particular men sufficiently catechised without any publick cognizance of their crime or process of admonition first and second or that designe that exclusion to any other end than ut peccantes resipiscant the reducing sinners to repentance and therefore no small petty trifle is a sufficient matter for this but contumacious continuing in some scandalous sin after admonitions from which when they return again by a sincere approved repentance they are to be absolved In his Preface THat the power of Binding and Loosing may be restored to its full vigour in this Church againe and wherever sobriety shall advise by addition of penitentiall Canons be reformed or regulated and being put into the primitive chanell may there be permitted to shew forth it self in the native purity and brightness and so being ordered according to Gods designation obtain Gods blessing to make it effectuall to its end shall be the prayer of him who professes to love and admire the beauty of this fabrick of the Church of England even when it lyâ—s polluted in its blood and to wish no greater blessing to its dearest friends or for whom he daily prayes most implacable enemies than that the scales may fall off from all our eyes that we may see and value what is so illustriously conspicuous and estimable in it self c. If the abuses and excesses and mistakes were removed and that which is Christian and Apostolicall revived and restored in prudence and sobriety might yet again shew the world the use of that Prelacy which is now so zealously contemned and recover at once the order and the estimation of it set more Saints on their knees in petitions for the reducing and restoring than ever employed their hands toward the suppressing of it D. Jer. Taylor in the Dedicatory before his Winter-Sermons Of preaching WHo would have in him so little of a man as not to be greedy of the Word of God and of holy Ordinances even therefore because they are so hard to have And this evill although it can have no excuse yet it hath a great and a certain cause For the Word of God still creates new Appetites as it satisfies the old and enlarges the capacity as it fills the first propensities of the Spirit For all spirituall blessings are seeds of Immortality and of infinite felicitie they swell up to the comprehensions of Eternity and the desires of the soul can never be wearied but when they are decayed as the stomack will be craving every day unless it be sick and abused But every mans experience tels him now that because men have not Preaching they less desire it their long fasting makes them not to love their meat and so we have cause to fear the people will fall to an Atrophy then to a loathing of holy food and then Gods anger will follow the method of our sin and send a famine of the word and Sacraments Paulo post And by the same instrument Preaching God restored the beauty of the Church when it was necessary she should be reformed it was the assiduous and learned Preaching of those whom God chose for his Ministers in that work that wrought the Advantages and perswaded those Truths which are the enamel and beauty of our Churches And because by the same means all things are preserved by which they are produc'd it cannot but be certain that the present State of the Church requires a greater care and prudence in this Ministry than ever especially since by Preaching some endeavour to supplant Preaching and by intercepting the fruits of the flocks to dishearten the shepheards from their Attendances The same Author Of Zeal p. 185. ANy zeal is proper for Religion but the zeal of the Sword and the zeal of anger this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bitterness of zeal and it is a certain temptation to every man against his duty for if the Sword turns Preacher and dictates Propositions by Empire instead of Arguments and engraves them in mens hearts with a Ponyard that it shall be death to believe what I innocently and ignorantly am perswaded of it must needs be unsafe to try the Spirits to try all things to make enquiry And yet without this liberty no man can justify himself before God or man nor confidently say that his Religion is best since he cannot without a final danger make himself able to give a right sentence and to follow that which he finds to be the best This may ruin Souls by making Hypocrits or careless and complyant against conscience or without it but it doth not save Souls though peradventure it should force them to a good opinion This is inordination of zeal For Christ by reptoving St. Peter drawing his Sword even in the cause of Christ for his sacred and yet injur'd person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Theophilact teaches us not to use the Sword though in the cause of God or for God himself because he will secure his own interest only let him be served as himself is pleased to command and it is like Moses passion it throws the Tables of the Law out of our hands and breaks them in pieces out of indignation to see them broken This is the zeal that is now in fashion and hath almost spoiled Religigion Men like the zealots of the Jews cry up their Sect and in it their Interest they affect Disciples and fight against the Opponents And we shall find in Scripture that when the Apostles began to Preach the meekness of the Christian institution salvation and promises charity and humility there was a zeal set up against them The Apostles were zealous for the Gospel The Jews were zealous for the Law And see what different effect these two zeals did produce The zeal of the Law came to this They stirred up the City they made tumults they sent parties of Souldiers to silence and to imprison the Preachers c. But the zeal of the Apostles was this They Preached publickly and privatly they prayed for all men they wept to God for the hardness of mens hearts they became all things to all men c. They endured every man and wronged no man They would do any good thing and suffer any evill if they had but hopes to prevail upon a Soul They perswaded men meekly they entreated them humbly they convinced them powerfully they watched for their good but medled not with their interest c. L. Hatton in the Preface to his Psalter Of Union HE that is ready to joyn with all the societies of Christians in the world in those things which are certainly true just and pious gives great probation that he hath at least animum Catholicum no Schismatical Soul because he would actually communicate with all Christendome if bona fides in falso articulo sincere perswasion be it true or false did not disoblige him since he clearly distinguishes persons from things and in all good things communicates with persons bad enough in others This is the Communion of Charity
scornfully refuse it I am not guilty of the bloud of Christ which I highly honour and Minister to those only that seem to me to thirst after it and receive it with fear and reverence after profession of Faith and Obedience If by Praelatical formal superstitious usages you mean those decent Orders and Rites which have been established and used in the Church of England I have much to say for the Lawfulness of them yet am ready to submit to the commands of my Superiors when they shall establish another way agreeable to Gods word I will neither shut my eyes against the light nor resist the Spirit of Christ for which I daily pray The way of holiness I conceive doth not exclude laudable Forms and Customs which serve for edification in holiness Me thinks it is very fit the body should act a part in the service of God with the Soul for both are Gods I had almost forgot that you say I have no Call to do what I do If Mr. H. hath as lawful a Call as I I will seek Communion with him the next day I know it The out-comers that will make use of my Ministry I cannot deny so long as they have no Pastor that will own them upon lawful conditions for the conditions of that same new Covenant are not right in the eyes of very knowing orderly and well-disposed People It had been methinks a good way to have proposed that Covenant to debate among Neighbouring Ministers before it had been obtruded on the People under penalty of loss of Communion The excellent Scriptures you commend unto me I have considered and will give you my sense of them when I see what deductions you can make thence against me I do think there are as good Preachers and as holy men of that way which you call Prelatical as are under Heaven quos longè sequar vestigia semper adoro I speak of Jewels Hookers Ushers Halls Lakes Andrews I could weary you with names worthy of eternal memory It is easy to call yours the Lord's they that are truly so I honour not despise and others a loose dead-hearted carnal party For my part I judge no man but pray that we may all labour to make our calling sure and work out our own salvation with fear and Trembling By the Grace of God we are what we are if there be any good in any of us That Spirit of Grace whose name you say hath been among some a derided thing who have given the occasion to that derision I will not say is by all sober persons ever to be magnified and adored Without which you say well I cannot approve my self a member of his body much less a Minister of Christ And therefore I pray for that Spirit and not expecting new Revelations study what is the mind of the Spirit in the Holy Scripture For the explication whereof because a late Doctor of ours hath done more than any in this Age I commend his paraphrase to you on the New Testament specially on the Texts you cite to me and desire you to peruse Sine Studio partium his Treatise prefixed concerning the New Lights and if you look upon his Exposition of the Apocalyps you will have no cause to repent of your pains Having mentioned this Author of no less piety and modesty than Learning and judgement I would gladly know your opinion of his Latin Book against Blondell If either Blondell be right for Presbytery or He for Episcopacy vide si vacat Thorndik of Prim. Gâ—ver cap. ult of the Right of the Church both waies your New-Church-way will prove plainly Schismatical I do verily believe the power of Godliness may be upheld without the overthrow of antient forms Nor can I be so irreverent to our Fore-fathers ever since the Reformation much less to all Antiquity as to slight and condemn what they either appointed or retained My rule is this Rites of Religion not opposite to Scripture may lawfully be used What say you against it Have they not also if they make for order and Edification a reall tendency in your phrase to advance Jesus Christ What tendency to this end is in the countenancing of Un-ordained Ministers and in usurping a Power of Government in the Church which Christ hath deposited in other hands and in setting up ignorant Persons to be publike Orators I confess Dear Sir I do not understand And my opposition against such waies proceeds meerly of duty In which opposition I shall carry my self with all Moderation approving and imitating what is commendable in the Adversary while I oppose what I can prove to be blameable Him will I willingly confer with either by my tongue or pen in such manner as I may safely do it but much rather with your self because I conceive you are of a sweeter temper that I mention not parts Learning and the like things which although without Grace they are not much to be valued yet are very useful and subservient to the work of God Wherein I heartily desire to joyn with you so far as I can and I hope in whatsoever we be differently minded God will in time reveal even that to us To his gracious direction and blessing I commend you and your labours praying that as you are endowed with precious gifts of Zeal Elocution Learning Judgement Meekness so you may employ them happily to the Glory of the Donor in procuring the Unity and Tranquillity of his Church Your servant in Christ C. B. Nov. 2. 1653. Mr. B. to Mr. H. Novem. 7. 1653. SIR I Am assured you are resolved to hold your publick meeting on Wednesday next and I am desired by some of your Neighbours as well as your self to be present I intend God willing to wait on you at your hour on this condition that you permit me being Respondent to stand in your Pue that I may be seen and heard the better and be free from the croud You and if they be present Master Palmer and Master Tray I will embrace and only you in order as my Opponents placing your selves a part as you shall see most convenient That the people abstain from all rudeness and disturbance of our work your Officers must take care Qu. Whether it be lawful to administer and receive the Holy Sacrament in Congregations called mixt Aff. My meaning is clearly to affirm what you deny though my Terms are not just the same Yours in the Truth C. B. All was granted but the Pue An Answer to a Question proposed by the separating Minister to one of the Parish of W. 1653. Qu. Of what Church are You 1. I Am a member of the Parish Church wherein I live which although it be much distracted by a Minister of separation yet it is not destroyed Although we cannot come to the usual place for the present safely and without danger of being engaged in Prayers against our Conscience and of being seduced by erroneous doctrin and much offended and grieved by uncharitable
Mr. B. and Mr. To. retired to their Inn whither the Baylifs and Churchwardens and some other honest men of the Town came to them and gave them thanks The next morning was deliver'd to a Servant of the Parish a Paper to be presented to Mr. H. and published declaring that some Neighbouring Ministers would be ready by Gods help on the Monday following to make good in the same place against Mr. H. and his brethren this necessary Truth which they deny That Parish-Churches of England are the true Churches of Jesus Christ They came but could not prevail with Mr. H. to come forth to Answer Wherefore after some little conference with him at his own house with the Account whereof I shall not now detein you Mr. B. departed and Preacht at Sudeley concluding with an exhortation to Peace and Unity and with an earnest Request to the Congregation that they would give no offence neither by word nor deed to the other party When the Account of the former Dispute was come down Mr. B. sent two Copies one to Mr. H. another to Mr. W. enclosed in these Letters which being come unto my hand I think fit not to conceal and shall adde unto them some other since to the end you may the better understand the Temper of the Author and in what condition he is at this present December 17. 1653. Master Helm HAd you hearkned unto me and embraced my motion for a private conference both you and I had saved some trouble but since the matter is come thus far I intreat you to peruse the account with judgement and let me receive from you any thing that may serve for the perfecting of it I have not wronged you nor do I remember any greater provocation in my former Letters but that I once said Your simple Disciples which word I have cause to retract finding by experience that they have much more of the Serpent than of the Dove From them I suppose rather than from your self is a tempest a raising against me in the Higher Region The opinion I have had of your Moderation and Ingenuity yea and some degree of friendship with you formerly enclines me to hope that by your discretion all may be calmed However being not conscious to my self of any evill Doing either against private or publick persons I do securely wait for the Event I am enemy to no man that 's my Religion They that make it a part of their Religion to persecute Dissenters must take heed lest at their great peril they do good to those they malign for that Good will accrew to those that suffer for the Truth is out of question with Your Servant C. B. Decem. 9. Master Wells IF so high a comparison may be used it may be said of us as it was of two great Romans by the Historian They learned in the same that which in contrary camps they practized You and I were collegues in our Youth and lately had some clashing But Sir I wish you to use no carnal weapons for I am informed there is some intent of force to be offered me Forbear I pray and take off any such prosecution Let us proceed in debate of what is in controversy if you please to proceed without any other arms but such as become Scholars and Divines that is reasons and Arguments You shall find me I assure you on the word of a Christian very willing to yield to any thing I cannot answer Read the enclosed as if you were not a party but a judge and remember the conclusion in Minutius Faelix if you cannot forget you are a party Tu victor mei ego erroris Do not disdain to write your mind to your old acquaintance and Countryman and if you permit Loving friend still Cl. Barksdale Decem. 9. To the Right Worshipful Richard Aylworth Esquire and to the rest of the worthy Justices met at Winchcomb Decem. 17. 1653. Noble Sir TO you I address my self and by you to the rest of the worthy Justices present with you protesting my readiness to wait on you and to be obedient to the present Governours in all lawful things and namely in using or not using the Book of Common Prayer I am ready to use it if it be permitted as I suppose it is by Order of the Council of State November 12. last and I am ready †Never with contempt to lay it aside if they require it to be laid aside For I never thought it the only way of serving God I have done nothing in contempt of any Act or Ordinance of State I have ever Preacht Obedience to Superiours Nor do I desire to live any longer than I may be a profitable Member of this Common-wealth in my little sphear And you will be so tender I hope of the Honour of publick Justice as not to condemn such a man unheard Let not Christian Gentlemen and Englishmen be less equal than Pagan Romans You will in your piety and wisdom I hope give a check to the violence of my Accusers whose Religion is Revenge You will in your Charity and Goodness endeavour so far as lawfully you may the preservation of Gods Servant and your poor Friend Cl. Barksdale Decem. 17. 1653. To Master William Towers Decem. 17. 1653. Dear Sir AS God hath vouchsafed us the honour to appear for some Great Truths in our Religion so it seemeth by the Justices proceeding at Winchcomb we shall have this second honour to suffer for them Te Deum laudamus I have sent them a Letter this morn to put them in mind of the manner of the Romans I hope 't will not seem to them Antichristian not to condemn men unheard I do not find in my self any fear of them Though I cannot say as the good Archbishop Whitgift said He had two things to give him courage against his potent Adversaries Orbitatem Senectutem being in the midst of my Course and being call'd Father by six little motherless children Yet I can say Si Deus nobiscum and take courage enough from the Cause If all the world oppose it Truth is Truth and God is Truth To whose Grace and protection I commend us and all ours Your assured friend and Brother C. B. C. B. to D. W. December 19. 53. SIR It is very true that I told you the first draught of that dispute was the work but of one day while the memory of it was fresh and the carefull observer is no other than the Respondent himself who is not ashamed to own as well the penning as the publishing of it My worthy friend that stood in subsidiis if he hath noted any considerable Defect in it may do well as I requested him to send me his supplement But the setting down an Enthymen for a Syllogism and the omission of little matters on the by I conceive is no very considerable want Indeed there was a passage between him and the opponents concerning the Institution of the Sacrament which because I found not
and when the Communion of belief is interrupted by misperswasion on one side and too much confidence and want of Charity on the other the erring party hath humane infirmity to excuse him but the uncharitable nothing at all This therefore is the best and surest way because we are all apt to be deceived to be sincere in our disquisitions modest in our determinations charitable in our censures and apt to communicate in things of evident truth and confessed holiness Since all Christians of any publick confession and Government that is all particular and national Churches agree in the matter of prayers and the great object God in the mystery of the Trinity if the Church of Rome would make her Addresses to God only through Jesus Christ our Lord and leave the Saints in the Calendar without drawing them into her Offices which they might do without any prejudice to the sutes they ask unless Christ's intercession without their conjuncture were imperfect that we might all once pray together we might hope for the blessings of Peace and Charity to be upon us all Hieronymus Zanchius in Confess Cap. 24. 19. De Ecclesia NOn enim ab Ecclesia Romana simpliciter in omnibus defecimus sed in illis duntaxat rebus in quibus ipsa defecit ab Apostolica atque adeo à seipsa veteri pura Ecclesia neque alio discessimus animo quà m ut si correcta ad priorem Ecclesiae formam redeat nos quoque ad illam revertamur communionem cum illa in suis porrâ— coetibus habeamus Quod ut tandem fiat toto animo Dominum Jesum precamur Quid enim pâ—o cuique optatius quam ut ubi per Baptismum renati sumus ibi etiam in finem usque vivamus modo in Domino Ego H. Z. cum tota mea familia testatum hoc volo toti Ecclesiae Christi in omnem aeternitatem Huic pii viri sententiae libenter subscribit C. B. Idem in observat ad Cap. 5. ATtque haec de patrum autoritate à quibus nisi manifestissimis rationibus cogar me pro mea tenera conscientia vel in dogmatibus vel etiam in scripturarum interpretationibus praesertim ubi plerique omnes consentiunt deflectere non audere toti Ecclesiae Christi ingenuè fateor Et postea Hoc ego ingenuè denuò profiteor talem esse meam conscientiam ut à veterum patrum sive dogmatibus sive scripturarum interpretationibus non facile nisi vel manifestis sacrarum literarum testimoniis vel necessariis consequentiis apertisque demonstrationibus convictus atque coactus discedere queam Sic exim acquiescit mea conscientia in hac ment is quiete cupio etiam mori Idem ad Cap. 25. QUid quòd in Ecclesiis etiam Protestantium non desunt reipsa Episcopi Archiepiscopi quos mutatis bonis Graecis nominibus in malè Latina vocant superintendentes generales superintendentes Sed ubi etiam neque illa vetera bona Graeca neque haec nova malè Latina nomina obtinent ibi tamen solent esse aliquot primarii penes quos fere tota est autoritas De nominibus ergo fuerit controversia verùm cum de rebus convenit quid de nominibus altercamur Idem in fine PRecor omnes Christianos per Dominum Jesum ut positis vanis privatorum hominum somniis positis etiam propriis carnis affectibus odiis inimicitiis amplexi verò certum ac salutarem veteris Ecclesiae doctrinam Christianamque dilectionem coeamus omnes in unam fidem sanctamque amicitiam sicut nobis quoque omnibus unus est Deus unus Mediator unum Baptisma una spes vocationis nostrae ad gloriam nominis Dei Ecclesiae aedificationem salutemque animorum nostrorum Citius enim quam putamus sistemur ante tribunal Christi ut referat unusquisque prout se gessit in corpore in hac vita quando post hanc vitam nulla spes veniae nullus resipiscentiae locus est Hooker in his Preface Sect. 4. A Very strange thing sure it were that such a Discipline as ye speak of should be taught by Christ and his Apostles in the word of God and no Church ever have found it out nor received it till this present time contrariwise the Government against which ye bend your selves be observed every where throughout all generations and ages of the Christian world no Church ever perceiving the word of God to be against it We require you to find out but one Church upon the face of the whole earth that hath been ordered by your Discipline or hath not been orderd by ours that is to say by Episcopal regiment sithence the time that the blessed Apostles were here conversant The same Sect. 6. AS for the Orders which are established sith equity and reason the Law of Nature God and man do all favour that which is in being till orderly judgement of decision be given against it it is but justice to exact of you and perverseness in you it should be to deny thereunto your willing obedience Not that I judge it a thing allowable for men to observe those Laws which in their hearts they are stedfastly perswaded to be against the Law of God but your perswasion in this case ye are all bound for the time to suspend and in otherwise doing ye offend against God by troubling his Church without any just or necessary cause The same Sect. 8. AGain it may justly be feared whether our English Nobility when the matter came in tryal would contentedly suffer themselves to be alwaies at the call and to stand to the sentence of a number of mean persons assisted with the presence of their poor teacher a man as sometimes it hapneth though better able to speak yet little or no whit apter to judge than the rest From whom be their dealings never so absurd unless it be by way of complaint to a Synod no appeal may be made unto any one of higher power in as much as the order of your Discipline admitteth no standing inequality of Courts no Spiritual Judge to have any ordinary Superior on earth but as many Supremacies as there are Parishes and several Congregations Neither is it altogether without cause that so many do fear the overthrow of all learning as a threatned sequel of this your intended Discipline For if the worlds preservation depend upon the multitude of the wise and of that sort the number hereafter be not likely to wax over great when that wherewith the Son of Syrach professeth himself at the heart grieved men of understanding are already so little set by how should their minds whom the love of so precious a Jewel filleth with secret jealousy even in regard of the least things which may any way hinder the flourishing estate thereof choose but misdoubt lest this Discipline which alwaies you match with Divine Doctrine as her natural and true Sister be found unto all kinds of knowledge a
from all corruptions in doctrine Add the great benefit that accrews to the Congregation in having discreet well-formed prayers and so not subject to the temerity and impertinences of the sudden effusions and the same still in constant use and so not strange or new to them but such as they may with understanding go along with the Minister and by the help of their Memory the most ignorant may carry them away for his private use Pract. Catech. lib. 3. sect 2. Melancthon Calvino 1543. Maii. 11. SCio Deum inter fatales Imperiorum tumultus Ecclesiam suam servare mirabiliter Non igitur frangamur animis sed dum possumus sonemus ut conversus Latro in cruce doctrinam de Filio Dei deque arcana sapientia quae est Ecclesiae propria de magnitudine humanae infirmitatis de poenitentia fiducia promissae misericordiae propter filium de vera invocatione veris Ecclesiae virtutibus de mysteriis non polluendis de Ecclesiae politia non illa quam fingunt Pontifices sed qualis fuit Prophetarum Apostolorum denique de vita aeterna Ad harum maximarum rerum doctrinam ornandam transfer as velim eloquentiom tuam quae confirmare nostros terrere adversarios sanabiles juvare poterit Fortassis nostra Germania paulo post à Turcis vastabitur quod si fiet eo magis vobis alibi in locis tutioribus studia literarum excitanda erunt pugnandum vehementius ut in reliqua Europa Evangelii lucem accendatis retineatis Quod ad quaestionem de praedestinatione habebam amicum Tubingae doctum hominem Franciscum Stadianum qui dicere solebat se utrumque probare evenire omnia ut divina providentia decrevit tamen esse contingentia sed se haec conciliare non posse Ego cum hypothesin hanc teneam Deum non esse causam peccati nec velle peccatum postea contingentiam in hac nostra infirmitate judicii admitto ut sciant rudes Davidem sua voluntate ultro ruere eundem sentio cum haberet Spiritum Sanctum potuisse eum retinere in ea lucta aliquem esse voluntatis actionem Haec etiamsi subtilius disputari possunt tamen ad regendas mentes hoc modo proposit◠accommodata videntur Accusemus ipsi nostram voluntatem cum labimur non quaeramus in Dei consilio causam contra eam nos erigamus sciamus Deum velle opitulari adesse luctantibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inquit Basilius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Excitetur ergo cura in nobis laudetur Dei immensa bonit as quum promisit auxilium praestat Haec non scribo ut tibi tradam quasi dictata homini eruditissimo ac peritissimo exercitiorum pietatis Et quidem scio haec cum tuis congruere sed sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad usum accommodata Haec Bonnae scripsi apud D. Bucerum cum eo accersitus est ut Ecclesias in Diocesi Coloniensi emendaret Haec consilia Deo piis votis commendes Philippus Melancthon Of the power of the Congregation LEt not any man think now that the Apostle communicateth this power with the Congregation of the Church of Corinth when he writeth to them 1 Cor. 5. 4 5. being assembled with his spirit to deliver the incestuous person to Satan For it is plain that the sentence is given by the Apostle vers 3. where he writeth For I verily as absent in body but present in spirit have judged already as though I were present concerning him that hath so done this deed And to cause this proceeding to be the better digested he hath vouched his power in the end of the chapter afore verse 18. Now some are puffed up as though I would not come unto you but I will come unto you shortly if the Lord will and will know not the speech of them that are puffed up but the power What will you shall I come unto you with a rod or with the spirit of meekness Which power otherwhiles he setteth before them in case of their disobedience And therefore it must be acknowledged that he writeth to them to see his sentence published ratified and executed which the Presbyters there had either neglected to do or perhaps were not able to bring the people under the Discipline of Christ's Kingdom which must needs oblige the Apostle to interpose And this without doubt is the reason why the Apostle writeth in these terms 1 Cor. 5. 12. For what have I to do to judge those that are without do not ye judge those that are within speaking to the Church in general though the sentence passed by Bishop and Presbyters because matters were censured in the Congregation and executed by the people And thus the practice of that time giveth a reason without straining why our Lord seemeth to refer these matters to the Congregation when he saith Tell it to the Church because they passed at their Assemblies though under Censure of Bishop and Presbyters And great reason there is why this regard should be had by the Apostle and by the Church afterwards to the People because the Church being a meer spiritual Commonwealth and not indued with temporal strength so much as to execute those sentences which the power of the Keys given by Christ obligeth it to inflict always setting wide that power of working miracles which was in the Apostle upon which some think he reflecteth in some passages of those Epistles requisite it was then the Congregation should be satisfied of the course of those proceedings which must come into execution and effect by their voluntary submission to the will of God and the office of his Ministers And as the matter is now that things of this nature proceed not upon mens private Consciences and Judgments in particulars but upon general rules of Common right requisite it is that the Common-wealth have satisfaction of those Laws according to which the Church now must proceed in their censures it being acknowledged that they cannot proceed with effect but by vertue of those Laws that are put in force by the secular Arm. Mr. Thorndike of Prim. Government p. 144. Reader Take for a Conclusion of all at this time that too pertinent Relation which you may read more at large in Mr. Hookers preface collected out of Guy de bres Of the Errour of the Anabaptists THey so much affected to cross the ordinary custome in every thing that when other mens use was to put on better attire they would be sure to shew themselves openly abroad in worse the ordinary names of the days in the week they thought it a kind of prophaness to use and therefore accustomed themselves to make no other distinction than by numbers The first second third day-They boldly avouched that themselves only had the truth and that since the Apostles lived the same was never before in all points sincerely taught Other disputation against their opinions
than only by allegation of Scripture they would not hear besides it they thought no other writings in the world should be studyed in so much as one of their great Prophets exhorting them to cast away all respects unto human writings so far to his motion they condescended that as many as had any Books save the Holy Bible in their custody they brought and set them publickly on fire When they and their Bibles were alone together what strange phantasticall opinion soever at any time enterd into their heads their use was to think the Spirit taught it them Their own Ministers they highly magnified as men whose vocation was from God the rest their manner was to term disdainfully Scribes and Pharisees to account their calling an human creature and to detein the people as much as might be from heâ—ring them The custome of using God-fathers and God-mothers at Christnings they scorned Baptizing of Infants although confest by themselves to have been continued ever sithence the Apostles own times yet they altogether condemned The Eucharist they received pretending our Lord and Saviours example after Supper and for avoiding all those impieties which have been grounded upon the mysticall words of Christ This is my Body This is my Blood they thought it not safe to mention either body or blood in that Sacrament but rather to abrogate both and to use no words but these Take eate declare the death of our Lord Drink shew forth our Lords Death In rites and ceremonies their profession was hatred of all conformity with the Church of Rome for which cause they would rather endure any torment than observe the solemn Festivals which others did in as much as Antichrist they said was the first inventor of them The pretended end of their civil reformation was that Christ might have dominion over all that all Crowns and Scepters might be thrown down at his feet that no other might reign over Christian men but He no regiment to keep them in awe but his disciplin amongst them no sword at all to be carried besides his the sword of spirituall excommunication They laboured to bring in Community of goods because Christ by his Apostles hath given the world such example to the end that men might excell one another not in wealth the pillar of secular Authority but in vertue These men at the first were only pityed in their errour and by a mercifull Toleration they gatherd strength much more than was safe for the state of the Commonmonwealth wherein they lived The means whereby they both allured and reteined so great multitudes were most effectuall First a wonderfull shew of zeall towards God wherewith they seemed to be even rapt in every thing they spake Secondly an hatred of sin and a singular love of integrity which men did think to be much more than ordinary in them by reason of the custome which they had to fill the ears of the people with invectives against their authorized guides as well Spirituall as Civill Thirdly the bountifull relief wherewith they eased the broken estate of such needy creatures as were in that respect the more apt to be drawn away Fourthly a tender compassion which they were thought to take upon the miseries of the common sort over whose hearts their manner was even to powr down showers of tears in complaining that no respect was had unto them Lastly a cunning slight which they had to stroke and smooth up the minds of their Followers as well by appropriating unto them all the favourable titles the good words and the gracious promises in Scripture as also by casting the contrary always on the heads of such as were severed from that retinue Whereupon the peoples common Acclamation unto such Deceivers was These are verily the men of God these are his true and sincere Prophets Nothing more clear unto their seeming than that a New Jerusalem being often spoken of in Scriptures they undoubtedly were themselves that New Jerusalem and the Old did by way of a certain figurative resemblance signify what they should both be and do Here they drew in a Sea of matter by applying all things unto their own company which are any where spoken concerning divine favours and benefits bestowed upon the old Commonwealth of Israel concluding that as Israel was deliverd out of Egypt so they spiritually out of the Egypt of the worlds servile thraldom unto sin and superstition as Israel was to root out the Idolatrous Nations and to plant in stead of them a people which feared God so the Lords good will and pleasure was now that these new Israelits should under the conduct of other Joshuas Samsons and Gedeons perform a work no less miraculous in casting out violently the wicked from the earth and establishing the Kingdom of Christ with perfect liberty Now whatsoever they did in such sort collect out of Scripture when they came to justify or perswade it unto others all was the heavenly Fathers appointment his Commandement his will and charge These men in whose mouths at the first sounded nothing but onely mortification of the flesh were come at the length to think they might lawfully have their six or seven wives apeece They which at the first taught judgment and justice it self to be merciless cruelly accompted at the length their own hands sanctified with being imbrued in Christian blood They who at the first were wont to beat down all dominion had at the length both Consuls and Kings of their own creation amongst themselves Finally they which could not brook at the first that any man should seek no not by law the recovery of goods injuriously taken or withheld from him were grown at the last to think they could not offer unto God more acceptable sacrifice than by turning their Adversaries clean out of house and home and by enriching themselves with all kind of spoil and pilage which thing being layd to their charge they had in a readiness their answer that now the time was come when according to our Saviours promise The Meek ones must inherit the Earth Jan. 6. THE END