthes renued so are we no lesse fully perswaded that the Church constitution in which we are set is cast in the Apostolicall and primitive mould and not one day nor hower yonger in the nature and forme of it then the first Church of the new Testament And whether a people all of them separated sanctified so farr as men by their fruits can or ought to judge or a mingled generation of the seed of the womaÌ„ and seed of the serpent be more ancient the government of sundry Elders or Bishops with joynt authority over one Church or of one Nationall Provincial or Diocesan Bishop over many hundred or thousand Churches the spirituall prayers conceived in the heart of the Ministers according to the present occasions or necessityes of the Church or the English service book the simple administration of the Sacraments according to the words of institution or pompous and carnall complements of cap coap surplice crosse godfathers kneeling and the like mingled withall I do even refer it to the report of Mr B. owne conscience be it never so partiall Now for the differences betwixt the best reformed Churches as Mr B. calls them granting thereby his owne to be the worst and vs they ar extant in print being few in number those none of the greatest weight But what a volume would these differences make betwixt those reformed Churches and the vnreformed Churches of England if they were exactly set downe And yet for the corruptions reproved by vs in the reformed Church where we live I do vnderstand by them of good knowledge and sincerity that the most or greatest of them are rather in the exequution then in the constitution of the Church Our differences from the reformed Churches Mr B. aggravates by two reasons 1. The first is our separation from them 2. the 2. certeyne termes of disgrace vttered by Mr Barrow Mr Greenwood agaynst the Eldership which Mr Bernard will have vs disclayme For the first it is not truely affirmed that we separate from them What our judgment is of them our confessions of fayth and other wrytings do testify and for our practise as we cannot possibly ioyn vnto them would we never so fayne being vtterly ignorant of their language so neither do wee separate from them save in such particulars as we esteeme evill which we also shall endeavour to manifest vnto them so to be as occasion and meanes shal be offered And secondly for the taxations layd by Mr B. and Mr G. vpon the Eldership or other practise in the reformed Churches wherein they were any way excessive we both have disclaimed alwayes are and shal be ready to disclayme the same Onely I entreat the godly reader to coÌ„sider that those things were not spoken by them otherwise then in respect of those corruptions in the Eldership els where which they deemed Antichristian and evill Of which respective phrase of speach more hereafter Lastly if it be likely that our way is not good for the difference it hath from the reformed Churches and that thâ— greatneâ— of the difference appeares by the hard termes given by some of vs agaynst the government there vsâ—d thâ—n surâ—ly iâ— is much more likely that the way of the vnreformed Church of England is not good which differeth far more froÌ„ the reformed Chuâ—ches which difference appeares not onely in most reprochfull termes vsed by the Praelates and their adhaerents against the seekers of reformation comparing them to all vile haeretiques and seditious persons but in cruell persequutions raysed agaynst them and greater then against Papists or Atheists The second marke by which Mr B. guesseth our way not good is for that it agreeth so much with the antient schismatiques condemned in former ages by holy and learned men Luciferians Donatists Novattans and Audians Can our way both be a novelty new devise and yet agree so well with the antient schismatiques condemned in former ages Contradictions cannot be both true but may both be false as these are The partyes to whome Mr B. likeneth vs were condemned not onely for schisme but for heresy also as appeares in Epiphanius Austine Eusebius and others And as we have nothing no not in sâ—ew like vnto some of them nor in truth vnto any of them in the things blame worthy in them so if Mr B. were put to iustify by the word of God the condemnation of some of them it would put him to more trouble then he is aware of The Audians dissented from the Nicene Councell about theyr Easter tyme. The Luciferians held the soule of man to be ex traduce and were therefore accounted Haeretiques as indeed it was too vsuall a thing in those dayes to reiect men for haeretiques vpon too light causes And for the Donatists vnto whom Mr Gifford others would so fayn
become one body with them he the head and they the members as it is betwixt him and his Church 1 Cor. 10. 17. 12. 12. 27. Lastly no Woman having a former housband alive may take a second or be lawfully maryed vnto him but wicked prophane persons have a former husband yet living even the law or sin taking occasion by the law to work in them all manner of lust ruling over them as the husband over the wife to which also they are bound as the wife vnto the housband Rom. 7. 1. 2. 3. 5. 8. therefore cannot be maryed vnto Christ nor become his wife The 2. similitude followeth A man professing obedience to a king as his alone sovereign and obeying his lawes in the general though he transgresse in some things openly greatly is that Kings true subiect notwithstanding You deal vnfaithfully put the case wrong The question is of a man professing himself in word the Kings loyall subiect his alone but in deed truth the sworn slave of his professed enemy an apparant rebell against the Kings majesty And whether such a one be a true subiect vnto the King or no for such and no better are wicked profane men whatsoever in word they professe even slaves and vassals of the Divel and rank rebels against the L. Iesus Right now you would have Rome a true Church now you will have Iesuites the Kings true subjects for such they professe themselves as boldly as falsly And yet no Romish Preist or Iesuit is more treacherous to the Kings person state then is a prophane vngoldly man professing Christianity to the crown dignity of Christ Iesus The 3. resemblance is of a man professing one onely trade though bunglingly or carelesly whom none will call a false trades-man but eyther no good trades-man or vnprofitable yet truely that trades-man by his profession Here as before you mis-put the case you should instance in a man professing a trade or faculty but practising the contrary in his generall course For example a man professeth himself in word a surgeon or physition but is observed and found in deed and practise to poyson men and cut their throtes and this to be his resolved course Now so charitable is Mr B. as he will have this man still called and that truely a Physition or surgeon though not good nor profitable But the truth is he is a false and treacherous homicyde and murtherer and so to be abhorred of all but of none eyther to be called or accounted a true physition or surgeon eyther good or evil Such a one and no better is he to his own soul that vnder the profession of Christianity in word practiseth wickednes and impiety and hath his conversation in them The authour having thus ended his defence for the bad and naughty matter of his Church so granted by him in effect comes to speak of false matter but so breifly and darkly withall as it appears plainly he is loth to meddle with it least in the handling his bad matter should prove false matter as it comes to passe with counterfeyt coyn That he sayth then is that false matter is contrary to this true matter that is to the true matter of which he hath spoken Wherevpon it followeth that since the true matter he hath spoken of is wicked and vngodly men though professing Christ and that holy and godly men are contrary to men wicked vngodly that therefore godly and holy men are contrary to the true matter of his Church and so by his reckoning false matter To conclude this point What is false but that which hath an appearance of truth but not the truth it self whereof it makes shew in which respect the scriptures also speak of false Christs false Prophets false Apostles false brethren false witnesses false ballances and the like pretending themselves to be that which they are not and to have that truth in them which they have not of all which there is none more truely false nor more fitly so called then that man is and is called truely a false christian or false matter of the Church which 〈◊〉 in word he looks to be saved by Iesus Christ and yet continues in a lewd and wicked conversation having a shew of godlines but denying the power thereof and professing the knowledg of God but by works denying him Wherevpon I do also conclude that the body of the Church of England being gathered generally and for the most part of such members visibly cannot be the true visible body of Christ except a true living body can be compact of false and dead members That which comes next into consideration in Mâ— B order is the visible form of the Church as he calls it which he makes truely the vniting of vs vnto God one to another visibly in his 2. book the covenant by which Godsets vp a people to be his people and they him mutually to be their God This description he illustrateth by a similitude borrowed from a materiall building whose form ariseth from the coupling together of the stones vpon the foundatioÌ„ which he also further manifesteth by comparing it with the form of the invisible Church by which the faithfull are vnited to God through Christ invisibly and one vnto another Of the termes of which comparison and their proportion wee shall speak by and by I do onely in the mean while intreat the reader to observ with me these two things The former that Mr B having in the beginning of his book censured vs very severely and that with D. Allisons concurring testimony for misapplying 1 Pet. 2. 5. to the visible Church which sayd they was meant of the invisible Church here notwithstanding he interprets it of the visible Church even as we do The latter that speaking of the invisible Church and the form of it he brings in sundry scriptures as so to be expounded which are apparantly intended of the visible Church amongst the rest these three Ephe. 2. 22. and 4. 4. 1 Cor. 12. 13. the last of which he himself also within a few pages following expounds as meant of the visible Church and the properties thereof Now for the comparison betwixt the form of the invisible and visible Church wherein if Mr B. observed due proportion and made the form of the visible Church the same visibly externally in respect of men which he doth the form of the invisible Church invisibly internally and in respect of God and so layd down things in simple and playn terms the truth in the point would easily appeare much needles labour be spared on both sides The form of the invisible Church he noteth first and on Gods part to be raysed by the spirit by which invisible hand God taketh men immediately by the hart and sayth he wil be thâ—â—â— God 2. and on mans part by â—aith by which invisible hand the beleevers
over Gods heritage as you would make them controuling all but to be controuled by none much lesse essentiall vnto the Church as though it could not be without them least of all the Church it self as you and others expound Math. 18 But we hold the Eldership as other ordinances given vnto the Church for her service and so the Elders or officers the servants and ministers of the Church the wife vnder Christ her husband aâ— the scriptures expresly affirm Of which more hereafter And where further you advise the reader to take from the Iay other birds feathers that is as you expound your self to set vs before him as we differ from all other Churches Therein you make a most inconsiderate and vnreasonable motion If a man should set the Church of England before his eyes as it differeth but from the reformed Churches it would be no very beautiful bird Yea what could it in that colour afforde but Egyptian bondage Babylonish confusion carnal pomp and a company of Iewish Heathenish and Popish ceremonies Whatsoever truth is in the world it is from God and from him we have it by what hand soever it be reached vnto vs Came the word of God unto you onely vnto it we have good right as the Israel of God unto whom he hath committed his oracles Rom. 3. 2. Towards the end of the Preface you do render two reasons vpon which you do adventure to deal against vs as you do the one coÌ„fidence in your cause the other the spirituall injury which some of late have done you in taking away part of the seale of the Ministery Touching the first as it is to vs that know you wel no new thing to see you confident in all enterprises so doth it much behoove you to consider how long and by what meanes you have been possessed of this your confident perswasion I could name the person of good credite and note to whom vpon occasion you confessed and that since you spake the same things which here you write as confidently as now you write them that you had much a doe to keep a good conscience in dealing against this cause as you did But a speach of your own vttered to my self ever to be remeÌ„bred with fear and trembling can not I forget when after the conference passing betwixt Mr H. and me you vttered these wordes Wel I wil returne home preach as I have done and I must say as Naaman did the Lord be merciful unto me in this thing and therevpon you further promised with out any provocation by me or any other that you would never deale against this cause nor with-hold any froÌ„it though the very next Lords day or next but one you taught publikliâ— against it and so broke your vâ—w the Lord graunt not you conscience And for the seale of your Ministerie deceive not yourself and others if you had not a more authentick seal in your black box to shew for your Ministery at your Bishops visitation then the converting of men to God which is the seal you meane this seale would stand you in as little stead as it doth many others which can shew as â—â—â—re this way as you and yet are put from their Ministerie notwithstanding And wil you charge your Bishops Church representative to deale so trecherously with the Lord as to put downe his Ministers and Officers which have his broad seal to shew for their Office and Ministerie What greater contumely do these vipers these schismaticall Brownists lay vpon your Church then you doe herein The Church of England acknowledgeth no such seale as this is The Bishops ordination and license conformitie vnto their ceremonies subscription to their articles devout singing and saying their service-book is that which will beare a man out though he be far enough eyther from converting or from preaching conversion vnto any And here I desire the reader to observe this one thing with me When the ministers are called in quaestion by the Bishops they alledge vnto them their former subscription conformity in some measure at least their peaceable cariage in their places but when they would iustify their ministerie against vs then their vsuall plea is they haue converted men to God herein acknowledging to let passe their vnsound dealing that we respect the work of Gods grace in any at which they know the Bishops and their substitutes if they should plead the same with them would make a mock for the most part I do most freely acknowledge the singular blessing of God vpon many truthes taught by many in the Land and do and alwayes shal so far honour those persons as the Lord hath honoured them herein But that the simple conversion of sinners yea though the most perfect that ever was wrought should argue a true office of Ministerie the scriptures no where teach neyther shall I ever beleeve without them This scripture 1 Cor. 9. 1. 2. is most frequently alledged for this purpose But as vnsoundly as commonly For if simple conversion should argue an Apostleship then should a common effect argue a proper cause an ordinarie work an extraordinarie office for the conversion of men is a work common to extraordinarie and to ordinarie officers yea to true and false officers yea to such as are in no office at all as hereafter shall appeare And what could be more weakly alledged by Paul to prove himself no ordinarie but an extraordinary officer an Apostle which was the thing he intended then that which is common to ordinary officers with him Might not the Corinthians easily have replyed Nay Paul it followes not that you are an Apostle immediately called and sent by Christ because you haue begotten vs to the Lord have been the instrument of our coÌ„versioÌ„ for ordinary Ministers Pastors Teachers called by men do beget to the Lord as wel as you The bare conversion of the Corinthians then is not the seal Paul speakes of but together with it their establishment into a true visible Church and that with such power and authority Apostolicall as wherewith Paul was furnished by the Lord. Of which more hereafter But the father of these childreÌ„ you say you are which thus vnnaturally fly from you and whereof we so injuriously have deprived you in which respect also you make this your hue cry after vs and them for through the gospel you have begotten them And have you begotten them vnto the faith as Paul did the Corinthians and are you their father as Paul was the father of the Corinthians then it must needs follow that before you preached the gospel vnto them and thereby begot them to the Lord they were in the same estate wherein the Corinthians were before Paul preached vnto them that is unbeleevers and without faith and so were to be reputed And how then true matter of the Church for which you so much contend Besides these your begotten children were baptised long before you saw their faces some twenty
some thirtie some fourtie yeares Now this their baptisme was true baptisme and so the true seale of their forgivenes of sinnes and new birth as you affirm prove page 119. this their seal of the new birth hath stood good vpoÌ„ them all this while visibly and externally and yet after all this you preach vnto them beget theÌ„ a new visibly externally for onely God knoweth that which is true within You have begot them through the Gospel Behold a minstrous generation a man begetting children twentie or thirtie or fourtie yeares after they be borne If Nichodemus had heard of this he might wel have sayd how can thâ—se things be Lastly if you be by your office the faâ—her of these children as Paul was of the Corinthians by his where is then that your rod of correction which Paul shakes at his children doth any law eyther divine or humane deny a father liberty to correct his own childreÌ„ Or are you one of these simple fathers of whoÌ„ your self speak that can beget children but not bring them vp This â—od is seems apperteynes to both their and your reverend fathers the Bishops who onely know how to vse it To conclude the preface In acknowledging as you doe in the end of it that some things in the book may seeme to the Christian reader to be written in the gall of bitternes and yet suffering them so to passe with an excuse of your intent as herein you manifest no good conscience chusing rather to excuse so great an evill then to reforme it so neyther take you any likely course for the good of them with whome you deale whose recovery if they be faln you should rather have attempted in the bowels of mercy theâ— in the gall of bitternes Aâ—d so I câ—me to the partes of your book as they ly in order Of the Authours Advertisements called by him Christian counsels of peace THe subiect whereof Mr Bern. treats in this place being peace is very plausible the name amiable the thing both pleasant and profitable And as God is the God of peace so are not they Gods children nor borne of him which desire it not yea even in the middest of their contentions But as all vices vse to cloth themselves with the habites of vertues that vnder those liveries they may get countenance and finde the more free passage in the world so especially in the Church all tyranny and confusion do present themselves vnder this colour taking vp the politick pretence of peace as a weapon of mere advantage wherewith the stronger and greater party vseth to beat the weaker The Papists presse the protestants with the peace of the Church and for the rent which they have made in it condemn them beyond the heathenish souldiours which forbare to devide Christs garment as deeply do the Bishops charge the Ministers refusing conformity and subscription and both of them vs. But the godly wise must not be affrighted eyther from seeking or embracing the truth with such buggs as these are but seeing the wisdome which is from above is first pure then peaceable he must make it a great part of his Christian wisdome to discerne betwixt godly and gratious peace and that which is eyther pretended for advantage or mistaken by error so to labor to hold peace in purity Let it then be manifested vnto vs that the Communion which the Church of EnglaÌ„d hath with all the wicked in the Land without separation is a pure communion that theyr service book devised and prescribed in so many words and letters to be read over and over with all the appurtenances is a pure worship that their goverment by Nationall Provinciall and diocesan Bishops according to their CanoÌ„s is a pure govermeÌ„t then let vs be blamed if we hold not peace with them in word deed otherwise though they spake vnto vs never so oft both by messengers and mouth of peace and agayn of peace * as Iehoram did to Iehu yet must we answer them in effect as Iehu did Iehoram what peace whilest the whoredoms of the mother of fornicatioÌ„s the Iezebel of Rome do remayn in so great number amongst them And I doubt not but Mr Bern. and 1000 more Ministers in the land were they secure of the Magistrates sword and might they go on with his good licence would wholly shake of their canonicall obedience to their Ordinaries and neglect their citations and censures and refuse to sue in their Courts for all the peace of the Church which they commend to vs for so sacred a thing Could they but obteyn license froÌ„ the Magistrate to vse the libertie which they are perswaded Christ hath given them they would soon shake off the Prelates yoke and draw no longer vnder the same in spirituall coÌ„munion with all the profane in the land but would break those bonds of iniquitie as easily as Sampson did the cordes wherwith Dalilah tyed him and give good reasons also from the word of God for their so doing And yet the approbation of men and angels makes the wayes of God workes of religion never a whit the more lawfull but onely the more free from bodily daunger Wherevpon we the weakest of all others have been perswaded to embrace this truth of our Lord Iesus Christ though in great and manifold afflictions to hold out his testimony as we do though without approbation of our Sovereigne knowing that as his approbation in such points of Gods worship as his word warranteth not cannot make them lawful so neyther can his disallowance make unlawful such duties of religion as the word of God approveth nor can he give dispensation to any person to forbeare the fame Dan 3. 18. Act. 5. 29. These things I thought good to commend to the reader that he may be the more cautelous of this and the like colourable pretences wishing him also wel to remember that peace in disobedience is that old theam of the false Prophets whereby they flattered the mighty and deceaved the simple Ier. 6. 14. 8. 11. Let us now come to consideration of the counsels themselves so frâ—ndly given and so sagely set downe And therein to approve what is good and wholsome to interpret in the best sense what is doubtful and to passe by unrequited such contumelies as wherewith Mr B. reprocheth vs as in all places so here in his rhyming Rhetorick wherein he labours to rowl â—s even as may be betwixt the Atheisticall Securitant and Anabaptisticall Puritant the carelesse Conformitant and thâ— preposterous Reformitant and so forth as the rhyme runneth I wil come to those ten Rules or Canons praescribed by him pag. 3. 4. 5. for the praeservation of peace in the Church or state ecclesiasticall for that alone we oppose humbling our selves vnder the hand of the Magistrate as much and more truely then himself 1. Uphold the manifest good therein A man vpholds that which is good most naturally by his
to be considered then that every man ought to order himself and his own stepps first That is good the best but not all For if by Gods commandement we ought to bring back our enemies ox or asse that strayeth how much more to bring into order our brothers soul body wandring in by pathes And here Mr Bernard brings to mind a practise vsuall with many of the preachers in their sermons They wil advance prayer viz their service book that they may extenuate preaching coÌ„mend peace that they may smother truth plead much for censures due to be given him that they may deteyne from God his due and every where send men back into themselves that they may keep theÌ„ from looking vpon others and so make them carelesse of such duties towards their brethren as Gods word bindes them unto Leviâ— 19. 17. 1 Thes. 5. 14. As though the coÌ„mandements of God were opposite one to another and could not stand together wheras they are all most holy and good and all helpful one to another and all to be practised in their places whether they concerne our selves or our brethren They of the one sort ought to be done and they of the other not to be left vndone The 9. 10. and 11. Rule I acknowledge without exception 12. Whomsoever thou doest see to do a misse iudge it not to be of wilfulnes but eyther of ignorance and so offer to informe them or of infirmity and so pitty them and pray for them Be charitable c. This Rule as it is not vniversally true for we may oft tymes discern in mens both words and actions wilfull and wayward obstinacy and so may iudge of them 1 Tim. 6. 5. Tit. 3. 10. 11 so is it ill practised by him that gives it For amongst other sinns wherewith he loadeth he Separists in his book wilfull obstinacy in their schismâ— is one Here full charitably he advertiseth to iudge no man wilfull in his â—inn yet there he himself so iudgeth vs eyther excluding vs from the common libertyes of mankynde as wormes and no men or himself following the steps of his forefathers in laying heavy burdens vpon other mens shoulders which himself will not touch with the least finger Agaynst the 13. direction I have not to oppose and therefore passe to the 14. and last touching things indifferent by which this authour makes way into many an impertinent indigested consideration The rule followeth 14. In things indifferent make no question for conscience sake so be that neyther holynes meriâ—e nor necessity be put therein nor they vsed for any part of Gods worship but for decency order and aedification For answer of this sundry things are to be considered And first that which the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 10. 25. 27. of the coÌ„mon conversation of Christians in the world and of their liberty that way Mr. Bern. misapplieth to the case of religion and matters of Gods worship as though men might vse as great liberty in the matters of religion or about the same as in their worldly affayres Secondly where the Apostle ver 25. 27. directs the faythful to make no conscience of eating he further addeth ver 28. 29. that for the offence of a weak brother scandalizing at the eating of Idolothites they ought to make conscience and to forbeare This latter part which is the very drift of the scripture Mr. Bern. concealeth and so maymeth the sence and frustrateth the reader and whether to thiâ—â—nd he leaves not the words vnquoted his owne heart knowes best 3. Howsoever you labour to cover your Popish ceremonies for thâ—se you meane though you name them not vnder the title of things indifferent of toâ—es trisâ—es and the like champing them smal that they may the easilyer be swallowed denying that either holynes or necessity is put in them or that they are made partes of Gods worship yet hath the contrary been sufficiently manyfested by your owne men to whose large treatises to this purpose I refer the reader Notwithstanding since Mr. B. casts this consideration as a stone in the way to other matters of importance I may not altogether overstryde it but will turne it over as I goe that the reader as he passeth by may see what wormes and other vermine lyes vnder it First then to lâ—t passe the holynes which thousands in the land put in the crosse surplice kneeling at the communion without which they think no service or sacrament so acceptable to God for which cause alone they ought not onely to be forborne but to be abolished much rather then the brasen serpent 2. King 18. it is evident that the same special vses and ends are ascribed vnto them and to the principall parts of Gods worship and so agreeing in theyr ends they agree in their natures One mayn end vse of the word of God is to teach signify vnto vs the good will of God and our duety mutually towards him and towards our brethren to stir vp our mynds to the remembrance and performance of tâ—â— same 2 Tim. 3. 16. And what lesse is attributed to the ceremonyes when they are neyther dark nor dumb but apâ— to stir vp the dul mynde of man to the remembrance of his duty to God The proper ends and vses of baptisme are to initiate the partyes baptised into the Church of Christ and to consecrate them to his service so to serve for badges of Christianity by which it is distinguished from all other professioÌ„s Mat. 28. 19. 1 Cor. 12. 13. And for what meaner vse serves the signe of the crosse in baptism by or with which the childe is râ—ceaved into the congregation of Christs flock and by it as by an honourable badge of Christian profesion dedicated to the service of Christ And so those ceremonyes supposed indifferent agreing with the mayn parts of Gods worship in theyr ends must agree also in their natures with them since fines rerum sunte formis so consequently must have holynes in them or els your worship Mr. B. is very vnholy And what necessity is put in them all men see when the purest preaching in the land without them is thought not onely vnnessary but even intollerable And if necessity be layd vpon the Ministers to preach the Gospell then that to which the preaching of the Gospell must give place is more necessary and so made Moreover to make a thing indifferent and yet to serve for decency order and edification includes a contradiction For it is not an indifferent thing to minister the ordinances of Christ decently orderly and to edification but a matter of simple necessity 1 Cor. 14. 26. 40. Yea I adde if the Ceremonyes make the worship of God the more comely orderly and edificative they ought continually diligently to be vsed yea though they were forbidden by the Highest power vpoÌ„ earth as on the contrary if they advantage not the worship of God for
Math. 22. 21. but we are bidden stand for the liberty wherwith Christ hath freed vs that is the whol liberty of the Church to let no man iudge vs that is ecclesiastically no not in meaâ—s drinks though civilly men may commaund iudge vs in them And vpon these grounds truely layd by the word of God an answer may be framed on this manner In civill affayres we may and ought to obey for the authority of the commaunder yea though we know not any good but on the contrary much harm to our bodily estate comming vnto vs by the same but in matters ecclesiasticall which are subordinate to the souls good we must obey onely for the ends of the things coÌ„maunded and as they tend to the edification of our selves and others 1 Cor. 14. 26. To conclude this poynt since the Apostles expresly commaunds that all things in the Church be done to the edificatioÌ„ of the same I would demaund of Mr. B. with what fayth or good conscience he or any other maÌ„ can do or enterprise any one thing in the Church which he or they are not perswaded by the word of God which is the rule of fayth tends to edification These things being thus there is no cause why Mr. B. should account it curiosity to serch particularly into every thing for satisfaction the differences formerly layd down being observed neyther doth this holy care of Gods servants as he further addeth work vpon mens wittes to bring distinctions but on the contrary men of corrupt mynds and vnfaythfull least they should be reformed by the word of God do get distinctions like excuses after their owne hearts Much lesse is it eyther truely or christianly affirmed which followeth that the more men seek in doubts for resolution the further they are from it For howsoever it may be thus with M. B. many others which seek the truth as cowards do their enemyes with a fear to fynd it least it trouble theyr carnall peace yet have other men better yssue of theyr labours and by seeking have found that hydden treasure for the purchase whereof they are content to sell all they have and to buy it In the next place come in six rules of directions how to settle the consâ—ience to prevent scrupulosity and perplexity 1. Keep all mayn truthes in the word which are most playnely set downe and are by law of nature ingraven in every man First you are much mistaken Master Bern. if you imagine that all mayn truthes in the word are engraven in every man by the lawe of nature For the gospell is the more principall part of the word which notwithstanding is wholy supernaturall and above the created knowledge of man or Angel Mat. 11. 27. Ephe. 3. 10. Secondly if in commending mayn truthes and such as arâ— playnely set downe you do insinuate that there are any truthes so meane which we may eyther neglect to serch or having found them to obey therin you should deceive by promising liberty make your selfe wiser then God and crosse his ordinance appoyntment 2 Tim. 3. 16. Deut. 4. 1. 2. And for things left more dark in the Scriptures they must be vnto vs matter of humiliation in our naturall blyndenes and of more earnest meditation and prayer with all good conscience 2. Beleeve every collection truely necessarely gathered by an immediate consequence from the text This is good but not sufficient For collections truely made though by mediate consequences one after another are to be receaved though the fewer the better and the lesse subiect to daunger And we must not curtall the discourse of reason soberly vsed and sanctifyed by the word so short as Mr. B. would haue vs. When the Lord Iesus was to deal with the Saduces about the resurrection he took his proof from that which is written Exo. 3. 6. I am the God of Abraham c. which words do no way conclude the resurrection of the body which was the question by any immediate consequence and yet the collection was good and necessary The 3. and 4. direction I omit as questionles and come to the 5. in order 5. Enterteyn true antiquity follow the generall practise of the Church of God in all ages where they have not erred from the evident truth of God It cannot be denyed but that is best which is most auncient and that truth and righteousnes were in the world before syn error but neyther the one nor the other did continue long eyther amongst men or Angels And he that but considers what monstrous errours and corruptions sprang vp in the Church of the new Testament whylest the Apostles lived which planted them wil not think it strange though almost all were over-grown with such bryars and thornes in a few ages following And what not onely vnsoundnes in doctrine but vncertaynty in story is to be found in the most auncient writers no man though but even meanely exercised in them can be ignorant And yet if we would take vp these weapons it were easy to make good our part against the Church of England in the mayne differences But we have the word of God which is to vs a sure testimony and if he be onely to be heard of whome God from heaven hath testified as the onely Prophet and Doctor of his Church we are not then so much to regard what any man hath practised before vs as what Christ hath commaunded which is before all And we must in the first labour to have our harts seasoned with the word of God and according to that taste must all mens both perswasions and practises be savored by vs taking heed of those preposterous courses commonly held some at the first corrupting their harts with the thorny subtilties of the school-men more witty then sound sayings of the fathers and others prejudicing and forestalling themselves by the present and sensible state of things before theyr eyes or by the generall and partiall practise of tymes past and so comming in the last place to the word of God haling that in to back and support theyr exalted forestalled imaginations 6. If thou suffer let it be for knowne truth and against knowne wickednes for which thou hast examples in the word or of holy martyrs in story suffering for the same or the like But beware of far fetched consequences c. We are to forbeare evills not onely known but suspected doubted of And he that knowes what a heart meaneth truely softened and made tender with the blood of Christ had rather suffer all extremityes then approve that as good eyther by word writing or practise which he but doubteth to be evill and to displease God except by fayth he can overcome that doubt in some measure And for vs though we had no example eyther in the word of God or other story of any martyrs suffering in the same or the like particulars with
fashion vs Mr B. and all others may see the dissimilitude betwixt them vs in the refutation of that supposed consimilitude A third evill for which Mr B. would bring our cause into suspition is The matter of defending our opinions and proving our assertions by strange and forced expositions of scriptures Where he also notes in the margent that the truth needs no such ill means to mainteyne it What the means are by which the Prelacy against which we witnes is mainteyned all men know The flattering of superiours the oppressing of inferiours the scoffing reviling imprisoning persequuting vnto banishment and death of such as oppose it are the weapoÌ„s of the Prelates warfare by which they defend their tottering Babel And were it not for the arm of â—lesh by which they hold and to which they trust they and their pomp would vanish away like smoke before the wynde so little weight have they or theyrs in the consciences of any But let us see wherin we mislead the reader by deceiptful allegations of scriptures 1. In quoting scriptures by the way that is for things coÌ„ming in upon occasion but nothing to the mayne poynt c. And wherefore is this deceiptfull dealing thus to alleadge the scriptures Because the simple reader is hereby made beleve that all is spokeÌ„ for the question controverted He is simple careles also that wil not search the scriptures before he beleve that they ar brought to prove if he any way suspect it which who so doth can not be deceived as is here insinuated It were to be wished we both spake and wrote the language of Canaan and none other and not onely to vse but even to note the scripture phrase soberly may be to the information and edification of the reader 2. By vrging commandements admonitioâ—s exhortations dehortations reprehensions and godly examples to prove a falsity What is falsity but that which is contrary to truth and so the word of God being truth whatsoever is contrary vnto any part of it whither commaundement admonition exhortation c. is false so far forth as it is contrary The similitude you take from a naturall child who for his disobedience is not to be reputed a false child but no good child is like the rest of the your similitudes The proportion holds not Men may have such children as ever were are and wil be disobedient to their dying day yet they remayn theyr children whether they will or no but if any of Gods childâ—en prove disobedient and will not be disclaymed he can dischilde them for bastards as they are and the true children of the Divil Ioh. 8. 44. 3. In alledging Scriptures not to prove that for which to the simple it seems to be alledged but that which is without controversy taking the thing in questioÌ„ for granted For this I take to be his meaning though he expresse it ill The instance he brings of one of vs cyting Act. 20. 21. to prove that all truth is not taught in the Church of England is I am perswaded if not worse mistaken by him For who would bring Pauls example to shew what the Ministers of England do and not rather what they should do what they do is knowne well enough and how both they in preaching the will of God and the people in obeying it are stinted at the Bishops pleasure 4 By bringing in places setting forth the invisible Church and holynesse of the members to set forth the visible Church by as being proper thereto as 1 Pet. 2. 9. 10. That the Apostle here speaketh not of the invisible but of the visible Church appeareth not by our bare affirmation which we might set gaynst Mr B. naked contradiction yea though he bring in D. Allison in the margent to countenance the matter but by these reasons 1. Peter being the Apostle of the Iewes wrote vnto them whose Apostle he was vvhom he knew dispersed through Pontus Galatia c. 1 Pet. 1. 1. But Peter was not the Apostle of the invisible but of the visible Church which he knew so dispersed where the invisible Church is onely knowne unto God 2 Tim. 2. 19. 2. The Apostle vseth the words of Moses to the visible Church of the Iewes Ex. 19. 6. which do therefore well agree to the visible Church vnder the gospell whose excellency graces and holynes do surmount the former by many degrees 3. Peter wrytes to a Church wherein were Elders and a flock depending vpoÌ„ them to be fed governed by them 1 Pet â— 1. 2. 3. which to affirm of the invisible Church is not onely a visible but even a palpable error 4. The Apostle wrytes to them which had the word preached amongst them Chap. 1. 25. And this Mr B. himselfe pag. 118. 119. makes a note and testimony of the visible Church and to that pupose quotes the former chap. v. 23. as he doth also this very chap. ver 5. which is the same with v. 9. 10. to prove the form of the visible Church And thus I hope it appeares to all men vpon what good groundes this man thus boldly leadeth vs with deceiptfull dealing in the scriptures And this instance I desire the reader the more diligeÌ„tly to observe as being singled out by Mr B. as a pickt witnes against vs countenanced by D. Allisons concurring testimony but especially because it poynts out the Apostolick Churches clean in contrary colours to the English Synagogues being vnholy and prophane and this is the cause why Mr B. and others are so loth to haue this Scripture ment of the visible Church 5. By inferences and references as if this be one this must follow and this Mr B. calles a deceiveable and crooked waye for the intangling of the simple To this I have answered formerly and do agayne answer that necessary consequences inferences are both lawfull necessary If Mr B. had to deale with a Papist agaynst Purgatory or with an Anabaptist for the baptizing of Infants he should be compelled except I be deceived to draw his arrowes out of this quiver And what are consequences regulated by the word which sanctifieth all creatures but that sanctified vse of reason wil any reasonable man deny the vse and discourse of reason If all the things which Iesus did had been written the world could not have conteyned the books if all the dutyes which ly vpon the Church to performe had been written in expresse termes as Mr B. requires a world of worlds could not contayne the books which should have been written Neyther are inferences references iustly made any way to be accounted wyndings but playne passages to the truth troden before vs by the Lord Iesus and all his holy Apostles which scarce alledge one scripture of three out of Moses and the Prophets but by way of inference as all that will may see But the truth is Mr Bern. hath
so many times been driven to so grosse absurdities by a consequence or two about this cause as he vtterly abhorrs the very memory of all coÌ„sequences it seems would have it enacted that never consequence should be more vrged To conclude whatsoever it pleaseth this man to suggest the mayne grounds for which we stand touching the coÌ„munion government ministery and worship of the visible Church are expresly conteyned in the scriptures and that as we are perswaded so plainly that as like Habbakuks vision he that runnes may read them The 4. guesse against vs is That we have not the approbation of any of the reformed Churches for ouâ— course and that where our Confession of faith is without allowance by them they give on the contrary the right hand of fellowship to the Church of England This is the same in substance with the first instance of probability and that which foloweth in the next place the same with them both And Mr Bern. by his so ordinary pressing vs with humane testimonies shewes himself to be very barren of divine authority as hath bene truely noted by another Nature teacheth every creature in all daunger to fly first and oftenest to the chief instruments eyther of offence or defence wherin it trusteth as the But to his horne the Bore to his tusk and the byrd vnto her wing right so this man shewes wherein his strength lies and wherein he trusts most by his so frequent and vsuall shaking the horne and whetting the tusk of mortall mans authority against vs. But for the reformed Churches the truth â—s they neyther do imagine no nor wil easily be brought to beleeve that the frame of the Church of England stands as it doth neyther have they any mind to take knowledge of those things or to enter into examination of them The approbation which they give of you as Mr A. hath observed as indeed it is of speciall observation is in respect of such generall truthes of doctrine as wherein we also for the most part acknowledge you which notwithstanding you deny in a great measure in the particulars and practise But touching the gathering governing of the Church which are the mayn heads coÌ„troverted betwixt you vs they give you not so much as the left haÌ„d of fellowship but do on the contrary turne their backs vpon you The difference betwixt you and them in the gathering and constituting of Churches is as great as betwixt copulsive conformity vnto the service book and ceremonyes which is your estate and voluntary submission vnto the gospell by which all every member of them is ioyned to the Church and as is betwixt the reigne of one Lord Bishop over many Churches and the government of a Presbytery or company of Elders over one And if you would take viewe of this difference nearer home do but cast your eyes to your next neyghbours of Scotland there you shall see the most zealous Christians chusing rather to loose liberty country and life then to stoop to a far more easy yoke then you bear Yea what need I send you out of your owne horizon The implacable mortall hatred the Prelates bear vnto the Ministers and people wishing the government and Ministery receaved in the reformed Churches proclaymes aloud the vtter emnity betwixt them your vnreformed Church of England of which I pray you hear with patience what some of your own have testified Those that will needs be our Pastors and spirituall fathers are become beasts as the Prophet Ieremy sayth And if we should open our mouthes to sue for the true shepheards and overseers indeed vnto whose direction we ought to be committed the rage of these wolves is such as this endeavour would almost be the price of our lives And do these Churches like sisters go hand in hand together as is pretended Now for vs where Mr B. affirmeth that wee published our confession but without allowance if I saw not his frowardnes in the things he knowes I should marvayl at his bouldnes in the things whereof he is ignorant we published the confessioÌ„ of our fayth to the Christian Vniversityes in the low countryes and els where entreating them in the Lord eyther to convince our errours by the word of God if so any might be found or if our testimony in theyr iudgments agreed with the same word to approve it eyther by wryting or silence as they thought good Now what Vniversity Church or person amongst them hath once enterprized our conviction which without doubt some would have done as with such haeretiques or schismatiques as arise amongst them had they found cause Thus much of the learned abroad in the next place Mr B. drawes vs to the learned at home from whose dislike of vs he takes his fifth Likelyhood which he thus frameth The condemnation of this way by our divinâ—s both living and dead against whom either for godlynes of life or truth of doctrine otherwise theâ— for being theyr opposites they can take no exception No mervayl we may not admit of partyes for iudges how is it possible we should be approved of them in the things wherein we witnes against them And if this Argument be good or likely then is it likely that neyther the reformists have the truth in the Church of England nor the Prelates for there are many and those both godly and learned which in their differences do oppose and that very vehemently the one the other Now as for myne owne part I do willingly acknowledge the learning godlynes of most of the persons named by Mr B. do honour the very memory of some of them so do I neyther think theÌ„ so learned but they might erre nor so godly but in their error they might reproch the truth they saw not I do indeed confesse to the glory of God and myne owne shame that a long tyme before I entered this way I took some tast of the truth in it by some treatises published in iustificatioÌ„ of it which the L. knoweth were sweet as hony vnto my mouth and the very principall thing which for the tyme quenched all further appetite in me was the over-valuation which I made of the learning and holynes of these and the like persons blushing in my selfe to have a thought of pressing one hayr bredth before them in this thing behynde whom I knew my selfe to come so many miles in all other things yea and even of late tymes when I had entered into a more serious consideration of these things and according to the measure of grace received serched the scriptures whether they were so or no and by searching found much light of truth yet was the same so dimmed and overclouded with the contradictions of these men and others of â—he like note that had not the truth been in my heart as a burning fyre shut vp in my bones Ier. 20. 9. had never broken those bonds of â—lesh and blood wherein I was so
streytly tyed but had suffered the light of God to have been put out in myne owne vnthankfull heart by other mens darknes This reverence every man stands bound to give to the graces of God in other men that in his differences from them he be not suddaynly nor easily perswaded but that being iealous of his owne hart he vndertake the examination of things so proceed with fear and trembling so having tryed all things keep that which is good 1. Thes. 5. 21. So shall he neither wrong the graces of God in himselfe not in others But on the othersyde for a man so farr to suffer his thoughts to be conjured into the circle of any mortall man or mens iudgment as eyther to feare to try what is offered to the contrary in the ballance of the sanctuary or fynding it to bear weight to feare to give sentence on the Lords syde yea though it be agaynst the mighty this is to honour men above God and to advance a throne above the throne of Christ who is Lord and King for ever And to speak that in this case which by dolefull experience I my selfe have found many of the most forward professors in the kingdome are wel nigh as superstitiously addicted to the determinations of their guids and teachers as the ignorant Papists vnto theyrs accounting it not onely needles curiosity but even intollerable arrogancy to call into question the things receaved from them by tradition But how much better were it for all men to lay asyde these the like prejudices that so they might vnderstand the things which concern theyr peace and seeing with theyr own eyes might live by theyr owne fayth And for these famous men here named by Mr B. with whose oppositioÌ„s as with Zidkijahs horns of iron he would push us here and every where as we do beare theyr reproofs with patience acknowledg theyr worthes without envy or detraction so do we know they were but men and so through humayn fraylty might be abused as well or rather as ill to support Antichrist in a measure as others before them have been though godly and learned as they It will not be denyed but the fathers as they are called Ignatius Irenaeus Tertullian Ciprian Ambrose Ierom Austin and the rest were both godly and learned yet no man if he have but even saluted them can be ignorant what way though vnwittingly they made for the advauncement of Antichrist which followed after them And if they notwithstanding theyr learning and godlines thus vshered him into the world why might not others and that more likely though learned and godly as the former help to beare vp his trayne espcially considering that as his rising was not so neyther could his fall be perfected at once And for vs what do we more or otherwise for the most part then walk in those wayes into which divers of the persons by Mr B. named have directed vs by the word of God in manifesting vnto vs by the light thereof what the ministery goverment worship and fellowship of the Gospell ought to be we then being taught and beleeving that the word of God is a light a lanthorne not onely to our eyes but to our feet pathes as the psalmist speaketh Psal. 119. 105. cannot possibly conceave how we should iustly be blamed by these men for observing the ordinances which themselves not onely acknowledged but contended for as appoynted by Christs testameÌ„t to be kept inviolable till his appearing as some of them have expresly testifyed To conclude let not the Christian reader cast our persons the persons of our opposites whither these or others in the ballaÌ„ce together but rather our cause and reasons with theyr oppositions and the grounds of them and so with a steady hand vnpartiall â—y wey and poyze cause with cause that so the truth of God may not be prejudiced by mens persons nor held in respect of them And to your marginall note viz. that â—â—ne of vs vvhom you call guids did fall to this course before wee were in trouble and could not inioy our liberty as we desired I do onely ansvver this one thing that all and every one of vs might have inioyed both our liberty and peace at the same wofull rate with you and your fellowes The Lords judgment giving sentence with him and his Church against us But wherein appeares that Mr B â— By the blessing of God you tell vs vpon your ministery by which people are wonne truly to sanctification of life and that we on â—â—e contrary work but vpon the labours of other men 1. Considering the multitude of Ministers in the kingdome and theyr long continuance in theyr Ministery there is in the most parts of the land no such cause of so loud boasts as are hâ—re made There is nothing more coÌ„mon both in the sermons and wrytings of the forwarder sort then their complaints how little good theyr preaching hath done howsoever with vs for advantage they plead the contrary But let it be as Mr B. sayth that they win men to sanctification of life and that we work but vpon theyr labours his owne words shall iudge him wherin he doth directly overthrow that he would establish establish that he would so fayn overthrow The Ministers of the Church of England do win men to true sanctification of life then the people over whome they are set are not truely sanctified then not true saynts then no true members of the Church and therefore that no true body of Christ consisting of such members Wee work vpon other mens labours and so true ordinary Elders do whose office stands in feeding and not in begetting The Elders which the Apostles ordeyned were set over them which beleeved in the Lord and* the overseers or Bishops made by the holy Ghost were over such a â—lock as all whereof were purchased with the blood of Christ so far as men could iudge We do not dispise the conversion of a sinner as Mr B. odionsly traduceth vs but do with men and Angels blesse the Lord for that mercy vpon our selves others onely weedare not stand Ministers to an vnconverted people nor dispence vnto theÌ„ the holy things of God to which we know they have no right how bold soever Mr B. and his brethren make with the Lord and his ordinances this vvay And so I passe to the second proof 2 The blessing of God assisting vs walking in our way with the reformed Churches hath from Luthers time made prosperous our way by him and other glorious instruments and in few yeares spread the truth to many nations c. He that would not in the words before going work vpon the labours of other men will now make boast of them but in stead of proving his likelyhoods by this dealing he is iustly to be reproved of two falshoods The one is that he wil bear the world in hand that his way the way of the
at large by others I do answer that as it was vnlawfull to communicate with Corah or with Vzziah though they burnt true incense or with Ieroboams Preists though they offered true sacrifices so is it vnlawfull to communicate with a devised ministery what truth soever is taught in it Secondly the Lord hath promised no blessing to his word but in his own ordinance though by his superaboundant mercy he oft tymes vouchsafe that which no man can chalendg by any ordinary promise Thirdly no man may partake in other mens sinns but every Ministery eyther devised or vsurped is the sinn of him which exerciseth it And as no good subiect would assist or coÌ„municate with any person in the administration of civil iustice to the Kings subiects no not though hâ— administred the same never so equally and indifferrently except the same person had commission from the King so to do so neyther ought the subiects of the kingdome of Christ to partake with any person whomsoever in the dispensation of any spirituall thing though in it self never so holy without sufficient warrant and commission from the most absolute and sovereigne King of his Church Christ Iesus And where Mr B. speaks of hearing the true word of God onely preached he intimates therin that if we would heare him preach it would satisfy him wel and so teacheth vs with himselfe and others to make a schisme in the Church in vsing one ordinance and not another It is all one whether a man communicate with the Minister in his pulpit or with the Chauncelor in his consistory both of them minister by the same power of the Bishop The Chauncelor may iudge iustly who knowes whither or no the Minister will teach truely And if he do not but speak the vision of his owne heart what remedy hath the Church or what can they that hear him do May they rebuke him openly according to his sin and so bring him to repentance or must they not beare his errors yea his heresyes also during the pleasure of the Bishops even their Lord his And would you Mr B. be content your people should heare a masse Preist or Iesuite though he professed as loud as you do that he would teach the true word of God And think not scorne of the match for you have the selfe same office with a masse Preist though refyned If he be ordayned by a Bishop though it be the Bishop of Rome he may minister in any Church of England by vertue of that ordination And besides masse Preists preach some and those the mayne truthes and the Ministers in England neither do nor daâ—e preach all no nor some which it may be the others do Is it not better then for the servaÌ„ts of the L. Iesus to exercise aedify themselves according to the model of grace receaved though in weaker measure then to be so simple as to come to your feasts though you cry never so loud vnto them thinking that because your stoln waters are sweet and your hidden bread pleasant that they have no power to passe by but must needs become your guests Lastly Mr B. even to make vp the measure of his mallice as he formerly reproached vs by the oppositioÌ„s dissentioÌ„s which he hath heard of amongst vs so doth he here by the vnity and love which himselfe hath seen in vs comparing it page 64. to the love of Familists and Papists and other wretched and graceles companions So that belike whither we love or hate whither we agree or disagree this man wil be sure to fynd matter of reproch vnto vs and of stumbling to himselfe as the Iewes did both from Iohns austerity and from Christs more sociable course of life Math. 11. 18. 19. Our fourth sin is abusing the word of which all are guilty by misalledging and wresting places of Scripture c and this Mr B. proves because some have accused some of the principall of vs with it If accusation be conviction Mr B. needs not speak of some or any other he himselfe hath most mightily coÌ„vinced vs for he hath most hatefully accused vs of any man a live The fifth sin supposed is our wilfull persisting in our schism lightly regarding reverend mens labours and sinfully despising weaker meanes c. It is well knowne that Mr B. how earnestly soever he pleads with vs for the contrary doth himselfe as much neglect save for his owne purposes the iudgment of other men as any other neyther is there one minister in the land I am verily perswaded with whoÌ„ he suiteth but a right Ismael is he lesse or more having his hand against every man and every mans against him Well I deny our separation to be schism as we take the word much lesse do we persist wilfully in it And for the iudgment of other men as we despise not the meanest so neyther do we pin our faith vpon the sleeves of the most learned The other exceptions of shifting and evading the scriptures of perversnes of spirit in conference I pretermit as being both frivolous despitefull onely something must be answered before we passe this poynt to the charge layd vpon vs Pag 98. touching corruptions in the Churches Apostolicall and reformed And first obiect to them sayth he the corruptions of the Churches Apostolicall and theyr answer is eyther that we mayntayn our corruptioÌ„s by the sinnes of other Churches or els they were in a true constitution And how can you with modesty reiect this answer you say we misconstrue your intendement which is that corruption make not a false Church We grant it except they be essentiall but this is that we say that what Church soever alledgeth the corruptions of other Churches with a purpose to coÌ„tinue in the like theÌ„selves which is your estate that Church maintaynes her corruptions by the sinns of other Churches And for the second poynt I do affirme that merely by vertue of a constitution there may be a true Church of God though abounding for the present in sinne and iniquity yet another assembly not rightly constituted or gathered into covenant with God no true Church though lesse impieties be to be found in it The Prophet Ieremy complaines that the iniquity of the daughter of his people namely Ierusalem was become greater then the sinn of Sodom and the Prophet Ezekiâ—l affirmes that Ierusalem was more corrupt by half then Sodom and Samaria And yet was Ierusalem the true Church of God which neyther Samaria nor Sodom were no nor yet any other place in the world where not halfe the wickednes was wrought that was to be found in the better of them This poynt I will further examplify by a symilitude A woman free and separated from all other men and ioyned in civill covenant to a man is his wyfe yea though shee prove very stubborn and disobedient yea and dishonest also till the bill of divorcement be given her but
mongst you or any good effect which God hath wrought by them but this I deny that either they are or have been so effectual as to make any one of your parish assemblies the Church of Christ truely gathered constituted And for the place of Ieremy 23. 22. which as here to prove a true church so every where to prove a true ministery by the effectuall work therof is so frequētly alledged I desire it may be wel cōsidered it will appear that the Prophet speaks not at all of the effect of prophecying but of the drift intēt of the Prophets which had they taken counsel of the Lord would not have flattered the people in theyr sinns by preaching peace peace as they did thereby hardening theyr hearts and strengthening theyr hands in their disobedience and rebellion but would on the contrary by denouncing against them the iudgements of God have endeavoured their repentance as the true Prophets did And if we must thus iudge of true and false prophets by the effects of their ministery certayn it is that neyther Ezechiel no Ieremy himself stood in Gods counsel but were false Prophets for neyther of them were effectuall for the peoples conversion Ier. 20 7. 8. Ezech 3 7. 11. And yet a wonder it is to hear what a noyse Mr B. and his people do make with this scripture of Ieremy as though it did without contradiction iustify both Church and Ministery by some ministeriall effect where it is most playne to all that but read the Chapter with any observatiō that the Prophet speaks not a word of the effect of their Ministerie but of the drift of the ministers the false Prophets desperately slattring the people to their destruction 3 By Gods most straunge and miraculous deliverance of vs from the enemyes of his gospell a promise of God to his people Lev. 26. 7. 8. Deut. 28. 7 These deliverances do no more iustify your estate before the Lord then the deliverance of Samaria out of the hands of the Aramites did the ten tribes in their Apostasie The Lord doth promise victory and deliverance vnto his people in their iust quarrels and vse of good meanes but ever with condition of his glory and their good And they thus walking and being thus delivered take experience of the truth of his promises and have cause of reioycing in the God of their salvation but besides this there are many other causes of deliverance and victory which with all other things of the same kinde †come alike to all men good bad and thus to measure the Lords love by morsels bewrayes too carnal a mind in any man and Mr B. neighbour minister if he have a fatter benefice then he may aswel avouch him self a better minister for the quoted scriptures do as well promise plenty and aboundance as deliverance and victory And where in the last place you lay to our charge that though wee like it well that you should call vs brethren yet wee will not so acknowledge you nor do we hold our selves bound so to admonish you I do answer that as we finde at your hands Mr B. little brotherly dealing traducing vs in all places as Brownists Schismatiques Anabaptists persons obstinate in sin so neyther indeed can we acknowledge any of you for brethren in that visible cōmunion of Saincts which is the Church notwithstanding the loving and respective remembrance wherein we haue very many amongst you severally considered for your personall graces Our reasons are these 1. We cannot admonish any of you according to the rule order of Christ Math. 18. to which duety towards every brother in communion we are absolutely bound 2. We can not acknowledge you for our brethen but we must also acknowledge your Prelates for our reverend fathers vnder whose blessings we mean not to come 3. We cannot acknowledge some of you brethren but we must acknowledg all amōgst you for such for there is but one brotherhood of all amongst you as your owne rhyme teacheth and makest vs all one brotherhood Now by the scriptures we have not learnt to enter any such fraternity where we must acknowledge brother Preist brother half Priest brother dumb Preist brother Atheist brother Epicure brother drunkerd brother blasphemer brother witch brother conjurer lastly brother recusant Papist if not living yet dead for so you must bury him as your deare brother committing his soul to God and his body to the earth And for these causes among others we cannot acknowledge you as we desire in that speciall fellowship of the gospel communion of saynts But disclayme you the fatherhood of the Prelates the brotherhood of the vnhallowed multitude and fest your selves in the family and househould of God and we will acknowledge you in word and deed We will not with that vngodly brother grudge your cōming into our fathers house but will help with our owne hands to kill the fat calf wil make all spirituall melody with you in the Lord. The fifth errour reputed is That onely Saincts that is a people forsaking all knowne sinne of which they may be convinced doing all the knowne will of God encreasing and abiding ever therein are the onely matter of the visible Church This Position which you account errour rightly vnderstood and according to his exposition from whom you received it is an vndoubted truth For of such onely externally and so farre as men can iudge the true Church is gathered whether out of Paganism Iudaism Antichristianism or any other Idolatrous or adulterous estate whatsoever and of them alone framed as of the subject matter which is onely true whilest it continueth such false when it degenerates from this disposition and so as rotten putrified stuffe to be cast out of the Church We will then come to your allegations to the contrary And first you say this is a proper description of the invisible members of Iesus Christ secluding even hypocrites from being true matter of the visible Church All the true and lawfull members of the visible Church are to me members of the invisible Church to me Isay which am bound to iudge them to be in truth as outwardly they appear so I am taught by the Apostle himself who accounts the whole visible Ch and every member of it elect redeemed iustifyed sanctifyed which are conditons competent to the invisible Church And for hypocrites as they may perform all the conditions here required visible or to vs as Mr Smyth hath answered so do we take knowledge of none such in the Chur in the particular til they be knowne in their day by the outbreakings of sinne and being so discovered they are no longer to be reteyned in the Church but to beare their sinne except they repent and then who can repute them hypocrites You object secondly that this makes that David Iehoshaphat and the Church of God in their dayes were no true matter of a Church
wheat be plucked vp with theÌ„ as though the Lord would have the persons of men respected in judgement yea verily there is more need to look to them in such cases then to any private meÌ„bers whomsoever as whose sinns are more displeasing vnto God more scandalous to them without more pernitious to the Church then of any others Some again wil have this prohibitioÌ„ onely to take place when the multitude of the offenders is so great as that they cannot be censured without danger of schisme and distraction as though the multitude of offenders should priveledge the offence and as though the Lord Iesus by his power given to his Church 1 Cor. 5. 4. should fear to meddle with them for their multitude and might as David feared to meddle with the sonnes of Zeruiah because they were too hard for him The Apostle sayth speaking of the incestious man that little leaven leaveneth the whole lump how much more a great deal which makes all more sower And for answer to both it is apparant the Lord here forbidds the rooting out of any tares whither fewer or more in number whither of high or low growth Let men then cease to draw in by the hayr of the head these parables for the tolerating of the wicked in the Church an intollerable wickednes as most prejudicial to the name of God which is by this meanes blasphemed to the partyes salvation who by this connivency is hardned in his sinne where by due censuring he should be humbled to the health and safety of the body which is hereby corrupted and defyled and to the conversion of them without who by the holy converversation of the Church should be provoked to the love of the truth These things being thus cleared I come in the next place to the true and naturall exposition which I doubt not these scriptures will well bear I do then find two interpretations eyther of both I am assured more agreable to the truth then this forced glosse by me coÌ„futed and neyther of them conteyning in it any thing which the words of the Parable will not beare or which is dissonant to the analogy of faith or any other scripture First admit the feyld be the Church which Christ expounds the world then say I by tares in the feild are meant not notorious offenders but hypocrites not so throughly discovered which by the envy of Satan are foysted into the Church It wil be sayd that tares are easily discerned froÌ„ wheat I answer not alwayes so though oakes may as one of your owne hath spoken upon this scripture and it is certainly reported by such as have travayled Iury those parts to which the Lord hath reference that the weeds we call tares are there very hardly discerned from the true wheat If it be further pressed that the tares are espied I do further answer that it is in parables both curiosity and danger to labour to make all partes meet in every particular and since this particular of spying the tares is omitted by Christ in the exposition wee may well be modest in it But let it be that the tares are seen as the words are the question is who those servants are espying them and so desiring to have them rooted out These servants may well be some speciall persons in the Church endued with a singular spirit of watchfulnes and discerning by which they do discover in some persons this tarish disposition vnder the â—ayl of holynes so Paul spied out that bitter root of envy and pride by which some were set a work to preach Christ such persons notwithstanding must be born till their sinnes be ripe and the Lord lead them forth amongst the workers of iniquity Or by the servants may be here meant the Angels who by conversing much with the Ch both can without doubt do through the subtilty of their nature long experience spy out in the Church much cloked wickednes impiety which as the zealous ministers of Gods justice they are ready to revenge But since the Lord Iesus who best knew his owne meaning calls the feild the world and makes the harvest which is the end of the field the end of the world and not of the Church why should we admit of any other interpretation Neyther is it like that Christ would in the expounding of one parable speak an other as he should have done if calling the feyld the world he had meant the Church As God then in the beginning made man good placed him in the field of the world there to grow where by the envy of the serpent he was soon corrupted so ever since hath the seed of the serpent stirred vp by their father the Divel snarled at the heel of the womans seed and like noysome tares vexed and pestered the good and holy seed which though the children of God both see and feel to their payne yet must they not therefore forgetting what spirit they are of presently call for fyre from heaven nor prevent the Lords hand but wayt his leasure eyther for the converting of these tares into wheat which in many is dayly seen and theÌ„ how great pitty had it been they should so vntimely have been plucked vp or for their finall perdition in the day of the Lord when the Church shal be no more offended by them And that the Lord Iesus no way speaks of the toleration of prophane persons in the 〈…〉 Church doth appear by these reasons First because as hath been observed he doth not contradict himself by forbidding the vse of the keyes in one place which in an other he hath turned vpoÌ„ impenitent offenders Mat. 18. 15. 16. 17. 2. In the excommunication of sinners apparantly obstinate with due circumspection and in the spirit of wisdome meeknes long suffring with such other generall Christian vertues as with which all our speciall sacrifices ought to be seasoned whaâ— daunger can there be of any such disorder as the plucking vp of the wheat with the tares which the husbandman feareth vers 29. Lastly the Lord Iesus speaks of the vtter ruinating destruction of the tares the gathering and plucking them vp by the rootes vers 28. 29. and to this end they are reserved by the husbandman v. 30. ever presupposed they so continued but excommunication rightly administred is not for the ruyne and destruction of any but for the salvation of the party thereby humbled 1 Cor. 5. 5. But to conclude admit of Mr B. exposition that the field here is the visible Church the good seed the good godly the tares wicked and vngodly persons I am contented that the difference in this place betwixt him and me be tryed at the tribunall of this very scripture even thus expounded and I doubt not but it will pronounce a cleare sentence on my side in the thing for which I contend and that is that the Church in the right gathering
Church and exercise of the communion are they therefore alone to do al things They if there be any of them in the Church are to govern in every election and choyce of ensuing Officers are they therefore alone to chuse excluding the Church They are to govern in preaching prophesying and hearing the word and receiving the sacraments singing of Psalmes distributing vnto the necessities of the sayncts are they therefore alone to prophesie to sing Psalmes to contribute to the poor the rest with as little reason can it be affirmed that they alone are to have cōmunion in the censures to admonish judge because they are to govern in the carying administring of those matters These things thus cleared it wil be very convenient for the purpose in hand and wil give much furtherance to the truth in a few words to consider of the nature of Ecclesiastical government and governours which whilst politik men through either ignorance or contempt of the gospels simplicitie do neglect they labour to transform the Church into a wordly kingdome and to set over it a kinde of kingly and lordly government and such scriptures as give libertie and power unto kings and other civile officers over their subjects and people for the making and altering of lawes and for the passing and ordering of judgements these they pervert and misapply to Church governours and government then which nothing is more monstrous Math. 20. 25. 26. 27. 28. 1 Pet. 5. 3. I. For first civil officers are are called in the word of God Princes Heads Captaines Iudges Magistrates Nobles Lords Kinges them in authority principalities powers yea in their respect Gods and according to their names so are their offices but on the contrarie Ecclesiasticall officers are not capable of these or the like titles which can neyther be given without flatterie unto them nor received by them without arrogancy neyther is their office an office of Lordship Sovereigntie or Authoritie but of Labour and Service and so they the Labourers and Servants of the Church as of God 2. Magistrates may publish execute their owne lawes in their own names Ezra 1. 1. 2. c. Est. 8. 8. Math. 20. 25. But Ministers are onely interpreters of the lawes of God and must look for no further respect at the hands of any to the things they speak then as they manifest the same to be the commaundements of the Lord. 1 Cor. 14. 37. 3. Civill administrations and their formes of goverment may be and oft tymes are altered for the avoyding of inconveniences according to the circumstances of tyme place and persons Ex. 1◠13. 14. 15. 16. 17. c. But the Church is a kingdome which cannot be shaken Heb. 12. 28. wherein may be no innovation in office or forme of administration from that which Christ hath left for any inconveniency whatsoever 4 Civill Magistrates have authority by their offices to judge offēders vpon whom they may also exequute bodily vengeance vsing their people as their servants and ministers for the same purpose but in the Ch the officers are the ministers of the people whose service the people is to vse for the administring and executing of their judgemēts that is for the pronouncing of the judgments of the Church of God first against the obstinate which is the vtmost execution the Church can perform And what difference can be greater In the cōmon wealth the people fewer or more yea somtimes whol armies the ministers of the officers in the Church the officers the ministers of the people 5. In civill government obedience must be performed for the authority and will of the commaunder who is Lord over the bodyes and goods of his subjects Mat. 20. 25. 26. 1 Pet. 5. 3. yea though his commaundements being with them bodily domage yea be they never so vnjust vnholy yet must obedience be given in meek and pacient sufferance though not in active performance ◠Pet. 2. 13. 14. 3. 14. 15. 16. but in Church matters not so The officers may neyther exact obedience nor the people perform it further then the goodnes profit and aedification of and by the thing commaunded doth enforce 1 Cor. 14. 26. Gal. 1. ◠Col. 2. 16. 1◠And the reason is because civil Magistrates have authority annexed to their office and order and though both they and their commaundements be most vnjust yet do they still reteyn their authority which their subjects may not shake of but ministers and Church governers have no such authority tyed to their office but merely to the word of God And as the peoples obedience stands not in making the Elders their Lords Soveraignes Iudges but in listening to their godly counsels in following theyr wise directions in receiving their holy instructions exhortations consolations and admonitions and in vsing their faithful service and ministery so neyther stands the Elders govermēt in erecting any tribunall seat or throne of judgement over the people but in exhorting instructing comforting improving them by the word of God 1 Tim. 3. 16. in affoarding the Lord and them their best service But here it wil be demaunded of me if the Elders be not set over the Church for her guidance and government Yes certaynly as the physition is set over the body for his skill and faithfulnes to minister vnto it to whom the pacient yea though his Lord or Maister is to submit the lawyer over his cause to attend vnto it the steward over his family even his wife and children to make provision for them yea the wachmen over the whole city for the safe keeping thereof Such and none other is the Elders or Bishops government Now to conclude this point All the scriptures which Mr B. brings as the reader may see serves to prove that the governers of the Church must be in and of the Church they govern but the governers of the Church of Worxsop are not of it neyther would Mr B. I dare say be well pleased they should But where it is further affirmed that during all the Apostles dayes the body of the congregation attempted nothing of themselves but that alwayes Church matters were begun governed and composed by the Apostle◠as it made nothing against our matter though it were even so as is sayd since w◠hold that where there are officers in the Churches those faithfull in all things as th' Apostles were there things are not to be attempted without them so is it not true which is affirmed neyther do the scriptures alledged prove any such thing The three first places Act. 1. 15. 23. 24. 25. and 6. 3. 6. and 14. 19. 20. 23. do onely prove that the Apostles being general men officers of all Churches did when they were present with the Churches govern and assist them faythfully in all things which we also affirm to be the duty of al Elders in their particular charges whom the people are accordingly to obey More particularly The two
old leven to iudge and to put out from among themselves that wicked fornicatour v. 5. 6. 7. 12. 13. of which more hereafter And so I come to the 4. Reason against Popularity as you term â—t but in truth against Christian liberty which is grounded vpoÌ„ Ephe. 4. 11. 12. Your words are these It is most apparant that Christ ascending vp gave gifts for preaching administration of sacraments and government vnto some sorts of men who 〈…〉 e set out there and plainly distinguished from the other saynts the body of the Church Against this hitherto I take no great exceptioÌ„ though the Apostles meaning may be better layd down thus that Christ Iesus the King and Lord of his Church hath set in it certaine sorts and orders of officers rightly fitted and furnished with graces for the reparation of the saynts and aedification of his body to the worlds end This we affirme as lowd as you and with more comfort And therfore after I have observed in a few wordes how little this scripture serves for your present purpose I will in as few more make it appeare how directly it serves against you in many other mayn matters and that you in bringing it have onely lighted a candle whereby to discover your own nakednes This then is that which you would conclude that bycause Christ hath given power and charge to the sorts of ministers here set downe for the reparation of the saynts and aedification of the body that therefore no brethren out of office may medle with the reparation and aedification of the Saynts or Church I do acknowledge that onely Apostles Prophets c. by office and as works of their Ministery are to look to the reparation and aedification of the body but that the brethren out of office are discharged of those duâ—ties I deny any more then the rest of the servants were of watching though out of office bycause the Porter alone was by office to watch Mark 13. 34 37. Yea look what is layd vpon the officers in this place after a more speciall manner by vertue of their office that also is layd vpon the rest of the brethren els where in the same words to be performed in their places as a duty of love for which they have not onely liberty but charge from the Lord. The officers are here charged with the reparation or knitting together of the saynts the same duty in the same words is imposed vpon every brother spirituall and I hope you the Ministers will not be the onely spirituall men in the Church Secondly the officers are here given to aedifie the body the same duety in the same termes is layd vpon every one of the brethren in their places 1 Thes. 5. 11. and vnto these few might be added an hundred places of the same nature Why then should the Ministers of the Lord or any other for their sake envy vnto the Lords people eyther their graces or liberty or thus arrogate all vnto theÌ„selves as though all knowledge were treasured vp in their breasts all power given into their handes as though no drop of grace for aedificatioÌ„ or comfort of the Church could fall from els where then from their lips Moses in the place of numbers before named wisht that all the Lords people were Prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit vpon them and Paul gives liberty to the whol Church and to all in it women excepted ver 34. to prophesie one by one for the instruction edification and comfort of all but with Mr B and his Church I perceive neyther Moses prayer nor Pauls graunt nor Gods spirit must be avayleable or find acceptance for aedification by any save the Ministers The subjects of Kings vse to complayn much of Monopolyes but the subjects of the Lord Iesus have greater cause of complaint that he himself his power presence and graces wherewith he honoureth all his saynts are thus monopolized and ingrossed The similitude which here you borrow froÌ„ the body of man wherein you say the special members have their speciall vertues in themselves given of God and not bestowed vpon them by the body as the eyes to see the tongue to speak c. for the confirmation of the power of the Lord Iesus or liberty to teach admonish and censure in the hands of the officers alone is faulty in both parts of it and conteynes in it sundry errours both theologicall and phylosophicall And first I do here most justly except against your shuffling together and confounding of the personall gifts graces and vertues of the Ministers and their ministeriall power or office The first in deed they have from Christ and not from or by the Church at all as their knowledge zeale vtterance wisdome holynes and the like with which the Church findes them furnished so appoints them vnder Christ to vse these gifts in office of Ministery whereof out of office they have erst given knowledge this power or appointment which they have from or by the Church thus to vsâ— these gifts is another thing then their personall gifts and qualifications themselves which you Mr B. do very fraudulently confound Secondly it is ignorantly affirmed that God enduâ—s certayn members of the body with speciall vertues and properties as thâ—â—y with seing and the like that they have thes properties not from the body but from God For first the very vertue or faculty of seing is not in the ey but in the soul which vseth the ey onely for the instrument of seing so other parts in their kind Oculus non videâ— sed anima per oculiâ—â— And that not immediately neyther but with the help of the spirits naturall vitall and animall diffused throughout the body which the soul vseth most immediately as the instruments of all life sense motion And so it comes to passe not onely in death where the soul and body are separated but in sundry diseases also of the body that the ey fayleth in seeing and so other members in their service Thirdly as the Elders of the Church I confesse may be compared to eyes in the body and the Deacons to hands in a respect so I deny the similitude to hold absolutely Similitudes as they say do not run vpon four feet to streyn them above that which is intended by the holy Ghost in vsing them is a course full both of vanity and errour The Deacons are the handes of the Church for the distribution of her bodily things to them that need yet I trow you would not have the Church suffer the poore to starve where the Deacons are wanting to minister or fayling in their ministration so are the Elders the eyes mouth of the Church for her government and ministration of spirituall things yet must not the Church perish spiritually for their want or negligence no the Lord is more mercifull to his people then so and doth nor ty them so short in
B. should thus speak know I none except it be bycause in the Church of England the Ecclesiasticall government of canonicall obedience vnto the Praelates is such as he speakes of by which Christians indeed loose Christian liberty but in the easy yoke of Christ it is not so And if Christians must be subiect to Princes in civil affaires for conscience sake then which nothing is more voluntary how much more is the subiection of the saints vnto the government of Christ most free and voluntary yea by how much more full and entyre Christs government is over the Saincts whether within or without by so much more voluntary and free is their obedience both wayes And so passe on to the thing I cheâ—â—ly intend and that is to shew that if there be a government left for the Ch and order set for the punishment of offenders by Christ the King thereof that then this 18. of Mat. is the place where that order is to be found Let Mr B that I may vse his own words Pag. 224. 225. declare where els is not a more perfect rule but any rule for it left by Christ or not any supply but any mention made els where c. The reasons now follow in the next place by which Mr B. would prove that Christ Iesus Mat. 18. 15. 16. 17. speakes not of Church admonitions and censures but of private injuries and the civil menaging of them His first reason is taken from the cohaerence of these verses with that which goes before in the Chapter where Christ admonisheth his disciples to take heed both of the offences that should be given as also of offending others True Mr B. for the meaning of Christ was not onely to prepare them against the manisold scandals and stumbling stones of offence especially in the new kingdom to which he prepared theÌ„ which Satan would cast before them every step they took eyther to turne them out of the way of life or to stop them in it but also to lay strayt charge vpon them that they for their parts cast no stumbling blocks before others admonishing them very severely neyther easily to take nor to give offence And because through pride in our selves and contempt of others we are imboldened to give offence especially to them in whom we behold any great infirmities our saviour Christ proceeds to shew what great care the Lord takes for the meanest of his and what account he makes of them teaching them all moderation and compassion towards them in their infirmities But least any should then say if it be so the best way is to let men alone in their sinnes Christ prescribes a remedy for this evill even that golden mean v. 15. 16. 17. that we should neyther be bitter or rigorous towards them to cause them to scandalize nor yet so remisse as by connivency to flatter them in their sinnes For the occasion of the words the Argument taken from it bycause the authour puts it downe not as he proves it to be but as it is thought I passe it by as one of the thoughts spoken of by the wise man in the Prov. and with it the scope which he tells vs is held to be a moderating of the Iewes passion for private iniuries offred as being both together with them the exposition also in the 4. place as being onely so many beggings of the quaestion in hand The sum of which exposition is for to relate all Mr Bernards words were too tedious that if one Iew offred an other iniury and would not satisfy him when he required it eyther privately or with a witnes or two the party iniured was to complayne to the Iewish Synedrion and if that would not serve the turne he might if he would proceed with him and bring him before the Romayn power and sue him at Caesars â—arr as if he were a publican or heathen The reasons novv to prove this interpretation follovv And the first is because Christ spake according no the tyme as Mat. 5. 23. 26. It followes not that because Christ so spake that one tyme and in that one place that therefore he so speaks here What is lesse forceable 2. As Christ in that place spake both ecclesiastically and civily as you expresly affirm so if you graunt in proportion that he speakes here both civily for injuries and ecclesiastically for sinnes you speak truth enough at the least to overthrow your self Your second and third proofs taken from Peters vnderstanding of Christ and Christs answer againe in the parable though it were no straunge thing for Peter to vnderstand that civily which Christ spake spiritually nor for Christ to reply according to the present vnderstanding do not shew that Christs speach is to be restreyned to personall iniuries the contrary shall appeare by and by And the same answer may serve to the 4. and 6. Argument The fifth Argument is taken from the propriety of speach in the text as first because Christ sayth against thee which say you shewes the offence to be private c. I graunt it and that Christ there fetches his beginning from private or rather from secret offences and sinnes which being knowen vnto one onely may by one be remitted Your second Argument is drawne from this terme brother which shewes say you that Christ meant the Iewes whom alone both the Iewes and disciples of Christ did account brethren If Christ meant onely Iewes what makes it matter if the Iewes onely were brethren that is of the Church but it is not true you say that onely Iewes were accounted brethren by the disciples of Christ at that time Christ shewes that they which beleeve and obey his words are his and so his disciples brethren as did amongst others many of the Samaritans which were no Iewes long before this time That these words thou hast gayned or wonne thy brother shew an alienation of mind in the party that doth the iniurie is idle as the former For the alienation of mind will rather be in him that hath received the injurie which a man may do of ignorance self love covetousnes or other by regards without any change of his affection towards the person injured the words in truth shew that the lost sheep is found the sinner converted The next words are let him be to thee which you tell vs shewes such a Church as the offender might not regard and so the plantiffe vnremyed might seek further If you meane by these words might not regard that he might lawfully not regard it you erre if that he might be so wicked as not to regard it is no new thing for wicked persons to disregard the Church of Christ. Your addition of dismissing to further proceeding is your owne and so I leave it to you And the reason why Christ sayth let him be to thee is bycause the brother spoken to was the first and principall in the accusation as vnder the law the accuser of the false
and priviledges from without and my learning froÌ„ his distinctioÌ„ is that he vndertakes to teach others where he hath not yet learnt himself His errour then is in the too streyt acceptioÌ„ of the term property which he should take in a larger sense as Mr Smyth hath rightly taught him namely that whatsoever is proper vnto a person or thing whether within or without and not common to other things or persons with him or it that is a property or property of that person or thing And so since all the priviledges wherewith Christ hath endowed his Church are proper and peculiar vnto the Church and not common to her with the world it is most evident they are all of them the Churches properties and so to be accounted though she may for a tyme want the actuall vse of many of them And even those priviledges which your self bring for instances are true properties of the Church as to be called saynts faithful elect to suffer for Christ to be the ark to keep the books of the covenant to set to the seales to vse the keyes to open to shut heaven then which what can be more proper or peculiar vnto the Church And it is strange that sayntship and holynes grace to suffer for Christ and the like should not be accounted more naturall propertyes of the Church then a prophane profession of faith and vsurpation of some ordinances of religion by lewd and vngodly persons But towching the properties of the Church by you layd down my answer is that except your nationall Church be that true Israell of God which he hath admitted joyntly and severally into the covenant fellowship of grace salvation and to whom he hath given the promises of that covenant and to whom by his revealed will the seales and sacraments for the confirmation of those promises do apperteyn the more you meddle with this covenant by professing or publishing it the more you take Gods name in vayn and the more of the ordinances of God his covenant you vse and injoy the more you abuse vsurp the longer you continue in so doing the more dangerous is your estate the more to be bewayled And for the things themselves by which you would haue the Ch of Christ distinguished from all other assemblies they are such as may in the outward ceremony and observation of them without any sanctifyed vse which is the point in controversy between me and you both be performed and continued in eyther for feare or fashion by any accursed conventicle of atheists murderers adulterers or the like yea by a company of men and women excommunicated for these the like traÌ„sgressions And can these things which ly thus in comoÌ„ to all be the true properties of the Church 2. I must be bould to tell you Mr B. that the holding out of the truth sacraments are not so properly the displayed banners of your Church as is the observation of your popish ceremonies The surplise is a banner far broader displayed then the preaching of the gospel or ministration of the sacraments the crosse is a standard higher advanced then baptism so is kneeling then the Lords supper without thâ—se neyther the word may be preached nor the sacraments administred but where these banners are set vp and fayre borne there is that which is required will serve the turn though there be very litle truth held out eyther by preaching knowledge or obedience but the contrary Lastly where speaking of the marks and tokens of the true Ch you will the reader to observe well that they are not the word truely preached nor the sacrameÌ„ts rightly administred but the true word preached and the true sacraments administred I cannot but observe it well and in it both your errour and lightnes In your litle catechism printed 1602. you demaund this quaestion What are the marks of the true Church here on earth to which your answer is amongst some other things Christs word truely preached and his sacraments rightly administred But now in your Separatists schism not the word truely preached but the true word nor the sacraments rightly administred but the true sacraments are the infallible and convertible marks and tokens of the Ch in the iudgement of ill the divines at home and in all the reformed Churches in Christendome Now that which I observe hence is that Mr B. is one in his catechism where he labours with good conscience to instruct his people in the knowledge of God and another in his Invective headily begun and unconscionably prosequuted In the former he endeavoured with good conscience to lay down the grounds of Christian religion but now considering that the Christian grounds there layd will not beare the Antichristian confused building which he is to defend in his latter book he chuseth rather to rase his former Christian foundations and to lay new those contrary then to leave one stone of Babell vndawbed with his vntempered morter Now for the point it self let the reader obserue these few particulars First that rightly and truely in preaching and administration are by Mr B. very ignorantly restrayned to the holy graces of the Church for which right and lawfull persons by and to whom these administrations are to be made are required And are persons graces Mr Bernard 2. It is not true you affirm that all divines hould the true word and true sacraments though not truely nor rightly administred the infallible tokens of the Church I do not remember that ever I read this phrase the true word before in any wryters Such as write of these things are generally against you as you are against the truth Your own articles of religion condemn you which make it a property of the Church to haue the sacraments duely administred And since the word and sacraments are divine ordinances instituted by the Lord for certayn ends and purposes and determined to circumstances of persons as by to whom they must be administred it is necessary wee measure and defyne them by the manner of ministration otherwise wee make them but as the charmes of wizards or at the best as the prayers of Papists which they account true if so many words be sayd over by whomsoever or howsoever The word of God may be and oft times is in a great measure preached or published vpon a stage and what if the sacraments should be added to it were here a true Church marked out And as the word and sacraments may be sacrilegiously vsurped by them which are no Church of Christ nor haue any right at all vnto them so may the true Church of Christ be for a time without them though never without spirituall right vnto them as in the tyme of some great plague when the Church dare not assemble or of persequâ—tion when it is severed eyther by bonds or â—light It doth not then cease to be a Church no nor a visible Church neyther It remayns visible in it self though
live And for the parts of the body to which he here hath reference and the like they do more fitly resemble the officers of the Church then the ordinance of excoÌ„munication the eyes and mouth the Bishops and Elders which are to oversee and teach the Church the hands the Deacons who are to distribute her almes And aâ— there may be a true though an vnperfit naturall body without these parts so may there be a true visible Church or body of Christ without these officers though vnperfect and defective It now remayns I lay down some reasons to prove the power of the censures of excommunication simply necessary vnto the Church of Christ. The Reasons are First bycause it is simply necessary for the being of a Church that there be power for true members to joyn together and so to receive others vnto them even so consequently must there be power to disioyn and cut of false members 2. Excommunication and absolution are of the same nature with preaching the gospel yea the very same particularly applyed to persons obstinate and repentant which preaching is in the generall The preaching of the gospell is the power of God vnto salvation to every one that beleeveth excommunication is the power of the Lord Iesus Christ for the destruction of the flâ—sh of him that is otherwise incorrigible that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Iesus The preaching of the gospel makes the first or major proposition thus he that beleeves not and repents not is bound in heaven and hath his sinnâ— vnremitted but he that beleeves and repents his sinnâ— are pardoned and he loosed in heaven Now excommunication and absolution applyed to a particular person and occasion do make the second or minor proposition thus thou beleevest not or repentest not of this thy sinne and therefore thou art bound in heaven and thy sinnes vnpardoned and so of absolution or the loosing of sinns Adde also vnto these things that the same Bishops or Elders are to preach the gospel in way of doctrine and to minister the censures in way of discipline though in some divers order as I haue formerly shewed And these two being the two mayn duties of the Ministers comprehended vnder this generall duety of feeding the stock must needs be of the same nature both of them mayn and necessary parts of Gods vvorship and of religion and so to be performed vpon the Lords day as his work and in the assembly of the saynts as an exercise of their holy communion howsoever with you and others they are made a consistory and working day matter to the great violation and indignity of the kingdom of Christ in the dispensation of it in his Church 3. The want of excommunicating and censuring wicked men levens the whole lump and makes the whole particular congregation whereof they are accessary to their sinne and to purpose to continue in such a congregation or Church as hath not this power is to purpose to continue in disobedience to the commandement of the Lord Iesus which he hath layd vpon all his disciples to tell the Church in the order by him prescribed 4. Without the censures the Church becomes of Syon Babylon even the habitation of Divels and the hold of all â—owl spirits and a cage of every vnclean and hatefull byrd And so Mr B. in his forenamed catechisâ—â—â— teacheth that the holy and right vse of discipline and of excommunication serves to maintâ—yn the Church and to over throw haeresy that destroyes the foundation and other mischiefs And since haeresy destroyes the foundation as Mr B. teacheth and that there must be haeresies in the Church as Paul teacheth and that the Church cannot possibly be purged of them without excommunication that must needs be absolutely necessary to the Church without which the Church must absolutely necessarily come to naught To these I do adde as a fifth and last Reason that as the glorie of God salvation of them without are most furthered and advantaged by the holy conversation of the members of the Church and on the contrary most disadvantaged and hindered by their vnholy and prophane courses so is the power of excommunication by which solemn ordinance aloâ—e prophanenes impiety are rooted out of absolute necessity for the Churches of Christ. And of this point I desire the reader to take knowledge not onely as of a matter of truth but of conscience also and for practise That which Mr B reputes our nynth errour is our holding all their ministers false Ministers As I have formerly sayd of your Churches so say I here of your ministers that if one be false all are for all are of one constitution In deed Mr B if he might be let alone would save himself much labour this way by restreyning his defence to some few of the most able and conscionable men excluding the rest and therefore in his former book he speaks of such ministers as God hath furnished with gifts to discharge their functioÌ„ with holy graces a blamelesse lifâ— and in his 2. book he desires to be vnderstood of such as are sent of God and set over congregations according to the truth and true meaning of the lawes and book of ordination In which he doth directly exclude the Archbishops Bishops Suffragans Deanes Archdeacons Chauncelours Commissaries and with them all pluralists non-residents vnpreaching and prophane ministers For some of these are not set over congregations at all but over Provinces Diocesse others not in respect of their offices above named and others though they be set over particular Churches yet haue they neyther gifts nor graces for their function But as he were nothing faythfull vnto a city that vndertaking the defence of it should pâ—ck out here and there a corner most strong and defensible and fortify there leaving the body of the city to the invasion spoyl of any that would assault it so neyther is Mr B faythfull to the Ministery of England who pretending the defence of it against vs calls out here and there a man whom he will iustifie and leaves the body and all the principall members of it vndefended And here I would demaund of him why he doth not as well defend all the Ministers in this place as he did even now defend all the people or why a Minister so called though vnapt to teach and of a prophane life is not as well a true though a bad Minister as a Christian so called being ignorant and of a lewd conversation a a true though a bad Christian There is one and the same reason of both though Mr B have more reason for to plead the one then the other considering his own standing If he should plead for the ignorant and prophane Ministers he should deprive himself of all arguments for the justification of the preaching more conscionable sort for he rayseth them all as the
reader may see in both his books from their gifts and aptnes to teach from their holy graces their painfull and zealous preaching their suppressing of Popery and conversion of soules with other the like effects of the truthes of the gospel published and taught by them which things since he dares not affirm of the scandalous vnpreaching Preists he cunningly passeth them by as some small moat faln into the Church by the covetousnes of Much-wormly patrons but contrary to the true meaning of the lawes and without the least default of the Bishops or Archbishops as though the covetous Patrons could present them except the vngodly Bishops had first ordeyned them If he had undertaken the justification but as true though not as good both of the vnpreaching and preaching Ministers he must have sought and produced such Arguments as would haue agreed to both but finding himself able to make no shew at all for the ignorant idle and scandalous sort having no colours to paynt no morter to dawb over those filthy stones no not to any shew he smothers all them though far the greater both in number and authority and in deed the almost onely true formall ministers according to the Church canon and constitution and presents to the reader a few dispersed disgraced tolerated and tolerating persons and vndertakes their defence manifesting himself a right naturall merchant of that great whore in shewing some handfull of tolerable wares thereby to deceive the simple buyer with the whole peice or heap of rotten stuffe which goes with them Now on the contrary if Mr B. should not haue defended men of lewd conversation as true visible matter of the Church and members of Christs body he could not haue justifyed with any colour the Nationall Provinciall Diocesan and Parish Churches or any one of them as true since they were all at the first collected and do still consist for the greatest part of such people and so disposed He therefore takes liberty vnto himself to make such defence and for so much of his Church and Ministery as will serve his turn amongst the deceived multitude and of no more But the mayn point in this place about this matter in hand to be considered of is whether ability to preach be a qualification and so preaching a work necessarily required in the ministery of Engl according to the true meaning of the lawes ecclesiasticall civil and the book of ordination This Mr B. takes for graunted affirmatively and vpon it as a mayn ground builds his whole treatise about this matter but I on the contrary do affirm that this is so is known to be to all that mind it with wisdom good conscience cleane otherwise and that neyther this ability nor practise of preaching is of necessity required to the true and naturall constitution of the English ministery in the meaning of the lawes established in that case And for the confirmation of that I affirm against this mans presumptuous asseveration these proofs suffice First the books of Homilies published and confirmed by law to be read of such ministers as cannot preach do evidently declare that ability to preach is not necessarily required of all in the true meaning of the law 2. By the statute law of the land and in particular by one statute enacted for the prevention of vnworthy ministers though wanting the book I cannot set down the title tyme or order of it he that is eyther a Bachilour of arts in one of the Universities or can give an account of his faith in latin or hath been brought vp in a Bishops house though he haue been his porter or horsekeeper or hath a gift in preaching is capable of orders and may be by the Bishop ordeyned a minister so that by the expresse letter and playn meaning of the law aptnes and ability to teach is not necessarily required in the English ministery If he haue any one of the three former qualifications the law approves of him and being ordeyned the Patron may present him to any congregation in the land whom the Bishop also must institute the Archdeacon induct and the people receive and may be therevnto compelled whither they will or no. Adde vnto these that your canons and constitutions framed by the convocation house and confirmed by the Kings royall assent so being the lawes ecclesiasticall of your Church by your doctrine Mr B. the Act of all the Church though the inferiours come not to consent do not onely approve an vnpreaching Ministery but also lay deep curses and Anathemaes vpon all that deny eyther the truth or lawfulnes of it To this also I might annex that it is a very common doctrine with your Prelates and their Chaplins and faction that preaching is no necessary annexum or appurtenance vnto Orders which they also offer to defend against all gainsayers But it seems you haue speciall reference to the book of ordination let vs therefore see what it makes for you or your purpose That you build vpon I know iâ— these words of the Bishop when he orders his Preist and delivers him the Bible in his hand Take thou authority to preach the word of God and to minister the holy sacraments in this congregation where thou shalt be so appointed The words I hear and acknowledge but the true meaning of the book I deny it to be that every Minister should be able to preach It may as wel be sayd it is the meaning of the book that that every Preist should be ordeyned in the particular congregation where he is to minister bycause of the latter words in this congregation where thou shalt be so appoynted and that he is to minister the discipline of Christ as well as the doctrine and sacraments bycause such words passe betwixt him and the Bishop in another place of the same book It is not the least delusion of Sathan or mistery that such formes of good wordes are reteyned both in the Romish English Church without any truth eyther of purpose or practise in those which vse them for by them the eyes of the simple are easily bleared by such deceivable merchants as right now I spake of though it be not without a speciall providence of God that these the like forms of words should be vsed for the more full conviction and condemnation of them that chuse to be deceived as I have formerly noted in this book To conclude this poynt The reading of the service book in form and maner the celebrating of mariage churching of women burying of the dead conformity and subscription are more essentiall to your ministery and more necessarily requyred by the lawes of your Church both civil and ecclesiasticall then preaching of the gospel is The wearing of the surplice and signing with the crosse in baptism are of absolute necessity without partial dispensation yea I may ad violation of oath by the Bishops whereas preaching of the word is no
and brethren with them are one the same publique body to be exercised in one and the same part of their publique communion and to make the officers publick persons and the brethren private in the cōmunion is to make a schisme in the Church and to make the brethren part of the cōmunion in the administration of the word sacraments prayer singing of Psalmes contribution calling of officers censuring of offenders or other Church action whatsoever private and the officers publik is to make it schismatical them in it schismatiks Thus much of the 9. errour objected The tenth foloweth which is that we say Their worship is a false worship For answer vnto this assertion Mr B refers vs to the end of this treatise and there then will wee attend for it yet somewhat will he say against it that is First that they worship no false God 2. that they worship the true God with no false worship We charge you not with the worship of any false God though wee shall see by by how in one particular you will defend your selves But the thing you should have endeavoured is to prove that your divine-service-book framed by man and by man imposed to be vsed without addition or alteration as the solemn worship of your Church is that true and spirituall manner of worshiping God which he hath appointed with which he will be worshiped in spirit trueth Of this you say little or nothing but bycause you seem to your self to say somewhat wee will see what it is The word you say preached is the true word the sacraments true sacraments the prayers we pray whether conceived or set and stinted are such as may be warranted by the word and agreable to the prescript form taught by our saviour Christ. The word preached in popery or in the most haereticall assembly in the world is the true word but the devises of men are not the true word eyther with you or them Yea the divels thēselues preached the true word when they affirmed and published that Iesus was that Christ the sonne of God the most High did they therefore perform vnto God true worship Of the sacraments I have spokē formerly have shewed that in the administration of them they cannot be reputed true It is the word of promise that makes the sacraments except then the parish assemblies joyntly considered in their members have right unto the spirituall promises of God the sacraments administred in and vnto them in that their estate cannot so be accounted true sacraments For your prayers I observe sundry things out of your own words which I may not passe over as first that you speak not properly no nor truely in saying you pray stinted prayers for you read them and who will say reading is praying you pray to God but will you say you read to God or if you so say and do is it agreable eyther to his ordinance or to cōmon reason Mistake me not as though I speak of inward prayer or of the lifting vp of the hart for I graunt a man may pray inwardly or lift vp the heart to God when he reads or preaches or sings or receives the sacraments of such prayer we neyther speak nor can discern but in our selves our speach then being of the outward act ordinance of prayer I do affirm and so marvayl if all reasonable men concurre not with me that the ordinance of reading cannot be the ordinance of praying 3. In your division of prayer wherin you make some conceived and some set and stinted you graunt that the prayers which are set and stinted are not conceived wherein you do as much as graunt that they are not of God nor according to his will The Apostle Iude directeth vs alwayes to pray in the holy Ghost and Paul teacheth that we cannot pray as we ought but as the spirit helpeth vs and begetteth in vs sighs vnutterable by the work of which spirit if our prayers be not conceived first in our hearts before they be brought forth in our lips they are an vnnaturall bastardly and prophane byrth Lastly if your stinted prayer be as you say agreable to the prescript forme of prayer taught by our saviour Christ then must none other form of prayer be vsed but a stinted or set form for none other form may be vsd but that which is agreable to the prescript form of Christ since Christ hath sayd after this manner pray Where you further add that nothing is imposed or done by you for the worship of God but the word read and preached and the sacraments and prayer I demaund of your first in worship or honour of whō are your holy dayes bearing the names of S. Michaels S. Peters S. Iohns day and the rest imposed and kept if in the honour of the Saynts Angels then are you not cleare as you make your selves from the worshipping of false Gods neyther can you exempt your selves from the number of them which in voluntary religion worship Angels if on the other side those dayes be appoynted and so kept holy in the worship and honour of God then do you and that by authority worship God by and put holines in other things then the word read preached and the sacraments and prayer yea and other things then ever came into the Lords heart to sanctify for his worship And so the place Math. 15. 9. and other scriptures to that purpose are truely though you say falsely alledged against you 2. I do demaund of you whether your Apocrypha books namely that which is placed betwixt both testaments causing the Iewes to think the new testament no better then the fables which are ioyned to it as a learned man of our nation hath observed and the other book of Homilies be enjoyned and vsed as parts of Gods worship It is evident they are so held And therefore it is that a great portion of the former is preferred in the most solemn assemblyes before the canonicall scriptures and the reading of them before the reading of the other which they justle out of their place And for the homilyes they are enioyned and so vsed in stead of the preaching of the word which is the principall part of Gods worship wherevpon it followeth that the Apocrypha wrytings of mē being preferred before one part of Gods worship which is the reading of the Canonicall scriptures and vsed in stead of an other part of Gods worship yea and that the principall part as is preaching are imposed and so vsed as partes of Gods worship So that it is not without good cause M Ber that M Ainsworth bids you prove the Apocrypha scriptures and books of Homilies the true word of God Nothing you tel vs is imposed and vsed amongst you for the worship of God but the true word of God read and preached and the sacraments and prayer now these being imposed and vsed for the
own heart but of others morally in the judgement of charity which is according to outward appearance and which may deceive The 8. 9. errours imputed to us are that we hold none of their Ministers may be heard that it is not lawful to ioyn in prayer with any of them Sundry things Mr B. brings to evince the former position of errour but not one of them so much as tending to prove it lawfull to partake in an office of Ministery eyther devised or vsurped with out lawfull calling as that in Engl hath been proved to be It is not true then which he sayth that we censure any for hearing the word we do it for partaking in other mens sinns and for receiving the mark of the beast in coÌ„municating with the Ministery of Antichrist as we assuredly know yours to be the office enteraÌ„ce into it notwithstaÌ„ding the truthes taught personal graces in the teachers and for obstinacy in the same It is true then but not pertinent which Mr B. sayth that it is a good thing to hear the word which who denyes but the Church of Engl that sileÌ„ceth the Preachers of it for her own the Popes inventions that tyes the people to their unpreaching parish-preists rather then permits them to hear a Preacher in the next parish Other things obiected by him are els where handled yet seemes it not amisse to ad something touching three scriptures by him produced and appy'ed to his purpose they are Mat. 23. 1. 2. 3. Phil. 1. 15. 18. Tit. 3. 10. 11. And first there is not one of these scriptures that gives so much as any colour of couÌ„tenaÌ„ce to the hearing of the word ministered in a false Church devised office and by vertue of an vnlawfull calling or where any of these barres are put and by all these we do beleeve affirm our selves to be kept from hearing you And this generall defence I do apply vnto the particulars and first to the first answering that the Scribes and Pharisees did neyther minister to any but the Lords people the Israell of God nor in an vnlawfull place nor by an vnlawfull enterance how corruptly soever they ministred for corrupt administrations besides the coÌ„stitutioÌ„ in the true Church we do not think the Ministers are eyther suddeynly or vnorderly to be forsaken To which I do ad further first that the words do sit in Moses chayr and whatsoever they bid you do may more strictly after the Greek be turned have sit in MOSES chayre and have bidden you observe that is what you have heard of them formerly according to Moses that do and observe But let the words be as they are and that Christ speakes of the time to come yet I see not how in them the LORD eyther commaunds or approves of his disciples hearing the Scribes Pharisees in their publique and solemn administrations but if he speak of them then he may onely permit his DISCIPLES in respect of their weaknes and being for the present too much addicted vnto them so to hear them or otherwise Christ may speak of such occasionall meetings and conferences as passed ordinarily between the Pharisees and his disciples wherin what was of Moses he willes them to receive from them without praejudice of their persons and so we do also will and exhort the people with vs to receive and reteyn whatsoever of God they hear from you or any others vpon the like occasion And considering that in the first verse Christ spake vnto the multitude and to his disciples laying no more vpon his disciples in this case then vpon the multitude and what respect the disciples had the Pharisees in and how oft and vsually they met and medled together it is very probable that Christ vpon this supposition that the disciples would or should hear or meet with them intends onely to provide that the word of God may reteyn all due authority with his in that confused estate wherein all things then stood neyther coÌ„maunding nor approving the hearing of them And considering what Christ himself testifieth of the Scribes Pharisees in that very chapter that they shut vp the kingdomâ— of heaven before men neyther going in themselves nor suffering them that would making those of their profession two-fold more the children of hel then theÌ„selves what haeresies they taught touching justificatioÌ„ by works and perfect obedience to the whole law how they made voyd the commaundements of God for their own traditions how they denyed in Christ both the person and office of the Messiah blaspheming him in his doctrine as a deceiver of the people in his life as a glutton and drinker of wyne and in his most glorious miracles as one that wrought them by the Divel considering I say these things it should be strange that Christ should eyther send his disciples to be taught by these blynde guides or approve of their hearing them him self also being the onely doctour and teacher of his Church And this I would know of you Mr. B of others which vrge this scripture as here you doe whether you would like it well or be content that the disciples should hear any such corrupt haereticall and blasphemous teachers as were the Scribes and Pharisâ—es and that denyed both the office and person of Christ as they did You your selfe teach in this very page that obstinate haeretiques are not to be heard and such were the Pharisees yea so malitiously obstinate in their haeresies as that the Lord Iesus insinuates agaynst them the very sin of blasphemy agaynst the H Ghost If then you your selves would allow your disciples to hear teachers far lesse corrupt and haereticall then were the Scribes and Pharisees to what purpose do you produce and insist vpon Christs allowance of his disciples to hear them Is this fitly to alledge the scriptures or not rather to take Gods name in them in vayn To the other scripture which is Phil â— 15. 16 answer hath been given both by others and by my self formerly and I now do ad that those there spoken of which preached Christ of envy and strise had corrupt inward affections so appearing to the Apostle by that speciall spirit of discerning which was in him though not so discovered vnto others but what makes this to such as minister in an office devised and by an enterance found out by Antichrist and so left to them which think his mark a priveledge Touching your 3. Argument which is from Tit 3. 10. 11. I do first observe your graunt that private persons and such as are not in office may reiect obstinate hareâ—iques and so by consequence that the thinges which Paul writes to Timothy and Titus touching the reformation of abuses and censuring of offendours do not concerne the officers onely much lesse the cheif officers but even the brethren also in their places 2. There is no consequence in your Argument that bycause obstinate
vnto them ever by how much the more superstitiously bent by so much the moâ—e devoutly addicted vnto them And so farre is that from truth which you say Mr Bernard that the godly and Church of God have in Popery kept possession of those buildings for the godly which should follow them that as they were erected by such as were most superstâ—tiously seduced so haue they been ever since the proper possesâ—ions of the most dangerous seducers in the Romish Synagogue the Praelates and their Clergy So that the morall equity of those commaundements in the old testiment touching the demolition and subversion of idolatrous temples and other the like superstitious monuments doth as well bynd now as then Which commaundements are also in effect renued in the new testament where the faythfull are charged to touch none vncleane thing to keep themselves from idols which they cannot do except they keep themselves from their appurtenaunces to hate even the garment spotted by the fâ—â—sh not to receive the least mark of the beast but to go out of Babylon which is also called Sodom and Aegypt spiritually as for other sinns reigning in her so for her idolatry amongst the rest which I the rather note that men may se it is not we but the holy Ghost that compares together Paganish AntichristiaÌ„ Idolatry Lastly where Mr Bernard bids vs prove that their Churches were built by Antichrist their records as Mr Ainsworth observeth vvill prove it so will their situation directly East and West with the Quyer or Chauncell alwayes at the East end and the rood-loft in the midle to separate it from the body of the Church the prophane layity their vacant places for Images abolished and their popish pictures still remayning and lastly their names even the names of the Apostles Saynts and Martyrs in whose honour they were built and to whose peculiar service thy were consecrated Thus much of the temples which is the last difference betwixt Mr B. and me and I confesse the least and this much also of his book Something remayns to be spoken of the Ministers Positions but very breifly both bycause the things in them for substance have come formerly into consideration and also bycause Mr Bernard affoards them no confirmation in his 2. book being shaken by Mr Ainsworth as they are ANd to omit the bloody doom which these Ministers passe vpon vs all contrary I am perswaded to their own consciences that wee are cut of from Christ for our separation from the Church of England I will consider breifly of their reasons to prove it a true Church THe first is bycause They enioy and ioyn together in the vse of those outward means which God in his word hath ordeyned for the gathering of an invisible Church which are preaching of the gospell and administration of the sacraments which they will prove by the vnfâ—yned conversion of many by the scriptures Math 28. 18. 20. Eph. 4. 11. 14. First the Church of Engl namely the nationall Church under a nationall government and Ministery is a popish devise the Lord having appointed none other Church vnder the new testament but a particular congregation as these Ministers truely vnderstand Mat 18. 17. with a government Ministery correspoÌ„dent 2. Before men joyne together as a Church in the fellowship of the gospell and communion of Saynts in the ordinances of God they should be prepared by the preaching of the word and fitted as spirituall stones for the Lords building so joyn in covenant by voluntary personal profession of faith confessioÌ„ of sinns from which how far the body of the nationall Church of Engl both is and ever hath been all know 3. As the sacraments are no meanes to gather eyther the visible or invisible Church but do praesuppose a CHVRCH gathered already into covenant with God of which covenaunt they are seales so doth not the Church of England ioyn together in the preaching of the doctrine of sayth which is the outward meanes for the gathering of the Church The greatest part of the parishes as they have onely the service book for prayer so have they onely the homilies for preaching And even in the Parishes where the word is best taught and the sacraments most orderly administred yet do not men joyn in the vse but in the abuse of these ordinances considering the confused coÌ„munion wherein the vsurped authority by which and the book-service according to which they are dispensed If the Ministers had onely affirmed that they had taught amoÌ„gst theÌ„ such truths of the gospel as by which the Lord might and did sanctifie save his elect or gather an invisible Church as they speak I should not contend with them but should further ad that I doubt not but such truthes are even in many assemblies of Papists and Anabaptists and to hold otherwise is a fowl cruell errour but where they speak of enioying the outward meanes and by them vnderstand the offices of Ministery which Christ hath given vnto his Church for the gathering and feeding of the same for which purpose they alledge Math. 28. 18. 20. Ephe. 4. 11. 14 I deny they enioy the outward means ordeyned for the gathering of the Ch neyther shall they ever be able to prove it except they can prove themselves lawfully and according to Christs testament possessed of some of the offices there spoken of In the 4. place I would the cause why these ministers speak of the outward meanes of gathering an invisible Church not of a visible since both the quaestion betwixt them and vs is about the visible and not about the invisible Church and also that the scriptures they bring for the justification of these meanes amongst them do speak of the meanes ministeries given not to the invisible but to the visible Church and if it be not bycause they know that if they had spoken of the means of gathering the visible Church we would and that justly have excepted that they do not enjoy nor have not so much as taught amongst them those doctrines of the gospell and that part of Christs Testament which teacheth the right orderly gathering of the visible Church by separation of the saynts from the vnsanctified world into the covenant and fellowship of the gospell by free and personall profession of fayth and confession of sinns Lastly as the preaching of the gospell is the onely outward means to gather a Church so though this meanes be vsed never so fully and men enioy it and ioyne in it never so ordinarily yet except withall they ioyne in the vnderstanding fayth obedience of and submission vnto it and that in the order which Christ hath set they are not made a Church by it according to the right vse of it but do make themselves by abusing it a conventicle of prophane vsurpers howsoever M. B. and these ministers and many others do indeed make the
of God and ordinances of Christ is injurious both to the growth and sincerity of the obedience of Gods people For whereas they ought to be led forward vnto perfection this teacheth them to stay in the foundation as if it were sufficient for the building of the house that the foundation were layd secondly it insinuates that it is sufficient if men so serue God as they can obteyn salvation though with disobedieÌ„ce of a great part of the revealed wil of God occasioning them thereby to serve him onely or chiefly for wages as hypocrites do As if a child should be taught so far to honour and please his father as he might get his inheritance but not much to trouble himself about giving or doing him any further honour or service Secondly I do answer that this truth which the ministers make t 〈…〉 onely fundament truth in religion is held and professed by as vile haeretiques as ever were since Christ came in the flesh May not a coÌ„pany of excoÌ„municates hold teach and defend this truth and yet are they not a true Church of God 3. I deny that the whole Church of England hath received and doth hold and professe this fundamentall truth how boldly soever these ministers affirme it They graunt there are many Atheists in the land they might say in the Church for Atheists are and ever wil be of the Kings states religion many ignorant and wicked men besides who make not so clear and holy a profession of the true fayth as they should And do these Atheists hold and professe the true fayth and every article of Gods holy truth which is fundamentall Are there not many thowsands in the nationall Church ignorant of the very first rudiments foundations of religion as the Apostle noteth them down and can they hold and professe that whereof they are ignorant Yea how can any wicked men hold that CHRIST is their saviour but they hold an apparantly in the eyes of all men for which notwithstanding these Ministers wil have them reputed true members of Christs body I ad that since the body of that Church or nation consists of mere naturall men and that naturall men are Papists in the case of justification and look to be saved by their good meaning and well doings it is most vntruly affirmed by those ministers that their Church accounts none her members but such as professe salvation by Christ onely They hold otherwise and so professe if an account of their fayth be demaunded as I have shewed by the testimony of Mr. Nichols and could do by the testimony of others if all men did not see it too evidently And yet see what these men affirme and that confidently and without fear for their advantage as that their whole Church makes profession of the true fayth that it holds and maintayns every article fundamentall of Gods holy truth and particularly that Iesus Christ the sonne of God and lastly that they that receive this truth are the people of God and in the state of salvatioÌ„ Whervpon it must follow that their whole nationall Church is in the state of salvation And surely so had it need be in the judgment of men having the promises and seales of the covenant of salvation applyed and ministered vnto it and to every member of it Lastly though the whole Church of England and every member in it did personally professe the true fayth in holines as all the true members of the Church do which are therefore called both saynts and faythfull and that we had do just exception agaynst that prophane and implicite profession for which both Mr. Ber. and the ministers plead yet could nor this make it or them a true Church The bare profession of fayth makes not a true Church except the persons so professing be vnited in the Covenant and fellowship of the gospel into particular congregations having the entyre power of Christ within themselves As hewed stones are fit for an house but not an howse nor any part of it till they be orderly layd and couched together so are men professing fayth and holines fit for the Church but not a Church nor of it before their orderly combination into a particular assembly having in it the power of Christ for the ministery government censures and other ordinances A company of excoÌ„municates put out of the Churches order may professe the same fayth they did formerly so may a sect of schismatiques putting themselves causelesly out of the Churches order so may many particular persons never ioyning themselveâ— vnto any Church at all You your selves define a Church to be a company of faythfull people c. so is not your nationall Church but many companyes not distinct and entyre in themselves and so onely one in nature as all the true Churches of God are but one by monstrous composition in a praeposterous and absurd imitation of the Iewish nationall Church and government Thus much of the Arguments in the handling of which the ministers insinuate agaynst Mr. Barrow sundry vnjust accusations which I will breifly cleare As first that he will account none members of the visible Ch but such as are truly faythful not onely in outward profession and appearance but even in the Lords ey and judgement bycause a Church is described a company of faythfull people that truly worship God and readily obey him But wherefore should the ministers thus interpret him doth he not speak of the visible or externall Church and so by consequence of visible and externall fayth and obedience which are seen of men In their Articles of religion a Church is made a company of faythful people if they must not be truely faythfull then they must be falsâ—ly faythfull And for true worship and ready obedience the Lord requires them in his word according to which we must defyne Churches and not according to casuall corruptions and aberrations brought in by mans fault 2. They charge Mr. Barrow to hold that every member of our assemblyes is led by the spirit into all truth and that it is evident he would have none to be accounted the people and Church of God who eyther know not or professe not every truth conteyned in the scriptures bycause he af firms in his Discovery that to the people of God and every one of them God hath given his holy sanctifying spirit to open vnto them and to lead theÌ„ into all truth It followes not that bycause he affirmes they have received the spirit to lead them into all truth that he therefore affirmes they are led into all truth by the spirit May not the Papists as truly avouch that Paull teacheth that the Church is without spot or wrinkle or any such thing bycause he teacheth that Christ hath given himself for it that he might make it vnto himself a glorious Ch without spot or wrinckle or any such thing It is then an il collectioÌ„
that bycause one thing is done that an other might follow vpon it that therefore the latter which is to follow is also done And for the poynt as it is the work of the spirit to lead men into all truth as all that are Christs or mēbers of his body have his spirit so doth it follow that all the members of the Church have the spirit given them of God to lead them into all truth though it have not his full work by reason of the cōtrary work of the flesh in this life wher all mē know but in part 3. That Mr. Bar holds every truth in the scriptures fundamentall that is as they expound it Pag 147. such as if it be not known and obeyed the whole religiō and fayth of the Church must needs fall to the ground Mr. Ainsworth hath set down his words from which no such collection can be made he directs them that worthily agaynst these deceivers which knowing acknowledging that they want many speciall ordinances of Christ and are burdened in stead of them with the inventions of Antichrist do notwithstanding encourage themselves and others by these distinctiōs that they haue the fundamentall truthes of the gospell and whatsoever is necessary to salvation and the like in a purpose to go on all their life long in disobedience For which men how much better were it to consider how it is written that whosoever shall break one of the least commaundments and teach men so he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven then thus to turn vpon them which reprove them for their vnfaythfulnes and misinterpreting their sayings most injuriously to spend thus many words as these ministers do in confuting their owne corrupt glosses Their fourth and last Argument is for that all the known Churches in the world acknowledge their Church for their sister and giue her the right hand of fellowship This Argum. hath been sundry tymes vrged by Mr. Ber. and so answered sundry tymes both by M. Ainsworth and my self in the former part of my book whether I must refer the reader contenting my self with a breif observation of such vntruthes and errours as these ministers are driven vnto in the prosecuting of this Argument as First that all the known Churches in the world are well acquaynted with their doctrine and liturgy to which they should also ad their book of ordination and canons Ecclesiasticall for their ministery and government then which nothing is more vntrue Beza which was specially interessed in these matters will hardly be perswaded of the true state of things touching dispensations pluralityes the power of excommunication in one man and the like It is most vntrue that God hath sanctifed the testimony of Churches for a principall help in the decyding of controversies in this kind It is though some help yet lesse principall yea the least of many 3. That Paul feared that without the approbation of Iames and Cephas and Iohn he should have run in vayn Paul feared no such thing for he was both assured of his calling from the Lord and had also taken long before that tyme good experience of the Lords blessing vpon his ministery both amongst the Iewes and Gentiles and knew right assuredly that his preaching was not in vayne His care was to take away from the weak all scruple of mynde or iealousy of contention amongst the Apostles he went vp to Ierusalem to confer with them 4 That Paul sought to win cōmendation and credit to the orders which he by his Apostolicall authority might have established by the iudgement of other Churches Whereas the Apostle Paul did by his Apostolicall authority appoynt those orders in all those churches he speaks of as the scriptures quoted testify 1 Cor 4. 7. 17. 16. 1. Besides the Church of England can win no great credit to her orders by the orders of other Churches considering how contrary she is in them to all other Churches departed from Rome whom alone in very many the resembleth Fiftly the testimony which Iohn Baptist gave of Christ is vnfitly brought for the testimony of one Church of an other For it was the proper and principall work of †Iohns calling to give witnes of Christ wherein also he could not erre It is not so with or between any Churches in the world Where it is further affirmed that there are cases wherein one Church is commaunded to seek the iudgement of other Churches and to account it as the iudgment of God for which Act 15. 2. is alledged as it is true that one Church is in cases to seek the judgement and help of an other so is it vntrue that the judgement of that other Church or of all the Churches in the world is to be accounted as the judgment of God Indeed the decrees of the Apostles at Ierusalem being by imediate infallible direction of the H Ghost were to be accounted as the judgement of God but for any ordinary eyther Churches or persons to challenge the like vnto their determinations were popelike praesumption To the Ministers demand in the next place Sayth Christ to any particular congregation of the faythful in our land Whatsoever they bind in earth is bound in heaven Mat. 18. 18. and sayth he it not also to the Churches of other nations I do answer that if Christ have so sayd to the particular cōgregatiōs who hath sayd it to the Praelates their substitutes or to any officer or officers excluding the body of the Congregation Even none but he whose work it is to gainsay Christ to subvert his order 2. If any of your parishes be such congregatiōs why do not you as faythful Ministers exhort thē to guide them in the vse of this power of binding loosing which Christ hath given them Or are not you content to suffer them to go on and your selves to go before them in the losse of this liberty yea in a most vile subjection to their and your spirituall Lords which have vsurped it And for the Argument it is of no force for neyther hath any one Church in the world that power over an other nor all the Churches in the world over any one which the meanest Church hath over any her member or members whomsoever One Church may forsake an other but juditially to censure or excommunicate it may it not The same answer for substance may serve for that which is objected from 1 Cor. 14. 32. Besides no Church can so fully discern of the estate of an other Church as it can of the proper members apperteyning vnto it Yea I ad that in this respect wee are better able to iudge of the Church of Engl then are any forreyn Churches notwithstanding our weaknes bycause they do not in any measure know the estate of it as we do Lastly as that saying
that the people of Iudah were Gods true Church before the tyme of that oth and Covenant it is true and agaynst you And I would demaund of you whether your people were Gods true Church when Popery reigned Your answer is so may our people bee You dare not say they were for then you should acknowledge the Romish Synagogue the true Church of GOD and that you had sinfully schismed from it as Mr Bern. proves agaynst you and himselfe you will not say they were not for that would make against you in the poynt in hand and would manifest as in deed it doth that the course taken with Iudah being the true Church for her reformation cannot agree with Rome or Engl as a member of the Romish Church for her reformation To that which is added in the 3. place of Coventry Northampton and some other congregations my reply is first that this is not likely to have been the deed of the congregations but of some two or three forward ministers a few of the people it may be approving of it which their successours were as like to reverse 2. They did not repent of their publique idolatry nor purpose to obey the truth in sincerity of their prophane mixture Romish hierarchy and ministery popish leyturgy and constitutions according to which all things are administred amongst them they repented not and besides they knew right well many truthes which they purposed not to imbrace 3. graunt it were as they pretend with these few parishes what must be sayd of the rest which did not so practise with whom they make and alwayes have done one entyre nationall Church or what is this to the publique and formall state of the Church of England agaynst which we deale The truth is these men thus practising were reputed and truely schismatiques in the formall constitution of the Church and by which this their dealing hath no warrant at all If we should object vnto you the Papists doctrines and practises of two or three ministers amongst you not warrantable by law you would not admit of our exception agaynst the formall established estate of your Church so neyther may we admit of yours for the practise of two or three disliking the present state of things and seeking for reformation of them Lastly wee see indeed that those Ministers doubt not to affirme that the whole land Papists and Atheists and all did in the first Parliament of the Queen enter a solemn covenant for renouncing of Popery and receiving the gospel but we would see first how all these swarmes of wicked Atheists and most flagitious persons were by the revealed will of God capable of the covenant of the new testament and the seales and other rites and priviledges of it Otherwise this haling them into covenant with the Lord agaynst his expresse will was a prophane presumptuous enterprise in it self though I doubt not arising from a godly intent in the Queen her cheif connsellers being mislead by them whom they too much trusted 2. We would see what warrant there is in the new testament for this nationall covenant or that all the people in a Land since the Land of Canaan was prophaned should unite into a nationall Church vnder a nationall government and ministery 3. That which wee answered in the 2. place to the former branch of this exception must here agayn be remembred 4. this vndoubted affirmation of the ministers touching the whole lands covenanting in the Parliament first inferreth that the enacting of civil lawes and penall statutes by Kings and States doth gather CHVRCHES for none other covenant was there in the Parliament 2. It confirmeth the popish doctrine of implicite fayth that men may receive and professe a fayth whereof they are ignorant yea which they dislike and hate so farre as they know it for so was it with the body of your nation the greatest part by farr being mere naturall men and so not knowing the gospel yea evil doers which hate the light Our 2. objection touching the outward worship wherein the Ch of England communicateth comes now to be enforced In the clearing of which the Ministers do to speak on insist onely vpon their stinted set formes of prayer for the justification of which they bring sundry scriptures as Numb 6. 2. 3. 24. Deut. 26. 3. 15. Psal. 22. 1. 92. Luk. 11. 2. Now for our more orderly proceeding I will reduce the things they say to three generall heads vnder which I will consider of the particulars shewing how in all and every of them they are mistaken First in that they do confound and make all one ordinance Blessings Psalmes and Prayers 2. In misinterpreting the scriptures they bring to prove a set and stinted form of words to be imposed in prayer 3. In concluding as they do that if Moses and Christ might appoynt and impose a certayn form of words to be vsed for prayer that then the Bishops in England or others may vse the same power and appoint an other form of words so to be vsed Of these three in order And first it is evident that howsoever some kinde of blessing and prayer be all one and so may be confounded yet that solemn kinde of blessing spoken of Numb 6. and which the PATRIARKS and PREISTS did vse in their places was cleane of an other nature In prayer the MINISTER stands in place of the PEOPLE and in their name offers vp petitions and thanksgiving to GOD But in blessing the Minister stands in the place of God and in his name pronounceth a blessing or mercy vpon the people 2. Whereas this duety of prayer may be performed by one equall to another by an inferiour to a superiour yea by a mā to himself that other of blessing is alwayes from the greater to the lesser and therefore the Apostle to the Hebrews to shew that the Preisthood of Melchi-sedek was more excellent then that of Levi proves it by this that Melchisedec blessed Abraham taking this for granted without all contradiction that the lesse is blessed of the greater 3. Mr Ber himself in this book makes prayer one thing and the blessing pronounced vpon the people when they departed another thing as he also makes singing of psalmes a third distinct thing from them both as there is cause he should For first the Apostle writing to the Corinthians of the divers giftes and administrations in the Church speaketh thus I wil pray with the spirit but I will pray with the vnderstanding also I will sing with the spirit but I will sing with the vnderstanding also Answerable vnto which is that in Iames Is any among you afflicted let him pray is any merry let him sing both the one and other Apostle making singing and praying distinct exercises Ad vnto this that whereas in praying we are to speak onely vnto God it is otherwise in singing where we are taught to speak vnto