cultu quem ipse instituit God wil be worshipped alone and with that worship alone which he himselfe hath appointed So writes Luther c Comment in Galat. Cap. 6. pag 871. Omnis talis religio qua colitur deus sine verbo et mandato eius idolatria est et quo ea est sanctior et spiritualior in speciem hoc pernicior et pâ—stilentior est All such religion wherein God is worshipped without his word precept it is idolatrie and the more holy and spirituall the same is in shew the more daungerous pernitious it is Brentius * Quiâ—unque cultus 〈…〉 tam aut verbum 〈…〉 ta tum abâ—st 〈…〉 vt majorâ—m abâ—â—t 〈…〉 â—psi 〈…〉 cap. â— â—0 2 a man of rare learning among the followers of Luther sayth whatsoeuer worship is sett vp without the commaundement or word of God it is so farre from beeing acceptable to him that a greater abomination thou canst not put upon him the like saith Chrisostome Etenim quod fit iuxta dei voluÌ„tatem quamvis videatur improbum essâ— tamen omnino deo gratum est et accceptum contra Quod fit praeter dei voluntatem quanquam existimatur 〈◊〉 deo tamen est omnium pessimum et iniquissimum Of a truth that which is 〈◊〉 according to the will of God although it seeme to be wicked yet it is altogether pleasant acceptable â—o him 〈…〉 Contrariwise whatsoeuer is don besides the will of God otherwise then he will haue it don though it be esteemed as a thing acceptable to him yet it is of all other the worst and most wicked Famous Iunius e Election â—n Ion cap. 3. â— 48. writes so too God will not be worshipped either for matter or manner but in his owne way And this is the iudgment of Calvin f Instit l 4. c. 10 Sect. 30. Chemnitius g Exam. par 1 pag. 82. Chaâ—sanio h Loc. comm pag 328 Aretius i Exam Theol. pag. 42 Piscator k In deu 12 Observ 4. Keckerman l System Theâ—l pag. 401 Trelcaâ—ius m Loc. comm pag. 10 D. Fuâ—ke n Refutat of Rastel pa. 339 D. Androwes o Catach upon the second comt B. Jewell p Repl. to Hard. Art 1. divis 29. pag. 604 and others Touching the minor or second part I may spare all proofes and send them to their own consciences For confirmation and conuiction For 1 That this hearinge is a worship the same is manifest and cleare to any that haue an eye of reason and any light of religion shining in them None to my knowledge saving a poopish Parasite q Hovvson Serm â—n Psal 118. pag. 78 or two euer held otherwise And they by men of better iudgment r Dr. Laâ—ton in Syons Plea p. 327. haue been sharpely blamed for it Againe that this worship is don in a way and manner which the Lord neuer appointed it is as cleare as the sunne at noone day cannot with any modest face be denyed The Treatiser * Pag. 37 confesseth that it is no perticular Ordinance left by Christ marke that and in another place s Iustificat Separat p. 93 94 a false Church sayth he is a real and substantial idol Also t Reâ—â—giour coÌ„munion p. 37 Every such Government ministery as is not commaunded by God and Christ is an idol forbidden in the second commaundement all subiection to it is a bowing downe to an idol To compare now all this first with the scriptures Is the Church an idol Abridgement p. â—3 the ministery an idol the Government an idol c. In the words then of the Prophet u Hos 14 â— what haue we doe any more with idols what agreement hath the Temple of God with idols â— x 2 Cor. 6 14 For we are the Temple of the living God Is it not said Little children keepe your selues from idoles Againe my dearelie Beloued flee from idolatrie But how mente et corpore saith Pareus a Comment in 1 Cor. 10 ver 14. pag. 614 in mind body that is the worship reverence of Idols And to flee idolatrie is not only to absteane from it but with all the heart to auoyd it as an abominable thinge a most hurtfull plague Againe a little after on the same place whosoever 〈◊〉 a christian it is necessarie that he be carefull to keepe himselfe from all idolatriè the occasions kinds and instruments thereof so he 2. To compare their former positions with the doctrines taughâ— vs by learned men Iunius b Sacrificaâ—ur autem daâ—â—nibus fi aâ—â—a â—â—co aut â—â—tù modo sacrificatur quam prascripâ—it dominus in his notes vpon Leuit 17 17 sayth thus men sacrifice to divels if they sacrifice either in any other place or after other rite or manner then the Lord hath prescribed B Babington c Comfortable notes upon Levit 17. pag. 130. writing on these words what mansoeuer there be of the house of Israel that killeth on oxe c. And bringeth it not to the doore of the Tabernable c. sayth Hereby was signifyed that only in the Church by fayth in the cheife high priest Christ Iesus sacrifice and seruice accepted of God is and can be offered and don and no where else And of this iudgment was d Deu. 12 p. 178 Luther Brentius e Exegis in Ioh 4. Calvin others f Levit. 17. Touching the high places * 1 Kin. 12. 31 2 King 12. 3 2 King 4. 14 Ier. 1â— 5. Eze. 6. 2 and 6. 25 of which we read often in scripture The time was when it was lawfull to offer sacrifices vpon them So writes Augustine g Quaâ—st 36. in lib. Iudg. Drusius h Ad difficâ—l loc Deu. 12. cap. 68. pag. 571. Rivetus i Comment in Hos 4. 13. pag. 148. and others And so much our Learned Ainsworth in his Annotations vpon Leuit 17. 5. obserueth out of the Hebrew Rabbins Before the Tabernacle was sett vp the high places were lawfull the seruice was by the first borne after the Tabernacle was erected the high places were vnlawfull and the seruice was performed by the priests Thalmud Bab in zebachim chapt 14. Besides the Fathers of old many hundred yeares there worshipped k Brint Amos c. 7. pag. 43. almighty God in spirit and truth Notwithstanding it was Israels great sinne so to doe l Amos 7. 9 And the reason hereof is laid downe by Zanchie m Comment in Hos 4. 13. pag. 81. Quia verba non habebant cur debere hoc facere they had no divine precept for it and wanting that idcirco fornicabantur sayth Mercer n Comment in Hos 4. 13. pag. 42. they committed therefore Fornication Here also it must be noted that in these places they worshipped not idols o Calvin pralect in Hos 4. but the true God * Deum
vnto by maister Robinson e Iustification of Separat pag 123 this thinge is absolutelie condemned We speakinge there of Antichristian Assemblies professe that the faythfull may not haue any spirituall coÌ„munion in their publick administrations And for proofe thereof these scriptures are alleaged f Reu 18. 3. 4. Hos 4. 14. 15. 1 Cor 10 14. 17 2 cro 6. 14. 15. Son 1. 6. 7. But sayth he in the same place this is no act of communion I answere our Christian predicessours so vnderstood it and so doe the faithfull generally to this day besides this new deuise wants as truth so common sence for it is as if one should affirme that he eates and drinkes but partaketh not in the things he useth g Hoccine credibile est aut memorabile Teren. And Act. 4. so 1 â— But it may be he thinkes the following lines will helpe him If hearing simplie were an act of communion then euery heretique or Atheist or whatsoeuer he were that should come into the church should haue communion which if it were true it were good that euery Church that will auoyd Communion with prophane men to meete in priuate and then shutt the doore when their own companie is mett together or else I cannot see * Nevv you may if you shutt â— et your eyes against the ligâ—â— a Regula 〈◊〉 est distinguere aliter omnia quae a so invicem Possum seperari how they can auoyd communion with wicked men Answ It is a certane rule as Logicians teach thinges are really to be distinguished which in themselues are to be separated each from other The ignorance of this distinction is a maine cause as I haue obserued of some mens erring in this point of hearing ffor they thinke as the Pistler here vnwiselie writes that if members of true Churches haue not communion with the vnbeleeuers which come vnto their meetings that then it will follow that they may be present in false Churches in time of publick exercise and yet haue no communion Melano l. 4. distinct Systemat theol 1. c 4 P. 58. To reply breifly for I purpose to speake more largely of this in an other place There is besides Church communion a communion in the ordinances of the Church as in the state it selfe ministerie worship Gouernment Howsoeuer therfore a man be no member actually of such or such a body And so in that respect to speake properly he hath no Church communion yet beeing there a worshipper he communicates in the actions don I say whether they are good or euill The christian Corinthians were separated formally from the Heathen-state and constituted in a true Church-state notwithstanding Paul sayth b 1 Cor. 10. that such among them as went vnto Idol Temples had there communion as how not Church communion but they communicated in the euils there practised They communicated as c Comment 1 Cor. 10. ver 18. pag. 640. Pareus layth with idols or as Ierome d on the same place phraseth it the participation of devils To be short according to Bezas e ciusdem cultus ac sacrificij sunt conscij siue in eodem sacri ficio consortes ac socij ac ejus quasivinculo in eadem religione copâ—â—lati interpretation they were guilty of the same seruise sacrifice or were companions and consorts therein and coupled themselues as it were in the same religion To apply this to our point in controuersie If an Heretick Atheist or whatsoeuer he be come to our Churches we acknowleidge he hath communion to weet in the ordinances how be it no Church communion that is no communion in or with the saints gathered into the faith and order of the Gospel so in gooing vnto vnlawfull Assemblies if a man be no member his communion there is not with the people in that state but in the humane inventions Beza Annoâ—â— in 1. Cor. 10. 1 pag. 137. that is the Idol Church wil-worship false ministerie and other such abominations And this common reason sheweth for he that is not a member of a Corporation may yet communicate in the administrations thereof howbeit true it is in or with the body he doth it not We need not therfore shut our doores against any person for there followes no daunger by their comming vnto vs â—for howsoeuer as I said they haue communion yet not with vs but rather in the thinges practised with vs. Now what can the Pistler hence conclude only thus vnlesse he be Graculus inter musas ‡ If I may doe a lawfull thinge then I may doe an vnlawfull thinge Jf a foreiner may pertake in the ciuil iustice of true magistrates then he may so doe in the sinfull administrations of Rebels and Traitors I wrong him not for his reasoning and this â— is all one in substance If it be lawfull to communicate in a true Church Omnia idem puluiâ— Lucian with Christs ministerie and worship then a man may lawfully communicate in a false Church with Antichrists ministerie and worship I could say more but I am loth to discouer his nakednes too farre But no maruaile when men leaue the way of truth if foolish and false thinges doe follow 2. But admit this hearing were not against any article of our Churches what is the note that the Reader must then obserue Surelie vnlesse the Epistoler would be noted for nonsence we must needs conceiue that he holds as the Papists f Bellarmâ—de c Rom. poâ—â— l. 4. 1. 4. Rhemist n Luk. 18. sect 4 doe to wit that the Church cannot erre and therefore we must beleeue as the Church beleeues But are you in good earnest wel we will so take it till we are better informed In the meane time take you notise what the Lord saith g Esa 8 20 To the Law and to the Testimony h Serm deâ—em 〈◊〉 if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Take notise also what Augustine k Iust mart cont tryphâ— sayth we ought to beleeue a Church but not in a Church because the Church is not God but the house of God To the like purpose others Neither Pastor Councell i B Bilson par 2. p. 266 or Angel ought in point of faith to be receiued I say not against but without or besides the scriptures These k are only safe l Hilar in psa 86. to be credited for humaine praâ—pts they want weight m Lactan l 3. c 17. they bind not n Id cont Faist l. 23. ego soli scripturae fido said Theodoret o Zâ—nch de Tripl Epis p 103. J giue trust to the scripture alone And some papists in words say no lesse as Thomas of Aquine p l 9 art vlt. Abbas q Deelect cap significasti pan◠〈…〉 Gerson r In locchi Pâ—pper Mechâ—inienâ— Picus Mirandula s Quaest â—an Pa suâ— con Occam t Dial. l. â— p. 1. c.
make a true Church That the Archbishops and Bishops of England deriue their lineal successions and Episcopal dignitie from St. Peters Chaire and the verie Sea of Rome and that we should not acknowleidge them for Bishops in case they either did not or could not doe soe That the Pope of Rome or papacy is not the Antichrist nor Antichrist yet come or reuealed That Crucifixes and Images in Churches are lawfull and necessarie comlie ornaments That Christ is really present vpon earth on the high Altar and Communion table That Communion tables are Altars Ministers of the Gospel Priects serving at the Altar the Sacrament of the Lords supper the Sacrament of the Altar and may yea ought so to be phrased That men ought to bow to Altars Communion-tables and to place rayle them in Altar-wise at the east end of the Church and come up to them and receiue when there is a Sacrament and that Ministers must read their second seruise at them when there is none That auricular confession to a Preist and absolution are very fitting and necessarie That the Lords day is no Sabbath That it is lewish to call it or keepe it as a Sabbath That it is not of divine but humaine institution not with in the morality of the 4. commaundement That two howres only of it is to be sanctified not the whole day That Morises dauncing sports and pastimes yea labours of mens calling not speciallie prohibited by 〈◊〉 â—â—maine lawes even out of cases of necessitie are lawfull on it That men may fall totally finally from Grace That they haue freewill and may exactly fulfill the Law of God if they please themselves That men are justified by workes yea by charitie and not by faith alone That men are elected from the foresight of faith and workes and reprobated only out of the foresight of their sinnes That there is a vniversall grace given to all men whereby they may be saued if they will That Christ died alike for all men whatsoeuer That preaching is an extraordinary thing * VVelfare the Bishops vvho are true to their ground for it is an extraordinary thing vvith them to proach only for extraordinary times and belonging to none but extraordinary men That one Sermon in a month is enough and better then two a day That reading is properly preaching That Archbishops Bishops Episcopall jurisdiction and degree aboue other Ministers is jure divino That the Ministers know more then the Lay-people the Bishops more then the Ministers the Archbishops more then the Bishops And therefore what ever the Ministers shall teach or prescribe the people what ever the Bishops the Ministers people what ever the Archbishops the Bishops Mininisters people too are bound to beleeve obey without further question or dispute That the Popes Lawes Decrees Canon Lawes are still in force our Church ought to be governed by them our Ecclesiasticall Courts proceed lecally according to them That Bishops have power to make publish Articles Canons Injunctions Oathes Rites Ceremonies in their owne names rights and to enforce both Ministers people to obey them That they may silence suspend excommunicate yea deprive imprison Ministers at their at their pleasure without any legall cause That Bishops are not bound to preach so much or so oft as other men though they have greater wages and so should doe more worke That they may Lawfully and laudablie neglect their spirituall functions to mannage temporall Offices and affaires exercise both Swords at once and rule both Church and State together Now that the Reader may be sure what I here set downe is true let him peruse a Booke entituled the Quench-Coale and there he shall finde all these Assertions affirmed in an Epistle written unto the King 5. Whereas he saith in a Church that is false in respect of outward Order there may be taught many sound and seasonable truths This I grant for Iesuites and other Heretickes deliver oft-times many true Doctrines And what of this may we therefore Lawfully heare them In no cause For as one a Vsus est Nabuchodonosor Musicis InstrumeÌ„tis in erectione statuae ut homines ad ejus honorem venerationem excitaret Pintus Comment in Dan. cap. 3. pag. 195. saith of the Musicall Instruments which Nabuchadnezzar had in the plaine of Dura they were brought thither that men thereby might be the sooner drawne to honour and worship the goulden Image So truly are the Truths taught in false Churches a bewitching Musick to lead people unto them and to cause them to fall downe before the Idols of the place set up by Worldly Princes against the expresse Commaundement of Iesus Christ Againe howsover the Priests he pleads for Preach sometime sound truths notwithstanding otherwhile they speake vaine and foolish things Mr. Fox b Acts Monum pag. 1027 reports of one Hostius who being in Gaunt was tould that a certaine Fryer there used to preach good and sound Doctrine But when he came to his Church he heard him justifie Transubstantion and nothing else And the like comes many times to passe that men reputed rare Preachers make whole Sermons in defence of grosse Idolatry and speake most reproachfully against the way and worship of God This being so I would know of the Pist if a man be present when such blasphemous Positions are delivered whether he offend If he say No then it followes that a man may heare any one and any where and his distinction between hearing this Priest and not that is nihil adversum impertinent and idle If he say Yes then it must follow from his owne grant that no falâ—e Minister is to be heard unlesse a man know before hand that he will not speake perverse things SECTION 4. THat the Church here pleaded for is Antichristian and false the Epist doth acknowledge Yet saith he that worshipping of God which consisteth in hearing his Word is warrantable for us to doe there And so much he undertakes to prove by this Argument That Preaching which ordinarily begits men to the faith of Christ may lawfully be heard But the Preaching of many Ministers in the Church of England hath and doth ordinarily beget men to the faith of Christ Therefore the Preaching of many Ministers in England may lawfully be heard The first part of this sillogisme is proved out of Rom. 10. Where the Apostle telling what is the ordinary way God used to beget men to the faith of Christ telles us it comes by hearing of the word of God preached if faith comes by hearing the Word of God preached to wit if that be the outward meanes then there is no question but that a man may heare such preaching and any man may blush for shame that shall deny this So that the major part of the Argument is cleare And for the Minor parte they can not deny it no more then a man at noon day can deny the sunne to shine for if
the Faith of Christ Ergo c. If his Argument in the affirmative be true Tam forma quam materia To say nothing of mood and figure Then in the negative this is true also according to that knowne rule parium par est ratio There is alike reason of things alike So in the Philosopher b Arist Eth c. â— Contrariorum est eadem ratio For instance let it be in the affirmative thus The godly please God Must it not on the contrarie follow The ungodly displease God To applie this If this be a reason and ground why some Ministers ought to be heard Namely because true conversion ordinarily followeth their Ministerie If this I say be a main cause that they should be heard Then surely it must follow Where such effects of ordinary conversion appeare not There must be no hearing I say such Ministers are to be rejected be they in their places never so painfull and conscionable This being so marke the inference Noah preached a 120 yeares and yet there followed no ordinarie conversion in the old World The like may be said of Elias Isaiah Ieremie Ezechiel and other Prophers Therefore it was not lawfull to heare them Hath not the Pist here shewed himselfe an acute disputer For to build Babel he puls downe Bethel To justifie false Prophets he condemnes the true In a word whiles he seekes to opeÌ„ a doore unto the Synagogues of Satan he shutteth up the way passage unto the Courts of the Lord of Hoast Had he thought on the Wisemans c Pâ—o 16 20 saying I thinke he would not have written so unaduisedly He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good 4. For the proofe of his Major there is not one sound sentence in it For 1. touching the disdiapason or il-favoured coupling of the matter The Scripture he alleadgeth is Rom. 10 vers 17. Fayth commeth by hearing the Word of God Now what of this His Argument hence is not proved neither doth this place Rom. 10. look that way For example suppose I should lay downe this Position the ordinarie way to have right between man and man is to seeke unto the lawfull Magistrate Would any one unlesse he had Boeoticuâ—n ingenium hence inferre that those who had right ordinarilie done them by Vsurpers and Tyrants did well to take it 2. The hearing there mentioned is not as the Pist imagineth a hearing promiscuously of all preachers but it respects such only as legitime vocati have a true outward calling to the Ministerie Thus Tertsllian d Lib. coÌ„t Mareien Danaeus e CommeÌ„t in 1. Tim. 5 22. Oâ—colampadius f In Esae 52 Mayer g On Iam. 3 Doct 3 p. 179. Pareus h On the place Guiliaudus i Id. Beza k Jd. Piscator l In Rom. 10. Obser in ver 17. and others understand the place Therefore should his words be cast into a forme the very expression wil be confutation enought For so they must runne If the Apostle Rom. 10 say that the ordinarie meanes of mens conversion is by hearing the lawfull Ministers of the Gospell Then may unlawfull Ministers be heard If he can make it hang otherwise he were best to doe it and save his credit what he can Thirdly Paul Rom. 10 speaketh of the ordinarie way which God hath ordained to begit faith But the practice here stood for by the Publish is quite another thing Even a tempting of God For as the Learned n Muscul in Mat. 4 Tom. 1 p. 47. Moller in Psa 78 v. 18. p. 684. P. Mart. Loc. Com. Clas 2 c. 4 p. 209. Polan Syntag. l. 9 c. 8 P. 596. well observe God is tempted when men leaving the ordinary and appointed meanes use their owne devise to obtaine either spirituall or temporall good thereby That this hearing is so we have in part proved and more will if God permitt Now for his Minor 1. All Sects doe boast of the effects of their Ministerie in converting men unto Christianitie Bellarmine o De not Eccles lib. 4 c. 12 tels us that Iewâ—s Gentles and Turkes too are converted in multitudes by their Church Another p Masse-Priests supplication to the King Sect. 31. layes downe the particulars viz. Bessites Dacians Getes Scythians Morins Nervians Armenians Huns Burgunnians Scots French Pictes Bavartans and well nigh an hundred other Nations are there reckoned up The Arrians in old time sayd q Freculphus in Chronico Tom. 2 l. 4 c. 20. no lesse By their Ministers the Gothes and others were turned to the sayth from Paganisme But this is not proved or true because they say so 2. If it were needfull I could bring their owne testimony against him For to use Mr. Robinsons r Justificat Separ p. 51. words there is nothing more common both in the Sermons and Writings of the forewarder sort then their complaints how litle good their preaching hath done For Example marke what some Ministers of good note among them doe affirme This J dare warrant sayth Mr. Gifford s Countrie Divinity fol. 48. if it be not so let me loose both my eares that goe through the Parishes of these graue and learned Divines and unlesse such as runne to such their victuals otherwhere ye shall not find five among five skore which are able to understand the necessary grounds and principles of religion Another t Catholike Conference p. 164. saith more Were it not for the good Là wes of our Kingdome which doe constraine and compell men to make outward profession the greater number of our people of all sorts in this Iland would makè none at all Mr. Nichols v P. 218. in his Plea of the innocent reports that conferring with the particular persons in his Parish after he had preached some good space among them about the means of salvation of 400 Communicants be scarce found one but that thought and professed a man might be saved by his owne weldoing and that he trusted he did so live that by Gods grace he should obtaine everlasting life by serving God and good Prayers This being so what credit is to be given to the Pist Minor Seeing the men he speakes for give in their evidence and witnesse against him 3. Howsoever many liuing in jdolaâ—rous places are converted yet how knowes he that the preaching in question doth it For private men wemon may doe turne their neighbours from evil that ordinarilie somâ—â—ime by teaching witnessing the truth otherwhile by reading talking conferring of the Scripture informing their Children and family in the fayth And this the Scripture x Levit. k. 27 28 Prov. 31. 26 Maâ— 3 16 Mat. 18 15 Iam. 5 19 20 1 Cor. 14 24 Act. 8 4 26 1 Cor. 7. 16 Ephes 64 Deu. 6 7. shewes and the Treatiser y Iustif Sep. p. 457 acknowledgeth D. Fulke z In Rom. 10 ver 15 in his answer to the Rhemists sheweth out of Ruffinus how divers
hence learne and settle in our hearts with what severitie the Lord challengeth and defendeth his authoritie in laying downe the way and manner of his worship not leaâ—ing it to any creature to meddle with but according to praescription and appointment from him Content he is that men shall make Lawes for humaine matters c. But for his divine worship he will prascribe it himselfe and what he appointeth that must be done and that only or else Nadah and Abihu their punishment exspected that is Gods wrath exspected in such manner as he shall please And this he learned of Calvin g Alium ignom sacris adhiberi vetuit Deus ut adventities omnes ritus excluderet ac doceret se detestari quic quid aliuÌ„de profectum erat discamus ergo sic attendere ad Dei mandatum ne eius cultum ullis extraneis Commentin vitiemus who upon the Place saith God forbad other Fyre c. to be used that he might exclude all inventious rites and teach that he detested whatsoever was come from else-where Let us therefore learne so to attend to the Commaundement of God that we defile not his worship with any far fetched devises Iunius h Peccatum in eo fuisse qâ—od in ratione divini cultus non attenderint ad mandatum Dei c. Anal in loc mentioning their sinne sayth It was in that they kept not Gods Commaundement in the matter of his worship And a little after They should not have added of their owne any thing thereto Piscator i Cultum Dei extenâ—â—um praecise ex Dei praescriptum exercendum esse itaque non habet hic locum bena hominum intentio from the place rayseth this observation The outward worship of God must be strictly done according to his Commaundement A good intention therefore hath here no place Mr. Attorsall also in his Commentarie upon Numb 3. 4. doth largely declare out of this Example how God disliketh and disclameth mens devises in his service as trash trumpery and meere dotage So Beda Bruno Brentius Pelargus Chytraeus Sarcerius Sâ—rigelius Aretius Borrhaeus and other interpret the place And whereas he applyeth it to false Doctrine taught by one that hath his outward calling true He may say in the words of that boasting City k I am and there is none besides me For this is his owne devise and it must live and die with them The place beeing thus understood Let us now see if the same may not be ab uno de grammate fithe applyed against this practice of Hearing From the place then I doe thus reason All will worship and superstition is sinne To heare Antichristian Ministers in their unlawfull assemblies is superstition and will-worship Therefore it is sinne to doe it The first Proposition is grounded upon the fore-mentioned example Levit. 10. 1. 2. and the same is without exception The second Proposition is thus proved 1. Lib. 1. vit ex cult oppose Col. 501. 502. From the nature of superstition which is as Zanchy describes it a taking into the worship of God more then he requires in his worship Hence superstition as some derive the word is that which is done supra statutum And in this respect the hearing in question is superstition as beeing used in Gods worship upon no other ground but mans devise 2. According to the Schoolemen m Vel cui non debet vel non eâ— modo quo debet that is Superstition when divine worship is not exhibited either to the person it should be or not in the way and manner as it ought And this is held to be a sound truth by all Orthodoxal Writers Now Aquin. 2. 20. q. 92. Art 1. howsoever the Hearers of False Ministers doe exhibit worship to God yet it is not in the manner and way that they should worship him And this is cleare by the Treatisers owne confession For he confesseth that the hearing which he pleads for n Pag. 37 is no particular ordinance left by Christ. Againe he saith It were to be wished that no Church Ministerie were to be found which is not approveable by the Word of God notwithstanding any good act performed by them that posses it If I am not deceived in these words he destroyes what he built before Is this hearing no ordinance left us by Christ Is the controverted Ministerie so evil a thing as that every good Christian is to pray for its rooting up How then can it be both lawfull and in cases necessary for all Sects and sorts of people to pertake with it If this be not ex diametro crosse worke and grosse contradiction I know not what is 3. This hearing cannot be free of superstition in regard men are present at false worship The which presence as the Learned write o Praesentia est communicatio quaedam in cultu Slater Epist 1. ad Corinth c. 10. is a certaine communion therewith 4. It is great superstition to approve countenance or give honour to any of the wayes of Antichrist They that are sincere Christians saith p in Censura cap. 9. fol. 471. Bucer cannot abide any thing that is his The least shew saith Vigandus q Syneps Antichrist to please either him or his followers is will worship Of this judgement were Iunius r Jn Hos 2. 16. Musculus s Loc. com de â—radit p. 421. 422. Beza t Tract theol vol. 3. pa. 210. Mollerus u In Ps 16 Zepperus x de Polit. p. 72. Sadeel y Contr. Monachos p. 70. and others Now me thinkes there should not be a man so voyd of reason as to say that a Minister of Antichrist as he is preaching by vertue of his Masters commission and under his seale and authority may even then be heard and yet no honour no approbation no countenance nor any shew thereof be given unto Antichrist therein 5. It is vitious and superstitious to simbolize with idolaters The Scriptures * Levit. 18 3. Deu. 12. 30. Exo. 23. 24. 2 Chro. 13 9. Levit. 19. 27. 28 forbidd it And the Saints in all ages have carefully shund it as we shall shew in another place But this Hearing is no other For idolaters in this are imitated in sundry acts of their idolatrie In so much as Papists and Atheists too may well twitt our balters in the words of the Samaritane woman how is it that thou beeing a Christian joynest thy selfe to us Antichristians Is it not strange that thou who professest our Church to be false our Ministerie unlawfull our Church-government Popish shouldest yet come to us and pertake in our administrations Surely this argueth that either thou understandest not the practice which thy grounds lead thee too or else for some by respect refusest to walke accordingly to them 6. Superstition is committed when more estimation is had of a thing more dignitie and excellency placed in it and more regard had to it then God alloweth
c. I see nothing in it wherefore he should desire the reader to take knowledge of it For as for riches credit of the World and outward peace here instanced as they are good things in themselves so they may be desired and in a right way and course Lawfully sought after For the other namelie Hearing of the Word obedience to the Magistrate c. In these things too we must keepe our selves within the limits and bounds which God hath set us For his phrase of streaning and gooing as neere the Winde as may be J hope he meant no streaning of a good conscience If he did not then his counsell is of no use at all except it could be proued that the Lord requires his people to heare in the way and manner hee pleads for a worke ab Asino lanam not possibly to be done As there are some scrupulous in things amisse touching outward Ordinances and yet faultie otherwayes So I beleeve there are many not scrupulous in things amisse touching outward ordinances and yet in their course of life base and scandalous enought But what of this must not Gods House and Ordinances be deare to our soules because some mens conversation is not according to their profession God forbid For in the holiest Society upon Earth it is possible that there should be wicked persons When there was but 4 in the World one was a Kaan when 8. onely in the Arke one was a Cham Among the 12. one a Iudas The purest Wheate hath some chaffe with it The fairest garden some weeds in it Therefore let no man forbeare to practice any knowne truth for other mens lewd lives onely let them be carefull to doe well themselves Mourne for such as doe otherwise and seeke by all due and lawfull meanes their Amendment And this is the burden and no other which the Lord layes upon them The last sort he divides into 5 rankes at which he either girds or right-out chargeth with Hypocrisie partialitie pride ignorance mallace and the like It is said of Tamberlane * Richard Knowles in the life of Baiazee that he raised warre against Baiazet the fourth King of the Turkes because he refused to receive certaine strange Garments which he sent unto him I beleeve had these men embraced the Treatisers opinion in this point of Hearing they should not have heard him speake so bitterly against them But to the particulars Some are carried with so excessive admiration of some former guides in their course Treat as they thinke is halfe Heresy to call into question any of their determinations or practises Answ Howsoever we must live by our owne faith notwithstanding we are not lightly to esteeme of the determinations and practises of our guides specially when we know they are no reeds but men stable and unchangeable in the truth He is a foolish traviler that will leave the way which he hath long kept unlesse he be sure he is out There is as Polanus h CoÌ„ment in Ezech. cap. 20. pag. 487. saith a laudable imitation of Elders That is so farre to follow them as they are followers of Christ 2. J know none more faulty this way then such as have learned of him to heare unlawfull Ministers For were not these men superstitiously addicted to his new devise they would beware how to reject as they doe the unanimous judgement and practice of all Learned Men and true Churches and follow the blinde trodd of his single opinion Such as lay downe rules to finde out the truth by write thus What the Fathers i Quid-quid omnes pariter uno codemque consensu c. Vincent Lirenens cont prophanos haeret c. 4. all with one consent have held and written is a necessary token to know the truth by Againe k D. Feild of the church l. 3. c. 43 p. 175 Whatsoever hath beene holden at all times and in all places by all Christians that hath not beene noted for novelty singularity and division is to be received as the undoubted truth of God If these Assertions be true the Treatisers then is untrue For not onely are all old Writers against it but the most Learned of later times Yea and let it be minded all Sects and sorts of people professing Christianitie abhorre it J except onely Familists For they and he â—â—dem in ludâ— docti are for the pleading and practice here much alike Some againe are much addicted to themselves as the former to others Treat Conceiving in effect though they will not professe it the same of their Heads which the Papists doe of their Head the Pope that they cannot erre or be deceived And this specially in such matters us for which they have suffered trouble and affliction formerly Answ 1. Wee are all more ready to blame faults in others then to see our owne and amend them Had not the Treatiser thought to well of himselfe I doubt whether he would so lightly have singled himselfe out and become as it were every mans opposite Humble minds are affraid to meddle with novelties but such as seeke humane praise imagine they cannot enought be observed unlesse out of the dreggs of Sophistry they raise some strange quiddities whereby to crosse truths generally received 2. That any man should love and like a thing because it leads to persecution That J cannot thinke But this J thinke There are some which doe professe practice many things and namelie this of Hearing on no better ground or reason but hereby to keep themselves out of troubles There is also a third sort who bend their force rather to the weakning of other men in their courses Treat then to the building up of themselves in their owne halfe imagining that they draw neere enought to God if they can withdraw enought from other men Answ I cannot devise for what end the Treat * Aliquid latet quod non patet should seeke thus to discover other mens nakednes except it be he thought that the more vile and contemptible he made his Opposites appeare in the Readers eye the easier he would be won to embrace this his opinion of Hearing Antichristian Ministers a prittie trick Much like that Lesson of the Cannon Lavv Si non caste tamen cause But such shifts profit not for a godly minde will search and looke into the cause it selfe and not on the persons either for or against it To oppose a bad course is meet and lawfull and should we be silent when we are called to testifie against it we should make our selves hereby open transgressours Touching the building up of our selves This as Iude †Ver. 20. teacheth must be in our most holy faith He that rayseth up a House with rotten stuffe * What is there else in Babilon will loose his cost and labour by it I know not what withdrawing he meanes from other men if he intend a withdravving from the Hearing of false Ministers then I answer they doe
necessitated to approue of all the acts conclusions they make but may dislike them if I see they are not as they ought to be The Corinthians for ought I can see resorted unto the Feasts of idols upon the same ground that the Treat layes downe for hearing They went not of superstition for they were to well instructed and Paul in their person brings forth an excuse for them * 1. Cor. â— 4. We know that an idol is nothing As if they should say we regard not what they have devised their publicke false-state concernes us not for we have left it We are in no Church-communion with their Officers our meaning is not to worship as they doe they intend one thing we another But did this satisfie the Apostle Not in the least For he knew their private differing intention was but a strong fruit of the flesh monstrous presumpt on and a meere delusion For their eating was not to be looked upon and judged after their secret meaning But according to that publicke state where they were And here I desire the Reader to note the difference betweene Paul and the Treat Paul makes the sinne of the Corinthians to be their resorting to an idol-state Not simply their eating for thaâ— they might have done else-where but because it was in by or from an institution of the Devil The Treat layes us downe a contrarie Doctrine and tels us a false Church-state is nothing And Antichristian Officer nothing And that we may lawfully worship God in the one and heare his Word preached by the other provided we be not in Church-communion with the Officer c. Truely the difference here is great For the Treat cleares the Corinthians of the thing for which the Apostle condemnes them But I will not presse this further now Only what Augustine * said of the learned Fathers I may speake of the Treatis in stead of him or rather above him Paul the Apostle commeth to my mind to him I runne to him I appeale from all sorts of writers that thinke otherwise For conclusion if the false state of a Church and Ministerie defile only the members thereof And as for other present worshippers they are blameles Jf this I say be a true saying theÌ„ hath he vainely confind himselfe to the Ministerie of the Church of England For his Position will serve as well to justifie hearing among Papists Arrians Sorcinians Iewes Turkes c. Yea further and to be present at any service or worship they doe For what should hinder but according to this ground a man may lawfully goe to the Temples of the Saracens and he are their Preists considering they doe deliver many materiall truths As that God is true and righteous in all his wayes a â— In Alcho ran Azoara 1. The Creator of all things b The giver of every good gyft c Azoar 14. Ad that Iesus Christ is the Sonne of Mary d Azoar 11. the Messenger of God and a true Prophet e Azoar 7. If any object but they utter many lies and blasphemies I answer the hearing simply of errours corrupts not the Hearer For so he consents not to them in judgement not practice but testifieth against them he delivers his owne soule SECT 5. THE Treatiser layes downe our next OBJECTION thus By this then it seemes a man may be present at any act of Idolatrie and doe as others doe that practice Idolatry yet not approue of it And so the three Nobles in Danial needed not to have put themselves upon such pikes of daunger as they did for not falling downe as others did in the place To this he answereth Treat 1. In preaching of the truths of the Gospell no idolatrous act is performed Answ I perceive it is an easie thing to conquest if begging may procure one that But wee are no such children as to give the cause so away 1. Therefore J say in preaching of the truths of the Gospell viz by a false Minister about which is our dispute an idolatrous act is performed And that the Reader may understand this thing the better He is to consider that divine worship is not to be determined by a particular thing howbeit in it selfe good but as all the essentiall parts belonging thereto whether they are persons or things are kept and observed The Church of Rome in Baptisme useth water and in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper gives bread and otherwhile wine too doth this cleare their administrations of idolatry So runns the Treat reasoning But wee cannot receive it for the Lord never spake so by him J thinke all men doe thinke that Vzziah a 2 Chro. 26. 16. committed an idolatrous act when he invaded the Priests Office But what made it so Tooke he unlawfull incense No. Used he strange fire No. Offered he prohibited sacrifice or upon a wrong Altar No. Where then lay the fault The Scripture tels us it pertained not to him to burne incense unto the Lord but to the Sonnes of Aaron b Ver. 18. To apply this if his act were idolatrous because he wanted a calling howbeit observed many truths of the Law By the same reason the Church-acts of Antichristian Ministers are idolatrous Yea as for the truths which they preach this clears their acts no more from idolatry then Vzziahs true incense and Altar quitted him from transgression It is truely said of one c Lavaret in Josh 22. Hom 61. pag 7. We ought not to conclude of an action that it is good because it hath in it some thing which in it selfe is so And this is true as in divine things so in humane too For it is a knowne Tenent of Philosophers d Omne totum suis partibus ordinatur mensuretur determinatur the vvhole is composed measured and determined of all the parts Vnto the constitution of the whole according to Aristotlec is required 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. As Iob f Iob. 24.4 saith vvho can bring a cleane thing out of an uncleane Not one The false Office by our Oppositâ—es is acknowledged to be uncleane Now to deny that their Ministeriall acts are not from thence is against common sence And this further may be amplyfied by that passage in the Prophet g Hag. 2. 12 13. See Iunius on the place where it is shewed that holy things are polluted by touching things uncleane e Arist 12. Met. 3 Lib. de Poet. cap. 7. 3. If in preaching the truth according to the point in question no idolatrous act is performed Then it will follow that a man may remaine a Minister of a false Church all his life time Provided he only teach * Note that such whom they call Lecturers in some places only preach and doe nothing else As I my selfe for some yeares stood soÌ„ the truths of the Gospell Our reason is for in this if he doe no idolatrous act then he sinneth not so Consequently no just cause of
quod sit inductivum ad peccandum puta cum aliquis publice facit peccatum vell quod habet similitudinem peccati Aquin. 2. quest 43. Art 1. a. 4. this is an inducement to it And gives another occasion to fall And so much in effect writes Zanchy p Explic. in 1 Thes 5. 22. p. 419 Tom 6. on the place 5. This is not without appearance of evill and scandall because hereby men seeke to uphold such wayes and inventions in divine worship as the Lord of old hath ordained to destruction q ler 51. 26 2 The. 2 8. Rev. 18. Merdecah would not give countenance nor reverence to one of that Nation r Brent Comment in Hest c. 3 v 2. whose name God had appointed to be blotted out under Heaven Wherfore did the Lord give so straight a charge unto Israel to breake downe Altars s Deu. 7 5. groues high-places c. Vt ex eo intelligamus because saith Junius t Anal. in Deu. 12 p. 71. by this we should understand that they were not to retaine any thing that concerneth either the substance or shew of Idolatrie Calvine u Comment in Esa 27 9. speakes the very same So detestable is idolatrie before God Vt eius memoriam vult penitus deleri ne posthà c ullum eius vestigium appareat That he will have the very memorie of it utterly to bee abolished least any footstept thereof should appeare afterward Iacob abolished out of his House not only the idols but the ear-ings Gen. 35. 4. because they were superstitionis insignia Monuments of superstition As Calvin y Comment in Gen. 35 4. Monilia Idolis consecrata Iewels consecrated to idols As Pareus a ibid. Res idolatriae pertinentes Things appertaining to idolatrie as Iunius b ibid. To be short would not God have the Iewes under the law to countenance any humaine devise whether Ministerie c Numb 8 22. 24. Numb 4. 24 31. 1847 Ministration Altar Sacrifice Sacraments either by word d Psa 16. Hos 2 16 16 17. writing presence assembling together e Deu. 16 1 6 1 King 12 32. observing the time comming to the place bowing downe f Deu. 5 9. Ps 95 6. Hos 13. 2. Eze. 18 6. Neh 10 32. 37. Ex. 30 16. Eze. 5 c. kneeling lifting up the eyes paying of tithes g Offerings Contributions c. And shall wee thinke that all these outward obseruances are novv out of use and that men in such respects may publickly countenance the vvayes of Antichrist As for such as so thinke let them knovv they are in errour and sinne And as the Papists have condemned Montanus for an Heretick and yet raetine among them his vile opinions So doe these men embrace the lies and beastly vanities of H. N. that monstrous Monster although in words they will disclaime all Familisme ‡ As cats loue not the Master of the hous but his housholds-goods so many say they can̄ot abide the Pope yet loue his houshold stuffe to well Consider what I say and the Lord give you understanding For the instance vvhich hee brings of hyring a House in a Parish it is discrepant and impertinent and so of no validitie For let Barnards g Consirat Eugen l. 3. usefull Canon be observed an liceat an deceat an expediat vvee shall soon see there is no agreement betvveen it and the thing he applies it to For first the Law of God alloweth us to live where wicked men doe and to have necessarie society with them in civill things And thus the godly in all ages have practised But let them shew us where it is written that we must goe unto their unlawfull-Church-meetings and there worship God with them and among them I aske againe who of the Saints hath done this The Lord h ler. 15. 19. sayth Let them returne to thee but returne not thou unto them 2. It is seemely that we dwell among them and reciprocally give and take earthly helpes each of other * Compossessores mūdi non erroris Wee must be cò partners with them in the world but not in their errours saith Tertulliā But in Religion we may not use any of their devises as meanes and furtherances of our edification Elias was carefull to repaire the Lords Altar For as Martyr i In his Comment on the place saith he judged it an unbefitting thing and a great indignitie to God and his truth to Offer Sacrifice on Baals Altar If men in those dayes had the Zeale of that good Prophet they would scorne and loath to make use of any thing that is Antichrists I say it againe vvere men zealous for the Lord God of Hosts they would feare to runne to false Churches and Ministers to be edified Is it not because there is not a God in Israel that ye goe 3. This also is behovefull and expedient as the Apostle k 1 Cor. 5. 10. saith But the other is not so as we have before proved For Conclusion wheresoever I live my constant absence from their Church is an evident token that I have left them But on the contrarie if I goe thither to worship this gives them just cause to thinke that I approve of their unsanctified standing Whosoever therefore can make these two things hang together I must needs say quid libet equolibet of every thing hee can make any thing But of this no more now let us hearken to what followes SECT 10. THe next Objection is thus layd dovvne None can heare without a Preacher None can preach except he be sent Rom. 10. 14. 15. Therefore I cannot Lawfully heare him that hath not a Lawfull sending His answer to it is Treat 1. That Conclusion is neither in the Text nor sound 2. I may Lawfully heare him that hath no Lawfull calling as I have formerly shewed 3. The sending there intended is Gods gracious worke of providence in raysing up men by enabling and disposing them to preach c. 4. If faith came by the preaching of unlawfull Ministers it followes thereupon that such Preachers are sent in the Apostles sence This is the summe of his ansvver Answ It was a cunning trick which Themostocles was once taught by a man of Lacedemonia that because they might not take the Tables away wherein a Law was engraven He should therefore turne them up-side downe which was as good as to take them away altogether Howsoever the Treat takes not from us the Tables of holie Scriptures wherein is written the Law of Christs Ministers yet by a prittie devise hee turnes them here upside downe Which is as good as to take them quite away J know what J speake and will stand to it For if this place Rom. 10 14 15. respects not a true outward calling but is to be understood promiscuously of all Ministers be their calling never so false divilish Antichristian I say if this Text be so to be
God ‡ Evangelicae Apostolicoe literae veterum Prophetarum Oracula perspicuè nos instituūt quid oporteat sapere de voluntate sensu Dei. Ponentes ergo contentionē ex divinitus inspiratis Oraculis queuaeram is solutionem eorum quae proponuntur Theod. lib. 1 c. 7. is there not one place of Scripture to be found What nothing in the Prophets Nothing among all the writings of Christ and of his Apostles But it must bee held up as the Apostle speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the sleight n Ephes 4. 14 of men and cunning craftines whereby they lay in wait to deceive Against this kind of reasoning I might here bring that exception which Tertullian o De praescript advers haeret did of old against his Opposites What hath Athens to doe with Jerusalem the Schoole of Philosophie with the Church of Christ Jn matters of faith men should so weigh and consider of things as not to write what reason but what Religion not what Philosophers but what the Prophets and Apostles not what fancie thinks but what the Spirit of God doth say p Sensus nostri enarrationes sine his testihus non habent fidem Origen in Hierom. Hom. 1. Indeed if a man list to be contentions he may finde something to say to every thing though little to purpose to any thing For what cause so bad but some will have a colour for it Hath not the Stewes of Rome found Patrons p Harding in confutat of the Apolog. Have not some defended commones of Wives q P. Clemens yea and worse too Therefore with the Prophet this shall alwayes be my prayer O let mee not vvander from thy Commaundements Remove from mee the vvay of Lying And take not the Word of Truth out of my mouth 3. For his Exposition it is drawen in by the haire of the head And well r Psal 119 10. 29. 43. it resembleth a Shipmans hose for you may apply it to vvhat you wil rather then to the point in hand There is not a Writer I am perswaded that ever gave such a sence of the place As if wisedome had been borne with him and should dye with him I shall not steppe out of the way to call in here a few well deserving audience of the Learned Famous Pareus s Comment in Rom. 10. 15. an interpreter one of a thousand upon the place writes thus How shall they preach except they be sent why so What hinders but he may preach that is not sent indeed he may so to doe but not as Gods messenger For as no man is the Kings Ambassadour unlesse he have his Commission So such Preachers as will declare in Gods name his mercies and benefits ought necessarilie to be sent by him For he rejecteth all them as intruders which runne and teach without his Commission Vnto the preaching therefore of the Word a calling is required c. And though hee speake here properly of the Apostolicall Commission which was extraordinarie Notwithstanding it must also be understood of ordinarie Ministers For none is a Lawfull Preacher of the Word except God call him Now the Lord cals some immediately as of old the Prophets and Apostles Others mediately by an outward calling of the Church So he The very same Hyperius Fagius Ochinus Tossanus Olevianus Grinaeus Martyr Rolloc Hunnius Rungius Brentius and others on the place Now howsoever false Ministers are not sent of God according to the intent of the Apostle Rom. 10. 15. yet I confesse he hath a speciall guidance government and direction both in their raysing up comming forth and preaching such and such truths for the good of his elect in many places where they come It is said of Josephs Brethren that out of envy they sold him to the Midianites t Gen. 4 8. and yet the Scripture else-where saith u Gen. 45. 3. 8. Psal 105 17. God sent him into Egypt Now surely the same God which could use their mallace by which he was sold into Egypt for the corporall profit of his people there he can use as well the power x Pareus in Comment Gen 45 7. p. 429. Tom. 1. of Antichrist by which the Ministers of false Churches have their calling for the spirituall comfort and good of his chosen ones And howsoever hee is no author of unlawfull Ministeries Neither can it be properly said that he sends them Yet he so wisely ordereth and disposeth of them that he brings to passe hereby his owne purpose and will to the prayse of the glorie of his grace in the propagation of the Gospell to the conversation of many But let it here be remembred that their places for all this are not the better neither their administrations the more warrantable Nor any people the more justifyed to heare them then were Iacobs Sonnes to be justifyed in what they did to their Brother because the Lord by it did them good That which God doth this way is not of any promise a Cartwright Hom. in Eccles c. 3 fol 83. 84. that he hath made but out of his superabundant grace turning the sinnes of his people as the Apothecarie doth poysen to Medicines to their profit and good b Things done by unlawfull instruments so farre as they respect the accomplishment of Gods will and pleasure either in the safety of his Church trial of his Childrē c. the Scripture attributeth them to God as author doer and so farre forth are most holie workes But so farre as they respect the action done and instruments they are wicked workes and they instruments are sent from the Devill Pareus in Hos 8. p. 529. Lastly that which he saith followes it followeth not but is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Conclusion il-gathered But I see it is an easie thing to conquer if begging will procure one that Put case usurpers of civill offices should by their administrations profit some people Must it follow therupon that such men are sent forth by the King Indeed so it must be taken or else the Treat exposition is neither in the Text nor sound But cadet in cursu he runnes in vaine as he hath done all the way before Before I end this Section I desire to aske one thing of our Opposites Suppose there be a man whom they would heare but know not vvhether ever any conversion hath followed his preaching May they in such a case heare him or no If they say yes then wherefore are the effects of false Ministers made the maine ground of hearing them If they say no Then hovv can they heare any Considering they knovv not certainly by vvhose preaching another is converted As is the way of an Eagle in the aire such is the way of an adulterous Woman it is hid and cannot be seen SECT 11. THE 11. Objection is thus laid down The sheep of Christ heare his voyce but strangers they will not heare Joh. 10. 3. 8. 37. He
to use the Pistlers words it is wel to be marked by the Reader how the Church when these thinges were written enioyed as a Pastor so a iudicious Ruling Elder too and their company greater by farre then it was when that letter was framed Such as write of the Government of Common-wealths doe hold it for a rule that to redresse abuses in any State a better Way cannot be taken then to haue thinges brought to their first institution Hence it is that the Venetians haue a supreame Magistracie which they call A Syndicate that once in a few yeares â— surveyâ— all the Offices and dignities in their wealth that so all things may continue and stand entyre according to the rules and precepts of their first Constitutions and Ordinances If the Pistler had desired the common good of that Church he would haue sought to haue had thinges reduced to their primitiue Originall and good beginning and not Mention as he doth their depriuations declinations departures * serâ—enâ— qualitas viâ—i dignoscitur as a rule for all Posterity to measure their faith and actions by It is an infallible maxime as D Vsher g De Christianor Eccl. success et statâ—â— cap. 1. pag. 19. and other obserue out of Tertullian h Id verum quodcunque primum id adultorum quod cunque posterius whatsoeuer is first that is truest and what comes after is adulterate The first in any kind or sort of thinges is truest and best so Feild 3. But admitt there were many that held this hearing lawfull and soo haue don along time what of this is the thing he better for that in no wiâ—e For not custome or multitudes must be followed but the truth of Gods word Walke ye not in the statutes of your fathers I. Of the Church l. 2. c. 5. p. 49. neither Obserue their iudgments nor defiâ—e your selues with their idols k Ezech. 20. The like precept we haue in 3 â—ch 11. Follow not that which is euil but that which is good Cyprian and others of the Fathers as they are called speake wel to this purpose we must l Non debemus attendeâ—e quid alius ante nos fâ—cerit aut faciendum putauerit sed quid ante omnes est Christus prior fecerit Cypâ— Epist 63. not regard what others did be fore vs or thought fitt to be don but what Christ did who was before all We Must m non est de consuetudene praescribendum sed ratione vin cendum Epist 74. not prescribe vpon custome but perswade by reason Whatsoeuer n Tertullian lib de viâ—g sauoreth against the truth it is heresie be the practice thereof neuer so ancient Non illa tantum in religione fugienda quae Verbo dei adversantur sed ea etiam quae verbo dei non sunt praescripta etiamsi ab acutissimis hominibus excogitata a doctissimis defensa et diuturna consu etudine recepta Not only in religion must we auoyd all thinges contrary to the word of God but also whatsoeuer is not therein prescribed o Polanus Comment in Ezec 20 pag 481. yea howbeit the same should be deuised by the acutest men defended by the most learned and receiued by long custome Then we serue God p. Fox Act. and mon p. 18 29. when in his worship we follow his word and not mans fantasies custome multitude c so Bradford the martyr Thus we haue according to his intreatie taken a vew of his two thinges the which are so vaine and frivelous as indeed deserued no answere yet least any of that faction should thinke we passed them over without any examintion because we feared the weight and force thereof I haue breiflie replyed and desire the humble and godly Reader to conâ—ider what both haue written SECTION 3. â—The Epistoler hauing ended his two obseruations prepareth now himselfe in the next place in earnest for disputation * Dulce bellâ—â—â— in expertis And first of all after some spitefull words cast on his opposites like Thraso in Terence who thought himselfe a none-such o. Metuebant omnes iam me in Eunuch and thereupon boastingly prayseth himselfe They are all affraid of me Act 3. sc 1. as if he had don some great peâ—ceâ— of seruice he daringlie prouokes who * Et calum territat armis Virg. in Aeneid will to reply if their stomacks serue And because he will speake omissis nugis to the purpose indeed He vndertakes to handle the point in controversie methodicallie that is to propound first his opposites obiections And afterwards to giue some answere to them First sayth he they obiect say that we hould the Church of England to be a false Church and the ministers thereof to be Antichristian and yet we goe thither to worship and this say they is absurd His answere hereto is Before wee answere directlie to this obiection we shall intreat the Reader and themselues to consider of what followes Answ we read of one Doria the Admiral of Genua that fighting at sea against the Sarasens he fetched his course so farre about to gaine the wind that he could neuer come to strike a blow before the battle was ended The Epist is here fallen into such a wild and wandring course for seeking to get some advantage by windy wordes he goes quite away from the thing which he propounded and comes not againe to speake either much or little of it But no maruaile our new maister * It seemes the Pist is one of Antontes scholers mentioned in Tullie vvho vvisheth men if they be trobled about a hard question to say nothing to it hath shewed vs such a trick Cic de orat l. 2 the truth is as one a D. Couel Church Gouerment c 1 p 5 speakes in the like case he made the obiection stronger then he was able to answere Better therfore to be silent then light a candle to discouer his owne nakednes But it may be he or others of that side wil be the more willing to reply if they shall se this argument laid downe in some better forme If that will doe it we will doe our best to make way for them Thus then we reason To worship God in any other way or manner then he hath in his word prescribed is vnlawfull But to heare Antichristian Ministers in false Churches is to worship God in a way and manner which he hath not prescribed Therefore it is a sinne to doe it The maior no man dares deny I assure my selfe For it is manifest and certane by the whole course of the scriptures Deu 12. 8. Leuit. 10. 20. psa 119 133 Mic. 7. 18 Hos 9. 15 Ihon 4. 23. mat 15. 3. 4. Colos 2 8. 2 Ioh. 16. 17. Moreouer all sorts and sects of writers acknowledge this For a truth Zanchy b Explicat in Coloss 2â— 23. pag. â—19 Toâ—â— 4 saith Deus et solus vult coli et eo solo