all other pag. 70-78 3. From their opinions the matter of their profession vvhich are altogether erroneous and false as they stand and so differ in their vâ—â— from all other Churches in Brownisme diuers errors of theirs are here mentioned and the principall answered at large pag. 78. 79. 80. 82. 83. 88. 102. 109. 128. Besides these here is maintainned for truths against them 1. That our Church vvas truely constituted and from vvhich men may not make so vvicked a separation vvith such condemnation pag. 79. 109-128 162. 163-176 2. That a particular visible Church is a mixt companie pag. 87. 168. vvhere is noted hovv and vvhy such a companie are called Saints pag. 85-87 3. That popular gouernment is vtterly vnvvarrantable pag. 90-94 100. 102. 103. 4. That Tell the Church Matth. 18. 17. must be expounded Tell the Church Gouernours pag. 94-100 5. That one man is not polluted by the sinne of another pag. 103-109 6. That vve haue true Ministers of Iesus Christ. pag. 128-144 but their Ministers are not lavvfully made pag. 144. 145. 7. That our vvorship is not a false vvorship much lesse idolatrous for order it is after the Iewish seruice and warrantable in the New Testament pag. 146-150 Lastly that stinted and set prayer is lavvfull pag. â—â—2 193. CHRISTIAN ADVERTISEMENTS AND Counsels of Peace to the wise hearted and to him that is of a peaceable disposition REceiue wholesome instruction thou that readest be desirous to walke in the strait way but yet in the right way keepe measure and thou shalt hold within the compasse of a holy and godly meane Beware of superstitioÌ„ in Religion to decline on the left hand and take heede of rash zeale to runne on the right hand endeuour to bee what thou oughtest to bee though thou canst not attaine to that thou shouldest be Goe euen be no Atheisticall Securitane nor Anabaptisticall Puritane bee no carelesse Conformitant nor yet preposterous Reformitant be no neuterall Lutheran nor Hereticall popish Antichristian be not a schismaticall Brownist nor fond and foolish Familist be not a new Nouelist nor yet any proud and arrogant Sectarie to draw disciples after thee be no follower of any such beware of them all carefully But stand a constant Protestant in the ancient Catholike Orthodoxall veritie and truth Bee to God faithfull and to lawfull authoritie not disloyall To conclude hold the truth after the word and gainsay not laudable customes of the Church not against the word Be not readie to take offence and bee in like manner loath to giue offence And God shall be with thee and the spirit of life shall guide thee To further thy godlie inclinablenesse hereto consider well of these so friendly giuen Christian aduertisements and wholesome Counsels of Peace Reade good friend aduisedly I beseech thee post not on apace though thou hast a quicke apprehension to vnderstand yet take time to settle affection Some good things are soone knowne but in hei◠〈…〉 for the most part lightlie intertained whence it is that many doe onely talke of that often which not once they euer made vse of But in a word the purpose of my penning these things is to bring them into practise and therefore so reade thou deliberatly as thy will may be to performe them conscionablie Amen Loue peace and desire to hold it with God and good men yea follow after it with all men as much as is possible with holinesse Seeke the publike quiet of that established estate vnder a Christian Gouernour whether it be Politicall or Ecclesiasticall where thou art a member and by what meanes thou canst deuise not against Religion common honestie nor charitie and thus to doe I. Vphold the manifest good therin How a man ought to carie himselfe in a Christian State II. The manifest euils labour in thy place by the best meanes to haue them amended peaceably III. Beare with lighter faults for a time till fit occasion be offered to haue them amended IV. Likelihoods of euill make them not apparent euill by ill interpretation where neither the State intendeth it nor so maintaines it V. Doubtfull things take in the better part it is euer charitie VI. Iudiciously discerne betweene the abuse of a thing and that which may be well vsed lest in abhorring the abuse thou also doe vtterlie condemne the thing it selfe and the vse thereof VII Let the corruption of the person and his lawfull place be distinguished and where person and place are not so lawfull and in the proposed end not against thee wisely labour to make them for thee and make that good of them thou canst and wholly condemne not that Ministerie which a godly man may make for good IIX Paterne not a Monarchie to an Oligarchie or any other State Aristocrasie or Democrasie neither let as thou supposest the well being of a forren State make thee vnthankful for the present good thou doest enioy and to lothe thine owne being lest malcontentednes breake into contention and so thou lose that good thou hast and procure the increase of euill which thou doest dislike IX In thy zeale for Religion against corruption let the booke of God well vnderstood be thy warrant and in thy hatred against wrongs in the Common-wealth let the knowledge of the law and the equitie thereof moue thee to speake this is Religion this is reason But beware of superstition for so beginning of vncertaintie thou maist lose the fruit of thy labours and be condemned as a busie medler and contentious X. Refuse not to obey Authoritie in any thing wherein there is not to thee manifestly knowne a sinne to bee committed against God let fantasies passe be more loath to offend a lawfull Magistrate theÌ„ many priuate persons Where thou canst not yeeld there humblie craue pardon where thou canst not be tolerated be contented with correction for safetie of conscience and beare what thou canst not auoide with a patient minde The kingdome of God is not meate nor drinke but righteousnes and peace and ioy in the holie Ghost for whosoeuer in these things serueth Christ hee is acceptable to God and approued of men Rom. 14. 17. 18. I. Omit no euident and certain commandement How to auoid scrupulosity of conscience and contention in seeking for reformation imposed of God If there be nothing but probabilitie of sinning in obeying the precepts of men set not opinion before iudgement II. Let ancient probabilitie of truth be preferred before new coniectures of error against it III. Mark and hold a difference betweene these things the equitie of law and the execution between established truth generally and personall errors of some betweene soundnes of doctrine and erroneous application betweene substance and circumstance the manner and the matter betweene the very being of a thing and the well being thereof betweene necessitie and conueniencie betweene a commandement and a commandement to thee betweene lawfulnes and expediencie and betweene that which is giuen absolutelie or in some respect IV. Vse
neither speake nor write with distempered passion Let the Word bee thy warrant onely thy calling thy bound the Spirit of God thy directour godly wise thy counsellours Gods glorie thy marke truth the matter of thy trouble other mens corrections thy Schoolemaster their miscariage thy caueats thy enemies watchings thy warines in liuing and thy liuing such as ready to die with an euer holy remembrance of thy end thou shalt neuer do amisse Amen DISSWASIONS FROM THE WAY OF the Separatists as they haue principles by themselues the grounds of their separation commonly called Brownisme Probabilities against the Separatists schisme FIrst from the likelihoods so I call the first reasons that they may not * A sin vnbefitting men professing to go so farre beyond all other in puritie yet I wish it were not vsuall in them scoffe at them had I iudged them more solide arguments and great probabilities that that way is not good I. Is the noueltie therof differing from I. Likelihood all the best reformed Churches in Christendome The guides in that way with colours of the opinions of the reformed Churches and with some shewes of like practise in some things doe perswade their hearers that the one and the other differ almost nothing but if their words be true I. why will they not ioyne vnto They differ much euen in things of great moment from the reformed Churches beyond the seas else why ioyne they not with them and why doth Barrow condemne their gouernment as false them if the difference be so small Saint Paul himselfe would not neither taught the Disciples to separate from the euill disposed Iewes but only when they obstinately resisted to receiue the outward profession of Christ and did blasphemously raile on him Act. 19. 9. II. Howsoeuer they call them true constituted Churches yet are they so farre from reuerencing them therefore as Barrow calleth their way in contempt of it a sillie Presbyterie and Eldership and in hatred thereof perfidie and apostasie the building of a false Church to the Harlot a second beast Yea Barrow and Greenwood doe auouch it as new strange and Antichristian as preiudicial to the libertie of Saints to the power right and duties of the whole Church as they thinke the gouernment by the Bishops is Such as seeke that kinde of reformation he calleth wretched disciples of Caluine counterfeit reformists transgressors of the worship of God disturbers and violaters of the holie order which Christ established Their writings for it he calleth pernicious forgeries and sacrilegious prophanation of Gods holie ordinance their owne timber and stubble deuices Whatsoeuer therefore they now say except they publikely in print disclaime these opinions of Barrow and Greenwood herein they are as farre out of liking with other Churches as with ours and can like none but such as are from and after their owne deuised constitution Sithence then their owne mouthes and present practise witnesse the noueltie of their way from all the world it is â—â—euitie to entertaine a new deuice suddenly it is dangerous to forsake all Christian Churches in the world for it and it is a proud presumption to imagine themselues to see what other yet neuer saw neither can bee made to see â—y any thing they yet published viz. â—hat their deuice is the onely truth and to goe away with so peremptoric condemnation of all other Churches to be â—alse Churches for these men now liâ—ing doe call ours a false Church and Barrow you see calleth that forme of gouernment in reformed Churches a â—alse forme and the building of a false Church vnto Antichrist yea to bee the second beast what can be said more against vs II. For that it agreeth so much with the II. Likelihood See for this M. Gyfford against Brownists ancient Schismatikes condemned in former ages by holy and learned men Such were the Luciferians Donatists Nouatians and Audians And lest men might think that these are not to bee likened to the ancieÌ„t Schismatikes in respect of sound Nothing commendable in these new Schismatikes in which the ancient Schismatikes heretofore were not commended and yet of the Church condemned Vide Mornaeâ—m de Ecclesia truths which these hold and for that these be of so religious a conuersation let such vnderstand that Lucifer was banished and suffered persecution for the faith of Christ agreed vpon in the Nicene Councell So did Nouatus vnder the Emperour Maximinian It is said of the Donatists that they beleeued one and the same things that they were baptised and did baptise after one sort with the Churches of God then Of Audius it is reported by Epiphanius that he was vpright in life in faith and full of zeale towards God and can any thing more be said in commendation of any and yet neuerthelesse for separating themselues from the Churches because of corruptions they were condemned for their Schisme into which after they were fallen they persisting obstinately in the same were left of God to their particular conceits which afterwards bred further mischiefe wherein also they as willingly stood as in the former beginnings Heretikes are full of craft and subtiltie Schismatikes more plaine and of passionate affection but both wilfull in their courses as experience doth teach III. The manner of defending their opinions III. Likelihood The truthâ— needes not such ill means to maintaine it and prouing their assertions I. By strange expositions of the Scripture coÌ„trarie to the generall and constant opinion of Diuines for which one chiefe leader of the latter companie is reprehended by diuers godlie and learned men extant vnder hand writing II. By pulling and writhing the Scriptures to their opinions and alleaging many impertinently See Doctor Allisons Confutation of Brownisme in which he confuteth the Brownists description of a visible Church for which they are reproued of one who hath challenged the chiefe of the Church of Amsterdam to answere about twentie positions which another principall member amongst this latter companie hath also This note by the way that to deuise first a course in a mans head and then to Beware of this goe seeke for Scripture to maintaine it is the breeder of all heresie schisme and what not an abuse of holie truth for no lie is of the truth and it is to make the holy and blessed Spirit of God a nurse of impietie and euils a horrible sinne But to shew you that haue not obserued the deceit in their allegations of Scripture which is done diuers waies obserue these things carefully I. In quoting Scripture by the way They abuse the Scriptures and misleade the Reader thereby diuers waies that is for things comming in vpon occasion but nothing to the maine point by which to the simple they would seeme to speake nothing but Scripture when indeed the maine point considered they speak nothing lesse then Scripture as if all spake for the controuerted question when in truth it is nothing so II. By vrging commandements admonitions
exhortations dehortations reprehensions godly examples such like not to proue corruption or wants when good things imposed are not done and euill forbidden are not auoided but to prooue a falsitie which cannot be As for example the fift Commandement biddeth a childe to be obeâ—ieÌ„t to his parents and Christs example of obedience to his parents shewes that â—t so ought to be but shall we therfore conclude that hee which is not answeâ—able to the commandement and exâ—mple of Christ is a false childe or raâ—her that he is a disobedient and not a good childe and yet if you doe marke â—heir Scriptures they doe alleage much against vs and our Churches to this purpose which is an vtter abuse of theÌ„ III. In alleaging Scripture not to proue the thing for which to the simple â—t seemeth to bee alleaged but for that which they take for granted and is the matter in controuersie and often hardly fit for that As for example one of them saith that al the truth is not taught in our Church and to prooue this he citeth Act. 20. 21. where the Apostle saith hee kept nothing backe but shewed all the whole couÌ„sell of God Ergo the Church of England doth not teach all the truth of God which is the matter in question and vnreproued this should rather haue been gathered that therefore euery Minister ought to hold nothing backe bâ— should teach the whole will of God and not because the Apostle did so therfore we do not so In their writing may be sound such quotations IV. By bringing in places setting See their book of the description of a visible Church and obserue the quoted places answered by Doctor Allison foorth the inuisible Church the excellencie and graces thereof and holinesse of the members to set foorth the visible Church by as being proper thereto as 1. Pet. 2. 9. 10. and such places * which is as much as to make the proper qualities of a mans soule to bee the qualitieâ— of the bodie properly And thus they deale with the Scripture to vphold their cause Another way and manner of defending Another deceiueable way which they entangle their followers by their course is by inferences as If that be true this must follow and therfore obiect to them their positions out of their own conceiued order they cannot confirme them by themselues with euident Scriptures but must first set euery one in their ranke and place and so deduce one thing out of another and by inferences and references a deceiueable practise the simple are intangled who cannot consider of antecedent and â—ecessarie consequence nor compare â—â—ings together * Note this And a crooked way hath many winâ—â—ngs but necessarie truthes of God to â—â—luation as they hold their opinions to â—ee though one depend vpon another â—et may euidence of truth bee brought â—r euery one of them seuerally without â—â—ch inferences and references ouerâ—helming the wits of the simple and oâ—er In what thing first to be informed to iudge rightly in this controuersie of better vnderstanding not being â—orowly acquainted with the cause â—nd with other grounds of the true doâ—â—rine of the Church to discerne thereâ—y the deceiueablenesse thereof and without which none shall euer be able 〈…〉 disallow or allow of our course or â—â—eirs but generally and in confusion â—s most do It is therefore maruellous with me to â—onsider so many simple people to bee 〈…〉 peremptorie in the cause professing 〈…〉 soone to see the truth so euidently â—nd can so peartly champer against all â—f vs and condemne vs all for false Chriâ—â—ians false Churches and so forth but would to God they yet were lesse conâ—eited and more humble for their own good and the welfare of Israel the people of God IV. Likelihood is that they haue not the IV. Likelihood See M. Junius three godly and learned letters to theÌ„ of Amsterdam and a petition made to the Gâ—â—ours by the other English Church See more for this in the end of the booke approbation of any of the reformed Churches for their course They haue written to some learned beyond the seas and haue published their confession but without allowance and yet do all reformed Churches giue vs the right haÌ„d of fellowship as a true Church of God whom these condemne as Antichristian and false now it is an especiall property of the true visible Church to be able to discerne of true visible members thereto belonging else who are they of mankind to whom God hath reuealed this necessarie truth The spirituall man discerneth all things 1. Cor. 2. 15. euen the Word and the true Teachers of the Word how much more the Church visible by the Word V. The condemnation of this way by V. Likelihood our owne Diuines both liuing and dead against whom either for godlinesse of life or truth of doctrine otherwise then for being their opposites they can take no exception vnlesse they will be Barrow-like in euery point Doctor Whitaker the Regius Professor Docter Whitakers lib. de Eccles in the Vniuersitie of Cambridge calleth them new Schismatikes and he spake not as a man rash fierie or ignorant but iudiciously as learned and in the spirit of sobriety and meeknesse being a man farre from violence of passion M. Perkins on the Creede Master Perkins a famous man saith they are excommunicators of themselues Bredwell against Browne calleth their Bredwel course a by-path Touching their reasons maintaining their assertions Doctor Willet saith they Doctor Willet are ridiculous more worthie to bee laughed at then answered And Master Perkins calleth them paper shotte The spirit wherewith Barrow and Greenwood were led is iudged by many Diuines setting downe ioyntly their iudgement thereof to bee the spirit of lying railing scoffing and as another saith of pride and insolencie How true they speake of the forenamed men shall appeare by that which followes and how farre the succeeding sort are from the same let such as by experieÌ„ce know speake If they amend herein it shall be taken notice of and the sinnes of other yet partaked in not bee laid to their charge It seemeth Master Perkins iudged In a Treatise 〈…〉 applie the Word to the conscieÌ„ce as hee found in some of them who calleth them an indiscreete and Schismaticall company full of pride in perswasion of knowledge euill speakers of the blessed seruants of God affirming that the poyson of Aspes is vnder their lippes Touching the causes of their out-breake one a godly man in the Epistle before his booke called the true watch doth propound two questions to them and withall shewes how it commeth to passe that they so leaue vs. A conceit None of these guides of the latter sort did fall to this course before they were in trouble and could not enioy their libertie as they desired VI. Likelihood saith hee of their owne perfection discontentment withall and vncharitablenesse hath caused this grieuous rend What M. Doctor Allison M.
in the wombe euery way hauing Prou. 29. 18. his measure of perfection wanting only time of birth to be brought foorth by the Church If the Church bring foorth vntimely fruit it is her sinne and a punishment of God for sinne vnto the Congregation Amos 8. 11. II. Is the rule according to which the Church must make a Minister and this is the Lords word from which she may not swerue for as earthly Kings doe make their lawes both for making officers and guiding them in office euen so Christ our King hath ordained rules which must bee kept Iam. 4. 12. Phil. 3. 16. 1. Cor. 4. 6. 17. III. The actions of the Church in â—he Church to do three â—â—ings in the â—aking of a Minister Ordination doe stand in three things also I. After some be presented Act. 1. 23. is in examination that is a trial of the parties whether called of God or no and this is very necessarie lest the Church admit of an vnworthy man and because it is the only meanes to find out a mans worthinesse and lastly because it is imposed vpon the Church none allowed to bee admitted before neither by Gods word 1. Tim. 3. 10. 5. 21. 22. nor yet by our law See the book of Ordination This examination stands in two things 1. In the examination of gifts for the place to which he is to be admitted 2. Of his graces His gifts must be examined according to those things which the place wherein hee must be requireth and God hath commanded Now the office or place of the Ministerie In what things the Ministerie doth consist consisteth principally in the preaching of the Word administration of the Sacraments and praier The first is to be preferred in the first place 1. Because it was the first imposed Matth. 10. 28. 19. 2. It is that which is most necessarie to beget a people Iam. 1. 18. 3. To preserue them coÌ„uerted without which they perish Prou. 29. 18. and therefore the Apostle vsed preaching to the conuerted Act. 20. 7. and it is for them 1. Cor. 14. 22. and not to be despised 1. Thess 5. 20. And the ancient Church of the Iewes had preaching daily in their Synagogues with the word read Act. 15. 21. 13. 15. 16. Nâ—hem 8. 8. 4. It is of the three only mentioned in setting forth a Minister 1. Tim. 3. Titus 1. 9. 2. Tim. 2. 24. 5. Because it is most vrged by the Apostle to be performed 2. Tim. 4. 1. 2. 6. For that the Scripture specially alloweth such and so qualified 2. Tim. 2. 2. 1. Tim. 3. 2. Titus 1. 9. 1. Tim. 5. 21. 22. And if Deacons must haue the mysteries of faith yea if al must be able to be Teachers in some measure Hebr. 5. 12. much more such as are Pastours His graces must be examined 1. His desire and inward motion by asking him of the perswasion hee hath to that place by Gods Spirit 2. His knowledge zeale vtterance by the exercise of his gifts 3. His honest conuersation from sufficient testimonies reporting well of him vpon their owne knowledge 1. Tim. 3. 7. II. In Election whereby one is of I. Electiâ—â— the Church I meane by the Guides and Gouernours thereof separated and chosen from amongst others being found fit Act. 13. 1. 2. and 14. 23. III. After examination and the partie That is requiâ—â—d in a holy â—â—mission chosen out and approoued then followeth admission 1. Tim. 3. 10. and herein are three things required 1. That it be done in the face of the Congregation after the Apostles practise Leuit. 8. 2. c. Act. 14. 23. and 1. 23. and 6. 2. That it bee done in a holy manner they calling vpon the name of the Lord Act. 13. 3. 3. That it be coÌ„summate with imposition of hands an Apostolicall perpetual practise Act. 6. 6. 1. Tim. 4. 14. The Minister thus admitted as a Pastor Wherein the Minister is to approue himselfe vnto the people ouer a flocke hee is to approoue himselfe to the Church in a holy manner and this stands in three things I. In preaching and holding the patterne Titus 2. 7. 8. of wholesome doctrine diuiding the word of truth aright 1. Tim. 2. 15. for sound and wholesome doctrine is a touchstone of a true Minister 1. Tim. 4. 6. Deut. 13. 1. Ierem. 23. 22. So Christ proueth Iohn Baptists Ministerie to bee of God by that which he taught Luk. 20. and so did Christ himselfe by the true word he taught as it is witnessed in Iohn the Euangelist II. In faithfulnesse 1. Corin. 4. 1. 2. which stands in two things 1. In reuealing the whole truth of God according to his measure of knowledge Act. 20. 26. in the manner also as it ought for wee are to speake the word as the word of God as Peter exhorteth 2. In diligent performance of his function Ierem. 48. 10. 2. Tim. 4. 1. 2. 1. Pet. 5. 2. III. In adorning his calling by an honest conuersation Tit. 2. 7. 8. Psalm 50. 16. 17. The Minister thus going on in his When God doth approue effectually of the Ministers made by the Church as his Ministers place the Lord commeth againe and assisteth this Teacher with his holy Spirit to perfect vp the worke making his word by him effectuall in the hearers by binding and loosing their consciences 1. Cor. 14. 24. 25. Act. 2. 37. 47. 13. 48. Ioh. 10. 3. By which he sealeth vp to the Minister his calling 2. Cor. 3. 1. 2. 4. Hee giueth testimonie that he approueth the Churches choice in ordaining him whoÌ„ he had chosen and called From this worke of the LORD follow two things I. That such an one may challenge the What the coÌ„munion is betweene the Pastour and the flocke people to be his flocke and claime his authoritie 1. Cor. 4. 15. Because God by working their conuersion hath shewed to them the seale of his office 1. Cor. 9. 1. 2. II. The people must acknowledge duties due vnto him as a Pastor which stand in sixe things 1. In acknowledging him their Pastor and God to bee with him Matth. 28. 20. and in him 1. Cor. 14. 24. 25. 2. In louing him singularlie for his workes sake 1. Thes 5. 13. 3. In reuerencing him 1. Tim. 5. 17. 4. In obeying him Heb. 13. 17. 5. In praying for him Deut. 33. 11. Rom. 15. 30. Collos 4. 2. 3. 2. Thes 3. 2. 6. In maintaining him sufficiently as shall be both necessarie and also befitting his place and charge 1. Cor. 9. 7. 14. Gal. 6. 6. Prou. 3. 9. And this is the mutuall communion 〈…〉 the Pastor and his flocke by which â—â—ey be tied one to another and thus orâ—â—ined and conioyned Now from all this ariseth the euident â—oofe of that which hath been said that â—â—e are true Ministers of Christ in the â—â—rch of England standing ouer the â—â—emblies first for that they bee called 〈…〉 Christ hauing both good
visible Church and baptised Act. 8. 13. So the Church of Pergamus though it had grosser defects and corruptions in it then we haue any yet because it kept the name of Christ and denied not his faith was still called the Church of God Reuel 2. 12. 15. The description of a Church which they giue in the 67. page of their collection of letters and conferences viz. that it is a companie of faithfull people that truly worship Christ and readilie obey him is vtterly vntrue if it bee vnderstood as needs it must of the visible Church For if euery one that the Church may account a visible member be trulie faithfull how is our Sauiour to bee vnderstood when he cōpareth the Church or the ministerie thereof to a draw net which being cast into the sea gathereth as well that which must be cast away as good fish Matth. 13. 47. 48. and to a field wherein the diuell doth as busilie sow tares as the Son of man doth good wheate Matth. 13. 37. 39. How shall that difference stand which the Scripture maketh 1. Sam. 16. 7. Act. 15. 7. 8. betwixt the Lords iudgement and the iudgement of man if men may not account any to be members of the Church by their outward appearance and profession vnlesse they know them to haue true faith which thing the Lords eye only is able to discerne Thirdly we hold and teach maintaine 3 We hold and teach all truthes fundamentall against all Heretickes and aduersaries euery part article of Gods holy truth which is fundamentall and such as without the knowledge and beleeuing whereof there is no saluation Our Confessions Catechismes Articles of religion published and approued of in our Church may perswade all indifferent men of this Yet was not H. Barrow ashamed to write in the tenth page of his Discouerie That all the lawes of God both of the first and second Table are here broken and reiected both of the Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill estate and of euery particular person in both all things being innouated in both according to the lustes and pleasures of men the law and word of God being quite reiected and cast aside And in the 212. page of their refutation of Master Gyfford they haue these words We hold that you haue poysoned all the fountaines of sincere doctrine and peruerted the whole Testamēt and turned away the practise thereof by your damnable false Expositions yea that you teach not one point sincerely And in the 162. page of his Discouerie They are made so contrarie one A lying Spirit vnto another as it is an impossible thing to finde two of them of one minde yea or any one of them constant in that hee affirmeth they know not the doctrines euen of the beginnings of Christ. Adde hereunto Henrie Barrows words in the 12. and 13. pages of their collections of letters and conferences We wil not giue any answere to these speeches but onely desire the Christian Reader to consider whether euer Gods Reader consider well and the Lord giue thee vnderstanding to discerne of spirits Spirit taught any to write so slanderously not only against a whole nation the conuersion whereof they pretend to seeke but against the blessed truth of God and how vnlikely it is that they should be in the right way whose chiefe Leaders were guided by such a spirit that they should be the Lords building whose first founders and master builders had either so small skill or so bad a conscience Do wee not hold all the same bookes of Canonicall Scripture which they themselues hold Do wee not reiect out of the Canon of the Scripture all which themselues account Apocryphall Haue they any translation of holy Scriptures besides ours Do they themselues beleeue or reach otherwise in the article of the holy Trinitie of iustification or predestination then we do Hath euery member of their assemblies receiued that spirit whereby they are led into all truth as H. Barrow pag. 167. of his Discouerie affirmeth and is there not any one amongst vs that hath not quite reiected the whole word of God not any one that knoweth the doctrines euen of the beginnings of Christ Wee know no better way to conuince them in this then by appealing thus vnto their owne conscience which wee are sure will take our part against them Now this reason also is strong to Which none can do but the true Church proue vs a true Church for although the bare letter of the Scripture may bee found amongst the Iewes and Papists and other Heretikes yet was there neuer any other people that held maintained the true sense of the Scripture in all points fundamentall but onely the Church of God wherunto only this title belongeth to be the pillar ground of truth 1. Tim. 3. 15. Wherein wee desire Note this the Reader to consider that a people may bee the true Church though they know not nor hold not euerie truth contained in holy Scripture but contrarily hold many errors repugnant to the Scriptures yet hath H. Barrow affirmed in the 167. page of his Discouerie Then is not he nor his followers the true Church and people of God for they maintaine errors amongst themselues obstinately and do grossely speake vntruths against vs now Gods Spirit is not lying 1. Ioh. that to the people of God and euery one of them God hath giuen his holy sanctifying Spirit to open vnto them and to leade them into all truth Whereby it is euident that he would haue none to be accounted the people and Church of God who either know not or practise not euery truth contained in the Scriptures In which opinion see I pray you how many grosse and dangerous errors are contained First that to euerie inferiour member in the Church there is as much reuealed as to the Pastours and chiefe members whereas the Apostle affirmeth Rom. 12. 3. Ephes 4. 7. 16. Colos 2. 19. that the holy Ghost is giuen to euery member of the bodie of Christ not equally but proportionally as the place which it occupieth in the bodie doth require Secondly that the promise mentioned Ioh. 16. 13. was made to euery member of the Church which in the last words of the verse appeareth plainly to be peculiar to the Apostles Thirdly that the Church cannot erre so neither were the Corinthians rightly called the Church of God when they iudged corruptlie of fornication and of the resurrection neither they of Pergamus when the doctrine of Baalam was maintained amongst them neither was Paul nor the rest of the Apostles true members of the Church who though in the exercise of their Apostolicall function they could not erre yet knew but in part and in many things were subiect to error 1. Cor. 13. 9. Another strange opinion is maintained in the 156. and 157. pages of their Discouerie viz. That euerie trueth contained An error full grosse with slanders and lies in the Scripture is fundamentall For