in the Assembly saith he they are but consulting how to build the Church not in the Presbytery for that is a Church unbuilt as yet not among the Parishes they are not Scripture Congregations as Smectymnus saith where is the Church of England Dr. Field of the Church will tell you Mr. Saltmarsh That there are some who profess the truth described by the Son of God but not wholly and entirely as Hereticks some who profess the whole saving truth but not in Unity as Schismaticks Some who profess the whole truth in unity not in sincerity and singleness of a good and sanctifyed mind as hypocrites and wicked men outwardly Some who profess the whole saving truth in unity and simplicity of a sanctified and good heart and I hope you will say they are the Church not excluding the other from the visible Church a net a field c. The old Non-conformists in a book set forth by Mr. William Rathband will shew you that the Church of England as formerly established was the true Church of Christ and that you should not separate from it Mr. Ball a Non-conformist writing against Can a Separatist Page 75. shews you that the Church of England is a true Church of Christ a people in Covenant with Christ to whom he hath committed his heavenly Oracles and Seals of the Covenant c. and in the second Chapter he shews the Church of England governed by Bishops to be the true Church of Page 79. Christ Sir Edward Deering in one of his Speecâ—â—s to the like purpose saying I am bold to forbid any man from this Page 125. house for 1600 years and upward to name any one age nay any one year wherein Episcopacy was out of date in Christendom in another Speech he saith I am none of those men that 1600 years after my Saviour came to plant his Church will consent to give a new Rule a new invented Government to his Church never known untill this age yet Mr. Howel tells us that the holy Titles of Bishops and Page 138. Priests are grown odious amongst poor Sciolists who scarce In his addition Letters p. 5. In Vind. of King ch 1. p. 49. know the notions of things And we have amongst us as Mr. Symonds saith such who love strife and although they have already offered most wrong yet still are most full of clamours and as another saith who cry out much against the Pope to whom they do better service than they are aware so that he saith it is a thousand pities that our Sectaries Regum Sacr Sancto Majest by J. A. pretending such zeal against Popery who no less maliciously than confidently rub upon sound Protestants the aspersions of Popery and malignancy do joyn with the worst of Papists in the worst at least in the most pernicious Doctrine Page 70. of Papists At the beginning of as in our troubles His Majesties Declaration of Aug. 12. 1642. shews us Page 18. that nothing was discountenanced and reproached but a dutiful regard to us i. e. the King and our honour and a sober esteem and application to the Laws of the kingdom and may it not prove so again if not prevented and so be more advantage to run the contrary course if a good conscience â— A. Reg. Sac. San. Maj. to the Reader could allow as one saith for if the conforming obedient Clergy must lie under the lash of being prophane and scandalous and the irregular and disobedient accounted and cryed up for the pious powerful and precious men was Mr. Burton now alive he might better say than when he wrote thus What father after a while will be so improvident Mel. p. 126. to bring up his sons to his great charge to necessary beggary what Christian will be so irreligious as to bring up his sons in that course of life which by all probability and necessity will entail on him symony and perjury for he might now add scorn and contempt if he be an obedient son of the Church for what in regard of pretended conscience to that Idol Covenant which Lilâ—urn calls the make-bate persecuting soul-destroying Englands dividing and undoing Engl. Birth-right p. 29 Covenant what in regard of the boldness of some-daring people and the connivence of some in Authority it had been better for conscientious subjects that some Laws had not been made than that being made their obedience to them should be their disgrace and the disobedience of others to them their honour and dignity I know that some mens natures are easiest cured by lenities and that if violence be offered they will struggle they being easier led than driven but it is not so with all for since his Majesties happy Restauration some now daring people began to be tractable and orderly but feeling the reins of Government somewhat loose like unruly horses they get the bit into their teeth they kick and think to run away with and throw their Rider Amongst certain passages I have read in the reign of King James this I remember he who deceives Regum Sacr. Sanc. Majest me once it is his fault but if twice it is my fault What these men have done cannot be forgotten if it is let J. A. remember them that the best of Kings in whom malice it self how quick-sighted soever could not find any thing blame-worthy except it be a crime to be too good and transcendently clement forced to flee his Royal Consort necessitated to flee beyond sea the Royal family divided one from another his Revenue seized his forts and holds Curia Politiae employed to destroy him and another speaking to them thus you have violated all sorts of right in the person of your King you have raised a war against him you have often assaulted and imprisoned him you have abused the confidence Page 12. he had in you and destroyed him with great cruelty and insolency when such men have acted so vigorously against the Lords anointed and some of them not so wary as their fellows say they cannot repent and are such of whom Mr. Edw. Sparks writing of Primitive devotion saith This Page 106. stolid disobedient age contemns their devotions and are so Pâ—â—e 53. immodest as to grudge God the hat the knee whatcan we hope for from such men we may remember the moral of the Country-mans snake which would take away life from him who preserved hers and not forget that of the young mans beloved Cat turn'd into a Maid which soon shewed again her cattish disposition having an opportunity by the sight of a Mouse Some think I wish they be mistaken that in regard of the speech and carriage of some that they have a second part to act after the same or a more doleful tune however it cannot but be good with the snake in the fable who thought her self not secure in that house wherein the great hatchet was which had almost slain her not to give too much credit to such who have formerly dealt as they have done error being obstinate and making men so Religio Medici shews the obstinacy of the Jews in all fortunes that the persecution of 1500 years hath but confirmed them in Page 49. their errors that they have already endured whatsoever may be inflicted and have suffered abundance even to the condemnation of their enemies concludes persecution to be a bad and indirect way to plant Religion It is so but means must be used to preserve Religion that we loose it not Society of Saints p. 29. p. 244. in an Assize Sermon Some I suppose will blame me for writing thus now having formerly pleaded for Puritans I own what I have written and wish these were such for which I and Mr. Bolton plead for namely practising Protestants loyal to Princes obedient to Laws just pious charitable labouring to be in truth what they seem to be we plead not for factious irregular disorderly followers of Barrow and Greenwood the old Puritans being their great opposers I judging with Mr. Howel that the itching of scriblers is the scab of the times Page 62. purposed no publication of these notes which made me careless in naming of my Authors but considering that Nicholas Causin had learned to regard the works of the worst Writers and not to censure them and seeing the flame to increase at home and abroad and those who have much water in their deep wells and buckets to vent it lie in a sleep I have presumed with my pitcher to shew mine endeavour to stop and extinguish this fire of error some perhaps impute it to dotage I being well-near such years which are labour and sorrow and scarce able to go with Crutches let men think as they please my desire is to cure error and to procure order for which end I will conclude with a passage in Mr. Vines fore-named Sermon which is this If conscience Page 60. be warrant for practises and opinions and liberty of conscience be a sufficient license to vent or act them I cannot see but the judicatories either of Church or State may shut up their shop and be resolved into the judicatorie of every mans private conscience and put the case that the Magistrate should conceive himself bound in conscience to draw forth his Authority against false teachers and their damnable heresies and upon that supposed error should challenge a liberty of judging as we do of acting would our liberty give us any ease so long as he had his and were it not better for him to judge and for us to walk by a known Rule and if we should say that his liberty of judging is unlawful it is as easie for him to say our liberty of Preaching or professing errors is so too FINIS
England as unchristian and persecuting was constrained to mention as I have done 3. And in thus doing I imitate a good President St. Paul who names in his writings especially to the Corinthians his own sufferings and from them also For my self I was glad I had such a living to lose for so good a cause and an heart so willing to part with it I in so doing finding the truth of a saying Ministers portion p. 208. in Dr. Sclater Affliction is the best tutor to devotion And such experiences of Gods mercies to me and mine that I was as all who knew me can testifie patient content and cheerful And since my return which is eighty ears I have not shewed the least dislike to those who outed me and therefore now being scarce able to go and shortly to end my pilgrimage I hope I shall cherish no such hellish vermin as malice and desire of revenge in my heart but endeavour to live with such love and peace which are the furtherers to that future love peace and joy which are for ever Should any question why I make so much use of Mr. Ball and some old Non-Conformists of Mr. Bayly and other later Presbyterians most men without my telling may conjecture rightly â—ecause such mens sayings will sooner prevail with those I deal withal than of the Fathers and other Divines As also because men may see the vast difference betwixt them and those whose so lowers they pretend to â—e when in truth they are followers of Mr. Barrow Greenwood â—â—d such of the separation who had Mr. Ball Mr. Brinsly c. old Non-Conformists Mr. Edwards Mr. Bayly c. late Presbyterians their great opposers JAM 1. 16. Do not err my Beloved Brethren THE three last Lords dayes I preached unto you of conscience I shewed you what it is the kinds of it how it is God's Officer what its duty is and what its rule That we are not to take all for conscience which pretends to be so And since conscience is in every one and it will live with us for ever that we should be careful to have our consciences such that we and they may have peace and comfort and that for this end we should endeavour to have our consciences enlightned faithful lively and not blind slothful dead or erroneous therefore I purpose to shew you what it is to err the danger of error and in the words of St. James disswade you from it Do not err c. The Apostle having disswaded from thinking God to be the Author of sin an horrid blasphemy he perswades them Psal 119. 176. Isa 63. 17. not to err or wander a Metaphor taken from sheep going astray Errors are of two sorts 1. In practise going from the Word the Rule of righteousness erring from God's wayes 2. In judgment going off from the Word as the standard and measure of truth which we commonly call error To make way to what I intend I will lay down some few Propositions I. Proposition The first That error is common to man ever since the fall of man It is evident how Adam and Eve erred and how their posterity smart for it is manifest yea how their posterity were polluted with error we see in Cain and in the old world for which the Lord sent the Deluge After which errors so abounded that Languages were confounded Sodom and Gomorrha turned into ashes After the Lord chose Abrahâ—m and his seed to be his peculiar people they soon erred in Egypt in the Wilderness and in Canaan worshipping Calves and Baal yea sacrificing their children to Devils When our Saviour Christ was upon earth how oft doth he check for erring not knowing the Scriptures How oft doth he confute the errors of the Scribes Pharisees and Saduces What warnings and caveats doth he give to us Mat. 7. 15. Mat. 24. 24. Act. 8. 9 13 18. 2 Tim. 2. i7 Rev. 2. 14 15 20. 2 Cor. 11. 13. Gal. 3. 1. Phil. 3. 1. Rom. 16. 17. Eph 4. 14. 1 Tim. 4. 2 2 Tim. 3. 1 2. 2 Tim. 4. 3 to beware of false Prophets in sheeps cloathing and acquaint us with the danger of such After our Saviours ascending into heaven errors did abound notwithstanding the pains and piety of the Apostles Simon Magus bewitched the people Elymas also with Hymineus and Philetus Some in the Asian Churches held the doctrine of Balaam some of the Nicolaitans and some the filthy follies of Jezabel The Corinthians were drawn from the doctrine of the truth by false Apostles The Galâ—tians bewitched from the truth The Philippians in great danger The Romans staggered with such who caused divisions and the Ephesians subject to be carried about with every wind of doctrine The Apostle also foretels of swarms of errors which should be and how men will not endure sound doctrine but after their lusts heap to themselves teachers having itching ears turning their ears from the truth and be turned to fables Since which all ages shew how this was fulfilled for in the first hundred years after Christ many gross errors abounded as the Symoniani of Simon Magus the Hyminei of Hymineus and Philetus The Nazareni so called of the City Nazareth See opus Epiphanii de Haresib Augustin de Haeresib Tom. 8. The Menandriani of Menander Scholar to Magus The Ebionites of Ebion whom St. John confuted The Nicolaitans of Nicholas one of the seven Deacons The Cerinthii of Cerinthus whom St. John called the first-born of Satan The Saturniani of Saturnus The Basilidians of Basilides c. In the second century after Christ there sprung up above thirty several sorts of which number were the Maritae of Marus who called themselves perfect yea more perfect than Peter and Paul They denied Christ's taking humane nature and the resurrection of the flesh About this time also arose the Gnosticks so called because of their excellent knowledge in their own opinions although but vain By others they were called Barbaritae because of their wickedness and filthiness They fancied two souls in each good man one holy of the substance of God the other adventitious which is in man as in other creatures They taught the being of two Gods the one good the other evil That Martyrdom was not to be undertaken for Christ They worshipped the Images of Christ and had images in as great esteem as Pagans their Gods In the third Century there arose about twenty sorts of Heresies of which I will name two The Catharists so called from their sanctity in their own opinion they gloried of merits of their good works they denied repentance to such who fell through infirmity and condemned second marriages as unlawful The Donatists also of Donatus who affirmed the Church of God on earth to be without spot None to be compelled to live well Hereticks not to be repressed by Magistrates That the worthiness of the Sacrament is from the holiness of him who gives it That persons baptized by the Orthodox are to be rebaptized
prophane Schisms of the Brownists and by Mr. Paget from the testimony of the Dutch Church and of the Magistrates of Amsterdam instancing in Studley Whitaker Holder and others yea in Mr. Brown himself who being reproved for beating his Wife said He did not beat his Wife but a curst old Woman Moreover since errors will have the worst at last they cannot hold out truth will prevail and since such who maintain errors shall not find favour with God Jobs friends Job 42. 7. held an error unknown and for zeal to God yet God was angry with them and is with such Mat. 5. 19. Lastly Considering that many errors are damnable mortal Jam. 5. 19 20. deadly a freeing from them being a freeing from death our care should be not to dally with them there being death in them as the way of truth is the way of life so also to draw others from them and so procure their conversion and Act. 4. 12. Joh. 17. 3. pardon for none can be saved without Christ Such who are saved by Christ must know him and believe in him and we must believe in him according to the tenour of Scripture the rule of faith and not err from it Object If we do err ours are but small errors Answ Differences about lesser points of Doctrine of Scripture held up for by ends against conscience may be damnable for then a lesser opinion is in the same rank with a known sin and so an error may be damnable by circumstance a man Joh. 3. 19. walking against light be the error but small the danger is great if a walking against light And gross negligence or not taking pains to know better is equivalent to standing out against the light it arguing a secret fear and suspition of the truth And such men who live and die in less errors about Joh. 3. 20. 2 Pet. 3. 5. 1 Cor. 3. 13. faith and worship being willingly ignorant if they be saved they may expect to be saved with much difficulty by fire as loss of much comfort of much peace being scorched in spirit and kept in dark and doubtful wayes These things thus premised I will shew you what an ererror is what it is to err Error strictly and properly taken is that which men hold or do out of ignorance of the truth It is in practise when we are ignorant of what is better to be done it is in opinion when we are ignorant of what is better for us to believe or hold Error then is an opinion Mat. 22. 29. or action swerving from the Rule of Gods Word when that which is false is believed to be true contrary to the mind of him from whom we say we have received it as if a man should believe idols to be Gods because Scripture calls them so It is an error when a thing which is false is believed to be true because he from whom we received it thinks it is true Should a man think the soul was made of moats because Lucretius thought so and we read it in him It is an error When out of another mans writings some true thing is believed which he who wrote it did not believe as to think an Epicure did place good in continency because he praised it It is an error Error is a wandring or straying Act. 10. 45 from th◠right way it is hardly cured being very prevalent 2 Thes 2. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A scopo aberrare to swerve from the mark Gal. 5. 20. and it is the way to Heresie although it is not Heresie Heresie being an error and more Heresie must be in some fundamental point or truth it takes men off from Christ or from the foundation of saving knowledge It is accompanied with pertinacy and obstinacy after cleer light offered it is possible to have an error about some fundamental point yet be no Heretick Heresie makes men take pleasure and delight in it therefore it is called a work of the Tit. 3. 10. flesh and such are often wounded by themselves although they will not be convinced by others Heresie being an error in judgment a pertinacy in will and a taking delight in it in our affections so an error and more we are the more careful to take heed of it since such like tares are sown amongst Gods wheat yea while the Apostles lived and the causes of it still remains namely ignorance of God pride of heart self-conceitedness want of love to Christ and his truth Satans malice ambition covetousness flattery and Gods permitting such still for trial of his as gold by fire for the cleerer confirming of the truth and for the punishment of the contempt of his truth and careless entertainment of 2 Thes 2. 11. his word It is no wonder then if after a faithful Pastor there comes a Wolf Quest If any doth ask why God permits deceivers to draw men into errors and men to be drawn into them Answ 1. Scripture shews it is for the tryal of his to shew the corruption or sincerity which is in men Deut 13. i 2 3. 1 Cor. 11. 19. Jude 3. 2. To make his to contend for the faith Some are busie to spread errors that others may be busie to withstand them to avoid them A Cut-purse is like another man yet when men are assured such are in the crowd every one will look to his purse So when errors are abroad every one should take more heed to himself 3. God often punisheth one sin by another Men continuing in sins of practise God suffers them often to fall into sinful Ezek. 14. 7. 2 Thes 2. 11. opinions false doctrines are fit plagues for false hearts They who love not the truth are punished with belief of errors and such are sore punishments which are made of sins That we may therefore avoid error (1) Psal 25. 9. Be we humble (2) John 7. 17. Be diligent in obeying the Word (3) Psal 119. 113. Tit. 3. 10. Grow up in love to the affecting of the truth Take heed of Heretical Books and of company with such persons they being infectious take heed of covetousness and ambition which have made many Hereticks and reject those who are such Object You said from Timothy that they are mildly lovingly and tenderly to be dealt withal How then reject Answ They are so whilst there is hopes they may be gained and won for in so doing we imitate God who admonisheth Gal. 6. 1. before he smites He commands also to restore with meekness and by so doing we shew our great love to the offendor and imitate St. Paul who used not the rod so long as meekness would prevail Such places therefore as Rom. 16. 17. 2. Joh. 10. are to be understood after admonitions and good means used for their reclaiming which proving vain they are to be rejected In regard of themselves (1) 1 Thes 5. 5. To work sorrow for their sin (2) 2 Thes 3.
he cannot be able soundly by the Word of God to disprove any part of it When he who was called Protector sent a command to look to Ale-houses and Readers of the Common-prayer Mr. Gatford since Doctor of Divinity a sequestred Divine sent to him and his Parliament-House a tart rebuke in print for joyning the Common-Prayer with Ale-houses and a bold challenge requesting that all might be commanded to object what they could against it promising that he and some few of his sequestred Brethren would make good That that Book is absolutely the best and freest from exception that ever saw light in the Christian world and that it is none of the weakest forts the Church hath against Popery and Errors John Carelesse in his examination before Dr. Martin it is only in the first Edition of the Book of Martyrs which is in one volume saith That same Book which is so consonant and agreeable to the Word of God being set forth by common authority both of the King that dead is Edward 6. and of the whole Parliament-House ought not to be despised by me or any other private man under pain of Gods curse high displeasure and damnation except they repent Object It is Popery Answ Dr. Weston Prolocutor in the Convocation house in Queen Maries reign made a bitter invective against it In whose reign also Papists articled against some of the Martyrs for using of it for being present when it was used Arch-Bishop Cranmer affirmed that he with Peter Martyr and some few more would defend the Book of Common-Prayer against all Papists in the world for of a long time they only were the opposers of it and Papists now so abhor it that they are to and will lose two parts of three of their rents rather than hear it and yet Popery Fie besides what one Popish thing is in it Is there prayer to Saints or Angels Is there prayer to the dead or in an unknown tongue Is there any allowance of Purgatory of Merit Is it not directed against all the material points of Popery so that if it was observed it was impossible Popery should come into England Object Something in it is in the Mass-Book it was taken out of it Answ Is the Lord's Prayer Popery because it is in the Mass-Book Kneeling to Jupiter was unlawful to God is required St. Paul borrowed of Pagans Act. 12. 28. Tit. 3. 12. The Pope defends the Trinity shall we therefore deny it The Devils and Pagans believe on God so do we There hath not been nor can be a greater cause of triumph to the Papists nor cleerer vindication of their innocency in suffering so much in their estates for absenting themselves from our service than such doings of some Protestants who make the use of that service scandalous and so great a crime Upon this advantage given what may the Papists say how may they plead I pray judge and consider And take heed lest in calling that Popery which is not you bring it in by taking away such Bull-warks which should keep it out And I beseech you brethren do not flatter your selves by saying the Martyrs had not such gifts as you nor such lights as you have 1. As for gifts they were so gifted as to seal the Gospel Mr. Fox Preface to the Works of Mr. Tyndal saith Albeit increasing of learning of Tongues and Sciences with quickness of wit in youth and others doth marvellously shoot up as it is to be seen to the sufficient furnishing of Christs Church yet so it happeneth I cannot tell how the farther I look back into those former times of Tyndal Frith and other like more simplicity with true zeal with humble modesty I see with less corruption of affections in them In opening of Scriptures what truth what soundness can a man require more or what more is to be said than is found in Tyndal c. The same is the judgment of the Learned and witty Prefacer to the Treatise called the Book-Fish containing certain Treatises of John Frith the Martyr taken out of a Cod-fishes belly in Cambridge Market Anno 1626. and after published The Author of that notable Preface is thought to have been Dr. Thomas Goad of Haddenham one of our five Divines that were at the Synod of Dort This Author saith also He knows not how but he finds a better spirit more vivacity and efficacy in the writings of the first Reformers than in the more accurate labours of these of our times For new lights hear the judgment of the old Non-Conformists Opinions now embraced as new truths and lights are no other for substance but the old errors and dotages of Barrow and Greenwood long since published by them and by the godly opposed so that like rusty weapons they are newly furbished and being but the same metals and materials are cast into a new mold with an addition of some things more of the same sort with their blood as to confute their adversaries and defend the truth And Mr. Fox saith that Hadley a Town of Tradesmen where Dr. Tayler that great admirer of and commender of the Book of Common-Prayer lived was like an University for knowledge 2. And as for your new lights Did S. Paul hold nothing back but declare all the counsel of God Act. 20. 27. Did he pronounce him accursed who preached any other doctrine Gal. 1. 8. and command Timothy to keep the commandement until Christ's appearing 1 Tim. 6. 14. and must we now look for new lights I cannot imagine that the holy Ghost should give Timothy as solemn a charge as was ever given to mortal man to observe the rules given until Christs coming and new lights to be expected yet many pretend much to new lights and new wayes and gaze upon them so that as some gazing upon ignis fatuus lose their way and fall into ditches so these men stare so much upon their new lights that they cannot find the way to God's house and they lose the true light which hath shined and doth in the Church of God But whence come these new lights If from Scripture we had them before if not from Scripture they are false and deceitful lights Great is the wantonness of many in greeting new opinions and Opinionists as if former truths were sapless yet truth is alwayes flourishing although too many are even sick of new opinions The Fryars had formed a new Gospel and called it the everlasting Gospel they cryed it up to be worthier than the Gospel of Christ as much as the Sun is more perfect than the Moon the kernel than the shell this continued about thirty years with little reproof it was openly read and expounded in Paris 1235. but 1256. it was opposed by the Parisian Doctors and burnt as ignis fatuus is a vanishing Meteor so these new lights will I believe vanish and fade as did the Fryars Evangeâ—ium aeternum 6. The Church enjoyns God-fathers and God-mothers at Infant-baptism They are at Geneva They are
unjustly hurt and vex the godly without cause and good men through love by discipline do justly correct others for their miscarriages The discipline of the Church being as Cyprian saith the preserver of hope the guide to salvation the retainer of faith and cherisher of godliness The correcting voice of discipline oft doth and may do good to such who will not be moved with the sweet voice of intreating St. Augustine saith He who binds a frantick man and awakes him who is in a Lethargy is troublesom to both yet he loveth and helpeth both So to bind men with the cords of justice that they may not wrong themselves and others is a great good it being also far better to weaken some by justice than suffer them to go on to weaken others by faction Object But if I will complain for neglecting Communions and Chatechising why not of swearers and drunkards Answ 1. I hear no oaths I see no drunkards I see absenters from God's Ordinances and I preach against the one and the other 2. Most speak against swearing and drunkenness as gross sins the other go under the notion of goodness 3. Swearers and drunkards deny not our Church to be a true Church they deny not the Ordinances and they might be better wrought upon and reformed was it not for our divisions The other do little less than seek the overthrow of the Church 4. I hope I am a friend to no vice and such an enemy to all that if any will bring me as good evidence and will stand to it that such and such are incorrigible swearers and drunkards as I have that such and such come not to Communions if I then endeavour not their amendment by Church-censures if I cannot by perswasions let me be blamed I intend not to create any just offence or real hurt to any mans person for truly I know not the man living or creature breathing to whom I do not heartily wish grace mercy and peace My desire is to endeavour in this place to stop the current of opinionists blown by the spirit of error over many parts of this Land to the dishonour of God and endangering of many a mans salvation and staggering well-meaning people and drawing them to disobedience Schism and Faction And whilst I am so doing when I have done I hope to make it appear that as I never yet did shew the least malice nor discontent to them who formerly sought to ruine me and mine so that now I bear not any ill will either to the party or any other but that I do what I do in love and that if they make tryal they may truly say of me as it became a Proverb concerning Arch-bishop Cranmer Do my Lord of Canterbury a shrewd turn and then you may be sure to have him your friend for your labour whilst you live Thus you and I being men are subject to err and it being dangerous to live in error according to my Office and duty I have declared wherein you err that I may not be guilty of the same by my silence If you can bring me convincing grounds that I thus differing from you in judgment and in thus discharging my duty do err you shall soon perceive and see that I will not be obstinate in error And if what I have said contain convincing arguments to make it clear that you do err then I desire the same of you that you may not obstinately persist in error that so both I and you may follow this blessed counsel of the holy Ghost by the Apostle Saint James speaking to you and me in these words Do not err my beloved brethren Preached October 6 13 20. Certain sayings of Mr. Baxter in his Infant-Church-membership THe main scope of their endeavours in publick and private is to propagate their opinions and if they preach any wholsom doctrine it is usually subservient to their great design that the truth may be as suger to sweeten their errors Pag. 144. that they may be easier swallowed They perswade the people that Ministers are seducers lyars c. judge therefore 16. what good may people expect from Ministers How hath it grieved my spirit to see and hear men professing to be more godly than others to make it the business of their lives to disgrace the Ministers of the Gospel When poor people hear those despise the Ministry that 16. once were constant hearers Sure these men having tryed see some evil in that way c. O how it stumbleth and drives off the poor ignorant people 145. from Religion when they see those that have seemed Religious prove such And when they see us at such difference one with another and when they see so many Sects and Parties that they know not which to turn to They think that all strictness doth tend to this and so that the godly are but a company of giddy proud unsettled singular persons that know not where to step till they are besides themselves O! how are the Papists hardened by this I have spoken with some of them that once began to be moderate who now upon the observation of these Sects are generally confirmed in their way and say Now you may see what it is to depart from the bosom of the Church to make the Scriptures common c. The Episcopal Party are more confirmed in their way by it and say You have mended the matter well c. yea those who were offended at the Prelates cruelty do now think they did well and that which was needful for the quenching of this fire whilst it When to whom was a spark And many who began to stagger at the Kings late Wars are now many thousands of them perswaded of the lawfulness of it from the miscarriages of these men And if report too probable do not lye thousands and And other grounds millions of Papists in all Countreys of Europe where they dwell are confirmed and hardened in their Religion by the odious reports that go of the miscarriages of these men in England These say they are your Reformers And this is your Reformation How many thousand Professors of Religion are quite ruined in their souls and turned into Monsters rather than Saints How many sad distracted divided Congregations What dividing and subdividing and subdividing 149. again and running from Church to Church and from opinion to opinion till some are at such a loss that they affirm Christ hath no Church c. How many distracted Families in England that were wont to worship God in unity and joyfulness One will pray and the other will not pray with him because he is unbaptized 16. and a third saith Family-duties are not commanded in Scripture One will sing praise to God another scorneth it as if it were singing of a Jig and a third will sing Psalms from the dictate of the Spirit only One will be of one Church and another of another Envying and strife hath taken place while
unity and love are laid aside because that truth is josled out by error What a multitude do I know that are most notorious for 150. pride thinking themselves wiser than the ablest Teachers when they have need to be chatechised Some of them run up into the Pulpit to preach some will not come in publick are constant Teachers in private where they vilifie the Ministry and make poor souls believe that the Ministers are ignorant of the truth of God in comparison of them I have wondred formerly why St. Paul speaks so much against 151. Heresies and Schisms and what made even all the primitive Fathers spend most of their zeal painful writings against Heresies and Errors as doth Ignatius and almost all when we in these dayes were ready to think these to be scarce sins But now we begin to know their meaning and I can say as good Dadianus I never knew what Heresie or Schism was till now Thus he and abundance more A DISSWASIVE FROM ERROR A PERSWASIVE TO ORDER By a Lover of and Labourer for Truth Peace Unanimity Uniformity and Order Joseph Bentham JUDE 3. Earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the Saints London Printed by W. R. MDCLXIX A Visitation-Sermon PREACHED At Kettering Octob. 6 15. 1666. 1 COR. 14. 40. Let all things be done decently and in order MANY enormities and disorders were amongst the Corinthians incest unpunished bolstered not lamented Law-suits before Pagans to the scandal of the Gosspel men covered women uncovered in Divine Service negligent and unworthy coming to the Lord's Table abusing of gifts to vain glory denying the resurrection c. The Apostle having handled some things concerning matters of decency as womens praying covered in token of subjection and mens praying or prophecying namely being present at praying and prophecying uncovered in sign of their superiority Having also spoken of some things more properly pertaining to edification by silencing such who used tongues without interpretation and of some things peculiar to order as to speak by two or three in the close he sets down a rule or Canon by which all must be squared a touchstone to try and a ballance to weigh Church-orders whether they be right which they are In regard of the end v. 26. when they tend to edification and in regard of the manner when they are done decently and in order since all things should be done without confusion of persons and proceedings in just and due order therefore what is in the Church as it is to be decent so it ought to be in order Doct. Order in the Church of God is a good and an excellent thing And it is so 1. In regard of God who is a God of order v. 33. Order proceeds from him and from his throne who also is a lover of it delighting in it all loving their own works and what conforms to them 2. In regard of the Church which in Scripture is called (a) Cant. 4. 12. a garden enclosed therefore to kept in order an (b) Cant. 6. 4. army with banners therefore to march and to be Marshalled in order And (c) 1 Tim. 5. 15. Gods house therefore to be governed and kept in order 3. In regard of good men who so prized order That the (d) 1 Chr. 5. 55. Priests are commended for keeping order They are (e) 1 Chr. 15. 15. blamed and punished for not observing order St. Paul (f) Col. 2. 5. rejoyced beholding the order of the Colossians he (g) 1 Cor. 11. 34. promised to set things in order at Corinth he charged (h) Tit. 1. 5. Titus to do the same at Creet and himself was perswaded publickly to declare at Jerusalem his walking according to (i) Act. 21. 24. order 4. In the great book of nature there is order Bees have their Queens Cranes have their leader Locusts their troops so that order is the beauty of Nature the ornament of Art and honour of the World 5. From the contrary we may see its excellency since where order is not kept (1) 1 Cor. 14. 33. peace cannot be kept confusion and peace agree not (2) Job 10. 22. Death is evil and that is without order in it are no orderly changes of night day heat cold nor do men in dying keep order rich and great men going first But rich and poor young and old promiscuously die without order and Hell the worst of all hath in it no order surely then it is a kind of death to see any disorder Sleidan Comment lib. 10. An. 1555. and a kind of Hell to see all in disorder yea popular inequality was so burdensom to the seditious Anabaptists in their rebellion that contrary to their doctrine they made one their Captain another their King so seeking to have order in their hurly-burly disorders 6. Yea such is the excellency of order that civil order is the beauty of Kingdoms spiritual of the Church that the fabrick of the World is upholden by order that States and Kingdoms are maintained by it and without it nothing can well flourish or prosper And since it hath or should have place in all things surely the Church should not be without it for order and uniformity in discipline is an hedge to unity and doctrine And where rules for order are despised and every man left to himself usually so many Citizens so many Sects whereas where all things are done in order there union in Law breeds union in love uniformity in fashion uniformity in faith Eph. 4. 3 4. But alas where is our order when as at Corinth so with us one is for Paul another for Apollo and might not any of 1 Cor. 1. 12 these have been acceptable and given content Sure this is not agreeable to order since St. Paul for their so doing pronounceth 1 Cor. 3. 4. such to be carnal when some go to private meetings when they should go to the publique Ordinances when some go to the Lords Table more keep away than come sure it is neither decent nor according to order Oh my beloved brethren for the Lord's sake a God of order for the Churches sake the houshold of God to be well ordered live in peace be of one mind and observe good order Because many are divided into factions shall we must we needs sin with others or because disorders are abroad let us unite at home and be orderly Order is of God disorder is not so some must begin to make up the breaches and to quench the flames Oh that we could be the men for why should we open the mouths of our adversaries to reproach our Religion as if in it we had no agreement no order why should we tear the Church of Christ into pieces by our disorders why should we be stumbling blocks to people making them at a stand not knowing what to do whether to be of this or that or the other or of no Religion why should we
manners Some ignorantly say you have no power you can do nothing That you have power this meeting shews you calling us hither and I hope for some good end Let your power and authority I beseech you be exercised as St. Pauls was 2 Cor. 10. 8. for edification That it may appear we live in a flourishing Christian Church where good Laws are and they well observed and executed where Religion is professed and practised where the youth are catechised and principeled in Religion where the Sacraments are duly and orderly administred where the houses of God are solemnly frequented where Schisms and Factions are discountenanced where vice is punished and vertue encouraged where mens lives are reformed so that obedience to Governours charity and righteousness to men may and do appear and according to this Scripture Canon all things are done decently and in order The POSTSCRIPT I Reading in Mr. Howel Engl. speaking thus I that have Englands Tears pag. 2. been accounted the Queen of Isles the darling of Nature and Neptunes minion I that have been stiled by the character of the first Daughter of the Church that have converted eight several Nations I that made the morning beams of Christianity shine upon Scotland upon Ireland and a good part of France I that did irradiate Denmark Swedland and Norway with the light thereof I that brought the Saxons with other Germanes high and low from Paganism to the knowledge of the Cospel I that had the first Christian King that ever was Lucius and the first reformed King the eight Henry to reign over me I out of whose bowels sprung the first Christian Emperor that ever was Constantine I that had five several Kings viz. John King of France David King of Scotland Peter King of Bohemia and two Irish Kings my captives in less than one year I under whose Banner that great Emperor Maximilian took it an honour to serve in person and receive pay from me I that did so abound with Bullion c. Behold behold I am now become the object of pity to some of scorn to others of laughter to all people my children abroad are driven to disavow me for fear of being jeered they dare not own me their Mother upon the Rialto of Venice the Borle of Auspurge the New-bridge of Paris the Cambios of Spain or upon the Quoys of Holland for fear of being bafled and hooted at I reading in Mr. Vines what we had been a people His last Sermon March 10. 1646. of as powerful godliness as any in the world that practical divinity was improved to a great height of clearness and sweetness and his lamenting our miserable declination in the same Sermon from the life and power of godliness which is come to pass within these few years so that our practicals our inward and close wayes of walking with God in faith and love are sublimed into fancies and vapours into fumes of new opinions and which is worst of all we take this Dropsie to be growth and conceive our selves more spiritual Page 56. and refined because more airy and notional Liberty of Religions is become the golden calf of the times And Page 2. the Ministers are laid low in order to a twofold liberty the one of prophesying every one to set up Trade who is Page 23. able and liberty of lusts and ways of looseness I considering In his Fast Sermon March 10 1646. what Mr. Hodges saith we have long enjoyed as clear light and as full discoveries of fundamental truths as any Church others have lighted their Tapers more at our flame than we at theirs our Church once the great eye-sore to Hereticks envy of Papists refuge of Orthodox glorious for Doctrine a praise in the earth the Mother of many Stars of the first magnitude faithful Martyrs famous Confessors and innumerable souls in Heaven c. and yet after his preaching in his Epistle he saith the Prince of flies hath raised such swarms of flies in every corner of our Land that many of our Congregations and Families are miserably fly blown with Heresies and corrupt Tenets I reâ—â—mbring some passages in Sir Edward Deerings Speeches Octob. 23. pag. 23. in Parliament at the beginning of it saying if we let forth the Government into a lose liberty for all Religions we shall have none Libertinism will beget Atheism a little after Men upon whose merit let my credit stand or fall in this House complain with grief of heart to see their now infected sheep after long pastoral vigilance and faithful Ministery to run and straggle from them more in these ten Nov. 20. pag. 98. moneths than in twenty years before in another he saith there is at present such an all-daring liberty such a lewd licentiousness for all mens venting their several senses sensless senses in Matters of Religion as never was in any Age or any Nation until this Parliament was met together Thus the Church of England once the glory of the Reformed Religion is miserably torn and distracted so that you can hardly say which is the Church of England c. These shew what we have lost and what we have found And I living in the best times that ever England had and seeing what I see cannot but wish with Jeremy That my eyes were a Jer. 9. 1 2. fountain of tears that I might weep day and night for the divisions and destractions in England I now seeing the truth of Mr. Burtons saying superstition will run along like a Murrain Melanch pag. 606. in Cattel scab on sheep nulla scabies superstitione scabiosior He who is bit of a Mad dog bites others and all in the end become mad either out of affection of novelty simplicity blind zeal hope fear the giddy headed multitude will embrace it So he Mahomet was but a poor Orphan he Mr. Alexand Rosse History of the World p. 109. marryed his Mistriss Chediga whom he made believe that his falling sickness proceeded from the sight of Angels which appeared to him yet he was the beginner of the Mahumetans which are so multiplyed some following Alli some Endocar some Acmar and some Ozimen Mahomets successors whose followers are subdivided into seventy two Melanc p. 582. Englished by Sir Rob. Stapelton sorts as Leo Affricanus reports saith Mr. Burton and also that Poland is a receptacle for all Religions No marvel then if Fabianus Strada calls heresie the School of Pride and affirms that for a man to be an Heretick and a good subject is impossible and saith it is with less difficulty kept out than shut up And sad experience doth fully demonstrate how errors and heresies swarm amongst us so that Mr. Saltmâ—â—sh in his groans for liberty pleads Whether an hundred and fourscore Opinions are more to be cast into the face of Religion Groans p. 13. l. 1. c. 2. p. 15. than six hundred in the dayes of Nazianzen and a little after because of our many Opinions and divisions he crys out where is the Church now not