God in vaine Matth. 15.9 not one of them worshipped God aright in spirit and truth neyther did they liue after the lawes of God and Christ but after the lawes and customes and fashion of this world whereof they were When men spake to them of peace they were bent to warre and in stead of loue vnfained they did beare a perfect hatred to the Saints These men then were not such as be heere described yea none of them had any one of these properties which you necessarily require in euery member of the visible Church much lesse all of them And therefore by this description none of them were of the visible Church and yet by the Scripture it is plaine that they were all of the visible Church Thus we see your description accordeth not with the holy Scriptures neither hath warrant from thence but by them is easily conuinced notwithstanding you alledge for confirmation thereof sixe and thirty testimonies of holy Scripture But a thousand more so peruerted will not make good your description nor any other of your errors And because I know you will hardly leaue this hold and for that if this be battered downe and made euen with the ground you must needs betake your selues some other way I will therefore againe assault you by the force of another Argument If the visible Church be a company of faithfull and holy people that worship Christ aright are peaceably and quietly gouerned by his officers and lawes keepe the vnitie of faith in the bond of peace and loue vnfained Then none haue been at any time of the visible Church but such as haue beene faithfull and holy did worship Christ aright c as followeth in your description But some haue beene of the visible Church who were not such as be heere described as Cain Ismael Esau Saul Doeg Ioab Absalom the Scribes and Pharisies with infinite others Therefore the visible Church is not a company of faithfull people worshipping Christ aright c. The Consequence of the Proposition I doe illustrate and confirme by the like If the visible Church be a company of people professing the true Religion then none haue beene of the visible Church but such as haue professed the true Religion If the inuisible Church be the company of the elect then none haue beene or are of the inuisible Church but such as were and are elect and their names written in the booke of life The assumption your selues will grant Againe I reason with you on this manner If this be a true description then no reprobates euer haue bin are or shall be of the visible Church but only the elect for none haue beene are or can bee such as are heere described but the elect But many reprobates haue beene are and shall be of the visible Church Therefore this description of the visible Church is false The Proposition must needs be true except Christ Iesus be the King Priest and Prophet of Reprobates and that Reprobates worship Christ aright in Spirit and truth be gouerned by his lawes as their only King keepe the vnitie of faith in the bond of peace and doe vnfainedly loue the brethren Matth. 22.14 The Assumption will not be denied and it is manifest by that short speech of Iesus Many are called but few chosen This description being heretofore found fault with by some and Master Ainsworth iustifying the same it shall not be amisse to heare what hee saith in answere to them and in defence thereof Câ—unterpoys 208. They cauill at our description of a Church when we say that it is a company of faithfull people that truely worship Christ and readily obey him this say these Ministers is vtterly vntrue if it be vnderstood of the visible Church This is strange What would they haue vs describe the Church to be A company of Infidels or a company of faithfull and of infidels together when Paul teacheth that there is no communion betweene such 2. Cor. 6.14 15. or should wee say a people that falsely worshippe Christ Indeed if so we held we might well returne to their Church of England for there is false worship more then enough The Apostle writing to the visible Church of Ephesas calleth them Saints and the faithfull in Christ Iesus Will they say that this also was vtterly vntrue Their owne articles of Religion in England * Aâ—no 1562. Aâ—t 19. say thus The visible Church of Christ is a Congregation of faithfull people c. And is this also vntrue I answere you hauing respect to your owne words A visible Church is a coÌ„pany professing true faith or a company professing the true worship of God some whereof haue faith in Christ I meane true and iustifying faith and worshâ—p God indeed euen in spirit and truth the rest being the greatest part are hypocriticall worshippers void of true faith hauing only eyther the temporall or historicall faith or no faith at all but very Atheists Yet professe they the true worship of God and faith in Christ Iesus and in this respect may be called faithfull in Christ Iesus and Saints because whatsoeuer they be their profession is holy and he holy in whom they would seeme to belieue and whom they seeme to worship truly And in this sence our Church saith A visible Church is a Congregation of faithfull people that is of such as professe faith in Christ Iesus Of this sort of Infidels and counterfeit Professors were Cain and for a time Ismael Esau also Saul Absalom Iudas Simon Magus with infinite more Vnderstanding Infidels thus as they may well be called Infidels or vnbeleeuers who haue not true faith Then I say the Church is a company of saithfull and of Infidels 2. Cor. 6.14 But if by Infidels you meane the same the Scripture vsually vnderstandeth by this word such as worship a false god and doe not so much as professe the worship of the only true God or faith in him then it is true that a visible Church is not a company of faithfull and Infidels together And the hauing communion with such Infidels as these in their false worship is that which the Apostle condemneth He doth not forbid to partake in diuine worship with such Infidels as formerly I haue spokeÌ„ of wicked vngodly men void of true faith as euery where very fondly you tel vs nor yet to communicate with these Infidels he speaketh of in true diuine worship but this he condemneth and argueth against That the children of God may not haue communion with Infidels and Heathens in their false and Idolatrous worship as some of the Saints at Corinth as it might seeme did repairing to the Idols Temples and ioyning therewith their neighbours that were Idolaters in their idolatrous worship This they thought they might lawfully doe so long as in their hearts and inward affections they condemned it and kept them pure as may be gathered from 2. Cor. 7.1 And this is it that Paul reproueth and nothing lesse then
are to be found in diuine worship Such was the Religion and worship of the Iewes when Christ was vpon the earth at which time contrary to Gods appointment they had two high Priests Annas and Caiphas And where the high Priests office was to continue during his life they now held it but for a yeere To say nothing of their exceeding great corruption in doctrine and manners yet was the Religion and worshippe of the Iewes at that time the onely true Religion and worshippe but not a pure Religion and worshippe The same is true of the Church of Corinthus of the Churches of Galatia and of the seuen Churches in Asia And such is the Religion we professe in England and the worshippe we giue to God a true but not a pure Religion and worship And of this kind also wee may assure our selues is the Religion of the Churches in Scotland in France in the Low-countries yea euen of all the reformed Churches in Christendome though not all corrupted in the same degree True Religion is corrupted lesse or more And that is according as in diuine worship is omitted more or lesse of those things which God hath appointed or added and mixed therewith more or lesse which God hath not commanded or both As when any thing in Diuine worship is wanting which God hath ordained it is not pure Religion and worship but corrupted though it may be a true Religion and worship so when with Diuine worship are mixed Quaere de circumstantiis loci temporis habitus gestus c. or thereunto added some ceremonies more or lesse and ordinances of mans deuising which we call humane inuentions Religion then and worship are thereby corrupted and cannot be said to be pure and vndefiled The reason whereof is because God hath not left it to the liberty and will of man to serue and worship him as hee pleaseth and thinketh good but as he alone will be worshipped so in that manner as he not man hath appointed and no otherwise Nothing is left heere to the wit and will of man he may neyther adde nor omit any thing a Deut. 12.32 and 4.2 Prou. 30.6 Whatsoeuer I command you take heed you doe it thou shalt not adde vnto it nor diminish from it Hence it came to passe that b Leuit. 10.1 a fire came out from the Lord and deuoured Nadab and Abihu euen for offering strange fire before the Lord which he had not commanded them And that the Lord did slay c 2. Sam. 6.16 Vzzah holding vp the Arke of God when it was shaken and in danger to fall Hereby the Lord did shew how highly he is offended with this corrupting and defiling of his worship To teach the sonnes of men to beware thereof Thus you see the difference betweene pure Religion and the pure worship of God and true religion and worship corrupted Also that a people may be of a true Religion and haue the true worship of God and so be a true Church and yet not of that Religion which is pure and vndefiled nor haue the sincere worship As one beleeuing in Christ is a true Christian though he hath many infirmities So a company professing true Religion is a true Church though it hath in it many corruptions and bee a pure Church As a man beleeuing in Christ though he ought to be free from all impurity of soule and body and abound in all grace as much as is possible is a true Christian notwithstanding he attaine not to this perfection but haue many infirmities so a Church or company of men professing true Religion though in the worship of God it should be free from all humane inuentions and haue all the ordinances of God as much as is possible notwithstanding it attaine not to this height of purity or perfection but haue therein many corruptions is neuerthelesse a true Church CHAP. VI. That the profession of true Religion maketh one a member of the visible Church HAuing now prepared and made a way to the Readers better vnderstanding I returne to my former description willing thee againe to remember that I doe not say that a visible Church is a company of people professing the pure Religion of God but a company professing true Religion Adde thereunto if you will and enioying a true worship of God though not a pure worship And heere fitly I may frame another description of the visible Church That it is a company of men enioying and submitting themselues to the true worship of God Let there be an assembly ioyned together in prayer in hearing the Word and in receiuing the Sacraments a Touching the substance therof though not in euery circumstance and in that purity which ought to be according to Christs institution and it is a true visible Church If thou wilt soundly vnderstand Christian Reader what a true visible Church is and be preserued from that errour and Schisme into which many of late haue fallen thou must carefully obserue and remember these two things First The difference betweene pure Religion and true Religion corrupted betwixt pure worship and true worship corrupted whereof we haue spoken Secondly That to the making or being of a member of the visible Church a profession of true Religion and an outward submission to true worship sufficeth From whence these conclusions doe follow First That an Assembly may be a true visible Church though it professe not the Religion that is pure and vndefiled nor liue vnder a pure and sincere worship of God but such as is partly impure and corrupted Secondly That a man may be of the true visible Church though he be not religious and godly but indeed and in truth irreligious and prophane so that he professe the true Religion And that such may be and are of the visible Church who only outwardly submit themselues to the true worship of God though they be not true worshippers and doe not worship God in Spirit and truth This profession of the true Religion and submission I speake of is all in all in this case It is that which giueth life and being to euery member vnited to his body so as whosoeuer maketh this profession and vseth this submission being knit to this body and not cut off by excommunication is in and of the visible Church The matter of this Church is a company of men not one but a company lesse or more And yet not a company of Angels or Spirits but of men The forme is the profession of true Religion or submission to the true worship of God As therfore it is in all other cases that where the matter and forme of a thing is there is the thing it selfe euen so it is in this particular Ainsw to Master Stone pag. 18. Mark 1.24 Act. 16.16 In a Pamphlet set forth by Master Ainsworth as it is reported against Master Stone we haue to the premises this answere That this profession is not wanting in the Sinagogue of Satan For saith
from among vs whom wee call Brownists contrarie minded who both reiect the aforesaid doctrine as erronious and condemne our Parish assemblies for false Churches it remaineth we heare what they likewise teach concerning the Church and their Arguments whereby they would proue our Church to be a false Church that so wee may more clearely see on which side the truth is whereby the louers of the Truth shall be preserued from error and Wisdome iustified of her children THE SECOND BOOKE CHAP. I. A confutation of H. BARROW his description of a true visible Church WEE haue spoken in the former Chapter of the first vse wee make of the aforesaid Doctrine of the visible Church And there we haue seene how fitly it seemeth to iustifie the Church of England and to proue her to be a true Church now by it wee will also conuince the Brownists false doctrine of the visible Church And that shall be the second and lâ—st vse of the Doctrine aforesaid For the better vnderstanding of the Brownists doctrine concerning the true visible Church let vs heare how it is described by them It is saith BARROW a company and fellowship of faithfull and holy people gathered in the name of Christ Iesus A true description of the visible Church pag. 1. their only King Priest Prophet worshipping him aright being peaceably quietly gouerned by his officers lawes keeping the vnity of faith in the bond of peace and loue vnfained Generalâ—y coÌ„cerning this description I affirme that a Apology 44. Counterp 115. Princ. Infer 8. 10. as al the rest of the descriptions or definitions of the visible Church which they do giue so this likewise is rather a description of the inuisible Church militant then of the visible That which is hâ—ere set downe is true onely of the Elect and cannot properly and truely bee spoken of any Reprobate whereof a true visible Church may in part consist as well of the Elect for as the Elect only are faithfull and holy indeed and effectually called so Christ Iesus is their onely b Though Christ Iesus be in diuers respects King of the visible Church yet he is not King Priest Prophet of the visible but only of the inuisible Church hee cannot be said to be Priest of the visible Church but with relation had to them that be of the inuisible Church King Priest and Prophet they alone doe worshippe him aright are gouerned by his lawes keepe the vnity of faith in the bond of peace and loue vnfained But let vs brifely consider of the seuerall parts of this description That your meaning is the visible Church consisteth only of faithfull holy persons it is hereafter made manifest and appeareth also by the last page of H. Barrow his book intituled A true description of the visible Church where hee saith that into the visible Church there entereth no vncleane thing or person but all such are without how true this Doctrine is wee shall anon heare as also of the gathering heere spoken of And that the visible Church and consequently all the members thereof haue not Christ Iesus to be their King Priest and Prophet in the end of this booke it is made manifest Omitting therefore these things wee will come to that which in the description followeth In it you adde that the visible Church consisteth of a Company that worship Christ aright and to proue this you send vs to three places of Scripture the two first viz. Exod. 20.7.8 Leuit. 10.5 speake neuer a word for you The last and onely testimony you haue is Ioh. 4.23 where Iesus saith That the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and truth and that the Father requireth such to worship him And hereof our Lord rendereth a reason in the words next following saying God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and truth which in effect is this that God being of a spirituall nature requireth a spirituall seruice agreeable to his nature Of a company of such kind of worshippers say you doth the visible Church consist But how can this possibly be true seeing Christ Iesus speaking to some of the visible Church Matth. 15.7 saith thus O Hypocrites Esaias prophecied well of you saying this people draweth neere vnto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but their heart is farre from mee but in vaine doe they worship me These were no true worshippers worshipping God in Spirit and truth but only outwardly and Hypocritically whereupon Iesus calleth them Hypocrites and yet were these worshippers members of the visible Church And whereas of the visible Church the greatest part are Hypocrites or hypocriticall worshâ—ppers by this description and doctrine of yours there can be no Hipocrites in it for you teach that the visible Church is a company that worship God in Spirit and truth but no Hypocrites worshippe God in Spirit and truth therefore by your doctrine no Hypocrites are of or in the visible Church That no hypocrites doe worship God in spirit and truth which resteth only to be proued it is hereby manifest First because they doe not worship God with a true and sincere affection of the heart Secondly Because this worshipping of God in spirit and truth is that worship which God requireth to be performed to him by men accepteth of and is well pleased with but the worship of hypocrites God forbiddeth reiecteth and abhorreth Hypocrites therefore doe not worship God in spirit and truth Thirdly As many as thus worship God in this world Heb. 11.6 Psal 19.11 he will honor in the world to come and for their poore seruice done to him on earth he will aboundantly reward them in heauen now woe be to Hypocrites saith Christ And againe giue him his portion with Hypocrites This is the hypocrites reward Where you say that the visible Church is a company peaceably and quietly gouerned by Christ's officers and lawes considering the greatest part of the visible Church are reprobates and so rebels against Christ taking part with Satan against him how can this be truely said of the visible Church and consequently of all the members thereof Cain Ismael Esau Saul Absolom the Scribes and Pharisies were all of the visible Church These and thousands more such in the Church haue beene so farre from being quietly gouerned by Christs lawes that with them in the second Psalme they haue said Verse 3. Let vs breake their bonds and cast their cords from vs. The visible Church therefore is not a company of such loyall and obedient subiects to Christ as these men affirme How peaceably and quietly was Saul gouerned by the lawes of God and Church officers then when he caused the Priests of the Lord to be slaine and eagerly persecuted Dauid thirsting after his bloud and that all his life time The same may be said of Cain killing Abel of Ismael mocking or as the Apostle saith persecuting Isaak of Absalom
when he killed his brother rebelled against his father lay with his Concubines and vsurped the Kingdome of the Scribes and Pharisies traducing blaspheming mocking and putting to death the Lord Iesus and lastly of all the domesticall enemies of the Church who haue reuiled slandered imprisoned banished and murthered the Saints All these were of the visible Church and yet were none of these peaceably gouerned by Christs officers and lawes but were rebels against Christ transgressors of his lawes and despisers of his officers You speake therefore most vntruely when you say that the visible Church is a company fellowship peaceably quietly gouerned by Christ his officers laws Finally in requiring loue vnfained in all the members of the visible Church seeing this loue is an effect of faith vnfained as Paul sheweth 1. Tim. 1.5 Doe you not therein also require of them that be of this society that faith which worketh by loue 1. Pet. 1.9 euen the true and iustifying faith the end whereof is the saluation of mans soule Whereupon followeth that the visible Church is a company of faithfull indeed and consequently of such as shall be saued This that I inserre how false soeuer you feare not to teach saying They keepe the vnitie of faith in the bond of peace This loue vnfained they onely haue which loue the brethren not in word and tongue but in deed and truth as appeareth also by their quoting of Ioh. 13.34 But this loue whosoeuer haue are translated from death to life and thereof may assure themselues The whole company therefore of the visible Church hauing this loue as you teach are by this doctrine sure of life and saluation Doe you not blush to tell vs in effect that that loue is to be found in euery member of the visible Church which the holy Ghost doth giue vs for an infallible marke of the child of God and heire of saluation Another place of Scripture that in the margent is quoted for the proofe hereof is 1. Cor. 13. 4. Can that loue trow you the Apostle there speaketh of fal into the reprobate and be found in any but Gods elect coÌ„sidering the heaueÌ„ly effects it hath in whomsoeuer it is Among other things of this loue it is said that it thinketh not euill it reioyceth not in iniquity but reioceth in the truth and that it doth neuer fall away In which respect it doth excell faith and hope as is said in the last verse now abideth faith hope and loue but the chiefest of these is loue What meane you to require this loue which is proper to the elect in all the members of the visible Church of the which the most are reprobates Cain slew his brother Ismael persecuted Isaak of Esau it is said That he hated Iacob Cen. 27.41 because of the blessing wherewith his father had blessed him and therefore purposed to slay him How deadly Saul did hate Dauid and hunt after his life as one would hunt a Partridge the holy story maketh mention And as for the Scribes and Pharisies their extreame hatred against Christ and all that confessed him is manifest in the history of the Gospell their crucifying of Christ and persecuting of his members did shew the hatred that was in their hearts Hereunto we may adde the persecutâ—rs and murtherers of the Saints that haue beene in the Church almost in all ages many whereof were of the visible Church yet were they so farre from louing the brethren that they did hate them with a cruell hatred We see then men haue bin of the visible Church and therefore may be at this day who haue not this vnfained loue of the brethren nay are as far from it as hatred from loue and darknesse from light How then doe you truly describe the visible Church that it is a company of men who loue one another vnfainedly Thus in effect you teach that the visible Church consisteth of a company and fellowship of people who as they are at peace with God and among themselues so haue they vnfâ—ined loue one to another Wheras the most of the visible Church being reprobates wicked and vngodly men as they haue no peace with God according to that of the Prophet Isa 48.22 there is no peace saith the Lord to the wicked so neither are they nor can be at peace with men I meane the rest of the Church which are the elect Except you will haue peace betweene the Serpent and the woman and both their seeds The Scriptures tell vs there is and will be no peace nor loue Gen. 3.15 but perpetuall enmitie and warre betwixt these You tell vs in effect nay that these meeting together in the Church they are peaceable and kind louing vnfainedly one another you should adde as Ioab did Abner and Amasa 2. Sam. 3.27 and 20.10 whom vnder the pretence of brotherly loue he killed with the sword As Ioab kissed Amasa and Iudas Christ so vsually doe some members of the Church kisse some others Prou. 29.27 Salomon saith That the righteous are an abomination to the wicked and the wicked to the righteous but in the visible Church there are righteous and wicked men therefore in the visible Church there are some that abhorre and haue others in abomination You say nay they are all tyed together by the bond of peace and loue Iesus saith of himselfe That he came not to send peace into the earth Matth. 10.34 Luk. 12.49.51 but rather debate and a sword nay fire and what is his desire but that it be kindled Is not this sword and fire the seperation also and enmity that our Lord further speaketh of which commeth through the preaching of the Gospell to be found in the Church and betweene the members thereof But only betwixt them that are in the Church and those that are without If any be thus fondly conceited let him looke backe to the premisses and his error will be corrected As the aforesaid members of the visible Church Ismael Esau Saul the Scribes and Pharisies had not this loue vnfained so neither had they the other essentiall properties which you require in all them who be of a true visible Church They were not faithfull and holy indeed nor yet holy in the face and outward appearance which you require at least nor otherwise faithfull and holy then the most open wicked of our Land They had not Christ to be their King Matth. 1.21 Priest and Prophet They were rebels and none of Christs subiects or people all which he will saue The Diuell was their father and king and they his children and vassals doing the lusts of him their father in stead of the wil of God As he was a murtherer from the beginning so were they all murtherers in their times The like may bee said touching Christ his not being their Priest nor Prophet Worshippers of God they were indeed but hypocriticall not true and sincere worshippers of many of them Iesus said Yee worship
that which you doe from hence vsually collect and vrge against vs. CHAP. II. A confutation of another description of the true visible Church giuen by the Brownists Where much is said concerning the first gathering of a Church and commixture of good and bad in the Church BVt omitting this description of H. Barrowes wee will proceed to another of theirs laid downe in their Apologie Apologie 44. It is say they a company of people called and seperated from the world by the word of God and ioyned together by voluntary profession of the faith of Christ in the fellowship of the Gospell If this be a true description then whosoeuer is not called and seperated from the world by the word of God c. is not a member of the visible Church for of such a company so called and qualified it doth consist as you affirme But some not called and seperated from the world c. haue bin are and shall be of the vâ—sible Church as is euident by that which followeth this therfore is not a true description of the visible Church It is a company of people say you called by the word of God whereby you meane that by the power and force of the Word only in the Ministery and preaching therof men are brought to be of this societie that is of the visible Church and not by the call perswasion or commandement of the Magistrate or any mortall man And this you put downe in your description that thereby you might proue our Parish assemblies to bee no true but false visible Churches because in the beginning of Queene Elizabeths raigne the people then liuing were not called by the Word and gathered by the preaching thereof but all brought in at once by her commandement and proclamation Hereupon it is that in the former description of the visible Church they say It is a company gathered in the name of Christ Iesus And Master Iohnson applying this to vs saith We were neuer rightly gathered together according to Gods ordinance Defence of the Churches and Minist of Eng. 86. that is as heere he speaketh not called by the word of God meaning the preaching thereof as appeareth by his quotations of Scripture in the margent We answere If we speake of a Church when it is first planted I meane of a Nation when first it commeth to embrace and professe the Gospell and true Religion the people of such a Nation for a great part there of are called by the word of God before they come to be a visible Church By the power and truth of the Word and diuine maiestie shining euery where therein the children of men be brought to forsake their false Religion and worship and to ioyne together in the profession of true Religion whereby they become a visible Church And this is confirmed throughout the whole story of the Acts of the Apostles both in the conuersion of the Iewes or gathering visible Churches of them set downe in the nine first Chapters and likewise of the gentiles continuing from the beginning of the tenth Chapter to the latter end of that booke In the second of the Acts where mention is made of a great increase or addition to the visible Church that before that time was among the Iewes of about three thousand soules and in the fourth of the Acts of a further increase to about fiue thousand Act. 2.14 and 4.4 in both these places the meanes is specified whereby this was brought to passe and that is said to be the hearing and and receiuing of the word of God preached by Peter and other of the Apostles In the eight chapter of the Actes wee reade of a Church gathered in the Citie of Samaria by Philip his preaching Christ vnto them and in the eleuenth Chapter of the Acts of a great Church gathered by the preaching of certaine Prophets and Euangelists in Antiochia in Syria In a word where in the Acts we reade of the conuersion of a people to God as in Antiochia a Citie of Pisidia in Iconium Listra Derbe Philippi Thessalonica Berea Athens Corinthus and Rome in the same places we heare that they were called and the said visible Churches gathered by the preaching of the word But mark all these Churches were now first planted and these people newly conuerted from Iudaisme or Gentilisme that is eyther from the Iewish Religion or false Religion of the Gentiles to the Christian Religion In such a case to the gathering and beâ—ng of a Church the preaching of the Word is absolutely necessary so as without it a company of people cannot bee brought to be a Church But if we speake of a Church established or of a Country where for some time true Religion hath beene professed and God truly worshipped though sometimes interrupted broken off and discontinued which is our case then this holdeth not As vnder the Law both Iewes and Gentiles professing the Iewish religion by Circumcision so by Baptisme Christians vnder the Gospell are incorporated into the visible Church and made members thereof Are not the children of the faithfull by Baptisme receiued into the visible Church and thereby made members thereof And not by the call of the word the sound whereof many of them do not heare and if they doe they cannot vnderstand it And what letteth why some of these when they bee growen men may not thorough hypocrisie continue in the Church though in the hardnes of their hearts they neuer were affected and touched with the word many such hypocrites and hard-hearted men dead in their sinnes and trespasses and that haue consciences seared with a hot Iron haue euer beene are and shall be in the Church who neuer by the call of the word and power thereof would haue become members of the Church nor haue felt any touch that way but onely because they were borne and brought vp in the Church and not cast out either through the want of due execution of discipline or else through their deepe dissimulation and hypocrisie they being like painted tombes which appeare beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones and all filthinesse Surely it is not to be thought that Cain Ismael Esau with others that many of the fatte Bulls of Basan that many of those who in Israel killed the Prophets and stoned them which were sent vnto them that many of the Scribes and Pharisies were affected with the Word or so much as tasted of the power and sweetnes thereof and yet were they all of the visible Church How were these then called by the word of God Againe that without this call by the word men may come to be of the visible Church it is yet more euident by the scripture In the twelfth chapter of Exodus where mention is made of the departure of the Children of Israel out of Egypt it is said That a great multitude of sundry sorts of all people went out with them Verse 38. now all or most of these we may assure
our selues were Proselites of the Iewes Religion so of the visible Church and yet vndoubtedly they came not to be such by the call of the word or by the power and operation therof but by beholding the great and wonderfull workes which the Lord wrought by the hand of Moses and Aaron and the freedom of the Iewes from those plagues which fell vpon the Egyptians When Haman was hanged and Mordecai exalted and comfortable letters sent to the Iewes that they should be readie on such a day and auenge themselues on their enemies so as vnto the Iewes was come light and ioy and gladnesse and honor it is recorded in that story Ester 8.17 that many of the people of that Land became Iewes that is turned to and professed the Iewes Religion and so were ioyned to the Church and then immediatly is shewed how that came to passe not by the call power and operation of the Word but because the feare of the Iewes fell vpon them This is manifest likewise in the Gospell where many are said to beleeue in Christ that is to professe faith in Christ and so were of the visible Church of whom it is plaine they were not drawne thereunto by the word but some by the report they heard of Christ as Ioh. 4.39 some for their belly sake to be fed by him as Ioh. 6.26 and some by his miracles as Ioh. 2.27 Seeing then this is not necessarie and generally true of all the members of the Church that they are called by the word of God very vnfitly was it placed in the description of a visible Church which if it were good would be true and each part of it of euery member thereof If it bee true that a visible Church is a company of men then thus is it also true whosoeuer is not a man is not nor can be of the visible Church and therefore no Angels no spirits or soules of men can be of this Church euen so it is in this case If this be true that a visible Church is a company called by the word of God then this is true also that whosoeuer is not called by the word and hath not felt the force and power of this mighty word is no member of the visible Church Moreouer suppose that one of the visible Church haue children and seruants that be Papists and that he after other perswasions commands and threats shall say vnto them except yee forsake your idolatry and worship God according to his word and not after the traditions and deuises of men yee shall be no children nor seruants vnto mee And that thereupon they frequent the Church assemblies and in processe of time doe in policie outwardly seeme to be religious renouncing Popery and p ofessing the true Religion when in the meane season they continue Popish still And not those to be accounted of the visible Church Yes verily for what though they haue a heart and a heart that is nothing to man we must leaue that to God Yet these children and seruants came not to bee of the Church by the call of the Word And herein this Father and Master did nothing but what in duety to God Gen. 18.19 and loue to men he ought to doe For I know him saith the Lord that he will command his sonnes and his houshold after him that they keepe the way of the Lord to doe righteousnesse and iudgement that the Lord may bring vpon Abraham that he hath spoken vnto him May and ought the Master and Father of a family doe this and may not or ought not the Father of the Country according to that authority which God hath giuen him likewise do the like by his family If he may why doe you condemne as it should seeme the proclamation and commandement giuen in this behalfe by Queene Elizabeth not long after shee came to the Crowne whereby the gathering of our Churches was hastened You ought rather to haue commended her for it When Iudah was fallen to Idolatry whereby it became a false Church the Lord raised vp certaine Kings of Iudah to restore and purge the Religion and worship of God then greatly corrupted whereby it became againe a true Church And this that they might the better effect they a 2. King 23.21 2. Chron. 14.4 and 33.16 commanded the people to serue the Lord in that manner that he had appointed them and not after the fashion and appointment of men as they had done Of Iosiah it is said That b 2. Chron. 34 33. hee compelled all that were found in Israel to serue the Lord their God Yea some of them to this end c 2. Chro. 30.5.6.10 made proclamation throughout all Israel from Beersheba euen to Dan and accordingly sent forth the postes with the said proclamations or letters and that which is more d 2. Chro. 15.12.13 calling a Parliament made this statute or law That whosoeuer would not seeke the Lord God of Israel that is serue him according to his word as it is expounded 2. Chron. 14.4 should be slaine Concerning this also they caused the people to take an oath Then it followeth in the text And the Lord gaue them rest round about Whereby is intimated that God approued of this compulsion to serue him and therewith was well pleased Yee now that so greatly condemne the gathering of our Churches and teach that all who are of the visible Church are called by the word of God and thereby onely made members of that society That God heere must perswade the heart of man Counterpoyson 72. 170. That Christs Church to wit visible is a people begotten of God with the word of truth that Gods people meaning the visible Church are a voluntary people And thereupon condemne all force and compulsion vsed herein by the Magistrate Tell me I pray you whether all the Idolaters in the daies of Asa Hezekiah Manasseh and Iosiah that reformed themselues touching their outward profession were by the force and power of the word of God then preached brought to professe the true Religion and to ioyne with others in the true worship of God and so to be of the visible Church If you answere affirmatiuely he is a foole that beleeues you and such a one sure that if you say the crow is white will likewise beleeue you If negatiuely we need no more to conuince you For it some haue come to be of the visible Church who before were not and not by the call of the word which in giuing this negatiue answere you affirme then is not the visible Church a company of people câ—lled by the word of God as you define it Secondly I demand of you why commandements proclamations threates force and compulsion being vsed by the Kings or Queenes of England in the restoring or purging of the Religion and worshâ—p of God should not as well now bâ—e lawfull and pleasing to the Lord as the like proceedings vsed by the Kings of Iudah were in
would not you and all men laugh at me for my folly and falsitie No lesse ridiculous and false is that you affirme of Abijah True it is that Abijah had warre with Ieroboam King of Israel but Religion was not the cause thereof but this Abijah being valiant would haue brought backe againe the Kingdome of Israel which Ieroboam had taken as Abijah said to the whole armie of Israel by rebellion from his father REHOBOAM a childe and tender hearted and one that could not resist him as Abijah saith of him Abijah his loue then and desire after the Kingdome of Israel was the cause of this warre as is plaine by 2. Chron. 13.5 6 7. and not his zeale for the true Religion and hatred of the false as your words pretend A man that readeth these words of yours would likewise imagine that Abijah was religious and worshipped God truly whereas in truth he was a notorious hypocrite and grosse idolater In the shutting vp of your answere touching Asa you say that ASA found not his Kingdome a false Church as King Edward and Queene Elizabeth found England This also is very vntrue Nay ASA found Iudah worse then they did England For Iudah in Abijah his raigne worshipped false gods whereas England in the daies of King Henry and Queene Mary worshipped the true God though after a false manner But suppose that Iudah in Abijah his time was not a false Church and that Asa found it a true that lets not but that in Iudah there might be idolaters at the same time worshipping either a false God or the true God after a false manner as the Papists at this day in England doe Nay wee cannot but acknowledge that such there were indeed considering this is said of Asa in the very entrance into his Kingdome 2. Chro. 14.3 That hee tooke away the altars of the strange gods and the high places and brake downe the Images and cut downe the groues Vers 4. And commanded Iudah to seeke the Lord God of their Fathers and to doe according to the Law and the Commandement Now these idolaters that in their high places offered to strange gods did ASA command to forsake their idolatrie and to worship the Lord God of their Fathers after the manner hee had commanded as is plaine First By the coherence and dependance of the two verses aforesaid Secondly ASA needed not to giue this commandement to them who did already worship God truely but to the idolaters that were in Iudah that eyther worshipped strange gods or the Lord after their owne inuentions and not as he had commanded Is it not then plaine in the example of Asa That Christian Princes may and ought to command their subiects being idolaters to forsake their idolatrie and to worship the Lord and consequently to ioyne themselues to the true Church say it were true that the Church of Iudah was then not a false but a true Church Yes verily euen al one as if the Church in Abijah his time had been a false Church as indeed it was Specially if hereunto we adde that which is set downe in the second verse That herein Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord. But grant we that the dissimilitude you speake of would helpe you against the example and practise of Asa yet is it no answere to the other two examples of Hezekiah and Iosiah seeing they found the Church of Iudah euery whit as false a Church as King Edward and Queene Elizabeth did the Church of England Yea false in a higher degree worshipping false Gods whereas England in King Henry the eight Nay England enioyed the true worship of God part of King Henry his raigne especially during the time of Queene Anne and before the sixe bloudie articles were vrged Act. and Mon. 999. and 1000. 2. Chron. 28.2 3 4. and 23. and 33.2 3 4 5 9. and Queene Maries dayes worshipped yet the true God though after a false manner By the Scripture it is manifest that in the daies of Ahaz and Amon Predecessors to the aforesaid godly Kings Iudah walked in the wayes of Israel made molten Images and set vp altars for Baalim sacrificed vnto the gods of Damascus and of Aram and worshipped all the Host of heauen and serued them nay it is said Iudah and the inhabitants of Ierusalem did worse then the Heathen whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel This you knew well enough and saw but would not see for then you had answered your selfe which you had no desire to doe And this appeareth by your owne words for you acknowledge that IOSIAH purged his Land of false worship 2. That he reduced his people vnto the true seruice of God therefore before Iosiah his raigne in Amon his daies they had the false seruice and worship of God established among them Marke also how Master Ainsworth vsing many words concerning HEZEKIAH his reformation passeth smoothly both by this that Iudah in his entrance to the Kingdome was a false Church and that hee in his said reformation vsed his regall commandement and authority sent forth his proclamation throughout all Israel and Iudah and that by postes for the more speedie dispatch thereof We haue not a word of these things that make as directly against you as can bee and for the iustifying of Queene Elizabeths proclamation in the beginning of her raigne which you spurne against so much But in stead thereof you say That he opened the dores of the Lords house brought in the Priests and Leuites and sent ouer all the Land to conuert the people from idolatry who laughed at the messengers mocked them It may seeme by these messengers you vnderstand or at least would haue your Reader vnderstand certaine Prophets Priests or Leuites That such were sent by the King throughout all Israel and Iudah to preach for the gathering calling and conuerting of this people to God But the Reader must know that these said Messengers were the Postes that carried the Kings proclamations or as it is said 2. Chro. 30.6 went with letters by the commission of the King and his Princes throughout all Israel and Iudah and with the commandement of the King the summe of which proclamations or letters is there set downe Who would euer imagine that they whom the King sent to conuert the people from idolatrie for these be your words were only certaine Postes that carried the proclamations of the King Thus by cunning you deceiue the simple In like manner you deale as touching Iosiah You tell vs that he purged the Land of Idols and false worship and reduced his people vnto the true seruice of God But in the meane season you omit how that to the end he might bring this to passe 2. Chro. 33.16 hee commanded Iudah to serue the Lord God of Israel This which maketh to the very point in hand you passe by and in stead thereof mention that which is nothing to the purpose
because in the beginning of Queene Elizabeths raigne and likewise at this day our parishionall assemblies are no such societies as consist of such onely but had and now haue in them many false and counterfeite Christians and Professors Therefore at the first they were and so continue false visible Churches Is there any so blind who seeth not that hereby they shut out of the Church all Hypocrites For true Professors are opposite to false and counterfeite Professors which are those we call Hypocrites A true Professor is he who is the sonne in trueth that he professeth and maketh shew to be Who professing godlinesse is godly Directly contrary to this man is the Hypocrite The like may be saide of a faithfull and true Christian But a true visible Church saide those Schismaticks is a company of true Professors and Christians and not a mixt company of true and false Professors Therefore in the visible Church by their doctrine there are no Hypocrites With Barrow and Robison doth Maister Ainsworth accord Counterp 72. as being led by the same spirit The Apostle saith he sheweth Iam 1.18 1. Pet. 1.23 That Christs Church is a people begotten with the word of trueth that is the Gospell but your Church was first begotten gathered constituted ordered and is still continued by the Magistrates word and authoritie which if it did not enforce the people the estate wherein you now stand would soone bee changed and your Church dissolued And where you learned so to inforce faith and constraine men to bee members of your Church Alcoran chap. 18. 19. I can not tell vnlesse you would follow Mahomets doctrine who taught that men should bee compelled to the faith by the sword Before you teach that a visible Church is a company of people that doe repent and beleeue the Gospell and here you terme it a people begotten by the Gospel and borne a new nor of mortall but of immortall seede and so all are regenerated that bee in the visible Church and consequently shall inherit the Kingdome of heauen For can hee dye that is begotten and borne of immortall seede whereof both these Apostles speak This doctrine and all of this kinde hereafter following take it as it is by you deliuered and it is palpably false so as it needeth no confutation But your meaning it seemeth is that All in the true visible Church liue so holily righteously and soberly touching their outward carriage before men that wee cannot in equity nor charity account otherwise of them then faithfull and such as haue repented and are conuerted to God and are begotten and borne a new Principles and Inferences 7. yea Elect as M. Smith saith And for this cause as these men suppose all in the visible Church are called Saints and Faithfull As Ephes 1.1 Paul an Apostle of Iesus Christ c. But herein it must needs be they are deceiued seeing there haue beene true visible Churches in former times wherein some members and those not a few haue beene so vile and abominable as the faithfull then liuing could neither in equitie nor charitie iudge so of them as you speake Except they should haue iudged otherwise of the tree then according to the fruits nay cleane contrarie to it whereas our Lord sayth Yee shall know men by their fruits Mat. 7.16 euen as the tree is knowne by the fruits thereof That which M. Smith here affirmeth I haue answered here after in the next Chapter and thither I referre the Reader for further satisfaction Obserue besides the abuse of scripture here Note here their peruerting of Scripture The words of Iames be Of his owne will begate hee vs with the word of truth that wee should be the first fruits of his Creatures By vs who are said here to be begotten by the Gospell the Apostle meaneth himselfe and the rest of the faithfull members of the inuisible Church and not himselfe the rest of the visible Church as you fondly imagine and beare the simple Reader in hand Rom. 6.13 12.2 As the first fruits vnder the Law were dedicated to God and offered vnto him so all the faithfull consecrate and giue vp themselues wholly to God a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto him which is their reasonable seruing of God and not all of the visible Church as you in the application of this Scripture tell vs the most whereof giue themselues and their members as weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne wherein they walke according to the course of this world and after the Prince that ruleth in the ayre euen the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience Of true beleeuers and none others S. Peter also speaketh For they onely are borne a new of that immortall seede hee mentioneth which Iohn 1.12 proueth As many as receiued him to them hee gaue power to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name Againe these that are thus borne a new as 23. vers are said to be redeemed vers 18. to beleeue in God verse 21. To haue their soules purified by the Spirit verse 22. But such as bee of the inuisible Church onely are redeemed beleeue in GOD Counterpoys 158. are purifyed by the Spirit Of such therefore the Apostle here speaketh Hereby it is plaine that you speake vntruely when you say That places setting forth the inuisible Church are not by you brought to set forth the visible Church Yet Ainsworth in slandering and blaspheming our Church is worse and more intollerable then Barrowes whereof wee haue heard before Hee saith not onely that our Church was first begotten and gathered but addeth and is still continued by the Magistrates word and authoritie excluding the words of GOD as if our Church were neither begotten at first nor continued now by the Ministerie of the Word And where learned yee say you so to inforce Faith and constraine men to be members of your Church I answere Not out of the 18. and 19. Chapters of Alcoran which you by your Cotation in the margent imply but out of the sacred scriptures Not from the example of Mahomet but from the commended examples of the godly Kings of Iudah as I haue shewed Thus much you cannot tell or see The greater is your ignorance and blindnesse A spirit of errour hath put out the eye of your vnderstanding But where learne you to compare the doctrine of God to Mahomets doctrine and the examples and practise of the good Kings of Iudah which you acknowledge all Christian Princes should follow with Mahomets example and practise Counterpois 230. Cursed is that zeale which carieth a man beyond all bands of truth and sobrietie Paul being very zealous spake yet the words of truth and sobernesse The Lord lay not this blasphemie to your charge To that which hath been said I onely adde this That if a visible Church were a company of men truely and vnfainedly religious as you in your whole doctrine of the visible church
the Epistles of Paul Peter and Iames there is nothing meant of the inuisible Church Because the saide Epistles were written as you say to the visible Church Also that nothing in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus are spoken either of the inuisible or visible church But of Ministers The foundation whereof is that to whomsoeuer an Apostle writ an Epistle of them all in that Epistle is spoken and to be vnderstood Secondly I deny your assumption and affirme that Peter writ to the Church whereby I meane the same which we call the inuisible Church and euen so did the rest of the Apostles those Epistles excepted which were written to some speciall person For the ministery is giuen to the Church or Saints and Body of Christ Ephes 4.11.12 Which Body the inuisible Church is and not the visible And heere I reason thus as I haue once before To what Church or societie the ministery and Ministers were giuen of Christ to the same the Canonicall Epistles were written But to the Church militant the ministery and Ministers were giuen therfore to it the Epistles were written The proposition is manifest the assumption Ephes 4.11.12 doeth clearely prooue We may remember also heere how Peter in his first Epistle writeth expressely and by name to the Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father vnto sanctification of the Spirit and in the second thus Peter to you which haue obtained like precious Faith with vs which Faith onely the elect haue and therfore is the same in effect with the former Peter to the Elect c. In answering our aforesaide and last obiection Iustif 107. M. Robinson addeth this If you would graunt that onely they are true members of the Church which by the word of God which must be the rule of our iudgement may be iudged Saints it would end this controuersie But all that professe Religion may by the word of God bee iudged Saints as before I haue shewed Otherwise Saul Doeg Ioab Absalom the Scribes and Pharisees Iudas Demas with infinite such were not true members of the visible Church which with any truth you cannot affirme See that you be now M. Robinson as good as your word let this controuersie concerning the matter of the visible church bee ended And thus much concerning the matter of the vis Church Let vs now heare what is the forme thereof The forme say we is the profession of true religion The Separists teach otherwise some that this is the forme some that M. Ainsworth writeth thus Counterp 107. Ibid. 174. To the constitution of a Church there belongs first a people as the matter whereof and 2. a calling gathering and vniting together as the forme whereof the Church consisteth We must remember here that a little after these words he teacheth that Saints by calling are the matter of the visible Church If this be true then calling is comprised vnder the matter and therefore not vnder the forme so that gathering and vniting together must make the forme or else we haue here none That gathering now and vniting together are not the forme I doe thus prooue If a people be the matter and gathering and vniting together the forme of the true visible Church then euery people gathered and vnited together is a true visible Church But the latter is false Therefore the first The proposition is grounded vpon this certaine and vndoubted trueth that where matter forme of a true vis church is there is a true church The assumption to wit that euery people gathered and vnited together is not a true vis Church is likewise true otherwise the congregations of Papists Anabaptists c. bee true Churches for they consist of people gathered and vnited together But leauing this man let vs heare what M. Smith sayeth Principles and Inferences 11. The true forme saith he of a true visible Church is partly inward partly outward The inward part of the forme consisteth in three things 1. the Spirit 2. Faith 3. Loue. The Spirit is the soule animating the whole body Faith vniteth the members of the body to the head Christ Iesus Loue vniteth the members of the body each to other The outward part thereof is a vowe promise oath or couenant betwixt God and the Saints Euery peece and parcell hereof he seemeth to himselfe and to his Disciples to proue substantially he alleadgeth no lesse then twelue testimonies of Scripture for the proofe of one point Reply The forme saith he is partly inward and partly outward Then the matter of the visible Church must bee so too except he will haue a forme without matter which I know you will not say Tell vs therefore what is the inward matter of the visible Church and what is the outward for assuredly wee know not But let this goe The inward forme is the Spirit Faith Loue. One would thinke that this was rather the forme of the Church militant considering these three Spirit Faith Loue are onely to be found in the elect and cannot fall into any reprobate whereof the visible Church consisteth for a great part And first as touching the Spirit it is proper to the chosen as is manifest by Romans 8.14.17 Gal. 4.6 Tit. 1.1 And for this cause Faith is called the Faith of Gods elect because I say it is proper to the elect of God which is further confirmed by that in the Acts Acts 13.48 1. Ioh. 3.14 as many as was ordained to eternall life beleeued And concerning Loue Iohn telleth vs that thereby wee may know and bee assured that wee are translated from death to life The spirit saith hee is the soule animating the whole body By whole body he vnderstands the whole visible Church and his meaning is that as the body of man and all the members and parts thereof are animated that is are quickened and receiue naturall or corporall life from the soule so the whole visible Church and all the members thereof haue spirituall life from the Spirit of God From whence this necessarily followeth that euery one of the visible Church hath the Spirit of God Rom. 8.10.11 quickening him to righteousnesse and holinesse of life here and to immortalitie and eternall life in the world to come For both these effects the spirit worketh in whomsoeuer it is and is there fore-called the spirit of life The which if it bee true Rom. 8.2 I meane that euery member of the visible Church hath the Spirit of God as all of you doe in effect teach and namely as oft as you doe tell vs that a true visible Church is the bodie of Christ then in the visible Church there are none dead in trespasses and sinnes no dead but all liuing stones forasmuch as the whole body and consequently euery member thereof is animated and quickned by the Spirit from whence floweth spirituall life and motion Then in the visible church there be no hypocrites nor carnall or naturall men no wicked person neither openly
say a word for you It argueth that there is not that feare in you of taking Gods Name in vaine and of doing the work of the Lord negligently that should be In like manner you deale in the other parts of this position For whereas you should proue that the Sacraments are a meanes of saluation and the like by prayer and censures you send the Reader to some pla es of scripture where there is mention indeed of a Sacrament of Prayer and of Censures but not a word there to proue them to bee the meanes of saluation Such as these are a l the quotations you haue for proofe of your opinions The way or doore say you whereby both members and officers enter in is Christ that is the way taught by Christ in his word Pag. 13 Ioh. 14.6 10.3.7.9 17 17. Mark 13.34.37 Hereby you intimate that for as much as we walke not in this way nor enter in by this doore members into communion and officers into offices therefore our people are not in communion or bee not members of true visible Churches nor our Ministers Ecclesiasticall Officers but meere priuate That in this way wee walke and enter into the Church and Ministery by this doore it hath touching the former of these beene already made manifest True it is that in neither of these we haue walked or doe with that straight foote we should and that in them wee bewray humane frailtie but such as through the mercy of God in Christ nullifies not our Church and Ministerie no more then Iacobs infirmities in the way hee walked to the blessing hindered him of the blessing Or his faultie entrance into the married estate with Leah made a nullitie in their Matrimonie so as they liued perpetually in adultery And seeing I am fallen into this point of your peruerting and abuse of Scripture and got into this field a large one I confâ—sse and able to tyre a horse I will goe a fewe steppes or pases further therein I take no exception against this position but your proofes thereof In Ioh. 14.6 I am that Way that Trueth and that Life Our Sauiour speaketh of the way to Heauen that by him we must come thither if euer wee will bee there That by him we must haue life eternall else we dye eternally This to be Iesus his meaning we may easily see by the dependance of this verse with the former Christ fortelling his Disciples of his Passion then approaching and of his going to Heauen to prepare a place for them vseth thereupon these wordes And whither I goe yee knowe and the way yee knowe Thomas answers Lord we knowe not whither thou goest how can we knowe the way Iesus replies I am that way meaning that leades to Heauen which is the place whither I goe This is the right sence and meaning of this Scripture For our Sauiour returning a direct answere to Thomas and therefore concerning that way which leadeth to the place whither hee was now going which was Heauen it must needes be that he speaketh of the way to Heauen What meane you now speaking of the way or entrance into the visible Church to coate this Scripture for confirmation thereof In the way Iesus heere speaketh of the Elect onely and the inuisible Church doeth walke for to them alone he is the way In the way you speake of the visible Church the reprobate as well as the Elect doe walke All that walke in the way Iesus speaketh of shall be saued But many of those which tread the way you speake of shall bee damned Christ Iesus then you speake both of diuers societies and of diuers wayes Indeede you speak of a way and heere that word way is vsed Is that enough If I were to prooue that by Christ Iesus as by a doore wee must enter into Heauen and for proofe thereof should alleadge Gen. 6.16 The doore of the Arke thou shalt set in the side thereof Or Gen. 19.6 Then Lot went out at the doore vnto them and shut the doore after him all men would laugh at me Be not offended with me Thus M. Smith deale you M. Iohnson Ainsworth Robinson and Barrow full often in your allegations of Scripture There is nothing more vsuall with all of you then this to vnderstand that of the visible Church which by the holy Ghost is meant and spoken of the inuisible Church or some members thereof Heere is Church and Church but different Churches and Societies members and members but of diuers bodies and therefore the Scriptures concerning one make not at all for the other Your quotation of Ioh. 17.17 Sanctifie them with thy trueth thy word is trueth is idle and to no purpose Iesus speakes there of his eleuen Apostles as is euident by the verses precedent and subsequent specially by the 20. verse praying for them to his Father that seeing he was now to send them into the world to Preach the Gospell to euery creaâ—ure as hâ—s Father had seâ—t him into the world to performe the worke of redemption as vers 18. that he would indue them with gifts of his Spirit for the discharge of the office of Preaching or of Apostleship This you alleadge to prooue â—hat the way taught by Cbrist in his word is the way or doore whereby members are receiued into the visible Church and Officers into Offices Frame your argument and conclude this proposition from this Scripture and the vanitie of your proofe will appeare Like to this is your last testimonie Mark 13.34.37 And those things that I say vnto you I say vnto all men watch For further proofe of your abuse of Scripture your confirmation of your tenth position in the 71. Page of your Apologie may suffice To prooue that the Sacraments being seales of Gods couenant ought to be administred onely to the faithfull and baptisme to their seede which no Christian man vnderstanding this position aright denies or doubts of you coate aboue 50. testimonies of holy Scripture and that which is worse scarce halfe of them as I verily thinke doe manifestly and directly prooue that for which they are by you alleadged And for a tryall and tast thereof let vs heare one or two of your testimonies in stead of many as Ezek. 13.22 Because with your lies yee haue made the hearts of the righteous sadde whom I haue not made sadde and strengthened the hands of the wicked that hee should not returne from his wicked way by promising him life And Reuel 17.1 Then there came one of the seuen Angels which had the seuen vialls and talked with me saying vnto me come I will shew the damnation of the great whore that sitteth vpon many waters Hereunto adde Prou. 9.1.5 Hos 2.2.4 Ezek. 16.59.60.61.62.63 And 23.41.42 Psal 22.30 with sundry others These men being told of their abuse of Scripture doe vtterly deny it and cast it from them as a very slander But how iustly they are by vs charged therewith and how sinfully they stand out against it and blesse themselues in that which is euill doth partly heere appeare but more fully throughout this whole Treatise FINIS
gouernment speake euill of them that are in authoritie and speak euill of those things which they knew not and whatsoeuer things they did know naturally as beasts which are without reason in those things they did corrupt themselues Whom for thâ—ir hatred to the brethren he compareth to Cain and in other respects to Balaam and Core Also to clouds without water carried about of windes corrupt trees without fruit twise dead and plucked vp by the rootes to wandring starres and to the raging waues of the Sea foming out their owne shame These were open wicked men and yet were they of the visible Church as appeareth hereby First in that they are compared to clouds without water whereby is is noted their hypocrisie that they made a shew of godlinesse but were indeede without godlinesse like the clouds that make semblance of raine or water but send downe none Secondly this is confirmed by verse 4. where Iude speaking of these vngodly men saith they were crept in meaning into the Church And lastly by verse 12. These are spots in your feasts of charitie when they feast with you without all feare feeding themselues By these words it is euident that these notorious wicked men were of the Church because they frequented the loue feasts Where these feasts were kept the Christians onely met at which time thâ—y receiued the Lords Supper and had a fâ—ast to witnesse and increase their mutuall loue which they called Agapae loue feasts or feasts of Charitie As open scandalous wicked men haue euâ—r beene in the visible Church so there are such now and hereafter will be from whom vsually the persecutions in the Church doe come The first of these is already made manifest Verse 2.3.4 The later is euident by 2. Tim. 3. where Paul foretelling of the grâ—euous sinners that shall be in these last dayes mentioneth some that must needes be open sinners as boasters cursed speakers disobedient to parents vnholy or profane truce breakers false accusers intemperate c. And least that wee should vnderstand this of them that are without in the end he sheweth that hee meaneth this of the hypocrites in the Church of them which haue a shew of godlinesse but haue denied the power thereof If now Verse 5. as in the first Church there was a Cain as well as an Habel and after an Ismael as well as an Isaack an Esau as well as a Iacob and a Saul as well as a Dauid Scribes and Pharises as well as Ioseph and Mary there haue likewise beene in all ages of the Church after vntill this day and will bee in the ages succeeding open wicked as well as godly yea not onely so but many such so as sometimes scarce any righteous or knowne godly were to be found in the Church by reason of the aboundance of open wicked If I say these things be cleare and euident in the Scriptures as appeareth by the premises how far are you of the Seperation from the truth who teach That a visible Church is a company of righteous and holy men onely sepertaed from the knowne wicked and that into it there entreth not nor therein abideth any vncleane thing neither whatsoeuer worketh abominations Defence of the Churches and Minist of Engl. 7. And whereas the Seperatists contending for this That a visible Church is a company of Saints do thereby require though not true sanctimony in euery member yet an externall holinesse and such a carriage of the outward man in the duties of pietie towards God and iustice towards man as in Charitie one can deeme a member of the true visible Church no other then a Saint I demand of them what outward holinesse the aforesaid Despisers Scorners Blasphemers and Murderers which were notwithstanding of the visible Church had aboue the worst in our Church Also whether the most profane and vile in our Church be not as holy and as good Saints as murdering Cain mocking Ishmael profane Esau persecuting Saul bloudy Doeg traiterous Absalon and the blasphemous Scribes and Pharisies who were all members of a true visible Church Know ye not that all these were most horrible sinners Some of them sitting in the seate of the scorner some persecuting and shedding the bloud of the Saints others blasphemers nay committing blasphemie against the holy Ghost and therefore sinners in the highest degree And the best and holiest of them no better then Dogs and Swine treading vnder their feete the holy and precious Word of God and all to renting them that did teach it Neither can wee be ignorant of this that the sinnes of these men were open and notoriously knowne to the Saints who liued in their times And yet notwithstanding were all these of the true visible Church Men therefore wanting this externall holinesse yea most vile and abominable and notoriously knowne to be such haue yet neuerthelesse been in the true Church principall members in the same And such vndoubtedly are in the Church at this day and will be to the end of the world according to the prophecie of Paul 2. Tim. 3. And here wee may remember how notwithstanding there were such notorious wicked men in the Church of the Iewes Vers 1.2 c. Deut. 7.6 Ps 79.2 111.1 and 149.1 whereof we haue had but a tast and oft times store of them yet neuerthelesse they are calâ—ed the people of God his heritage an holy Nation Saints and there publike Congregations the Congregation of the Righteous and the assemblies of the Saints The whole body being thus called in respect of the Elect hauing this Denomination of the better part though the lesse or else because of their holy profession or holy religion which they professed whereby they differed from and excelled all other Nations and them that were without Herevpon I demand why in these respects we likewise may not be called the people of God his heritage an holy Nation Saints and our Church assemblies the assemblies of Saints notwithstanding there bee many open wicked among vs Here we may see how vntruely M. Fr. Iohnson herein chargeth the forward Preachers in England with false Doctrine Defence of the Churches and Minist of Engl. 71. who reckning vp 14. points of false doctrine forsooth that they teach nameth this for one That the true visible Church of Christ is not a seperated company of righteous men from the open wicked of the world but may consist of people good and bad And to the increase of his sinne for confirmation of his grosse and palpaple errour he coteth aboue twenty places of Scripture But tell me doe not all the Preachers in England nay in all Christendome teach that there is a mixture of good and bad in the visible Church as well as these forward preachers you speake of You cannot with any truth deny it Why then doe you spurne with the heele at these rather then others And this is our third point of false doctrine the fourth followeth in these words 4. That
they may maintaine this errour of their confused order and mixture of all sorts of persons together they peruert the Parable of the Tares Math. 13.24 teaching that all are the Church Which doctrine is against the truth of the Scriptures yea against our Sauiours owne interpretation in the 38. vers who teacheth that by the field is meant not the Church but the world in which his Church is militant And as therein there is the good seede the righteous the children of the Kingdom so there are also tares hypocrites the children of the wicked who as they are often espied in this life by the righteous seruants of God so shall they in the great day be perfectly seuered from the godly by the Angels verse 38.43 This their doctrine also is against the heauenly orders motioned Mat. 18.8.9.15.16.17 1. Cor. 1.26.29 c. Hâ—re is our false doctrine and your confutation I maruell wherein this fourth point of false doctrine differeth from the third I would haue thought that this were rather a confirmation of the former Yea but then the number of false Doctrines would not be so great But letting this goe wee answere you that as the aforesaid doctrine is true so it is confirmed as by other parables of our Sauiour sâ—t downe in the same Chapter so by this For saith our Lord as in a field both Wheate Tares or other weeds grow together and so are mingled that without danger to the Wheate men can not seuer the one from the other vntill the haâ—uest euen so saith he in the Church or company of people professing true Religion there is and will bee such a mixture of good and bad godly and wicked sincere and counterfeit professors that without danger to the godly a full and perfect seperation betweene them cannot be made vnto the end of the world that the one sort be receiued into heauen the other sent to hell As by wheat we are to vnderstand the godly and by tares the hypocrites or wicked that are in the Church so by the field is meant the Church For by the field must needs be vnderstood that place or those places wherin the godly and wicked are most nearely ioyned together growing as it vvere together so as the one touch an other and such is the Church or visible Churches They who are in the Church liue not onely together buy and sell eate and drinke as all men in the world doe but doe besides ioyne together and are as it were conioyned in and by one and the same profession worshipping one and the same God after one and the same manner hearing the word of God together praying together and receiuing the Sacraments together Againe it cannot bee denie I that by field is meant that place or those places or that societie or societies in which are as well godly as wicked and that visible so as both sorts may be discerned and knowne to be such as appeareth by verse 26. Now out of the Church in all other parts of the world or societies therein there are no godly to be sâ—ene but wicked By field therefore wee may not vnderstand the world but those parts of the vvorld where visible Churches be And vvho that is well aduised will say that at this day Asia Africa and such parts of Europe as professe not Christian Religion are this field or part of it seeing therein the wheat blades spring not vp and bring forth fruit so as they appeare as is expressely said of this field verse 26. Moreouer as in the field here mentioned in the protases or first part of the comparison good seede is sowne by the seruants of the houshoulder from whence the wheate doth come or spring as verse 24.27 So in that place or societie meant by the field or compared to a field the immortall seede of the word by the Lords husbandmen the Ministers is sowne from whence doth spring that pietie or godlinesse in men But this immortall seede is sowne only in the Church according to that in the Psalme Psal 147.19 He sheweth his word vnto Iaacob his statutes and iudgements vnto Israel He hath not dealt so with euery Nation meaning not vvith any other Nation besides And Paul tellâ—th vs that the Oracles of God are the preforment aâ—d prerogatiue of the Church aâ—d that the Church onely is the pillar and ground of truth Rom. 3.2 1. Tim. 3.15 the truth being to bee found onely in it and preserued by it In the Church alone also are the Lords husbandmen plowing harrowing sowing and performing other parts of sp rituall husbandry The Church therefore and not the world is the Lords field and husbandry and consequently the field Iesus here speaketh of And this the Apostle teacheâ—h expresly 1. Cor. 3.9 We the Ministers together are Gods labourers ye are Gods husbandry or fieâ—d And thus also in the parable next precedent this word field though not expressed yâ—t necessarily vnderstood is to be taken The sower went forth to sow Math. 13.3 c. Here is a sower that is the Minister The seede is the word preached and the field vvhere this seede is sowen is and must neâ—ds be the visible Churches or assemblies of the Saints Euen so I say is this word field to bee taken in this parable also De zizanâ—s tritico dissentio nâ—tu est propter mundo nomen quod Don â—tillae nolebant intelligi Ecclesiâ—m quia scriptum est ager est hic mundus Aug. Tom. 7. collat cuÌ„ Donatistis Verse 3.8 Answ Not say you with the Donatists by field is meant the world and not the Church And in the aforesaid place you alleadge three reasons for confirmation thereof and confutation of vs. The first is taken from Christs owne words who interpreting this parable of the Tares saith thus The field is the world What can be more plainely and directly said will some thinke for you and against vs I answere whosoeuer wisely obserueth not which be proper and with vnproper or figuratiue speeches in the Scriptures cannot chuse but erre greatly in vnderstanding the same May not yea doe not the Papists say as much as this for transubstantiation What words sâ—y they can be more plaine and direct to proue the sacramentall bread to bee the very body of Christ then those of Iesus This is my body And yet is nothing more false and vnpossible to be true But to come to this parâ—icular I answere you that these words of Christ cannot possibly be vnderstood properly and therefore you are much to blame that vrge the letter seeing the sence of the Scriptures is Scripture The field is the world So then it is as if Iesus had said The field whereof I speake in the Parable signifieth the world or is like the world is an image of the world So the good seed they are the children of the kingdome that is signifieth or resembleth the children of the kingdome The good seede that is the men signified by