our care be not to offend the Lord and if with the offence of a private person though never so base be joyned the offence of the Lord better offend all the both lawfull and vnlawfull Magistrates in the world then such a little one Mat. 18. 6. Lastly where Mr. Ber. concludes this decade of counsayl with that which is written Rom. 14. 17. 18. he misinterprets the Apostles words if he put them down as it seems he doth for a reason of that which goes before For the Apostles in that place hath no reference at all to the authority of the Magistrate whose kingdome indeed doth stand in meate and drinke and the like bodily things wherin he may command civilly is to be obeyed in the Lord but the Apostles purpose is to admonish the strong in fayth to take heed of abusing theyr ChristiaÌ„ liberty in the vnseasoÌ„able vse of meats drinks the like to the offence of the weak brethren as though the kingdom of God stood in the pereÌ„ptory vse of those things that they were therein to shew the libertie of the gospel Furthermore howsoever the kingdome of God be not meat drink yet is the kingdom of God much advanced or hindred both in a mans self and in others in the seasonable or vnseasonable vse of them A man in vsing them or rather abusing them with offence to a weak brother may destroy both him and himself also in breaking the law of charity Rom. 14. 15. 20. It remaynes now we come to the second rank of counsayls as they are devided by the authour for what cause I know not neyther wil I curiously enquire but wil take them as I find them 1. Omit no evident and certayn commandement imposed of God If there be nothing but probabilitie of sinning in obeying the precepts of men sâ—t not opinion before iudgement Wofull counsel God knoweth and in deed such as directs a course to harden the heart of him that followes it in all impiety For he that wil at the first do that by mans precept which is like or which he thinks to be sinne wil in time do that vpon the like regard which he knowes to be sinne and so fall into all presumption against God Men are rather to be admonished especially in the case of religion about which wee deale that if the Lord shall touch their tender harts with fear and iealousy of the things they do they rather suspend in doubtful things except they can in some measure overcome their doubting by faith till in the use of all good meanes the God of wisdome and father of lights give to discern more plainly of things that differ least being head-strong hard-mouthed against the check of conscience which the Lord like a bit puts into their mouthes they provoke the Highest to withdraw his hand to lay the reyn on their necks so they even run head long vpoÌ„ those evils without fear upoÌ„ which at the first they have adventured with feareful troubled coÌ„sciences which is oft times the iust recompence of such errours froÌ„ the Lord. Rom. 1. 27. 28. 2. Let ancient probabilitie of truth be praeferred before new conjectures of errour against it As this rule shewes by what tenure Mr B. holds his religion namely by probabilities likelihoods of truth so if he mean that this way wherein we by Gods mercy walk is any new way or our rules conjectures I do hope by the good hand of God herein assisting me to make it manifest that this way is that old and good way after which all men ought to ask and to walk therein that so they may find rest vnto their souls And that we are not guided in it by conjectures neyther goe by guesses but by the infallible rule of Christs Testament 3. Mark and hold a difference betweene these things the equity of law and exequution between established truths generally and personall errors of some between soundnes of doctrine and erronious application between substance circuÌ„stance the maner the matter between the very being of a thing and the wel being thereof between worship and conveniency between a commaundement and a commaundement to thee between lawfulnes and expediency and between that which is given absolutely or in some respect The sixt and 7. rule in the former rank being the same in substance might well have been bound vp in the same bundle with this had not the authour labored to supply that in the number of his counsayls which is wanting in their weight But to the point There is a difference indeed to be held betwixt the lawes of the Church of England with the ordinances and doctrines by law established and the personall exequutions excercises applicatioÌ„s of theÌ„ the difference is betwixt evil worse the worse of the twayne by far I deem the lawes ordinances with sundry of the doctrines For though the whole cariage of the courts miscalled-spirituall be most corrupt abhominable and though the pulpits be made by very many especially in the greatest places the stages of vanity falsehood and slaunder so that as the Prophet sayd what is the wickednes of Iacob Is not Samaria And what ar the high places of Iuda Is not IerusaleÌ„ so may we say what is the sink of all brybery and extortion Is not the Consistory What is the theater of carnall vanity Is not the pulpit Yet in truth the the lawes are worse then those which exequute them and the ordinances by them established then those which minister them Let but the last Canons which are as well the lawes and doctrine of the Church of England as the Canons of the counsel of Trent are the lawes and doctrine of the Church of Rome be severely and sincerely exequuted as becomes the lawes of the kingdom of Christ the Church all in the land having any feare of God would fynd and complayne that their bondage were increased as was the bondage of the Israelites vnder the Egyptians Exo. 5. But what though there were neyther Statute nor Canon law enacted for the confusion in the assemblyes collected and consisting of all the parish inhabitants be they Atheists adulterers blasphemers and how evill not what though no law ecclesiasticall or civil did coÌ„firm the transcendent power of the Bishops Archbishops for the placing and displacing of Ministers for the thrusting out and receiving in both of Ministers and people and so fâ—r innumerable other corruptions Yet these things being vniversally practised in the land the Church were nothing at all the more pure onely it had the more liberty of reformation which now by the lawes and cannons as by iron barres is shut out What Statute or Canon was there that the Corinthians should suffer amongst them the incestuous person vnreformed And yet for so doing this litle leven levens the whole lump What Parliament or Convocation-house amongst the Galathians had decreed the mingling of
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
that the naked and simple truth is to be inquired after with an vnpartiall affection And then the Lord which gives a single heart to seek after it will give a wise hart to find it out Math. 7. 7. Onely let men take heed they be not as Pilate asking vvhat is truth and turning their backs vpon it when they have done nor having found it as Orpah did to Naomi forsaking her weeping And for my self as I could much rather have desired to have built vp my self and that poore stock over which the holy Ghost hath set me in holy peace as becoÌ„meth the house of God wherein no sound of axe or hammer or other toole of iron is to be heard then thus to enter the lists of contention so being iustly called to contend for the defence of that truth vpon which this man amongst others layes violent hands I will endeavour in all good conscience as before God so to free the same as I wil be nothing-lesse then contentious in contention but wil count it a victorie to be overcome in odious provocations and reproches both by him and others And so desiring as earnestly the Christian reader into whose hands this my defence shal come to manifest vnto me such errours in the same if by the word of God they may so be found as to receive from me such truthes as are therin coÌ„tâ—yned I leave the due trial to that alone touchstone coÌ„mit the blessing to the Lord who alone giveth wisdom is able to make wise to salvatioÌ„ CERTAYN OBSERVATIONS vpon the Epistle dedicatory Preface to the Reader FIrst I desire it may be observed by the reader how Mr Bernâ—â—ileth the worshipful personages vnder the wing of whose protection he shrowdeth his papers Christian Professors A title peculiar to some few in the land which favour the forward preachers frequent their sermons advance the cause of reformatioÌ„ Such persons are coÌ„monly called amongst themselves professors vertuous and religious thereby distinguished fro the body of the land which make no such profession and are therefore accounted and iustly prophane and without religion and that as roundly by Mr. B. as by any other in the Land But it seemeth he had forgot both his Epistle whom both he in it and others every where call Professors for distinction sake when he wrote his book for in it he makes all the kingdome professors at a venture and Christian professours I hope he meaneth Thus those whom he severeth in the Epistle he confounds in the book And let him wel consider how he can quit himself eyther from flatterie in the one or from vntruth in the other And where Mr Ber. in the body of the Epistle you seat your self in the middest between the schismatical Brownist as you charitably term him the AntichristiaÌ„ Papist the one snatching on the right haÌ„d and the other on the left it is something which you say and more belike then you are aware of Fitly may you be seated in the middest betwixt both being indeed a minglement compound of both and wel may both snatch at you and yet neither do you wrong if neyther require more then their owne Iustly may the Papists challenge from you that stinted service book devised Ministerie Antichristian Hierarchie and Babylonish confusion which you have stollen away from them as Rahel did her Fathers idols though she covered them never so close And iustly also may we chalenge from you such godly people as you fraudulently deteyn and such truthes of doctrine as you teach as being the peculiars of the true Church as the holy vessels were of the temple though violently with the people caried to Babylon and there kept But if you will still hault betwixt both as Israell did betwixt God and Baal and carry in your right hand many Evangelicall truthes with vs in your left many Antichristian devises with the Papists no marvell though both partyes remayne vnsatisfyed neyther must you be offended though the Papists for the truthes you hold with vs account you hereticks nor though we for the devises you reteyn with them call you Antichristian And so you see your midle standing betwixt them and vs more wayes then one And thus much of the Epistle dedicatory In the next place I come to the preface where amongst other iust complaynts of the iniquityes of the tymes you reckon and that worthily as the most daungerous Atheisticall security carnall living vnder a generall profession to which purpose you alledg 2 Tim. 3. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. and so instance in your English people This place of Timothy alone had you well weyed and throughly improved especially the fifth verse where separation from such persons as having a shew of godlines do deny the power thereof as you confesse the English people do is expresly commaunded it would eyther have stopped your mouth from reproching vs as you do for separation or els have opened the mouth of the most simple reader to reproue your vanity as God did the mouth of the asse to reprove Balaam The next thing I observe is how vauntingly you bring as chalengers into the lists Mr. Gyshop Mr Bradshaw D. Allison and other vn-named Ministers all which you say are vnanswered by vs. And no marveil for sundry of their writings never came to our hands and besides it were a more equall and compendious way for these men to take vp the defence of their Churches cause where their fellowes have forsaken it and left it desolate then thus to make new chalenges though in truth with the same weapons it may be new frubbished over wherewith the other have lost the field Yet are theyr books and by the grace of God assisting shal be answered in particular as they come to our hands and are thought worthy answering though in truth it were no hard thing for our adversaries to oppresse us with the multitude of books considering both how few and how feeble we are in comparison besides other outward difficultyes if the truth we hold which is stronger then all did not support it selfe The difference you lay down in the next place touching the proper subject of the power of Christ is true in it selfe being rightly vnderstood and onely yours wherein it is corruptly related and specially in the particular concerning vs as that where the Papists plant the ruling power of Christ in the Pope the ProtestaÌ„ts in the Byshops the Puritants as you terme the reformed Churches those of theyr mynde in the Presbytery we whome you name Brownists put it in the body of the CoÌ„gregatioÌ„ the multitude called the Church odiously insinuating against us that we do exclude the Elders in the case of goverment where on the contrary we professe the Byshops or Elders to be the onely ordinary governours in the Church as in all other actions of the Churches communion so also in the censures Onely we may not acknowledge them for Lords
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
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
the case of religion whose way as it is in it selfe narrow and found by few how much more being streytned by the fyery persequutions of the wicked world Indeed the Church of England hath advantage of vs and as I suppose of all the Churches in the world for monstrous speedy growth and encrease for that of a Synagogue of Satan consisting of Popish Idolaters and cruel murderers of the saynts it grew fro top to toe into a true and intire body of Christ of a suddayn before the greatest part of it so much as heard the gospel preached in any measure for their conversion But consider herein M. B. dealing He spares no vngodly means in this his book and otherwayes by slaundering our persons by falsyfying our opinions by exaggerating our infirmities by incensing the Magistrate against vs to suppresse vs and yet reprocheth vs because we grow no faster dealing with vs much what as the Iewes did with Christ when they blindfolded him first then bad him prophesie who smote him Luk. 22. 64. But let it be as Mr B. would have it that the cause of religion is to be measured by the multitude of them that professe it yet must it further be considered that religioÌ„ is not alwayes â—own reaped in one age One soweth and another reapeth Iohn Husse and Ierom of Prage finished their testimony in Bohemia and at Constance a hundred yeres before Luther Wickliffe in England wel nigh as long before them and yet neyther the one nor the other with the like successe vnto Luther And the many that are already gathered by the mercy of God into the kingdome of his sonne Iesus the nearnes of many more through the whol land for the regions are white vnto the harvest do promise within lesse then an hundred yeres if our sinnes theirs make not vs and them vnworthy of this mercy a very plenteous harvest That wee have been here and there vp and down without sure footing is our portioÌ„ in this present evil world coÌ„mon to vs with the more worthy servants of God going before vs who* have wandred in wildernesses and mountaines and dennes and caves of the earth The saâ—ne answer may serve for that other approbation of vs That wee onely have toleration in a place where the enemies of Christ may be as well as wee Yea though we were not so much as tolerated but on the coÌ„trary persecuted to the death where the enemies of Christ were not onely tolerated but even approved yea the persequuters of vs for the cause of Christ what were this but to partake in the fellowship of his afflictions with the holy Prophets and Apostles and other his most faithful servants And I wil tel you Mr B. in the presence of God what my perswasion is in this case that as we have onely toleration in the City where we live where the enemies of Christ are tolerated with vs so all that truely feare God whether Ministers or private people have onely toleration in your Church no approbation by the canons and constitutions of it And for the leading of the people out of one nation into another of a strange language it is our great crosse but no syn at all and should rather move you and others to compassion towards vs then thus to insult over vs in our exile But your addition that we do this without compulsion is most shameles you your self both beholding and furthering our most violent persecutioÌ„ But see your equal dealing with vs whilst we taryed in the kingdom you blamed vs because we got vs not gone now we are gone you find fault we tarry not For your marginall note that Israel left not Egypt without Pharaohs leave nor the Iewes Babylon without Cyrus his consent To let passe the leave which Pharaoh gave the Israelites to depart when to reduce them back he and his people followed them into the sea they could not depart sooner though they would being held in boÌ„dage by their enemies yet when Moses was in daunger of his life as we are he fled as we do Exod. 2. 15. Besides the Israelites had the certayn known time of their captivities limitted prescribed by God which they were to tary Gen. 15. 13. 14. Exod. 12. 40. 41 Ier. 25. 11. 12. Dan. 9. 2. Ezra 1. 1. which is no way our cafe And what other do we in flying then the holy Prophets and Apostles have done before vs and then the Protestants did in Queen Maries reigne that fled to Frankford Geneva and other places where they understood not the language of other nations yea then the Lord Iesus himself hath sanctifyed not onely by his commaundement or license at the least but also in his owne person flying into a Aegypt in his mothers armes Reason see I none why this man should thus blame vs for our flying except vvith the Montanists he thought flight in the time of persecution unlavvfull Lastly Mr B. concludeth his likelihoods vvith a cursed farewell which saith he we leave in all places like a scorching flame swinging where it comes so as the growth of all things are hindred by it And this observation he fathers upon me though in truth it be his owne bastard I affirmed in deed that where this truth came it left the places barrayn of good things in taking away the best sort of people but this I spake to no such purpose as is here insinuated The scorching flame which hinders all things in the Church of England is the Prelacy to which by vniversall and infallible observation no man applyes himself no nor enclynes but with a sensible decay of the former graces which he seemed to have He that but once enters into the High preists hall to warme himselfe at the fyre there shall scarce return without a scorched conscience Having formerly viewed Mr B. his bare probabilities we will now come to debate his reasons against separation The first sort whereof are grounded vpon the entrance into this cause which he makes very sinfull and cursed because of the great evils which sayth he ensue therevpon And the first of these imputed evills is That we not onely disclayme and condeâ—nâ— the corruptions and notorious wicked but withall forsake all Christian profession amongst them casting off the word by which wee were made alive the ministers our fathers which have begot vs yea and all fellowship of the godly with them and so account them ever false Christians and Idolaters having a false faith false repentance false baptisme And from these evils thus suggested he both disswades the reader with some passionate Rhyme in the margent and deterrs him by sundry bitter curses cast out against vs both in the margent and text There is no truth of doctrine nor ordinance of Christ taught or practised in the Church of England which we enioy not with farr more libertie better right and greater purity then any person in England doth
and so espeiaâ—lly the Church of Rome because he sits surest there And it is very like this is one reason why Mr B. is so much perswaded of the Church of England as of a true Church because he thinks Antichrist sitts there in a measure and it is not impossible but this may have been some part of the cause why in former tymes he was so loath to leav that Church and to ioyn to vs when he thought we had the truth because he perceived we wanted that prerogative of Antichrists seat which England enioyes But though this shew the absurdity of the opinion yet doth it not answer the obiections I do then answer the same in effect which Mr B. makes his fourth ArgumeÌ„t namely that Popery or Antichristianism begun not out of Christianity but in the Church of God where it did also by steppes advance it selfe into the very throne of God of Christ there did in tyme and by degrees so vniversally corrupt and confound both persons and things as that God could no longer be sayd to dwel there by his visible presence and promises but Antichrist in his stead having destroyed the temple of the Lord the Church and caryed captive his people with the holy vessels into Babylon spirituall as did the civil BabyloniaÌ„s the material temple carying captive with them into Babylon civil the holy vessels and other appurtenances thereof together with a remnant of the Lords people of which more hereafter Onely I doe in the mean whyle except against two particulars in this second Argument The former is that Antichrist sitting in the temple of God viz so remayning is that head with his body 2 Th. 2. Antichrist was not in the Apostles tyme nor in a long tyme after a perfit man consisting of the head the Pope and the body the Hierarchy ecclesiastical but was in the seed onely or as an embrie in the wombe not perfectly framed much lesse visibly brought forth least of all grown to that height as to iustle with Christ for his throne yea to dispossesse him of it as now he doth and hath done a long season Secondly it is not truely affirmed that because there are some fundamental truthes of God in doctrine and truthes in ordinances of Christ as you Mr B. speak held there that therefore Rome is the true Church How should Antichrist and the Divil in him so effectually deceive with the delusion of vanity and errour if he did not countenance the same with some truthes And do you not think it possible Mr B. that any malignant and falâ—e Churches should vsurp some truthes and ordinances of Christ which apperteyn not vnto them If your argument be good the Greek Churches the Arians Anabaptists Vbiquitaries yea and all the assemblyes of haeretiques and schismatiques in the world are true Churches of Christ for they all reteyn many mayn truthes and ordinances of Christ. The third Argument is that as the children or infants of the ten tribes in IeroboaÌ„s Apostacy were called the children of God by circumcisioÌ„ the visible seale of Gods covenant so may the litle ones in the Romish Church be called Christs for that they have received true baptism And so that Rome hath a true constitution by true baptism in the children who are Christs thereby as the children of the Israelites were the Lords by circumcision til by education they be made Antichristian and by that offered vp to Antichrist as the Israelitish children became Molechs by their fathers offering them to him You do here Mr B. in the first place alter the state of the question in both the termes The question is whether the Church of Rome be the true vsible Church of Christ or no. You for the Romish Church put the lâ—tle ones in the Romish Church and in stead of their being the visible Church you tel vs they may be called Christs Whereas 1. those litle ones or infants are not the Church but the least part of it and secondly they are not necessarily eyther the true visible Church or of it because they are Christs â—â— so they were in a respect for God hath his in Babylon whicâ— are visible Citizens of that visible City of fornication though the Lords in respect of election and the beginnings of personal sanctification whom he therefore calls out of the coÌ„m 〈…〉 of it the aboâ—â—â—ations therein vnder a severe penalty Secondly whâ—â— you say 〈…〉 the children in the Romish Church have a tâ—ue 〈…〉 by 〈…〉 are Christs till by education they be made An t 〈…〉 â—â—d by it 〈◊〉 vp to Antichrist you seem to make the Church of Rome to be or to comprehend in it two distinct yea two 〈◊〉 visible Churches a Christian Church of infants before they be capable of education and an Antichristian Church of those that are of ripâ— yeares And yet further where you say that iâ— for so your words are hath a tâ—â—e constituâ—s â—â— by true baptism in their children there it seems you will have the parents to have one constitutioÌ„ that is to be one Church with their children and that true by their true baptism and to the parents which by their education are Antichristian must by the baptism of their children be made christian and yet the children by their parents when they are capable of their education be made antichristian offred vp to Antichrist The scriptures every where teach that parents by their fayth bring their children into the covenant of the Church and entitle them to the promises but that children by their circumcision or baptism should constitute their parents in the Church read â— not but in this mâ—ns scripture Yoâ— most manifest it is every where that wicked parents by their 〈…〉 lity or other sinns depriving themselves of the Lords presence and covenant have enwrapped their children â—â—th 〈…〉 and visibly secret things ever reserved vnto God So C 〈…〉 the presence of the Lord caried his posterity with him so â—iâ— Ismaell and Iâ—saâ— theirs the Ismaelites and Edoâ—â—es And â—â—th Lord disâ—laym the mother for a harlot not reputing her his wife he accounts the children no better then bastards on whom he wil have no pity And if the children of the Iewes be not broken of with their parents for their vnbelief they are successively within the covenant and of the true Church every one of them to this day Neyther doth this at all crosse that which els where you obiect out of the Prophet that the soul that sinneth shall dy that the sonne shal not bear the iniquity of the father c. For first the Prophet there speaks of such a sonne as forsakes his fathers evil practiseth the contrary Otherwise the Lord threatneth that he wil visit the sinns of the fathers vpon the children yet not so as the children are without fault for infants new-born by Adams transgression and their natural and original corruption are children of wrath and lyable
institution adde of â—heir owne devise Now as the forenamed scriptures like a gratious charter given to this spirituall corporation the Church by the King thereof Iesus Christ do clearly plead the peoples liberty and power of the choise of their Ministers so will I adde vnto them certayn Reasons to prove this order and ordinance to be of morall and perpetuall equity The first is bycause the bond between the Minister and people is the most streyt and near religious bond that may be and therefore not to be entered but with mutuall consent any more then the civill bond of mariage between the housband and wife It makes much both for the provocation of the Ministery vnto all diligence and faithfulnes and also for his comfort in all the tryals and temptations which befall him in his Ministery when he considereth hovv the people vnto whom he ministreth have committed that most rich treasure of their soules in the Lord yea I may say of their very faith ioy to be helped forward vnto salvatioÌ„ to his care and charge by their free and voluntary choise of him It much furthers the love of the people to the person of their Minister and so consequently their obedience vnto his doctrine and government when he is such a one as themselves in duety vnto God and love of their own salvation have made choise of as on the contrary it leaves them without excuse if they eyther perfidiously forsake or vnprofitably vse such a mans holy service and ministration Lastly it is agreable to all equity and reason that all free persons and estates should choose their own servants and them vnto whom they give wages and maintenance for their labour and service But so it is betwixt the people and ministers the people a free people the Church a free estate spirituall vnder Christ the King the Ministers the Churches as Christs servants so by the Churches provision â—o live and of her as labourers to receive wages Thus much of the 4. Argument The 5. followeth the summe whereof is that bycause the Ministers of the English assemblies teach true and sound doctrine in the root and fundamentall points of religion they are therefore the true Ministers of Christ. And that sound doctrine is the triall of a true Minister Mr B. would prove from these scriptures 1 Tim. 4. 6. Ier. 23. 22. Of the vnsound doctrine of your Church and that more specially in the fundamentall points of religion others have spoken at large formerly and something is by me hereafter to be spoken for the present therefore this shall serve that since Christ Iesus not onely as Preist and Prophet but as King is the foundation of his Church and that the visible Church is the kingdome of Christ the doctrines towching the subiects government officers lawes of the Church can be no lesse then fundamentall doctrines of the same Church or Kingdome Which how vnsound they are with you appears in your Canons ecclesiasticall composed for that purpose Which if your ministers preach they preach vnsound doctrine and strike at a mayn pillar of religion viz the visible Church of God which is the pillar and ground of truth as the Apostle speaketh if not then are they schismatiques in and froÌ„ your Church whose solemn doctrines they refuse to publish Now bycause Mr Bern. every where beares himself big vpon the sound doctrines taught by the ministers in England and in this place brings in two scriptures to warraÌ„t their Ministery vpoÌ„ this grouÌ„d let vs a litle consider of the scriptures and of the intent of them and what verdict they give in on his side In the one place the Prophet Ieremy reproves the Preists and Prophets for not dealing faithfully with the people in laying before them their abhominations and Gods judgements due unto the same that so they might haue turned from their evil wayes and from the wickednes of their inventions but for flattering them on the contrary in their iniquities and for preaching peace vnto them for the strengthening of their hands in evil Now if the Ministers in England be measured by these mens line they will appear to ly levell with theÌ„ in a great measure For first the greatest part of them by far declare not the Lords word at all vnto the people but are tonguetyed that way some through ignorance some through idlenes many through pride And of them which preach how many are there mere men-pleasers flattering the mighty with vayn and plausibly words and strengthening the hands of the wicked and with prophane and malicious spirits reviling and disgracing all sincerity in all men adding vnto these evils a wicked conversation by which they further the destruction of many but the conversion of none And lastly for those few of more sound doctrine and vnblameable coÌ„versation let these things be considered First they are reputed schismatiques in the Church of Engl are generally excoÌ„municated ipso facto so wil appear to be to any that compares their practise with the ecclesiasticall lawes of that Church 2. They do with these sound doctrines mingle many errours yea the same things which in the generall they teach and professe they do in the particulars but specially in their practise gainsay deny 3. As they declare the Lords will vnto the people but by halves and keep back a great part of his counsel which they know is profitable for them wherin they would walk with them were it not for fear of persecution so are they ready to de silenced to smother the whole counsel of the L. not to speak one word more in his name vnto the people vpon â—hâ—ir Lord Bishops inhibition which were they perswaded in their consciences they were sent of God I suppose they durst not do Of which more in the seventh Argument Now for that in Tim. 1. Epist. 4. ch ver 6. if the doctrine of the Ministers agree with the doctrine and practise of the Ch they will appear liker to them of whom Paul speaks ver 3. then to Timothy ver 6. If it be sayd that the Church of England forbid not mariage vse of meates absolutely but in certayn respects I answer no more doth the Church of Rome but to certeyn persons and at certeyn times against whoÌ„ notwithstanding all Protestants do apply this scripture and so doth the Church of England forbid them though more sparingly as good reason the daughter come something behind the mother as mariage to fellowes in Colledges and to Apprentices and to all at certeyne tymes especially at Lent during which holy time the eating of flesh is also forbidden and abstinence commaunded and that in incitation of Christs fâ—â—ting for our sakes fourty dayes and fourty nightes and that for a religious vse namely the subdâ—ing of the flesh vnto the spirit for the better obedience of godly mottoâ—s in righteousnes
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
personal practise of it and actual communion in it thus we ought to mainteyn every good thing in our places if sinn ly not in the way betwixt vs and it But since by the confusion which is vpon the face of the earth good evil are ought times so intermingled as that men cannot touch that which is good but some evil wil cleave unto their fingers when this so falls out then have we a dispensation from the Lord to forbeare even that good which without syn can not be practised Rom. 3. 8. And yet then also wee must acknowledge that good thing to be as it is in what person or estate soever and so vphold it And lastly so far as possibly we can we must sever and select the good from the evil so even in our practise also vphold mainteyn that good being so severed whereof whilest it was commingled with the evil we could have no lawful vse And all these wayes we vphold whatsoever manifest good we know in the Church of England whether doctrine ordinance or personall grace to our vtmost We do acknowledge in it many excellent truthes of doctrine which we also teach without commixture of error many Christian ordinances which we also practise being purged from the pollution of Antichrist and for the godly persons in it could we possibly separate them from the prophane we would gladly embrace them with both armes But being taught by the Apostle speaking but of one wicked person and of one Iewish ordinance that a little leven leveneth the whol lump we cannot be ignorant how sour the English Assemblies must needs be neither may we justly be blamed though we dare not dip in their meal least we be soured by their leven The second and third Rules follow which for order-sake I will invert setting the latter in the former place 2. Beare with lighter faultes for a time til fit occasion be offred to have them amended 1. No sinn is light in it selfe but being continued in and countenanced destroyeth the sinner Matth. 5. 19. 2. It is the property of a prophane and hardened heart evermore to extenuate and lessen sinns 3. Though the bearing and forbearing not onely of smal but even of great sinns also must be for at tyme yet it must be but for a tyme and that is whilest reformation be orderly sought and procured Lev. 19. 17. But what tyme hath wrought in the Church of England all men see growing dayly by the iust iudgment of God from evill to worse and being never afore tyme so impatient eyther of reformation or other good as at this day 4. A man must so bear an evill as he be no way accessary vnto it by forbearing any means appoynted by Christ for the amending it 3. The manifest evil labour in thy place by the best â—â—anes to have them amended peaceably This is not sufficient nor enough except our places be such and we in such Churches as wherein we may vse the ordinary meanes Christ hath left for the amendemeÌ„t of things otherwise our places and standing themselves are vnwarrantable and must be forsaken And this I desire may be well considered by all such whether Ministers or people as know and acknowledge that Christ requireth of them further duties for the amendement of evils then their very places will give them libertie to performe The fourth fifth and sixth Canon may be receaved with out daunger the seventh not so 7. Let the corruption of the person and his lawfull place be distinguished and where person and places are not so lawfull and in the proposed end not agaynst thee wisely labour to make them for thee and make that good of theâ— thou canst and wholly condemn not that Ministery which a godly man may make for good We may not communicate at all in that Ministery which is excercised by an vnlawfull person or in an vnlawfull place though God may bring good out of it least we do evil that good may come thereof which is damnable Rom. 3. 8. And if that be true vvhich the most forvvard professe do hold that the approbation and acceptation of the people gives being to the Ministery it concerns the people carefully to see vnto it that they accept not of nor coÌ„municate with any vnlawfull person in an vnlawfull place least thereby they set vp or give being vnto his Ministery and so be deep in his transgression The eight and ninth rule I passe over as being without exception Onely I see not vpon what occasion the authour should thus disorderly shuffle into this controversy which is merely ecclesiasticall such considerations as in the former of these two rules and in many other places he doth concerning the frame and alteration of civill states except he would eyther insinuate agaynst vs that we went about to alter the civill state of the kingdom or at least that the alteration of the state ecclesiastical must needs drawe with it the alteratioÌ„ of the civil state with which â—â—te the Prelates have a long tyme bleared the eyes of the Magistrates But how deceiptfully hath been sufficiently manifested and offer made further to manifest the same by solemn disputation And the truth is that all states and pollicies which are of God whether Monarchycall Aristocraticall or Democraticall or how mixt soever are capable of Christs goverment Neyther doth the nature of the state but the corruption of the persons hinder the same in one or other 10. Refuse not to obey authority in any thing wherein there is not tâ— thee manifestly known a sinn to be coÌ„mitted agaynst God let fantasyes passe be more loath to offend a lawfull Magistrate then many private persons Where thou canst not yeeld there humbly crave pardon where thou canst not be tolerated be content with correction for safety of conscience Authority indeed is to be obeyed in all things if they be good actively and by doing them if evill and vnlawfull passively and by suffering with meeknes for righteousnes sake if pardon cannot be obteyned as is well advised But where counsell is given to obâ—y in any thing whrein a manifest known sinne is not coÌ„mitted agaynst God this morsell must not be swallowed downe till it be well chewed For a man may commit a sinne agaynst God in doing a thing wherein there is no sinne The sinne may be in the person doing not in the thing done as when a man doth a good thing against his conscience or doubtingly and without fayth 1 Iohn 3. 20. Rom. 14. 23. And where Mr. Bern. further adviseth rather to offend many private persons then one lawful Magistrate I doubt not he gives no worse counsayle then he himself followes who except I be much deceaved in him had rather offend half the private persons in the diocesse then one Arch-bishop though he be an vnlawfull Magistrate But of the case of offence hereafter In the meane whyle let vs remember
the world yet not of it but chosen out of it and hated by it men fearing God and working righteousnes and so being accepted of God in what nation soever purchased with the blood of Christ and so made his flock saynts by calling and sanctifyed in Christ Iesus and calling vpon the name of the Lord Iesus Christ in every place such were the Churches in Iudâ—a Galily and Samaria the Churches in Galatia the 7 Churches in Asia and of such people gathered into so many distinct assemblyes ech entyre in her self having peculiar Bishops or Elders set over her for her feeding by doctrine and government did those particular Churches consist they thus separated from the rest both Iewes and Gentiles in every nation whether more or lesse were that chosen generation that royall Preisthood that holy nation and purchased people of the Lord. But that ever the whole nation and all the Kings naturall subiects in it should have been within the covenant of the Lord entituled by the word of the Lord to the seals of the covenant and all the other holy things depending vpon it is a popular and popish fantasy as ever came into mans brayn requyring a new-found land of Canaan for a seat of this national Church wherein no vncircumcised person may dwel and a new old testament for the policy and government of the same And lastly it makes all one them that Christ hath chosen out of the world and the world them that fear God work righteousnes and whom he accepteth in every nation and the nation it self the beloved of God at Rome and the sanctifyed in Christ Iesus at Corinth with the City of Rome and of Corinth then which what confusion can be greater But to admit that for truth which you so take namely that Rome in the sence wherein we speak sometymes was the true Church of God as Iudah and more specially that the English nation was as the nation of the Iewes and all and every person in it high and low received into covenant with the Lord to be his people and that he might be their God yet can it not be sayd of Rome that she stil remayns the true Church of God as Iudah did in her defection but on the contrary as she brake her covenant with God advancing by degrees that man of syn the sonne of perdition and adversary Antichrist till he was exalted into the throne of Christ and that mistery of godlynes in and according to which that Church was planted at the first degenerated into the mistery of iniquity so did the Lord for her adulteryes wherein she was incorrigible when they were come to the height break the covenant on his part and gave her as an harlot a bill of divorce and put her away and her daughter Engl. with her amongst the rest Now for the more full clearing of this truth I wil in the first place answer such reasons as Mr B. brings against it and that done lay down certayn arguments to disprove his Popish plea for that Romish Synagogue Onely in the mean whyle I wish him to consider that if Mr â—m deserve so severe a censure as he layes vpon him pag. 281. of this book for some favourable affirmations touching some things â—â— persons in Rome he himselfe is much more blame worthy that both professeth and pleadeth her the true Church of Christ and in the covenant of grace and salvation then which what greater and more notable plea can be made for her Nay if it be probable that he which pleads for Rome as Mr Smith doth will in tyme become â—n love with it and sit downe a blind Papist it is necessary that he which thinks it a true Church return vnto it from which he hath wickedly schismed as all men do that separate from the true Church of Christ for any corruptions whatsoever Here I do also entreat the prudent Reader to beare it in mynd that the constitution of England cannot be iustifyed nor she proved to be rightly gathered but with the defence of Rome yea of that great and purpled whore to be the true spouse of the Lord Iesus The Reasons by which Mr B. would prove Rome a true Church are by him reckoned five in number we wil consider of them in order The first is taken from the first planting of that Church in S. Pauls tyme by vertue of which former calling and constitution sayth he Rome still remaynes the Lords people as Israel did in the wildernes notwithstanding her idolatry I do answer first that Rome as we now consider of it was never the Lords called nor under his covenant though a Church or assembly in that city or it may be more then one of saynts were and secondly that though she were yet is the covenant broken through her fornications and impenitency in them both on her part and the Lords visibly and she devorced long a goe and her daughters in and with her His secoÌ„d Reason is grounded vpon 2 Th. 2. 4. because Antichrist that is sayth he that head with his body sitteth in the temple of God which he further tels vs must be vnderstood visibly in respect of the truthes of God in doctrine and ordinances of Christ held there of which Gods people among them partake in his mercy to their salvation and others from tyme to tyme have mayntayned openly to the preservation of some fundamental poynts of the Apostolical constitution Wherevpon he also concludes that since the temple of God typing out the Church wherein he sitteth hath a true constitution Rome and that in respect of the tyme present hath a true constitution and is a true Church He might also have added and ever shal be a true Church for Antichrist ever shal sit there til Christs second coÌ„ming v. 8. Many men have written much about the notes marks of the true Church by which it is differenced and discerned from all other assemblyes and many others have sought for it as Ioseph and Mary did for Christ with heavy hearts Luk. 2. 48. that they might there rest vnder the shadow of the wings of the Almighty enioying the promises of his presence and power But what needs all this a doe Mr B poynts vs out with the finger a mark of the true Church most evident and conspicuous and like a beacon vpon an high hill and that is the exaltation of Antichrist I had thought the Churches and people of God should have been known by his dwelling among them walking there and by Christs presence in the middest of them but I now perceive Antichrists power presence and exaltation is a sure signe by which the Churches of Christ must be discerned If any therefore desire to plant his feet in the courts of the Lords house and there to abide for ever let him be sure to chuse such a Church to ioyn to as wherein Antichrist sitteth
to all Gods curses but the Lord takes occasion by the sinns of the parents to execute his iustice vpon the children in whose punishments he also punisheth the parents themselves after a sort The next thing I observe in this argument is that you affirm the children of the Apostate Israelites to be the children of God by circumcision and infants now to be Christs by baptism which you say also constitutes the Church against which Popish and anabaptistical errour I do iustly except Popish I call it for that the papists imagine that by baptism their children are made Christian soules and in signe of that they have the font ever standing at the Church dore so do the Anabaptists make baptism the form of the Church which you call the constitution as indeed the form of a thing constituteth it and giveth being vnto it Wherof if I my self were perswaded I could not defend the baptism received eyther in Rome or England but I must withall iustify both the one the other for the true Church of Christ. But against this vnsound opinion both theirs and yours I will lay down certayn arguments playnly proving the contrary And first it is the covenant of God which makes the Church as you your selfe both affirm prove pag. 277. of your 2 book of which covenant you also graunt in this place baptism to be the visible seal as was also circumcision in those tymes and therefore it is not the covenant it selfe but is after it in the order both of nature and tyme. Secondly the Lord had his Church before eyther circumcision or baptism were appoynted which is also one and the same in essence from the beginning to the end of the world which it couldnot be if eyther circumcision or baptism were parts constitutive or essentiall of it Thirdly the Lord made his covenant and so admitted them into the Church wâ—â—h Abraham and his seed to be his and their God in their ages and generations so that he children of Abraham and of the Iewes were not without the Lord covenant and him to be their God til the tyme of their circumcision which was the eighth day but were born yea begot in the covenant and an holy seed and therfore the manchilde not circumcised the eight day is sayd to have broken the Lords covenant wherof circumcision was asigne To this also add that the Lord did admit into 〈◊〉 with himself accepting them to be his people all and every one of 〈◊〉 Israelites in the wildernes where notwithstanding all of them in comparison were vncircumcised Ios. 5. 2. 3. 4. 5. Fourthly if baptism were the constitution of the Church as Mr B. speaks then were all heretiques and schismatiques baptised with water into the name of the Father Son and H. Ghost true christians and their assemblyes true Churches of Christ so had the â— Sâ—â—ceâ—â—tes been a true Church by circumcision and so of the Isâ—â—â—elites or Agarians which have retayned circumcision to this day the same may be sayd of the Eâ—â—â—ites and Edomites which were notwithstanding as far from being true Churches as Mr B. is from the truth of God in writing aâ— he doth A fourth consideration is to be had of an affirmation by you peremptorily and absolutely made as though it were without all contradiction or limitation in the third argument and that is that the baptism in the Romish Church is true baptism Touching which I do commend vnto the godly reader this distinction Baptism is to be considred of vs in a twofold respect first nakedly and â—â— the essential causes the matter water and the form the washing with water into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the H. Ghost and in this respect I confesse true baptism both in England and Rome Secondly it is to be considered of vs 〈…〉 as they speak clothed with such appurtenances as wherewith the Lord hath appoynted it to be administred as for example a lawfull person by whom a right subiect vpon which a true communion wherein it is to be ministred dispensed in which regards neyther I can approve it nor Mr B. manifest it to be true eyther in Rome or England When the house of the Lord at Ierusalem was destroyed by the Câ—aldees and the vessels therof together with the people caryed into Babylon they remayned still both in nature and right the vessels of the Lords house though in respect of their vse or rather abuse they became Belshazzars quaâ—fing bowles So is it in the destruction of the spirituall house of the Lord the Church by the spirituall Babylonians and in the vsurpation and abuse of the holy vessels and in special of this holy vessel of baptism Yet is there in this poynt a further consideration to be had of vs vnto which both the scriptures and our own experience do lead vs namely that as the Lord hath his people in Babylon his I mean both in respect of election and of personal sanctification so hath he for their sakes there preserved notwithstanding all the apostacy and confusion which is found in it sundry his holy truthes and ordinances amongst which baptism is one But as this his people being commingled with the Babylonians in one visible communion cannot be called the true visible Church of God so neyther can these ordinances in the administration of them be called the true visible ordinances of Christ and of his Church but as the Lords people are commaunded to goe out of her and to separate themselves and so to build the Lords house a new in Ierusalem or rather themselves into a new spiritual house for him to dwel in so are they to bring with them out of Babylon these ordinances and in particular this ordinance of baptism and to enioy the same being sanctifyed in the right vse and order All which was livelily shadowed out in the materiall temple and ordinances as appeareth Ezra 1. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. and 5. 13. 14. 15. And this also may serv for answer to that you bring in your second reason for the iustification of Rome in respect of the truthes of doctrine and ordinances there In your fourth argument there is litle but the answer of which I formerly spake vnto the second to wit that antichristianism begun in Christianity which is true as sowernes begins in wine til by degrees it turn it into vineger and as other haeresies begun in the Eastern Churches which have notwithstanding long since eaten out the hearts of them that they cannot nor could not of long tyme be called the true Churches of Christ. True also is it which you say that antichristianism doth not wholy disanul christianity for if it did it were not possible it should deceive so effectually as it doth How should the Divil be beleeved in so many lyes if he should not in some things speak the truth But where you further adde that Poperie is nothing
but idolatrous and heâ—iticâ—l corruptions vpon the profession of Christian fayth covering it with the same as Iobs body was with sores and in the more large application of that Simile pag. 245. do affirm that as he though covered over with botches and sores so aâ— he could scarce be known by his freinds was Iob stil vnder the sores and the very same essentially that he was before so â—s the Church and christianity in Popery â—hough covered with the antichristian corruptions which Sathan hath brought over them in so saying you are like your selfe onely constant in inconstancy and errour And tell me I pray you Mr B. is the Popes vniversal supremacy and headship over all Churches by which also he claymeth power of both the swords onely a sâ—ab vpon the skin of the true ministery which Christ hath left in the Church without preiudicing the essence or nature of it Is the sacrifice of the masse onely a soar brought vpon the Lords supper vnder which notwithstaÌ„ding it lyes the very same in nature and substance which was by Christ ordeyned Is prayer vnto saynts onely a corruption come vpon true prayer but no more against the life of it then Iobs vlcers were against his life or doth it not destroy the very soule and life of prayer Is adoration of saynts service in an vnknown tongue with all other the abhominations in the masse-book but as a scurf come over that true worship of God wherwith he wil be worshipped Iohn 4. 23. 24. vnder which the very same true worship lyeth as Iob did vnder his soares which God hath coÌ„maunded that without any more daunger of losse of life then Iob was in by his outsyde skabs Lastly is the opinion of iustification by works onely a botch and byle vpon true fayth but not against the nature of it nor destroying the essence of it Your errour is sufficiently convinced in the recital and opening of it in these particulars your inconstancy and contradiction is most notorious in the last of them compared with that you wryte pag. 113. of your former book namely that the ioyning of works in the cause of salvation which the Papists do is against the true nature of fayth in the son of God and destroyeth it That which you call your fifth reason hath no countenance of a reason in it but is meerly a conclusion inferred by you vpon your 4 former reasons to prove Rome in respect of the tyme prâ—â—ent a true Church and the sum of it is that the Churches now coming out of Babylon do not requyre any nâ—w plantation but onely a reformation as did Iudith in the tyme of Hezechiah after the apostacy of Idolatrous Ahaz and of the people wâ—â—h him But since the reasons wherwith you would vnderprop this your inference are taken away it must needs â—â—ll to the ground Neyther will your Babel stand any whit the stronglyer for the daubing you make with this and the like vntempered morter that it hath not made a nullity of religion that it hath not lost the Apostolical constitution totally that it holds truthes sufficient to iudg men christian by the corruptions being taken away For first what matters it though Rome have not made a nullity if it have made a falsity of religion by most grosse vntruthes haeresyes and Idolatryes making voyd the commaundements of God by mens traditions and teaching for doctrines mens precepts And secoÌ„dly what though the coÌ„stitutioÌ„ be not totally lost If an house or material building be not totally demolished but there stil remayn some few postes or studdes not yet puld down or some few stones of the foundation vndigged vp is it therfore truely an house and so to be called Lastly doth it follow that because Papists might be iudged true christians for the truthes they hold their corruptions being taken away they are therefore such with their corruptions so the vilest haeretique Idolater or other miscreant in the world take away his haeresy Idolatry and mischeif may be iudged a christian yea the Divil himself take but away his corruptions is a glorious Angel of light Having thus answered the reasons brought by Mr B. to prove Rome a true Church and the like I will in the next place lay down such arguments from the scriptures as manifest the contrary and those also taken out of his own writings for the further discovering of his vnsound and deceitful dealing with men in the Lords matters And first in his cathechism printed 1602. pag. 1â— he demaunds this question â—â— the Church of Rome a true Church of Christ whervnto he answereth No but of Antichrist the Pope the cheif teacher of the doctrine of Divils And in the same place to prove that religion a false religion he brings 7. general reasons very weighty all and every one of them as he that reads the place shal finde Secondly in his seperatists sâ—hism he makes as Iewes Turks and Pagans no matter so Papists false matter of the Church and contrary to true matter in that they ioyn with Christ their works in the cause of salvation pag. 111. 112. 113 116. Thirdly he affirms in his last book pag. 277. that the covenant betwixt God and the people is the form of the Church and proves that this covenanting mutually doth give a being vnto a people to be Gods people Deut. 29. 12. 13. To this let that be added which he wrytes pag. 281. of the same book namely that the Papists have not the same word and fundamental poynts of the covenant with them in England And in particular that they make a covenant with Angels and Saynts and so hold not the person in the covenant that they make another word even mens traditions the declaration of the covenant and so change the evidence that they make moe sâ—craments and so adde counterfeyt seals turning the Lords supper into a Popish sacrifice and so do tear off the Lords seal and make it nothing worth and these three namely the person the wryting and the seals he makes the foundamental poynâ—s of the covenant as wherein the foundation therof doth stand And who now seeth not how this man is first constrayned to plead for Rome as a true Church to defend the Church of England and afterwards being ashamed of that plea to condemn it as a false Church corrupt and counterfyet in the very foundation and form which gives the being as he himself speaks Fourthly he graunts in these his playn endeavours that Rome is Babylon and that the H. Ghost so calls it and applyes rightly the places literally spoken of the type the heatheâ—ish Babylon spiritually to the thing signifyed the Antichristian Babylon the Romish Synagogue And the same thing the wrytings of the godly learned both at home and abroad do confirm Noâ— what can be more playn Is it possible that Rome should be both Babylon Ierusalem both the Synagogue of Antichrist and the Church of Christ Can that Catholick
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
manner of arguing If this lyne hold from Peter to the Pope and from the Pope to his clergy and so successively to the Ministery of England then it stands vpright if it break then doth the ministery of England which as Mr Bernard truely honestly confesseth is thus raysed fall flat to the ground as indeed it doth according to the foretelling of the Angel it is fallen it is fallen Babylon the great City But here it wil be demaunded of me how the Lords people comming out of Babylon separating from Rome are to obteyn and enjoy Ministers Surely one of these three wayes Eyther by the extaordinary immediate or miraculous designation of God or by succession or by the same peoples choise or appointment to which they are to minister To expect ministers by the first meanes were fancy and presumption so that by one of the two other wayes they must come necessarily The power of the holy things of God so specially of erecting the minstery is eyther tyed to the order of office so to the order of to the Popeship Praelacy under it or els to the faith of the people of God forsaking BabyloÌ„ joyning together in the covenant of AbrahaÌ„ fellowship of the gospel The former of these though Mr B be driveÌ„ to plead it in the proof of succession yet in the defence of it he is forced to disclaym disavow yeelding the Romish Ministery to be Idolatry and superstition and that he speaks of such a succession as requires with it a true office true doctrine true sacraments and prayer pag. 188. and agayn that he meanes by succession a continuance of Gods ordinance by persons elected thereto from tyme to tyme being of spirituall kindred by the fayth of doctrine by which the ordinance is vpheld and true succession mainteyned pag 190. With which graunt of his I might rest as indeed wherein he yeeldeth the whole cause and cutts off as it were with his own hands the cord of true succession in the Ch of Rome making it to fayl when the truth of doctrine and of election fayled in the same Ch But bycause it is so common a thing with him to say and vnsay and to say agayn the same things eyther forgetting himself or thinking others forgets or bycause he would say something to every thing though never so contrary both to the truth and himself in another place I will presse Mr Smythes other Arguments The third of which is that by the doctrine of succession men are bound absolutely to sin in joyning to the sinns of the Minister This is sayth Mr B to take vnproved a principle of Brownism to overthrow a truth namely that a man cannot receive the holy things of God but he must needs sin with others And is it so indeed Doe not the scriptures every where teach men to avoyd reiect and hold accursed false teachers haeretiques and idolaters and not to partake in the sinne of others eyther by practising them or giving consent or countenance vnto them Wherevpon it followeth that the doctrine which binds the Ministery and other holy things of God vnto succession and thereby to partake with haeretiques and false teachers or at least with such in their ministration as have received the power and authority by which they minister froÌ„ the Pope and his Praelacy bynds men to sinne in joyning with the sinns of the Ministers Of the Iewish Church Preisthood which Mr Berâ—here objects I haue spoken formerly and do now adde that as no man is now so tyed to any Church or Ministery in the world as was every faythfull person in the world then to that one temple and Preisthood at Ierusalem so neyther could any man then without sinn communicate with an â—aereticall or idolatrous Preist especially ministring in a false office and by the like calling and coÌ„mission which the Ministers both in Rome and England doe In the 4. Argument Mr Ber deales dishonestly Mr Smiths inference vpon the doctrine of succession is that then the Lord hath made the Ministers Lords over the Church so that the Church cannot have or enjoy any of the Lords ordinances or holy things except they will consent vnto them for the holy things are in their power Now Mr Ber. onely trifles about the word Lord and passeth by the substance of the inference which is most sound vpon the doctrine For if the Lords ordinances and holy things be tyed to the Ministers then without their consent there can be no vse of them And so where Ministers eyther are not or not willing to coÌ„municate them there can be no Church no electioÌ„ of Ministers no keyes of the kingdom and so no salvation as I have formerly manifested vpon Math. 16. 19. The sum of Mr Smithes 5. Argument is that then the Pope may excommunicate the whole Church vniversall the Bishops their whole Dioceses and Provinces and the Praesbytery the particular Church whereof it is Your answer Mr Bernard is that this were to do the Pope a great favour to prove him to have an vniversall power c. and 2. that by this sequell of Mr Smythes this absurdity would follow that the Bishop might cast out the Church out of the Church It is you that do the Pope this great favour though you would not own it For if the Ministery make the Church and that Rome be a true Church then must the ministery of Rome be true specially of the Pope from which the other is derived as from the head Agayn if the ordinatioÌ„ by the Bishops in the impure Church of Rome be the Lords order as you expresly affirm p. 145. of your former book then must the Popes vniversall power by which the Bishops doe vniversally ordeyn be the power of the Lord which from him he hath received for that purpose They which hold that the power of the keyes was given first immediately to the Apostle Peter so to the Popes of Rome his successours they hold that the Pope may excommunicate the whole Church so they which hold the Bishop or his substitute to be meant where Christ sayth tell the Church they must necessarily hold that the Bishop or his substitute may excommunicate his whole Province or Dioces and so of them which hold the Praesbytery to be the Ch there spoken of for the particular assembly over which it is The Church there meant may excoÌ„municate any brother or brethren whom or how many soever that refuse to hear her as the Church of Corinth to whoÌ„ Paul writ might judge all them which were within and not without vnder the Lords iudgement The substance of the seventh last objection is for the 6. hath no weight in it that the doctrine of succession overthrowes it self and the Reason is bycause one POPE doth not make another by ordination whyles he lives but the Cardinals do by Election make the new Pope after the death of the former So that the Pope receiving his
word of God a very charm in writing and teaching that the bare vse they might say the abuse of the word and sacraments by a company of people though eyther altogether or for the most part for feare fashion or with opinion of merit ex opere operato and without all knowledge or conscience makes them a true Church of Christ. The Argument from the externall efficient except it work absolutely necessarily to the effect is vnsound It were senseles to affirme that bycause physick is the meanes of recovering health therefore whosoever vse physick are healed much more to affirm that bycause the word is the means to gather a Ch whosoever vse it are a Church since physick is a naturall agent and worketh by a naturall power given it of God where the word is a morall agent having in it selâ— no naturall vertue but working merely by the will of the authour and supernaturall efficacy of the spirit which like the winde bloweth where it listeth The two next Reasons being indeed one in effect which the Ministers bring for the justification of their Church are 1. that their whole Church maketh profession of the true fayth for proof of which they refer vs to the confession of their Church the Apology of it and the Articles of religion agreed vpon in the Convocation house 2. that they hold teach and mainteyn every part of Gods holy truth which is fundamentall and such as without the knowledge and beleeving whereof there is no salvation All which afterwards they reduce to this one head as the onely fundamentall truth of religion That Iesus Christ the sonne of God who took our nature of the virgin Mary is â—ur onely and all sufficient saviour which truth say they whosoever receive are the people of God and â—n the estate of salvation they that receive it not cannot possibly be saved Math 16. 18. Mark 16. 16. 1 Ioh 4. 2. Col 2. 7. These two Arguments for substance have been handled in the former part of the book vnto which also M. Ainsworth hath given answer in the particulars of which I entreat the Reader to take knowledge and do therevnto annex these considerations First it is a very presumptuous thing for these ministers yea or for any men or angels thus peremptorily to determine how much knowledg a man must have to be saved that if he have iust so much then he may be or is it the state of salvation if he want any of that he cannot be saved Who knowes by how litle knowledge the Lord may and doth save a man that is faythfull in the litle he knowes and endevours by all means to further knowledge and so to further faythfulnes As on the contrary the Lord rejects many with greater knowledg for their vnfaythfulnes both in not practising the things they know and in neglecting to know more least they should learne that truth which they have no mynde to practise for feare or in other corrupt regards And howsoever I do acknowledge a difference of truthes and that some are more and some lesse principall yet do I wish more conscience in the application of this distinction For whereas the ministers are by the lawes and penaltyes Civill and Ecclesiastical limited in their doctrine and both the ministers and people in their obedience of and to the truth of the gospel and ordinances of the new testament this is made a salve for every sore that they have the substance of the gospell the doctrine of fayth all fundamentall truthes and whatsoever is necessary to salvation In which defence as it is made there are these evills First in it men not onely endeavour which is too much the curing of Babell but iudeed to make Babell beleeve shee stands in no great need of curing and that her wounds are neyther deadly nor daungerous 2. It tends to vilify and make of small moment many of the Lords truthes ordinances howsoever these ministers wil not heare of it And this will appeare if the end be considered of these distinctions and qualifications which is that men should setle themselves without pressing further in the disobedience and want of sundry of the coÌ„maundements and ordinances of Christ Iesus till with bodily peace and leave of the magistrate they might enjoy the same And if the Scribes and Pharisees were reproved of Christ for making the commaundements of God of none authority by their traditions do not they make the commaundements of God and ordinances of Christ of small moment who for the traditions and inventions of men yea of that man of sin though supported by the arme of flesh haue forborn and do forbear and so purpose to go on the obedience of the fame which whether it be not the very estate of these ministers in forbearing to preach that I may let passe other matters for the refusall of subscription and conformity let their own consciences judge And mark their defence They beleiv and teach that there is no part of the holy scripture which every Christian is not necessarily bound to seek and desire the knowledge of so far forth as in him lyeth Here is a great charge layd vpon every Christian to seek the knowledge of every part of holy scripture but no word of his obedience unto every part of it as if Christ had not sent out his Apostles to teach men to observ to the worlds end but to know what he had commaunded them and as if the word of God were onely a light and lanthorn vnto mens eyes that they might see the wayes of God and not to their feet and pathes that they might walk in them The same Prophet in the same Psalm entreats the Lord to teach him the way of his statutes that he might keep it vnto the end that he would give him vnderstanding that he might keep his law professing also in the same place that he was comforted in GOD against all that confusion which his enemyes would have brought vpon him that he had respect to all GODS commaundements and this respect was not of bare knowledge but of observation and obedience as appears in all the five verses before going Neyther therefore can the ministers excuse themselves from making some parts of the holy scriptures of small moment and needles as Mr Barrow chargeth them bycause they advise the people to desire the knowledge of them except with their knowledge they joyned obedience neyther ought the people to rest in that vnsound advise considering that to him that knoweth how to do well and doth it not to him it is sinn and that to him that knoweth his maysters will and doth it not many stripes are due 3. This pleading by the ministers that they hould and enioy every fundamentall truth and whatsoever is of necessity to salvation coÌ„sidering the end of it which is the stopping of the people from pressing vnto further obedience and profession of the will
196. 197. 198. 199. 200. 201. 202. 203. 204. 205. 206. 207. 208. 209. 210. 211. 212. 213. 214. 222. 223. 224. 225. 226. 227. 228 229. 230. 231. 232. 223. 234. 238. 229. 240. 241. 242. 243. 244. 245. Of popish ceremonies conformity vnto them p. 25. 27 65. Of circumstances p. 21. 2â— 33 37. and the manner of doeing things pa. 369 370. The communion in the Church most entyre p. 233. 234. Great care to be taken that it be holy and lawfull pag 133. 254. 255. Of Compulsion to religion how it hurts it pag 275. 298. 299. 300. 301. 302. 459. The Ch of Engl so therefore not rightly gathered after the Romish Apostacy pag 292. 300 301. 302. 303 304. Of Collections and Consequences p. 32. 45. Contentions alwayes in the Clâ—â— pag 55. 56. E Of the power of the Lord Iesus for excoÌ„munication the reformation of abuses pa 32 â—3 Given to every true particular Church pag 267. An essentiall property pag 347. 348. 349. 350. 351. Persons not vnder it with out p. 100. 101 Difference between it and separation p 124. F Fayth and repentance not to be stinted pa. 23. 24. All things must be done in fayth pag. 18. 28. and in things doubtfull suspend pa 19 34. Of Fundamentall truthes such as are necessary to salvation pa 31. 32. 376. 448 449. 450. 451. G The difference betwixt civil and ecclesiastical government and governours p 135. 136 137. 164 165. 166. 168. See Christs kingdom Church-government a mere Church-service p. 217. 137. 225. I. How wâ—e the Iewes one pa 196. 211. Their extraordinary priveledges p 248. No separation from that Church p. 250. Their government no pattern for ours p 174. 194. 195. 196. 197. 198. Their Synagogues not as our Churches now pa 427. Excommunication or dissynagogueing amongst them no divine spirituall and distinct ordinance p 187. 188. 189. 190. Of things indifferent p. 25. 27. their vnseasonable vse p. 36. 37. K. Keyes of the kingdome of heaven given to the whole Ch pag. 146. 147. 148. 149. 150. 152 153. in what order 399. 400. â—â—5 L. Lawes ecclesiasticall in Engl pag. 20. 21. binde and loose the conscience pag 264. 265. 39. M. Ministery left by Christ p. 192. 356. Vnlawfull Ministers not to be coÌ„municated with what truths soever they teach pa 17. 79. 80. 162. 163. Difference in the administring of doctrine and disciplyne pa 165. 151. 234. 238. The Ministery of Engl disproved and the Reasons for it answered pag 162. 163. 173. 174. 175. 265. 266. 346. 356. 357. 358. 359. 360. 361. 362 363. 364. 370. 377. 378. 379. 385. 386. 389. 390. True ordinary Ministers tyed to a particular assembly pa 393. 394. 395. True Ministers cannot be in a false Church pa 360. 361. Conversion of men to God no note of a true Minister pa 10 11 51. 69. 379. 380. 381. 382. 383. 384. 385. The Ministers in Engl all of the same constitutioÌ„ pa 351. 352. Theires and the Romish Ministery the same in respect of the office power to administer it and most of the works pa 358. 359. 411. Preaching of the gospel no part or property of the Ministery in Engl but a thing casuall p. 353. 354. 355. Of the calling of Ministers wherin the peoples right is pro ved Mr B objections answered p. 144. 145 146. 360. 361. 365. 367. 371 376. Ministers by their office not to celebrate mariage nor buâ—y the dead p. 438. 439. Their maintenance p. 439. 440. O. Of offence p. 18. 19. 37. 39. Officers not simply necessary for the publique administratioÌ„s in the Church pag 137. 138. 139 144. 165. 166. 167. The brethren out of office not mere private persons p 423. 424. Of the officers vsurpation p. 367. 368. 367. 132. 133. Ordination may in cases be performed by such as are no officers pa. 400. 401. 402 423. Ordination Baptism vnâ—â—tly compared p 413. See Baptism P Praetence of peace pa 13. 14. 15. Of pollution by other menns â—â—nns and how it comes pag. 244. 245. 249 254 256 259. Of preaching or publishing the gospel pa 70. 71. 72. 73. The true Church gathered by it onely See Church How a note of the Church See word The coÌ„stitutioÌ„ of the Church it deceitfully opposed p. 37. See Church Of profession of fayth prosessours p. 7. Profession makes not a Church pag. 452. The profession of fayth required by the scriptures p 90. 91. 270 271. 272. 274. That in Engl compared with it p. 58. 91. 274. 275. 316. 450. 451. Of prophesying out of office p. 235 238. R Reformation to begin at our selves so to passe to others p. 24. 133. Praeposterous reformation in Engl made and desired pa 300. 301. The people interessed in the reformation of publique scandalls in their Church in their places as well as the officers p. 142. 143. 164. 165 170. 242. 343. as also in other Church affayres p. 190. 200 201 204. See OrdinatioÌ„ Mat. 18. 17. exp S. Sacraments do not constitute a Church but presuppose a Ch constituted pa 91. 283. 284. how notes of the Church p. 317. 342. 343. 344. not given by the Lord to any parish Ch in Engl p. 319. 320 Of their Ministration in England p. 91. 92. 93. 425. Of Saints saintship p. 107. 108 1. 1. Of succession see Ordination T Of the Temples by Mr Bern called their Churches p. 440. 441. 442 443. 445. 446. W. How the Word of God makes notes out the Church p. 89 315. 447. Of the Worship in the Church of Engl p. 424 425. 426. 427. 429. 430. The vse of their devised leitourgy is not the true manner of worshipping God neyther can Mr. Ber or the Ministers justify it pa 425. 426. 428. 429. 466. to the end Errata  pag. l. For contradictions read contraries pag. 42. l. 20. For approbation read exprobration 62. 15. for svvord read head 89. 21. read with Zerubbabel 94. 29. for discharged read dischurched 107. 6. for discharging read dischurching 128. 19. for Ioseph r Pharaoh 175. 17 for of read or 176. 27. for quality r quantity 195. 36. for endeavours r endeavourers 209. last line for false read true 359. 1. for Eph r Epist 422. 25. r be in the 433. 16. for the read your 435. 9. r would not allow 435. 16. for praeservation r prevention 443. 14 r would know the 446. 26. for converted r vnconverted 457. 34. for Papists r popish 465. 12. The Printer to the Reader I Gentle Reader Sundry other faults in the printing are escaped in words letters poynts wherof some shal be amended to thy hands the rest in the reading help thy self by the sense or otherwise Impute not the Printers faults to the Authour but recken the most and greatest myne and the least and smallest his Rev. 3. 16. †Levit. 9. 24. 1 King 18. 38. †◠Thes. 5. â—1 I. II. * Ier. 24. â— 2. 3. two baskets III. †Prov. 24. 23. * â—â—m 2.