by one spirit partakers of one hope and expecters of one glory For touching the visible Church which presents it selfe to the outward eye the case is otherwise and we may not account all visible Christians a visible Church for by a visible Church wee meane a company or congregation assembling together Now a man may be a visible Christian and never come at such an assembly much lesse be a joyned member in the policie thereof Neither doe we meane that every assembly or congregation is the Church of God though the word be indifferently used for there is Psal 26. 5. Act. 19. 41. the Church of evill doers and there is a Church of tumultuous railers In a word the visible Church of Christ is a company of people externally The visible Church described holy or called Saints which combine and meet together intending to performe the whole will and worship of God according as it is or shall be revealed to them I say they are a company for one man cannot be a Church but there must be two or three at least and not above such a number as Matth. 18. 20. may ordinarily meet together and these must be externally holy that is such as by their faith and conversation appeare unto men to be Gods children and his elect for of the heart onely God must be the judge and if the profession be sound and the conversation honest in the outward appearance and manifestation wee have not to doe to 1 Cor. 1. 2. Phil. 1. 7. 1 Thes 1. 4. examine any further but ought in charitie to judge men to be such as outwardly they appeare leaving secret things to God I say further that these Saints must combine and assemble together and that not by compulsion or accident but voluntarily covenant and 1 Cor. 14. 26. Psal 110. 3. Heb. 10. 25. 1 Thes 5. 14. Tit. 1. 9. 10. gather together to performe with heart and tongue the whole will and worship of God for the building up of themselves in all the knowne wayes of God comforting the feeble minded helping the weake rectify the stragler and convince the opposite I say intending to performe the whole will of God for they may at the first be ignorant of many things appertaining to the service Mat. 20. 22. of God and yet be the Church of God for it is with a Church in her minority as with a Christian at his first conversion who hath onely a generall resolution to doe the whole will of God but the particulars Acts 9. 6. 10. 33. of that obedience hee performeth by steps and degrees as hee commeth to learne and understand them so a company of godly men may become a Church and performe with sinceritie and modestie such things as they know and understand at the first and when God giveth them further knowledge and meanes to proceed to other practises as the Christian women in Philippi who at the first assembled together having as it seemeth no other exercise but Prayer and yet afterward there was a very compleate and famous Church of Acts 16. 13. Phil. 1. 2. Saints having both Bishops and Deacons Wheresoever therefore there is an assembly of godly men knit together and performing the worship of God though but in part it may truly be said of them as Iacob said of the servants of God when he saw them marching so diligently this is none other then Beth-el Gen. 28. 12. 17. the house of God this is a proper visible Church And wheresoever other assemblies are then of faithfull Christians whatsoever ordinances of God they have yet they stand them in no more stead then circumcision did the Sichemites but so often as they Gen. 34. 25. take up the name of God and performe any religious service unto him whilest they hate to be reformed so often they are guilty of usurpation Psal 50. 16 17. and intrusion upon that which appertaineth not to them and are manifest takers of Gods name in vaine whom he will not hold guiltlesse Exod. 20. 7. They therefore are much mistaken who describe and marke out the Church by the Ordinances for as circumcision availed not the Sichemites nor the Arke of God the Philistims even so the most glorious 1 Sam. 5. 4 9. Ordinances of God being used by such as are not his children are as a Parable in the mouth of a foole and so farre they are from making wicked men Gods Church as that the more they use them before they Prov. 15. 8. have faith and grace the greater is their sinne and the further off they are from being either Gods Church or children The preaching of the Word can be no mark of the visible Church otherwise than as it is an effectual instrument to prepare men therunto 1 King 18. 19. 25. and 22. 19. Acts 17. 22 Ioâ— 3. 4 5. 1 Pet. 3. 19 20. for it was preached amongst Baals Prophets and amongst the Athenians Ninivites Babylonians c. yet were neither of these Gods Church or people Noah preached powerfully to the old world yet were they not Gods Church The Turks and Indians have had the Word preached to them yet no man will say they are the visible Church of Christ neither can the Sacraments be any marke of the Church at all since they make nothing to be which was not the same before but onely The Word and Sacraments no markes of the visible Church confirme something which before was A Spanish Frier with a scoupe baptized a thousand silly Indians at one time which were drawne together by a stratagem were these now any thing the more Gods Church and if he should have given them the other Sacrament also had it availed any thing the more or if in stead of this Frier there had been one of the most godliest Ministers in all Europe had it not beene all one so long as the people had not faith nor grace so that it is plain that holy people and not holy ordinances give the being to the visible Church it is no more an argument to prove a company of carnall and irreligious people to be Gods Church because they have amongst them his sacred ordinances then a true mans purse in the hand of a thiefe is an argument to prove a thiefe a true man The visible Church hath right to all Gods Ordinances IT is then a societie of religious and faithfull people that have right SECT 2. to Gods spirituall Ordinances and such onely may and must use them so farre as they are able They are all of them to strive to attaine the best gifts and especially to prophesie yea and if it were possible 1 Cor. 14. 1. 2. Heb. 5. 12. to be Doctors and that not in bare conceit but in truth and soundnesse and such amongst them as excell in gifts and graces they are much to love and reverence and also to encourage them to the orderly use of the 1.
writings of Isaiah Ieremy Ezechiel and the rest are so many sermons of direction and advice to the Kings of Israel and Iuda Now if these godly Kings did thus who can thinke that any now can be privileged so farre as to be sole Law-givers for the Church of God Fourthly the Revelations of Moses were delivered with such heavenly Majesty Signes Miracles and wonders from heaven as no man could Exod. 20. 18. and 40. 38. 24. 8. doubt or call in question of the immediate finger of God in the establishing of them but never since nor now neither are there any Laws or Precepts of Princes confirmed with that heavenly Testimony but that doubt may be made whether the King of heaven ratifie them or not Fifthly When Moses wrote Lawes no man had ever written any before him so that as these Lawes were infallible so they were alone but now divers Magistrates make their Laws different for the Church and Religion and if we may not amidst them all and without disparagement to any man cleave unto the Lawes of Christ who infallibly hath given the Lawes for the Church as did Moses for the Tabernacle Heb. 3. 1. 2. 5. and is become our everlasting Priest and Prophet for ever and must reigne over his alone we shall presently have as many formes of Churches as there arise Governours and as many Church Lawes as the unsettled mindes and uncertaine capacity of fraile man pleaseth to make Sixthly If Moses example in giving the Law for the Tabernacle teach us to submit to the Religious Lawes of Christian Princes now without questioning or altering then why ought we not also if we live under them to submit to the Lutheran Arian or Popish Princes for it cannot be denyed but that they are Christians And what folly and ignorance was it in the Martyrs aforetime to lose their lives A dishonour to Martyrdome so many of them and expose themselves and theirs to such slavery and misery if in the Court of heaven and before God they might have beene excused so long as they had followed the Lawes of their Christian Governours The examples of the Kings of Israel and Judah in restoring Gods Worship doe not bind to any fashions in Religion but Christs IT is further objected from the Kings of Israel and Iudah as David SECT 12. Asa Hezechiah and Iosiah c. who restored Religion repaired the Object 5 Temple and brought in the Law and the Ordinances without 2 Chron. 30. 1. 35. 1. 2 3. 1 King 8. 1. any advice or consultation of the people and so now the Kings as agents to appoint and command the people as patients to suffer and obey that which is commanded c. I answer first all this still sheweth what forwardnesse there Answer 1 ought to be in godly Princes when faithfulnesse is departed from their Lands namely by their examples and edicts to seeke to raise some life againe in that which is dead but that the people may doe nothing in Gods worship till their Princes begin but may remaine as cold and as carelesse or superstitious as they and as the rebellious Jewes were is an unreasonable and unsound affirmation For it cannot be imagined but it had beene lawfull to have read the Law of God though Iosiah had not commanded it as also the Priests might have cleansed the Temple and have offered the sacrifices and the people might have eaten the Passeover and brought their oblations though the Princes had forbid it since these Statutes were Exod. 12. 24. 25 27. 21. nor given onely to the Kings but to all the House of Israel As the Kings of Israel and Iudah were types of Christ the eternall King so they were successors and imitators of Moses and they onely which most strictly followed Moses are most approved and commended for their faithfulnesse but now the succession of Moses being 2 King 23. 25. cut off by a more perfect and better Lawgiver there is now no Law or policie that can be devised for the gathering and ordering of the Church that deserves any commendation but onely Christs yea and whosoever is not with Christ therein is against him and be he what he will he is rather a scatterer than a gatherer with him So that as the Kings of Israel looked into the Lawes of Moses for direction to build repaire and stablish the Temple and Ordinances of God then so now if Princes will establish Religion and settle a Church whither shall they goe for a patterne but to Christ A Comparison of the patterne of Christs Church with the Church of England CHrist though he had all power in heaven and earth yet he SECT 13. raised no forces nor pitched no fields to compell Nations and Countries to be of his Church but sent out his Ambassadors Mat. 28. 18 19. Luke 14. 17 18. 2 Cor. 10. 4. 2 Cor. 5. 20. Acts 17. 34. and Messengers unarmed in any carnall weapons to passe thorow Kingdomes and Countries with intreatings and beseechings to gather here and there a man to him and such as by preaching would believe and by voluntary submission would obey of them onely he became the Captaine and Head secondly when hee had gathered his Church together he fed them not with dead decrees nor carnall Devices Ioh. 6. 51. 53 1 Cor. 12. 7. 1 Pet. 2. 2. but with his Word Flesh and Spirit which nourished to life eternall thirdly hee governed them not by any stately or pompous power but by such rules and regiments as their necessities required and themselves desired 1 Cor. 5. 4. And if now by glittering swords and sounds of trumpets Churches be gathered by thousands and that wee are growne to such pomp and swelling in words that we can talke of a Catholique visible Church of a Christian world of a Nationall Church c. Let the multitudes sound as loud as they will I feare mee heaven will have never the more of them but when all is done his Word will stand that saith Few finde the way to life and Christ chooseth not Mat. 7. 13. 14. a world but a remnant out of the world And yet whilest proud flesh and carnall policie thus vainly presumeth how doe men struggle and strive by wit policie and learning to make that stand for truth which onely times have hatched and to make true Religion stand with all the faire shew in the flesh that may be but in the meane time what scattering scambling and contradicting there is and how men are plunged and fumbled to bind the truth and the times in a bundell that even the most wisest and ablest have even lost themselves about it A proportionable application of the Iewes State unto our times TRue it is that when the Kings of Iudah commanded the Ordinances SECT 14. of Moses the people were bound to obey them even in Religious rites but if they should have varied from Moses rule the question is whether
Cor. 16. 18. grace they have received without hiding their talent that so all may learne and receive comfort 14. 29. 30. 31 And because all good men have not one and the same gift therefore every one is advisedly to consider what his portion is and what he may take to and where he must stay that none run beyond their line presume above that which is meet 1. Cor. 10. 16. Rom. 12. 3. Some have the gift of utterance and are fluent in speech others a gift of discerning to judge of that which is uttered some are excellent 1. Cor. 12. 4. 5. 6. in prayer others are sweet in singing some are apt to move profitable The gifts of the Church questions others prompt in answering them some can dispute very profitably others can receive much helpe by disputation c. And many times they which are of little manifestation and least seene to meddle in publique passages are most holy and strict in their conversation whose examples doe often times preach as profitably as if 1 Thes 1. 7. 8. they had the greatest fluencie of speech that could be Neither must the Saints be envious against one another because they have not one and the same gift for one and the same spirit worketh diversly in all the members of the Church that this spirituall body may be compleate and performe all spirituall offices as the naturall body hath divers members and all for severall offices much lesse may any hide their talent because it is not of the same measure with others since he which had but one talent was required to traffique Mat. 25. 26. 27. as well as he that had five and all the servants are commanded to watch as well though not so much as the Porter Mar. 13. 24. 27 This visible Church of Saints stand bound and tied each to other not onely by the common rule of Christianity but by their very incorporating and combining together into a Church State or spirituall policie from which naturally or necessarily ariseth that which we call the Discipline or power which is independent amongst themselves for the curing and purging of sin and sinners that breake 1. Cor. 5. 7. out amongst them into any enormous or scandalous practice For as in cities and corporations each member carefully observeth whether his neighbour observe the rules of the Charter wherunto he The power of the Church is sworne and upon default in matter of weight the partie offending is either disfranchized or otherwise corrected civilly so in this brotherhood or spirituall policie of the Church each man observeth as himselfe so his fellow members that if any find his brother to transgresse against the heavenly Charter and Covenant made with God and his people he reproveth and admonisheth him lovingly betwixt them two alone and if it be any capitall or scandalous evill and that Mat. 18. 15. 16 17. he will not repent of it then the brother offended taketh with him one or two to helpe convince and reprove the sinner and to witnesse both the fact and the due proceeding thereabout and if hee will not hearc them so as to repent then to complaine to the congregation whereof hee is a member that so being rebuked of many hee may 2. Cor. 2. 6. yet at last be ashamed and give God the glory and so receive forgivenesse of God and men But if hee will not heare nor regard the Church nor in reverence to that sacred meanes of his recovery repent and humble himselfe for his sinne then the Church with humble and sorrowfull hearts must cut him off as a decayed member and deliver him unto Satan that so that proud and corrupt flesh may be destroyed and the spirit saved in the day of the Lord Iesus 1. Cor. 5. 5. Provided still that all these proceedings be in love lenitie and compassion and that no man be brought to the Church much lesse 1. Cor. 16. 14. censured for infirmities and failing in judgement or for matters in our times doubtfull and controversall but for matters of weight and such evills as being persisted in doe out of doubt shut the party out of heaven of which more hereafter And for their more better and orderly proceeding in the use of all the Ordinances of God in the Church they are as soone as any fit men rise out of them or joyne unto them to make choice of some for their Bishops Pastors or Elders upon whom they must ordinarily 2. Tim. 2. 2. Tit. 1. 6. 7. depend for the dispensing of the Word Prayer and Sacraments as also to rule guide and goe before them in their consultations decrees and execution of Discipline and all other publique businesse These Bishops or Elders may not intrude themselves into their offices Iohn 10. 1. 2. Ministers election Act. 6. 3. 5. and 14. 23. Ordination of the ministers 1. Tim. 5. 22. and ministrations by any forreigne or civill power but must be chosen by that Church and societie of Saints in which they are to administer Their ordination or putting in possession must be with giving a charge to them with some signe either of giving the hand or laying hands upon their heads which may be done either by the Elders of some other Church who as brethen may assist and helpe their neighbours so farre as they can or rather by some principall man amongst No succession of any universall Ministerie now themselves since it cannot be imagined with any shew of reason that there is any universall Ministery since the Apostles dayes neither any that can execute their office out of that particular flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made them overseers no more then the Lord Major Act. 20. 28. of London may goe and execute justice in the Citie of Yorke of which more hereafter And although in the Common-wealth a Lordly and Imperious Ministers no Lords 1 Pet. 5. 3. rule may be tollerable yet the Ministerie of the Church is of another nature and may not be imagined to be any matter of State or to stand for any carnall pompe but is a matter of meet service and they 2 Cor. 4. 5. 1 Thes 5. 12. Act. 6. 4. 2 Tim. 2. 16. 2 Cor. 4. 2. are constantly to labor in spirituall works in all humility patience giving themselves wholy to their ministrations and studying to approve themselves to every mans conscience in the sight of God Neither is their office for name and forme but for the preservation of order and comlinesse in Church Ordinances that all the rights and priviledges of the Church may be used and continued in a grave and comiy manner as they are excellent in their substance and matter And as these Bishops or Elders are to preach constantly the Word both on the Lords Day and other times of the Churches meetings The Ministers must still preserve the libertie of the Saints in the Church and to administer the
Sacraments in both kinds upon the members of the Church as there is occasion as also to execute and declare the publique decrees determinations and censures of the Church So they are not any way to infringe the liberty of the Saints or ingrosse their privileges but still to foster cherish all those severall gifts and graces which are in all or any of the members They must still uphold and maintaine in the Church the stoole of the Prophets and to have in great esteeme Prophesying or preaching by men of gifts and 1 Cor. 14. 1. 2. aptnesse though not in office that so all may learne and increase that so fit and able men may be bred up in the Church whom the body 2 Tim. 4. 5. 6. may appoint into office of Ministerie in after times or when any of their officers shall any way faile Neither may the Elders deprive the Saints of their lawfull and Christian libertie in their elections rejections or determinations in 3 Ioh. â— 10. the Church by any fore-stallings repressings insultings or preventions but contenting themselves with meeke and grave counsell to goe before the rest in their proceedings and if the body of the Church shall not agree to that which the officers shall thinke best that yet the officers thinke it no disparagement to their eminencie or honour to be overswayed and led beside their mindes and purposes sometimes by the body of the Church whose servants they are knowing that where the honour and order of God is observed no man can truly receive any dammage And as the visible Church must continue their assembling and communicating together in all actions for the soule so the duties of love and their communion in temporall things for the body may in The Churches benevolence no wise be neglected whilest this fraile life lasteth which communion in giving and receiving though it be no religious action in it selfe Philip. 4. 15. Iam. 2. 22. yet is it of such simple necessitie and affinitie thereunto as that it may no more be severed from religion then good workes may be severd from faith and for their more easie and substantiall doing these duties and relieving the wants of their brethren they are o looke out wise and trustie men from amongst themselves whom they are Act. 6. 3. 5. 1 Tim. 3. 10. to choose and appoint to this businesse and to whom they must commit their money and treasure and to whose wisedome and faithfulnesse The Deacons office they must referre the distribution and disposing of those temporall things And in this contribution the Saints whom God hath blessed with 1 Cor. 15. 2. Rom. 12. â— any portion of this worlds goods must accordingly extend their mercifull liberality with all cheerefulnesse yea and if need so require to sell even their lands and goods and whatsoever they have to relieve Act. 2. 45. Luke 12. 33. the wants of their poore brethren without any murmuring or discontent remembring that the life of a Christian is more precious then any thing else in this world This distribution of the Churches benevolence must be to the Elders that toyle in the Word and Doctrine as also to the poore aged 1 Tim. 5. 17. 1 Cor. 9. 11. 12. Gal. 6. 10. sicke and helplesse persons especially those of the houshold of Faith that so the will of God may be done and all comfort and encouragement given to the poore Saints as also all murmuring complaints and outcries prevented by which it may be said and that not without Act. 6. 1. cause that the Church hath pietie but no pitie Neither is the widowes office to be forgotten as a needlesse thing but if it fall out that amongst the Church there be found some aged The widdowes office and grave widowes who are loosed from the bands of wanton youth and have age upon them as a crowne of glory being yet healthy cheerefull and strong the Church is there to choose and appoint them for Deaconesses Prou. 16. 31. or tenders of the sick and to allow them such reliefe and maintenance 1 Tim. 5. 9. 10 Rom. 16. 1. 2. as is needfull and fit knowing that in sickenesse there is required much labour and paines and most neede of comfort and encouragement And thus the Church and people of God goe hand in hand both in sicknesse and in health in poverty and in wealth in adversitie and prosperitie rejoycing together weeping together and being of like Rom. 12. 15. 16 affection in a sweet and heavenly sympathie holding out in adversitie 2 Cor. 6. 8. without shrinking and persevering in prosperity with all moderation The Church or Churches of England cannot be iustified ANd if this be the right patterne of the visible Church of Christ SECT 3. according to the Gospel then let us turne our eyes upon our selves and see what resemblance there is amongst us of these Apostolique orders and upon notice taken of our defects let us see if they may not be amended And first whereas the materialls of the Church of the Gospel are none other then a company of converted people gathered out of Nations Acts 10. 35. Ioh. 17. 9. Mat. 28. 19 20. Acts 18. 11. 1 Cor. 4. 15. 11. 2. 17. and from the world our nation and our world is all one with the Church and hee that is of one is or must be of the other the Apostles first preached and converted men and afterward united them into a Church but we first unite the whole nation into the Church and feed them all with the pledges and seales of Gods love and then goe about to convert them afterward by preaching judgement to Our Churches defective in their matter them but this is rather to scatter then to gather with Christ and is more like the Papists pompe then the Apostles plainnesse and although God did once choose a whole nation which first were in the loynes Gen. â—5 5. and family of Abraham yet that nation being broken off from God no nation can now succeed them nor can challenge that right Deut. 4. 37. 7. 6 7. to be Gods people otherwise then they are found converted and believe and obey the Gospel which that a whole nation consisting of many millions of people should doe in one day should be strange and miraculous and the way to heaven must cease to be strait if so many can walke in it at conce And if any shall think otherwise let them shew when the generall body of this Land which are counted the Church of England was better then now they are yea and now after sixtie yeeres preaching the Gospell whether the greater part be not yet apparantly in their sins and unconverted and doe not indeed apparantly oppose and fight against such as are sincere and faithfull contemning and despising all admonition and counsell and serve not the Lord but serve Satan Eph. 1. 12. and their owne lusts and
therefore the generall multitude of this nation cannot in any sense be said to be Gods people or the true and proper matter of the visible Church And if we shall descend at once to the parish assemblies which are the branches of this nationall Church and looke upon them indefinitely wee shall finde them of the same stampe with the nation though no doubt some of them which have long enjoyed powerfull The parish multitudes unconverted preaching are much more reformed then others but taking them one with another they are for the most part of the people ignorant prophane and scandalous being common swearers liers drunkards quarrellers wantons Atheists and even as their owne Prophets have truely complained of them and as hee that travelleth amongst them Tit. 1. 12. about his affaires shall finde them and whilest the most of them are such who can justifie their estate but he shall make himselfe abominable to God and every time hee goeth about to justifie them as Prov. 17. 15. Gods people and Church his owne heart shall give him the lye neither availeth it to say they are baptized and professe the true Religion for if they have all the Baptismes and Ordinances that ever were or are and professed never so much truth in words yet whilest they 2 Pet 1. 19. 20. 21 22. are wicked in their deeds and lives they are but so much the more the children of hell for their knowledge and profession and the heathens and Turks are in farre better case then they Secondly indeed they professe no Religion at all nor may in any sense be called Professors when doe they professe or speake of any Religion or mention the name of God unlesse it be in their swearing or vain talking their profession is the service of the Divell who is their father and under Iohn 8. 44. whose tutorship they are notable Schollers Thirdly if any thing make them Professors it is their comming to Church now and then to lend an eare to some instruction and such professors might a company of Turkes be if they were in England and would either for feare of Law custome or fashion come sometimes to the assembly though still they returned to their old vomit and never left off their old sinnes 2 Pet. 1. 9. and vices so that whatsoever can be alledged for them untill they repent and turne from their wicked courses all such pleas were as good be never a whit as never the better 4. Neither can the goodnesse of some few that are in the parish help to salve the matter no more then Lots being in Sodome could justifie the Sodomites for those godly are amongst them but as a condemned or despised people which scarce dare shew themselves in their pious arts but are overtopped and held under by the vaine multitudes in all places Indeed temporall punishments may be with-held for the righteous sakes as in Sodome but that the spirituall State of the carnall Gen. 18. 38. multitude should be good because of the presence of some few good men is no more like then that Ioram and his complices were justified 2 King 3. 13 14. by the presence of Elisha and Iehosaphat Neither will the badnesse of the Iewes Sâ—ate in Christs time and before under the Law justifie this confused Church of the Gospell For first as it is a bad plea to justifie one evill by another secondly so we must still remember that God now chooseth no more whole Nations but selecteth his Saints out of all nations thirdly the covenants Gen. 17. 7 8. of the Iewes were absolutely temporall and spirituall and the promises to be believed for this life properly but our covenants that God maketh with us are onely spiritually absolute and the promises for this life are onely conditionall Fourthly Gods face and the seat of Rom. 8. 28. Iohn 4. 21. 23. Mat. 18. 20. that Church was to be sought in the Tabernacle or Temple but now there is no place priviledged or exempted but where two or three are gathered in Christs Name hee is in the middest of them To conclude as the Kingdome of Satan is every where in this world and as the Lord by outward manifestation differenceth his chosen ones from the world and them within from them without so Acts 15. 9. 1 Cor. 5. 12. 13. must wee every where put difference betwixt the righteous and the wicked and beware of saying to the wicked thou art righteous or giving Mat. 7. 6. holy things to dogs or partaking with them or joyning to them in their devouring pearles or afford them our fellowship when they usurpe Act. 8. 21. upon such ordinances as are peculiar to Gods Elect and Faithfull What Ordinances of God may be used in the Parish assemblies and what not YEt so long as life lasteth there may be some hope of recovery neither are we to despaire of any though never so vile but SECT 4. that they may be converted and turned to God And therefore were are still as with patience to suffer the evill men so to prove alwayes if at any time they may be brought out of the snare of the Divell and for this end it is very necessary that the preaching of the 2 Tim. 2. 24. 25. The Word may be preached to evill men Word be amongst them both publikely and privately if they will but be brought to it and have the patience to heare themselves reproved and convinced by it for as wee know it to be the onely ordinary meanes for their conversion so also wee see that many are daily by it converted and brought home unto God and so farre I Rom. 10. 14. am from disliking the preaching of the Word to them as that I would have them heare it where it is most purely and powerfully taught and wish that where there is one such Preacher there were a hundred But untill they doe convert and turne none of the seales must in any ease be administred to them or their seed neither are they to be admiâ—â—ed as members into the Church fellowship of the Saints nor Acts 9. 26. 27. Psal 50. 1â— 17. Isai 1. 13. 14. 〈…〉 to â—each any thing to others nor take up the name of God 〈…〉 â—blations or sacrifices to him untill they have cleansed 〈…〉 â—â—â—â—ntance much lesse are the faithfull to partake with 〈…〉 s â—â—ophaning of the Sacraments But if by 〈…〉 his strength they have gotten a custome T 〈…〉 〈…〉 sacred â—â—â—inances and bâ—es 〈…〉 to their customes nor have ought to doe with them in their taking the Name and Ordinances of God in vaine for the proper ends of the seals are to confirm and comfort the faithfull and such as groan under their sinnes but how can the seale be set or the assurance given to Mat. 11. 28. them that have not faith neither are wearied with their sinnes but love and delight in them And how can any godly man consent in
of it can be saved for we receive men into the Church whom we deeme faithfull and in Christ before And the right use of the Offices and Acts 2. 41. Ordinances in the Church are properly to build up and keepe men in the faith and obedience of the Gospel rather then to bring them to it The Church is a spirituall corporation wherein the subjects of the heavenly King are kept in a more comely order and better obedience Faith and Salvation is not tyed to the visible Church but the incorporating or joyning to the Church doth not make men subjects of Christ which before were not but it is an ignorant vanity to hold that unconverted men may be received into the Church and fellowship of the Saints under hope of converting them Wee therefore grant that conversion faith grace and salvation may possibly be had in many of these assemblies yea we know many who have the true signes thereof who yet live and converse in them Acts 11. 17. But what then Will men use the utmost liberty they can that they may also please the flesh and the world and avoid persecution if they may but be even thread-bare Christians and in the end be saved surely I would not have any good man have such a thought since it is so neer of kin to hypocrisie for even Hypocrites will serve God Mat. 19. 16. Psal 119. 6. for wages and would doe so much good as might bring them to eternall life but sincere and conscionable Christians use to have respect to all Gods Commandements and to such further degrees of obedience as Acts 10. 33. and 19. 25 26. 1 Iohn 2. 3. 4. God from time to time shall reveale unto them for otherwise their faith and obedience may of themselves be questioned whether it proceed from the love of God or themselves seeing they can doe nothing further then may barely pleasure themselves And as God saw it not good for man in innocencie to be alone and therefore sanctified marriage for his mutuall helpe so as he hath gathered Gen. 2. 18. Saints out of the world by here and there a man hee hath also sanctified fellowships and Churches which must neither be despised 1 Cor. 11. 22. Hebr. 10. 25. nor forsaken and this brotherly fellowship of the Church hath beene so longed after and loved of Gods servants as that they have compared Phil. 4. 1. it to the most pleasant dew and sweet oyntment the one ravishing Psal 133. 2. 3. Numb 24. 5. the eye the other delighting the smell yea even Balaam that Sorcerer was content to commend the comely harmony and order of the Tents of the house of Iacob and how excellent and pleasant a thing it is to see the Saints servants of God communicate together in his The beautie of the visible Church sacred Ordinances and how fruitfull and profitable such courses are hath in part beene shewed already and shall more fully hereafter And I must out of mine owne experience confesse that the living in a society of Christians set in the right order of the Gospel is one of the greatest helpes we have in this world to the obedience of the 1 Cor. 11. 10. 1 Pet. 1. 12. Gospell yea and so full it is of sweet and sound comfort that it even ravisheth the Angels and is indeed next to heaven it selfe if things be carried with holinesse wisedome and love For in such a Church all the gifts and graces of the spirit are freely shewed forth without restraint there the Word of God is not bound The profit and sweet comfort of the Church in by policy tradition custome c. the utmost extent of Gods revelations to the sonnes of men are there openly displayed and the highest straine of pure affections are there shewed if you have a word of wisedome or exhortation there you may utter it If you would 1 Cor. 14 29. 30 31. learne any thing there you may aske and receive freely If you have cause to weepe and mourne they will mourne with you or have you cause of joy they 'll rejoyce with you stand you in need of instruction exhortation or comfort they are ready to give it you doe you Verse 3. stumble or fall either by error of judgement or failing in conversation why they will help both to raise and hold you up have you Gal. 6. 1. need of some gentle rebukes as a balme to your soule or of some sharp 1 Thes 5. 14. Psal 141. 5. and severe threatnings to beat downe your proud flesh yea need you ought either for soule or body why there it is to be had freely and whatsoever is wanting in the outward glory is supplyed seven fold in the inward grace yea and I may say of it as Sabaes Queene said of Salomons wisdome It was not told me the halfe nor it cannot be expressed 2 Chron. 9. 6. either with pen or tongue what wonderfull pleasure and sweetnesse there is in a Christian fellowship And out of doubt if wee were not fuller of carnall policie and sensuality then wee are of spirituall grace and soundnesse wee would rather choose to endure afflictions and death in such a society Heb. 11. 25. 26. then to live in the Courts of Kings yoaked with infidels and evill livers And if at the last day the righteous shall scarcely be saved and that 1 Pet. 4. 18. many shall goe so farre as to preach Christ and doe many great works in his Name and yet shall be shut out of the Kingdome what Mat. 7 21 â—2 great care had there need to be to search and sound our hearts and to use and improve all the helps and meanes which God hath left for our growth and stablishing in grace and for provoking and encourageing Ephes 4. 13. of us to proceed from one degree of perfection to another and if men did but know how much it stood them in hand to regard and love the conversing in a right ordered Church they would give their soules no rest till they were in it but for want of experimentall knowledge thereof they dote upon their Syrian waters as Naaman 2 Kings 5. â—2 did upon Abanah and Parphar but if they had tasted the pleasant Eze. 47 1. 2 3. Psal 84. 10. streames that flow from this Sanctuary they would rather be doore-keepers therein then dwell in the tents of the ungodly Yea and we see daily that even the corruptions and frailties of men do call for such a meanes to help them forward for such is the ignorance and perversnesse of our nature as that we are apt to set light by the doctrine taught in the assemblies and think the Preacher spake to such and such but it belongeth not to us like David who was in a 2 Sam. 12. 2. 3. 7 sweet dreame all the while that Nathan propounded his generall Parable but when the Prophet told him that
of England or for the hinderance of our exceptions against it except you will frame this consequence that because we are in one thing therefore we are in all which is too hard a sentence to stand for a maxime Neither doe we say that the Church of England is no Church or the parish assemblies false Churches nor care for those big and loud censures of Antichristian Babylonish false c. they are but words and termes of provocation which we can well spare and it is enough that we finde it not settled according to the order of the Gospel but by humane authority and compulsion and that it is one with the world and that there is not in it all the meanes to stablish comfort confirme and build up every soule in the wayes of God these and the like are sufficient motives to perswade men that feare God to finde out a better and safer way to walke in and a Church that is more neer the Apostles patterne And as for strangers and Churches in forraign nations as they are not of our language so we cannot know them as our owne for he that knoweth strangers and forraigners as well as his owne neighbours and country-men it is a signe that he is very unsociable or else his eyes are not where they should be The prohibition of the Magistrate though he be a Christian may not hinder our obedience to the Gospel SOme object and that not without colour that since we live under a Christian Magistrate we must be contented and thankfully accept so much liberty in the Gospel as he will allow and that it is a signe of great unthankfulnesse and disloyalty to him to alter or adde in Church matters and publique worship or to doe more or otherwise then he commandeth or alloweth I answer first that when the Magistrates are Christians we are Answer 1 the more to love and respect them for their Christianity but still their Magistracie and civill power is one thing and their Christianity and Religion is another Secondly the same reverence and conscionable obedience were to be given to the civill power as Gods Ordinance though the person which hath this power were a Turke or an Infidell but not the Rom. 13. 1. 2. same love in the fellowship of the Gospel and communion of grace Neither doth the Scripture provide for any other kinde or measure of obedience to Christian Magistrates when any such should arise then for such as were Heathens Fourthly neither can I ever conceive how this should become a reason that we must forbeare these and these practices which God Christian Magistrates commands may not stand against Gods requireth because the Magistrates are Christians and forbid it except it follow also that we must also forbeare it if they were Heathens unlesse a man should hold this position that a man is in more bondage under Christian Governours then under Heathens since the question is not concerning suffering but concerning doing and if any Christian Magistrate shall by any acts or lawes politicall hinder the practice of Gods Lawes as his Christianity cannot excuse him in the Court of heaven for misleading so much lesse can it excuse us when we follow him in evill and whatsoever the power be or the person which hath it if it fight against Gods Injunctions we may answer with them Acts 5. 29. that said God is to be obeyed rather then man and if we should be forbidden to pray or to preach or to love brotherly fellowship c. yet these 1 Pet. 2. 17. Dan. 6. 7. 10. things must still be done in the most ample manner we can Fifthly neither is it any disloyalty to Princes and Governours at all when Gods commands are preferred before theirs especially since we are willing to suffer their corrections and punishments for so doing counting indeed their corrrections but as Flea-bites to his which can cast both body and soule into hell Mat. 10. 28. Sixthly and in the things wherein we must differ we endeavour to carry them peaceably so farre as we can without disturbing disgracing or depraving any offices or orders by him placed not denying but willingly hearing the Word from any conscionable and faithfull Preacher and so farre as we may without sinne to submit to other orders being moderate in our affections peaceable in our practices in the things wherein we differ and if all that serve not we shall thinke it our further glory to suffer and endure any punishment either to bands or death with patience that we may fulfill our Obedience to Magistrates may be in suffering as well as in doing course with joy and not be ashamed of his basenesse who suffered a shamefull death to advance us to a glorious life and we protest in the sight of God that we can make no other answer or excuse from the Magistrates Christianity except wee should flatter him and deceive our selves Moses example in building the Tabernacle was no ordinary rule for after times MOses the Man of God a good Governor did appoint all things for the Tabernacle and publique service of God without consulting SECT 11. either with Priest or people and had the wrath of God Object 4 against any that opposed his courses so now the people and Ministers Exod. 34. 32. Numb 16. 31. cap. 12. 2. must have an eye to the godly Governours to see what they command and see that they practise it without imposing infusing or practising otherwise in any thing then he alloweth I answer first this sheweth what godly Magistrates are to doe Answ 1 in the matters of Gods service namely to observe his will but what the Priests or people might have done if Moses should have beene defective is yet questionable Secondly Moses as he was a Prince so he was a Prophet and the onely Prophet that ever was except Christ and he had his familiar Deut. 34. 10. talke with God for all matters about the Tabernacle and was by him Exod. 33. 11. immediately directed so that for any to go about to direct and order him in those things had been high presumption and undoubted evill But now no Magistrates that I know of are such Prophets or have Moses Magistracie singular any such immediate Revelations but learne of God according to the common order of other men yea and stand in as much need of counsell and advice that I say not more as any other men of any calling whatsoever and therefore till they have Moses learning how shall they use Moses teaching Thirdly neither did the Princes of Israel afterward take upon them this sole direction but were contented to be reproved and counselled by the Prophets Priests both for their failings in their conversation and for their establishing the worship of God as we may see in 1 Chron. 17. 4. 2 Chron. 19. 2. 2 King 11. 17. 2 Chron. 34. 23. 24. David Asa Iehosaphat Ioash Iosiah and the rest yea and all the
the people might have followed them without sinne though even David or Iosiah should have done it First as for example whereas Moses gave his Statutes to Israel if now David should have compelled the Edomites or the Ammonites or the Philistims whom he conquered to have come into the Temple with offerings and oblations being Gentiles and uncircumcised whether the Priests might have offered their offerings and the people have prayed for a blessing or not Secondly if he would have made Priests of any other thcu of the house of Aaron whether the people might have brought their offerings to them or not Thirdly if other matters then Moses Law had ordinarily beene read and preached in their Synagogues whether the people must have come to heare it or not Fourthly if among the Iudicials hanging had beene used in stead of restitution burning in stead of whipping and cutting off the head in Exod. 22. 1. Deut. 22. 18. 25. 9. stead of pulling off the shoe whether the people must still have executed accordingly First But our assemblies are compact in a manner of blacke Ethiopians prophane and insulting Edomites mocking and deriding Amonites Secondly our Priests are made by an invented forme and must hang upon the universall race and not by the lineall succession of Acts 14. 23. grace and therefore election of the people Thirdly and wee have other teaching and service than the Word and Spirit of Christ viz. by Hom. Canons Apocrypha prayers c. Fourthly and in stead of a Christian conviction and censure of offenders by the Christian assemblie wee have Comminations read in Lent and processe comming out of Courts which are bought and sold and flie in and out according to the purse rather then according to the offence and what shall we make of all this if we put it together surely wee may compare it to a leprous body in a painted paper coat which neither hath soundnesse within nor solidnesse without But here is the question whether the godly must contentedly submit to all this patcherie and putting out that light and discerning that they have in these things may blesse their soules and say it is onely the fault of our Governours or whether all Christians are not bound to keepe the patterne left by him who was more faithfull then Moses 1 Tim. 6. 13. without regarding what any Prince or Potentate doth to the contrary Fifthly Indeed whatsoever abuse or neglect there had beene of the Temple in Ierusalem by the Kings yet the people might not without speciall command have built another but that Legall restraint was not by occasion of any Kings command but by a Statute of the Lord who onely there had put his Name and for a time it might not be altered but now since mount zion is every where and that God is no Deut. 12. 11. 1 King 8. 29. respecter of places or persons but is in the middest of two or three of his servants gathered in his Name I see not how the Church in any sense can be bound or tyed to the pleasure and libertie of any mortall man whatsoever Sixthly and if Vzziah being a godly King was not onely withstood when he would have burned Incense but even thrust out of the 2 Chron. 26. 18. 19. 20. Temple when once he became a Leper And since sinne was typed out by Leprousie and is so much more materiall then it as a substance is of more value then a shadow I see not but if wicked rulers now should offer to joyne to the Church they may be refused and then how much easier may such Subjects and servants of theirs be refused as are wicked and nought on whom the Leprousie of all viciousnesse cleareth and sheweth it selfe in the behaviour countenance words and actions notwithstanding their owne desire and the desire of any friends that love them not aright The submission of the Jewes to the Heathen Kings about building the Temple is no imitable practice about the Church SOme others object the example of the Heathen kings as Cyrus and SECT 15. Darius without whose leave the Iewes could not build the Temple and therefore how much lesse may we that are under Christian Object 6 Princes gather and establish Churches without their direction or allowance I answer first That the time of building the Temple according to Answ 1 the Prophets predictions was not come before they set about it for if it had they must have gone about it to their powers so soone as the Hag. 1. 1. 2. commandement had beene forth Secondly The building of the Temple was a matter of great charge and labour and required such materialls to doe it as they being poore Nehe. 2. 8. Captives neither had nor were able to accomplish so that there was an impossibility in it Thirdly they were servants yea captives and prisoners to those heathen Kings and must not without a speciall dispensation from God as was that of robbing the Egyptians have left their Masters Exod. 12 35. 36 and places under whom by Gods just order they were captivated Fourthly It came of the Lord that those heathen Kings should after they had for a time corrected his people become their friends and furtherers in the service of the Lord turning their love into hatred Nehe. 2. 4. and at Gods appointed time provoke and strengthen them in building the house of the Lord God of Israel and these things considered what force can there be in this example Fifthly And how commeth this farre fetched type to be so blindly urged when the cleare truth in this point hath followed us so close at the heeles Did Christ when hee gave his Disciples commission to goe make Disciples in all Nations bid them first aske leave of the Magistrates which were in those parts No surely neither did the Mat. 28. 19. 20. Apostles and servants of Christ when they went to and fro preaching the Gospell and stablishing Churches in Samaria Phenice Antiochia Act. 8. 5. and 11. 19. 18. 1. Tit. 1. 5. Corinth Galatia Crete and the rest ever so much as aske leave of any of the heathen Governours to publish and stablish the Gospell there Sixthly And if the allarme of the Gospell must first be sounded in Princes Courts and that the Kingdome of Heaven must come with such observations we may sometimes wait long enough since the Luke 17. 20. Gospell the subject wherereof is salvation by a poore abject Carpenter Marke 6. 3. Act. 26. 28. is too base a matter ever to be set by in such places for the most part otherwise then some parcells thereof may be received so farre as it may procure outward safetie and glory The only way to establish the Gospel and the pure Ordinances thereof is to suffer persecution for it BUt now seeing this age will goe no further than they are nor SECT 16. endure no other courses in religion than that which is by Law established how
marke by their over-strained grounds and strait affections as the Professors in England are short by their timerous formalitie so as if the one would come a little forward There would be an excellent harmony if the separation and the professor could reunite and the other step backe and meet both aâ— the marke what a sweet harmony might there be but who shall live to see this done yet to them both as my loving friends and brethren I must speake and let God doe what he pleaseth The first thing they are faulty in is that they not onely condemne and flie from such evill persons and things as are found in the Parish assemblies but also condemne even the most godly there and all religious practices and ordinances they esteeme none other than an Idoll worship and all that use it Idolaters notwithstanding any holinesse The separation have gone too farre or sincerity which the persons have but how unjust their accusations of the godly people in the assemblies are is evidently shewed in a Treatise published by Master I Robinson so that of that I need say little Indeed Master Barrow and some others being under oppression which as Salomon saith maketh a wise man madde did harshly and hastily tumble up all things together esteeming the fruits and effects Eccles 7. 9. H. Barowes discovery pag. 112. A dangerous sentence of their preaching with all the comfortable feelings and inward rejoyeings in the spirit obtained in the parish assemblies to be nothing else but a delusion of Satan to betray their soules But words spoken or written in hastie passion of the minde and inordinate zeale must not stand for Oracles for even the holy Prophets of God themselves have recalled such speeches and chosen rather to confesse their owne frailties in using them then adventuring them upon the Church in succeeding ages for a further and remedilesse Numb 20. 10. 12. Psal 116. 11. Psal 73. 22. danger as we may see in Moses David Asaph and others Though then we esteeme Master Barrow and the rest who first set upon a second Lutheran course otherwise good men and are doubtlesse at rest with the Lord yet this must be accounted their error And no man must thinke it any dishonour to them though they were as good as Paul himselfe if we cease to follow them where they 1 Cor. 11. 1. followed not Christ So that leaving the Justification of the forward and better sort of people in England to the things written of them in M. R. booke I come to take a viewe of the ordinances which are in the parish assemblies to see if there be none among them that is Gods and is used without mixture of humane traditions and though it were a round and ready course to make wash way of all yet even Iehu had 2 King 20. 23. so much care when he destroyed the Prophets of Baal as to enquire if none of the Lords Prophets were there So then though wee be carefull when wee come to the worship of God as we ought to be that we neither submit our selves nor our bodies to human traditions so neither must we condemne all for humane traditions which is not comprehended and kept within the limits of a right Church state for as some of the Lords Prophets were â— King 18. 13. in Samaria even in the heighth of Ahabs wickednesse and some holy 2 Chron. 36. 18. vessels in Babylon in the depth of captivity so whatsoever may be said of the Church estate in England yet there are some of Gods Ordinances Ezra 1. 7. there which even in the middest of iniquities hath wrought effectually for the salvation of many And although all things amongst them have beene so mixed and wrapped in amongst mens inventions as that the good and bad can Preaching in England Gods Ordinance hardly be severed yet there is one thing which in my judgement standeth for the most part cleare from any evill or abuse and that is the preaching of the Word in the assemblies of England Yet not all preaching there by every Rhetoricall Ridler or praâ—ling What Preachers in England may be heard Parasite of which there are too many but such honest and sincere handling the Word of God as by some few there is used whose aime properly and mainly is to beat downe sins and corruptions and to build up and stablish in true grace and godlinesse and who can deny this to be the worke of the Lord and his ordinance to save his elect The efficacy of sound and zealous preaching though even the best of these Preachers be in some other things awry and mis-led through the corruption of the times against all which evils and errors of theirs I am as ready as any to protest and beare witnesse but they must give me leave to spare their graces when I condemne their corruptions The generall Objection against hearing in the Parish assemblies answered THe generall objection is that all Gods Ordinances are given SECT 22. to his Church and so if their Church state be not good what have they to doe with any of Gods Ordinances it is out of Object 11 Sion that the Law must goe and such as are of the world have nothing Mich. 4. 2. to doe to meddle with it I answer first Preaching is not an action that is proper to a visible Answer 1 Church neither are all Gods Ordinances so given to the Church as that many of them may not elsewhere be used The All Gods Ordinances are not peculiar to the visible Church Church must be no ingrosser nor the world no obtruder a covetous impious wife is more hatefull then a free hearted servant And though the Law went first out of Sion a proper place yet now mount Sion is every where and every Christian is both the Temple of the Lord in a sense as also a little mountaine of holinesse from Ioh. 4. 21 23. 1 Cor. 6. â—9 whom the Law of God and his Will must flow out upon all just occasions to neighbours brethren countrey-men strangers c. yea to any good or bad that will give attention and so farre are godly Preachers in England from blame because they preach as that I rather blame them that give over and desire from my heart that where The increase of godly Preachers in England is a thing much to be desired there is one of these plaine and powerfull Preachers that there were a hundred and that not onely their Temples but even their houses and all places where people might heare were filled with the voyce and Word of God and though this might suffice being rightly considered to answer this objection and to shew that preaching may not be ingrossed by the Church much lesse by the officers of the Church yet because a word is not sufficient to those that make these objections I willa little more distinctly open and prosecute the difference What Preaching is and
who may preach as also where and to whom PReaching is a reverend declaring of the Will and Word of SECT 25. God in many words or in few or an effectuall evincing and Preaching what it is Iob. 3. 4. Acts 2. 22. 36. Luke 12. 42. speaking to the heart and conscience without fearefull withholding the portion from any or immoderate lashing out that which belongeth to none I say it is reverend declaring c. For every Scripture phrase and good words used by idle and vaine discoursers is not preaching but rather prophaning that speaking then which is called preaching must Mat. 4. 6. 1 Sam. 28. 18. 19 be done with premeditation and due consideration of the Author God of the matter his Word the end his Glory and the salvation of the hearers 1 Cor. 2. 17. Of the Will of God wee must not preach our owne wills or empty our stomaches against such as personally oppose us lest it be justly ascribed to humour and passion rather then to the grace of preaching but when with reverence onely the Will and Word of Act. 10. 27. Iob 42 7. 8. God is told that is properly preaching In many words or in few I doe not say that a speech of an houre long only is preaching but also a few words ten words five words a word in his place being seasonably spoken may be an effectuall Sermon a pithy Acts 9. 20. 1 Cor. 14. 19. Prov. 25. 11. Luke 9. 60. 61. exhortation and whether the speech be long or short if the Will of God be reverendly declared and rightly applyed it is preaching Secondly it is demanded who may preach And for that I affirme that every Christian which hath received any Talent or gift of God enabling and fitting him thereunto may at fit occasions and opportunities Who is a Preacher Luke 19. 13. 11. 1 Pet. 4. 10. 22. Rom. 12. 6 7. Acts 8. 1. 4. 11. 19. minister the gift he hath received as a good disposer of Gods secrets without hiding his talent or withdrawing himselfe from the Lords barvest but when a doore is opened and an occasion given let him that hath a word of exhortation say on And this must be done with Christian discretion according as the talent is some men as they travell and labour in their affaires to fill with gracious speeches and counsell such as they are sorted withall others more eminent and fluent in Act. 18. 26. speech to doe it more publiquely as they can amongst the multitude where they dwell or travell at such time and occasions as people meet together and are willing to heare them Thirdly It is demanded where preaching must be And for that I affirme that as there is now no holy or unholy place so there can be no place simply appropriated to it but it is as lawfull In what place preaching may be used in one place as in another and may as lawfully be done in Faires Market-places Passage boats Fields and dwelling houses as in any Acts 17. 17. Mark 4. 1. Mat. 5. 1. Churches or Temples provided the place be convenient and the audience silent and attentive The fourth question is To whom preaching must be used and for that I answer That it may be to any of the sonnes of Adam whether Iewes Who they are that may be preached unto Turkes Indians Nigers Papists or Protestants religious or prophane one or other provided the Preachers matter be suited to his audience and that he be such a workeman in handling the Word of God as that Acts 17. 22. Rom. 13. 11. 2 Tim. 2. 15. he give each his portion thereof whether terror and judgement or compassion and comfort taking heed still of that sentence used by the Holy Ghost against such as either justifie the wicked or condemne the righteous Now the summe of all this is thus much That every Christian Prov. 17. 15. that hath received a gift of God for that purpose may preach the Word and so consequently be heard in any assembly where there may be audience and upon these grounds which I take to be sound I intend to frame these ensuing consequences Of the libertie that the Word of God ought to have ANd though now both the Papists and some ignorant Protestants SECT 24. would have no Word of God sounded forth by any but their No Church nor officers may ingrosse the word of God selected Clergie and also the Brownists would ingrosse it into their secret assemblies yet the same key which unlocked the old Catholiques Latine box wherein they kept all the Latâ—ie from the Letter of the Scriptures must now be used to free the preaching thereof out of the prison wherein these ingrossers have bound in chaines the very Gospel of our Lord Iesus that if there should rise up a man as learned 1 Cor. 14. 18. and eminent as Paul yet except he would come into their order he must remaine silent all his life long But the Word of God must not thus be bound nor the graces of his servanrs must not be buried in silence alwayes but the light must Luke 11. 33. 2 Cor. 3. 18. be set on the Table and the glory of the Lord must be shewed though vaine man be forced to couch under board neither is it much materiall Ioh. 3 30. 31. though the greatest that is borne of woman doe decrease as long as the Saviour of the world increaseth First then here falleth to the ground that opinion of theirs which tie the preaching of the Word to an order of Ministery for as it is certaine that there hath beene no universall office of Ministery since the Apostles but all Ministers since have had their office bounded No universall Ministry now within the limits of their particular flockes and the succession from the Apostles is none otherwise now then in doctrine faith and grace so as now it is not possible that a Church should ever enjoy a lawfull ordinary Ministery which is raised or made by any other then themselves and therefore if preaching may not be without Preaching must not be tyed to Ministers an ordinary office of Ministery how shall there ever be faith or grace or matter prepared for a Church except such Christians as have the knowledge and feare of God may publish and spread the same amongst their neighbours for their edification and conversion Secondly from these grounds we see how absurd the opinion of the separation is that tie all preaching and publishing the Gospell to such as are of their handfull which are few in number and lesse in ability and this of all other would make the miserablest scarcity for whereas in some whole Shires of this Land there is scarce one of them Preaching not tyed to the separated Churches and in other places two or three in some townes and those for the most part such as scarce know well their principles What a misery should all
with no man love no man that is faulty suffer no wrong but abandon every fellowship and person that hath any evill in him not reformed If no evills in the Church may be borne then why did not Paul write to the Church of Corinth to cast out more offenders then the incestuous man seeing there were those that wronged their brethren and 1 Cor. 5. 1. 2 3. 6. 6. 8. 10. 12. 11. 22. went to Law with them amongst the heathen rulers others that went to the Idol feasts and are said to have fellowship with divels others that schismed in their love feasts and inordinate cleaving to their Sectory teachers despising Paul yea and some whose emulations contentions and wantonnesse was not repented of in a long time and yet he giveth no order 2 Cor. 12. 20. 21. for the excommunicating any more then he which had committed a sin which the very light of nature condemneth If no sinnes might be borne in the Church then Christ when he gave direction to proceed against sins and sinners would have used the same word which Paul doth which signifieth infirmity or feeblenesse of Math. 18. 1â— 18. 19. 1 Cor. 6. 7. 1 Iohn 2. 10. 1 Cor. 5. 4. 5. 1 Sam. 26. 2. 27. â—0 2 Sam. 3. 29. 16. 4. 19. 29. 1 Sam. 12. 14. mind and not that which Iohn useth which signifieth a scandall for both Christ in the rule and Paul in his direction for practice speake of such evils as are notorious and scandalous Secondly David is never taxed for scandall in all the infirmities he shewed at Nob Gath and in the matters of loab ziha Mephibosheth and others but only in the matters of adultery and murther with Batâ—sheba and Vâ—iah he is said to scandall or lay a stumbling blocke If no sins in the Church may be borne how could David say Who can tell the errors of this life or how oft he offendeth and againe The righteous falleth seven times a day and riseth againe and that of Iames In Psal 19. 12. Psal 143. 2. Iam. 3. 1. 2. many things we sinne all c. We may not thinke that the Prophets and Apostles were either ignorant of grosse evils or fell seven times â— day into them but that they had their continuall failings in inferiour and doubtfull things and having so if they were now alive belike they were not good enough for the strict separation that fall so often and into so many things as they did Indeed the example of these holy men thus complaining may lead us all to a more thorow search of our selves for if they pronounced such a sentence upon themselves much more may we if we looke well to it and what mad men are we to quarrell and strive with our neighbours and brethren for their infirmities when we have such in our selves for grosse and scandalous evils indeed we may and must strive for all good men have not such in themselves If no sins must be borne with then no two men in this world could walke together in Christian fellowship no not any man with his wife nor no father with his child neither can any Church fellowship if they be true to this ground possible hold together for no men can converse much together but they shall see some fault in each other either in omission or commission One man will be too remisse and Some things amisse in the best men cold in family duties of instruction prayer c. Another too sluggish in hearing Sacraments and other publique exercises one man is too full of worldly cares another is too carelesse in his worldly affaires one man even kills himselfe with hard labour another spoyles himselfe with too much idlenesse one man is too talkative and busie another is too mute and silent At a word in all men there is to be seene some partiality some pride some conceitednesse some selfe-love some follie some ignorance some error and unsoundnesse some anger and impatience all which are evills and will more or lesse appeare in men whilest they live notwithstanding all admonitions ad censures that can be past upon them And therefore except we will by excommunication cast the Church out of the Church we must cover their infirmities in love as they must also ours and bury them in a loving delight in their graces exhorting Ephes 4. 32. 33. and perswading them but not provoking biting or censuring them but freely forgiving them as God for Christs sake freely forgiveth us If no sins must be borne then there must be perfection even in this life either in truth or in conceit for they they that are perswaded that other men doe cover their failings in love will as lovingly cover No perfection in this life other mens againe seeing it is worse then beast-like not to give love for love indeed one man hath a more prying and piercing eye to see into his neighbours faults then his neighbour hath to see into his and so he is apt to please himselfe as if he were not as other men are but he whose infirmities are most of all ript up and raked into is 1 Tim. 5. â—4 Luke 1 11. 14. 1 Tim. 1. 10. 15. oftentimes rather justified before God then the other to whom nothing is spoken and indeed he which truly examineth and searcheth into himselfe cannot possibly be voyd of charity towards others What kind of sinnes and sinners they be that may be borne in the Church THat some sins then may be borne and covered in love in the SECT 30. Church and amongst Christians is out of question and that some other sins may not be borne is also certaine but to set downe every particular sin which is to be borne and every particular for which men must be abandoned without repentance were impossible and meere trifling for when we oppose godly men and wicked men we doe not meane that they onely are godly which never doe A godly and an ungodly man described nothing but what is godly nor they only wicked which never doe ought but wickednesse for there is no man so good but that he sometimes falleth into some evill nor none so wicked but hee sometimes stumbleth upon some good It is indeed the common and customary course in practising grosse evill and refusing to doe good that proveth a man to be wicked and the frequent performance of good duties and ordinary abstinence from evills that shewes a man to be Godlinesse and wickednesse are two severall trades godly for as one saith evill men can doe good by accident and good men by accident fall into evill but the common trade of a godly man is to doe good and of a wicked man to doe evill Indeed such sins as under the Law were death as Incest Adultery Blasphemy c. being now committed by any in the Church except Exod. 21. 12. Levit. 18. 29. 19. 1â— 24. 14. Deut. 22. 22. 1
Cor. 5. 13. 1 Tim. 1. 20. 1 Cor. 6. 9. 10. they repent they may and must be cast out but otherwise except they be such as the light of nature condemneth or such as the Scripture in expresse termes forbiddeth and threatneth to shut out of Heaven for them men should be wary how they excommunicate for them and although by this rule few would be excommunicate in Churches that are made of fit matter and the fewer the better so long as grosse wiekednes is not there harboured for it is better to offend in too much lenity then in too much severity better to let some tares stand then to plucke up the good wheat for though Christ have Mat â—3 28. 29. given that sharp and severe censure into the hands of his Saints yet they must take heed they be not too busie with it sharpe instruments must be skilfully and warily handled and though Christ have promised to binde in Heaven such as his Church bindeth on earth yet this promise must be restrained onely to such cases as wherein the censure Mat. 18. 18. 19. is deserved for else the Church rather bindes over it selfe to the wrath of God for wronging his servants and abusing his ordinances and taking his name in vaine then commits the person either to Excommunication must be used warily Satan or Gods wrath so that we must be sure to see that the case be just before we censure and if the Word of God have not said that such shall be shut out of Heaven we must moderate our zeale and restraine our passions and not thinke to make Christ follow us but we Luke 6. 36. must follow him and be mercifull as he is mercifull And as in civill judgements death is never inflicted justly but for some grosse and haynous crimes so in the spirituall judgements Men must not be hanged for trifles of the Church excommunication which is the most severest censure that a Church can have should not be administred upon any but for such haynous evills which being persisted in doe barre a man for ever out of Gods Kingdome Indeed some peremptory and presumptuous men have got such a habit of bitternesse that they thinke their speech is of no force except Iob 11. 2. 6. Peremptory censurers dangerous members they fling the fire brands of hâ—ll at every one whom they deale against though the matter be small and sometimes also doubtfull and disputable and it is well such kinde of men keepe not the keyes of heaven gate for if they did none but themselves should come there and if also they had civill power I know not what havocke they would make amongst some men that are better then themselves Many of the separation complaine as they may of oppression by civill power and wrong by penall statutes and commissioners sentences Vnjust excommunication more evill then civill oppression 2 Chron. 28 9. by which often they are imprisoned banished and sometimes put to death And surely though these things are done by their opposites in a rage that goeth up to heaven which the Lord no doubt will one day call to reckoning yet it is also just with God to pay them home wiih bloody and bodily cruelty which spare not to racke teare and turmoyle the soules and consciences of their brethren by opprobrious and bitter speeches and violent and dangerous censures undeserved Three cautions concluding the Doctrine of forbearance TO conclude wee must alwayes beare in mind that the Scriptures SECT 31. have in them in all places a double sentence and determination of such things as they treat of the one cleare and certaine Rev. 1. 13. 14 15 16. 20. the other probable and doubtfull In the things which the Scripture it selfe clearely determineth we may boldly proceed to professe and practise accordingly but where there is but a bare probabilitie in the Scripture we must be wary what we doe for a hundred probabilities doe not conclude a certainty neither is it sufficient that we have some reverâ—nâ— mens glosses and No Expositor sound but the Holy Ghost guesses to goe before us for when all is done if the Holy Ghost be not both Text man and Comment and conclude the point some where either in plaine words or ordinary examples we are as farre off from the matter as before and doe rather bundle up more ignorance with our ancients in taking things from their mouths and pens then bring any honour either to the truth or them And for a man to use either wit or learning to make the Scripture seeme to speake that which it doth not indeed speake is rather a vanity than a vertue and how much was Christ offended for Peters snatching at a doubtfull word as also what a fearefull sin did those witnesses run into that came against Christ by wresting an ambiguous Iohn 21. 22. 23. Mat. 26. 61. phrase to their owne advantage In things therefore probable and doubtfull it better becomes us to seeme ignorant then to grow presumptuous and rather conclude against our selves that we know nothing as we ought to know it but 1 Cor. 8. 2. 13. 9. have our knowledge in part as is our obedience then presume above that which is sober and mute or imagine that we know and can determine Rom. 12. 3. all things And as wee must be sparing and modest in determining such points as wherein the Scripture is doubtfull so wee must be much more sparing in using any violent or cruell words or practices against men in matters doubtfull yea though in thy apprehension it be cleare in the letter of the Scriptures yet if thorow custome and ignorance of our times it be growne a matter questionable and that amongst godly men as was once Polygamy amongst the Fathers and Fornication among Deut. 21. 15. 1 Cor. 6. 18. Acts 15. 29. the Churches of the Gentiles though thou must retraine it thy selfe in conscience of God yet must use no violent words or practice whereby to force all others to doe like thee And so if thy neighbour or thy brother hold or practise any thing which thou judgest amisse except thou have an expresse Scripture 3 whereby to strike the matter dead and out of which thou canst say Thus saith the Lord it is better to be silent then to use much disputing Numb 9. 8. 9. 10. 13. for witty and Logicall disputes serve more often to feed light and corrupt affections then to settle a sound judgement yea and men upon a little snatch therein are apt to let their wits a plodding about every nice and triviall question whilest better things passe by them or are stolne and lost out of their mindes Besides except the reasons brought against an opinion be cleare and strongly backed by evidence Subtile disputes more dangerous then profitable of Scripture they rather strengthen the persons in their opinions then draw them from it neither will ever the truth and Church of
the people about them be in if no Word of God nor sound of the Gospel must be heard til they were able and willing and could intend to preach it but let not the Word of God be thus bound Thirdly by this ground also that every Christian that hath a gift may use it for the edification of others it followeth that if the Countrey and Kingdome where we live take no publique course for preaching yet the Gospel may still sound in families and from neighbour to neighbour and also if there be any that cannot or will not come Though publike preaching become vaine or fraile yet private must not Hest 4. 14. Luke 19. 42. to publique preaching or that the publique preaching begin so to be fraughted and stuffed with policie eloquence and vaine ostentation as that it becomes unprofitable c. Yet still the word of God is not bound but helpe commeth another way and when they hold their peace that should speake the mouth of the very stones are opened Fourthly it followeth from these grounds that Kings and Princes may not onely themselves study and preach the Word as did King Eccles 1. 4. Fox in Monument pag. 100. 110. Edw. 3. Salomon and Oswaldus King of Northumberland but also it teacheth them to approve protect and maintaine by their civill power the preaching of the Gospel and spreading the knowledge of Christ by all meanes and by all them to whom God hath given a gift thereunto It is a worke becomming a King to preach the Word whether they be Lawyers Physicians or other mechanicall men that are able and doe it orderly and to be so farre from tying it to a place or houre as that they should rejoyce to have it sound in private houses Ferry boats Faires and Markets being done without civill disorder And good government must promote preaching all manner of wayes order and detraction from men of greater eminencie remembring the example of that godly Magistrate Moses who was so farre from forbidding Eldad and Medad to prophesie though Ioshua a good man requested him as that he also wished that all the Lords people could also Numb 11. 29. prophesie And lastly according to our proper intent If every gifted Christian may preach where they can have audience then if any of the Preachers in England be Christians and have a gift to preach both or any of No gift may be losâ— which to deny were shamefull they may then preach the Word in any place where the people are assembled of what kinde soever or for what cause soever and consequently in their parish Churches where the people of the parish meet to use Divine service and other Rites established by Law I say when all is done if yet they will give their attendance to heare a message from God and that there be one of Iudg. 3. 20. Iob. 33. 23. a thousand there so fitted he may and ought there to declare his Word of exhortation and it is lawfull and good for any godly man to come and heare him Act. 13. 15. The particular objections against hearing in the parish assemblies answered NOw though these grounds and consequences doe clearely SECT 25. evince the truth of this point and also we know that so long as the ground and foundation of a thing standeth there is little good to be done against the thing by other working yet because this age is fuller of catching wits to cavill against some appendixes and leaves of the tree then of solid and able men to undermine and wade into the root of things therefore I will apply my selfe to goe a little aside from the currant of the matter to answer their exceptions The Preachers in the assemblies receive an unlawfull office from Object 12 the Prelates and they which heare them approve of their office since they preach by it I answer first this and a thousand such exceptions cannot remove Answ 1 the ground before laid downe for it is his Christian state and gifts that maketh him a Preacher and not his office whether it be right or wrong It is indeed his sin to take such an office from the Prelates and a further sin to execute the office as he doth in the customes and rites of the Church but no man can say this sinne maketh him cease If any of the Ministers in England have gifts and be Christians they may preach to be a Christian so long as in his generall course and carriage hee shewes himselfe honest and conscionable but wee are in charitie to esteeme it an infirmity in him which the times sway him to and no more and we are to cover it in his other vertues and love and respect him still for the good he hath and not cast him off for some failings lest we be served so our selves Indeed if for every such error and failing we will ranke them amongst those which hate to be reformed Psal 50. 16. 17. we may then conclude apace that they may not take Gods covenant in their mouths And yet were they such as they are not yet so long as their gifts remaine they may be heard as well as the Scribes and Pharisies and Mat. 23. 3. 4. 1 Cor. 3. 14. 15. the evill and corrupt teachers in Corinth for though themselves sin by using the Name and Word of God whilest they neither feare nor obey him ye till God taketh away their gifts and facultie I see not but an use may be made of it And seeing a man of knowledge judgement and utterance with gravity authority and power is a compleat Preacher as was Apollo whether he have an office or no office a good office or an evill office Act. 18. 24. 25. An office no argument to prove or disprove a mans preaching it is to no more purpose to bring in his office to prove the lawfulnesse or unlawfulnesse of his preaching than to alledge against a man the unlawfulnesse of his marriage to disprove his workemanship in his Trade and as absurd it is for to enquire into the office of him that is to preach before we heare him as to enquire into an Artificers marriage before we will either acknowledge him for a worke-man or imploy him in any businesse And when a man is to make any good and profitable speech eithe in Law Phisique or divinitie he is like to prove the wiser man that asketh what he saith rather then whence he is Neither can any man be said to approve of their office except he joyne with them in such things as appertaine to their office as doth their service and ceremonies but preaching is an accidentall thing and no part of the office properly but an ornament or appendix about Preaching accidentall to the Priest-hood in England it which may be wanting and yet the Minister a full officer in the order of Priesthood and though he never preach whilest he lives yet the Law cannot tax him for not performing his
God be settled and stablished either by outward violence or subtill disputes but if a certaine and expresse word cannot be brought to put to silence a mans contradictory opinion the only way is to let him alone and to goe on lovingly and brotherly with him in the fellowship of his other graces till God reveale further putting Phil 3. 15. aside all occasion of speech about that wherein the difference lieth lest from talking you fall to chiding and from chiding to bitter strife Gal. 5. 15. Acts 15. 38 39. hatred and heart-burning to the weakning of your comfort with God and the hindering of your favour and respect with men The Conclusion and Summe of all NOw although I have written much and that with all plainnesse SECT 32. that I can yet I live amidst so many sleepers and drousie Christians that me thinketh I heare some starting up about Ben. Sirach cap. 22. 20. mine eares and asking me what iâ— is I have said and what I would have and therefore I will summe up all my aime in a word First I finde in this world two sorts of men wicked and godly and both these must live in one world but not in one Church 1 Cor. 5. 10. Iohn 17. 14. 16. Act. â— 44. 4â— 47 2 Cor. 6. 16. 17. Col. 2. 8. 23 Iohn 4. 23. 24. Acts 6. 5. 14. 23. 1 Cor. 5. 4. 12. Acts 21 13. 14. Heb. 10. 25. 1 Pet. 2. 17. Acts 2. 42. 44. Psal 15. 1. 2. The godly I would have to gather themselves together and combine in a spirituall fellowship apart from the vaine world and wicked therein a bandoning all mans inventions worshipping God onely by his Word and Graces choosing their owne Ministers executing Discipline amongst themselves and rather lose their lives then lose this liberty but to continue feasting and feeding together in the fellowship of Gods sacred Ordinances all the time of their dwelling in this Tabernacle even till they are translated to the mount of glory Secondly And because the policie of the times will allow no such things but compells as well the uncircumcised Philistins and the blacke mouthed Eâ—hiopian to the Temple and Sacrifices as the sons of Abraham Exod. 12. 48. Rom. 21. 27. and Israel of the Lord imposing also upon them other officers governments Traditions and Ceremonies then ever the infallible writings of Christ or his Apostles mentioned Therfore I have exhorted all that feare God to resolve to suffer with patience and courage all such oppressions and persecutions as for their abstinence from the aforesaid evills or practising the contrary good shall be imposed and afflicted upon them by any authority Luke 14. 27. Acts 16. 22 23. 1 Cor. 4. 12. Acts 7 90. Mat. 25. 44 45. whatsoever and as meeke and gentle Lambes to goe with Christ to the Crosse and with the Apostles to the prison even with gentle intreaties and earnest prayers for their opposites that so advancing the glory and name of Christ here in this world they may sit for ever in glory with him in heaven Thirdly And seeing the straggling opinions and opposite practices of some godly men is a maine hinderance hereof therefore I have proposed certaine wayes whereby the overstrained heat of the strict A harmony indeed separation may be mitigated and ordered and the sluggish conformity of the professors awaked and revived that both may re-unite together and converse sweetly in one Church as the Lord hath prepared for them one heaven Fourthly And because the vaine heart of man is subject to be lifted up with it's owne conceits and perswasions and to be vehement against others for every small difference therefore I have propounded and proved the Doctrine of forbearance by many infallible grounds and have shewed that it is the duty of all Christians to serve one another in love and continue their fellowship in the free and Phil. 3. 14. 25. Rom. 14. 1. familiar use of that knowledge and gifts wherein they agree without entring into any tedious and doubtfull controversies to disturbe and provoke one another much lesse abuse revile and abandon one another 1 Cor. 14. 36. remembring that the Word of God came not to one Church or person alone but others have understanding as well as they and the most confident speaker is oftentimes more awry than hee that keepes Iob 12. 3. 1 Sam. 1. 13. 14. 1 Cor. 13. 1. 2. silence however the largest knowledge must have the largest love lest whilest wee thinke to teach wee doe nothing but devoure and make havocke FINIS