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A67155 The churches purity, or, The difference betweene the churches frame in darke times and her settlement in the purest times Walker, Henry, Ironmonger. 1641 (1641) Wing W369; ESTC R1909 8,639 17

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and for feare of such as waighted purposely to ensnare them Might not they complaine with Polidorus that the world is come to such outrage and meere madnesse herein that this part of holinesse differeth in some men very litle from open wickednesse for many good men have suffered and the whole Church hath beene oppressed because they would not heare the words of them that taught lies Ier. 23.16 Secondly In respect of publique miseries Is not the whole kingdome sensible of those publique calamities proceeding from the same And those eminent dangers which the same hath brought upon us by reason of those inconveniences which have risen from the forme therof how many are there amongst us very sensible hereof And that not onely by the Prelates Courts which have beene such an universall purgatory to the Church but those warres and frights which have beene by their meanes raised to the disturbance of the whole land and the impoverishing not onely of the North but generally of all trading through the whole kingdome Nay have they not beene so politique herein that the hearts of all people have beene so discomfited that betwixt hope and feare they have beene ready to prophesie the returne of Popery But blessed be the Lord who hath hitherto preserved our gratious King and Kingdome And how doth the Church now rejoyce since it hath pleased our Royall King to prevent their designes in calling and confirming of the High and Honorable Wise and Godly Assembly in the high court of Parliament Thirdly to prove that such inconveniences as are found to be in the Church are of greatest consequence to be looked after and ought chiefely to bee looked to A godly kingdome is an happie kingdome but nothing whatsoever more ruinates a Church State or Kingdome then sinne And the reformation of the evills and inconveniences in Church discipline is a great fence against sinne but the permission of errour is a dangerous downfall and a great dungeon and as Saint Chrisostome saith brings the losse of salvation it brings in heresies and vicious life and turnes all things up side downe And this is condemnation saith Christ that light is come into the world and men loved darkenesse more then light Iohn 3.19 Object If any one shall yet object and say where shall we looke for a forme of Church discipline since even at this time Christ is taught to us now as clearely and truely as ever in former ages Answ. I say with the judgement of Saint Austin that wee ought rather to seeke the Church in the words of Christ then in the words of men for that Christ is the truth and better knoweth his owne body And Christ himselfe gives us the same rule also Search the Scriptures saith he for in them ye thinke to have eternall life and they are they which testifie of me Iohn 5.34 Thus have I beene briefe in the generall expression of the Churches purity concluding this part with prayer to Almighty God that such things as stand not with his glory the Kings honour the building up of the Church and the peace and the tranquillity of the Kingdome may be Reformed FINIS 1. Arg●ment 2. Argument Conclusion In his Ep. unto Cecilius l. 2. Epist. 3. Object Ans. In his booke of a solitary life In his 10. booke of his Trinitie In his 198 Epist. unto Fortunatus 2 Reasons On Math. 11. Chap. In his proheme of his 3 booke of Trinity In the unperfect worke Hom. 49. Virgil in his 6 book and 13. Chap. of invention of things In his 3. Sermon f● Lazarus In his 3. chap. of the vnity of the Church
they did labour as much as they could for reformation of such things as wee now doe and could not effect it or whatsoever the cause was I intend not at this time to dispute They are gone yet perchance not all nay doe not some abide with us still which can witnesse both how much and how often this reformation of the Church hath beene laboured for from time to time Let no man then accuse those who in these dayes seeke the reformation of the Church Indeede some are ready to accuse us as factious and lovers of novelty because we desire the Churches conformitie to her head Christ To whom I say as Saint Bernard once said It is not new it is the corruption of such tongues to call it new saith hee the truth is so manifestly light that such are not able to shadow it and therfore they do but cavill with it by the name of novelty But how dare they call it noveltie saith he it is no new vanity no it is a matter of old religion and of perfect godlinesse founded in Christ And lest any man should depend on the discipline of former ages too confidently not regarding whether it be according to the Gospel of Christ yea or no let them consider what S. Paul writes to the Galathians If we saith he nay S. Paul goes further If an Angell from Heaven saith hee preach unto you otherwise then that ye have received let him be accursed Gal. 1.8 For doe I preach mans doctrine or Gods saith he nay he told them moreover that if he should teach them the doctrine of men that he was not the servant of Christ verse 10. Object It may be some will say why do you trouble us now with such things seeing the Church hath continued peaceably so many yeares under this happie forme where hath this age so much wisedome above former ages Ans. I might here answer either by reason of that experience which we have had above former ages who were then newly reduced out of Popery or by reason of those weedes which we see since sprung up amongst Gods corne in these Churches as well as others or many other reasons which I might alleadge but rather chuse at this time to answer this objection in a word with Saint Austin that the counsell of God that sent it is unsearchable to the wisedome of man II. To prove that the Church of England though it be reformed from Popery and Idolatry and setled according to the purest forme which at her reformation it could attaine unto yet neverthelesse since such her settlement time hath produced by experience many inconveniences upon good grovnd wherein it may and ought to bee againe reformed which I will prove in three severall circumstances I. Because the Church of England saw not many inconveniences in her first reformation from Popery which we now finde in these after times II. Because there are many things in that forme which was then established which can now bee proved upon good grounds to stand in neede of reformation III. Because such inconveniences as are found to bee in the Church are of greatest consequence to bee looked after and ought chiefely to be reformed First to prove that the Church of England did not see many inconveniences in her first reformation from Popery which we now finde in these after times else how comes that governement then setled to bee so much excepted against how come mens consciencies now to be bound to observance of such Ceremonies which they never intended though as a thing indifferent they permitted such things as those severall gestures of the body at the receiving of the Sacrament at the reading of the Gospel before the Altar at the name Jesus c. the Crosse in Baptisme in the hornebook the Priests garments c. those holy men saw not the inconveniences of permitting them but now the Church cryes out under such superstition they saw not these inconveniences of Lordly Pastors which wee now finde they saw not those reliques of the Popish Masse which is in these times discovered they passe over these and many things more in the Church which we now see the superstition and inconvenience of and therefore desire reformation Let us but consider how full of drosse and trash Popery is though Popery be a profession of Christ yet that Religion is full of drosse full of weedes it is like a garden over-runne with weedes fuller of ceremonies then substance nothing but shadowes and superstition and vanitie Is it possible that pure gold should bee refined cleare from the drosse at one heate Is it possible that all the weedes should be rooted out of a garden at once so cleane that no reliques of them should revive againe no the gold must come to the fire againe and againe seven times before it be pure gold the garden must bee often weeded before the weedes be utterly rooted out The forme of the Church being newly refined from Popery in those dayes it is very probable that there will be much drosse of Popery left behind all the weedes of Popery cannot be utterly rooted out at one bout no no in the name of God bring it to the purifying fire I meane the Gospel of Jesus Christ and there purifie it againe and againe and leave no drosse at all behind roote out the stinking weedes of Popery againe and againe weede them out upon your knees weede them out with your hands with your hearts c. neuer leave till they be all weeded out of our Churches that so the English Protestant Church may become a glorious Church of Christ In those dayes holy men were rejoyced to see the grounds of Popery cast out of our Churches and the Protestant discipline established repugnant to the Church of Rome which was then established as time and opportunitie would permit them but we in these times upon more mature deliberation and longer time of experience may reforme what their so sodaine change could not foresee or accomplish Let us receive the discipline of those times as praise-worthy but withall let us consider that saying of Saint Austin we receive not saith hee the disputation of any men bee they never so catholicke or praise worthy as we receive the Canonicall Scriptures though they be holy men yet saith he we may well reproove such things in their writings wherein wee finde that they have otherwise thought then the truth may beare them such am I saith hee in the writings of others and such would I wish others to bee in the writings of mine And Saint Paul saith to the Church at Corinth I have planted saith he Apollos watereth but God giveth the increase so then neither is hee that planteth any thing nor hee that watereth but God that gives the increase 1 Cor. 3.6 7. There are two great reasons why at the first reformation they could not see nor establish the forme of the Church discipline in that puritie which we by the grace