incense to Baal And from the expression of an Altar v 23. which among the Gentiles had an Image near it and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Dr. Hammond in his Annot. on v. 16. saith was not their Worshâ—ps or their Altars but their Idols that is their Deities themselves for so the word is used Wisd. 14.20 And on 2 Thes. 2 4. alledgeth Theophylact as interpreting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 17.23 by their Idols and from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 22 applyed to this worship is collected that the unknown God was as a Daemor to whom they erected an Image or Pillar which they conceived their Deity present at which is rendred a standing Image in our translation or an Image of stone to which they did bow down forbidden Levit. 26.13 of which Ainsworth in his Annot. there may be seen So that upon this account the Athenians may be charged with Idolatry in that they in bowing down to or worshipping the unknown God did direct it to the Idol or Pillar which did represent him unto which also an Altar was dedicated But it s added Sect. 3. This Authors Argument as well proves himself an Idolater as the Conformist The minor or second Proposition viz. That the present Ministers of England worship the true God in another way than he hath said he will be worshipped in and is prescribed by him is that which is denied by some but the truth thereof we doubt not will to the unprejudiced Reader be beyond exception evident from the ensuing Demonstration viz. Those that worship God after the way of the Common-Prayer-Book worship him in another way than that he hath said he will be worshipped in and is prescribed by him But the present Ministers of England worship God after the way of the Common-Prayer-Book Therefore c. The minor or second Proposition cannot be denied their subscription before they are admitted to the Ministry together with their daily and constant practice are sufficient evidences thereof Answ. That unwary Readers may not be deceived by the ambiguity of the phrase here used it is to be considered That the way of Worship not prescribed by God may be either when the worship is to another thing besides or with God which alone proves Idolatry and in which sense the minor was denied and should have been proved Or by another way is meant another Ceremony or Rite in which the Worship of God is placed such as was the Pharisees washing their hands which may be Will-worship if to God only but not Idolatry and so if he could prove our Ministers guilty of this yet should they not be proved Idolaters any more than the Pharisees were with which neither Christ nor his Apostles do charge them But this Author doth noâ— so much as goe about to prove the minor denied in this sense But in a third sense to wit by another way of Worship than what God hath prescribed he understands another way of expression of worship in which the worship is not placed but is used only as an outward means for conveniency yet accounted alterable In which sense the minor is not denied But the major of his Argument is denied in either of these two later senses of the phrase and the minor in the two former in neither of which doth he goe about to prove it I add 1. That he doth vainly suppose God hath appointed or prescribed the particularities of the modes or way of his Worship in every of the sorts or kinds of worship he hath prescribed as particularly in Prayer that it must not in a pre-conceived and stinted form of words imposed by Rulers be performed to him but that it must by the Minister be done in a loose undetermined unpremeditate or unprescribed form of words by any man The which supposition is before shewed to be an errour in the Answer to the Preface sect 20. ch 1. sect 3. ch 4. sect 9. ch 5. sect 3 4 5 7. 2. In this sense in which he useth the phrase his Argument may be retorted upon himself Those that worship the true God in any other way that is form of expression than he hath said he will be worshipped in and is prescribed by him are Idolaters But they who pray in a loose undetermined unpremeditated or unprescribed form of words by man worship the true God in another way that is form of expression than he hath said he will be worshipped in and is prescribed by him Therefore they among whom thâ—s Author is one are Idolaters The major is his own the minor by his own grants stands firm till he can shew where God hath said He will be worshipped in and hath prescribed such a loose form of expression in Prayer which I yet find not What this Author hath said before is answered before Till he brings better proof though I will not pronounce him an Idolater yet I shall judge him to be guilty of superstition in counting that to be sin which God hath not made such and of usurpation of Gods Legislative power in Pharisee-like requiring observance of his own tradition as Gods command together with evil censoriousness rash judging and uncharitable separation But let us goe on Sect. 4. Prayer in a stinted form may be worship of God of his appointment As for the major Proposition saith he That to worship God after the way of the Common-Prayer-Book is to worship him in a way that is not of his appointment 1. Let any shew when and where such a stinted form of service was appointed by Christ and this part of the controversie is at an end Sure we are there are not the least footsteps of such a way of worship to be found in the New Testament no not in the whole Book of God whatever is pretended by some touching Liturgies in the sense we are speaking amongst the people of the Jews No nor yet was there any such a way of worship thought of much less imposed in the first and purer times of the Gospel for several centuries of years after the dayes of Christ and his Apostles In the Epistles of the Church of Smyrna about the martyrdome of Polycarpus and of the Churches of Vienna and Lyons concerning their persecution in the Epistle of Clemens or the Church of Rome to the Church of Corinth in the writings of Ignatius Justin Martyr Clemens Tertullian Origen Cyprian and their Contemporaries there is not only an utter silence of such a thing but assertions wholly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and opposite thereunto Tertullian sayes expresly Illuc suspicientes Christiani manibus expansis quia innocuius capite nudo quia non erubescimus denique sine monitore quia de pectore oramus Apol. cap. 30. The Christians in those days he tells us looking towards Heaven not on their Common-Prayer-Books with their hands spread abroad c. prayed to God without a monitor because from their hearts And in several places he â—estifies that they praised God in
THEODVLIA OR A JUST DEFENCE Of HEARING the SERMONS And other Teaching of the present Ministers of England Against a Book unjustly entituled in Greek A Christian testimony against them that serve the Image of the Beast In English A Christian and sober Testimony against sinful Complyance Wherein the unlawfulness of Hearing the present Ministers of England is pretended to be clearly demonstrated by an Author termed by himself Christophilus Antichristomachus By JOHN TOMBES B.D. Luke 9.49 50. And John answered and said Master We saw one casting out Devils in thy name and we forbade him because he followeth not with us And Jesus said unto him Forbid him not for he that is not against us is for us LONDON Printed by E. Cotes for Henry Eversden under the Crown Tavern in West-Smithfield 1667. PErlegi hunc librum cui titulus Theodulia in quo nihil reperio doctrinae disciplinaeve Ecclesiae Anglicanae aut bonis morihus contrarium Joh. Hall S. T. B. Rev. in Christo Patri Humfredo D. Episc. Lond. à sac dom Ex aedibus Fulhamiens Calend. Maii 1667. To the Right Honourable EDWARD EARL of CLARENDON Lord Chancellour of ENGLAND THE great favour your Honour hath vouchsafed me and the great Candour your ingenuity hath shewed in accepting some former Writings have imboldned me to present this also to your hands not only that it might be some part of a plea for my self as not averse from Union and Peace but also that it may somewhat conduce to a closing of that miserable breach which that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St. Basil termed it the unmeasurable drawing things in contrary ways hath made among us as hoping that though difference of Opinions should be incurable yet the discords of Protestants of the same Faith are not incurable To the remedy of which no person after his Majesty by reason of your eminent authority and prudence is likely to contribute more than your self Whereto if the Lord make your Lordship instrumental it may be so blessed a work as may tend much to your Honour and comfort in the day of the resignation of your spirit into the hand of him that gave it The sad face of things in Europe chiefly by reason of differences about Religion makes it seem a deplorable thing and should move every right-hearted Christian to endeavour the composing of Differences salva veritate that a deluge of Popery or Mahometanism may not overwhelm us As for my self I expect no other event than obloquy from persons of this Authors mind and such like it being the usual lot of men that seek to part a fray to displease both parties though I am not conscious to my self that I have herein written or done any thing which might be a just grievance to any my study being neither to uphold a rising party nor to depress the dejected but to promote Truth and the publick Peace to which I have addicted my self and in order thereto subscribe my self Your Honours devoted and deeply obliged Servant in our Lord John Tombes TO THE CHRISTIAN READERS Especially those to whom at any time I have Preached the Word of God Sect. 1. Prefaces needful by reason of Readers prejudice IT was the Order of the Court of Areopagites at Athens that Pleas before them should be without Proems lest their passions being stirred by Oratory their judgment should be perverted and favourable inclination to a person should cause a sentence to be passed by them not congruous to the merit of the cause And it were well if in all Controversies about matters of Religion there were so strict a Law observed that in all disputes whether by Writing or Conference all such Prefaces or Expressions be severely prohibited and restrained as tend to create prejudice and partial propension to one part more than to another But experience too much informing us that even in Morals and matters of Religion though the consequent be their Peace or undoing the guiding aright or misleading their Consciences yea the salvation or perdition of their souls Treatises have their fate pro captu Lectoris as the Readers or Hearers are affected each thing is received secundum modum receptivitatis recipientis as the quality and mind of the Receivers disposeth them insomuch that any corrupting errour from some whom they affect is received by many and the clearest truths are rejected by persons preoccupated with prejudice either against the thing or person that doth deliver them Which makes it very necessary to blow away such duâ—â— out of the ballance of mens minds as might makâ— the Scales of their Understanding unequal what they are to weigh what is presented to it I list not to give instances by mentioning such experiments as either former or this present Age have yielded of the ill effects that debates have had through prejudices on both sides against persons and things caused by such preconceits as either education relations advantages or engagements forestall men with being unwilling to rake out of the Grave again such Occurrences of this kind as I hope are buried and wish they may not be revived Nevertheless sith I have too much intelligence that personal exceptions have caused such misprisions as are likely to hinder the equal judging of the present controversie whereby as the Writer is wronged so the Reader is much more wronged by himself when he refuseth to examine the matter though of much concernment to him because he is by fame or other motive disâ—ffâ—cted to the Author I am induced to speak something of my self and the occasion of this Writing and the History of this Controversie being necessitated thereto by the strange Title and Preface of the Book I am now to examine Sect. 2. Prejudice against the Author as favouring Separation causless I find by very many evidences that my Writings about a point which few can concoct have caused such an aversness in the spirits of a great number even of those that seem to be inquisitive into truth that my later Writings even those which have been recommended to the World by the chief of my Antagonists though not much contradicted yet have not found such receptions as such arguments were deemed to require Which had discouraged me from this kind of imployment did not the expectation of my giving account about the improvement of the talent committed to me by my Lord and Master make me judge that being restrained from publick Preaching I ought to use it in this way out of hopes of serving my generatian therein Being busied in some other Arguments I met with the Book which I here examine and not long after with another having this Title Prelatical Preachers none of Christs Teachers whereby I perceived that the seeds of most rigid separation were sown and did spread themselves much among many whose good I conceived my self bound to endeavour and not only for their sakes but also for the publick Peace as much as in me lies to pluck up such roots of bitterness Which I rather
godly Non-Conformists is some inducement to hear the present Ministers Sect. 12. The Magistrates command to hear the present Ministers is to be obeyed Sect. 13. Conformists Ministry instrumental to convert souls Sect. 14. To the observation of the Lords Day hearing the present Ministers as the case now is may be requisite Sect. 15. An appendix containing forty additional reasons against denying the lawfulness of hearing the present Ministers Sect. 16. Some passages in the writings of Mr. John Goodwin opposite to the Book entituled Prelatical Preachers none of Christs teachers THEODVLIA OR A JUST DEFENCE Of HEARING the SERMONS And other Teaching of the present Ministers of England In Answer to the Book entituled A Christian and sober Testimony against sinful Complyance An Answer to the Preface to the ensuing Discourse of that Book HAving premised so much as I suppose may be of use to the Reader concerning the Title and Epistle to the Reader of the Book which I intend to examine I proceed to a discussion of the Book it self which is more Scholastical than the other Treatise Entituled Prelatical Preachers none of Christs Teachers or any other that I have met with of late Composure and therefore more fit to be sifted for the bolting out of the Truth by Argument It is distributed into a Preface and ten Chapters I shall follow him in his method as being suitable enough and comprehensive of that which may be said in this matter Sâ—ct 1. Of the worship of God and how hearing is worship of him First he conceives it a reasonable Postulatum in the present enquiry concerning our part of the instituted worship of Christ under the Gospel with respect unto the duty incumbent upon the Saints in order thereunto that the whole thereof be divolved upon the Scriptures of the new Testament and those Royal Lawes that Christ the alone King and Law giver of his church hath given for Saints under the New Testament dispensation to walk by untill they arrive unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. Eph. 4.13 Answ. The term worship of Christ or worship of God used Chap. 1. c. imports such an action as whereby God is observed served or honoured as God and Christ as Christ. All actions therefore whereby God and Christ are acknowledged and glorified under the proper consideration of God or Christ as God or the Messiah are meant by worship of God and Christ Either of which may be real or putative and imaginary They that worshipped the golden Calf did proclaim a feast to Jehovah and said these are thy Gods O Israel that brought thee out of the Land of Egypt Exod. 32.5 8. which shews they intended to worship Jehovah as God by that feast and the sacrificing to that Idol but this was not real worship of God but only imaginary and false worship Real and true worship is either mediate or immediate Mediate is when any action of holiness or righteousness is done in obedience to God as the motive or impulsive cause to glorifie God as God Christ as Christ as the end or final cause yet not without respect to some other So by works of righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Christ is served acceptably to God Rom. 14.18 Servants that obey their Masters fearing God do it to the Lord and not to men and thereby serve the Lord Christ Col. 3.22 23 24. Where the Action of it self is not a worship of God or Christ but in respect of the motive and end though the doing of the thing be not per se of it self a worship of God yet it being done by vertue of Gods Command and in reference to him as God it is in that respect a worship of God and a Service of Christ. Immediate worship is that which is directed to God as the sole object of it without the intervention of any other as for whose sake end or use it is done or upon whom it is terminated for his honour though it may be that some other may be used as the means by which the action is done As for instance offering Sacrifice to God was immediate worship to God though it were done by the Priest because though the Priest were used by reason of his office and dignity yet it is not directed to or terminated on him for his honour nor out of any such respect of acknowledging superiority or excellency in him as in a servants obedience to his Master nor to benefit him or gratify him as in acts of righteousness to men out of obedience to God but the action is done entirely and immediately to and for God his honour and glory by testifying thereby his excellency worthiness soveraignty goodness or other excellency which I conceive agreeable to the notion of worship which seems to be a contract of worthyship and notes singular respect esteem or regard by reason of some worth in the thing worshipped conceived in the heart and expressed by some signe the former being inward worship the other outward this gather from the use of the term Worshipfull your worship given to superiours by reason of their dignity and the use of the words in the solemnity of marriage with my body I thee worship that is honour thee in the sence in which St. Peter 1 Epist. 3.7 requires the husband 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to distribute render impart or give honour esteem price or valuation to the wife as his own for his use as a helper or to gratifie her as in the old ritual alledged by Mr. Selden in his Uxor Ehraica l. 2. c. 27. was in Latin corpore meo te dignor I bestow on thee to gratifie thee out of singular regard to thee my Body Both which notions seem to be implied in that old version of the words 1 Sam. 2.30 mentioned in the Conference at Hampton Court them that honour me I will honour in the old them that worship me I will worship in the one our worshipping of God importing our glorifying him as God as the expression is Rom. 1.21 in the other Gods worshipping of us his gratifying us as a benefactour out of that love favour and esteem he hath of us Now hearing is worship of God or Christ in the former notion it being for enquiry of God or Christ what is their minde or will towards us out of apprehension of our dependence on them or respect to them as a Servant on his Master a Scholler on his Teacher And then we worship God in hearing when we hear as it is said of the Thessalonians 1 Thessal 2.13 that when they received the word of God which they heard of St. Paul and other Teachers they received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God which effectually worketh also in them that believe Hearing then as it is a worship of God is a seeking from God such revelation as may be for our benefit arising from the
apprehension we have of his omnisciency goodness wisdome and truth who neither can be deceived nor deceive that he only knoweth all things that we are to call no man our Father upon the Earth for one is our Father which is in Heaven Mat. 23.9 As on the contrary when Ahazias 2 Kings 1. sent to Baalzebub the God of Ekron to enquire of that Idol he worshipped Baalzebub and when Saul enquired of one that had a familiar Spirit and not of the Lord 1 Chron. 10.13 14. He worshiped that familiar Spirit Our Lord Christ is that Prophet whom God requires us to hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto us Acts 3.22 God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last dayes spoken to us by his Son Heb. 1.1 2. And they that hear his word as the person to whom all things are delivered by the Father Mat. 11.27 as he in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge Col. 2.3 as that great Prophet who was to come into the World Luke 7.16 do worship Christ in hearing As on the other side he that heareth any other as Rabbi or master in that sense in which Christ asserts himself to be the only Master Mat. 23.8 10. as the Papists do who enquire of the Pope as infallible when he speaks or determins from his Chair doth worship him as his great Prophet Rabbi or Master which Christ forbids as an usurpation of his prerogative This worship of Christ is immediate even when we enquire of his minde by hearing other teachers who bring his word to us though not called as the Apostles and some others in the first planting of the Christian Churches as he that attends to a Kings Proclamation read or brought by never so inconsiderable a person declares by his Loyal hearing of it his honouring of his Prince not of the reader Câ—ier or messenger Yea God is worshipped and Christ honoured by hearing the Gospel read as the word of God as immediately and truly though not so solemnly by a boy at home as by a Pastor of a Church Sect. 2. Of hearing how instituted worship and to be devolved on the Scriptures of the New Testament Instituted worship of Christ is such as is by Christs institution Now institutions saith a civil Lawyer are praeceptions by which men are instructed and taught as the books of Ouintilian inscribed Institutions of Orators of Lactantius Divine Institutions of Erasmus the Institution of a Christian Prince of Aldus Institutions of Grammer of Calvin Institutions of religion Instituted woâ—ship of Christ under the Gospel is that which is by Christs praeceptions taught directed or appointed in the times of the Gospel since Christs coming in the Flesh. Which may be meant of that natural or moral worship which belongs to God or Christ such as are prayers to God giving thanks to him such like Of this it is true in respect of the explicite way of prayer or thanksgiving in the name of Jesus Christ or such peculiar manner as belongs to the New Testament the whole thereof is to be divolved upon the Scriptures of the New Testament that is as I interpret his words the direction or precept concerning it is to be taken from the Scriptures of the New Testament yet not excluding the directions and precepts of the Scriptures of the Old Testament nor the light of nature so far as that worship is perpetual and general to all people and times as being either natural or moral Of which sort I take hearing the word of God to be though some peculiarities there are which the Almighty hath tied us to in the New Testament in hearing as Mat. 17 5. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him Luke 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Yet these passages do not exclude the precepts or directions of the Old Testament but presuppose them to be heard and learned in respect of the matter therein contained and the persons that reveal it so our Lord Christ Luke 16.29 They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them 2 Peter 1.19 we have also a more sure word of prophecy whereunto you do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place Nor do I meet with any prohibitions of hearing any but False-Prophets Mat. 7.15 deceivers Titus 1.10 that teach other doctrin 1 Tim 1.3 2 John 10 another Gospel Gal. 1.8 9. Our Lord Christ Caveat is Mark 4.24 Take heed what ye hear not warning them to avoid any that preacheth the same truth that he delivers though he more especially tyed his Disciples to hear his Apostles and such other as were sent by them to him yet when all the Church at Jerusalem except the Apostles which consisted of many thousands were scattered abroad by persecution and went every where preaching the word Acts 8.1 4. It was no sin to hear them they were not the strangers meant John 10.5 whom his Sheep were to flee from but rather they were bound to hear them in preaching his Gospel though not by any peculiar calling designed for that work as their function it being Christs declaration that his Sheep hear his voice John 10.27 Nor are the many precepts or directions in the Old Testament about hearing or reading Isai. 8.20 in the books of the Psalmes and Proverbs and other parts of Holy Scriptures vacated but that they remain still rules to us about hearing in the New Testament times and therefore it seems not to me to be a reasonable postulatum or demand that in the present enquiry of the Lawfulness of hearing the present Ministers of England the whole thereof be devolved upon the Scriptures of the New Testament Sect. 3. Hearing not a meer positive or ceremonial worship But perhaps the Author means by instituted worship of Christ such as is meerly positive or as we use to speak ceremonial such as are Baptism and the Lords Supper which are only worship of God by institution in the New Testament which is probable to be his meaning by what he adds not perplexing our selves nor the Consciences of any with what was or may be supposed to be permitted unto the Saints before the time of reformation whilst the worldly Sanctuary was yet standing the carnal ordinances pertaining thereunto in being at least by the providence of God not sully dissolved as afterward both it and they were being buried in the ashes and ruines of that Temple to which they were inseparably annext But if he make hearing of the present Ministers such an instituted worship of God or Christ he seems to me very inconsiderate hearing of preachers being a moral and perpetual worship common to all times and persons not a meer positive or ceremonial as being baptized or receiving the Lords supper are and therefore by reason
of the Offices of Christ when contradicted by practice is nothing to the salvation of the person so professing in the sense in which St. Paul saith 1 Cor. 13 2. Though I have the gift of Prophecie and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains and have no charity I am nothing that is as v. 3. it profiteth me nothing and no further are to be drawn the words of the Apostle Tit. 1.16 than that which is expressed in the Text that to such persons nothing is pure but their minds and consciences are defiled and so to the Interrogation I answer such a ones plea shall not be admitted before God or in an Ecclesiastical censure or a private judgment so as that he shall have the approbation or benefit of a real subject to Christ yet all this doth not prove that his doctrine impugnes the Offices of Christ or that his doctrine may not be heard to the profit of the Hearers J. Owen of the duty of Pastors p. 24. God oftentimes out of his care for his flock bestows gifts on some for the benefit of others on whom he will bestow no graces for the benefit of their own souls P. 43. People must beware of false Prophets How shall they do this but by trying their doctrine by the rule Nor is it true that Christ hath decided the question as he would have it as if Christ had said that false Prophets are to be descried by their virtous life not by their doctrine He saith indeed they are known by their fruits but that these fruits are only their evil life he saith not No where is any one said to be a false Prophet that doth not take upon him to prophesie he may be a bad man that teacheth no false Doctrine but not a false Prophet Judas was a wicked man a Devil but no where termed a false Prophet yea he was one of those that Christ sent to preach and one of those of whom he saith Mat. 10.40 He that receiveth you receiveth me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me In the Old Testament Jer. 5.3 23.16 17 25 26. Micah 3.5 false Prophets are said to be such as prophesied Lyes in Gods name and he sent them not that they taught lying divinations the Visions of their own heart they cried peace when there was no peace they attempted to draw them after other gods Deut. 13.2 In the New Testament 2 Pet. 2.1 There were false Prophets among the people even as there shall be false Teachers among you who privily shall bring in damnable heresies denying the Lord that bought them 1 Joh. 4.1 Many false Prophets are gone out into the World and they are said to be such as confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh that they speak of the World v. 3 5. That is true which Mr. John Ball in his Trial of the grounds of Separation ch 13. pag. 312. hath If we look into the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament we shall never find the Prophets called true or false in respect of their outward calling I add or only their vitious lives but in respect of their doctrine Yea though a man should by his doctrine deny the Offices of Christ only by remote consequence as by teaching something as appointed by Christ which was not or denying something to be instituted by Christ which was so appointed yet should he not be accounted a false Prophet but an erring man who while he layes the foundation rightly yet through ignorance or inadverrencie builds Hay and Stubble thereon as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 3.12 And therefore that which this Author doth so confidently pronounce as if it were as clear as the Sun and denied by none but those whose eyes the God of this World hath blinded That those that do really that is in their practice though not in their preaching oppose any of the Offices of Christ are not to be heard no not when they preach saving Truths of the Gospel but separated from not only in respect of private or Church Communion in the Lords Supper or Prayers but in attending on the Ministry of the Word delivered by them which is his major proposition is so far from being light that it seems rather to me some of that smoak of the bottomless pit whâ—ch the God of this World raiseth to hinder many poor souls from hearing that Word wherein the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ the image of God doth shine unto men Nor were not professing enlightned people as he calls them held by prejudice or guided by affection more than by judgment could they grant this proposition For if according to this Authors dictates he that really that is in heart or practice opposeth any of the Offices of Christ is to be separated from then every one who disobeys his Commands believes not his Words that is an hypocrite yea that sins or errs in any thing Christ hath revealed or commanded is to be separated from and not to be heard and so all must turn Seekers or Quakers if they do not meet with a Teacher who is perfect without sin or errour As for what this Author saith for demonstration of it that such are Antichrists 1 Joh. 2.22 and 4.2 3. 2 Joh. 7. and that Beza is of the same mind and that they that hear them strengthen their opposition unto the Offices of Christ and partake with them in their sin is false For neither doth St. John nor Beza in his Annotations count any for Antichrists there meant but such as by their doctrine oppugne Christs Nature or Office which he terms the false Doctrine of the Antichrists nor is he at all guilty of the sins of the Minister who is evil in his life by hearing him preach truth yea though he preach some errours and it be probable that when he hears him he shall hear some errour preached by him unless some other way he abet his sin or errour or omit his duty in seeking to amend him But let us attend the proof of his minor Sect 2. Every not hearkning to Christs Order is not a denial of his Office 'T is the second thing may sound harsh in the ears of some as did some sayings of Christ but if truth where God shall give the seeing eye and hearing ear 't will be received viz. 2. That the present Ministers of England do oppose and deny some of the Offices of Christ viz. His Kingly and Prophetical Office which we come to the proof of Arg. 1. Those that hearken not to the Revelation Christ hath made and as supreme Lord and Law-giver hath enjoyned to be observed touching the Orders and Ordinances of his house deny the Prophetical and Kingly Office of Christ Deut. 18.18 Acts 3.22 Isa. 9.6 But the present Ministers of England hearken and conform not to the Revelation Christ hath made touching the Orders and Ordinances of his house Therefore
pernicious wickedness in whomsoever though reputed Saints And though there is too much cause to bewail that there is so little effect upon the preaching of the present Ministers yet sure to argue thence that they are not sent of God but are false Prophets is altogether inconsequent Mr. Robinson in his justification of separation p. 306 307. speaks better than so when he saith It is most evident that whosoever converteth a man unto God that person doth in truth and in deed Minister the word of God and the spirit by the word and so may be said to be sent of God In that general and large sense wherein Mr. Bernard p. 313. expounds the word Sent or Apostle I do acknowledge many Ministers in England sent of God that is that it comes not to pass without the special providence and ordination of God that such and such men should rise up and preach such and such truths for the furtherance of the salvation of Gods elect in the places where they come But this Accuser adds Sect. 5. The Ministers are not proved such daubers as those Ezek. 22.28 4. That they prophesie placentia smooth things according to the desires tempers and lusts of men to the pleasing of whom they addict themselvs Jer. 6.14 and 27.9 Ezek. 13.10 11. and 22 28. What visible lineaments of such a frame of spirit are drawn upon the faces of that generation of men concerning whom we are now discoursing Have they not been of all others I am now speaking of such as are looked upon by Professors as men of the greatest parts and holiness the most ready to strike in with preach up and plead for what was suitable unto the spirits of such upon whom they have had a dependance 'T were indeed well for them could they in their present standing and practise acquit themselves from that sore crime of seeking to please men which if they do they cannot be the servants of Christ Gal. 1.10 Answ. They do by their glossings and flatteries lull people asleep in security bearing them in hand that there is no such dangerous matter towards them as Gods Prophets tell them but that all shall be well whatsoever they say see the same chap. 8.11 see also Lam. 2.14 Ezek. 13.22 is Mr. Gatakers Paraphrase in his Annotations on Jer. 6.14 That which was prophesied Jer. 27.9 is expressed to be that they should not serve the King of Babylon The daubing Ezek. 13.10 11. was by seeing vanity and divining lies ver 9. Ezek. 22.28 saying Thus saith the Lord when the Lord hath not spoken If the present Ministers of England do so they are to be accounted false Prophets But do not this Authors own words in the next crimination before when he saith perhaps they do in their Sermons reprove sin thunder out the Judgments of God against transgressors of his Law as much as any clear the Ministers and prove himself guilty of false accusation what those visible lineaments of such a frame of spirit are should have been named if he would have dealt plainly If men of greatest parts and holiness on one side have been the most ready to strike in with preach up and plead for what was suitable unto the spirits of such upon whom they have had dependance may it not be said so of men of the greatest parts and holiness of the Congregational party that they have been liable to the like It were well if both parties would search themselves and not be so forward to accuse each other As I conceived long ago in my printed Treatise of glorying in men on 1 Cor. 3.21 so I am still by much experience confirmed that the so termed Professors of England out of their injudiciousness and partial affection have done much hurt to themselves and the Church of God by looking upon glorying in adhering to some as of greatest parts and holiness with disparagement of others whence evil surmizes censurings divisions from them that are disaffected swallowing down without chewing what those utter whom they follow which hath been a temptation to Teachers to vent such things as were not right for the retaining of their followers and a trap whereby their hearers have been ensnared to their own and others no small disquietness And I agree with this Author that it were well indeed with the Ministers and with their dissenters or opposites if they could all acquit themselves from this sore crime of seeking to please men and that we could all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seek and speak the truth in love Ephes. 4.15 Yet further saith he Sect. 6. Ministers changing of places sadning some mens hearts not characters of a false Prophet 5. That they are greedy Dogs that can never have enough and look every man for his gain from his quarter Isa. 56.11 seeking and serving themselves in their ministration Ezek. 13.19 Micah 3. 5.11 in the Margin In a translation of the New Testament dedicated to Edward the Sixth the Author of the Notes on Chap. 10. sayes We must preach the truth without any respect of reward or gains They therefore that preach for their bellies sake or preach after the prescript of man are not the Disciples of Christ. That herein is a perfect harmony betwixt these false Prophets and the present Ministers of England cannot be denied what means else their frequent calls from places of less to places of greater value their gaping and greedy desires after preferment the vexations they put poor men to that cannot in conscience put into their mouths preparing War against them Answ. Isa. 56.11 may be understood as well of the civil Magistrate as the Minister and of neither is it a Character of a Minister not to be heard as being a false Prophet nor of an usurper or unlawful Magistrate that is not to be obeyed Ezek. 13.19 notes a Character of a false Prophet but the proper character of him as such is not that he prophecied for handfuls of Barley or pieces of Bread but that they polluted God among his people by lying to them Micah 3.5 is a character of a false Prophet in that they made Gods people to erre their preparing war against him that put not into their mouth is a common accident to corrupt men not a property of a false Prophet and in like manner the Prophets divining for money ver 11. or the Priests teaching for money no more proves a false Prophet or false Priest then the heads judging for reward proves them false heads these are their personal vices which may be in a true Prophet as in Judas and in a true Priest as Hophni or in a true head as in Jehoiakim Jer. 22.17 and so are impertinent to prove a Minister a false Prophet Nor is it any more to the purpose what is in the Margin sith he that preacheth truth with respect of reward or gains may be a true Prophet though not a good man and so they that preach for their bellies sake though if they preach not
other may be said to be Idolaters the hearts of the best men 〈◊〉 too often going forth too farr in desires after and secret dependence upon things beneath the Lord which yet they are watching and warring against waiting and longing for the day in which they shall be câ—mpleatly swallowed up in the will of God T is in respect of the sâ—cond particular before instanc'd in that we assert the present Ministers of England to be Idolaters To the proof whereof we now addâ—ess ourselves Answ. The Conclusion is not the same with that which at first Ch. 1. was undertaken to be defended That it is not lawful for the Saints to hear the present Ministers of England nor doth it necessarily follow that if we may not have communion with persons nor own them as our teachers but separate from them That we may not hear them preach the Gospel An excommunicate person I am not to have communion with nor to own the Teachers of forreign Churches as suppose the Lutheran as my teachers yea I may be bound to separate from such as suppose a Popish Priest as Jansenist preaching the doctrine of original sin of efficacious grace or the Gospel concerning redemption by the blood of Christ whom yet I may lawfully hear handling those truths according to the received doctrine of St. Augustin Nor is the maâ—or true if the Idolatry be in that way which he here calls Idolatry the worshipping of God in any other way than what he hath prescribed nor if the Idolatry be secret and not open nor though it be open if by infirmity he fall into it and repents or be not censured as such or teacheth nor such Idolatry nor requires any communion with him in his Idolatry Nor do the Texts prove his maâ—or 1 Cor. 5 11. forbids no oâ—her communion than eating and that eating which might be with Idolaters of this wâ—â—ld v. 10 and therefore not eating the Lords Supper Nor doth it any moâ—e forbid eating with a Bâ—other called an 〈◊〉 than with a Brother called a fornicatour or covetous 〈…〉 or an extortioner and therefore if this Text prove a necessity of separation from such in holy exercises as Prayer or the Lords Supper it forbids doing these things with a covetous person or railer and then a Christian Brother must have cognizance of such sins and be a Judge of every one he communicates with which were absurd and therefore it can be meant of no other than arbitrary familiar converse as in eating where I am at liberty to eat or not to eat and of private judgement of discretion which each one is to exercise in the choice of his company But nothing to the owning of a Teacher or shunning to hear him For here the person is considered only as a Brother not a Teacher in Office 1 Cor. 10 14. is less to the purpose for it requires only to flee from Idolatry not from Teachers that are any way Idolatrous so as not to hear them 2 Cor. 6.14 15 16 17 18. requires not to be yoaked with Infidels not to have part with them not to agree with Idols to come out from among Infidels to be separate not to touch the unclean thing that is the Idol which may be done and yet a person some way guilty of Idolatry may be heard yea owned as our Teacher and we may have some communion with him in holy things as in Prayer and the Lords Supper and praising God which are not Idolatrous That which is premised by this Author before his confirmation of the minor requires some Animadversions upon it The definition of Idolatry which hitherto hath been received by all Protestants that I know of is that which Dr. John Rainold hath delivered in his 2 d. Book de Idololatria Ecclesiae Romanae c. 1. that it is the exhibiting of Divine Worship to a Creature and hath proved it from Rom. 1.25 where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether it be read instead of the Creatour as explained by the Authors of the writing of the Constitutions of Clemens by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is cited by Grotius in his Annot. or Praeterito Creatore the Creatour being forsaken or neglected as Beza after Hilarius or besides the Creatour as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 besides that which is laid 1 Cor. 3 11. or as the Vulgar Potius quam Creatori rather than to the Creatour or as ours more than the Creatour shews that there is a worship and service proper to the Creatour and herein was the Idolatry of the Gentiles and all other that they worshipped and served the creature with that which was due only to the Creatour And therefore I conceive it not to be Idolatry where Divine Worship is not exhibited to a creature that is directed to some person or thing substance or accident real or imagined which is not the Creatour of all things It is true that Heathen-Idolaters did many of them make the Creatour of all the utmost bound or terminus of their Image-worship as the Apostle saith Acts 17.23 that the Athenians did ignorantly worship the unknown God and yet were Idolaters because their worship was first of the Image as the next terminus or object to which it was exhibited And the same is true of the Israelites worshipping of the calf though they worshipped God in it Exod. 32.5 because though they did not worship the Calf terminatively that is so as to intend to direct their worship to it as the utmost bound of it or last or chief object yet it was the molten Image which they worshipped Psal. 106.19 Exod. 32.8 It is indeed most gross and absurd Idolatry when the creature is worshipped terminatively and therefore the worship of Baal is accounted worse than the worship of the golden calves at Dan and Bethel 1 Kings 16.31 because it was terminated lastly to the Sun or to the Devil who was worshipped by Molech to whom they sacrificed their Sons and Daughters Psal. 106.37 38. And this Idolatry was the Idolatry of the Canaanites and a great part of the world and of the Jewes at last as St. Stephen chargeth them with Acts 7.41 42 43. Nor do I think it true which this Author here and p. 63. saith that there are few or none that worship the creature Terminative sith not only of old the host of Heaven was worshipped by most of the Idolaters as may be gathered out of the Scriptures and is largely demonstrated by Mâ— Selden in his Syntagma de Diis Syris but also at this day the Devil himself is worshipped in the East and West-Indies in some Northern Countries and Southern if the relation of Travellers Historians and Chorographers be true It is granted that it is somewhat more refined Idolatry when we offer up any worship or homage proper and due to God only before any creature as the medium or representative of God For then the worship is directed to it as Gods Deputy to receive it for him and so the