in the Reformation of their lives because partly for that they knew it not and partly for that they are hindred by authoritie they practise not the whole discipline of Christ And this rash judgment which they give of our people is so much the more blame-worthy because they cannot be ignorant with what care our people have sought by all good and dutifull meanes the Reformation of the Church And how much they have be wailed and mourned for the want thereof for which matter also wee referre the Reader to the answer we have above given to their fourth and fifth objections against the whole body of our Assemblies Secondly Our people deserve not to be blamed for that they erect not the discipline for First They esteeme both our Prince to be a most lawfull and a Christian Magistrate and our Ministers to bee true Ministers of Christ by whose meanes seeing they have received from God and do still enjoy not those blessings only that belong to the comfort of this life but the meanes of eternall happinesse and the effectuall assurance of it also they are justlie afraid that by enterprising a publike Reformation not only without but contrary to the direction and liking of them who by Gods Word ought to have if not the only yet the principall hand in that worke they should highly offend God 2. They cannot finde any warrant in holy Scripture for them that are private Members of the Church to erect the discipline no not though the Magistrate and Ministers who should deale in this worke were altogether profane and ungodlie in deviding the Land of Canaan which was a type of Heaven and of the Church under the Gospell and in all the Church causes that were dealt in under the government of Iosua which was a type of Christs government neither private persons nor the whole multitude had the managing of matters Iosh 19.51 21 1. 22 14 but the people did all by the Elders and chiefe Fathers a which also was commanded b Numb 34.16.28 So in publike Church causes under the Gospell the Lord hath ordained certaine speciall men chosen out from among the people by their consent to rule and governe the rest c 1 Tim. 5.17 4.14 And where God hath sanctified and separated a speciall sort of men to any office or the administration thereunto belonging there hath hee restrained all others that are not of the same sort from doing the actions properly belonging to that office as may well appeare by comparing these places of holy Scripture together d Numbr 4.15 with the first Chron 13.7 10 Num. 4.20 with 1 Sam. 6.19 Num. 16.40 3.10 Heb. 5.4 with 2 Chron. 26.16 19. Acts 14.23 Therefore also wee see the faithfull at Listra â—conium and Antiochiah l ad no Elders till the Apostles by their consent ordained them No more had they at Creta till Tiâ—us was sent to that purpose To the places of holy Scripture which they alleadge for this their second Objection against our people we answer First That some of them a Ier. 31.34 Ezech. 44.8 9. Cant. 4.7 1 Pet. 2.9 Acts 15.9 concerne the invisible Church and therfore are ignorantly applyed to the description of them that are members of the Church visible As if no measure of faith and holinesse were to be allowed by men in the judging of the members of the Church visible but that onely which the Lord Himselfe alloweth of in juding of the elect Members of the visible Church Whereas it is evident that to the making of the Members of the visible Church an outward obedience and profession of faith is sufficient though there be no inward grace nor truth in the heart Secondly That some of them require indeed that every Christian should seeke the Kingdome of God and the place where God is worshipped according to his Word submit themselves to the Yoke of Christ and to obey him in all his Ordinances but that the people without either the Magistrate or Ministers helpe or consent should reform the Church and erect the discipline they are so farre from commanding that if they be well compared with that wee have above said they will be found to command the contrarie The third thing they object against our people Is That though some of them had once beene faithfull yet by tollerating in their Assemblies the open prophane by wanting power to cast them out and communicateing with them in their worship of God they are now become not ue Church of Christ Whereunto we answer First that the godly which are in our Assemblies do not at all tollerate the wicked profane but doe as much as in them lieth shew their dislike to them mourning also for their profanenesse and for the want of Christian discipline whereby they might be separated Yea the very Lawes of our Church as hath beene above said doe separate from our Assemblies the open prophane Secondly admit they did not at all shut out the prophanie either because they know not their right or for that they are hindred and restrained to doe it or that they sin in not using their right in this case or if it were granted that the people even the private members of the assemblies had full authoritie given them by Christ without the Ministers or Magistrates consent to cast out and excommunicate the open profane the contrary whereof hath been before sufficiently proved yet might they as lawfully for want of power or for such inconveniences tollerate the prophanie amongst them and so forbeare the execution of their authoritie in this case as either David did spare Joab 2 Sam 3 39. 2. Kings 14 5. or Amaziah those rebels that slew his father because they were not strong enough doe justice upon them Thirdly the communicating in Gods service with these open sinners Thirdly they may be true members of the Church though they doe communicate in Gods worship with the open profane as may appeare by the example of the godly that lived under the law whom the godly in some of our assemblies are enforced to communicate with or to want the benefit of Gods publike worship is not sufficient either to make him profane or pollute unto them the holy things of God for proofe whereof we alleadge First the examples of the godly that lived under the Ceremoniall law The Prophets either served not God at all in the Temple or else they joyned in Gods service with many that were notoriously stained with grosse sinnes for who are they whose sinnes the Prophets so mightily cry out upon (d) Esay 1.10 Jer. 5.1.9 and 7 8.11 Ezek. 16 4â—.52 and 22 25.26 but such as were admitted to the publike worship of God If the Babylonians and the Caldeans should violently have included themselves into the Church assemblies of Gods people in the time of their captivitie should the godly Jewes by such presence of the wicked which they wanted power to hinder either have beene perswaded to cease
object against our Church Object I. The objection against the whole body of our Church is that it was not rightly gathered and our parish assemblies is this That it was not rightly gathered by such meanes as God in his Word hath ordained and sanctified for the gathering of his Church For saith Henry Barrow in the 10th page of his discovery All the people were in one day with the blast of Queene Elizabeths Trumpet of ignorant persons and grosse Idolaters made faithfull Christians and true Prophets And in the third page of that Epistle to the Reader which they have presixed to their refutation of Master Gifford they have these words Where such prophane multitudes were immediately changed from publike Idolaters and on an instant received or rather compelled to be members of this Church in some parish or other without any due calling to the saith by the preaching of the Gospell going before or orderly joyning together in the faith there being no voluntary or particular confession of thein owne faith and duties made nor required of any who can say that those Churches were ever rightly gathered or built according to the Rule of CHRISTS Testament ANSWER I. To all that they thus object against our first gathering this answer we give First That we might bee counted a true Church though it could not appeare that we were at the first rightly gathered for even as the Disciples might be well assured of Christs bodily presence when they saw and felt him though they could not perceive which way or how he could possibly come in so may we esteeme them a true Church of whose present profession and faith wee are well assured though wee cannot see by what meanes they were first gathered Else wee may still doubt whether Melchisedech and the families of Iob were true Churches and members of the Church because how they were first gathered and made a Church or of whom we know not and yet we are now certainely perswaded that they are a Church Nay wee finde good warrant in the word to the contrary for we reade of many who having by that they heard and saw perceived evidently that a people were the Church of God did joyne themselves willingly unto them without enquiring how they were gathered or converted as Abraham to Melchisedech Rahab to Israel the Eunuch to Philip the Gaoler to Paul and Silas Secondly Wee might be rightly gathered to the societie Secondlie We might be gathered to an outward profession and to the societie of the visible Church by some other meanes then by preaching of the Word Confutation of Mr. Gifford page 152. and in the collection of slanderous Articles page 44 45. and fellowship of the visible Church by other meanes then by the preaching of the Gospell for proofe whereof we alleage their owne judgment and opinion which howsoever it be yet hath force enough to stop their mouthes namely that men may bee won to the true faith of Christ not extraordinarily but even ordinarily also by other meanes than the publicke and ministeriall preaching of the Word For if severall Members may bee converted without this meanes may not they much rather without it bee gathered together and made an assembly Secondly Admit there were no other means whereby a man could be soundly converted but only preaching Yet it is evident that by some other meanes men may bee lawfully brought to an outward profession and so made a visible Church Many in the dayes of Christ were prepared to heare and believe and did also follow him and professe themselves his Disciples that no man could without sinne have denied them to bee members of the visible Church who yet were not all drawne by his word But some by his Miracles (a) Iohn 2.23 24. some by the report they heard of him (b) Iohn 4.39 some by desire (c) Iohn 6.24 26. they had to be fed by him Some Kings became nursing Fathers and Queenes nursing Mothers to the Church their Lawes have beene meanes to bring men to outward societie of the Church And the practise of Iosiah proveth that men may bee compelled by the Magistrate to serve the Lord. (d) Chron. 34.32 33. Now as many heareing of the fame of Iohn Baptist and of Christ came unto them and so were converted by their preaching Thirdlie Our Churches were first converted and gathered by teaching of the Word so many that for feare of the Law were first brought to the Church and outward profession of the truth have beene and are effectually converted by the ministery of the Word Thirdly Our Church was gathered by the preaching of the Word For the first conversion of the faithfull of our Land was by the preaching of the Gospell as is manifested by the testimonies of the best approved Histories Since that time many have beene from age to age called by the same means as by the ministerie of Master Wickliffe and such like for proofe whereof this may serve that in most of the Kings dayes there have beene some which have endured Martyrdome for the truth These secret ones did gather others secretly so long as persecution continued and shewed themselves openly when libertie was granted In the dayes of King Edward great numbers were by preaching so effectually called that in Queene Maries Reigne many simple men and women were able to maintaine the truth against the learnedst Papists and to seale it with their bloud Besides them there were many secret Congregations in many parts of the Land all the daies of Queene Marie which gladly received and openly professed the Gospell offered unto them by publicke authoritie at her Majesties entrance to the Crowne If it bee said that they ceased to bee the true Churches of Christ because they joyned themselves and became one body with such as were newly come from Idolatry and that not of conscience but for feare onely we answer that they rather that were fallen from the Gospell in Queene Maries daies were moved by Queene Elizabeths Proclamation to joyne themselves unto them that had stood faithfull all that while Neither is it truly said of them that in one day by the blast of Her Majesties Trumpet at the beginning of her Reigne all sorts of men were drawne to a profession of the Gospell without any further meanes used for before any were compelled to the profession of the Gospell which was not till Midsomer after her Majestie came to the Crowne there were not onely many Commissioners sent unto all the parts of the Land that they might deface all the monuments of Idolatry but sundry Preachers also which in the dayes of Queene Mary had received approbation and exercised their ministrie in some of the best reformed Churches beyond the Seas did by their doctrine both keepe them whom they found converted in the profession of the truth and called many others of which number we may reckon Master Knox Leave Gilbie Sampson Whitingham Goodman and sundry others And there were daily added to
probable that they were not private men but had a speciall calling to the Office of preaching The Disciples that being scattered through persecutions went about preaching may very well be thought to have beene Ministers rather than private men unlesse we shall imagine there were no Ministers in Iernfalem before the Church was scattered but the Apostles only and Philip who is also called an Evangelist is the only man of name amongst all these scattered Disciples that preached The Prophets mentioned in the 1 Cor. 14. is very likely were either such as whose extraordinarie gifts did suficientlie prove to the Church that they were extraordinariâ—e stirred up and called of God or else such as being separated to the work of the ministerie were by that exercise of their gifts to bee fitted to the full execution of that office as those children of the Prophets were for the like purpose trained up in these Schooles of the Prophets mentioned in the Old Testament And as they cannot conclude out of these places that those Prophets were meere private men so shall they not fâ—â—tle the name of a Prophet given in any place of holy Scripture to a meere private man The preaching mentioned Luke 8.39 the expounding of the way of God Acts 18 26. the exhorting spoken of 1 Thes 5.11 was not Eccleâ—iasticall or Church preaching but only private and do mesticall instruction Some other places which they alleadge a Phil. 2.15 16 Peter 3.12 concerne neither publike preaching nor private instruction but onely the constant profession of the truth and holy conversation which God requireth of every Christian Thirdlie the grosse disorders that are to be found in their Assemblie we have mentioned to which the strange choâ—se of their Ministers may be added For by what Testimonic of holy Scripture can they warrant the admitting or choosing in to the ministerie such a one as within some six or eight weekes before was tramplanted from so Antichristian a Church and ministerie as they reckon ours to be As not onely Master Francis Johnson but sundrie other of their Ministers have beene Sure wee are that herein they have done directly contrary to the rule of the holy Apostle and for smaller faults then this they are ready to say against us in the 127. page of their refutation That he that hath not a true and right calling unto his Office is no true Minister but an Vsurper an Intruder a Thiefe a Murderer c. But what shall we need to reckon up any more of the disorders that may be noted in their Church government seeing it is not possible but that those Assemblies should be full of confusion and disorder where no Church censure can passe without the consent of every private man and wherein every member is made equall in power and authoritie with the Ministers and Elders of the Church These things being so what is there to be seene amongst them whereby so many simple Christians are deceived and moved to forsake us and joyne to them Save onely that shew of sinceritie and zeale and holy conversation wherein they are thought to go far beyond any of us Concerning which wee say that although the coversation of many of our people and Ministers also be very scandalous and the lives of the best of us far short of that perfection we dayly strive unto Yet it shall well appeare to him that will rightly consider these few lines following That the power of true godlinesse is much more wanting amongst them then 't is with us whom they have forsaken for it we may judge of the schollers by their teachers and of the miserable seduced multitude by their chief Leaders and if men do not use to speak much lesse to write but from the abundance of their harts then have they as smal cause certainlie to bost of their holines to say they are not as other men nor as we are whom they have forsaken as the Pharisee in the Gospel said (b) Luke 18 9.11.14 This wee dare boldly say that there was never any man of note in our Church that in his writings hath bewrayed so irreligeous and unsanctified a spirit as their chiefe Leaders have done For proofe whereof wee desire the Christian Reader to consider first the shamefull lies which wittingly and against the light of their owne hearts they have published and whereby they have in a manner borne false witnesse against us In the ninth page of their Discovery they say That all the Atheists Papists and Anabaptists and Heretiques of all sorts Whores Theeves Witches Conjurers and who not that dwelleth in this Island or is within the Queenes dominions are received and nourished within the bosome of this Church with the Word and Sacraments none are refused none kept out In the 60. page of their Discovery they say These Priests and people retaine the Leviticall Decimations in the same forme to the same end In the 63. and 64. pages they affirme That the service book is the very ground worke of our Faith Church and Ministry from whence we fetch all our directions for all things That we are sworne to and by this booke That the Word of God may not be taught but where this bath been read In the 28. page They say we all adore the words of Salutation which the Angel Gabriel used to the Virgin Mary That we worship either the Purification or the person of our Lady So they maliciously say we torme the blessed Virgin And that we powre out unto her our drinke Offerings and burne incense to the Queen of heaven Whereas through divers pages they charge us with keeping Fasts and Feasts to honour of Saints In the 100. page they say Their Priest Baptiseth the childe In the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost and of the holy Crosse In the 148. page They say it is vtterly denyed in the Church of England that the Magistrate should be Excommunicated In the 183. page They say that it is impossible to finde two of ouâ— Ministers in one minde and judgement yea in any two Churches of the Land to have the same doctrine taught In the 188. page they say That no one place of Scripture which maketh expresse mention of the government of Christ As Rom. 12.1 Cor. 12. and 15. and is suffered to be so much as read in our Churches In the 175. page they say These new Glasses take upon them to make Ministirs A second note whereby we may try the spirits of their chief Leaders is their spitefull railing wherein they are so rich and plentifull as wee know not how to finde amongst all the rabble of profane and ungodly men any one that goeth beyond them in it our Ministers they call Balamites Cananites Babylonish Divines Egyptian Enckanters limmes of the Divell as bitter enemies as Turkish Ianizaries marked souldiers of the Beast such as know not the Doctrines of the beginning of Christ such as were nusled even from the mothers breast
A Most Grave and Modest Confutation of the Errors of the Sect commonly Called BROWNISTS OR SEPERATISTS Agreed upon long since by the joynt consent of sundry godly and Learned Ministers of this Kingdome then standing out and suffering in the cause of inconformity and now published in a time of need for the good of Gods Church and the better setling of mens unstable mindes in the truth against the subtile insinuations and plausible pretences of that pernicious evill Published by W. Rathband Minister of the GOSPELL LONDON Printed for Edward Brewster and George Badger and are to be sold at the Bible on Fleet-Bridge and in Saint Dunstanes Church-Yard 1644. The Publisher to the READER CHristian Reader touching this insuing treatise bee pleased to understand that it was compiled so as now thou hast it without any adition or alteration many yeares since by sundry Reverend and Godly Ministers of this Kingdome who in their times stood out and suffered in the cause of Inconformitie to the Ceremonies and laboured the Reformation of things then and still in part remaining amisse in our Church therein both for opinion and practise endeavouring to keepe close to the Rules of Scripture and what in them lay to eschew all errors and exorbitances both of separation on the right hand and of superstition on the left Who the men were by name is neither now necessary to be published nor in respect of them all certainely known But what sort of men they were that made it and of what piety charitie modestie and abilitie for this controversie they were the treatise it selfe by its owne light will sufficiently discover to the unpartiall and unprejudicate Reader It is now presented to publike view after so long deteinment the rather because First The Presse is now more free and open then in former times to books of this nature which doe so oppose the Schisme of the Brownists as not at all to allow of the tyrannie and corruptions of the Bishops Secondly It seemeth now more needfull then formerly through the late lamentable increase of opinions and practises of separation and the dangerous rents alreadie made and likely to bee made thereby even to the utter ruine of this Church if by the mercie of our God and the wisdome of our King and Parliament some timely and effectuall remedy be not provided Thirdly Hereby good Reader thou maist see that the opinions and practises of those that way addicted now so much extolled wondred at and greedily embraced by many under the notion of new truths and a new and further light as if some new created Star bad now appeared to the world never seene before are indeed no other for substance but the old errors and dotages of Barrow and Greenwood long since by them published and by the godlie sober and judicious in those times opposed and exploded Save that now like rustie weapons they are newly furbished and being but the same mettalls and materialls are only cast into a new mould with addition of some things more of the same sort then they expresly held mitigation of others by them more sharplie and rigorously delivered and interlasing of others more pleasing and plausible to make the rest rellish and vent the better Fourthly Hereby also thou maist perceive and take up the true judgment of the true ancient and present Non-conformists of this Kingdome in these points as from their own mouth and pen. Whereof by the help of God thou maist make these and the like uses First Thou maist cleare them in thy thoughts from the misrepresentations and imputations both of the Episcopall and Schismaticall partie Both of which would make the world believe that the Non-conformists have laid the foundation of Brownisme by their principles of Inconformity and that if this bee lawfull the other must needs bee necessary The former sort thus suggesting to lay the greater hatred upon them and the cause of Reformation which they promoted The latter sort to procure the greater credit to their owne irregular and unwarrantable courses thereby And would to God that some other brethren though of a farre better sort and such as have long groaned under their Conformitie had not beene or yet were not too credulous to such unlikely and unreasonable suggestions against their brethren 2. Thou maist see that the cause of separation may be confuted without relinquishing in one part the grounds of Inconformitie or leaning at all unto Episcopacie As the cause of Inconformitie may bee fully maintained without fetching weapons from or betaking our selves unto the Campe of Separation which thing I could wish with all my heart bad beene well observed by some otherwise godly and judicious brethren in these dayes who no sooner begin to distast and cast off their old burden of superstitious conformitie of late augmented and made utterly unprofitable by sundry other innovations but withall they begin to dislike all set formes of prayer especially in our Lyturgie as unlawfull to question their owne present standing in the ministerie as Antichristian and to abstaine from our worship especially our Sacraments as Idolatrous with other like unreasonable opinions and practises As if it were not possible for men to leape out of the Surplice unlesse also they leapt out of the Church and as if there were no middle betweene separation from the Church and true worship thereof and subscription unto or practise or approbation of all the corruptions in the same An error in some sort formerly excusable when oppression as Salomon saith Eccles 7.7 and persecution made even wise men themselves madde and sometimes in hast betweene feare griefe and anger in avoyding one extreame to fall upon another But now since that by the miraculous mercie of God the stings of those great Bees are pulled out and their hornes sawed off whereby they have so long afflicted and willingly destroyed this poore Church I say now mee thinkes wise men should looke before they leape and so warily eschew one errour as that they doe not unwarily run into another perhaps a worse Lastly thou mayest be somewhat stayed from hastie adhering or inclining to their courses of separation not onely by the Treatise it selfe but also by the consideration of the Treatisers For though no mans person whatsoever can be a sufficient bottome whereon to settle any opinion or practise in Religion but the Word of God and right reason alone yet is not these mens example or testimonie to be altogether slighted especially in this controversie wherein wee are sometimes almost deaffed with the praises of some of the seperators eminent learning pietie sinceritie zeale c. In which case I hope it need not bee offensive to any perhaps it may be profitable to some according to the Apostles example in a case not altogether unlike 2 Cor. 11.22 to oppose these mens learning pietie sinceritie zeale c. against the others Who as in all other things they were examples of holinesse so in this that they have ever not only for
borne but stedfastly opposed to their great reproach dammage and danger many wayes the corruptions in our Church-government worship and Leiturgie and have beene lights and leaders to these latter times therein yet alwayes in a peaceable and regular way as not on the one side to subject themselves to suspitious inventions so on the other not sinfully to separate from the Communion and true worship of Churches accounting it more agreeable to all rules of pietie charitie and Christian prudence to tolerate for the time what they could not mend rather than to rent and teare all in peeces to an utter ruine To conclude though perhaps some few particulars in this treatise may seeme more questionable yet for the maine I doubt not but the Authors have held close to the truth both in their owne positions and in opposing their adversaries By which therefore good Reader thou maiest reape much benefit for thy better settling in these unsettled times if thou be capable thereof and if the Lord shall please to adde his blessing thereunto Which hee shall never cease to pray for who is all that he is truly thine in Him W R. THE PREFACE of the AUTHORS of the Treatise ensuing to the READER THE holy Apostle Saint Paul writing unto the Galathians these words Brethren If any man be fallen by occasion into any fault you which are spirituall restore such a one with the spirit of meeknesse considering thy selfe lest thou also be tempted both sheweth the danger of falling whereunto they are subject who stand in the Church of God and prescribeth the dutie of recovering those that are fallen unto such as are spirituall That is to say as are furnished with gifts thereunto with the manner how all that ought to be performed two necessary points in our judgements to be considered and much tending to the preservation of the good and happy estate of the Church of God for how cometh it to passe that Sathan so farre prevaileth against it but for that weake men consider not the danger of falling untill they be downe and almost past recovering those that are fallen either not at all or not untill they be well neere without remedy It is therefore one especiall part of holy wisedome for men who think they stand to take heed lest they fall and therefore to seeke to kneow the depth of Sathans pollicies and subtilties and then the effectuall means for the preventing of them Into which if they carefully enquire they shall finde that though hee seeke to draw even those that have shined as starres in the Church from heaven unto the earth yet that he much more earnestly laboureth to make them wandring starres forsaking the place wherein they seemed to be fixed to give shine and direction to others that is though hee laboureth and endeavoureth to bring men from their first love and zeale unto a lukewarmnesse or key coldnesse in the Church yet he rather desireth to lead them into a fierie spirit and indiscreet zeale from the Church and societie of Saints which no doubt he doth as for many other causes so for these two 1. That he might by their departure who have seemed zealous and godly professors shake the faith of others and cause them to doubt that they are not in the true Church where they may finde directions toward the kingdome of heaven and at last to flie from it as from Babylon And 2. that he might deprive those men themselves of the happy meanes of the recovery which they might have had easily applyed had they beene in the Church and remained in the fellowship thereof Hence it is that in the Church of God those who breaking the holy bands of love and faith have like unkinde children forsaken her their naturall mother and oft pleaded with her as a strumpet which never was done in more convenient manner then of late by certain of our brethren who having been brought forth of the wombe and brought up in the bosome of the Church of England have not onely renounced as a stepmother but condemned her as one of the daughters yea the eldest daughter of the very whore of Babylon railing on her as if she living in continuall spirituall fornications brought forth sonnes and daughters not unto Christ but unto Antichrist his adversary By which their faults and fallings as they have deprived themselves of those gracious blessings which they did long and might have still enjoyed amongst us to their soules health and made the meanes of their recovery more hard and difficult so have they troubled and disquieted many remaining in the body of our Church and of strong men in the truth brought them to be children again in understanding easie to bee carried about with every blast of diverse and strange doctrines how contrary soever to the truth according unto godlinesse either taught or received by them The case thus standing we take it to be our duties being members and Ministers of this Church having by Gods grace received some though a small measure of gifts fit thereunto as to maintaine the credit of the Church wherein we live And to justifie the practise of our ministerie therein so farre forth as truth will permit so chiefely to seeke and endeavour both the recoverie of those that are strayed from the sheepfold of Christ amongst us and also the stay of those that are ready to runne after them together with the better grounding and confirming of them who remaine in the flocke with comfort under their shepheards which duty we have endeavoured to performe heretofore by publike preaching and private conferences as occasions hath beene offered and now have bestowed our labours in writing this treatise following to the same end wherein after wee have proved by certaine reasons that our Assemblies are the true Church of God we take upon us to shew First The foure chiefest exceptions they take against our Church for warranting Schisme and separation from us are vaine and frivelous Secondly That the maine grounds they stand upon for the erecting their new Church are weake and slender Thirdly that the best arguments that they use for condemning us and justifying themselves are loose and unsufficient which points as we have gathered out of their printed books and written papers where they were before scattered and brought into one forme and body so have we more plainely and nakedly both proposed and dealt in passing by all impertinent and offensive matters And their flouting declamations petitions exclamations and bitter reviling speeches against our Churches Ministers and people all their reprochfull slanderous profane scornings fearefull blasphemies against the Word preached and Sacraments administred prayers and holy exercises of Religion used in our Assemblies wherewith their writings and printings swell to some bignes as Bladders puffed up with winde All these though wee have given the Reader some taste of their spirit in them yet have wee not in our Treatise stood upon them for that wee judge them not worthy the answer This worke
of ours we commend first unto our brethren departed from us desiring them to read it without partialitie selfe love prejudice or other sinister affections and with meekenesse indifferencie and love of the Truth desire to be informed and readinesse to be reformed where they erre and goe astray It may be that God will give a blessing to it nay sure wee are that he is faithfull that hath promised to give unto those that aske to open to those that knocke and to cause them to find that seeke the truth in sincerity of their hearts especially if to the reading thereof they adjoyne First a review of the books which have beene written by the Ring-leaders of their separations Secondly a view of the persons of whom their Assemblies consist And Thirdly a consideration of the estate wherein their Church now standeth In the review of the bookes which have been written we exhort them with single hearts to examine the spirits where with the authors of them were led in their writing and they shall finde it not to be the good spirit of God which filleth mens hearts with meekenesse humilitie compassion softnesse holinesse and other sanctified affections but that evill spirit of Satan which under colour of zeale of Gods glory hatred of sinne desire of serving God in sincerity thrusteth men whom it hath deceived into pride selfe love rashnesse unnaturall affections uncharitable surmises and most unchristian judgment of their brethren Secondly to weigh wisely what end they proposed to themselves in their writings which will evidently appeare to be not so much the cleering of themselves from the crime of Schisme as the drawing of others to joyne with them and the defacing of our Church which they compare with the most Idolatrous and heathenish Nations that ever were yea with Sodom and Babylon it selfe and the disgracing the Ministers thereof especially those whom heretofore they have most reverenced whom they sort with most wretched Miscreants Iudas Cain Balaam and many other upon whom the spirit of God hath set a fearefull brand of eternall condemnation Thirdly to try carefully the allegations of Scripture wherewith they have fully painted the Margents and with the multitude whereof they have astonished the simple or credulous Readers perswading them that their cause standeth upon the same ground of Gods holy Word and they shall plainely perceive that the places by them alleadged do for the most part prove that which we denie not And if they be brought to confirme the matter in controversie they are either unconscionably or ignorantly wrested against or besides the meaning of the Holy Ghost A second thing which we intreat them to do is to view the persons of whom their Assemblies consist and let them tell us how many of them there bee whom they have brought from grosse ignorance unto true knowledge from infidelitie to holy Faith from profanesse of life to a conscionable walking with God if there bee scarce any amongst them which have not bin of some note in our Churches for holy and sincere profession and if they had no good thing in them which they have not received by the ministerie of those men and in the bosome of those Churches which now they condemne and flie from why then take they the Seale of our ministerie and Church and set it unto their blanke Thirdly we exhort all of them to a survey of their estate wherein they stand which is if that be true which by some of their own hath been reported full of disorder and confusion And indeed how can it otherwise bee whereas they teach that every member of their Church may and ought to stand up against their Ministers and Elders to gainesay them in delivering of doctrine and withstand the other in execution of discipline If he be perswaded the one erreth from the truth and the other faileth in justice is not this to make every member an eye an eare an head And must not men be of Angelicall perfection to preserve unitie where such large libertie is granted unto them A second sort to whom we commend this labour of ours be our brethren also who by the writings doings and sufferings of these deceived men are in danger likewise to bee deceived being brought to halt betweene two opinions These also we pray to read it with an holy purpose to be fully resolved and setled in the truth We hope their labour shall not be in vaine if they will accept from us these few advertisments First That they make not the example of any man seem he never so godly religious and zealous but the Word of God only the rule of their beliefe and life Paul himselfe must be followed no further when the holy precepts of the Word and the examples of the godly joyn together we have the one to teach us the other to incite us to doe our duties Secondly That they carry an humble and lowly conceit of themselves and their gifts That they remember 1 Cor. 8.2 Galath 6.3 that if any man thinke hee knoweth any thing hee knoweth nothing as he ought to know And that if any man seeme to himselfe that he is somewhat when he is nothing he deceaveth himselfe in his imaginations That to this purpose they occupie themselves in consideration of their owne wants and sinnes which cleave so fast unto them rather than in the marking the blemishes noteing the faults that are in others following the counsell of the Apostle Galath 6.4 Let every one prove his owne worke and then shall he have rejoycing in himselfe only and not in another Thirdly that they have a reverend opinion of those men by whose ministerie they have beene begotten unto God or nourished in the truth by whose labours they have beene instructed confirmed and comforted in whose mouthes the Word of God hath beene unto them as a two edged sword entring through them unto the deviding a sunder the soule and spirit the joynts and the marrow that they suffer not a sinfull thought to enter into their heads of their vnlawfull vocations who have their hearts and soules as Seales of their ministery and may say to them as Paul to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 9 1â— are yee not my worke in the Lord if I be not an Apostle unto others yet doubtlesse I am unto you for you are the Seale of mine Apostleship in the Lord whereof they should therefore be the more carefull for that it hath bin an ancient and ordinary policie of Satan that hee might cause men to refuse the word brought unto them in the mouthes of the Prophets Apostles and other men of God yea of Christ Himselfe to perswade them that they had no warrant of their vocarions and calling from God Fourthly That if notwithstanding all that is said for their instruction and reformation in this behalfe they keepe a liking of that draught of a Church which our deceived Brethren have framed and commended in their writings and desire to joyne themselves unto their
societie They yet remember it is a part of wisdome to stay the full establishing of their Church and practise of the Ordinances thereof for a time that they may see what blessings of God bee upon it for the ratifying and approving of their doings for if it bee of God it will stand as an house founded upon a a sure Rocke if it bee of men it will come to naught A third sort to whom we commend this worke of ours are our stronger brethren which continue with comfort in the societie of their Church them wee intreat that if they finde any confirmation or strengthening unto their consciences by the pursuing hereof any increase of knowledge and ability to maintaine the truth of our Church Sacraments and word to defend the lawfulnesse of our ministerie and practise of Gods externall worship amongst us That first they praise God whose gift it is that any thing is spoken or written for their edification instruction and consolation and then bestow the same as occasion shall be offered to the reclaiming of those that are straied and holding them that are ready to wander Wee lastly commend this simple travell of ours to the Church of God whereof we are unworthy Ministers beseeching her to accept our poore endeavours the rather for that wee are not ignorant that the labours which we have taken in this cause will be diversly judged of according to the manner and affection of those men to whom this worke shall come Some as namely our deceived Brethren against whom we deale will hold it damnable and execrable as being bestowed against the Church of Christ against the Saints and children of God against the holy Truth taught in the Testament of Christ yea and that contrary to the light of our own consciences and knowledge of our owne hearts To the first part of this their charge and accusation we answer That whether they or wee be the true Church of God whether they or wee have the Truth taught in the Testament of Christ is the matter in controversie betwixt us If wee be the Church of God and have the Truth of Christ as we hope shall appeare by this Treatise then have they written and spoken against the Church of God and that in most shamefull and fearefull manner If they be the true Church of God and have his Truth which we assure our selves they shall be never able to prove then have wee spent our labours against the Church of God But have we done it wittingly and willingly against the light of our hearts This is indeed the second part of their charge but who made them the searchers of our hearts and judges of our consciences that they should accuse us to Im other and quench the light of Truth which hath shined into our soules especially when they heare our protestations to the contrary where is that Charitie that thinketh none evill which hopeth all things we say therefore unto the second part of their accusation with the Apostle We say the Truth in Christ our consciences bearing us witnesses in the holy Ghost that we can say nothing against the Truth but for the Truth wittingly and willingly And in the Testamonie thereof we pray God that our tongues may cleave to the roofe of our mouthes when we endeavour to speake and that our pennes may sticke to the ends of our fingers when wee attempt to write any thing against the Church Children or Truth of God Some others Fathers and Brethren Ministers and Members with us of this Church finding by our manner of writeing of what judgemeut wee are will hold our paines requisite and necessarie to stay the course of these waters which wee have given passage unto and to make up the breaches wee have opened by speaking against the government established in this Church the Ceremonies used therein and other our unadvised dealings in the execution of our Ministrie To these men wee say first that as we have beene and are perswaded of the Truth of these things which we have delivered touching the defects and wants the blemishes and deformities of this Church So have we in the sincerity and uprightnesse of our hearts dealt for the redresse and Reformation thereof Wherein though we know nothing by our selves before men more then Truth will permit if they should have taken occasion by our doctrine which we perswade our selves to be the doctrine of the Truth to make this Schisme Yet were this no reason to reprove us unlesse those men which have set downe true positions be to be blamed as Authors of the false Collections and Conclusions which are inferred and gathered thereupon Secondly wee answer That our deceived Brethren do no lesse condemne those Churches of God as the Synagogues of Sathan where the doctrine which wee have taught touching the government of the Church and matters of Ceremonies is maintained and where all things which wee hold offensive in our Church are abolished then they doe the Church of England insomuch that they have written of the Church of Geneva which is holden to be the best pattern of a Reformed Church that it became a miserable president and pernicious example even unto all Europe whereby it is evident that they have beene brought unto this Scisme by some other inducements then the dealing of those men in-the execution of their Ministrie who are charged to be the occasions if not the Authors thereof Thirdly there is such difference and plaine contradiction betweene them and us in judgement yea in the matter of discipline and Church government besides many other materiall points of doctrine as we marvell any men should esteeme us causes of their defections from this Church much more that any man should write That between the Brownists and others he meaneth them and us there is no controversie as touching the framing of a Church by the word of God A third sort of our loving Brethren approving our care of Gods Church and desire to reclaime poore deceived soules will yet happily esteeme our labour altogether needlesse and superfluous as spent and bestowed both against a cause that hath so little shew of truth and semblance of probabilitie nay so evident appearance of falshood and vanity as it is rather to be despised then confuted and also upon men whose zeale and rashnesse so far prevailes over sound judgement and discretion that we shall rather sharpen and increase their humour by thinking them worthy answering to a further contradiction then either informe their understanding by sound reason or alter their affection by efficacie of any perswasion These Brethren wee desire to give us leave to dissent from them who judge far otherwise of this cause wee handle and hope much better of the persons against whom we deale for the cause it selfe we say that though it did appeare as it is indeed full of falshood and and vanitie unto these that have the gift to discerne betweene those things that differ and withall to temper their affections which
Civill estate and of every particular person in both all things being innovated in both according to the Iusts and pleasures of men the Law and Word of God being quite rejected and cast aside And in the 212. page of their refutation of Master Gifford They have these words We hold that you have poysoned all the fountaines of sincere doctrine and perverted the whole Testament and turned away the practise thereof by your damnable false expositions Yea that you teach not one point sincerely And in the 162. page of this discovery They are made socontrary one to another as it is an impossible thing to finde two of them in one minde yea or any one of them constant in that he affirmeth they know not the Doctrine even of the beginning of Christ Adde hereto Henry Barrowes words 12 and 23. pages of their collections of Letters and conference We will not give any answer to these speeches but onely desire the Christian Reader to consider whether ever Gods Spirit taught any to write so slanderously not onely against a whole Nation the conversion whereof they pretend to seeke but against the blessed Truth of God And how unlikely it is that they should bee in the right way whose chiefe leaders were guided by such a spirit That they should be the Lords building whose first founders and Master builders had either so small skill or so bad a Conscience Doe we not hold all the same books of Canonicall Scriptures which they themselves doe Doe wee not reject out of the Canon all which themselves account Apochryphall Have they any translation of holy Scripture besides ours Doe they themselves beleeve or teach otherwise in the Articles of the holy Trinity of justification of predestination then wee doe Hath every member of their Assemblies recovered that spirit of truth whereby they are led into all truth as Henry Barrow page 107. of his discovery affirmeth And is there not any one amongst us that hath not quite rejected the whole Word of God Not any one that knoweth the doctrine even of the beginning of Christ We know no better way to convince them in this then by appealing unto their Consciences which we are sure will take our parts against them Now this reason also is strong to prove us a true Church for although the bare letter of the Scripture may be found amongst the Jewes and Papists and other Heretickes Which none ran doe but the true Church Yet was there never any people that held and maintained the true sence of the Scripture in all points fundamentall but only the Church of God whereunto onely this title belongeth to bee the pillar and ground of truth 1 Tun. 3.15 A people may bee a true Church though they hnow not nor hold every truth contained in the Scriptures wherein wee desire the Reader to consider that a people may be the true Church though they know not nor hold not every truth contained in the holy Scriptures but contrarily hold many errours repugnant to the Scriptures Yet hath Henry Barrow affirmed in the 167. page of his discovery That to the people of God and every one of them God hath given his holy sanctifying spirit to open unto them and leade them unto all truth Whereby it is most evident that he would have none to be accounted the people and Church of God who either know not or practise not every truth contained in the holy Scriptures In which opinion see I pray you how grosse and dangerous errors are contained First That to every inseriour member in the Church there is as much reveiled as to the Pastors and chiefe members whereas the Apostle affirmeth Romans 12.3 Ephes 4 16. eol 2.19 that the Holy Ghost is given to every member of the body of Christ not equally but proportionably as the place which it occupieth in the bodie doth require Secondly That the promise mentioned Iohn 16.13 Should be made to every member of the Church which in the last words of the verse appeareth plainely to be particular to the Apostles Thirdly That the Church cannot erre and so neither were the Corinthians rightly called the Church of God when they judged corruptly of fornication and of the Resurrection Neither they of Pergamus when the Doctrine of Balaam was maintained among them Neither were Paul and the rest of the Apostles true Members of the Church who though in the exercises of their Apostolicall function they could not erre yet knew but in part and in many things were subject to error (a) 1 Cor. 13 9. Another strange opinion is amongst them maintained in the 156,157 of the discovery viz. That every truth contained in the Scripture is fundamentall For although we affirme not as he thereslandereth us That some part of Scripture is more holy more authenticall or more true then other Note Yet doubt we not to say that some parts are of more use and more necessary for men to know then othersome Else why doth the Holy Ghost oft give speciall commendation to some parts more than to other 1 Tim 4.11 Titus 3.8 Make 4 3â— why doth he as it were make Proclamation and solemne oyesses before some and not before other Why doth hee use a speciall art in some parts rather than in other And although wee doe not hold as they falsly charge us in the forenamed page of their discovery That some parts of holy Scripture are of small moment superficiall needlesse and of no necessitie such as may be altered and violated without any prejudice or danger at all to the soule and much lesse that a man that hath obstinately continued in the transgression of some parts and openly taught the same unto others may be undoubtedly saved though he die without Repentance but on the contrary wee beleeve and teach that there is no part of holy Scripture which every Christian is not necessarily bound to seeke and desire the knowledge of so farre forth as in him lieth yet dare wee not call every truth fundamentall that is such as if it be not obeyed and known the whole Religion and faith of the Church must needs fall to the ground For we doe make no question but that the thiefe that was crucified and the Eunuch even then when he was baptized by Philip were in the state of salvation though they could not choose but bee ignorant of many truths in Religion The only fundamentall truth in Religion is this That Jesus Christ the Sonne of God who tooke our nature of the Virgin Mary is our only and all-sufficient Saviour For first they that receive this truth are the people of God and in the state of salvation they that receive it not cannot possibly bee saved (a) Mat. 16.17 104.2 Col. 3.17 Iohn 20.31 Ephos 2.20 Secondly There is no other point of Christian Religion necessary otherwise then as it tendeth necess rily to the bringing us unto or confirming us in the assurance of this one truth (b) Heb. 13.8
1 Cor. 2.2 Eph. s 2.19 22. and therefore when the Apostle saith that the Church is built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles his meaning is not to call every thing contained in their writings the foundation of the Church But that this foundation wee have spoken of is there to be found and hath witnesses from thence and that all the writings and doctrines of the Apostles and Prophets doe bend unto stay and rest upon this one truth as the walls in the building upon the chiefe corner stone Lastly Arg. 4. All reformed Churches give the Testimony to us All the knowne Churches in the world acknowledge our Church for their Sister and give unto us the right hand of fellow-ship This Henry Barrow and Iohn Greene-wood denie in their 14. page of their refutation but they name not any one Church that maketh question of us whether wee were the true Church or no never yet was there any reformed Church made that question They are well acquainted with our Church by the report of them that have travelled from bence and sundry other wayes with our doctrine and Lyturgie our wants and corruptions every one Neither doe they only forbeare to shew their dislike to us or are content to preserve society with us which happily through humane infirmitie they might doe upon sinister respects though they approved not of us in judgment but they doe also hold and teach that what people soever hath so much as we is the true Church though the wants and corruptions are as great as ours are Now when we alledge for our selves the testimonies of the Churches Which strongly argueth that we are the true Church we doe not thereby as these men fondly conclude in the 14. page of their refutation make the word of men the foundation of our Church Nor doe we use these as our only and chiefe defence whereby we seeke to approve our selves either unto the Lord or to the Consciences of his people but such an argument wee take this to bee as in his due place hath much force in it and as God Himselfe hath sanctified for a principall help in deciding of controversies in this kinde the Apostles use to alleadge it as a matter of comfort to them whom they write unto that the Churches of Christ salute them (a) Rom. 16.16 1 Pet. 5 13. that they were famous and had the good report of the Churches (b) Rom. 16.19 2 Cor. 8 18 19 23.24 Galah 1.2 Saint Paul though hee received not his calling either from men or by men c nor was any whit inferior to the chiefe Apostles (d) 2 Cor. 12.11 yet doth he alleadge for the credit of his ministery that the chiefest Apostles approved him and gave to him the right hand of fellowship (e) Gal. 2.9 Yea (f) Gal. 2.2 he sought also their approbation and feared that without it he should have runne in vaine And which is yet more he seeketh to win commendation and credit even to those which he by his Apostolicall authoritie might have established by the example and judgment of other churches If those Churches which were planted by the Apostles themseltes might take comfort in the good opinion that other Churches had of them May not we much more If the Ministery of Paul and orders he prescribed to the Church received further credit by the approbation of the Churches Then their approbations give some credit to the ministerie and orders of the Church now The doctrine and word of God though to speake properly it received authoritie onely from it selfe and the Spirit of God yet hath it ever beene the rather received by men for the testimony the Church hath given unto it So our Saviour Christ saith That Wisdome is justified of her Children Matth. 11.19 Iohn 5.34 and although he affirmeth that he received not the record of men Yet in respect of the salvation and good it men he judgeth it necessary John 1.7 8 5 33 34. that Iohn Baptist should give Testimony unto him Now if this one thing furthered the damnation of the unbelieving Iewes that they would not heare nor receive Christ though testimony were given of him by one whom they knew to be sent of God shall not this further the condemnation of these men that they refuse to heare and receive us though we be commended unto them by the testimony of so many Churches of God Some cases there bee wherein wee are commanded to seeke for the judgment of the Churches and to account it the judgment of God else why did the Church at Antioch in a question that could not be debated at home seeke to the Church at Jerusalem for helpe especially seeing they had two such excellent men with them as Paul and Barnabas whose judgments they might safely have trusted unto (d) Acts 15.2 saith our Saviour that whatsoever they binde on earth shall be bound also in heaven (e) Matth. 18 18. and saith he not also to Churches of other Nations Shall he be accounted as an heathen or a Publican that will not regard the judgment and censure of the particular Congregation whereof hee is a member (f) Matth 18.17 and shall they not be much more accounted so that despise the judgment of all the Churches Must the spirits of the Prophets be subject to the Prophets amongst whom we live (g) 1 Cor. 14.32 and must not both people and Prophets be subject to all the Prophets and Churches in the world The abilitie to trie and discerne the spirits and doctrines of such teachers as arise in the Church is such a gift as the true Church never wanted (h) 1 Ioh. 4.1 Revel 2.2 neither could it bee the pillar and ground of truth (i) 1 Tim 3.15 if it should be ignorant of a truth so necessary to the salvation of men as this is viz. What people is accounted to be the true Church of God if God hath given his Church power to judge and pronounce a particular man that he is in the state of salvation and that so infallibly that he hath promised to ratifie in heaven the judgment which the Church shall in this case give upon earth (k) Matth. 18 18. may it not bee said that hee hath much more made the Church able to discerne and pronounce of a Congregation or people that is a true visible Church which is a matter of no such difficultie as the other So that to conclude though those men make so light of the judgment and testimony of other Churches 1 Cor. 14 36. as if the Word of God had come out from them onely or as if themselves were able to judge of us better than all the godly learned besides Yet doe wee take much comfort and assurance from hence that we are the true Church of God Now it remaines that we answer such reasons as are objected against our Church bythem Objections answered THe first thing that they
the Church by no other meanes then by the ministerie of the Word preached So that if this were a good reason against other particular members or whole families yet it cannot justifie a separation from all seeing wee have manie that by the preaching of the word of God were converted and gathered Fourthly This being proved that there was a true Church in the Land before Her Majesties Reigne Fourthly though the meanes used for the gathering our Church had not beene sufficient for the first calling a people to the faith yet were the sufficient for the recalling of the people that had fallen from the faith which formerly they had professed the question must not be whether the meanes she used were the right meanes for the calling and converting a people to the faith but whether she tooke a lawfull course for recalling and reuniting of Her Subjects unto those true professours whose fellowship they had forsaken this was the course which Jehosaphat tooke (a) 2 Chro. 17.8 who to gather the Church which was divided sent preachers into sundry parts of his Kingdome and appointed Noble men to accompany and assist them by countenancing their ministery and compelling the people to heare them This course also did Iosiah take who having abolished Idolatry compelled all his subjects to the service of the true God (b) 2 Chr. 34.33 2 Chro. 14 4. 2 Chro. 15.13 Thus did Asa use his authority in commanding Iuda to seeke the Lord and to doe according to the Law and Commandement and threatning them with death that should resuse So did Hezekiah by his Proclamation bring divers of Israel to Ierusalem who were before separated from the Church of God (c) Chro. 30 12. Fifthly Whereas they say that at the beginning of her Majesties Reigne the people should have beene required with solemne oath and covenant to renounce Idolatry and to professe faith and true obedience to the Gospell after the example of Asas reformation Wee answer First If it had beene absolutely necessary to the being of a Church that there should be such a solemne covenant by oath to renounce Idolatrie this course should be taken in that reformation which Ichosaphat and Iosiah made as well as that which Asa made Secondly even where this oath was taken it was Gods true Church before the time of that oath and covenant made by Asa wee reade it was made and taken in the 15. yeere of his Reigne when yet his subjects were the true Church long before Secondly There be diverse congregations in our Land which in the beginning of her Majesties dayes and since have publikely professed their repentance for their former Idolatry and promised to imbrace and obey the truth as it is profently established as in Coventry North-hampton and some other places Yea we doubt not to affirme that the whole Land in the Parliament holden in the first yeare of her Majesties Reigne did enter into a solemne covenant with the Lord for the renouncing of Popery and reciaving the Gospell OBJECT II. The second thing they object against the whole body of our Assemblies is this Object The second Objection against the whole body of our Church is that it useth a worship of God which is polluted with the writings of men as read stinted prayers Answ That they communicate together in a false and Idolatrous worship of God which is polluted with the writings of men viz. With read stinted prayers Homilies Catechismes and such like which in the 24. page of their refutation they call the smoake of the bottomlesse pit To this Objection we give this answer First That it is evident by the Word that the Church hath used and might use lawfully in Gods worship and prayer a stinted form of words for we find a form of blessing the people prescribed to the Priests f Numb 6.23 24 a forme of confession to be used at the bringing of the first fruits to the Temple prescribed to the people g Deut. 26.13 15. A psalme appointed for the Priests and Levites to use every Morning h Psalme 22.1 Another to be used every Sabbath day i Psalme 92. So in the thanksgiving used at the bringing home of the Arke unto the place prepared for it by David the Church tyed themselves to the very words of 105. and 96. Psalmes k 1 Chro. 16.8 36. and as one Evangelist reporteth that our Saviour appointed that prayer which he gave to His Disciples to be a patterne to frame all other prayers by l Matth. 6 9. Luke 11.2 Object So the other Evangelist reporteth that he had them when they prayed say Our Father c. Which he would never have done if it had not beene lawfull for us in making those petitions to God to use those very words which are there prescribed Now to that they object against this that we never read the Apostles did use this prescript forme of words in prayer We answer Answ That it is absurd negatively to prove from examples of men against that which God in His Word so expresly either commanded or permitted for we may as well reason thus That we doe not reade that the Apostles or the Church in their time did baptize Infants Ergo They were not then baptized or thus We doe not read that the Apostles did pray either before or after they preached Ergo They did not Or thus Saint Paul did not marry nor take maintenance from the Corinthians Ergo he might not lawfully have done it The most Psalmes that David made as they were committed to the Church Musitians That in singing them were tied to the very words that David set downe so they were not sung as Meditations and doctrines for the instruction of the Church but as prayers unto God This is evident not onely by the manifold petitions and thankesgivings unto God that are to bee found in them but by this especially that they are said to bee sung unto the Lord. And as by that which hath beene said it may appeare that set and prescript formes are lawfull in those prayers and thanksgivings that are used upon ordinary occasions Secondly A stinted and set forme of words is lawfull even to the extraordinary prayers So it is also evident that they may bee lawfully used even in those prayers and thanksgivings that being taken up on extraordinary occasions doe require an extraordinary and speciall fervency of the spirit for which we have the example of our Saviour Christ Himselfe Mat. 26.42 44. who used the very same words three times severally b even in that prayer which hee made with all holy excesse of fervent affection And this may lawfully be done not only in those formes which we frame and devise our selves Thirdly It is lawfull to tie our selves in prayer even to that forme of words which have been devised and used by others 2 Chro. 6.41 42. Psalm 132.8.10 2 Chron. 5.13 Psalm 136.1 Psalme 136.1 2 Chron. 20.21 2
workes viz. preaching of the Word and administration of the Sacraments the censures of admonition suspension excommunication and provision for the necessitie of the poore are in many of our Assemblies performed and by Law ought to be in all that there ore we cannot justlie be said to be without the discipline of Christ but rather that we having the discipline of Christ which is most substantiall doe want the other and so exercile it not rightlie that is to say not by those Officers which Christ â—ath appointed Secondly It is well knowne that the chiefe works and discipline Secondly The chiefe workes of Christs Discipline are exercised with us even by those Officers that he appointed namely the preaching of the Word and administration of the Sacraments and consequentlie the principiall part of that power to binde and loose which Christ gave to his Church is not only exercised in manie oâ— our Assemblies but exercised also by those very Officers which Christ hath appointed for us the Lawes of our land doe authorize the Minister to staie from the Lords Table all such as are uncatechised and out of charitie or any otherwise publike offenders as appeareth in the Rubrick before the Communion and in that which is after confirmation And from whence else commeth the trouble of many of our Ministers but from the exercising of this authoritie even from the suspending of the ungodly from the Sacrament and stinging their consciences by the preaching of the word Thirdly Thirdly though the â—â—â—pâ—ine were not exercised at all with us it could not therefore follow that we have it not Fourthly Though even through ignorance or fearefulnesse wee were kept froÌ„ it yet might wee have right and authoritie to use it Though none of our Assemblies did use this power it followeth not from therce that we have it not No more than it doth follow that the rich churle hath no monie because he useth none and that a man therefore hath no authoritie because hee doth not exercise any Fourthly Admit we were not able through want of knowledge and courage to use this power Yet followeth it not that therefore wee want the right and authoritie to use it For if those Churches which the Prophet reproveth a Ezek. 22.26 for putting no difference between the holy and prophane or that which the Apostle blameth for not putting the incestuous person from among them had they wanted authoritie to use this power how could they justlie have beene reproved for neglecting the exercising thereof Lastly Though it were granted that we wanted both the exercise of the Churches censures and some of those Officers which our Saviour hath appointed to exercise them by Yet might wee bee a true visible Church notwithstanding there was a true Church in Iudah all the daies of Asa b 1 Cor 5.1 2. and Iehosaphat a 2 Chro. 15.9.10 17 5 9 yet was not the discipline reformed there till the latter daies of Iehosaphats Reigne b 2 Chro. 19 8 11. Ezek 22.26 That also was a true Church even then when the Apostles found this fault with them d 1 Cor. 5.1 2. the Congregation at Samariah is called a Church before the discipline was established there And even in Jerusalem there was a famous visible Church of Christ long before sundry parts of the discipline for want whereof they condemne us were established there yea it is evident that by the Apostles themselves diverse Churches were gathered some good space of time g Acts 13.43 14 11 21 23. Tit 5.5 before the discipline was setled or exercised e Acts 8.12.19 31. Acts 2.41 42. by all which is manifest that how necessary soever those parts of the discipline which we want be to the beautie and well being or preservation of the Church Yet are they not necessary to the being therof but that a true Church may be without them And as we may well call him a man that wanteth not only sundry parts of his body as an Arme or a Legge or Eye but is also distempered much even in the Braine and Liver and heart and the rest of the viâ—all parts so may wee rightly call that a Church which not only wanteth sundry of those Officers which Christ hath ordained but hath also even in the ministerie of the word and the profession of the true faith which are as it were the braine and heart of a true Church much maimednesse and distemper The places of Scripture which they alleadge to disprove this which wee have said are unskilfully applyed In the collection of Letters and conferences page 69. Ephes 4.11 12. Rom. 12.8 for the one of them mentio eth no other ordinary officers out Pastors and Teachers which our Church professeth the other though it proveth there should bee other Officers besides them there named yet doth it not affirme that without them there can be no true Church OBJECT IIII. The fourth thing which they object against the whole body of our Assemblies is this Object The fourth Objection against the whole body of our Assemblies is that we stand under the Popish Church government wâ—â— reason also is insufficient to warrant their separation That we stand under us they say a false and Antichristian government for that wee are directed by and subject to Canons Courts and authoritie of the Bishops which they do not content themselves in the 68.69 page of their collection of Letters and conferences to call Popish and Antichristian and Aegyptian and Babylonish Tokes but in regard thereof they say our Assemblies Cast our Sathan by the power of Sathan To this fourth objection we make this answer First Seeing it hath beene already shewed that the discipline which our Church exerciseth is in substance the same with that which Christ instituted they cannot with any colour of truth say that all our Church government is Popish and Antichristian but only that it is popishly and corruptly administred Answ 1. The substance of our discipline is Christ and not Antichrists 2 Thes 10.11 2 Tim. 4.1.3 1 Iohn 2.22 1 Iohn 4 3. Iohn 7. Revel 13.5 16. Secondly Though it were confessed that in the callings and authoritie of the Bishops there bee diverse things Antichristian Yet see we not how our Bishops could truly be called Antichrists or Antichristians because first the word when it describeth Antichrist and teacheth us how to know him useth to marke him out by his false doctrine Neither can we find in holy Scripture any such accounted an Antichrist or Antichristian who holding the truth of doctrine and professing all the fundamentall Articles of the faith doth swerve either in judgment or practise from that rule which Christ hath given for the discipline of his Church Now it is evident that our Bishops both doe and by the Lawes of our Land ought to hold and teach all doctrines and truths that are fundamentall Yea some of them have learnedly and soundly maintained the truth against Heretickes
that have gaiâ—â—aid it some have not only by their doctrine and ministerie converted many to the truth but have suffered persecution also for the Gospell and though Henry Barrow in the eleventh page of his discoverie call them Pseudo-Martyrs and run-away professors yet can hee not prove that they all since their accepting their rooms renounced and are fallen from that truth which they then suffered for Secondly Their Hierarchie and other their corruptions that are charged upon the calling of our Bishops were rather to bee esteemed as the staires and way to Antichristianitie then Antichristianitie it selfe which is evident by this that they were in the Church before the Pope who is the Antichrist and the chiefe head-linke of all Antichristianitie was revealed Thirdly The Antichristian Bishops hold their preheminence as from GODS Law which is unchangeable Whereas our Bishops since her Majesties Reigne untill this day for the most part held their superioritie by no other right then by the positive Law which is variable Yea it appeareth both by the institution of the Courts of deligates and by the continuance thereof to this day that they doe and ought by Law to hold their jurisdiction not as from God but as from he Prince Thirdly Thirdly if they were yet might we be the true Church Admit that both our Bishops and the government by them exercised were Antichristian yet might wee that stand in that sort as we doe be subject unto them that are the true Church of Christ it is evident that to speake properly the Yoke of Antichrist is only inward and spirituall where the faith and Conscience are enjoyned upon paine of damnation to receive other Lawes and worship then that which God in his word prescribeth and even to this Yoke the true Church hath beene often subject or else the Church of the Jewes even in the dayes of Christ was no true Church that held themselves bound in conscience to observe sundry traditions of the Elders In a more large sense those Prelates are called Antichristian that joyne civill jurisdiction with Ecclesiasticall or usurpe more than they ought in externall government or tyrannously abuse the power committed to their hands and this Antichristian Yoke also the true Church hath borne many a time in the dayes of the Macchabees there was a true Church among the Jewes yet did the Priests exercise civill jurisdiction There was a true Church Ierâ— 5.31 20.1 both in Jeremies and Ezekiels dayes which yet did beare this Antichristian Yoke the authoritie which our Bishops are said to usurpe over the Ministers Ezek. 34.4 Which had not-needed if the Church could have suppressed or withstood them and Church is not worse than that which Diâ—trephes usurped for besides that hee sought for an Antichristian preheminence it is evident that the Church was unable to resist him and therefore the Apostle purposed himselfe to come and rebuke him Their own termes they use in this viz. Aegyptian and Babylonish Yoke shall teach them thus much for seeing that the Ieues remained still the Church of God even in that bondage that they stood under in Aegypt and Babylon why may not wee also remaine God Church still notwithstanding the Yoke which wee beare being nothing so heavie as that was OBJECT V. The last thing they object against the whole body of our Assemblies The fifth Objection against the whole body of our Church is that we obstinately continue in the aforesaid wants and corruptions though we have bin duly convinced 1. Objection is false and insufficient to warrant their separation for some of our assemblies have mourned for that which is amisse and by all due meanes sought reformation Secondly some maintaine corruptions and oppugne the discipline because they are not yet in their consciences perswaded of the things Tit. 3.11 is this That wee obâ—tinately continue in the aforesaid wants and corruptions though we have beene convinced concerning this point they have these words in the 23. page of their refutation Wee hold withall that no true Church or Christian will maintaine any sinne or error when it is evidently shewed and convinced to them by the Word of God much lesse persecute such as reprove and admonish them as you do In the 164. pag. they charge us with wilfull obstinacie open rejecting and resisting the truth c. To this reason we also give this answer That neither doe our Assemblies continue in the aforesaid wants and corruptions neither if they did should they therefore cease to be a true Church for First It is evident that many Ministers and Congreations have both by prayer unto God and all meanes that have been in their powers to use testified unto men their earnest desire to have these corruptions removed and the true discipline established Secondly The most of them that maintaine the evills that are amongst us and repugne the reformation which the rest have sought cannot bee justly charged with wilfull obstinacie or committing those things wherein their own consciences doe condemne them for seeing they professe and pretend that they are not yet in their judgment perswaded of these things and the whole conversation of many of them is such as gives us just cause to believe them who dare be so presumptuous as to judge thus of their hearts and consciences though hee were sure they have wanted no meanes whereby they might have beene convinced Considering that it is one thing to have had the meanes of convincing another thing to be convinced the former whereof may bee performed to us by men the other by the Lord only and that a people in whom some right meanes of convincing have not been effectuall may as well be the true Church of God as they that have received and profited by all right meanes that have beene used for their instruction and reformation of life Thirdly We have not yet had the right meanes used to convince us in sundry of those matters Thirdly Wee have not had so much as the right meanes used to convince us in these things which are in controversie between them and us that are in controversie betweene us and them for proofe whereof we referre our selves to the answer which we will hereafter make unto their articles in their conclusion Fourthly Though not only the right meanes had been used to convict us but they had also so farre prevailed with us that in judgment we saw the truth which they say is not practised amongst us and in heart did affect it yet would this sufficiently cleere us from the crime of wilfull obstinacie that wee have not power without the consent and permission of Christian Magistrates under whom we live by whose meanes we enjoy so many great benefits Fourthly Although wee were all throughly convinced yet have wee not power and warrant from God to redresse publike disorders and erect the discipline without the consent of the Christian Magistrates and whom if wee should thus farre provoke we should evidently hazzard
the losse of those things wherein the very life and being of a visible Church consisteth either to remove the corruptions that remaine amongst us or to establish those Church orders which wee want for although we doubt not but the whole truth of Christs doctrine may be lawfully taught though all the Magistrates in the world gaine-say it and practised also so farre forth by every Christian as the bounds of his particular calling permits and that it is the Magistrates principall honour in the sight of God and man to yeeld and submit himselfe to the instructions reproofes and censures of the Church so far forth as they are agreeable to the Word of God who is Lord of Lords and King of Kings Yet cannot we not see good reason to perswade us that the Church ought or may either pull downe corrupt Church government or erect the right discipline not onely without but contrary to the likeing of Christian Magistrates Thus much we finde in the Word of God Godly Princes First That in those publicke reformations of the Church which the word commendeth the Christian and godly Princes were ever the principall actors Secondly That for the want of publicke Reformation the Magistrate is every where blamed and no where the Church for ought we can find oft are the Priests and people blamed for erecting and practising Idolatry but never for that they plucked it not downe when their Princes had set them up Neither can wee finde whether ever the Church under a Christian Magistrate was by any Prophet either commanded to deale otherwise then by perswasion in publike Reformation when the Magistrate neglected it or reproved for the contrarie To that which they were wont to say then the Apostles were much to blame who in erecting the Church government never waited for nor sought the Magistrates leave and good likeing Wee answer that though without the Magistrates leave they did it Yet not contrarie to his liking or when he opposed his authoritie directly and inhibited it the never erected the discipline when there was so direct an opposition made against it by the civill Magistantes Secondly If it could bee proved that the Apostles did so then yet would it not follow that we also may doe so now for neither was the Heathen Magistrate altogether so much to bee respected by the Church as the Christian Magistrate is neither have our Ministers and people now so full and absolute a power to pull downe and set up orders in the Church as the Apostles those wise Master builders had Lastly though this were all proved Fisthly though we did voluntarily continue in those knowne wants corruptions having power to redresse them yet might we be the true Church notwithstanding that our Assemblies are throughly convinced in these points and that we having power to reforme that which is amisse doe yet voluntarily continue in those wants and corruptions yet might we be the true Churches of Christ notwithstanding for as true faith in Christ not morall obedience is that which giveth life and being to every true member of the Church so the profession of true faith in Christ rather than obedience is that which giveth the life and being to a visible Assembly So wee reade that many upon their profession of faith were baptized and incorporated into the Church a Acts 8.12 13 16 31 32. So that which made the Romuns a true Church in the judgment of Paul was that their faith was published throughout the world b Rom. 1.8 And generally that which made the Gentiles to whom hee preached a true Church was that they gave obedience of faith neither doe wee see what difference they will make betwixt the covenant of workes and the covenant of grace c Rom. 1.5 if they hold obedience to the Commandements of God necessary to the life and first being of a true Christian Church And as a wife ceaseth not to be a wife though in many things shee cease to be wilfully disobedient to her husband unlesse she sin either by desertion or whoredom and be divorced So neither the Church ceaseth to be the Church and Spouse of Christ till she be both sufficiently convinced of Atheisme or Idolatry and be divorced also the Lord taking from her His Word and Sacraments and all other his spirituall Jewells and Ornaments In the third Chapter of Ieremy both Israel and Iudah were charged with Idolatry and yet must we needs confesse that they still continued the true Church of God unlesse wee will say there was at that time no true visible Church in the world which was most absurd to affirme So the Corinthians being in the first Epistle convinced of the sinne of Idolatry d 1 Cor. 10.14 and other sinnes e 2 Cor. 6.14 12 21 13 2 the Church remaining in them as appeareth in the second Epistle f 2 Cor. 1.1 did yet continue to be the true Church of God notwithstanding and so are called in the same Epistle That which Henry Barrow in the 94. page of their refutation excuseth this Church by viz. that it was orderly gathered and established may as well bee alleadged for our Assemblies as for the Church of Cor. as we hope may appeare by that which hath been above said in our Answer to the first Objection they make against the whole body of our Church He that was once a brother though he persist in his sinnes he hath beene convinced of not by one brother only but by two or three yea though he commit some presumptuous sinnes ceaseth not to bee a brother notwithstanding Matth. 18.15 16. how much lesse shall a Church cease to be a true Church b Psalme 19. because it hath been convinced of some grosse corruptions by one or some few The high places were continued in Israel and Iudab and that under the Reigne of sundry good Kings notwithstanding the reproofe of many Prophets Yet were they of Israel and Iudah accounted the Church still neither did the Prophets cease to communicate with them c 2 Kings 1.3 15.3 Neither would those that remained in Babylon after the Proclamation of Cyrus which was also the Commandement of God d 2 Chro. 36.22 Ezra 2.2 to returne thrust out of the account of the Church as appeareth by the communion of them with the Church of Ierusalem and the bookes of Ezra and Nehemiah notwithstanding partly in feare of the danger partly in a love of the commoditie which they setled themselves in during the captivitie they did not build the Temple in person but only sent mony for the building Lastly the Apostle setteth downe a Rule which is directly contrary to this fourth Article of their first exception in these words Let us therefore as many as are perfect bee thus mind d and if in any thing ye be otherwise mind d Philip. 3.15 God shall reveale the same unto you Neverthelesse Whereto we have already attained let us walke by the
Antichristian which is false slanderous for the office and duties whereunto we are called are the very same which the word prescribeth not those that popish Priests are called unto Is that the Office whereunto our ministerie is called is not that which Christ hath Ordained but that which Antichrist calleth his Priests unto Concerning these points these are their words in the 158. page of their refutation They have served in and belonged unto Antichrist even the Popes Kingd me and Throne the false Church with all the abominable Jdolatrie therein ANSWER I. To which their Objection we give this answer The preaching of the whole truth of Gods Word and nothing but it the administration of the Sacraments and of publicke prayer as they are all the parts of the Ministers Office prescribed in the word so are they all appointed to our Ministers by the Law And for so much as there is no Priest-hood in the Popish Church that is not ordained to offer that Idolatrous sacrifice of the Masse or that was ever called unto and necessarily enjoyned those duties of ministery that are required of us Wee see not with what truth our brethren can say that our Office is the same which Antichrist calleth his Priests unto And if our Office bee the same which Antichrist hath ordained how falleth it out that the Papists give a new ordination to such as having had that which our Church giveth doe in Apostacie shrinke unto them And if it be objected Though some popish Priests are allowed to exercise the Ministerie without any new Ordination that our Church admitteth such as were ordained by Antichrist without any new ordination whereby appeareth that our office and theirs is all one we answer First That though they have no other ordination yet in more essentiall parts of their outward calling unto the Ministery there are so many differences to be observed in the practise of our Church that no indifferent man can thinke we judge the calling that any man hath had in popery to be sufficient for exercise of their Ministerie in our Church Secondly The receaving of some into the Ministerie that have bin popish Priests without new ordination as we take it to be a grievous corruption and such as wee will by no meanes seeke to justifie so wee thinke it cannot by any shew of good reason be alledged to prove that the calling which all our Ministers have is the very same which the Popish Priests exercise but onely to shew either the outward calling which some of our Ministers exercise is the very same with that of the popish Priests or at the most that some chiefe Governours in the Church doe in their judgement hold that there is no new Ordination The first reason against our office is that we all receive one Antichristian Deaconship which hath not force to condemne our office seeing under the nâ—me of Priest and Deacon many receive at one time the full power of ministerie Philip. 1.1 1 Tim. 3.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 3.7 Col. 1.7 23. 1 Tim. 4.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 1.17 25 6.4 12.25 20 24. Rom. 12.13 1. Cor. 12.5 Thirdly Although he that is called to be a Deacon be restrained from some worke that belongs to a Minister yet is he not called to doe ought that is unlawfull to bee required in such a case both which if wee should grant yet had they granted nothing at all in the question that is betwixt us The first reason whereby they would prove that office whereunto our Ministers are called is not that which Christ hath ordained but that whereunto Antichrist hath called his Priests is That we are called unto such a Deaconship as is not according unto Christs Testament but Popish and Antichristian Whereunto we answer 1. That if the Deaconship and Priest-hood as they terme it bee taken by us both at once as usually they are then we are enabled to doe whatsoever a Minister of the Gospell may doe of himselfe without the assistance of the Eldership and so the errour that is committed resteth in the forme and ceremony only not in the matter it selfe Secondly though it were indeed to be wished that every office in the Church were called by the proper name which the Scripture giveth it Yet if the Church give a wrong name to a right and lawfull office the office is not therefore to bee refused much lesse is the power to preach the word and to administer the one of the Sacraments therefore to bee refused because it is given by the name of the Deacons Office considering that although in the strict and most proper sence the Scripture calleth them Deacons to whom the Office of caring for the poore is committed yet sometimes also all that labour in the word are comprehended under this name and the ministery of the word is called a Deaconship Thirdly If it be objected that our Deaconship is neither approved nor mentioned in the Scripture because it restraineth us from dealing with the one Sacrament and so separateth those things which God hath coupled Wee answer That this can bee no reason against our Ministers because when they are made Deacons they are not called to do any thing that is unlawfull but only cut short for a time and restrained from some thing which they may or ought to doe much lesse can it bee alleadged against all our Ministers because many of us as it is above said were made both Deacons and Priests as they speake fondly in one day and so tooke the full power and authoritie of ministery without any such separation or many as is here objected The second reason against our office viz this we be called by such names as are popish is fond insufficient For the name Priest though not simply unlawfull yet in our Churches iudged unfit to be given unto the Ministers of the Gospell Bishop Horne against Feâ—kman fol. 95. fol. 111. Thirdly If all were called by popish names yet might wee be true Ministers Their second reason against our office and function is That â—ee are not knowne by the right names that in the Word an given to the Ministers of Christ but by such names as have been devised â—nd given by the Papists as Priest Pri-son Vicar and Curate c. To which we answer first Concerning the name Priest although we thinke that at the first it was well enough applyed to the Preachers of the Word because it was derived from the Greeke Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies an Elder Yet because it is used now by the prophane as a terme of scorne and hath a long time both by Papists and others been by common custome abused and appropriated to such as do sacrifice therfore not only the most of our poople refuse to call us by that name but even some who have been chiefe Governours of our Church have judged it unfit to be given unto the Ministers of the Gospell Secondly