be viz. when Antichrist according to Paul whose Epistles Peter conversed with 2 Pet. 3. 15. should be revealed In respect of each of which the title is applicable to the present Ministers 1. They assume the title of Teachers falsly as is proved chap. 3. of S. T. 2dly They teach false things as we demonstrate ch 5. 10. of S. T. 3dly That they are teachers of a great part of the Lie of Antichrist their Discipline Worship and Doctrine thereabout being for the most part hammered at his forge cannot be denied Secondly Of them it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they shall bring in Heresies of destruction The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to bring in besides i. e. besides mens expectations or besides the Truth taught by Godly Teachers by themselves in part also to countenance their Errors so the Assembly They shall do it fraudulently under the vizard of Truth so Aretius They shall do it privily and subtilly pretending a shew of Piety and name of the Church so Gerh. Heresies of cestruction are no other but the Heresies or false Doctrines of Antichriâ—â— such as destroy and lay waste the Church the Truths and Institutions of Christ being alien and contrary to what is of his prescription and are supported by force and violence against them that do oppose them For which at the last swift destruction is brought upon themselves Upon which account Antichrist as is thought is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 9. 11. i. e. a Destroyer and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Thess 2. 3. the son of destruction or perdition That the Ministers and Church of England do thus is too evident to admit of a denial They assume to themselves the name of the Church cry out against all others that separate from them as Hereticks and Schismaticks preach some truth with which they slily mix their Errours that lay waste the Institutions of Christ and persecute all these imprison waste ruine destroy them or at the least attempt it to the utmost of their power that stand up against their Innovations and Church-destroying Doctrines The greatest difficulty may seem to be in those words that are spoken of them Thirdly That they shall deny the Lord that bought them the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They denied not that he bought them if it be meant of Christ but denied him as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Lord cast off in part at least his Authority as sole King and Lord of his Church And this too not openly and in words which is against the express letter of the Text they shall privily or slily bring it in but in practice doing that which doth invelop or wrap up in it a denial of the Despotical or Kingly Office and Authority of Christ And this saith Grotius the word signifies De tali desertione quae non verbo sed reipsa fiat figurate usurpatur Hugo Grot. Whence Dux Gregis the Captain of this Herd is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that lawless-one that despiseth sets light by the Laws and Authority of Christ That hereof the present Ministers are guilty we prove chap. 4. 5. of S. T. So that not one of the Scriptures produced but may justly be applyed to them And the Conforming-Ministers are rightly charged as the false Prophets of the Jews are in the places produced in S. T. This Mr. T. denies but if he would have made good his denial in my conceit he should have produced the particular places mentioned and manifested that they could not properly be applyed to them But he knew an easier way Mentiris Bellarmine mentiris a few keen words against his Antagonist would cost him little 'T is true he tells us that the present Ministers teach the Fundamentals of Christian Religion but what he means by the Fundamentals of Religion he tells us not Doth he intend that they own one God c. so did the false-Prophets The great Fundamental of true Religion is That God is to be worshipped according to the Revelation he hath made of himself in the Scriptures of Truth that all we do in his Worship and Service that relates to it as such be bottom'd on divine prescript This fundamental they deny introducing the Ordinances and Inventions of man and making these a part of Worship A departure from which is the ground of all the Apostacy that ever was in the World 4thly This Animadverter's plea for the Church and Ministers of England is not much better than what was or might have been made use of by Jeroboam himself for his Ministry Church and Worship Touching which precious Ainsworth in his Arrow against Idolatry ch 3. introduceth Jeroboam speaking after this rate I see my course O men of Israel to be much suspected if not wholly misliked of many some thinking my Ceremonies to savour too rankly of Heathen Superstition some charging me plainly with flat Apostasie and forsaking of God But how far off I am from all such Impiety I hope to manifest to all indifferent persons chiefly sith that I have neither spoken nor done against any Article of the Ancient Faith not changed any Fundamental Ordinance of Religion The very plea of Mr. T. for the present Ministers given us by Moses but worship with reverence the God of my Fathers and love him as I am taught with all my heart and with all my soul cleaving unto him alone who is my life and the length of my dayes Other Godds of the Nations I utterly abhor with all their impure rites and services The alteration I have made is in matters of circumstance things whereof there is no express certain or permanent Law given us of God and which are variable as time place or person give occasion and such as good Kings have changed before me and have been blameless This the sum upon which he dilates excellently and Sect. 12. introduceth him asserting his Worship for substance to be the same that God commanded by Moses We worship saith he the same God we offer the Sacrifices of Beeves and Sheep burn Incense pay First-fruits and Tythes and observe all the Ordinances that our Fathers have kept since the World began We hold the main Article of our Messiah to come and of Redemption from our sins by him Thus plausibly with much more mentioned by that worthy person before-named in his Arrow against Idolatry a Tract to say no more worthy the perusal Might Jeroboam plead for himself and practice as Josephus tells us he did B. 8. Jews Antiq. â—ap 3. yet are his wayes and worship abominable and not to be joyned with And yet Mr. T. hath not hitherto said more for the justification of the Ministers and Worship of England Parvas habet spes Troja si tales habet If no more can be pleaded in defence of the present Ministers and Worship than Jeroboam could plead for his Innovations and horrible Apostacy from God their case is deplorable indeed Sect. 11. In the height of the
than all is and shall be for your good 2. He speaks to the particular Church of Corinth of which neither Paul nor Apollos nor Gephas were Pastors or Teachers 3. He is condemning them upon the account of their crying up and preferring one before another upon the supposition of the excellency of gifts some thought they saw in one others in the other which caused them to side and tumultuate the one against the other To allay which amongst other things he tells them All is theirs whether Paul c. i. e. the gifts of the one and the other were for their use â—nd emolument as the Lord was pleased in his providence to cast them amongst them 4. He speaks of extraordinary unlimited Officers tâ—at were to continue but for a season and whilst they were fixed and â—etled in no particular Church so that the Corinthians might lay as much claim to them upon that account as any other Therefore National Ministers may be Ministers of Christ is this Animadverter's Logick whâ—ch when I purpose ludicrè sophisticare I may imitate him in What follows viz. That a man may be a Commissioner for approbation of Publick Preachers throughout a Nation as Mr. T. was when that was in fashion and so a National Minister or an Itinerant Preacher and yet be a Minister of Christ is not at all to the purpose 1. If Mr. T. look'd upon himself as such an one when he sate at White-Hall amongst the Tryers I know many of theâ— that then sate there did not And in the sense I speak of National Ministers as explained in the beginning of this Section he could not be one 2dly Some at least of the then Tryers were so far from being National Ministers that to my knowledge they were not Ministers at all but private Gentlemen whom the then Powers thought fit to entrust with the management of that affair Sect. 16. No National Church under the Oeconomy of the Gospel The National Church of England destitute of what Mr. T. makes essential of a true Church Somewhat more essential to a true Church than the truth of Doctrine of Faith the truth of Worship the truth of holy Conversation viz. Segregation and Aggregation proved The Aâ—imadverter's Argument retorted upon himself Though every defect of Order doth not nullifie a Church yet the defect of that Order that is of the essence of a true Church doth Of the Disorders of the Church of Corinth Their impertinent Allegation by the Animadverter of Synods the learned Whitaker's judgment of them and General Councils These no proof for National Churches Of many particular Congregations under one Presbyterial Government These may be yet no National Church The Church of Jerusalem but one particular Congregation meeting together in the same place for celebration of Ordinances How this Church was the pattern of all other Churches Mr. T. his Cavils refuted THe next attempt of Mr. T. in this Section is to prove a National Church so denominated from their subjection to some Canon-Rulers Ecclesiastical which is the National Church we are enquiring after or conveening by Deputies in some National Synod though not of Divine Institution is a true Church This seems at first blush to be a difficult task to assert a Church not of Divine Institution to be a Church of God for so 't is if a true Church his Temple Tabernacle in which he walks and dwells is to me such a Paradox as requires a strong brain and hard forehead to make good But Aquila non capit muscas nothing but what others despair of ever accomplishing is thought by daring spirits worthy the attempting We attend his proofs Thus he argues They may be a true Church who have all things essential to a Church and nothing destructive of its being such But a National Church may have all things essential to a Church c. Therefore Answ Very good We deny his minor Proposition that a National Church may have all things essential to a Church c. What saith he for the proof of it He tells us that a National Church may have the truth of Doctrine of Faith the truth of Worship the truth of holy Conversation besides which there is nothing essential to a true Church Answ But this is gratis dictum and without proof 1. That Mr. T. can give us an account of any National Church under the Oeconomy of the Gospel concerning which it may be affirmed that the truth of the Doctrine of Faith the truth of Worship the truth of holy Conversation did appertain to it i. e. if I do not much mistake him it hath been sound in Doctrinals the true Worship of Christ hath been managed and carried on in it and the particular members thereof i. e. the multitude of the Inhabitants of the Nation holy and righteous will not hastily be believed by such as have thought themselves concerned to look into these matters As for the Church of England we suppose he will not have the confidence to assert that it may be truly affirmed of it that the members thereof are so qualified The frequent staggering and shameful spewings through excess that we daily behold in no small number even of the Captains and chief of this Herd evince the contrary Of the soundness of their Doctrine we give an account Chap. 11. and of the truth of their Worship Chap. 8. But 2dly The Animadverter full well knew that his Antagonists look not not upon the particulars instanced in to be the Essentials of a Church We Country-folk are not wont to say that when the materials of an House are fitted and brought together the House is built there must be an orderly forming and placing of each piece in the building according to the Scheme or Platform thereof before this can be affirmed of it And therefore hic pes figendus he should have manifested the truth of his dictate that besides these there is nothing essential to a true Church We are apt to think that two things over and above whâ—t is instanc'd in by him are so essential to a true Church that without them it is not such 1. Segregation or separation from the wicked carnal formal hypocritical world and the worship thereof of which chap. 4. of the S. T. and in our Epistle to the Reader prefixt to this Treatise 2. Aggregation or a solemn gathering together by free and mutual consent into particular Congregations in the fear of the great God gâ—ving up our selves to him and one another according to his will to â—alk together in the fellowship of the Gospel in obedience to all the Institutions and Appointments of our dear Lord. 1. That thus it should be in Gospel-dayes the Prophets of old bear their Testimony Jer. 50. 5. Come let us †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which points forth not a casual aggregation not a forc'd conjunction but a free and voluntary giving up themselves to the Lord and to one another 'T is used of such a conjunction
the Sabbath Baptism Lord's Supper c. and I do so in this dispute Answ Egregie dictum excellently said indeed as if because we affirm that whatever is to be practised in Instituted Worship in the time of the Gospel is to be wholly bottom'd as to the Law and Precept instituting it upon some Commandment of Christ in the New-Testament therefore we assert that no use may be made of the Scriptures of the Old-Testament treating thereabout by way of prophecy or otherwise which is a Consequence this learned Animadverter will never be able to make good 'T is true many learned men do make use of some places of the Old-Testament to prove the morality of one day in seven or the seventh part of time not as I remember except Psa 118. 24 which some conceive by way of prophecy speaks of the Lord 's honouring the first day for the confirmation of the observation of the first day which they conceive Christ's resurrection on that day the practice of the Primitive-Church meeting together for the solemn Worship of God 1 Cor. 16. 2. Acts 20. 7. the appellation the Lord's Day which they judge is given to it c. is a sufficient warrant for their observation thereof in Gospel-times They plead not for Baptism or the Lord's Supper upon any other bottom than Gospel-Institution or their preception by Christ in the New-Testament Though 't is true as touching the subjects of the one and the other they judg they may by way of analogy argue somewhat from Old-Testament-Scriptures from which apprehension they see nothing so weighty in what is tendred by Mr. T. notwithstanding his brag and immodest Assertion pag. 18. Sect. 14. that such a way of arguing is irrational as if wisdom rested with him and he had the measure of it and a man could not differ from him but he must be a block or bruit to influence their departure That because the granting the Assertion would be disadvantagious to the Author and the Separatists therefore it should be in Mr. T. his opinion an unreasonable postulatum to devolve the question upon the Scriptures of the New-Testament I understand not He takes not a measure I presume of the reasonableness or unreasonableness of requests from their advantagiousness or disadvantagiousness to such contemptible creatures as we and should he do so he were much to blame as to infer from hence therefore I see no reasonableness in his Postulatum which is introduced not as the natural issue of any thing premised which he knows it is not but meerly for pomp and shew Sect. 3. The judgments of the Antients no sufficient substratum to build my practice upon in the Worship of God The opinion of the Antients â—hemselves in this matter None but the Spirit of God speaking in the Scriptures can satisfie the consciences of any dissatisfied in matters relating to Worship Our Faith not to be resolved into the Testimony of men which is a principle decryed by the Antients and Protestant Churches The consciences of none can be satisfied in what is written by the Ancients before they are assured 1. that what they read as or are told is theirs be indeed so and not counterfeited nor adulterated 2. That in their Writings they were as the Apostles and Prophets guided by an unerring Spirit The true use of the Testimony of the Ancients Congregational-Principles owned by them Of Councils and Schoolmen THe fourth Section is fronted with this The judgement of the Ancients not useless in this Controversie as if the Author of the Sober-Testimony had asserted it to be so which Mr. T. knows he no where doth This indeed the words of the Author not perplexing our selves nor the consciences of any with the judgments of men in generations past wherein they cannot acquiesce fairly intimate 1. That the judgment of none of the children of men though never so famous in their generation since the Apostles fell asleep is a sufficient Substratum to build my faith and practice upon in the Worship of my God In which we have the concurrence of the Ancients themselves Basil tels us that it is necessary and consonant to Reason that every man learn that which is needful out of the Scriptures both for the fulness of Godliness and lest they be inured to humane traditions Regul contract 95. p. 902. And Austin Epist 112. ad Paulin. saith If a matter be grounded on the clear authority of the holy Scriptures it is to be believed without all doubt but as for other witnesses and testimonies upon whose credit any thing may be urged unto us to believe it it is lawful for thee either to credit or not to credit them according as thou shalt perceive them of weight to deserve or not to deserve credit Origin saith Homil. 1. in Hierem. We must of necessity call the Scriptures to witness for our senses and interpretations without them are of no credit Famous is the saying of Cyril Bishop of Jerusalem Catech. 4. p. 15. We must not deliver any thing though never so small without the holy Scriptures neither may we be led away with probabilities and shews of words neither yet believe me barely saying these things unto you unless you also believe the demonstration thereof from the Scriptures for the security of our faith ariseth from the demonstration of the holy Scripture 2dly That not the sayings or judgment of the Ancients but the clear Testimony of the Spirit of God speaking in the Scriptures is sufficient and efficacious for the satisfying persons that are dissatisfied in any thing relating to Faith or Worship Come to a poor soul under real scruples of spirit with respect to these and tell him this Father is of this opinion and that Father of that you do but oleum operam perdere when you have said all he remains as he was dissatisfied and so will do without evidence from Scripture More than these two things the Animadverter cannot righteously infer from the expression he discants on What saith he to these not a word more or less And I am apt to believe of Mr. T. that he is a man of greater modesty than to oppose them He tells us indeed that it may be of good use to satisfie mens consciences that no such separation as now is from the present Ministers of the Church of England was allowed of by the first Fathers and Writers what truth there is in this suggestion shall by and by be manifested He will not say surely of what good use he supposeth it to be that the faith of any is to be resolved into their testimony which it must be if what they say satisfie the scrupling conscience i. e. I must believe what they say is true because they say it else that they say it will never tend to my satisfaction which yet is an homage and duty that we owe to none but the Lord. A principle decryed and abhorred by the Ancients themselves The saying of Austin Epist 48. is known
far otherwise with respect to the Testimony of the Fathers than is by him intimated and that the footsteps not of the Episcopal Hierarchy Common-Prayer-Book-service Church of England c. but of the way of the Congregational-Churches are to be found in and amongst them And such principles laid down by them that will abundantly justifie persons separating from such a Ministry as that of the Ch. of Engl. Cyprian l. 1. epist 4. tells plainly Nor let the people flatter themselves as if they were free from the contagion of sin when they communicate with a wicked Priest yea that they ought to separate from them wherefore the people that obey the Laws of God and fear him ought to separate themselves from a wicked shepherd and not be present at the sacrifices of a sacrilegious Priest directly contrary to what this Animadverter affirms Sect. 9. Evil persons may be heard as true Ministers And Epist 6. He may by no meanâ— have or keep a Church who is not ordained in the Church viz. to which he is related as Minister which the Ministers of England are not ' Tweâ—e easie to fill many pages with citations to this purpose Mr. T. speaks of Councils and Schoolmen and of some that are not able to examine what is said by them As for the latter of these it had been well for the Church of God if they had never been And the former for the most of them it might have been well without Nazienzen who 't is thought knew as much of them as many other men saith If I must write the truth I am much enclined to flee from all the Councils of Bishops because I never saw a joyful and happy end of any Council nor was there by them any suppression of evils but rather an addition and encrease of them Greg. Naz. ep ad Procul And Luther affirms of the very best of them I understand not that the holy Spirit is in this Council All these Articles are hay stubble wood c. And learned Beza tells us that such was the folly ignorance ambition wickedness of many Bishops in the best times that you would suppose the Devil to be President in their Assemblies Praef. ad N. Test Which if so that which Mr. T. intends as a disparagement will be found to be clean contrary No matter how little we have to do with them had they been studied less than they are and the Scriptures of the Lord more we had 't is more than probable been at a nearer agreement in more controversies than one at this day Had the Lebian Rule of Reformation been laid aside and this Ezratical Golden one been solely made use of in measuring the Temple and them that dwell therein Reformation had been carried on with more celerity and another Gospel-Church-state introduced than many are aware of Sect. 4. Some beams of Light may be communicated by a retrospection into the estate of affairs in the time of the old Law into the present enquiry though the whole thereof be devolved in our present disquisition upon the Scriptures of the New-Testament Gen. 4. 26. considered The Reformation of the then Church by segregation and aggregation The issue hereof was the continuation of their Church-state for about a thousand years after The lawfulness of separation from the Church of England proved by Ainsworth Cotton Bartlet c. No more pollution to be found among those Gen. 4. 26. from whom the Saints then separated than is to be found upon the Church of England The Animadverter begs the question in supposing the Church of England to be a true and rightly constituted Church The end of Separation of calling upon the Name of God Those from whom they separated Gen. 4. in what sense they called upon the Name of God Of the Noachical Separation Gen. 6. The spring of the Apostacy of those from whom they separated Of the old Iron Age. The wickedness of the Church of England The duties we owe to persons from whom we separate IN his fifth Section this Animadverter takes notice of some expressions in S. T. to this purpose That since some beams of Light may be communicated into the present enquiry by a retrospection into the state of things under the Law we are willing to take a little notice of the administration of affairs in the House of God then which after a bare mentioning of what was done by the Faithful in the dayes of Seth Gen. 4. 26. We begin to consider from the time of the giving forth of the Law upon Mount Sinai when we say the People of Israel had a standard set up for them to repair unto and they became as a City on an Hill conspicuous unto all What saith Mr. T. to this Why 1. It will not be easie to discern how some beams of Light may be communicated from a retrospection into the state of affairs of old unto the present enquiry if the whole thereof be devolved on the Scriptures of the New-Testament which being a meer slight and scoff put upon the words of his Antagonist might be passed over in silence That Saints may not receive some beams of Light with respect to their deportment towards the Appointments of Christ now by a view of what was of old instituted and carriage of the Saints then towards those Institutions because the present Institutions in the practice whereof the Saints now are concerned are bottom'd singly upon the Scriptures of the New-Testament had the Animadverter by one Argument laboured to have evinced we should though notwithstanding Mr. T. thinks to the contrary 't is in it self evident they may have further considered it When I find the Lord giving forth Laws to his People of old to walk by and strictly enjoyning them to conform to those Laws without adding any thing of their own thereunto I had thought that the Lord having given forth Laws under the New-Testament for the ordering the affairs of his House now some beams of Light might from hence be communicated touching my deportment towards these Laws from what was done of old and rejecting all mixtures of humane inventions with them which the Soul of the Lord in dayes past manifested his indignation against with relation to his then Institutions The like may be said of the other observations and Laws enjoyned upon that People we have briefly remarked But 2dly he grants he tells us that Dr. Owon hath in his Latine Book of the nature study and progress of true Theology shewed divers corruptions in the Ages before and after the Flood in the pure Worship of God unto Moses his time and that the restitution of true Theology was sometimes by a separation from the Wicked when there was a general Apostacy from the true wayes of God unto a prophanity of his Name as some conceive Gen. 4. 26. is meant either by Blasphemy or setting up of Idol-worship as it was before Abraham's separation Josh 24. 15. Answ 'T is very true that learned person hath done
spake to them Do not the Ministers of England the same This we afterward manifest 2dly Did they Prophesie lies in the Name of the Lord Isa 9. 15. Lies what are they They are called False Visions and Divinations a thing of nought and the deceit of their hearts which God never commanded neither ever entred it into his heart to do so Jer. 14. 14. Dreams Jer. 23. 27. Ezek 13. 2. and 22. 28. i. e. the Inventions and Traditions of men which they mingled with the Word of the Lord. That of this the Ministers of England are guilty we prove Chap. 4 and 5 of S. T. 3dly Were they some of them swallowed up of Wine erring through strong drink i. e. a parcel of drunken Sots Isa 28. 7 8. and 56. 12. And hath Mr. T. the forehead to deny this of the present Ministers of the Church of England I speak it without passion or prejudice against their persons I believe and the the whole Nation will I judge attest the truth thereof that there are not such a parcel of drunkards and debaucht persons to be found amongst any one profession of men in England as amongst this Tribe 4thly Were they given to Covetousness Jer. 6. 13. i. e. the generality of them were so 8. 10. Isa 56. 11. And is it not the general complaint of the people of the Nation who have eyes to see and understandings to judge of persons and things as well as this Animadverter that the present Ministers of England are so From whom were they Brethren it is therefore our duty to separate by Apostolical Precept 1 Cor. 5. 11. Their greedy gaping after preferment and greater places of emolument heaping one Steeple upon another could no more be said abundantly evince the truth hereof Which is not only contrary to Christ's Canons to which many have too little regard but to Canons Ecclesiastical in former dayes which interdict such practices upon penalty of being deprived of their Office and Benefice Lib. Concil Epist Leo. Pap. 54. Decret causa 7. Qu. 1. 5thly Were they prophane did the Lord find their wickedness in his House Jer. 23. 11. are prophane i. e. have little or no respect to my Institutions their wickedness have I found in my House i. e. my very Temple is full of their Superstitions and Idolatries so our Annotators Did they do violence to the Law Zeph. 3. 4. i. e. corrupt it with their glosses forced interpretations constructions such as God never put into it they set by the Law and set up their own inventions wills traditions by which the Law was made void And can the present Ministers be acquitted from a copartnership with them herein we prove the contrary chap. 4 5. of S. T. 6thly Were they as a snare of a Fowler in all his wayes and batred in or against the House of the Lord Hos 9. 8. i. e. they watched the Godly in Ephraim or amongst the ten Tribes who durst not strike in with Jeroboam's Abominations but went up though by stealth and secretly some of them to the House of God which was at Jerusalem and privily as the snare of a Fowler that is laid secret not in the sight of the filly Bird accused and molested them being full of hatred against them or the Worship that was managed and carried-on at Jerusalem whither they went The very same thing is practised by the present Ministers against such as dare not comply with them in their established inventions which is so generally known and by some felt at this day that it cannot be denyed Who if they do not some of them openly yet secretly labour to ensnare molest and trouble by causing to be presented into the Bishops Courts c. persons of such a complexion What the frame of their spirits is with respect to the Worship which is of the appointment of Christ and will be found at the last to be so their railing not being able to do more and snarling against it in their preaching c. together with their prayers and endeavours for its extirpation sufficiently evince 7thly Did they prepare War against such as put not into their mouths Mic. 3. 5. Had they no Vision were they dark blind without an answer of God ver 6 7. And doth Mr. T. think that he will ever perswade the enlightned people of God in England that these things are not true of the present Ministers of England Hath he alone been such a stranger in our Israel as not to know that they are legible and visible upon the Clergy thereof And if he a thousand times over call us Calumniators and false Accusers for our affixing them to them Wisdom will be justified of her Children whether he will or no. The good People of the Nation yea those that are but sober amongst themselves will acquit us that we speak nothing but truth of and touching them in this matter knowing full well that these things are indeed so But Mr. T. adds 2dly They do not bring-in damnable Heresies denying the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2. 1. Answ 1. Nor did I in S. T. charge them with so doing 'T is true I cite 2 â—et 2. 1. but the utmost of my intendment therein was to manifest That as under the Law there were false Prophets so under the Gospel there are false Teachers which that Scripture proves And one step further can none compel me to go 2. If the Animadverter thinks that because they are not guilty if indeed they are not of what those false Teachers are there charged with therefore they cannot be charged as false Teachers or such as symbolize with the false Prophets of old he is mistaken They are so do so upon other accounts though they should be acquitted of what is there mentioned The Apostle saith not the false Prophets of old brought in damnable Heresies and denyed the Lord that bought them which latter in plain terms they did not they pretended as much to him as the true that they came acted in his Name that the Spirit of God was with them 1 King 2. 24. yet were they justly and frequently charged as such But 3dly upon second thoughts I see not but the characters of false Teachers there mentioned may truly and properly be charged upon the present Ministers First They are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which imports either that they 1. falsly arrogated to themselves the title of Teachers when really and indeed they are not so or 2dly that they taught false things for true thus some carry it But 3dly the corrupt and abominable innovations of Antichrist are in 2 Thess 2. 11. called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lie with allusion hereunto these Doctors or Teachers are here called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or teachers of a lie viz. the great Antichristian Lie Hence though there were many false Teachers at that day as is known the Apostle saith not in the present tense there are but in the future there shall
such thing 1 Cor. 12. 28. speaks not a tittle to it For 1. The Church vers 28. is the Body of Christ vers 27. This Paul tells them the Church of Corinth they were and every Saint in the Church a Member in particular 2. 'T is such a Church amongst whom a Schism might be vers 25. as in the Church of Corinth there actually was which was the occasion of Pauls writing to them That there should be no schism in the Body But Schism is entirely in one Church amongst the members of one particular Society saith that learned man J. O. in his Treatise of Schism Besides 3. It will be hard to prove that in the Church catholick-visible as such Officers are set and placed as 't is vers 28 29. These were in the Church of Corinth which was founded by Paul Acts 18. 8 9 10. Probably Peter had been there for he intimâ—tes That at least some of them had gloried overmuch in him 1 Cor. 3. 21 22. Cephas i. e. Peter Prâ—â—hets Teachers Miracles Gifts of heaâ—ing Helps Governments diversities of Tongues were found amongst them as is known Some of these there is no question but they relate to a particular Church That the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Teachers here are the same who are elsewhere called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presbyters Elders and Overseers Mr. T. will not I presume deny Arguments lie near at hand for the demonstration thereof were it needful These are placed of God in particular Churches relate to them as such Acts 14. 23. 15. 2 4 6 22 23 16. 4. 20. 17. 21. 18. Tit. 1. 5. Jam. 5. 14. Act. 20. 28. Nor am I singular in the application of this Scripture to the particular Church of Corinth Pareus hath these words upon the place Et quia c. And because he had said that the Church of the Corinthians was the Body of Christ c. manifesting his consent and harmony with us herein that Paul is not treating of the Church-Catholick-visible but of a particular Church of Christ viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Church of God that was in Corinth Nor can this Scripture be meant of the invisible Church of Christ for in it God hath placed no Officers that I know of nor will the Animadverter say he hath 2dly If by the Universal Church-visible he mean the Elect of God redeemed sanctified justified by the spirit of the Lord and the blood of Jesus These are indeed called by the name of the Church in Heb. 12. 23. Eph. 1. 22. To which we may add Mat. 16. 28. Eph. 5. 25 26. That the word Church 1 Cor. 15. 9. is taken for the visible Church indefinitely I cannot subscribe to Possible by the Church of God he means First The Churches of God by an usual Figure there being in those dayes few or no Believers but were added to one Church or other as might easily be demonstrated Acts 2. 41 42. and Acts 4. 32. The multitude of Believers is a Paraphrastical description of the Church Acts 5. 11. The great care of the Apostles was to reduce them that embraced and believed the Gospel into a Church-state or that Order of the Gospel which however oppugned by Mr. T. will be found to be of the Institution of Christ As is evident from the Churches in Jerusalem Acts 7. Samaria chap. 8. Antioch Chap. 14 15. In Syria Cilicia Acts 15. 41. Phrygia Galatia Acts 16. 5 6. Macedonia Chap. 16. Thessalonica Chap. 17. Achaia Chap. 18. Ephesus Chap. 19. Asia Rev. 1. and 2. and 3. Rome Rom. 1. c. planted by them notwithstanding the utmost attempts of the power of darkness or great Red Dragon in the Roman Pagan Empire and of the Children of the Kingdom or the chief Priests Scribes Pharisees Rulers multitudes of People especially of the baser sort fit for any desperate design contradicting blaspheming opposing them herein When once we read of the Gospel preached and mingled with Faith in them that hear it the next news we frequently hear is that these Believers embody together for the worshiping God in the same numerical Ordinances the enjoyment of those priviledges and mutual performance of those duties which in a scattered individual state and capacity they were not capable of Though Secondly By way of eminency he might in that expression and no doubt he did so I persecuted the Church of God have his eye upon that famous Church of Jerusalem in the persecution and dispersion whereof he had it seems no mean hand Acts 7. 58. and 8. 3 4. As for Saul he made havock of Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he laid waste the Church entering into every house halling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by force and violence dragging them along the ground both men and women he committed them to Prison And the very truth is this is the most considerable instance if not the only one of Sauls Persecuting the Church of God 'T is true Acts 9. 1. 't is said And Saul breathing out threatnings and slaughters against the Disciples of the Lord but that only imports the wrath and fury that was in his spirit against them and resolution to persecute imprison waste and destroy them the usual issue of blind zeal for the Tradition of their Fathers in other places as he had already done at Jerusalem For which end he procures Letters to Damascus to bring men and women disciples bound to Jerusalem that he should find of this Heresie there But Oh the wonder of Love Before he arrive thither Christ way-layes him speakes from Heaven to him converts him and sets him upon preaching up that very way and truth he was thus violently persecuting and setting himself against So that not the visible Church indifinitely taken but some particular Churches of Jesus Christ and in especial and by way of eminency that famous Church at Jerusalem is intended 1 Cor. 15. 9. That which Mr. T. mentions in the 5 th place That the word Church is taken for the Church Topical i. e. A particular Church of Christ or a company of Believers dwelling in this or that place giving no themselves to the Lord and one another according to his will walking to gether in the fellowship of the Gospel and meeting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the same place for the worshiping God in the same numerical Ordinances according to the prescription will and institution of Christ Acts 8. 1. 1 Cor. 1. 1. Ephes 1. 1. and many other places Of which Chap. 4. of S. T. we assent to as true But that we should ever subscribe 6thly To that dictate of the Animadverter That Church in Scripture is taken for a Church of a Country or Nation and then it is put in the Plural Number as the Churches of Asia Galatia Judaea being so dissonant to truth and contrary to the express language of the Spirit of the Lord he could never imagine For the Churches of Asia Christ tells us expresly they were Seven
is not from Heaven but the issue of humane pâ—udence c. So that to them or their Rulers and Officers as such we owe no tribute or respect by vertue of any Institution of Christ which they are as he acknowledgeth and that truly destitute of ' Tweâ—e easie to fill many pages with citations of Authors speaking to this matter Whereas originally there was a small uncertain number of Presbyters at Roms they were brought to a certain number and order by Cletuâ— and Evaristus Popes of Rome First Cletus reduced the Presbytery of Rome to the number of twenty five Afterwards Evaristus about the year of Christ 100 appointed and prescribed a several Parish to every one of these Presbyters which Parishes were afterwards â—nlarged and had their bounds and limits more perfectly and more exactly prescribed to them by Pope Dyonisius as was said about the year of Christ 260 After which time Marcâ—llus about the year of Christ 305 limited the number of those titles which anciently were first given to the Presbyters by Evaristus and did by Decree constitute That there should be in Rome 25 as it were so many Diocesses for the more convenient baptizing of such Gentiles as were daily converted to Christian Religion Onuphrius Panvinius de praecipuis urbis Romae Basiliciâ— And Selden in his History of Tythes chap. 6. Sect. 3. writes thus For Parish Churches it is plain that as Metropolitan See's Patriaâ—chats Exarchates in the Eastern Church Bishopricks these greater dignities were most usually at first ordained and limited according to the distinction of Seats of Government and inferiour Cities that had been assigned to the Substitutes or Vicarii of the Praefect Pratorio or Vice-Roys of the East and Western-Empire So were Parishes appointed and divided to several Ministers within the Ecclesiastical rule of these dignities according to the conveniences of Country-Towns and Villages one or more or less of such as being but small Territories might not by the Canons be Bishopricks to a Parish The word Parish at first denoting a whole Bishoprick which is but as a great Parish and signifies no other â—han Diocesâ— but afterwards being confined to what our common language restrains it The Curats of these Parishes were such as the Bishops appointed under him to have cure of souls in them and were called Presbyterii Parochiani i. e. Parish-Presbyters But thus far of this matter As touching what Mr. T. adds that there is no precept about the defining how many should go to a Church or be accounted to belong to one Church c. We answer 1. That 't is very impertinently produced by him tending not at all to the matter in hand such a visible non-sequitur as he will never be able to make good How many should go to a Church we have no precept of Christ directing and enjoyning us Ergo no Institution of a Church by preception or command But 2dly That we are in this matter wholly destitute of Law or Rule is a mistake of this Animadverter First Mat. 18. 20. manifests that the Church cannot well consist of fewer than seven For 1. there is the Brother offending 2dly Two or three reproving this offending Brother And 3dly the Church before whom the matter is to be brought for final determination which cannot be supposed to be fewer if so few as the persons bringing it before them Secondly That they be no more than can conveniently meet together in one place and so that they may hear and be edified which is the great end of Church-communion the Scripture plainly intimates 1 Cor. 14. 23. If therefore the whole Church be come together in one place ver 26. let all things be done unto edifying But if all cannot hear they cannot be edified So wide off the mark of Truth is his Assertion that neither Christ nor his Apostles have given us any Rule or Law of bounding or modelling Churches which though how many members may be added to a Church be not expresly prescribed he hath done That Text Mat. 18. 17. seems much to perplex this Animadverter what is meant by Church there he cannot tell 'T is uncertain he saith whether the Christian Civil Judicatory or Ecclesiastical Consistory or Congregational Assembly of Believers or some select Arbitrators be meant Of the three first of these we have spoken already and manifested that not the Jewish Synedrium but the Christian Church not the Christian Civil Judicatory or Ecclesiastical Consistory is intended by the Church here That select Arbitrators should be meant is the first-born of improbabilities 1. They are no where called a Church in the Scripture 2. The Church in the Text are such a company to whom the party or parties aggrieved may presently have their recourse which to select Arbitrators they cannot have they must first be chosen of which notwithstanding there is not the least tittle in the Text. 3. Here is no mention of the consent of the party offending in the election of the Arbitrators which of right ought in such cases to be 4. From the Church here there seems to lye no appeal 5. The Sentence pronounced by the Church is a Sentence confirmed in Heaven ver 18. which Mr. T. upon second thoughts will not say can be affirmed of the Sentence of his select Arbitrators Yea 6ly if the party offending will not hear the Church he is to be accounted as an Heathen i. e. they are to hold no religious communion with him and Publican i. â— withholding from them familiar civil communion but I much question whether it be my duty to carry it so to a Brother that shall refuse to submit to the sentence of Mr. Tombs his select Arbitrators especially if he had no hand in their election never referr'd his affairs to their arbitrement testifies his willingness to hearken to the Church and stand to their determination therein But 't is time we attend the reasons this Animadverter gives of his opinion The first whereof is The offence is private that might be remitted by the party offended Answ 1. If by private he mean such an offence as was only known to them two it 's granted The words are a direction from Christ to Brethren how to carry it each to other in case of secret and private scandals and offences for when the fact is open publick and notorious there needs not this private admonition another way of procedure is directed to and established 1 Tim. 5. 20. Those that sin viz. cum scandalo Ecclesia saith Piscator rebuke before all that others also may fear And the Church of Corinth without any such previous process was bound the fact being publick and notorious to excommunicate and purge out from amongst them that wicked person 1 Cor. 5. 2 4 5 7. but it follows not that because the offence in his sense is privâ—te that therefore by Church must be meant not a particular instituted Church but select Arbitrators But 't is more than probable by private he means such a particular
not at all to his purpose At the best it is but a recrimination I know not how this Animadverter could imagine that the owning and asserting of these things as lawful had the least tendency to the establishment of a National Church But some men are so distempered that they suppose every thing makes for the advancement of that design they are driving on If he deems Synods owned by men of Congregational Principles and his Ecclesiastical Convocation of National Officers are of the same nature he is mistaken 1. Those are chosen by the particular Churches to which they are severally related and what they act and do is in their name and upon the account of that power and authority they receive from them The Convocation of the Clergy act in their own name and authority being never chosen by any one Congregation to sit and make Laws 2ly Those pretend not to be the Church nor to any self-power to make Laws and impose them upon the Churches as obligatory and binding to be received and subjected to by them without the least judgement of discretion allowed them or liberty of dissenting if not perswaded in their consciences of the truth of what is decreed by them and its consonancy with the Scriptures of the Lord. As is known to be the case of the Convocation of the Church of England to dissent from whose Canons at least to oppose them is censured with no less than an Excommunication or delivering up to Satan Which how directly it leads to the Popish implicit faith of believing as the Church believes every one is able to discern For my part with reference to these I am much of the mind of the learned Whitaker de Concil p. 12. General Councils may erre and imbrace false opinions Nam Concilium Antiochenum veritatem damnavit haeresin apertam propugnavit Similiter Ariminense Ephesinum secundum ex quo patet veritatem non esse metiendam ex numero Episcoporum Of them he saith 1. That their calling together is a certain politick and humane invention pag. 35 77. 2. That they cannot frame Articles of Faith to binde the Conscience pag. 19. 3. That their end in coming together is not to feed as Pastors but to consult what is best for the Churches pag. 85. 4. That they are not simply necessary pag. 23. 5. That they do not give authority to the Scripture pag. 242 243. 6. That their Decrees are not immediately inspired by the Holy Ghost pag. 262 263. 7. That the ultimate determination and judgment of a General Council may be false pag. 231. 8. That there is no judgement of a Council properly in matters of Faith ibid. 9. That the truth of things determined in Councils may afterwards be called into question and again disputed pag. 283. 10. That the Churches of Christ have been kept sound in Faith without them for the first 300 years pag. 23. To which I add 11. That I never yet read of any Council or Synod since that Act 15. but 't were easie to demonstrate that in one thing or other it hath erred The most of the Hay and Stubble that is built upon the Foundation at this day not to mention their attempts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 owing its original to some of them So that I confess I am no admirer of them and am bold to affirm of any that have yet been it had been better for the Church of God that they had never been in the world But these things are little to Mr. T. his purpose That persons owning the lawfulness of Synods from Scripture-warrant as they conceive should therefore be necessitated to own a National Church as a true Church of Christ is a position that Mr. T. will never make good I suppose by the view I have taken of some of his Writings he is very confident of his own abilities but he is a rare man indeed that can compose a Rope of Sand. The lawfulness of a National Church or unlawfulness thereof having no dependance upon Congregational Synods but is to take its measure from somewhat else of which before Of Churches of a greater number â—han can meet at one place for the celebration of all the Ordinances of Christ I shall not need to say any thing till he acquaint us what Congregational men are of that perswasion it will be accounted a meer Calumny The assembling of the members of a particular Church in the same place for the celebration of the same Numerical Ordinances being one considerable part of the definition given by our Congregational Brethren of such a Church And yet if they did own Churches of a greater number 't is ridiculous to imagine that they could from thence be compelled to the owning of a National Church which wants both the matter and form of a true Church of Christ which yet the other may have So that we need not turn aside to consider the proofs used by those that held That many particular Congregations may be under one Presbyterial Government Printed 1645. Of which this Animadverter reminds us For though I am not of their mind nor do I conceive their Reasons to be cogent Yet were that true a National Church could not from thence be proved a true Church of Christ For 1st They suppose these Congregations to be particular Churches of Christ constituted and made up of visible Saints which cannot as yet be affirmed of any National Church in the world or any Parish Church as a part thereof 2dly They also affirm that these particular Churches have power within themselves to determine differences by their own Elders to excommunicate Offenders obstinately guilty of notorious scandals 3dly They are utterly against all Archiepiscopal National Officers the source and spring of a National Church 4thly They conceive not all in England nor all in a Parish to be lawful Church-members because born there nor will they compel them as such to receive the Sacrament with them which is the known case of the Church of England That at Jerusalem there were more Churches than one under a Presbyterial Government is a fond conceit which the numerous multitude of Believers thereunto belonging contribute not the least mite of assistance to Be they never so many they are called Acts 8. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Church which was at Jerusalem The like may be said of the Church of Corinth it was one single Congregation the Church of God which was at Corinth 1 Cor. 1 1. 2 Cor. 1. 1. So was the Church at Ephesus Rev. 2. 1. But as was said The grant of more Churches than one under one Presbyterial Government is remote enough from the establishment of a National Church which by other bonds and ligaments than the Assertors thereof will own must be united to one National Head or it hath not cannot have a being in the world So that these things are little to his purpose The next attempt of this Animadverter is to remove an obstruction which he
seeth to lye in his way which in sum is this The first Church of Christ under the Oeconomy of the Gospel was undoubtedly formed according to the mind of Christ But this was a particular instituted Church which though numerous was not so numerous but that they might meet together in the same place Therefore not a National Church but a particular Church of Christ is of his institution c. The first Proposition is easily demonstrated It was formed by the Apostles men of integrity and faithfulness who would not durst not innovate in the things of Christ who had but lately received charge from him to teach Believers to observe and do all things whatsoever he had commanded them and had promised thereupon his presence with them To whom also after his Resurrection he opened his heart or plainly spoke of things pertaining to the Kingdom of God or Gospel Church-state Acts 1. 3. Accordingly 'tis said of them That they revealed the Counsel of God not their own but his Acts 20. 27. delivered to them what they had received of the Lord Christ 1 Cor. 11. 23. To have done otherwise had been an establishment of Will-worship which they condemn Col. 2. 13. The Minor Proposition is manifest The first Church of Christ under the Oeconomy of the Gospel was the Church at Jerusalem This was a particular Church of Christ 'T is said of them Chap. 2. 46. That they continued daily with one accord in the Temple Vers 47. Such as we converted are said to be added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to that Church viz. which was at Jerusalem See Chap. 4. 23 24 29. and 5. 12. and 8. 1 3. and 11. 22. and 12. 5. and 15. 4 22. 'T is strange to me that when the Spirit of the Lord whenever he makes mention of this Church at Jerusalem speaks of it as one particular instituted Church of Christ any persons of sobriety should dare to assert that it was not such lifting up themselves against his dictates and Testimony Let 's consider what the Animadverter replies hereunto He tells us 1. That in Luke in many places the word multitude with an universal sign is not taken for every one not one exempted as Luke 8. 37. Acts 25. 24. 6. 2. 16. 12 30. 21. 22. To which briefly 1st 'T is granted though what he produceth Acts 16. 12 30 to evince I cannot tell I am sure 't is hugely impertinent to the matter in hand Nor 2dly Is it at all material whether in the places instanced in by us where that expression is used it be taken for every one none exempted or not This only is incumbent on us to prove First That the Church at Jerusalem was a particular Church of Christ And 2dly Such a particular Church as did meet all of them when not providentially hindred might do so notwithstanding their multitude for the Worship of God There was no impossibility in rei natura of their so doing which he must wink hard that doth not see shining forth in its brightness in the fore-mentioned Scriptures which when Mr. T. offers one Argument to evert it shall be considered His 't is not likely will not pass for demonstration amongst persons that look for proof of that which is asserted The Spirit of the Lord assuring us that the multitude of the Disciples were called together 't is not only likely but most certain that they were so Nor is it likely that those whose particular duty and concern lay in what was to be managed theâ—e would willingly absent themselves Mr. T. himself tells us in his Antipaedobaptism or the 3d part p. 340. that all the Church did come together Act. 5. 11 12. were gathered together Act. 14. 27. and that they were not parts of the Church who did not come together c. His second Reply is scarce worth the mentioning If it be granted that they then met for that business yet there is no likelihood that they met for Ordinances And why so I pray why 't is said Act. 2. 46. that they did break bread from house to house Ans 1. But that because they sometimes celebrated that Ordinance more privately it should necessarily follow that they never did it all of them together that they were not in a capacity were in an utter impossibility of so doing as is the case of a National Church is beyond the verge of any mans understanding but Mr. T. And 't is desired he would at his next leizure make good that consequence I am informed and doubt not the truth of it that Mr. T. after he had been in hearing of the Parish-Priest at Lempster not long since got as many of the Church to whom he once owned himself related as their Pastor together as he could and brake bread privately with them yet may it not thence rationally be concluded that he never celebrated that Ordinance with them more publickly or that he never intends to do so much less that the Congregation he still it seems holds communion with is so numerous that they cannot break bread together in the same place Such pittiful Sophisms as these will never pass for proof amongst persons that have the exercise of their understanding or reason Yet 2dly The Animadverter's Concession is a grant of the verity of that he sets himself to oppose If Act. 6. 2. the Church did meet in one Congregation for that business as Mr. T. saith 't is evident they were not so numerous but they might meet together in one Assembly which is the matter in controversie betwixt us He adds 3dly The Church of Jerusalem cannot be said to be the pattern of all Churches Answ 1. Nor is it necessary that we assert it so to be The discovery of the Will of Christ the Laws and Rules he hath given forth touching the aggregation of his Children into a Gospel-Church-state are the pattern of all the Churches of Christ in the World and whatever Church is not constituted according to this pattern is none of his nor will ever by him be owned so to be Yet 2dly This Church at Jerusalem being planted by the Apostles according to the mind of Christ may with reference thereunto be said to be the pattern of all rightly constituted Churches What hath our Animadverter to excepâ— against this He tells us this cannot be because 1. There was no distribution of Believers under particular Offâ—cers Answ 1. But what doth Mr. T. mean by the distribution of Believers under particular Officers doth he mean that they were not distributed into several Congregations under their particular Pastors no one saith they were we assert them to be one Church They are no less a pattern of particular Churches than if they had been so distributed so long as we find them in a possibility of meeting in the same place 2dly Doth he mean that they had no Pastors amongst them This is more than he will in hast make good For 1. They had Apostles 2dly They had fixed
be imagined upon that supposition a measure of them by it were impossible to be taken 5. The measured Court saith the learned Mede setteth forth the primitive state of the Christian Church conformable to the Rule of Gods Word The measuring is an allusion to Ezek. 43. 7 to 10. or to building viz. That what the drawing of the Platform is to Builders the same is Measuring to God in the language of the Prophets i. e. the state of the Church figured thereby is God's workmanship 6. The measuring is as was said a clear allusion to Ezek. 43. 10. but that measuring was in order to the shewing the form of the House Let them measure the pattern ver 11. Shew them the form of the House and the fashion thereof therefore the measuring here must be for the same end too Mr. Parker further argues If God when the Church of the Jews is call'd to the Faith designs the quantity longitude latitude thereof it cannot be imagined that he hath left the dimension of the Gentile Churches to humane pleasure But when the Church of the Jews is called to the Faith he designs the quantity c. thereof Therefore Mr. T. replies 1. That the Holy City is the visible Church of the Jews c. Or that the measuring it was to design the quantity of particular Churches is not probable Answ But this is more than probable that the Holy City be it what it will is exactly formed and figured by the Lord as the measuting the City the Gates the Walls thereof doth abundantly evince If you take it for the converted Jews as some learned men do or the Gentile Churches after the fall and ruine of Antichrist to which it may be Mr. T. rather enclines 't is not probable that God should then take such exact care about the forming and figuring of the Church-societies of these and in the mean while leave his present Churches to the good pleasure of the children of men and those none of the best neither 2dly He tells us Inasmuch as the Apostle Rom. 11. 25. asserts that all Israel shall be saved he might better argue for a National Church of Christ's Institution from the visible Church-state of the Jews at their future calling than for a Congregational Church Answ 1. But then he must argue that some Church-form is of divine institution which would overturn his present structure 2. He must first prove that the Jews Church-state upon their conversion will be National which the Apostle's words all Israel shall be saved do not evince for so they may be though formed up into particular societies as some learned men think they shall 3. God's designing more diligently the quantity c. of the Jewish Church at their calling hereafter and leaving the dimension of ours to humane choice may be done Mr. T. tells us out of more special love to them Answ 1. But pag. 39. he tells us That God's leaving things appertaining to the New-Testament-Churches to be set down by man more than he did to the Jewish-Church is an Argument of greater love and care to the New-Testament-Churches than to them This needs a Reconciler 2. However he neither manifests that God bears greater love to the Jews than Gentiles which to speak properly he cannot do nor that if he did so he should bear so little love to the New-Testament-Churches as to leave them wholly to the forming of the sons of men What he adds fourthly in answer to what is further argued by Mr. Parker that the Church is compared to a City but no City is so negligently administred by man that no regard is had to the bounds and lin its thereof is greatly impertinent for though it may consist with the prâ—dence and care of good Princes to leave many things to the choice of some in the City incorporated as the ordering their Meetings c. â—s shall be found most convenient for them yet to take no more care thereabout than to suffer the City to grow up into the compass of a Shire a Nation would scarce be accounted consistant with that prudence and wisdom which should be in them And thus far of Mr. T. his reply to the famous Parkers Arguments for the Divine Institution of Churches For a close of this Section we shall briefly propose twelve Arguments for the further clearing of the truth That the Form of Churches is of Divine Institution which our Animadverter may answer at his leizure Argum. 1. If the Form of the Church be not of Christ's appointment 't is not so either because it was not needful or because Christ was not careful faithful or sufficient to institute or ordain it But neither of these is true To assert the latter were blasphemous c. That 't is needful is evident 1. There are some duties which cannot well be performed but upon supposition hereof as Mat. 18. 15. 2dly The care of the Apostles to bring such as they converted into Church-order 3dly Their diligent instructing them in their duty as members of particular Bodies and Congregations 4thly Christ's owning them who walked together in such Societies affording them his Presence promising it to them and that in opposition unto Babylonish Assemblies of the formings of man abundantly evince the needfulness thereof Besides 5thly If it be not needful they are bloodily cruel who persecute men to the loss of Estates Liberties Lives and give them up to the Devil by the sentence of Excommunication For no other reason but for refusing communion with their National Church or denying its form and frame to be of the institution of Christ. Arg. 2. If the Form of the Church be not of Christ's appointment then there must be more Lords over the Church besides Christ for the forming or figuring of Churches pro libito is an act of Lordly Authority But there cannot be more Lords over the Church besides Christ Isa 33. 22. 1 Cor. 8. 5. Jam. 4. 12. Therefore Arg. 3. If the Form of Churches be not of Christ's appointment Then is it in the power of man without any precept or authority from Christ to add to or take away from the Body of Christ for so are particular Churches as we have proved But this is contrary to 1 Cor. 12. 18 27. with Rom. 12. 4 8. Therefore Arg. 4. That which the Apostles practised in pursuance of the Commission they received from Christ is undoubtedly an Order and Institution of his But the gathering of Disciples into particular Congregations the Apostles practised in pursuance of the Commission they received from Christ Mat. 28. 19 20. with Acts 2. 41 â—2 43. Therefore Arg. 5. If the Form of Churches be not of Divine Institution Then the Church of Christ is either not his Palace Kingdom or Christ hath not that care over his Palace and Kingdom as the Princes of the world have over theirs But both these are false and highly injurious to Christ Therefore Arg. 6. That Church to which Christ hath enjoyned his
Disciples to appeal in matters of Scandal found upon their Brethren with which he hath promised his Presence to which he hath given the Keys of the Kingdom power of binding and loosing is a Church of his own forming But this is a particular Congregational-Church Mat. 18. 17 18 19. as we have demonstrated Therefore Arg. 7. If the Form of Churches be not of Christ's appointment then there is either no beauty splendour glory therein or Christ bears not cannot bear that glory But both of these are absurd 2 Cor. 3. 7 8 9. Zech. 6. 13. Therefore Arg. 8. If the Form of Churches be not of Christ's appointment Then the Church of Christ may have communion with yeeld obedience to the inventions constitutions ordinances and appointments of men of Antichrist the Man of Sin But that they are charged â—ot to do upon most dreadful penalties Rev. 18. 4 5. 14. 9 10 11. Therefore Arg. 9. If the Form of Churches be not of Christ's appointment Then either Christ hath not left sufficient Laws for the government of the Saints or man may super-add to his Laws But both these are false scandalous and injurious to Christ Gal. 3. 15. 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. Rev. 22. 18 19. Arg. 10. If the Form of Churches be not of Christ's appointment Then the Church is not to be governed as 't is taught for it must be taught only by the Word of God Isa 8. 2. But the Consequence is absurd Therefore Arg. 11. If the placing of Officers in particular Churches be of the appointment of Christ then the Churches themselves are so But the placing of Officers in particular Churches is of the appointment of Christ 1 Cor. 12. 28. Eph. 4. 11 12. Therefore Arg. 12. Those Churches which Christ owns for his Candlesticks in allusion to the Candlesticks of the Temple which were purely of divine institution are of the institution of Christ But Christ owns particular Churches for his Candlesticks viz. the Seven Churches of Asia which we have before demonstrated were particular Churches Rev. 1. 20. Therefore Those that desire further satisfaction in this matter may consult a little Treatise lately published entituled A brief Instruction in the Worship of God and Discipline of the Churches of the New Testament p. 93. where they will find it clearly and amply debated Sect. 18. Of National Ministers What meant by Ministry Of extraordinary and ordinary Officers Upon what account the Church of Engl. is asserted to be a false Church Mr. T. his Arguments to prove that in a National Church or a Church irregular in its constitution may be a true Ministry of Christ answered The contrary is demonstrated THE Design of Mr. T. his 18th and 19th Sect. is to answer the second Query in S. T. Whether National Ministers are the Ministers of Christ Or whether there can be a true Ministry in a false Church as a National Church must be if not of divine Institution upon what pretence soever it be so denominated Before he attempts the Resolution of this Query he considers First What the Ministry is of which it is enquired whether it be true or false And having at large acquainted us with the signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he tells us he understands the query to be meant of that part of the Ministry which is by preaching But I must crave leave to tell him he somewhat misseth the white of the Authors intendment who by it intends an Office-Power of Ministry for discharge of that whole work that peculiarly relates to the Ministers of the Gospel to be performed and managed by them according to the Will of Christ Whether it be the Ministry of the Word the Lords Supper c. This as Mr. T. saith rightly is either the Ministry of extraordinary Officers as Apostles c. of which our Question is not or of ordinary Officers as Pastors c. of whom it is queried Whether ordinary National Officers or Ministers are of the Institution of Christ What saith Mr. T He tells us 1. That Paul was a Minister not only to a particular Church but even to the Gentiles Answ That this doth not in the least concern the Question in debate which is of ordinary Church-Officers and Paul as I remember with the rest of the Apostles was an extraordinary one receiving a Commission for the Preaching of the Gospel to all Nations he will be so ingenuous as upon the review to acknowledge Secondly A Church may be said to be false many wayes Answ True it may so but in his discourse there abouts we are little concerned who assert the Church of England to be a false Church because it is destitute of the true Matter visible Saints and the true Form freely giving up themselves unto the Lord and one another to worship him together as a Community according to the revelation of his will But he will prove Thirdly That in a National Church or a Church irregular in its constitution i. e. that hath neither the matter nor form of a true Church of Christ or discipline may be a true Ministry of Christ His first Argument is Arg. 1. If the truth of the Ministry depend upon the truth of the Church or its regularity then where is no true regular Church there is no true Ministry But that is false since there may be a true Ministry where there is no Church at all and therefore no true Church Therefore Answ If by a true regular Church Mr. T. means a Church for matter and form rightly constituted according to the mind of Christ and by a true Ministry the Ministry of ordinary Officers such as Pastors and Teachers as he must do if he speak pertinently we deny his Minor Proposition Where there is no true Church at all in a false Church or Church not regularly constituted according to the mind of Christ as is the case of the National Church of England there cannot be a true Ministry which Mr. T. forgot to attempt the proof of And indeed his abilities seem to lie much in Dogmatizing and 't is great pitty but he were created a Rabbi in the Pithagorean School his accuteness therein being so incomparably excellent 1st That there can be no true ordinary Ministry where there is no Church is manifest First Where ever we read of ordinary Ministers we read of them as appertaining to some one particular Church or other Acts 14. 23. 15. 2 4 22. 20. 17 28. 1 Cor. 12. 28. Phil. 1. 1. Tit. 1. 5. 1 Pet. 5. 1 2. As good a man may imagine an Husband to be without a Wife or a Major without a Corporation or a Father without Children as a Minister without a Church in which he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to minister according to the will and appointment of Christ Secondly Every lawful Minister is elected and chosen to his Office by the Church or People of God Therefore there can be no true ordinary
lawful Ministry where there is no Church Of this we have spoken at large Chap 4. of S. T. To which multitudes of Testimonies might be added The Churches of Helvetia Harm Confes Sect. 11. de min. Eccl. affirm The Ministers of the Church must be called and chosen by Ecclesiastical and lawful election i. e. they must be religiously elected by the Church or by some from her deputed thereunto So also do they speak Artic. 16. ibid. So the Bohemian Churches Men who are firm and strong in the Faith fearing God having received necessary gifts for the work of the Ministry of an honest and unblamable conversation by People fearing God must be chosen and called to the administration of holy things Harmon Confes Sect 11. cap 9. de min. Eccl. And they expresly tell us That they permit none to discharge the Office of the Ministry without such an Election of the Church as appears ibid. by the antient Canons thereof To the same purpose the Belgick Churches declare ibid. Art 31. But Thirdly Ordinary Officers cannot be before the Church Therefore where there is no Church there can be no lawful ordinary Officers The Antecedent is evident 1. All along the Acts we read first of the Constitution of Churches before the Ordination of Officers 2. The Scripture saith expresly That all Officers are set in the Church 1 Cor. 12. 28. Which setting doth necessarily presuppose a Church in which they are set 2dly A true Ministry cannot be in a false Church false I mean either with respect to its first Constitution or by reason of such an Apostacy as hath destroyed the essence and being of it For first A false Church is no Church of Christ Therefore in it can be no true ordinary Ministry according to the mind of Christ for the reasons before mentioned Secondly Such a Church is intrusted with no Authority from Christ therefore cannot communicate any nor send forth any to act in his Name That Christ hath intrusted his Church with power to elect and choose Officers we manifest Chap. 4. Pag. 32 33 of S. T. That any Church not right in its Constitution as is the Case of National Churches is invested with any such power is the first-born of absurdities and improbabilities 'T is the Queen the Bride the Lambs Wife that hath the Keys at her girdle not the Concubines But Mr. T. hath more to say to evince the contrary Arg. 2. If there be a true Ministry though to or in a National visible Church or Catholick then the extent which is conceived to be inconsistent with a true gospel-Gospel-Church makes not the Ministry false But Peter and Pauls Ministry to the Jews or Gentile Churches was a true Ministry though the Church were National or Catholick Therefore Answ 1. 'T is a most sad thing upon more accounts than one to be engaged against Truth such sorry shifts are men put to and driven to the use of Sophisms so puâ—rile that at other times they would be asâ—amed of Thus fares it with this Animadverter who argues so jejunely that considering what I have heard of him for a Disputant I am ready to question whether the Arguments I read be his or no. Though Truth seeks no corners yet it makes its Adversaries frequently to do so The enquiry as Mr. T. saith rightly in p. 34. is of the ministry of ordinary Pastors c. His two first Arguments relate only to extraordinary Officers viz. the Ministry of the Apostles so that we are not concerned to take the least notice of them Many such impertinencies is thâ—s Animadverters Treatise stuft with 2. Besides the Argument is inconclusive of what Mr. T. pretends to prove viz. That in a National Church or a false Church there may be a true Ministry If there be a true Ministry though to or in a National visible Church saith he then the extent which is conceived to be inconsistent with a true Gospel-Church makes not the Ministry false But Sir whether there be a true Ministry in a National Church is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how it comes to be the medium of your Argument I am yet to learn Sure I am such kind of Arguings would deservedly be hissed out of the Schools being in themselves illogical I suppose he would have argued thus If that extent which is conceived to be inconsistâ—nt with a true Gospel-Church makes not the Ministry false Then there may be a true Ministry though to or in a National Church But the extent which is conceived to be inconsistant with a true Gospel-Church makes not the Ministry false for Peter's and Paul's Ministry to the Jews and Gentiles were true Ministries though the Churches were National 1 Cor. 12. 28. Ergo. To the Argument I answer 1. By denying the consequence of the first Proposition For though the extent inconsistant to a true Gospel-Church should not make the Ministry false yet somewhat else may What thinks he of an Antichristian Ordination or a Mission to officiat from the Antichristian Persecuting Beast and Whore though the Church were rightly constituted in and to which a man is a Preacher I conceive his Ministry is false But 2dly I deny his Minor Proposition if by Ministry he understands the Ministry of ordinary Pastors c. which if he doth not he speaks not a word to the question as he himself acknowledgeth pag. 34. the extent of a Church inconstent with a Gospel-Church renders the Church false and indeed no Church i. e. no Gospel-Church Therefore it renders the Ministry false as we before proved Mr. T. his proofs are weak and impertinent 1. Paul and Peter's Ministry was not the Ministry of ordinary Pastors as he grants p. 34. 2dly They were not Ministers in or to a National Church 'T is true they preached to the Jews and Gentiles but for the first their Church-state was virtually terminated at the death of Christ when the Vail of the Temple was rent as for the Gentile Nations they were no National Churches The forming of which ows its original as was said to a latter date So that hitherto Mr. T. hath onely hung out signs of Arguments to prove his Assertion being weighed in the ballances they are found wanting are plainly sophistical It may be in what follows he speaks more pertinently Thus he argues Arg. 3. If Ministry to Churches Hypocritical Schismatical and in some sort Heretical may be a true Ministry much more to a Church National c. those being greater degrees of falshood than this But the Antecedent is before proved from the Epistles to the Corinthians to the Churches of Pergamos Thyatira and Sardis Ergo. Answ No doubt but Mr. T. and his Associates in this work think they have excellently well acquitted themselves in this Argument but the emptiness and invalidity of it will soon appear 1. What if we deny the consequence of the Major Proposition upon supposition that there may be a true Ministry to Churches of such a complexion as that intimated it doth not
at all follow that there may be a true Ministry to and in a Church National Where is Mr. T. proof of his consequence Why these are greater degrees of falshood than are to be found in a National Church Well this is denied also What offers he to make it appear to be so Why you have his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it he saith so But seriouslly Mr. T. is so inconstant to his own words principles and practices that we are afraid if we should assent to what he asserts upon that foundation we should once in seven or eight years if the minds of men in authority over us should in that time be different believe and disbelieve the same positions What if the National Church be as Schismatical Heretical Hypocritical as the Churches instanc'd in this were a facile undertaking to demonstrate I hope then it being false in its constitution which the others instanc'd in were not we may with this Animadverter's leave assert that greater degrees of falshood are not to be found in and upon them than are to be found upon his National Church Besides supposing the Churches instanc'd in to be such as M. T. saith they were they were once true Churches of Christ to whom power was delegated from him foâ— the election and choosing of Officers to act in his Name and Authâ—rity amongst them which cannot be affirmed of any National Church in the World That because a true Ministry may be in a true Church under great degeneracy therefore there may be a true Ministry in a false Church is an Assertion that this Animadverter had need to consult with some body else to help him to make good than his present Adviserâ— But 2. We crave leave to deny his Minor A true Ministry câ—nnot be in Hypocritical Schismatical Heretical Churches If they are such they are no Churches of Christ if known to be so they are not to be owned as such by them that fear him But he hath proved this from the Epistles to the Corinthians to the Churches of Pergamos Thyatira and Sardis Answ What hath he proved that these Churches were Hypocritical Schismatical Heretical nothing less 'T is true 1 Cor. 1. 11 12. Paul tells the Corinthians that he heard there were Contentions amongst them c. that the Church was schismatical he saith not That there are Contentions amongst the members of the Church of England Mr. T. cannot deny that therefore it is to be accounted a Schismatical-Church he will scarce assert 'T is true also that there were some in the Church of Pergamos and Thyatira that held false and erroneous opinions and that the Churches were too much to blame to suffer them as they did for which Christ rebukes them In Sardis the generality of the members were wonderfully declined in their spirits a time of withering decayes deadness was upon them yet was not the one an Heretical nor the other an Hypocritical Church Nor can Mr. T. make good his charge against either of them As for the Church of Pergamos Christ witnesseth of them that although they dwelt where Satan's seat was i. e. where the Roman Governour lived who was Satan's chief instrument for persecuting the Saints yet they hâ—â—d fast his Name and did not deny his Faith which is not a description of an Heretical Church They owned Christ retained cleaved to the Doctâ—ine of the Gospel i. e. the Body of the Church did though some few amongst them held strange Heterodoxies therefore no Heretical-Church The like may be said of the Church of Thyatira doth Christ charge her with Heresie doth he say the whole Body or maâ—or part of the Church was infected with the doctâ—ine of Jezebel nothing less He saith indeed that the Church was too negligent in their duty to put a stop to her seducing his Servants and intimates as if some were led astray by her But withal testifies that there were a considerable number amongst them that had not received her doctrine nor known the depths of Satan they called them depths i. e. deep and wonderful things but they were the depths of Satan Of Sardis Christ also witnesseth that there were some things remaining that he would have her strengthen i. e. some graces that were not quite extinct and dead in them and of some of them expresly that they had not defiled their garments and that they should walk with him in white for they were worthy which cannot be affimed of Hypocrites Rev. 2. 13 19 20 24 25. 3. 2 4. Therefore no Heretical nor Hypocritical Churches And I cannot but wonder at the confidence of this Animadverter to affirm it of them after the testimony Christ gives touching them it being little less than giving him the lie to his face So that of this Argument we shall 't is probable hear no more Of his fourth Argument we need say no more but this that the Ministry therein mentioned is the Ministry of the Apostles which he grants not at all to relate to our present Question If he can make good this Consequence the Apostles who were extraordinary Officers immediately sent forth by Jesus Christ were true Ministers afore the regular constitution and discipline of Churches without their election or mission Therefore Pastors and Teachers who are to be chosen by a Church regularly constituted are true Ministers though not so chosen he will be able to reinforce this Argument else he must never bring it into the field more His fifth Argument in brief is The denomination of true Ministers is from the truth of their Doctrine and no other form denominating them But there may be a Ministration of true Doctrine in a false Church Ergo Answ 1. The Major is most false the denomination of true Ministers is from somewhat else beside the truth of their Doctrine viz. A regular Mission according to the mind of Christ or an entrance in by the Door else they are not true Ministers but Thieves and Robbers What places they are before-mentioned that he saith placeth the truth of Ministry in the Doctrine taught and no other thing I cannot tell and do assure him that when he brings one place to prove it I will be his convert Col. 1. 6 7. saith no such thing Epaphras preacheth the Truth of God to the Colossians and is said to be for them a faithful Minister of Christ therefore the denomination of true Ministers is from the truth of their Doctrine and nothing else is one of those consequences are frequently imposed upon us without the least shadow of proof 2dly That 't is the duty of true Ministers and in some sense their property to preach and promote Truth is most certain Paul tells us 2 Cor. 13. 8. that they could do nothing against the Truth but for the Truth But that the denomination of true Ministers is from the truth of their Doctrine and no other form denominating them is I suppose asserted by our Animadverter in haste and will upon second thoughts be retracted
whence Separation from her is warrantable by the Animadverters concession and grant 3dly That Separation from one part of Worship in a Church should be somewhat justifiable and not from the whole at some time and not alway things still remaining as they were is a mystery that I profess I understand not I presume he suggests it with reference to the Prayers and Sacraments of the Church a separation from which he supposeth is more justifiable than from their Preaching But seriously I would thank Mr. T. if he would take the pains to prove 1. That 't is lawful for me to joyn with that Church in any part of Worship with whom I am not obliged cannot in conscience pray 2dly That where the Sacraments are not duly administred there is a true Church The due administration of Sacraments having been hither to assertâ—d as one certain note of a true Church If they are duly administred in the Church of England why doth Mr. T. refuse to joyn in their Administration If they are not duly administred the Church of England is a false Church and not to be joyned with in any part of Worship What follows in this Section that the Separation pleaded-for is for the most part the fruit of pride or bitter zeal and tends to strife and confusion and every evil work must be imputed to the overflowing of Mr. T. his gall and passion 'T is at the least a fruit of the flesh which he will do well to wait upon God to humble him for and mortifie in him I shall only say The Lord forgive thee The Scripture instanc'd Jam. 3. 16. is more applicable to the Church of England than to those of the Congregational way as every considerate Reader will acknowledge To the tenth Query in S. T. viz. Whether supposing a Church apostatised as aforesaid never to be according to Truth a visible instituted Church of Christ and the People of God living in the Nation never by their free consent members thereof as it is on the pretended Churches part most unheard-of cruelty to compel them so it be not on the part of the free-born Children of God most stupendous folly and disvaluation of the Institutions of Christ and ingratitude to God for the light and liberty from the yokes of men received imaginable to joyn affinity with it in Worship or attend upon its Ministry he pretends to answer in his 26th Sect. I say he pretends to do so for Mr. T. must suppose that Reader to be distempered in his brain that shall take what he saith to be indeed an Answer to the Query proposed 1. He grants compulsion of men may be cruelty Answ But Sir the question is not about every compulsion but a compulsion to conformity to and communion with a Church so called that never was of the Institution of Christ of which we never owned our selves members Is not such a compulsion cruelty doubtless if there be any cruelty in the world this is so 2. He runs to his old shift of joyning with a Church that hath some humane inventions in Worship a Ministry that for the main preach the Gospel with some mixture of Errors not requiring persons to practise that which is in it self evil Answ 1. This hath been answered as it relates to the Church of England over and over 'T is an Argument our Animadverter hath little to say for the defence of his Church that is true when we hear the same story so oft which yet in a great measure is notoriously false as if he had been brought up at the feet of old Battus he speaks exactly like him subillis Montibus inquit erant erant sub montibus illis Montibus inquit erant erant sub montibus illis the same over and over for fear of failing But 2dly One Key will never fit every Lock nor one Answer servâ— to every Question Sir the Query is not what we may do with respect to a Church collapsed of which we before spake but whether it be not great folly for the People of God who by their own voluntary consent were never members of such a Church to joyn affinity with it in Worship and attend upon its Ministry which none of the Texts of Scripture produced by Mr. T. evince Acts 21. 18 c. 16 3. 1 Cor. 9. 19 20 21. give us an account of the readiness of Paul to condescend to weak Believers in what he lawfully might Ergo it is our duty for peace-sake to joyn with a Church which is not of the Institution of Christ Which consequence when Mr. T. makes good he will manifest himself to be a man of rare abilities indeed Mat. 17. 27. is so remote to his purpose that I wonder to what purpose he produceth it Christ works a Miracle to pay Tribute exacted of the Emperours Collectors Ergo we must not separate from a false Church but attend upon its Ministry joyn in affinity with it How he will in his next cover these palpable mistakes I know not nor can I advise him to a better Apology than that Semel insanivimus omnes CHAP. II. Sect. 1. Of Sanctifying the Name of God in our drawing nigh to him Of particularities of Worship and their Imposition Of an implicite Faith in matters of Worship The first Argument in the S. T. against hearing the present Ministers vindicated Of a Warrant by permission and part accidental of Instituted Worship Of Shaphan's reading the Law 2 Chr. 34. 18. Joh. 8. 47. explained The unlawfulness of practising any thing in Instituted Worship for which we have no warrant in the Scripture Whether Christ hath only revealed the essentials of Worship and left accidental Parts thereof to be determined by the prudence of Rulers The rise of Ceremonies Col. 2. 8 9 10. explained Of the Scriptures perfection The Testimonies of the Ancients Josh 22. 34. explained THe Preface of the S. T. being vindicated from the exceptions of Mr. T. wherein his skirmishings have been manifested to be velitary and weak indeed We attend his advance and on-set upon the Triarii or main Battel as he phraseth it against which let him do his worst after all his endeavours to rout it he will find it keeping the field against him Statque ut dura silex aut ut Marpessia cautes The first thing he takes notice of is a saying of mine in the beginning of Chap. 1. of the S. T. That God having said he will be sanctified in all that draw nigh to him It 's therefore the necessary duty of Saints in all their approaches to God to see to his Institution both in respect of the matter and manner of Worship To which he subjoyns This is yielded with respect to determined particularities but as to such as are undetermined by the Lord there may be too anxious care tending to be get scruples perplexities divisions which experience hath proved to cause fluctuating in mens minds inconstancy in their practice And it s therefore adviseable that
they have not This belongs to Patrons Lord-Bishops c. 2. The power of admission of Members and ejection of the Scandalous by excommunication they have not The first a man hath by buying or renting a piece of Land in the Parish and dwelling there the other is managed in the Bishops Courts by a sorry thing call'd a Chancellor it may be as deboist as the worst that is brought before him Now that with respect to these things Christ hath entrusted his Church with power we evince chap. 2 4. of S. T. 4ly That company of men that are not capable of performing those duties and cannot answer that end that Christ requires of his Churches for which he instituted them are not a true Church of Christ But the Parish-Assemblies of England are not capable of performing those duties Therefore 'T is the Minor needs proof The duties Christ requires to be performed by them the end he aimed at in instituting his Churches was 1. To set forth his honour and praise Eph. 3. 21. 1 Pet. 2. 9. 2. To promote the true Light and Knowledge of God Ephes 1. 8. 1 John 1. 6 7. 3. The mutual edification of one another in the things of God 1 Thess 5. 11. Eph. 4. 29. 1 Cor. 14. 26. Jude 20. I appeal to any unbyassed man in the world whether he thinks in his conscience that the Parish-Assemblies of England can perform these duties answer this end The contrary is most evident and too notoriously known to be true than to admit of a denial But I shall not enlarge on what is already so judiciously asserted and argued by others which Mr. T. is not able to evert The Ordination of Lord-Bishops of which he next speaks is forreign from Scripture if the Office it selâ— be This we prove chap. 3. of S. T. and Mr. T. once swore to extiâ—pate it as such and I am sorry to find him now pleading for it Whether I have abused John 10. 1 9. neither Mr. T. nor I must now be judge the judicious Reader will judge for us both and I doubt not according to truth Sect. 4. The Ministers of Engl. not to be heard as gifted-Brothren Judas not particularly declared by Christ Joh. 6. 70. to be a Devil The Animadverter abuseth the Author of the S. T. in affirming he â—ies up Saintship to particular Churches whom the Scripture makes Brethren Mr. T. reduceth the Brotherhood to a smaller scantling than we We cannot perform the duties of Brethren to the Ministers of Engl. and why If we own the best of them for Brethren we must own the worst Of Judas his receiving the Sacrament The mixt multitude making acclamation to Christ of joyning with other in Worship We separate no more from the Church of England than they do from us 1 Cor. 5. 1â— 'T is not lawful to break Bread with the visibly prophane proved Iâ— what sense the Bishops are styled Reverend Fathers They are not to be owned as such The Ministers of Engl. disorderly walkers proved They engage against Scripture-Reformation 2 Thes 3. 6. explained Of Obedience to Ministers Rom. 13. 1. Heb. 13. 7. opened We ought not to hear those from whom 't is our duty to withdraw Mr. T. his Aâ—guments to the contrary answered IN Sect. 4. our Animadverter replies to the proofs produced in S. T. for the confirmation of the second part of our Minor Proposition viz. That 't is not lawful to hear them as gifted-Brethren because 1. The most of them are not gifted nor 2. Brethren being Canonical Drunkards Swearers c. To this he saith 1. That any of them are such is to be bewayled in a Christian way the persons guilty are to be rebuked Lev. 19. 17. not to be thus charged in print in a Book vented in the dark tending to make them odious Answ 1. When he shall be pleased to manifest the Rule of Christ I have trangressed in thus charging them I shall as publickly acknowledge my error Those that sin rebuke before all 1 Tim. 5. 20. is some part of what I have to plead for my so doing 2. If the Book were vented in the dark I may thank them for it who would have such things stifled that their works may not be made manifest 3. I make them not odious they have made themselves so throughout the Nation 4. Mr. T. his hoping this is not true proves nothing the contrary is manifest to thousands He adds 2dly Were all this and more true yet they might be heard preach the Gospel as Brethren gifted Answ But knows he what he saith We affirm that they are not gifted nor Brethren that this should be true and more too and yet they might be heard as gifted Brethren is such a Paradox to me that comes but a little short if a little of down-right nonsense i. e. there are some may be heard as Brethren gifted that are neither gifted nor Brethren That Judas was declared by Christ to be a Devil John 6. 70. as he suggests is false He saith one of them was so but names him not 'T is true John tells us ver 71. that he spake of Judas but this neither he nor any of the rest knew till afterwards We add in S. T. 3dly The best of them cannot by Saints in respect of Gospel-communion be accounted Brethren For 1. There was never any giving up our selves each to other whence such a Brotherhood doth result To this Mr. T. answers 1. By Saints he means such as are members of a particular instituted Congregational Church distinct from the Presbyterian for such only are accounted Saints by him as give up themselves each to other c. Answ False and untrue I am amazed to see with what conscience this matter is managed by him no regard seems to be had to truth and honesty so he can cast dirt upon his Antagonist 2. 'T is contrary to my avowed principle and practice 3. I do verily believe that there are many Saints in England that are neither for the Presbyterian Parochial or Congregational way yea with Dr. Ames Trip. p. 523. afterwards cited by him I doubt not to say according to my conscience that amongst those which live under the tyranny of the Popâ—s and do not utterly separate from him through ignorance there be many Christians belonging to the true Catholick Church and so to be accounted our godly Brethren viz. upon the account of their Catholicism and so I believe there are in the Church of England somâ— amongst the Ministers thereof of whom I say still I deny not but they may be good men But yet we say 4. That upon the account of Gospel-Communion they cannot be accounted by us as Brethren because they are as Mr. T. saith rightly no members of a Christian Church i. e. any particular instituted Church of Christ That which is added by him makes much against him 1. 'T is false That the Scriptures make all who hold the same Faith and are Baptized into Christ
Synods yet was he not set over others nor endowed with greater power than the rest cap. conf Helvet prior Arti 15. the French Churches say We believe that all true Pastors wheresoever they are placed are endowed with equal authority under that only head high and sole universal Bishop Jesus Christ and therefore it is lawful for no one Church to claim authority and dominion over another cap conf gal Confes. Art 30. So say the Belgick Churches Bely conf Art 31. So that Mr. T. out of his great love and dutifulness to his Mother the Church of England is not sparing to cast dirt in the face of the Churches planted by the Apostles themselves and most or all the Reformed Churches at this day who own no such inequality as he pleads for and therefore were are all of them not well-ordered Churches in comparison at the least to her and the Church of Rome where the Hierarchie is established To the 16th parallel about holy Vestments he is able to object on-thing worth the considering The 17th is The Popish Priests are tyed to a book of stinted Prayers and a prescript Order devised by man for their Worship and Ministration so are the Ministers of England and that to such a one as is taken out of the Popes Portuis To this Mr. T. replies 1. The Assembly of Westminster prescribed a Directory for Worship Answ 1. Quid hoc ad Rhombum I am not in the least concern'd to justifie all that was done by that Assembly and am apt to think they might in that matter have spared their pains 2dly The same Assembly abhorred the Common-Prayer-Book Service as a most detestable and filthy Idol preached printed against it procured its Abolition 3dly Every one that knows any thing knows that upon various accounts there is no likeness betwixt these two None were compell'd to the use of this or that form of words by the Directory as in the Book of Common-Prayer He adds 2dly Those prayers and portions of Scripture which are holy and good are never the worse because they were in the Popes Portuis no more than the acknowledgement of Jesus to be the Son of the most High God is the worse because the Devil used it Mar. 5. 7. Answ 1. Of the Scriptures and that glorious Truth of Christ's Eternal Deity as the Son of the most High God and the Common-Prayer-Book-Service there is not the same reason They were from the inspiration of the Holy Spirit originally Divine this of man devised upon the prevailing of Apostacy upon the Churches of Christ imposed with threatnings cruelties and slaughters upon the Children of Christ by his professed Enemy abused by a confessed Idolatrous generation of men if there be any such in the world That because the abuse of the Scriptures and the Truths contained in them doth not render them the worse therefore a devised Service that it the best is wicked and abominable in its imposition intolerable used by Idolaters is not the worse I chalenge Mr. T. to make good 2. Though the Scriptures are not the worse because portions of them are read in the Romish Idolatrous Service yet the following the Romish Synagogue in curtailing the Scriptures reading one part of a Chapter at one time another at another and manifestly misapplying them causing them also to give place to the Apochryphal Writings is abominable He goes on 3dly That which is suggested as if the Common-Prayer-Book now in use were little different from the Popes Missal he tells us is untrue Answ 1. The Animadverter is a little mistaken We affirm in S. T. that the Common-Prayer-Book-Service used in King Edward the 6th's dayes and the Popes Missal were not much different And for the proof of that we produced the Testimony of the King and Council which we thought M. T. would never have questioned That the Common-Prayer-Book now in use and that then used is not much different every body knows 2dly 'T is true all that is in the Pope 's Missal is not in the Common-Prayer-Book nor did any one ever assert this but the most that is in the Common-Prayer-Book is stolen out of the Popes Missal The Epistles and Gospels the Prayers or Collects the rites and usages therein joyned are so and this Mr. T. denyes not I had thought to have represented the truth of this to the eye of the Reader by exhibiting our English and the Popes Latine Masse at one view to him which I have by me faithfully collected and compared together But the swelling of this Treatise unexpectedly and the difficulty of printing any thing of this nature that is voluminous through the tyranny of the Prelates makes me wholly to lay aside that intendment to a fitter season if need be The summe of what we have been offering in this matter we say in S. T. is this 1. Those Ministers that in their names office admission into their offices are not to be found in the Scripture are not Ministers of Christ act not by vertue of an Authority Office-power Calling received from him 2. Those Ministers that in their names office admission into their office are at a perfect agreement with the Ministers of Antichrist such are the Popish Priests acknowledged to be are not the Ministers of Christ But such as have been abundantly demonstrated are the present Ministers of England Therefore The Minor Mr. T. saith is manifestly false he hath said nothing to prove it in the main Answ This is soon said had he proved it manifestly false be had done somewhat Whether any thing considerable hath been offered by us for the proof of the Minor others besides Mr. T. and I will now judge Sect. 4. The present Ministers of Engl. proved Antichristian They act from a Power Office and Calling received from a Lord-Bishop whose Office is Antichristian The opinion of the Learned touching them Their Office is not to be found in the Scripture Eph. 4. 11. Rom. 12. 7 8. 1 Tim. 3. 12. Acts 14. 23. Tit. 1. 5 7. Acts 20. 28. know them not They were not known in the Church for some hundreds of years after The Office of Lord-Bishops wherein it consists Of Diotrephes his asserting Supremacy Our Bishops neither Evangelists nor Pastors nor Teachers nor Apostles proved Mat. 28. 19. explained Of the Rise of Episcopacy The Testimonies of Dr. Hammond Whitaker Reynolds Eusebius c. touching it WE further prove in S. T. The present Ministers of England act in the holy things of God by virtue of an Antichrâ—stan Power Office and Calling Because 2dly That they act from a Power Office and Calling received from a Lord-Bishop whose Office is Antichristian This the summe To which Mr. T. replies That neither himself nor any sober Writer judged them Antichristian Answ 1. Whether he once so judged of them his taking the Covenant to extirpate them wherein they are condemned as Antichristian will evince 2. What he or I judge them is not material that no sober Writer or considerate man that
which yet they do but rarely if at all is not the Succession pleaded for by our Prelates They care not for Preaching hinder oppose it many of them dreading it as the Engine in the hand of the Spirit that would shake their Kingdom and utterly overturn and demolish it so they may have their Lordships Pleasures and Pallaces 'T is not indeed Antichristian for me to confess the Apostles Creed because it is conveyed to our hands through the Papacy for however it cannot be so called because the Apostles were the Formers of it which they were not yet the matter thereof being except in one Article bottom'd upon the Scriptures I ought to confess it But this is remote from what he is pleading for viz. A personal succession of Bishops through the Papacy receiving their Power and Authority from the man of Sin which I say still whilst the Bishops pretend to they do therein proclaim their shame and yeeld the matter in controversie though their Advocate shamefully prevaricates that he may with a multitude of words cover their nakedness omitting the consideration of what was incumbent upon him especially to have removed out of the way viz. The Arguments produced to evince That the Apostles as Apostles had no successor in that their Office Which if it remain good the present Bishops most assuredly cannot be their Successorâ— as Apostles He adds 5thly That Bishops as a Superior order or degree above Presbyters were not dreamt of in the world for several hundreds of years after Christ he thinks can hardly be made good but he wisely reâ—reats with a Protestation that he will not enter the lists with respect to that point The truth is he knows it hath been proved and that with that strength of evidence that he cannot bear up against That Clemens his not takeing notice of them as distinct from Presbyters is ballanced by the passages in Ignatius his Epistles which I am perswaded he rejects as spurious and counterfeit I am sure it were easie to manifest them to be so it is already done by others is such a pitiful covert that a man would never fly to but in case of extreme necessity when he knows not what to say Lombards words import he grants that the order of Bishops above Presbyters was not known till after the Apostles dayes and if so they are no order of divine institution in which he once more perfectly yeelds the cause they are not of the institution of Christ in the Scripture Though he cannot prove that by the primitive Church Lombard means the Churches in the dayes of the Apostles his words seem to import somewhat more And Bellarmins himself acknowledgeth that the name of Elders was given in common to Bishops and Elders And Eusebius lib. 5. c. 24. calls Victor Anicetus Pius Telesphorus Xistus who was almost three hundred years after Christ Bishops of Rome Elders And the learned Whitaker ingenuously confesseth That betwixt an Elder and a Bishop there was of old no difference That such Bishops as are now in the Roman Church in the English Church we may as truly say were from the beginning is most false and can never be proved There were then more Bishops i. e. Pastors of one Church Act. 20. 17. contr 2. q. 5. c. 6. p. 284. But Mr. T. tells us 'T is enough for his purpose if the office be found in Scripture though not their Superiority Answ And is this your pleading for your Clients Seriously Sir you would discourage any person in the world from entertaining you as his Advocate when you are exposing your Client thus to ruin by your own pleadings at every turn The question is whether the office of Lord-Bishops which as such consists in there Superiority jurisdiction over the Priests and Ministers of England be of the institution of Christ Saith Mr. T. their Superiority is not Very good what needed so many words to no purpose 't is well however he will be so ingenuous as to confess at last that the juridicial office of Lord-Bishop is not of Christs institution The words of Dr. Hammond he grants to be as we recite them but thinks we misapply them But certainly if as the Dr. saith a Primary Metropolitical seat was constituted over Episcopal Seats and Churches viz. such as are Diocesan that their state and frame may be accommodated to the state and condition of the Government of the Nations in the Empire he that hath but half an eye will see that hence it follows that the Primacy and Supremacy of the Bishops over these Churches was the result of the designs of men to accommodate the state and frame of the Church to the state and condition of the Government of the Nations But the truth of this Assertion depends not upon the Doctors concession it s notoriously known and acknowledged by several others The distribution of Churches ordinarily followed the destribution of the Common-wealth so that when some Regions were subjected to the Civil jurisdiction in any City the same were ordinarily subjected also to the Ecclesiastical and as they were reckoned to be of the same Province in respect of the Civil so were they of the same Church or Diocess in respect of the Spiritual Government saith Rainoldes Confer with Hart. And the Council of Constantinople decreed That if any new City by the Authority of the Emperor was erected that the order of Ecclesiastical things should follow the Civil and Publick form Hence by the same Council Constantinople receives the Primacy because it was New Rome Can. 5. which before Old Rome enjoyed for that very reason But that you may understand how the Pope incroached on Bishops by degrees untill of an Equal he became a Soveraign first over a few next over many at last over all I must fetch the matter of Bishops Metropolitans and Arch-Bishops somewhat higher and shew how Christian Cities Provinces and Diocesses were alotted to them First therefore when Elders were ordained by the Apostles in every Church Act. 14. 23. through every City Tit. 1. 5. to feed the flock of Christ whereof the Holy Ghost had made them overseers Act. 20. 28. They to the intent they might the better do it by common councel and consent did use to assemble themselves and meet together In which meetings for the more orderly handling and concluding of things pertaining to their charge they chose one amongst them to be the President of their Company and Moderator of their actions And this is he whom afterward in the Primitive Church the â—athers called Bishop i. e. the President of the Presbyters who was thâ— Bishop of the chiefest City whom they called the Metropolitane For a Province as they termed it was the same with them that a Shire is with us And the Shire-town as you would say of the Province was called Metropolis i. e. the Mother-City In which as the Judges and Justices with us do hear at certain times the causes of the whole Shire So the Ruler of the
Witnesses of Christ the Waldenses state the Defection of the Church Catal. Test 1509. From which time at least whatever Offices or Rites were introduced being introduced by the Antichrist that was now gradually revealing himself are justly to be accounted Antichristian 3dly Would Mr. T. had told us what Officers they are that are only continued in the Church of Rome that are of divine appointment that we might have considered the truth of his suggestion Lord-Bishops we prove are not such He further tells us 2dly That it is not true that the office of Lord-Bishops is derived from and is only to be found in the Papacy 1. It is manifest in the first Nicene Council can 6. that then and before were Patriarchs Metropolitan Bishops and Lord-Bishops with their Office Answ 1. That they were before is not so easily proved Hither as to their source and spring are they usually referred The learned Hooper tells us A Bishop ought to be a Bishop only of one City it is to be lamented that the Episcopal Office is so greatly degenerated Iâ— was not so from the beginning when Paul commanded Titus to constitute Bishops through every City And certainly if the ancient love toward the people did flourish in us we should confess that there is more to be done in one City than can easily be performed by the best 'T is sufficiently known that the Primitive-Church had no such Bishops as were over more Cities or Congregations than one before the time of Sylvester the first In whose time was the first Nicene Council 2dly That because the first Nicene Council acknowledged Metropolitane and Lord-Bishops therefore they are not derived from the Papacy is not so easily demonstrated This Council was in oâ— about the year 315. Long before the Spirit by which the body Antichristian is animated visibly manifested it self not once nor twice aâ— is known What other spirit shewed it self in Victor who excommunicated the Eastern Bishops for not keeping Easter with him at the same time which brawl continued till the first Council of Nice which sides with Victor an Argument that they were acted by the same spirit 3dly What assurance will our Animadverter give us that this Canon as well as some others which confessedly are is not foisted into the Acts of that Council by persons of after-ages He is not ignorant that Protestants plead this against the Papists who for the establishment of the Tyranny of the Roman Primacy produce a fictitious Canon of the Nicene Council 4thly 'T is incumbent upon him to prove that such Metropolitane Bishops and Lord-Bishops as are now in England were in and before the first Nicene Council which he knows to be false and untrue 1. The English Episcopacy is an order above the order of Presbyters then Episcopacy and Presbytery was accounted one and the same order 2. Ruledom and Jurisdiction is the peculiar flower of the Garland of our English Episcopacy of that it was not so As the Presâ—yters were to do nothing without the Bishop so neither was the Bishop to do any thing without the Presbyters He adds 2. That in the Greek Eastern Russian Churches the same Office is continued Answ 1. Nor do we affirm the contrary that we should do so is not necessary The Greek-Churches were at the first involved in the same Apostasie with the Roman at least with respect to the matter in debate betwixt us 2. We only say that 't is only found in the Papacy with respect to the Reformed-Churches none of them have continued it He therefore adds 3. That it is also pleaded that the Lutheran Churches Reformed that have separated from the Papacy in Germany Denmark Swethland have retained the same Office under the name of Superintendents Answ 'T is indeed thus pleaded by Downham c. who 't is like took up the story of Hadrianus Saravia a known Patron of the Popish Hierarchy who asserts it in a way of reproach to the Lutheran Reformation whether it be truly pleaded or otherwise Mr. T. tells us not though he cannot be ignorant of the contrary The Superintendency of the Lutheran Churches is exceeding different from the Office of our Bishops 1. Their Superintendent is only as a President or Chairman for the preservation of order in an Assembly 2. He is only so during the Session out of it he exerciseth no authority at all more than the rest of his Co-Presbyters as do the Bishops of England 3. He is subject to the Presbytery our Bishops Lords over them 4. He differs not in order and degree from the rest of the Ministeâ—â— as do the Bishops of England 5. He is but a Pastor of one particular Church our Bishops are of scores hundreds He proceeds after the same rate of confidence and verity 4. That it is false that the true Spouse and Witnesses of Christ have in all ages utterly rejected the Office of Lord-Bishops and that it hath its entertainment only by the false Antichristian Church Answ 1. 'T is much he doth not produce one instance of this Assertion and yet so confidently avers it which could he have done he would as well have proved it false as said it was so 2dly For the confirmation of the truth of what he saith is false we have produced several Testimonies his Answer thereunto such as it is we have already taken notice of it and manifested its lightness and vanity He adds This is manifest by the many Epistles written to the English Prelates by their reception at the Synod of Dort Answ 1. What the Epistles are he intends what the Reception mentioned is not of such import as to spend our time in enquiring thereabout 2dly That they have rejected the Office of Lord-Bishops is known they have published their dislike and detestation of it in their Confession to the world What respect any of them give them either in point of civility or as Messengers or persons sent from the King or perhaps not being truly informed what the Jurisdiction and Office is they exercise in their private Letters or otherwise is not considerable in the matter in hand The Office of Lord-Bishops or a superiority of Order above Presbyters or Elders they absolutely condemn as we have proved We add in S. T. One Stone of Offence must be removed out of our way It is said that though Lord-Bishops are Antichristian yet it doth not follow that the Office and Ministry derived from them is so for they are also Presbyters and ordained as Presbyters To which Mr. T. subjoyns 1. There is nothing replied to the allegation that Bishops ordain with Presbyters Answ 1. Nor is there any such allegation in the objection proposed 2ly If there were it s not so considerable as to deserve to be taken notice of They are only assistants to the Bishop 't is he not they that sets them apart admits them into Sacred Orders as they heathenishly call them He adds 2dly Nor to this that some of the Bishops have acknowledged Episcopacy
1. 1 5. 2 Cor. 8. 5. John 15. 19 and 17. 6. 1 Cor. 5. 12. Acts 2. 40. 2 Cor. 6. 17. Acts 19. 9. Rev. 18. 4. considered Of the acception of the word World Characters of persons that are not of the World A third Institution of Christ remarked Of the power Christ hath intrusted his Church with Acts 1. 23. 1 Cor. 5. 5. explained Of the Officers of Christ's appointment Their Election by the Church Of the Liberty of Prophesying Nothing must be offered up to God in Worshiâ— but what is of his own prescription The present Ministers of England refuse to subject to these Ordinances of Christ An Objection answered Mr. T. his Exceptions considered and removed out of the way 2dly THat the present Ministers of England do not hearken and conform to the Revelation Christ hath made touching the Orders and Ordinances of his House we prove in S. T. by the induction of seven particulars To this Mr. T. replies in Sect. 3. Chap. 4. 1st In the stead of Argument he proves all with Interrogations Answ False and untrue I wonder at the conscience and confidence of the man in asserting it He knows I prove it by the induction of the most remarkable Orders of the House of Christ which they hearken not to 2dly He askes Which of the Ordinances of Christ have they made void Answ They were under his view whilest he wrote these words so that his question is frivolous I enumerate seven of the Orders and Institutions of Christ they have so dealt with He adds 3dly He should have reckoned up seven times seven Answ 1. And why so If guilty of a rejection of these which are the principal they oppose his Kingly and Prophetical Office though they embrace some others that are of his appointment The Romanists do so yet this Animadverter grants they are guilty of the crime instanced in 2. Mr. T. cannot reckon up seven times seven Institutions of Christ that are of the peculiar Institutions of his House to be performed by Saints embodied and united together in the fellowship of the Gospel nor many more than these seven mentioned by us He instanceth in hearing the Word praying to the Father in the Name of Christ which he tells us they have not made void by their Traditions Answ 1. The first of these is in a great measure if not totally made void by them 1. They oppose and deny the management of this duty in the way of Christ's appointment whilest they debar Christians from electing their own Officers or attending upon the Ministry of such as are according to the mind of Christ elected by them 2. The Preaching of the Word must give way to their Service-Book-Worship or Forms of humane devising which I am much mistaken if it be not in a great measure a making void of that Institution of Christ he speaks of by their Traditions 2. I wish the same may not be said with respect to the most of them at least of praying to the Father in the Name of Christ which none can do but by the Spirit whom they despise reproach set up their stinted Formâ— in opposition to him and his breathings The first of the Orders of Christ's House instanced in is That all Power for the Calling Institution Order and Government of his Church is invested solely in him as the alone Lord Soveraign Ruler and Head thereof Mat. 28. 19. 1 Tim. 6. 14 15. John 3. 35. Acts 3. 22. and 5. 31. Hence Christ chargeth his Disciples not to be called of men Rabbi nor to call any Father viz. not to impose their authority upon any or suffer themselves to be imposed upon by any in the matters of their God Mat. 23. 8 9 10 because one is their Master and Lord viz. Christ. Hence also the Apostles lay the weight of their exhortations upon the Commandment of Christ 1 Cor. 11. 23. and 14. 37. proclaim all to be accursed that preach any other Gospel Gal. 1. 8. Charge Chrâ—stians not to receive such as bring any other Doctrine 2 John 10. The Spirit terribly threatens such as shall add to the Revelation of God Rev. 22. 18. This Institution we say they conform hot really unto they own other Lords Heads and Governours that have a Law-making Power over his Churches beside him To this Mr. T. 1. That all power for the Calling Institution Order and Government of his Church is invested solely in Christ as the alone Lord Soveraign Ruler and Head thereof he grants as a Truth Though 2dly He assents not to our Paraphrase on Mat. 23. 8. As if Christ did forbid the Apostles to impose their Authority upon any in the matters of their God which they did Acts 15. 25 28. Answ 1. By imposing their Authority is meant giving forth Commands Doctrines in their own Names as from themselves without the Authority of Christ Where did they so Do they not every where disavow it 1 Cor. 1. 15. 2 Cor. 4. 5. 1 Cor. 11. 1. Divine Revelation not the Dictates of men one or other of them is the Foundation of a Christians Faith 2. Mr. T. mistakes when he saith they did this Acts 15. 25 28. For 1st They enjoyned nothing but what was before enjoyned by the Lord only acquainted the Gentile Believers therewith as is 1. Abstinence from Fornication Exod. 20. 14. Ezek. 16. 26 29. Mat. 5. 32. 2. From things Strangled Deut. 12. 24. 3. From Blood Gen. 9. 4. 5. i. e. the Life-Blood or any member of the creature pulled from it whilest it is yet alive as the Jewish Rabbins expound it and that truly 2dly He speaks against the express Letter of the Scripture vers 28. It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to us Expressions very remote from the countenancing such an authoritative imposition as he speaks of 2. He askes How comes this to be an Order of the House of Christ he took such Orders to be Precepts of Christ to us but this seems to be Gods gift to him Answ That Christs Ruledom and Soveraignty over his House is a gift of God to him we grant but such a gift as doth necessarily imply a duty on the part of his Houshold viz. That they own obey subject to none in the matters of Worship but only him admit no Laws or Institutions amongst them but his And this is expresly asserted in S. T. which we took then and still do for an Order of Christ's House 3. He tells us further That to assert the present Ministers of England own other Lords that have a Law-making Power over his Churches besides him is to unchristen them Answ 1. And however Mr. T. his Book came to be licensed with an intimation from the reverend Licenser That he finds nothing in it contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England Some of them think though I assure him I do not he hath asserted that pag. 123 that doth indeed unchristen them 2. However if the assertion mentioned unchristens them they
and if scandalous in some cases the persons guilty of it to be separated from We say moreover in S. T. 4thly 'T is false that good men pressing after Reformation according to the primitive pattern do differ touching the substance of the things instanced in To which Mr. T. adjoyns The more to blamâ— is this Author to widen the Breach A. But this Author doth no such thing he widens not the Breach urges not Separation from good men who press after Reformation according to the primitive pattern But such as have renounced the pursuing such a Reformation though they were once sworn some of them to prosecute it to the uttermost of their power persecute oppose it in them that are pressing after it As is the known case of the preseâ—t Ministers of England What is added by us in the 5th place viz. That the particulars instanced in being commanded by Christ they are not discharged from the impeachment drawn up against them who conform not to them of Nonconformity to the Laws of Christ by this Plea That good men differ in these matters i. e. some good men transgress the Laws of Christ he grants to be true Nor doth he offer any thing further in this Chapter that deserves our attendment CHAP. VI. Sect. 1. The present Ministers own Laws not of Christs revealing contrary thereunto therefore deny his Offices The first proved by the induction of fourteen particulars Mr. T. yeelds the matter in controversie Ezek. 43. 8. explained An Objection answered Of the Authority of Rulers touching Laws and Constitutions Ecclesiastical Of Synods THE second Argument whereby in S. T. we prove the present Ministers deny the Kingly and Prophetical Office of Christ is this Those who own submit and subscribe to Orders and Ordinances which not only are not of Christs revealing but contrary thereunto do really deny and oppose the Prophetical and Kingly Office of Christ But the present Ministers of England do own submit and subscribe to Orders and Ordinances that are not only not of Christs revealing but contrary thereunto Therefore The Major or first Proposition is beyond exception Persons non-conformity to the Laws of Magistrates if in what they have power to command their giving forth Laws of their own without the consent of their Rulers directly contrary to their Laws is a visible notorious opposition denyal and rejection of their Authority in them that give forth such Laws and in them that conform and subject to them This we manifestly prove to be true of the present Ministers of England with respect to Christ the alone Independant Lord King and Soveraign of his Church and People That which Mr. T. opposeth hereunto Chap. 5. Sect. 1. will receive â— sâ—eedâ— dispatch 1. His distinctions about the Orders and Ordinances of Christ are needless they are but a clouding and darkning of Truth by words without knowledge The Orders we speak of are the Appointments of Christ to his Church with respect to Worship wherein their practice is more or less concerned to deny and reject these and in the place of them to substitute others of their own of Antichrist and subject thereunto is a denial of the Offices of Christ mentioned or it is not If Mr. T. his conscience tells him that it is he doth ill to equivocate This he grants to be true of the Pope of Rome Chap. 4. pag. 119 120. Why it should not be so of the Pope of Canterbury and his Prelates I yet understand not That the giving forth and subjection to the Cannon-Law in the Papacy should be Antichristian and a denial of the Offices of Christ and the same thing in the Church of England not so is a Riddle to me Henry the 8th rejected the Popes Supremacy an Act of Parliament is instituted 25. H. 8. c. 9. for the retention of the whole of his Canon-Law in its wonted vigour that is not contrary to the Laws and Statutes of the Kingdom nor prejudicial to the Royal Prerogative by virtue whereof how great a part of his Law whereby he ruled his Kingdom of darkness and still rules it received its establishment Mr. T. knows and in part confesseth Chap. 4. Of which the Institutions and Orders mentioned are a part by which the Pope yet speaks as a King amongst us though his Supremacy be justly by Law rejected for the Law of a King is his mouth That very Law that is the Canon-Law of the Papacy by which the Saints were burned in Smithfield and other places is that Law by which in the stead of the Institutâ—ons of Christ the Church of England is governed the Saints are excommunicated delivered over to the Secular Power imprisoned ruined at this day This Law the present Ministers of England subject to which is the Canonical obedience they promise to their Ordinary And though this Animadverter multiply millions of words he will never make persons of judgement and sobriety believe that this is not a real denial and rejection of the Authority of Christ They tell him in their practice that they will have none of his Institutions they prefer Antichrists Canon-Law before them which is stufft with such filthy Abominations that Luther was wont to call the Decretals Excretalâ— and had them publickly burned at Wittemburge And Whitaker one of their own saith The Canonical Decretal and Pontifical Law ought to have no place amongst us because it is Antichristian and altogether a stranger to all Piety and Religion Lib. de Concil 9. 2. If the Animadverter will speak to the purpose and evert what hath been offered in this matter he must I conceive either manifest that the Popes Canon-Law is not the Law of Government to the Church of England or that a retention thereof with a rejection of the Institutions of Christ is not a denial of his Offices To tell stories of things done of ignorance which we have over and over and in this matter cannot have place they themselves know that things are with them as we have reported them the setting up open Antichrists and Universal Monarchs is the ready way to expose himself to conteâ—pt for his impertinencies no probable one to carry the Cause he undertakes the defence of There being nothing further worth the considering in this first Sect. we hasten to the 2 d. In order to the confirmation of the Minor Proposition of the forementioned Argument two things we say in S. T. are incumbent upon us to prove 1. That the present Ministers of England do own submit and subscribe to Orders and Ordinances that are not of Christs revealing which we manifest by the Induction of 14 particular Instances As First They own the Orders and Offices of Arch-Bishops Bishops c. and promise subjection and obedience to them Eccles Can. can 7. To which Mr. T. 1. He will not undertake to justifie all that is in the Ecclesiastical Canons nor need he nor perhaps will the present Ministers or Bishops Answ 1. But he having undertaken to be their Advocate he
further Doth the Bishops cruelty arise no higher What means the sighs of the poor and needy who to the ruine of their Families have for many years lain in noysome Prisons for their non-conformity 2. Why pleads he not for the Spanish Inquisition the Stake and Faggots in the Marian dayes he knows they have all the same bottom and foundation 3. Several of the Scriptures produced prove that none but such as of their free will being under no constraint but that of the Spirit thereunto desire to be so were Members of the Churches of Christ compulsion whereunto we are so foolish as to think to be hereunto contrary as Psal 110. 3. a Prophesie of Gospel-times as he grants Acts 2. 41 47. 2 Cor. 9. 13. From whence we argue If it be prophesied of such as are to constitute the Gospel-Church-State that they shall be a willing people and we find only such in the time of the Gospel taken thereinto their subjection of consent or willingness to the Gospel of Christ both with respect to Doctrine and Discipline being what the Saints rejoyced to behold then compelling any by Pecuniary mulcts or otâ—erwise to be Church members is wicked and unlawful contrary to the forecited Scriptures But the first is manifestly proved by them Therefore 'T were easie to manifest that this is a Principle decried by the Primitive Believers with the Witnesses of Christ in all Ages Aâ— Tertullian Clemens Alexand. Lactantius the Council of Sardis of Toledo Chrysostome Epiphanius Ignatius Constantine at first made a Decree That Liberty of Worship ought not to be denied Euseb Eccles Hist lib. 10. c. 5. The noble Lord Cobham in answer to Dr. Walden's speaking contemptuously of Wickliff saith Where do you find in all God's Law That you should thus sit in judgment of any Christian man or yet give sentence upon any other man unto death as ye do here daily no ground have you in all the Scriptures so lordly to take it upon you but in Annas and Caiphas which sat thus upon Christ and his Apostles of them only have you taken it to judge Christ's Members as you do and neither of Peter nor John 'T is some of the sowr leaven of the Papacy yet left amongst us the only prop by which Antichrist's Kingdom hath from the beginning been supported and propagated in the World the same Spirit animating it that breathed in the Roman Pagan Empire to the ruine and destruction of multitudes of Christian Souls Whether Acts 2. 40. 19. 9. 2 Cor. 6. 14 17. prove that wicked and ungodly men are not fit matter for Church-Communion we will leave to the Judicious Reader to determine We add in S. T. 9thly That Women may administer the Sacrament of Baptism is owned by them which is contrary to 1 Cor. 14. 34. 1 Tim. 2. 12. Mat. 28. 18 19 20. Ephes 4. 11. Mr. T. replies This was allowed in the English Church before the Conference at Hampton Court in the Reign of King James but not since Answ 1. Yet the Learned Hooker who is supposed to speak the mind of the Church and Ministers of England as much as another man after the aforesaid Conference pleads for the lawfulness thereof Eccles Pol. Sect. 62. Yea 2. I find no publick renunciation of the foresaid erroneous Principle nor is it any where as I know of expresly and avowedly condemned by them And am perswaded that upon enquiry it will be found that it 's generally owned by them to this very day What he seems to urge for the justification of this practice is trivial viz. Philip had four Daughters that did Prophesie Acts 21. 9. Mention is made of the Woman Praying or Prophesying 1 Cor. 11. 5. Priscilla instructed Apollos Therefore we cannot exclude them from private Teaching of the most able if they be fitted thereunto Which no body that I know of denies but that therefore they may Baptize which should have been his inference is such a non-sequitur that deserves no other answer tâ—an contempt We proceed and in S. T. say 10thly That the present Ministers own that the Lords Supper is to be received kneeling Touching which we affirm three things 1. That the posture of kneeling is opposite to the practice of Christ in his first institution of that Ordinance and so it is if kneeling be directly opposite to sitting which 't is expresly said he did Mark 14 18 22 23. To which Mr. T. Sect. 9. replies The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used Mark 14. 18. signifies lying along on Beds Answ 1. Dato non concesso Yet Kneeling is directly opposite to that posture so that that observation were it true advâ—ntageth not his cause at all 2. The word as it 's known signifies to sit down or to sit down together at Meat Mark 16. 14. Luke 17. 37. 3. 'T is most evident Christ sat with his Disciples in the Administration of this Ordinance 1. So say all the Evangelists Mat. 26. 20. Mark 14. 18. Luke 14. 22. John 13. 12. 2. The Papists themselves confess as much Rex sedet in caenâ turbâ cinctus duodenâ Alex. Alens 3. Most forreign Ministers and Commentators as Aretius Brentius Calvin Beza Deodat Zuinglius Piscaâ—or Danaeus together with our Countreymen affirm as much 4. Till above 1460 years after Christ we meet with no Council or Synod no Rubrick in all the Lyturgies that enjoyn people to kneel in the act of Receiving 5. Our first Reformers in the time of H. 8. in their Treatise touching the Lord's Supper desire that Christian Princes would command and establish a form of administring the Lord's Supper wherein all the Congregation may be ordered to sit round about the Lord's Table as Christ his Apostles the Primitive Christians did Nor is 6. one main end of this Institution viz. our communion with Christ and one with another so fitly represented by the posture of Kneeling as sitting What else he mentions is not worth the reminding Christ sat out of choice in the celebration of this appointment for there was no constraint upon him so to do he might â—ave stood or kneeled if he had pleased That we are rather to subject to Antichrist's Canons â—nd Custom in kneeling than follow Christs Example sober Christians will not be over forwardly to beâ—ieve 1. Paul 1 Cor. 11. 23. omits the gesture because then it had not been in the least controverted 2dly That the posture of Kneeling is opposite to the practice of the Churches of Christ for several hundred years after to the time of the invention and introduction of the Popish breaden God to the judgment and practice of most of the Reformed Churches to this very day The truth of this Mr. T. denies not The sayings of Dr. Burgess the Bishop of Rochester Paybody c. in opposition to the former of these being without the least tender of proof and they themselves sticklers for kneeling is not to be heeded The contrary hath in part already and may be anon more
c. that never entred into the heart of Christ the judicious Reader will easily from what we have already offered discern the impertinency of Ezra 6. 7. and 7. 13. Dan. 3. 29. and 6. 26. to the present design 'T is true as he saith Christianity alters not civil Relations or Estates 1 Cor. 7. 24. And 't is as true that if in the time of my infidelity I have been the servant of men that are my Political Masters with respect to Worship though I am whilst I continue their servant to perform faithful service to them with respect to things Civil yet am I not to own them or subject to them as my Lords Governours with respect to the Service of God therein one only being my Lord and Master viz. Christ 2. I say not that all the Kings of Israel were Types of Christ but that the Kings of Israel were so i. e. some of them nor do I restrain the word Israel to the ten Tribes but to the twelve headed by David Solomon a pair of eminent Types of the Messiah That Christ and the Apostles yeelded subjection to Civil Powers with respect to things sacred of which this Animadverter must speak or he speaks impertinently is a gross mistake unworthy so learned a person We say in S. T. 3dly That the Kings of Israel were Heads of the Church is false God was its alone Head and King Hence their Historian saith Their Government was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And when they would needs choose a King God said They rejected him to whom even as to their Political Head a Shekel was paid yearly as a Tribute called the Shekel of the Sanctuary True indeed as they were a Political Body they had visible Political Governours but that these had any Headship over them to make any Laws introduce Constitutions of their own framing in matter relating to Worship will never be proved To which Mr. T. replies 1. That the Church of Israel was different from the Kingdom of Israel is one of the proper opinions of those who would establish from that example an Ecclesiastical Independent Government in the Church distinct from the Civil Government of the State Answ 1. 'T is no matter whose opinion 't is if Truth it ought to be imbraced 2. That there is a real and formal distinction betwixt the two Societies Church and Common-wealth is at large proved by several As Mr. Gillespy in his Aarons Rod Blossoming b. 1. c. 3. The Assembly in their Jus Divinum Hear their Reasons p. 88 89. 1st The Society of the Church is only Christ's and not the Civil Magistrates it s his House and he hath no Vicar under him as is abundantly proved by Mr. Rutherford in his Divine Right of Church-Government Chap. 27. Q. 23. Pag. 595 to 647. 2dly The Officers Ecclesiastical are Christ's Officers not the Magistrates 1 Cor. 4. 1. Ephes 4. 8 10 11. 1 Cor. 12. 28. 3dly These Officers are elected and ordained by the Church without Commission from the Civil Magistrate by virtue of Christs Ordinance and in his Name Acts 6. 3 4. with 14. 23. 1 Tim. 4. 14. with Acts 13. 1 2 3 4. 4thly The Church meets not as Civil Judicatories for Civil Acts of Government but as Spiritual Assembles for such as are spiritual viz. Preaching 5thly Should not these two Societies be acknowledged to be really and essentially distinct from one another several gross absâ—rdities would follow As 1. Then there can be no Common-wealth where there is not a Church but this is contrary to all experience Heathens have Common-wealths yet no Church 2. Then there may be Church-Officers elected where there is no Church seeing there are Magistrates where there is no Church 3. Then those Magistrates where there is no Church are no Magistrates And if so then the Church is the formal constituting Cause of Magistrates 4. Then the Common-wealth as the Common-wealth is the Church and the Church as the Church is the Common-wealth 5. Then all that are Members of the Common-wealth are because so Members of the Church 6. Then the Common-wealth being formally the same with the Church is as Common-wealth the Mystical Body of Christ 7. Then the Officers of the Church are the Officers of the Common-wealth the power of the Keys gives them right to the Civil Sword and consequently the Ministers of the Gospel as such are Justices of the peace All which how absurd let the world judge He adds 2dly That Solomon and other Kings did exercise power over Ecclesiastical persons is evident because he deposed Abiathar Answ 1. Who denies it How this proves the power of the Kings of Israel as Heads of the Church to innovate in Worship which is the thing to be proved I know not Hic labor hoc opus est And Mr. T. hath more wit than seriously to attempt it 2. Solomon deposed Abiathar not as High Pontifee or Head of the Church for male administration in Church-affairs but as King of Israel for treason against the Common-wealth in the business of Adonijah Ergo Solomon was the Head of the Church of Israel risum teneatis amici Of 2 Chr. 29. 30 and 30. 2. which he produceth to prove That the Kings of Israel had power in Ecclesiastical things we have already spoken What follows in this 14th Sect. is not worthy our spotting paper with the repetition of 1. He grants That God was the alone Head and King of the Church of Israel with respect to power Legislative to assign what Faith Worship Judicatories and what other things were necessary for that Congregation all which solely appertained to him which is all we need contend for The Kings of Israel had not any Legislative power with respect to these he grants from the power of these Kings then it cannot be argued that any have power now to innovate in matters of Faith and Worship they are not Heads of the Church invested with authority to introduce Constitutions of their own framing in matters relating to Worship as such nor had the Kings of Israel any such Authority Jam sumus ergo pares nec ab uno dissidet alter 2. What he talks of Kingly Government we are not at all concerned in All that we assert in S. T. is that Josephus saith Their Government was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Theocracie that when they choose a King they rejected God 1 Kings 8. 17. which when he attempts the confutation of we may attend him 3. That a Shekel was yearly paid to the Lord Ex. 30. 13. which continued to the destruction of Jerusalem Josep l. 7. c. 28. of the Jewish Wars he grants that it was paid to him as their Political Head he denies Now though this be not of any moment as to our present concern therein yet the truth thereof is easily demonstrated 1. It was paid to the Lord in token of their thankfulness for his delivering them from the Egyptian yoke which he did as their Political Head 2. None were
Mr. T. Just as if one should say he that heard Judaâ— preach the Gospel was partaker with him in his theft which is like the inference of a man crazed in his intellectuals Answ 1. With thanks to him for the civility of his expression I answer the case is not at all the same Judas acted from a tâ—ue Commission was not a known Thief nor guilty of any notorious visible wickedness till he betrayed his Lord The Ministers of England act from a false Antichristian Authority and some of them are visibly scandalous and prophane 2. Had Judas acted from a false Commission as these do such as had attended on his false Ministry had been guilty of the sin thereof whilst by their so doing they had encouraged him in the exercise of it 3. Paul was sure sound in his Intellectuals yet he tells the Corinthians That their not casting the incestuous person out of their Communion was a partaking with him in his sin We add in S. T. Our hearing them is a secret consenting with them and encouraging them in their evil deeds Our Animadverter replies 'T is not so but a consenting with them and encouraging them in preaching the Gospel which is well-doing Answ 1. Many of them preach not at all 2. Many of them that do preach not the Gospel 3. Few or none preach it without the mixture of humane Inventions 4. They all preach it from an Antichristian call 5. They read the Service-Book and conform to the Rites thereof which is evil doing and our attendment upon their preaching encourageth them herein In what nextly follows we are little concerned till he prove That because mens withdrawment from a godly lawful Christian Ministry was to them ground of discouragement and complaint therefore we must hear such as act from an Antichristian calling in their Office of Ministry and for the most part are vicious and deboyst Of Phil. 1. 18. we speak afterwards We righteously blame them that attempt to silence good Preachers for non-assenting to the Liturgie because it 's a setting up an Idol of Man in opposition to the Command and Work of God He tells us The Prelatists may as well argue If we should permit the Separatists to preach we should consent secretly with them and encourage them in their evil deeds such as gathering a separate Congregation and taking a Commission from it Answ 1. But they must prove these things to be evil deeds they are as we have proved the Institutions of Christ 2. Betwixt hearing men preach and permitting them so to do we conceive there is a vast difference For our parts were it in our power we should not by outward force and violence hinder a Prelatist from preaching We know Christs Kingdom admits of no such weapons for its propagation in the world We add in S. T. That hearing the present Ministers is very remote from the discharge of those duties are incumbent upon us if we account them as Brethren for their reclaiming 't is not separating from them 't is in respect of some or all the particulars remarked a participation with them in their sin To which our Animadverter adjoyns If it be not the discharging their duty for their reclaiming them which as it 's stated would perhaps be rather their sin yet it is to discharge their duty in hearing Gods Word Answ 1. But that 't is our duty to hear the Word of God from Antichristian Officers when Christ hath appointed some of his own to dispense it should have been proved and not beg'd 2. That it should be the sin of any Brother to reprove his Minister for what he sees evil upon him in the way of the Gospel is something strange Doctrine which we know not what to make of that when he hath done so and no Reformation follows and he hath proceeded as far as he is able for his amendment that he ought to attend still on his Ministry to his grief and wounding and not separate from him is contrary to the many Scriptures produced by us in this Argumenâ— 3. Not to reprove rebuke admonish a guilty sinner being a Brother of his sin I have but now proved to be a partaker with him in his sin to which Mr. T. sets his probatum est p. 295. That the same act neglected and done should be a sin seems to me to be inconsisâ—ent That I should be guilty of sin in not reproving an offender and gâ—ilty when I reprove him seems to me a contradiction He adds Hearing them fits them for the reclaiming of Ministers from any sin they are to reprove in them for this shews they account them not as their or the Lords enemies which is agreeable to the Apostles Rule 2 Thes 3. 15. Answ 1. In hearing them I joyn with them in am paâ—taker of their sin viz. the sin of their false ministry That partâ—king with others in their sins should fit me for the reclaiming them from them is an absurd dictate 2. Thâ— Apostle intends not in that Rule 2 Thes 3. 15. That we still hold Communion with the Brother there spoken off nor saith he that our so doing is the best way to reclaim him but the contrary v. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Note him with a brand of infamy that all may avoid him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and be not mingled with him have no such familiarity with him as a man with his friend But that in tenderness and love as I have opportunity I am still seeking to reclaim him from the evil of his wayes Mr. T. doth ill though we take liberty to weary men with his unproved dictates by them to oppose the Spirit of the Lord. What follows being a very dunghil of unsavoury words and unhandsome reflections upon the men of his dislike not having the least of Argument or Answer in them I pass over and attend his dictates in the following Chapter CHAP. X. Sect. 1. The 9th Argument against hearing the present Ministers 'T is a casting contempt upon the wayes and Institutions of Christ a hardning persons in a false way of Worship and rebellion against him Separation from the World and ways of false Worship an Institution of Christ proved Who meant by World Numb 23. 9. explained The Children of Israel in what respects Typical of the People of God John 15. 19. 2 Tim. 3. 5. Hos 4. 15. Prov. 14. 7. Mat. 13. 30 39 40 49 expounded The distinct Meetings of the Saints for their mutual edification an appointment of Christ proved Particular Congregations of Believers for the celebration of the Worship of God in opposition to National Churches an Ordinance of Christ manifested Christ hath instituted Officers of his own for his Churches given them abilities for the discharge of the services he calls them to evinced Whether Ministers belong to the Câ—tholick Church or particular Churches discussed IN Chap. 9th of S. T. We propose several Arguments for the Demonstration of the truth enquired after of which the 9th is
of the Gospel Hos 4. 15. is a Precept to Judah not to have communion with Idolatrous Israel in matter of Worship thence separation from such as worship God in a false way is evidently demonstrated to be our duty That 't is our duty as the Spirit tells us 't is Prov. 14. 7. to flie from the presence and sight of foolish men and yet have communion with them in Worship is a most absurd Dictate But he will prove the Position false 1. It supposeth Christ to have instituted such a separation as he hath told us shall not be to the end of the World Mat. 13. 30 39. 40. Answ This is the Animadverters mistake the separation Christ tells us shall not be till the end of the World is a separation in respect of Civil Societies and Cohabitations in the World which we plead not for And this he plainly tells us v. 38. The Field is the World wherein both the godly and the wicked do and may grow together undisturbed by us notwithstanding the separation pleaded for And that this is the whole of Christs intendment is evident 1. The Tares when discovered are not to be pull'd up out of the field v. 15. But when persons are discovered to be Tares wicked ones they must be cast out of the Church 1 Cor. 5. 2. Rev. 2. 14 15 16 20. 2. The plucking up of the Tares is forbidden lest thereby some detriment should happen to the Wheat v. 29. but the excommunicating separating from scandalous Offenders is not to the prejudice 't is to the good and advantage of those that are truly Righteous as the Apostle intimates 2 Cor. 5. 6 7 8. Ver. 39. is the Key of the Parable of the Draw-Net Which 1. fairly intimates to us that the same line of Interpretation is to be stretched over it as over the Parable of the Tares But 2. grant it to be meant of a Gospel-Church-State it opposeth not the Separation pleaded for there 's no doubt there may be foolish Virgins as well as wise Judasses as well as Peters in the best constituted Churches and are like to be to the end of the World but though they are known to God to be Devils they are not upon their admission into the Churches for other than real Saints and when they are found to be otherwise they are to be cut off from them as useless Members The separation pleaded for is not a separation from such refined Hypocrites as can act the part of Saints so well as that none but God is able to discern them from such but from those who have the visible Lineaments of men of the World and Children of Disobedience upon them which is not in the least opposite to either of these Parables The Fish in the Draw-Net were supposed to be good whilst in the Draw-Net till brought to Land and taken out from thence The account is given of the Churches of Asia Corinth manifests that they were constituted of visible Saints Rev. 2. 1 2 3 9 13 19. 1 Cor. 1. 2. They are blamed for suffering those that had discovered the rottenness of their hearts by works of unrighteousness though when admitted they seemed to be Saints to continue in their Communion Rev. 2. 14. 20. What he adds That the Separation pleaded for was ever judged Schismatical and proved unhappy in the conclusion Is 1. an Arrow drawn out of the Popish Quiver What the Papists usually object against the Separation of the Protestants from the Church of Rome as indeed many of his Arguments and Answers in this Treatise are which I had thought to have manifested at the close by the induction of particular instances but that this Treatise so unexpectedly swells under our hands 2. All that is accounted Schismatical is not presently so because so accounted 3. Schism being a breach of some Union of the Institutioâ— of Christ he must prove our Separation to be a breach of some such Union before he proves it schismatical What unhappiness the Animadverter means that hath attended separation from the visibly wicked and prophane I know not all things are not unhappy that men account so That which is of God in the Premisses as we have proved Separation to be cannot have unhappiness in the conclusion He adds The separation pleaded for is dangerous sith it puts persons upon withdrawing their subjection from Ecclesiastical Civil Houshold-Rulers and Governors it would overthrow all States Bodies Politick and Houshold-Government Answ 1. If by Ecclesiastical Rulers and Governors he â—ean such as are of the Institution of Christ and to others we owe no subjection as such the whole and every part of what is affirmed by him in this matter is most scandalously falsly and wickedly spoken â— question whether not contrary to his own knowledge and Conscience if not he undertook to answer a matter before he understood it which iâ— not much to his honour 2. The separation pleaded for is no other than what was pleaded for by the Apostles of old and Primitive Believers So that if it overthrows Government theirs did also and indeed this was laid to their charge as 't is to ours how truly let the whole Nation judge of this we have already spoken A second institution of Christ instanced in in S. T. is this That Saints separate from the World should frequently meet together as a distinct Body therefrom for the edification and building up of each other in the way and will of God according to the gifts bestowed Mal. 3. 16. 1 Thes 5. 11. Heb. 3. 12 Jude 20. Heb. 10. 24 25. 1 Cor. 12. 9. Acts 12. 12. 18. 23. Ephes 5. 19. James 5. 16. 1 Thes 5. 14. To which Mr. T. Sect. 2. Saints separated from the World i. e. unbelievers should frequently meet for the ends aforesaid But 1. one party of Christians should not call another party of Christians the World who own the true Faith of God and worship him because they are not of the same way of Church-Government and Worship Answ Right but with Mr. T. his good leave Christians may call such as though they outwardly profess the Name of Christ drive a trade of sinning against God are strangers to the Work of Grace upon their Spirits who are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in subjection to the wicked one the World they being really 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unbelievers if any in the Woâ—â—d be so which is all we contend for And if this b granted which yet I see not how it can be denied farewel a national-National-Church the most of whose Members are of the Complexion intimated That which follows in this Section we are not at all concerned in The Scriptures produced sufficiently evince that what we affirm to be the Institution of Christ is indeed so nor is Mr. T. able to gain-say the truth thereof A third Institution of Christ mentioned in S. T. is That particular Congregations and Assemblies of Believers gathered into one Body for the Celebration of the Worship
truth of the assertion we fully manifest in S. T. nor doth Mr. T. deny but that the hearing the present Ministers doth pour out contempt upon the Institutions mentioned he denies them to be the Institutions of Christ Sect. 5. tells us That 't is a gross error which is oft in the mouthes of the Seperatists that they may not hear with the world nor pray with the world whence it hath come to pass that some have left off praying in their Families unless Members of their Church Answ The first and second we have proved beyond what Mr. T. hath as yet been able to reply to 2dly The last I hope is not true God forbid that any that pretend to Christianity much more such as are so in truth should so far degegenerate into the Spirit of Heathenism as not to call upon God in their Families or cease to do their uttermost to convert their Children and Servants to the Lord and instruct them in his fear 3. That this is the consequence of the principle of Seperation or that 't is in it self a gross Error that 't is unlawful for me to hear with the world or pray with the world i. e. joyn with them in their Worship he may prove when he is able What follows hath either already been replied to or will be in its proper place so that we need not attend it here The second thing in the Minor Proposition incumbent upon us to prove we say in S. T. is 2dly That hereby poor souls are hardned in a false way of Worship what can be thought less supposing the worship in the Parish-Assemblies of England to be so as hath been proved when they shall see Professors that were wont to pray and preach together to prosess and protest against Common-Prayer-Book Worship and Priests to cry up or at least approve of as Mr. T. 't is thoâ—ght did Laws made for their ejection if guilty of no other crime than conformity to the Worship they now conform to and practise now flock to their Assemblies and hear their Priests What can they imagine less than that these persons thus acting in a direct contrariety to their former judgment and practice do now see they were mistaken and are begining at least to return unto those pathes from whence they departed and that these wayes in which they and their forefathers have walked are the good Old Way in which rest is to be found To which Mr. T. Answers nothing but what hath already been considered noâ— any thing that deserves our stay The 3d Particular asserted in the Minor Proposition it s said in S. T. is That hereby poor souls are hardned in their rebellion and blasphemy against God his Spirit and Tabernacle and them that dwell therein This is not to be questioned we every day hear stout words spoken against the Lord because of the practice of some in this thing what say the wicked less thanthat Religion is but a fancy that the professors thereof are but a generation of Hypocrites that will turn to any thing to save themselves that the Spirit by which they are acted is but a Spirit of Phanaticism and delusion Yea how do they bless themselves that they are not nor ever were of the number of such Professors and that because they see these for fear of Persecution desert their former principles strike in with their Assembly and Ministers To which Mr. T. adjoyns 1st Papists have thus insulteâ— over Protestants upon the return of any seeming zealous Protestant into the Romane Church yet the Answerer knows how to reply to such that mens instability shews their own weakness not the thing in which they have been zealous to have been good or bad Answ Very right and we know how to reply to the insulting of the Conformists upon the account of the return of any seeming zealous Professors to them but still we say that their return to them gives them too just occasion of insulting The contrary to which Mr. T. should have proved of which he speaks not one word He adds 2dly This Author doth not do well to call the Obloquies against his party speaking against Religion blaspheming God the Spirit Tabernacle and them that dwell therein Answ Sir the party I am through grace of are not mine but Christs the followers of the Lamb in opposition to the wicked profane world of no other party do I own my self to be 2. The Obloquies Blasphemies mentioned being such as are vented against the Institutions of Christ as we have proved them to be and such as conform to them by the Beast and his party may well be called Blaspheming God his Temple Tabernacle and them that dwell therein They are so called by the Spirit Rev. 13. 5 6. He adds 3dly It were very sad should we be afraid to do a thing because of Clamours Answ True if the thing done be our duty which if he supposeth in the present case he begs the question or continue in that which we cannot justifie because men will be hardened in their own way Answ Very right but if a man depart from that way which he once owned to be the way of God which he justifies in the Scriptures to be such and in so doing hardens persons to cleave to a way of Superstition Formality to their utter undoing and gives them just occasion to open their mouthes against the Institutions of Christ reviling blaspheming them and those that walk in them this is not justifiable nor will it be found matter of joy to us at the end of our dayes that we have administred such occasions to them It remaineth then that inasmuch as the hearing the present Ministers pours out contempt upon the wayes and Institutions of Christ hardens persons in a false way of Worship Rebellion and Blasphemy against God it s utterly unlawful for Saints to be found in the pâ—â—ctise thereof Sect. 2. A 10th Argument proving the unlawfulness of hearing the present Ministers 'T is not lawful to go to the places of false Worship All Monuments of Idolatry to be abolished proved The judgment of the learned Mede Cotton Ainsworth Robbinson 2 Cor. 6. 17. 1 John 5. 21. Jude 23. 1 Sam. 2. 17. 1 Cor. 11. 20. 14. 26. explained THE 10th Argument against hearing the present Ministers is in S. T. thus formed God calls his People out of and strictly chargeth them not to go ro the place of False Worship Hos 4. 5. Amos 4. 4. Therefore 't is unlawful for the Saints to attend upon the present Ministers of England The Reason of the Consequence is because we cannot go to hear them without we go to the Places and Assemblies of false Worship as the Common-Prayer-Book-Worship hath been proved to be To which Mr. T. replies Sect. 7. 1st This Argument is bottom'd upon this Opinion That all Monuments of Idolatry all Temples Altars Chappels dedicated by the Heathens or Antichristians to their false Worship ought by lawful Authority to be rased and
the Sion of God nor to be accounted so Of this we have already spoken and shall only add Those Churches that have no answerableness to Mount Sion the Type of the true Gospel-Churches but are the very Picture of old Babylon the Type of Antichristian Churches are not the Gospel-Churches typed out by Mount Sion but the Babel out of which 't is the duty of the Lords People to flie in whom God dwels not But National-Churches are not answerable to Mount Sion but old Babel Therefore Look upon Sion consider her diligently 1. She was an Holy Mountain or Hill Psal 2. 6. 15. 1. where the holy People dwelt 2dly There was the Temple of God built according to his appointment of hewen stone ready fitted and prepared precious costly stones 2 Chron. 3. 6. 3dly There was the Worship of God managed by Officers of his own according to his own direction and appointment What more evident then that National Churches the Church of England is most unlike hereunto May it be call'd an Holy Hill rather a Mountain of Corruption Are its Members an Holy People What less A Generation of Atheists Drunkards Swearers Adulterers and Adulteresses cannot be so accounted If God's Worship managed according to his own appointment by Officers of his own in their Assemblies we have proved the contrary Are not they the very Picture of old Babylon in their self-invented Worship rigid pressing of Uniformity under Penal Laws the onely support of their Service and murdering the Children of the Lord who dissent from them All that know any thing know these things to be so Nor can they be called his Candlesticks who are not of pure Gold fashioned in all respects so near as humane frailty will admit according to the Idea and platform given forth in the Scriptures of Truth upon which account the New-Testament-Churches are so called with allusion to Exod. 25. 31. but the contrary Their matter for the most part is Reprobate Silver the very dross of the Earth and scum of the World instead of pure Gold They are formed according to the devices of men laid in a subservency to their pride arrogancy and lusts of them we have not the least print in the Scriptures nor for some Ages after as we have proved Nor can they be called his Garden being constituted of such as were never chosen and separated by him from the rest of the World in whose hearts the Fruits of Paradise are not planted as their outward deportment shews who are not dressed by him nor bring forth fruit to him who are not inclosed by his own Rules but the Canon-Law of Antichrist his professed Enemy His answer to the following Reasons hath nothing in it but what we have already considered To the Question Where are the Souls that are converted comforted strengthened stablished that are waiting at the doors of their House He Answers 1. That though there were none such yet this proves not God not to be present in them in respect of his special presence and Grace Answ 1. This I confess is to me a most strange Paradox that no Souls should be converted comforted strengthened stablished in the Parochial Assemblies of England and yet God be present there in respect of his special Presence and Grace when these things are as much the proper issues of such a presence as light and heat are of the shining of the Sun in its brightness 2. The Scriptures cited by him are impertinent 1. Because they expresly relate to the people of the Jews to whom I speak with respect to the body and bulk of them as a Church National God gave not of his special Presence and Grace at that day he had blinded them Isa 6. 9 10. John 12. 40. 2. Because notwithstanding those complaints there were some yea many converted comforted strengthened stablished Isa 49. 4. is a Prophesie of Christ Were none converted by him Isa 53. 1. John 12. 38. Rom. 10. 16. Isa 65. 2. Rom. 10. 21. Mich. 7. 1. Luke 7. 31. Mat. 23. 37. are the complaints of the Lord and his Messengers against the Church of the Jews for their obstinacy against Gospel tenders of Grace and Love but say not that God was with that Church in respect of his special Presence and Grace which had he been they had most assuredly believed and obeyed the Gospel nor do they intimate that there were none converted We read of many yea of some thousands converted by Christ and his Apostles notwithstanding these complaints What follows being an heap of impertinencies we might omit 1. We design not to beget enmity and prejudices in the minds of men against the present Ministry they themselves for the most part are the occasion hereof by their covetousness and debauchery 2. We know not any of the Churches of whom they may say you are the Seal of our Ministry 3. Our groans to the Lord are for poor England that God would shew mercy to it and give them hearts to receive the Truth in the love of it We hope he hath a great Harvest yet to reap in the midst of us and we are incessantly praying him to send forth Labourers into his Harvest Though to be plain we think not that God will use any in this work of gathering Souls to Christ who come with an Antichristian Call and the Wooden Sword of a Common-Prayer-Book and Homilie under their Arms which will never pierce so much as skin deep but such as come with a glorious Gospel-Unction upon them the great Character of Gospel-Ministers 4. He grants That a sad Spirit of withering and visible decaies are to be found upon the Auditors of the Ministers but reflects upon the Congregational Churches To which I shall only say That through the good presence of God with them things are far otherwise with them than this Animadverters words import They meet with choice Springs of Life and Royal establishments from the God of Glory the sâ—out of the King the Lord of Hosts is many times heard in the midst of them and they tryumph gloriously in him Sect. 4. The 12th Argument against hearing the present Ministers vindicated 'T is one step to Apostacy proved Heb. 10. 25. considered Some Reasons why persons may not hear Parochial Ministers as formerly Mr. T. his Answers to the Queries in S. T. considered His agreement with Bellarmine in the qualification of Church-Members evinced THE 12th Argument produced in S. T. for the proof of the unlawfulness of hearing the present Ministers of England is this That the doing whereof is one step to Apostacy is not lawful to be done But the hearing the present Ministers of England is one step to Apostacy Therefore To which Mr. T. adjoyns Sect. 9. 1. If the Major be understood of Apostacy from the living God and the Christian Faith it 's true if of the Congregational Principles and Practices it 's false Answ 1. The Congregational Principles and Practices we have in this Treatise in part proved to be
dissenting Brethren say they are For 1. there was never yet any heretical Preacher in the World but he preached some truth 2. The Devil himself 3. The Popish Priests did do so yet who will say 't is lawful to attend upon their Ministry To which Mr. T. 1. All that preach some truth are not to be heard yet all that preach the great truths of the Gospel notwithstanding some errors non-non-fundamental may be heard 2. 'T is no sin to hear either Heretical Preachers or Popish Priests who preach errors which overthrow the Foundation preach truth 3. The Devils we are to have no communion with God having put an enmity between the Serpent and the Seed of the Woman To which briefly 1. The two first assertions are meer Dictates without shew of proof and therefore fit to be rejected So abhorred by the Saints and contrary to all the solemn cautions given by our Blessed Lord with respect to this duty of hearing touching which we have already spoken that it were frivolous to take further notice thereof 2. To the third we answer If we may not hear the Devil because we are to have no communion with him God having put an enmity between him and the Seed of the Woman then may we not hear a wicked Priest the Lord having said We must not have communion with the wicked who are the Seed and Children of the Devil Mat. 23. 33. 1 John 3. 10. John 8. 44. betwixt the Righteous and whom God hath put an enmity Gen. 3. 15. 'T is added in S. T. 3. That the present Ministers preach truths but by halves and dare not preach any thing they are inhibited by the Bishop to meddle with though never so clearly revealed in the Scripture To which our Animadverter The Bishops allow them to preach truths necessary to Salvation and if they forbid them to preach things disputable as Church-Constitution they have the same reason as Christ had for not acquainting his Disciples with many things he had to say to them and is agreeable to the Apostles rule Rom. 14. 1. and practice Acts 15. 28. If they preach those truths by halves it 's lawful to hear those halves Answ 1. That it is lawful to hear such as are such perfect Servants and slaves of men upon the account whereof they cannot be the Servants of Christ that they dare not for fear of a Lord-Bishops Inhibition communicate what of the mind of God they have received from him is intollerable confidence to impose on us without proof 2. Their so doing is direct rebellion against Christ in whose Name they pretend to act who hath charged all that so act to publish and declare whatever he reveals to them 3. There is no truth that Christ hath revealed but is for the comfort stablishment peace edification or direction of the Saints that he is to be heard as a Minister of Christ who will suffer his mouth to be muzzled by a sorry thing called an Arch-Bishops Prohibition is the first-born of absurdities to imagine 4. The Scriptures cited are most impertinently alleadged by him John 16. 12. Christ tells his Disciples He hath many things to say which they are not able to bear Rom. 14. 1. Paul adviseth That the weak Christian be received but not to doubtful disputations It seems good Acts 19. 28. to the Holy Ghost and to the Apostles to lay upon the Gentiles no greater burden than those necessary things Therefore an Arch-Bishop may interdict persons to preach any other truth than he hath a mind they should is some of Mr. T. his Lempster Logick which a young Sophister would laugh to scorn What follows is already answered 'T is added in S. T. 2. The main truths they preach at least many of them are contradicted in their practice conforming to Institutions and Laws that are not of his prescription This we have abundantly demonstrated What Mr. T. tells us he hath replied hereunto we have already removed out of the way We say 3. With the truth they preach they mix many errors Instances of this kind have been already exhibited to which may be added many more We name several in S. T. the very truth is they are grosly erroneous in most of the chief heads of Divinity as a man may run and read in the following Particulars 1. Concerning the Scriptures they hold 1. That they are not the certain exact and alone rule of all things which appertain to Religion and Worship but that humane additaments make it more decent and amiable 2. That traditions that have no foundation in the Scripture are to be believed received practised 3. That Apocryphal Books which have in them Errors 2 Mac. 12. 44 45. 14. 41 42. Eccles 46. 20. Wisd 19. 11. Untruths 2 Esd 14. 21 22 23. 2 Mac. 2. 4 8. Tob. 5. 11 12 13. with 12. 15. Judith 8. 33. 10. 9. with v. 12. 11. 6 12 13 14 15. 2 Mac. 1. 13 to 17. 9. 1 5 7 9 28 29. Blasphemy Tob. 12. 12 15. with Rom. 8. 34. 1 Tim. 2. 5. Rev. 8. 3 4. Magick Tob. 6. 6 7 8. 9. 2 3. with 3. 7 8. 11. 10 11 13. with 2. 9 10. and contradiction to the Canonical Scriptures Judith 9. 2 3 4. with Gen. 49. 5 6 7. Esther in the Apochrypha Chap. 12. 5. 15. 9 10. with Esther Canonical Chap. 6. 3. 5. 2. Eccles 46. 20. with Isa 57. 2. may be used in the publick Worship of God Mr. T. replies This is not preached as I know of by any of them Answ 1. Their pactice in readiâ—g them according to their Calender-directions in their publick Worship is a loud preaching that they may be so used What the Animadverter adds in this matter is inconsideroble 1. We charge them not with owning them as part of the Canonical Scripture 2. Nor say we that they are all read but this we crave leave to add That it is most wretched and accursed dealing to have such Writings as these so full of abomination to be used in the Worship of God to the justling out of a great portion of the Canonical Scriptures which are not read at all which we are apt to think is a fearful contempt and undervaluation of God and his Laws 3. What was once resolved by Arch-Bishop Abbot I am not at all concerned with notwithstanding which they are still appointed to be read 4. That any of the places instanced in are capable of an easier censure than I put upon them he may demonstrate when he is able so to do 5. That they are read when and where we need not be present signifies little they are read in their Worship to the shutting out the Canonical Scripture which we account a notorious error 2. Touching God and Christ they own 1. That it 's lawful to bow down before that which is not God in Religious Worship as the Altar the repetition of the Name of Jesus the Bread and Wine in the Sacrament of
us That they mean not that on these â—ayes the Saints should be honoured Answ 1. To these Saints for their Worship and Service dayes were instituted by the Popes of Rome to be observed Lessons peculiar and proper thereunto appointed to be read in their Service-Books If no intendment of honour to the Saints were in their present observation whence is it that the very same dayes the very same Lessons the very same Collects and Prayers are appointed to be used in the Church of England on many of the Saints dayes that are appointed in the Church of Rome on the same dayes 'T were easie to demonstrate the truth of this by particular instances but that would be too â—edious 2. They are called still in their Common-Prayer-Book by the names of the Saints as St. John's day and are accounted Holy for not resting on them persons are more liable to be excommunicated by their Church than for Swearing and Drunkenness which as it is an imitation of Heathenish and Antichristian Superstition so it is an occasion of nourishing a most horrid error if not Idolatry in the hearts of the simple and ignorant who think that day to be set apart in honour of the Saint whose name it bears Which 3. if it be not I see no ground why it should be called by his name as the same day is in the Papacy from whence the rise and spring of our observation thereof Now although we say not that 't is unlawful to hold communion with persons that hold some errors yet this we are bold to affirm 1. That the ground or foundation is laid by Mr. T. upon which we may hear the present Ministers viz. Their preaching truth is hereby discovered to be sandy and rotten they being guilty of so many errors Which 2. being of such a nature as enwrap in them some of them a denyal of the Offices of Christ 3. Such as lie at the bottom of that superstitious corrupt idolatrous Worship and Service that is directly contrary to the simplicity of the Gospel Clouds and obfuscates the splendor and glory thereof as this Animadverter elsewhere acquaints us Yea 4. Such as they have frequently sacrificed the Liberty Estates and precious blood of the Children of the Lord for the support of they may well cause a Saint to enter his demurrer against hearing them yea if they obstinately hold and maintain them as they do Though many of the Witnesses of Christ have born a testimony against them whom they have no otherwise been able to resist but by force and violence utterly to separate from them and have nothing to do with such an hardned and bloody Generation Sect. 4. The Answer to the 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th Objection vindicated Of the case of Judas his preaching Of hearing good men Of the practice of Learned and good men in this matter Of the Magistrates command how far obligatory Of mens converting Souls whether an Argument of true Gospel-Ministers Of spending the Lords Day Wherein the sanctification of it consists THE fifth Objection in S. T. is Judas preached though a wicked man and no doubt it was lawful yea the duty of Saints to hear him To this we say no doubt it was so But 1. Judas was not a visible wicked man at the time of his preaching that Christ as God knew him to be so is not in our case considerable but so close an Hypocrite that he was not known no not to the Disciples to be so but some of the present Ministers are visibly wicked and prophane What Mr. T. answers hereunto hath already been considered There was a special reason in the case of Judaâ— his preaching to answer the Prophesie Psal 41. 8. of which Acts 1. 16. Nor can any thing rationally from hence be deduced more than this that 't is lawful to hear visible Saints known only to God to be Hypocrites for so was Judas We add 2. Judas was chosen and called by Christ to be an Apostle commissioned by him to preach but the present Ministers of England are not so as hath been proved To which when Mr. T. shall be pleased to offer any thing that deserves consideration it shall be considered His reflection upon the Congrational Ministers as 't is false is no answer That because Judas a commissionated Officer by Christ was to be heard though an Hypocrite therefore 't is lawful to hear such as are not commissionaâ—ed by him though visibly prophane will be an hard task for any to prove We proceed in S. T. Object 6. But there are some good men amongst them and such as belong to God may we not hear such Answ 1. That there are some good men amongst them we deny not Mr. T. adjoyns With what face can he acknowledge them good men who hath represented them as walking disorderly deniers of Christs Offices Answ 1. Mr. T. thinks there are good men in the Papacy yet I presume he will thus represent them and that with a better face â—e may do so than build again the things he hath destroyed 2. Good men may be guilty of the greatest enormities the sin unto death excepted 3. Noah David Solomon Peter were good men yet represented by the Spirit of the Lord as guilty of hainous iniquities We add in S. T. Yet we crave leave to say That they are all of them such as are sadly polluted by their compliance in respect of their standing in the Ministry Antichristian whose teachings Saints have no warrant to attend upon Mr. T. subjoyns 1. That their Ministry is Antichristian when they minister the Word of God is a contradiction Answ 1. This is meerly his dictate without proof 2. The Ministry of Rome he grants is Antichristian yet they minister the Word of God He adds 2dly That they stand in that Ministry which they received by Episcopal Ordination is their virtue which for any to disclaim is to go back from the service of God for that Ministry is no other than of the Doctrine and Sacraments and Discipline of Christ as the Lord hath commanded and aâ— this Church and Realm hath received the same Answ 1. 'T is true thus they speak in their Book of Ordination but these words imply a contradiction Christs Ministry Administration of Sacraments and Discipline and the Church of England are sufficiently remote hers being received not from Christ but Austin the Monk and the Apostatick Church of Rome 2. Their Priests have no Ministry of Discipline 't is reserved in other hands 3. That Lord-Bishops are no Officers of the Institution of Christ but Antichristian we have proved that any should receive from them any Ministry but what is Antichristian is the first born of absurdities to imagine 4. That to stand in such a Ministry is to stand in a Ministry of Christ is oppositum in opposito a contradiction indeed We add 3dly The greater hopes we have of their goodness the more caâ—telouâ— we should be of incouraging them in a false way What Mr. T.
suggestion His 39th Argument is composed of unproved Dictates to which we have over and over answered in this Treatise Touching his last Argument we say in the general 1. There is not one of the absurdities he saith are consequent on the Opinion of non-hearing of the present Ministers but is as much the consequent of the Opinion of the unlawfulness of going to Mass or hearing a Popish Ministry were it established by Law 2. Particularly 1. We cannot consider'd in their present state as an Antichristian Ministry set up in opposition to the Ministry of Christ rejoyce in or pray to God that they may or praise God for their preaching 2. It follows not that 't is then better that Barbarism spread among the people There is no necessity of the one or the other Barbarism and rudeness may call them their Fathers or foster-Fathers since whose return barbarity and rudeness is broken in like a mighty torrent upon us Who were the promoters the Book of Sports in dayes past a great piece of barbarism and rudeness Mr. T. knows Who are more the encuragers of persons lying at an Ale-house than their fudling Priests who by their practice strengthen the hands of their drunken Parishioners therein There are other meetings in most places within a small compass whither they may go to hear so that they need not lie at an Alehouse nor sit at home idle 3. We think the Magistrates do evil to compel people to hear them 4. In respect of their Antichristian calling non-preaching Readers and their preaching Ministers are alike tolerable Their Pedigree is the same their opposition to Christ and his People the same 5. The less they preach in respect of their Antichristian standing and Office the less they sin Though 6. they accounting themselves Ministers of Christ and receiving wages from the people to preach to them 't is open injustice and unrighteousness for them rarely or not at all so to do as it is Lordly Papal pride and arrogancy in the Prelates to usurp Authority over those they accoâ—nt Ministers of the Gospel and hinder them from preaching who they say are rightly ordained thereunto Of the seeming contradictions Mr. T. hath found in some Writings of J. G. to the Book Intituled Prelatical Preachers none of Christs Teachers I am not concerned to take notice Though they might easily be reconciled And the Judicious Reader can do it himself 'T is separation from a true Church and Gospel-Ministry not a false Antichristian-Church and Ministry upon the account meerly of some difference about the subject of Baptism that he condemns which that it riseth up in opposition to what is asserted in the forementioned Treatise I am not able to discern If Mr. T. dreams that a man cannot speak against separation from a true Church without condemning separation from a false he will scarce find his Rival amongst persons of Learning and Judgment CHAP. XIII Sect. 1. Serious advice to Saints that worship with the Nation and cleave to the Ministry thereof The ground of their present practice to be considered The thoughts of their hearts in dayes past For what Saints then and now suffer hard things Their aims and ends in this matter to be pondered with the present temper of their Spirit A solemn Call out of the Parochial Assemblies The Renowned Husse his Prophesie touching Reformation HAving through Divine Assistance examined and fully answered what Mr. T. was pleased to object in his Theodulia against the S. T. I desire the patience of the Christian Reader for one moment longer whilst I open my heart in a few words 1. To the precious Children of God who are yet worshipping with the Nation and cleaving to the Ministry thereof would I humbly offer these seven things 1. Seriously weigh without prejudice in the ballance of the Sanctuary what we have been tendring to you in this Treatise and think not what you read to be the words of an Enemy they are the counsels of a Friend of one who hath through wonderful grace so far learned Christ that he cannot but love you pray for you should you account him and use him as an Enemy 2. Strictly examine by the Scriptures of Truth the bottom and ground of your present practice Where is the word of Institution by Jesus Christ that warrants your attending on the present Ministry Mr. T. hath written a large Treatise thereabout but is not able to produce one Scripture to warrant your practice in this matter 3. Recollect the thoughts of your heart in dayes past Should any one have told you when you were for a godly preaching praying Ministry for Gospel-Reformation that there would a day come when an Episcopal drunken Common-Prayer-Book dumb ignorant Clergy should be set over you to the casting out of the godly sober and judicious and that you would side with them attend their Ministry would your answer have been other then that of Hazael But are we dead Dogs that we should do thus 4. Remember what it was youâ— Brethren lost their Ears Libertys Lives in days past for what they and you covenanted against was it not for witnessing against utterly to extirpate this present Hierarchie and Worship Did you not rejoyce in its extirpation and will you again encourage or comply with the building of that you once endeavoured to evert and demolish 5. Consider soberly of your aims and ends in your present attendment upon the Ministry and Worship of the Nation Whetâ—er they are such as you can comfortably own in the great Day of Assize that is now ready to spring in upon the World 6. Observe the present temper of spirit whilst attending upon the present Ministry and Worship Have you grown in grace is there not rather a spirit of declension formality deadness earthiness seising you do you meet with Christ in the Publick Assemblies Are you not rather with respect to them forced to say He is not here he is risen 7. Hasten your escape from Parochial National Churches anâ— Assemblies and get into the Assemblies of his Children where he hatâ— recorded his Name will meet with you and bless you The Vials of written vengeance are ready to be poured forth upon false Worship and Worshippers And ere long the subject of our present contest will be removed Not an Arch-Bishop or Lord-Bishop nor any of their Hierarchy shall be known in the Nation or Nations of the World none spoken of but with loathing and abhorrency Their nakedness insolency pride and contrariety to the true interest of Christ and Nations shall be so discovered that they shall be the hissing and reproach of the People insomuch that they shall be ashamed to own their function I have many times thought of that Prophesie of John Huss cited in Foxes Martyrologie Vol. 1. pag. 830. Moreover saith he hereupon note and mark by the way That the Church of God cannot be reduced to her former dignity or be reformed before all things first be made new The truth whereof
of God in opposition to any National-Church or Churches whatsoever are of the appointment of Christ Acts 1. 13. 12. 1. 13. 14. 15. 22. 18. 22. 20. 14 28. 1 Cor. 1. 2. 6. 4. Acts 9. 1. 1 Cor. 16. 19 Rom. 16. 4. 2 Cor. 8. 1. Gal. 1. 2. Acts 16. 4 5. 14. 23. 1 Cor. 11. 16. 14. 4 5 12 19. 2 Cor. 1. 1. Rev. 1. 2 3 11. To which Mr. T. Sect. 3. 'T is questionable whether Acts 15. 22. 18. 17. be not a Provincial Church Answ 1. Of this we have formerly spoken 2. That it was the particular Church of Corinth v. 2 4 12 22 23 25. evince 3. That a Provincial Church had not as yet a being in the World Mr. T. knows and we have proved Chap. 1. Sect. 13. The same line of Interpretation is to be drawn over Acts 18. 22. for that he intends instead of v. 17. The Texts he grants mention Churches in several Cities and Provinces but he questions Whether they were by their voluntary agreement under Pastors of their own choice gathered into one Body for the celebration of the Worship of God They are call'd the Church of such a City as of Jerusalem from their Habitation where they had many meetings from House to House for celebration of Worship as Acts 2. 46 47. Answ That there is any thing of weight in this Answer none will imagine but Mr. T. 1. 'T is built upon this rotten Foundation that the particular form of Churches is not of the Institution of Christ of which we have at large treated Chap. 1. of this Treatise 2. It plainly contradicts the Spirit of the Lord speaking in some of the Scriptures mentioned He questions he saith whether they were by voluntary agreement gathered together into one Body But this the Spirit of the Lord affirms Acts 2. 41. 2 Cor. 8. 5. Nor can it be otherwise there was no external force or Law to compel them thereunto Whether they were under particular Officers of their own see Acts 20. 28. 15. 4. 23. 21. 18. that these were chosen by themselves that the Church consisted of no greater a number than could meet together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the same place to worship God in the same numerical Ordinances we have before demonstrated The reason why there were not more Congregations than one in a City was because that the multitude of Disciples was not so great but that they might so do No wonder that we read onely of the Elders of the Church Acts 15. 4 23. when there was but one Church at Jerusalem none ever pleaded for one's being an Elder of one part of the Church another of another but such as assert Provincial-National-Churches with us he that is an Elder to a part is an Elder to the whole That the Churches mentioned in the Scriptures instâ—nced in were not particular Independent Churches Mr. T. attempts not the proof of What he adds from 1 Cor. 12. 28. is already answered nor is there any thing more in this matter replied by him that requires our stay 'T is added in S. T. 4thly That Christ hath appointed Officers of his own to act in the holy things of God in and over these Assemblies whom he furnisheth with gifts every way suiting their imployment to whom without turning aside to the voice of strangers or attending upon the Ministry of such as are not of his appointment ' it s the duty of Saints to hearâ—en is very evident from Ephes 4. 11. Heb. 13. 7 13. Mat. 24. 4 5 23 24. 1 John 2. 18. 4. 1. 2 John 10. Acts 20. 29 30 31. Rev. 2. 14 15 16. Which exactly agrees with what was practised by Primitive Believers who it seems received none without the testimony of some Brethren of known Integrity in the Churches 1 Cor. 16. 3. Acts 9. 26. To which Mr. T. 1. That Christ hath appointed Officers of his own and furnished them with gifts whom we are to follow and obey in opposition to the Ministry of strangers viz. Such as are deceivers false-teachers Antichrists he grants which being the substance of what is pleaded for at present with his subsequent Discourse we are little concern'd Whether we have proved the Ministers of England to be deceivers the judicious Reader will determine and if such Mr. T. grants we have proved they are not to be heard Whether Christ hath appointed Officers to the Universal Church or appropriated them to particular Congregations is not of our present disquisition The forâ—er Mr. T. hath not demonstrated The latter we have in part evinced Chap. 1. Sect. 15. To which may be added If by virtue of Christs appointment Ministers are not fixed to particular Congregations then Ministers are no more by virtue of Christs appointment Ministers of this Company or Flock of Christians than of another which is expresly contrary to Acts 20. 28. 2. Then either Ministers have no Authority over this or that particular Flock to which as such they minister or if so they have as much authority over every particular society of Christians to whom they providentially preach and this without their actual consent which is absurd and tyrannical 3. Then no Church can claim by virtue of Divine appointment a greater right and Interest in one Minister than in another nor is any by virtue of such an appointment more obliged to minister to them then to others though we deny not but the gifts given to Ministers to Brethren are given for the Edification of all Christians amongst whom by the Providence of God they are cast which they are bound for that end to improve nor that its unlawful to hear others besides Pastors of Congregational Churches we assert the contrary in the Treatise he undertakes to confute Yet doth it not hence in the least follow that we may lawfully hear the present Ministers we have proved the contrary the non-attendment upon whom tends not to the decay of Spiritual Life it promotes it rather We say in S. T. That the hearing the present Ministers pours forth contempt upon each of these Institutions of Christ It supposeth 1st That separation from the Assemblies of England though in their Constitution carnal and worldly and the Worship thereof although false and meerly of Humane Invention was and is our sin and evil 2dly That it 's not by virtue of any Institution of Christ the duty of Saints to meet together as a Body distinct without going out to other Assemblies to worship with them for their mutual edification 3dly That particular Assemblies are not solely of the Institution of Christ but that National Churches are also to be accounted true Churches of Christ 4. That the Officers of Christs appointment are not sufficient for the Saints but together with them the help of false and Idol Shepherds is to be sought after Than which what greater contempt can be poured forth upon the forementioned Institutions of our dear Lord. The