these â—igures have their certain grounds of resemblance and there is not a more conspicuous typifying Character in the person of David then that of his Royall ordering and establishing the house and Church of God whereunto he was raised up and particularly inspired and commanded though the faithfulness of Christ preferred to that of Moses should not Yet his succession in the Throne of David to reigne over the house of Jacob for ever doth undeniably conclude both the Government and complete setlement of the Church by us contended for 4. If you would reflect upon the Lords singular Providence over his People Israel first in that Theocratie whereby in a peculiar manner he Governed them unto the dayes of Saul 2. in their Urim and Thummim and the holy Oracles of God which they constantly enjoyed 3. In the continuall assistance which they had almost in all times of Prophets immediatly inspired you cannot lightly suppose that either Synagogues or any other Lawfull institution concerning their Law and worship were a meer humane invention but though the evidences of their appointment remaining with us upon record were more obscure these passages alone do render it more then probable that their Authority and rise was Divine 5 The comparing of the Church of Christ to that of the Old-Testament is so unfavourable to your cause and there are such manifest disparities in that parallel that it rather maketh against you then for you for as the Ordinances of that dispensation were such as were to be done away and abolished and therefore were appointed by God who in times past spake unto the Fathers by the Prophets at Sundry times and in divers manners in a variant and mutable forme So the Lord having in these last dayes and now in the end of the World spoken unto us by his son to whom he sayeth thy Throne O God is for ever and ever the Anointing of the most Holy attended by the sealing up the Vision and Prophecie and the setting up of his everlasting Dominion do infallibly conclude the introducing of a more excellent Ministerie and the full and immutable establishment of all Ordinances requisite to the ingathering and perfecting of the Saints Sir if these things were considered by you and that our Lord hath now at last by himself given and ordered for us a complete and perfect apâ—ointment of all means necessary in his Church you should finde more Soul-satisfaction in walking at true liberty in the observing of his precepts then in the Lascivient fancies of your own vain Imagination which not content to rest in the blessed change that our Lord hath made of the first Covenant not faultles unto this New one and better ordered under the specious aspiring to a liberty equal to that of the Jewish Church doth plainly charge the Christian Church with the imperfections of that which is decayed and vanished Having thus examined and answered the strain and scope of your discourse I shall briefly go over what remains You say Our Saviour and his Apostles countenanced the Synagogues and their Rulers and why not seing not only their first institution appears to have been such as I have declared but also other occasions noted in the Gospel wherein you have no advantage did clearly thereto invite Next you say That this their practice was either founded on divine Tradition which no Christian will grant or that a form of Government not unlawful was devised by Men I answere 1. I have exhibited already warrants for their practice beside tradition 2. Might not the positive manner of the institution of Synagogues have been then more clear while the thing was in observance then now it is after its abolition and the revolution of so many Ages 3. If I were concerned in your parenthesis against Divine Tradition I would ask you why do you thus without distinction make the admitting of it in the Jewish Church so great an absurdity That there were Divine Traditions before the Word was committed to writing and that under the dark imperfect and progressive dispensation of the Old Testament assisted nevertheless by a more immediate presence unwritten traditions might both have been more usuall and were less fallible may be probabely enough held by these who yet now after the full and perfect revelation of the Gospel by our Lord Jesus Christ do upon solid grounds very justly reject unwritten Traditions in the Christian Church By which reasons you may perceive that the one member of your Dilemma labouring so sadly of untruth both in its supposition and the absurdity thence inferred it can no wayes be cogent to enforce the other of the liberty of Mans devising in the point of Church-Government even in the Jewish Church let be in the Christian so many wayes more excellent But in the close you insinuate That the greater liberty you plead for to the Christian Church is in externals That this General ambiguous objection is only intended for a convenient retreat is apparent from all the preceeding discourse seeing if by Externals you understand things in their own nature extrinsick to the constitution of the Church and which in the New Testament have no further use allowed then is conducible to decencie and order we willingly grant that the Christian Church being in effect absolutely liberate from the old burthen of Ceremonies and not as you vainly conceit endowed with a greater and more arbitrarie power of imposing is indeed herein more free then the Iewish was But if by externals you mean as alas the instances premised do too plainly speak all the visible Ordinances of the Church specially that of Government at least what ever is in it visible the liberty that you would introduce is not more contraire to the Scripture both of the Old and New Testament as I have shown then most licentious and irreligious Your last cavill against the exercise of our Lords Kingdom in ordering the visible administration of his Church is That if this were inferred by his headship over the Church his being also the head of the World should argue the same determination in the order of the World as well as in that of the Church And having made your N. C. seemingly and poorly check you by saying that Christs Church is dearer to him then all the World Then you restrict the absurdâ—â—y which you press unto the civil Matters of the Church and proceed in such a rambling discourse that I am at a stand how to medle with it But waving the censure of your impertinencies I answere 1. That the Mediatory Kingdom of Our Lord over his Church and his Natural so to speak Soveraignity over the World are so grosly here by you confounded that I can only intreat you to be more serious in reading and searching what the Scripture doth very distinctly hold forth 1. Of their different rise the one given the other not given 2. Of their different objects and ends the one having proposing the World men in order to a
Devil did that and so do all Sects do you therefore mean that it should be laid aside as an insufficient Judge or that we use it no better then the Devil did I desire you may explain your self if not for our concernment at least for the Scriptures vindication In the mean time I am heartily willing that both what you and what I have said be rightly pondered and whether the Church in matters of Government be lest to rove in your pretended liberty or more excellently established by the infinite wisdom unspeakable love and most tender care of its only Lord and Head let Scripture and Reason impartially decide But to conclude all you tell us with a preface That the Angels of the Churches afford us fairer likely hoods for Bishops then ever we shall finde in the Bible for Presbyterie It 's answered seing you your self do acknowledge that nothing in it whether you mean in this place or in the whole Scripture the words are ambiguous amounts to a demonstration I remit the matter to the Scriptures by me adduced whereby I am confident all your Likelihoods are more then counterballanced He who is further desiâ—ous to have them removed may consult M. Durham upon the Text for my own part since ever I had the understanding to consider that the Râ—velation was made in a Mystick phrase that the Seven starres who are the Angels do certainly signifie the many teachers that were in every one of these Churches that in the Candle-sticks as in the Starres we finde the same oneness and number and lastly that though to the Angel be the inscription for address yet we finde the body of all the Epistles written directly to the whole Churches these things I say occurring I protest I could never discerne more reason in this argument for subjecting these Churches unto seven superior single Prelates then for making the same Prelats really Angels or turning every Church into a Candle stick Or if I may adduce another instance not absimilare to your Faire Likelihoods for interpreting the two Witnesses to be the two Arch-Bishops of St. Andrews and Glasgow When you have spent your endeavours upon the Authority of Episcopacie you think to seconde it in the next place with its Antiquity derived you say from the times next to the Apostles whereupon you conclude in these words That how this excrescing power should have crept into the whole Church and no mention when it came in no Prince or Universal Council to introduce it in the times of persecution when the Church usually is purest and most free of pride no Secular consideration to flatter but the first brunt of the persecution alwayes against it and how none opposed it if this was not introduced by Apostles or Apostolicall men passeth my Divination And really Sir as to its particular Methods and increase so doth it mine And so much more then it doth yours that I am perswaded from clear Scripture that it was not only not introduced but plainly reprobate by our Lord and his Apostles Yet am I so little thereby stumbled that the more dark and obscure I finde its rise and progresse I am the more confirmed that it is the very Mysterie of iniquity and do so much the more admire the incorruptible and eternall Truth of the Gospel which as in the beginning it foretold the coming and took very early Notice of the first motions of this prodigie of wickednesse So hath it through the many ages of its exaltation preserved it self against and now in the latter dayes overcomes its Malice But to review your discourse more particularly I have already shewed that the Ministery and Government institute by our Lord and confirmed and practised by the Apostles was plainly Presbyterian if so what place for further inquirie Is your alledged traditional subsequent humane institution of Prelacie of greater moment 2. That even in the Primitive times and for 140. years after our Saviour no vestige of Prelacie appears upon record is the consentient opinion of the best Searchers both on your and our part 3. This plea of Antiquity hath already been so fully handled and improved both by yours and ours specially Hamond on your part and Blondel Salmasius and other Learned servants of Christ on ours that there needs nothing be added and where the advantage is the Ingenuous may easily discerne He that desires a solid and short accompt of the matter may read the appendix to the jus Divinum Ministerii Evangelici But you proceed to give in some poor scrapes of pretended Antiquity which not only the most sure and clear and farre more ancient Scriptures of Truth but even the convincing answeres which they have often receaved might well have made you to forbear And first you say That Ignatius his Epistles are plain language And so they are indeed but too plain for you to have cited as the following passages compared with the Scriptures subjoined may evince In the Epistle to the Tralliani we have what is a Bishop but he that is possest of all Principality and Authority beyond all as much as is possible for men Reverence the Bishop as ye do'Christ as the holy Apostles have Commanded c. As the Lord Christ doth nothing without his Father so must ye do nothing without your Bishop Let nothing seem right or equall to you that is contra to his judgement In the Epistle to the Philad Let the Princes obey the Emperours the Souldiers the Princes the Deacons and the rest of the Clergie with all the People and the Souldiers and the Princes and the Emperour let them obey the Bishop no doubt the Bishop of Rome In the Epistle to the Smyrnenses The Scripture saith honour God and the King but I say honour God as the Author and Lord of all things and the Bishop as the Prince of Priests resembling the image of God of God for his principality of Christ for his Priesthood c. There is none greater then the Bishop in the Church who is consecrated for the Salvation of the whole World c. Let all men follow the Bishop as Christ the Father c. It is not Lawfull without the Bishop to baptize or offer c. He that doth any thing without consulting the Bishop Worshippeth the Devil Now on the other hand let us hear what the Scripture saith to this purpose Who then is Paul who Apollo but Ministers by whom ye beleeve Be ye followers of me even as I also am of Christ for we preach not our selves but Christ Iesus the Lord and our selves your Servants for Iesus sake Not that we have dominion over your faith but are helpers of your joy for by faith ye stand But so shall it not be among you whosoever will be great among you shall be your Minister and whosoever of you will be the chiefest shall be Servant of all to these adde the practices and other professions of the Apostles concerning themselves and their fellow-Labourers and really Sir when
Clergie is not in the Text Pray you Sir how came this in your head that we apply the title of Gods heritage to the Clergie or own them under this name Know you not that the usurping of this prerogative both by your and the Popish Church-men hath been alwayes esteemed by us an high arrogance As for your pretending to correct our Translation Pray Sir be sober and remember the respect which you bear to the Authors 2. I grant the Greek Verbatim â—â—ndered seemeth to sound neither as exercising Lordly authority over the Lots by which as your interpretation of a tyrannical domination is disproved so even your pretended exactnesse Your being wantingâ— is exceeded 3. Since the Lords People are certainly here meant whether you understand them to be termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lots in order to their respective Pastors whoâ—e â—ortitions and divisions they are or as being Gods heritage according to the usuall signification of the singular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heritageâ— and the clear Synonymous import of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the following part of the verse but being Ensamples to the flock it matters nothing as to our present business but plainly shews your impertinent curiosity However I wish you to consider that as we condemn the worldly and pompous usurpations of Prelats above their own degree and over their Brethren so we most of all condemn their spiritual Tyranny in Lording over the Consciences of Gods People whom they cease not now as alwayes to vex with their Pharisaick imposing and exacting of implicite obedience to vain Traditions and humane inventions more then obedience to the Commandments of God as will afterward appear Your N. C. proceeds to say that his chief quarrell against Bishops is that they are a function of mans devising and no where instituted by God To this you think fit to answere by way of retortion telling us of our great but vain pretenses to a jus divinum in severall things As first in the matter of Lay Elders thus Sir you deall wittily when you can do no betterâ— seing you cannot confirme your own opinion you endeavour at lest to subvert your adversarie but before I enter with you upon particulars I must tell you first that Presbyterians in pleading for a jus divinum do not pretâ—nd to a posiâ—tive and expresse prescription from Scripture of all the smaller points and circumstances either of decencie or order requisite to their Government and Discipline in as much as the regulation of these being abundantly provided for by the general rules revealed and the things themselves and their use such as ingenuous persons cannot probably mistake the want of express warrants in all or any such particulars cannot be justly cavilled at as a defect 2. That it had better become the sobriety that you require of your N. C. for you to have answered what many worthy Men have written for the jus divinum of Presbyterie then to have passed all with the empty censure of your own airy character of big talking and minding it as little as any could to the effect you may amuse your poor N. C. with a fear of your conceited quiblings but leaving these things with as confident an estimation as your undervaluing is vain and groundlesse to the impartial perusal of judicious Readers I do only here premise that whoever abstractly and seriously considers the clear light and obvious project of the Gospel will of necessity finde 1. That our Lord Jesus by vertue of that Kingdom and All Power given to him in Heaven and in Earth did for the carrying on and prospering of his pleasure the Salvation of sinners appoint in the Persons of his Apostles a perpetual Ministrie in his Church the summe of whose charge is both severally jointly to take heed to oversee and feed the Church of God and the chief part and dutie of which office is to Preach and Teach and consequently to reprove rebuke exhort remit and retain bind and loose c. in which things the heads of Doctrine and Discipline with their immediate power and warrant from Jesus Christ and their connexâ—on and dependence betuixt themselves do certainly consist and are clearly held out 2 As the Apostles were all the Ministers waving the matter of the Seventie whose mission and imployment was only locall and preparatorie unto every Citie and place whether he himself would come and to say the Kingdom of God is come nigh unto you and de facto ended at their returne Luk 10. 1. 9. 17. appointed by Christ and in them the order office and full pattern of the Gospel Ministrie established 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even unto the end of the world so they are by our Lord vested with such equall power so expresly prohibited the aspiring to or usurping these degrees lawfull and allowed in secular dignities and so enixely commanded the lowliest humility and submission conceivable not only in their personall conversation but in their Ministrie that to introduce an imparity either of Power Dignity or stated Preheminence amongst Gospel Ministers is plainly to reject and deny our Lords institution and ordinance 3. That although the Apostles were singular above their successors in many respects such as an infallible assistance in the discharge of their Ministrie eminencie of Gifts an unconfined exercise an universall oversight and the privilege not only of our Lords peculiar and chosen Witnesses but of being the spirituall Fathers and Authors of conversion to almost the whole Christian Church yet were these prerogatives only temporary and necessarily requisite and suited to or depending upon the particular exigence of the Gospels first propagation and so far from changing or innovating that equality parity and lowlinesse of Ministers most manifest from our Lords command and appointment that on the contraire these other advantages hindered not the Apostles to respect and acknowledge the Pastors of particular Churches as partakers with them of the same Ministeriall power their fellow-labourers Brethren not in the bare name as your Prelats scorne their Curates and the Pope in his pretended sevus servorum Dei the whole Roman Church Compresbyters and in the Pastoral charge altogether their equals 4. As the power of Government consisting in the Authoritative deciding of Controversies according to the word of God the due application of Ecclesiastick Discipline and Censures and the right regulation of all other things pertaining to the Ministeriall function is clearly imported in the Command of Feeding and Over-seeing beside its naturall inseparability from the conduct of every rational let be Christian institution and Society and consequently only assistent and secondarie to the other offices of the Ministerie so the Lords command of that most lowly submission and simplicity incapable of the very notion of imparity which he opposeth even to that lawfull Authority and dignity allowed in civils doth in such a peculiar manner regard the exercise of this Governing Power that whether it be more absurd to introduce a
stated degree of Superiority and Dignity among Ministers in the point of Government or to separate and exalt Government from and above the office of Preaching to which it is subservient and to appropriate it to certain Ministri-prelati above others can hardly be determined I need not here caution concerning ruling Elders seeing the more full description of Ecclesiastick Government is here given in order to Ministers in which these Elders being only partiall sharers it is not more agreeable to their warrant then suitable to this position 5. As the grounds of the equality and parity of Ministers by us asserted are by these truths plainly held out so that superiority of Power though still Ministerial competent to the meetings of the Brethren as well over the severall constituent members as over the Church according to their warrant hereafter declared is thereto very consistent and thereby mostly established whether these things all evident in the Doctrine and practice of Christ and his Apostles do not fairely exhibite the principles and platform of a Presbyterian Ministerie and its Ministerial parity Let men judge Really Sir when I consider Preaching to be the main office even our Lords own commission great erand into the world Discipline to be dependent upon it and wholly referable to its end and a simple Ministerial Government only allowed for the regulation and advancement of both and when I do remember that neither the glorious excellencie of the Lord Jesus hindered him to be amongst his Disciples as he who served nor did the many advantages of the Apostles and others extraordinarily gifted and accordingly imployed and sent out as their assistents requisite in the Churches infancie make them assume to themselves or endeavour to settle in the Church any superior Order above the degree of preaching Elders and Overseers whom they allwayes respected as their equals in the work of the Gospel And thirdly when I call to minde that wherever a Church came to be gathered the Apostles did either by themselves as at Lystra Iconium and Antioch or by their fellow labourers as Timothy at Ephesus and Titus in Crete there left and appointed by Paul for the work and charged to leave the place when called therein ordain Elders without any imparity or higher order and that Paul after having testified that he had keep back nothing profitable nor shuned to declare all the Counsel of God but shewed them all things did commit to the Elders of Ephesus the full charge and oversight of the Church of God without appointing any Angel Prelat over them And lastly when I reflect how that in the beginnings of the Gospel at Ierusalem all things almost were acted by Common counsel that where and when the Christian name did first take place there and at the same time we finde a Presbyterie of Prophets and teachers assembled and acting jointly and by the Command of the Holy Ghost sending out even the greatest of the Apostles as subject to them that Paul imposeth hands with the Presbyterie termeth it their deed Peter exhorts Elders as his fellows their Compresbyter when I say I ponder these thingsâ— they do make me assuredly conclude the Ministrie Government of the Church in the way of Presbyterie to be as much Iuris Divini as it is opposite to and removed from your Hierarchie Having thus discovered the foundation and traced the undeniable lineaments of Presbyterie in the Word of God I may not insiâ—t upon the inconsonant deformities of Prelacie only this I must say that though Prelacie were not attended with many and great corruptions and in its exaltation mark it lest you think me injurious to good men had not been alwayes enemy to Religion and Godliness Yet a superiour Order of Church-men usurping from the Pastors of the flock of God the Ministerial Power of Iurisdiction and the only right of Ordination and acclaiming to themselves the sole management of Government as their proper work with dignity and authority over their Brethren hath neither warrant nor vestige in the Scripture of the New Testament but is so palpably the invention of man that it is not a greater wonder that the Devil should have improved it to all that pride avarice wickednesse and villany which it hath produced then it is a mysterie how the world should have been thereby imposed upon and have endured all its rapine sacrilege and usurpation under the pretext of Religion to which it is so repugnant I come now to try how you impugne the jus divinum which we assert for Lay elders and other matters condescendâ—d up on by you and therefore hitherto by me not touched You say Lay-Elders are founded on no Scripture as the most judicious amongst us acknowledge And you wonder that when we urge from the Apostles giving rules only for Bishops and Deacons that Diocesans must be shuâ—fled out how we do not also see that ruling Elders are not there Who these most judicious amongst us in Scotland may be who deny Lay or rather Ruling Elders to have any Scripture warrant seeing your own N. C. is none of the Number I cannot apprehend but for your wonder I think it may be easily satisfied if you will but consider that it is not from the simple omission of Diocesans in this Text that we exclude them from the Church but since it is manifest from the Epistles to Timothy and Titus that the true Apostolick Bishop was no other either in name or office then a Presbyter Nay that by the rules to him set down your Diocesans is plainly cast and rejected like as both in Acts Chap. 20. and Titus the names of Bishop and Presbyter are promiscuously used is it not clearly concludent that your Diocesan hath no Scripture warrant whereas the ruling Elder as he is not in these places confounded and made the same with the preaching Elder but may justly enough share both in the general names of Elder and Over-seer and also in their rules without any incosistence so his liquid warrant as a distinct officer is elswhere obviously extant In the next place you add that the Brethren in the Council at Ierusalem prove too much viz. That our Elders are judges oâ— Doctrineâ— but if their concurrence both in the meâ—ting and in the decree may be fairly understood of an assisting and approving suffâ—age without attributing to all unanimous assenters the same power and Authority of deciding as is very casible in any other heterogeneous Assembly whether our argument conclude from the Brethren as distinguished from the Apostles and preaching Elders and therefore to be taken for ruling Elders or from the Elders there mentioned as including both the preaching and ruling Elders your abâ—uâ—dity doth not follow and our argument is nothing convelled But you say it is absurd to think that that was a Church judicature Pray Sir not so fast you would say that that meeting was not a General Synod for that it was a Church judicature its decree doth evince As
Scripture and your sext to compleat the carier of your delusions Notwithstanding that the clâ—arest light both of Reason and Religion do exact a definite constant portion of time for a rest and this rest to be holy unto the Lord that the Law of God in recommending the celebration of the old Sabbath doth found it upon a perpetual determination of the seventh part of time grounded on Divine Authority and example and lastly that the Scripture in the antiquating of the service and observation of the Jewish Sabbath doth evidently translate the keeping of the perpetual holy rest unto the Lords day the first of the week Notwithstanding I say of these firme grounds your sext attempt darres to unfix this grand Ordinance the reverence or contempt whereof hath in all ages of the Church by experience been found of great moment and unquestionable influence either as to the promoving or decay of true Piety and Godlinesse how justly may it be said of you and your Compliâ—es who endeavour to make void the Divine institution of this day which your predecessours so grosly and wickedly profaned ye be witnesses there ore unto your selves that you are their Children fill ye up the measure of your Fathers But O â—ear lest you do not escape the damnation of Hell I will not take Notice of your own or your Non-conformist's meen reflection on these things That they may prove our Church was not perfâ—ct but will not justify you your answere to that which follows viz. do you mean to lay aside the Scripture 〈◊〉 rather to be considered wherein leaving the retortion of â—ouâ— objected insolence and big pretending to the impartiall examiner of what you have alledged and I replied â— come â—o your summe of the whole matter which you say is That the Scriptures were designed bâ— God for the purifying of the hearts and conversations of Men Most true And therefore it was not necessaire they should contain direct rules for the Church-policie which being a half Civill matter needs not Divine warrants a strange inference whereof almost every word is a ridle for first you grant that the Scripture doth contain Rules though not Direct rules for the Church-policie and yet you adde almost immediatly that it needs no divine warrant Then what mean you by Direct rules if you mean Particular as the subjoined Antithesis of Common doth give us to understand let these Scripture rules Common or not be observed and particular determinations thereto duely squared and it is all we contend for Search therefore the Scriptures and whatever latitude may be left therein as to the regulation of necessary and common circumstances according to decencie and order for Edification Yet I am confident that as to the substance and main of the Officers Discipline and Government of the Church the matters in controversie betuixt us both you shall be found thereby clearly condemned and we justified but if by denying the Scripture to contain direct rules for the Church-policie you understand that it only holdeth out indirect unstraight and ambiguous rules applicable to any forme as may best sute serve the interests and lusts of vain Men this indeed is agreeable to your scope but as far from Scripture as it is dissonant to the truth of God and Great ends of the Gospel 2. What do you understand by the Church policie its Officers Discipline and Government are the things which we contend for If you think these half Civil I would gladly learn what a Church as such can have more Ecclesiastick certainly if a distinct Head Jesus Christ a distinct Authority flowing from that all Power given to him a distinck manner nothing like but wholly opposite to the way of Civil rule distinct effects and ends as Holinesse and eternall perfection are from external justice and temporal peace and lastly a distinct subsistence of the Church and its Policie not only when disowned but mortally persecute by the Civil Powers may prove the Policie Ecclesiastick to differ from the Civil there can be nothing more clearly disterminat but if by Policie you only mean the externall protection and assistance which the Civil Magistrat may and ought to give to the Church it is not only half but wholly Civil as to its rise and cause and therefore the acknowledgement thereof we render under God heartily and entirely to the Powers which he setteth up I might further question what you call half Civil and how you come to deny that Divine warrant which at first you half grant but I shall content my self to declare the falshood of your inference understood of the Discipline and Government of Gods house the subject of our debate by shewing you that its plain contradictory is a Scripture truth viz. The Scriptures were designed by God for the Purifying of the hearts and conversations of men and therefore it was necessary they should they do contain direct rules for the Churches Policie wholly Ecclesiastick appointed by Jesus Christ The reason of the consequence is clear not only because the Church Policie viz. its Officers Discipline and Government are expresly and directly ordained by our Lord for our Sanctification Salvation as I have formerly shewen therefore their necessity such as cannot without the highest presumption be called in question but also because their usefulnesse in order to these ends is by diverse Scriptures undeniably held forth And he who as the Son was faithful over his own house gave some Apostles and some Prophets c. yea and all the Gifts Power Authority and Directions to be found in Scripture concerning them for the work of the Ministrie the Edifying of the body of Christ and perfecting of the Saints Is a truth so evident that I marvail how you could adventure on this Architectonick reasoning and offer to lay down the end and project of the Gospel and then frame and Modell its institutions and midses according to your own imagination and not rather humbly endeavour in the recognisance of his wonderfull love and fidelity to and care of his Church his own body with all sobriety to pursue the knowledge and practice of what things-soever he hath ordained for its edification I might further remember you that the rebuke and all the Censures of discipline are for Edification the Saving of the soul making sound in the faith and Causing others to fear and that we finde the exercise of the Churches Authority and Government in that Meeting and Decree made at Ierusalem attended with The consolation and establishment of the Churches But if your own concessions be but a little pressed they will easily exhibite the inconsistencie of your vanity you say then That the common rules are in Scripture 1. That there should be Church Officers and are not their Power Degrees and Ministerial Authority as certainly therein defined 2 That these should be separate for that function Ought not then the best among them give themselves continually and wholly to Prayer and to the
therefore left us to the worse Tyranny of mens pretended and corrupted power and deluded imagination God forbid but as the hath set us free for ever so he hath only laid on us his own easie â—â—oke and light burthen of Pure and Evangelick ordinances by which our Liberty is so far from being intringed that it is thereby both preserved and enlarged In the next place you say Since no Allegorie holds it is ridiculous to argue because offices in a Kingdom are named by the King therefor it must be so in the Church It 's answered 1. do you then think that our Lords Kingdom is only Allegorick Or because the symboles and badges usuall in Earthly Kingdoms are in a figure thereto transferred is it therefore wholly a figure but God hath set his King upon his holy Hill of Zion and Know you assuredly that God hath exalted him to be both Lord and Christ bâ—wisâ— therefore and be instructed Kiss the Son lest he be angrâ— and learn to acknowledge his Kingdom in all the parts and privileges thereof by him declared Next it is most evident that not only Christs Kingdom in and over his Church is reall and certain and that Officers truely such vested with his Authority and therefore depending on Christ as King are held forth by the Scripture and to be really found therein but seing he himself hath in the Gospel so expressly founded their mission upon that All power given unto him and Paul so plainly referres the giving of Apostles c unto his Ascension and exaltation are you not ashamed to alledge these things to be only by us concluded from the vain appearance of an Allegory And thus to make your self ridiculous in that scorne you intended for others But poor wretch you adde That we may as wel say that there must be coin stamped by Christ as Officers appointed by him in his Church for this is the runing of your words Lord deliver you from this profane Spirit thinkest thou that the Kingdom of Christ hath need of money as it hath indeed need of Officers Or because money is current and symony a frequent practice in your Church hes it therefore any place in Christs true Church Sir your profane scoffing at the Kingdome of Christ is one passage amongst many that give me Confidence to say arise O God plead thine own cause remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee dayly But I professe I am confounded in my self when I think of my own provocations and on the iniquitie of his Sons and Daughters for if the abuse of the Glorious Gospel shineing amongst us in so much puritie had not been great he would not have given up the dearly beloved of his Soul into the hand of such persecuting adversaries and such scoffers at him who justifie these malicious mockers in Cajaphas Hall with an over-plus of wickednesse O if he would returne he would quicklie emptie Pulpits and Chairs in Universities of such who bend their tongues for lies and make the world see because they have rejected knowledge he hath also rejected them that they shall be no Priests to him The next thing you subjoin is what King will think his prerogative lessened by constituting a Corporation to whom he shall leave a liberty to cast themselves into what mould they please providing they obey the General Laws and hold that liberty of him Thus you will alwayes aspire to enter into the Counsel of God if your vote had been here asked it is very like you would have bestowed large privileges upon that Church where you might have been a sharer But we bless him to whom the Church is committed and on whom the Government is laid who hath provided better and given unto his Church complete Officers perfect Ordinances true Laws and good Statutes and ordered his house in all things and therefore as we are not to enquire what the Lord might have done but humbly and thankfully to acknowledge what he hath done so in these things for men to disown his Authority and deny his bounty and usurp to themselves a power of altering what he hath established and fashioning the worship and Government of Gods house according to the device of their own heart is no doubt no lawful liberty but a licentious invasion of Christ's prerogative and a jealousie-provoking sin of Laese Majestie Divine That thus it stands betuixt you and us the preceeding passages do plainly witness and the faithfulness of Jesus Christ as a Son over his own house so expresly commended and preferred before the faithfulnesse of Moses is an argument which you will never dissolve You say his faithfulnesse consisted in his discharging the Commission given him by his Father Most certain but you ask who told us that it I suppose you mean the appointing the Officers Ordinances and Government of the house of God was in the Fathers Commission Herein is a marvellous thing You know that Jesus Christ whrist was sent by the Father to redeem gather feed guid and Govern his Church and you see that as the things in question are thereto necessarie so in discharge hereof he sends out Apostles and Ministers Ordains Officers vests them with power and Authority instructs them to a Ministerial and lowly administration and deportment defines Censures appoints his Ordinances and Laws liberats the Worship of God from the shadows and types of the Jewish Pedagogie and cleares its true and spiritual exercise and liberty and finally acquits himself faithfully in all his house do you then question if he did these things or doubt you that he did them by Commission it is a hard Dilemma which you will never evade but you adde that if we argue from Moses it will inferre that all particulars must be determined whereupon you urge that as Moses determines the dayes of Separation for a legal uncleannesse why doth not the Gospel the like for spirituall uncleannesse It 's answered if you had taken up the Argument aright and considered the faithfulnesse of Christ and Moses not in order to the same but with relation to their respective Commissions You had not fallen into this mistake but the Scripture parallel is clear Moses as a servant did faithfully completely order Gods house therefore Our Lord much more as a Son hath thus ordered the Church his own house Whence as it doth no wayes follow that whatsoever things were institute by Moses ought to have been in like manner imitate by our Lord so this is most concludent that as Moses as a Servant did diligently and exactly execute his Commission in order to the Tabernacle its service Ministers and all its appurtinents so Christ both by reason of a command received and of his interest and power hath exceeded the faithfulnesse of Moses in the Ordering and appointment of things appertaining to his Church But for the better confirming our Reasoning and the removing of your Mistake I do only recommend to you this obvious truth viz. that the Commendation of our Lord held
both to have been and to have continued with one accord in Prayer and Supplication and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to have lift up their voice and that one voice in the same extemporarie words to God in Prayer and Thanksgiving but do also subtilly and profanely take advantage from escapes incident to humane frailtie to proclame the same as gross abuses and thereupon scoff and mock at the heartie and spiritual Prayers of the Upright wherein the Lord delighteth I hope your own vanity and folly shall reprove you But 3. as attention is requisite even in the publick use of your Forms and in our way is attended with such advantages that do both render it sweet and easie and fully secure the conduct of our devotion so by your course it not only happens that oftentimes the attention is sore put to it and perplexed as you objecte to us but the very Rule of devotion is made altogether insecure and uncertain for proof of this there needeth no other Argument then that you observe these Forms lately added to the English service that these were as uncouth to the People at the first hearing and required as great attention as our extemporarie conceptions is clear and obvious But seing beside this the People are put to join in words they know not by whom framed and for the composing and commanding whereof their appeareth neither precept nor promise in Scripture that their attention in this case must be more exercised and their devotion in more hazard to be distracted then when they join with him whom they judge to be appointed by the Lord to be their mouth to him-ward and on good grounds suppose to bâ— instructed both with the knowledge of their condition and the Rule and Spirit whereby he ought to make the samine known in supplications unto God is beyond contradiction neither is this the only inconvenience of this sort in your manner there is a Court-practice that I could tell you of how the King pro re nata useth to issue out a Form of Prayer either for his own Chappel the Citie-Churches or further as he pleaseth to extend his orders and if these novell prescriptions be not more chargeable to the attention and disturbing to the devotion then any thing in our way nay if it be not a Method as dangerous in its tendencie as destitute of warrant let men judge But this is the Supremacie too high for you to have remembred 4. If there were a greater exercise of attention in our way then in yours yet when I consider that attention if not surcharged or confounded doth certainly tend to the quickening of the devotion and that on the other hand by the coldness of your stinted Forms both the attention is for the most part wholly slackened and the devotion deadened the instance you make of a few serious it may be but weak and peevish persons of your partie professing a great stayedness in the use of Set-forms whereas in extemporarie Prayer they could not keep their minde from distraction doth neither impugne these more lively and powerful devotions whereunto the Lord and not man hath ordered our Methodâ— nor in the least doth it counterballance these myriads of dead Formalists whom your way doth burie in utter securitie and irreligion In this place you tell us by way of wittie discovery that the way of extemporarie Prayer was well devised for spreading of Error or Sedition in respect forsooth that Ministers prayed over their Sermons so that what in the discourse seemed the words of man in the Prayer was called the dictat of the Spirit But Sir darre you or any man deny that extemporarie Prayer was the first manner of mens calling upon the Name of the Lord Are you not then ashamed to talk of it as a late device 2. How come you to suppose that words in Prayer spoken by us to God may rather seem the dictat of the Spirit and more speciously seduce nor the same words delivered in Sermon in the Name and as the word of God Certainly admitting you had forgot that you did already upon this very pretext endeavour to devest Preaching of this Authority yet common sense might have told you that in this there could be no deep artifice But 3. Wherefore may not a partie given to sedition or error devise and compose Forms to the same purpose and with more success If Forms be but of humane invention and if as you suppose they be more weightie and impressing then extemporarie words it is obviously evident that they furnish a far more advantageous opportunity to this your excellent devise I might confirme this by telling you how much this Method hath been made use of and prospered for the propagating and establishing of many errors and superstitions in the Romish Church but a nearer and latter instance of that piece of Herauldrie blazoning the Kings Titles and Prerogative very irreverently and undecently to God foisted in by Act of Councel in your Church-prayers for inculcating and advancing the exorbitant Supremacie may satisfy the world that your evill and vain conjecture against us was suggested by your own practice After the false and calumnious charge of gross abuses incident to our extemporarie Forms given in by you with much pretended tenderness and insinuation as I have already touched you N. C. Answeres that we had a Directory of the things we should pray for Which no doubt if you had been pleased to propound it in its â—ull latitude viz. That the whole word of God many other instructions and forms thence drawn and delivered and left to us by godly men with our own publick Directory and these of other Churches and lastly that the teaching of our Parents Masters and Pastors are all given to us to guide us and assist us both for matter and words in the prayers we ought to make And if you had understood it aright viz. that seing the rule in our way is as certain though not so stinted as that in yours and that our Ministers appointed to be the peoples mouth in publick Prayer and Worship are not only tried in their utterance for preaching but also for prayer And lastly that any material aberration is as discoverable and censurable among us as among you you might have been fully satisfied that neither the infirmities nor abuses of men are chargeable upon our manner of Worship nor doth your peremptorie imposing of Set-forms more secure the matter from the like and greater enormities But being resolved to carp you say why may not we have a Directory forwords as well as things 'T is answered 1. A Directory for things to be prayed for is no doubt a Directory for words also if the things be fully directed the application of words the known signes can have litle difficulty 2. The directory distinctly and particularly ordering the method and condescending upon the heads of prayer with as much exactness as the latitude to be reserved to the free grace and gift of God
will admit cannot but be received for a Directory both of words and things But you add That it was but a cheat to cozen the World who might have startled to have seen us without any rule for Worship in as much as our Leaders quickly wearied of it It is answered first So long as any Church doth own the revealed will and word of God for the rule of Worship none but such phantastick Formalists as you will prove startlers at this sure and acceptable simplicity 2. Whence you alledge our Ministers their wearying of the Directory as such except from the suggestion of your own malice I cannot conceive that our Leaders neither turned it nor astricted themselves to it as to an imposed Liturgie is very certain but that they did not at all regard it is a groundless calumnie In the next place you add that Hence it clearly followed that the Preaching was the great matter of the Worship but the constant acts wherein the Church should adore God were thought too homely How you will make out this connexion seing both the ground is false and the consequence doth not hold I recommend to your second thoughts though our Prayers and Psalms related to our Preaching yet it will not conclude that therefore the Preaching was the great matter of the Worship Your Service-book makes many both Prayers Gospells Epistles and Collects relative to certain festivall dayes is therefore the observation of these dayes the great point of Worship The great matter of Worship is the rendering of our acknowledgement unto God which if performed by prayer hearing of His word and praises and that in such a harmony as all the exercises may conspire and be mutually helpful is thereby greatly advanced and not in the least marred As for these Constant acts which you desiderat in our Service if thereby you mean your Constant Set-forms you are already answered but if only the dayly solemn performances of Prayer and Praise which in liew of the morning and evening Sacrifice ought as the stated and fixed recognizance of the great God be observed and kept up in every Christian Society when other things shall be restored I frankly promise you my assent In the last place you say It is the least evill of extemporarie Forms that a Minister is ready to pour out his Soul to God in such devotions as are then most in his own Spirit Which may possibly happen to be very unfit for Publick Worship Sir this is so groundless a fear and so plain a diffidence of the assistance and presence of the Lord that I shall not trouble you with any further answere then to add that as a thoughtfull serious Spirit is ever found to be most prepared for dutie and divine influences so all experiences do conclude that a Ministers particular exercises have been so farre from marring that on the contraire they have alwayes rendered his publick performances more spiritual and lively And thus at length your dull N. C. comes to see that you are for Set-forms and demanding your reason tels you that the Apostles used them not to which you answere that you cannot doubt but they used our Saviour's Prayer and really though I do as little doubt but they might have done it yet I think both you and I must acknowledge that we finde no vestige of their doing of it For as for your distinguishing betwixt Mathew's after this manner therefore pray ye and Luke's when ye pray say the pattern to be proposed in the first and the practice intended in the second seing the form is formally the same in both places and the patterm so proposed by Mathew that the practice might be its most exact imitation and the practice so enjoined by Luke that yet the latitude of a Pattern is not discharged your notion is but airie and of no moment But if it were needful to give you my thoughts in this matter I would say that considering 1. That this pattern was given to the Disciples in the infancie of their knowledge before the out-pouring of the Spirit as a short and easie rudiment 2. That thereafter the Spirit is promised and that in such an abundant measure as it should flow like rivers of living water 3. That our Lord in his last discourse commands them frequently to pray to and ask the Father in his Name and 4 that the Spirit being given de facto they were enriched unto all utterance and both in their own Prayers and in their Directions to others how to pray do constantly make mention of the name of Iesus these things I say considered I am verily in the opinion they did not precisely use either this form of Prayer or any other but leaving this digression and esteeming this Form to be the most excellent modell and the very Substance of all prayer and granting the Apostles might have used it yea supposing with you they did use it yet what makes all this for your imposing and enjoining of Forms the only point of our present difference But you go on and say the Iews at that time had a Liturgie and hours of Prayer which our Saviour never reproves ergo quid I have told you already that to inferre an approbation from our Lords tolerance for a time of either the whole or any of the parts of that service which he was in a short space to abolish totally is bad Logick 2. Admit this tolerance were an approbation how will you make it out that the Iews their Lyturgie was more then a Directorie and that they were thereby astricted to an imposed Set-form Specially seing we finde that where in their best times certain Forms of Prayer and Thanksgiving dictated by the Spirit are committed by David and other men of God to the Ministers for publick use yet the thing was both done and observed without the mention of any precise astriction or limitation In the next place you tell us that the Lords Prayer is word for word taken out of the Iewish Lyturgie and thence you think that exception against the English Service that some of its Prayers are out of the Roman Missal and not or Breviarie to be foolish and groundless But pray Sir why talk you so confidently of the Iewish Liturgie of these times for other posterior Liturgies availl not since to this day though much search hath been made and many forgeries have been obtruded no such thing could assuredly be found Next if such a thing sound and pure was in our Lord's dayes think you it was then no better Pattern nor the Roman Missal Ritual and Breviarie were in the very profoundest darkeness of that Superstition immediatly before the Reformation broke up and when the first glimmerings of that light managed as much by Police as Piety did translate from it the English Liturgie The disparity of these things is too palpable 3. Admitting the Iewish Liturgies used in the dayes of our Lord were yet truely extant it will not be sufficient for you to
fortify your principal intent but the matter speaketh for it self what shall we then say of your bold assertion viz. That never were extemporarie heaâ—s as you love to speak of the liberty of prayer as rudely and profanely as if you were talking of race horses used in the Church When not only frequent instances from the Old the constant practice of the times of the New Testament the first and purer ages of the Church but the professed allowance and known practice of all the Reformed Churches do so directly witness against you Verily this is such an impudence that leâ—t it tempt my Mediocrity I rather leave it to your own Conscience In the next place you make your N. C. alledge That our Church was purer then any by you named on purpose that you may take the advantage to say That we were cheated to believe that all the World was wondering at us a cheat like unto that of our alledged Prophetess whereof you and you forsooth on your word only assure that neither were true Sir if the grossnes of that lye anent the use of extemporarie prayer wherein I have just now attraped you did not sufficiently secure us from the slander of your scoffing calumnies I could easily make it appear that all the paines we took in our own just vindication was many degrees inferior to that restless labour taken by your partie to represent us to all as most arrant Rebells and load us with the most atrocious reproches which the Father of lies could invent but Cui bono It is sufficient for us that as the work of the Lord among us was honourable and glorious many wayes countenanced by his Grace and Presence â—oth in ordinarie and extraordinary appearances particularly in M. M. whom I suppose you have learned from Balcanquels Maniâ—esto and not from us to call her our Prophetess and only levelled against the wickednes and tyrannie of a Prelatick partie enemie to all Conscience and the scandal and betrayer of the Protestant interest so these hard and contrarie things that have of late befallen us in place of obscuring do only tend to its greater manifestation and more universal approbation from all that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity But you proceed and tell us that it is strangely inconsequentiall for us not to pray in a Liturgie yet alwayes to bless the people in a Set-form But is it not strangely rediculous for you to dessemble such an obvious disparity And will you still arrogantly pretend to be a Master of Ceremonies in the Court of Heaven The Blessing used by us to be pronounced upon the people at the breaking up of the Assembly is only a short formula of a Christian fare-well warranted by and coppied from the practice both of Moses under the old Testament and the Apostle Paul in the shutting up of his Epistles and therefore in use to be performed sometime in the words of Paul only sometime in the words of both and sometime also with anâ— agreeable variation from both What then can this make for the imposing of set-forms for all publick Prayer and Worship Do not both the diverse nature of the things and the difference betwixt a peremptory imposition and a free imitation redâ—rgue this your reasoning In civill converse our ordinarie ran counters are commonly prefaced concluded with certain received Formulae of a respective benevolence should therefore all mutuall addresses be reduced and strainted to the same methods Certainly the smallest attention will both acknowledge the just application and marvel that as you say of us you are so little governed by reason But now to the English Liturgie which commending as an excellent Rule of Worship and using other vain floorishes not worth the noticing in answere to your N. C. you tell us That it is farre from being an easie way of praying and that a natural man would be better pleased to be runnig out with his own conceptions then to use the form of the Church which is more simple and humble 'T is answered That there may be some conceated Hypocrites from such a carnal motive despising Set-forms I shall not controvert but as I have already told you what are our just exceptions against their imposition so that the generality of men who for the most part do only lay clame to the name and make a slight profession of Religion without busying themselves further in it are by the carnal easines that they finde in your way not only more engaged to it then to ours but habituat to a superstitious stupid formality wherein placing the all of Religion they ruine their own Souls is a truth that millions of sad instances do confirme seing therefore this strongâ— food as you terme it of your Service is indeed both ranck and poisonous we wish that that princely tenderness in our Soveraign to which you impute his forbearance to impose it may at length in its just exercise extend to remove and discharge it in all his Dominions As for the discreet prudence of our Superiors the Bishops no doubt which you would also commend to us upon the same account pardon us Sir if we be not such Babes we have shared too largely of the strong food of their Violence and of the bread of adversity and water of affliction from their hands to be so abused He who rightly considereth will easily assent that they have hitherto been sparing to enjoin these corruptions for no other reason then that which moved the Iews to forbear to take Christ on the feast-day viz lest there be an uproare among the people As for the ensuing contest betwixt you and your N. C. anent that dulnesse and stupidity which we see occasioned by and attending your formality the preceeding discourse doth so rationally connect them and common observation so evidently confirme the matter that your alledgeance of some godly people who in a well-meaning sincerity have in the use of your service attained to some feelings of pure and simple devotion doth furnish you no stronger exception then what the Papists may also pretend for their Mass and Latine-service After this you make your Non-conformist objecte the vanity of your Service-book-repetitions in the often redoubling of Lord have mercy upon us and 2. its confusion in that all the people say some of the Prayers together and use Amen but seing these objections are amongst the least of these exceptions made by ours against that Liturgie which ye altogether neglect I only say that as the 136. Psal. containing a summare enarration of the great things God did for Israel and most pathetically interrupted by these frequent eruptions of praise agreeable to such a reflection can be no precedent or warrant for the framing and imposing the battologies of your Letanie vainly composed and as deadly exercised in compaâ—ison to such a pattern so your instance adduced from Acts 4. where it is said that the whole company lift up their voice with one accord to God And the
toward God as the blessed effects of the souls union with him is that which I rather observe And here indeed it is and in your declaring self abhorrence and abnegation and humble applications of the soul unto Jesus Christ to be that strait passage and low gate which is by violence to be entered for attaining unto that heavenly state wherein spiritual solaces here and immediat Divine enjoyments hereafter do not only compense and swallow up all the preceeding anguish but surpass all possible apprehensions of that unconceived glory that I do most heartily embrace that saving truth if rightly understood of Faith and Repentance which hitherto I have desiderat O that in the possession of so great a joy and the hope of a greater blessedness expected we would all vigorously set about the duties of a Christian life not intangling our selves with the pollutions of this world nor with the affaires of this life how to serve our own lusts and ease and comply with every device and invention of men but enduring hardness contradiction reproach and all persecution that we may please him who hath chosen us to be Souldiers Certainly he whose heart is thus fixed on God in and through Christ Jesus his life and actions will quickly manifest that he hath not only the forme but the power of Godliness his rational and unconcerned contempt of this present world his hatred of base and debasing lusts his undervaluing of the things of sense his well squared and solid indifferencie for all conditions and occurrents and lastly his love of truth and study of innocencie and delight in goodness in all his words and works do evidently shew forth the love and fear of God to be as it were the vital springs of all his thoughts and motions while self-denyall emptieth and humility vaileth him as nothing and out of the world the native and genuine lustre of free grace in him is thereby rendered more conspicuous and his light doth the more shine unto the praise of God who hath called us unto Glory and virtue He peaceably and chearfully obeyeth the publick Father of his Countrey but only in the Lord he remembreth and honoureth such who watch for his soul who speak unto him the word of God of these he is a follower as they are of Christ following their faith and considering the end of their conversation he pursueth Charity as the Crown of perfection Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect hath not with him a more commanding Authority then an inviting and soulâ—aâ—ishing attraction Hence it is that as his bounty and beneficence toward men is prompt and unconfined so his obedience toward God is most punctual and circumspect having respect unto all Gods commandments and esteeming his precepts concerning all things to be right and hating every false way a latitude of love and good will toward all men he heartily acknowledgeth and rejoiceth in but a latitude of compliance with sinful courses and indifferency even in the smallest matters of God under whatsomever pretext he from his heart abhorreth These indeed are a few of the faire lines that compose the Christians Character by which as you may see in part wherein Christian Religion doth consist so it is too too apparent that many who in their vain vaunting of serene and still speculations and high abstractions do alledge the strickness of Conscientious practices to be but loud pretenses do themselves sadly and most dangerously recede from it O how much is it to be desired that not only such but all would in their secret retirements often review and examine their actions that discovering their errors and faâ—lings they may be humbled and brought unto the renewed and more serious exercise of repentance stirred up by a more lively and active faith to lay hold on Jesus Christ and from him and by the power of his grace quickened to new vigour and alacrity in the wayes of God! Then should the Divine love in Christ Jesus inflame and elevat the soul and captivate the whole powers thereof unto these pure and free resignations wherewith God is well pleased then should the power of the grace of our Lord mortify sin overcome temptations and advance in every thing acceptable unto God And lastly then should the offerings of our praises to God for all his mercies especially for the invaluable and unspeakeable Gift of Christ Jesus ascend with gladness and bring back the returnes of more grace and joy and our prayers and supplications in the name of Christ according to the will of God for all things that we may be careful in nothing and for all men especially for Kings and all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all Godliness and honesty should be set forth before him as incense and mount up as the evening Sacrifice And it is from these heavenly exercises and the communications of Grace which flow therein that the heart is firmly fixed and strenthened to order and do all to the glory of God and the minde continually bended by the strong applications of fear and love to direct all its wayes as in his sight And these truely are the frame and fruits of inward and secret devotion As for publick Worship he who considereth it as commanded by God for the avowed and more solemn acknowledgement of our dependence upon him and testifying our union with his Church and that therefore not only in reason but also by express precept it is to be seriously and sincerely performed with and from the heart and in that holy and pure manner which he himself hath prescribed without the contaminating mixtures of mens presumptuous and vain inventions will certainly go unto the congregation of the Lords people met together in his Name and sincerely professing thus to seek his face not out of custome or formality whereunto of all things the devising and imposing of humane forms and modes do most powerfully delude but that he may jointly with others cordially adore and praise his Maker and Redeemer and give not only an external concurrence according to the Rule and decency of the Worship but with his soul and all that is within him will blesse his holy Name and joine his Amen Thus you have my hearts assent to the truth that I find in your conclusion my desire to God is that both you and we were by a serious humble and holy practice and not by talking only experimenting the solid edification and pleasure that lyeth in these heads If this you had minded more you and your partie would have been farre from vexing the Lords Church and people in these Lands contrary to the Word of God solemn Oaths and Covenants established Laws sound Reason and Policy and the general inclinations of all with that grievous yoke of wicked and pervese Prelacie and these vain and burthensome corruptions wherewith in all Ages it hath been attended Which things as to your own recollected
this point of more knowledge then your self who proving it by the point ordinarily set after the figures of the year of God would have the following restriction only to concerne the Acts and Lawes generally annulled But as it is evident that the point maketh no period and protestant Religion contained in that Act. 1592. Should be vacated and annulled so the obvious tenor of the words together with the sense of the Parl. Anno. 1662. Who in the new establishment of your Prelacy did judge it convenient to the grounds therein laid down to rescind de novo that old Act in all its heads clauses and Articles whatever might be the consequence do abundantly elide this conceit However I do again tell you that our consciences in this matter are better founded and not squared to such mutable rules And therefore seeing our grounds are firme and stable let me in the words of your own exhortation obtest you and your party to consider your way better cease from your persecution repent of your apostasy and usurpation and return into favour with God and union with us Now follows a childish quarrel between you and your N. C. anent the tenderness of your love and prayers in our behalf above that measure which we use towards you and 1. You say wo should be to you and you N. C. If the love of God to you did appear in such effects as the love of some of ours doth the invidious strain of their prayers being universally that God would bring you down destroy the incorrigible and shew the rest the evill of there defection but you say how would we take it if you should pray that God would destroy our party and shew us the evill of our Rebellion and other wicked courses 'T is answered 1. Seeing that wo shall certainly be unto all such and they are far from the love of God who are incorrigible that God by making manifest his righteous judgments would glorify his own Name and deliver his Church from such adversaries is a prayer clearly warranted both from the word and the practice of the Saints nor is it in the least discordant from that Christian charity whereby I am really moved earnestly to desire the Lord to deliver you and all both from the thing and its punishment 2. That God would bring down the proud that exalt themselves against Jesus Christ and give repentance to backsliders is a prayer so agreeable to the will of God and full of love to the persons prayed for that I am certain whatever may be said against our principles which I remit to the impartial discerner yet our practice in this as being both tenderly Christian and fairly consequent cannot but be approven 3. Mistake not if you should pray for us in the same strain we might possibly and with great reason account it an aggravation of the evils of your other principles and practices but we are not so narrow as to construe it a particular breach of charity Nay for my part as I would think it rationally consequent so abstracting from the errors which it supposâ—th I would take it for the greatest testimony both of your zeal toward God and love toward us But if I may use a little freedome why do you please your self so much in vain talk though we hear not many of your prayers yet I am sure all know that we want not plenty of matter and instances for a retortion in what termes soever you please to frame your challenge are we so short in memory as not to remember how your pulpits sounded both in preaching and prayer after the late rising and that not only against these poor broken innocents but in such a manner against our whole party as by false and fierce accusing of all without distinction might almost have excused in them the like attempt to save from that fury that thundered every where If you would have any latter and more particular instances pray inquire after the B. of St. Andrew's Sermons specially that preached by him the 30 of Jan. 1669. and the other before the last Parliament you complain of the severe stile of our prayers he good man being ill satisfied with such soft and aâ—rie tooles and having passionately fumed out a most bitter invective against our Presbyterian Ministers not long since his brethren and benefactors did very agreeably close it in these words these are circumforaneous Demagogues acted by a spirit otherwise to be cast out then by fasting and prayer But what need I mention your prayers when indeed many of your practices have most visibly been such as may justly make your fairest words suspected of the deepest dissimulation I know some of you have a fashion of praying that God would unite this poor Church and heall our breaches But if that be all the evidence you can bring to shew the healing and peaceable spirit to be on your side Pray tell me why the Church of Rome that may boast as much of the same formula may not as justly pretend to it I might further adde that it appears to be no extraordinary merit for such as are countenanced by the Powers and do Idolize peace and ease to wish for an union with any whom they apprehend to be their opposits and that perhaps the more sober amongst you for all their compliance under the tentation yet are not so far abandoned as that they dare in Gods sight justifie there defection and pray against the party and courses which they know they did not desert from any conscientious conviction But I have insisted too long on so poor a subject and I can in your own words assure you that we are not only ready to unite with you but are extremly though not implicitly desirous of it and do therefore dayly pray that God would open your eyes reclaim you from your backslidings and grant unto us union and peace in truth to his glory This is the Accommodation that is only desireable if you pursue any other I am certain that however it may be consonant to your designes yet it is altogether dissonant from your proâ—ession and therefore if we be more rational and upright to hate all sinfull Accomodation and rather to wish that our differences may stand and be perpetuat in the behalf of truth then cemented by a sinful compliance wherein are we to be reprehended Now that this is all that we teach in this matter the same books which you referre to do testify and that it is none other then the very doctrine of the School of Christ the frequent Scripture-injunctions to the defence of and stedfastness in the truth with the commands of a just opposition to and avoiding of every false way and its promoters do sufficiently evince But you adde Let all men judge if there be not a bitterness in the Preface to Masâ—er Rutherfoords letters the Apologetical Narration and Naphtali unsampled in any satire let be grave and Christian writing Sir since you are pleased to
wicked School 2. Though the assertion as by you indefinitly laid down be not a little invidious yet seeing it is undeniable that Phineas and Elias did neither as Magistrats whatever was their capacity nor by special warrant punish crimes and execute judgment and that desperate disorders in the publick government may by the force of necessity license to private persons specially parents and masters this power controverted to affirme without exception that the doctrine concerning private persons their punishing of crimes in case of the supinness of the Magistrate is cursed seemeth rather to be the effect of passion then of reason 3. Divine impulses have been and are still casible and that the Lord thereby without the giving of any special commission may stirre up to such an heroick act as though necessarily debording from common methods may not the less in its whole tract and event be attended with so peculiar a lustre and evidence of Gods approbation as may even force from you an assent notwithstanding that the deed can only be maintained by these general positions which you seeme to disprove is to me unquestionable And therefore your so severe disowning without any reserve of private persons their punishing of crimes in case of the supinness of the Magistrate excluding all possibility of divine excitations to that purpose appeareth to be very precipitant Are the contingencies of humane affaires and their surprisals and pressures such as to move Kings and Princes on earth over and above all fixed and regular courses to define certain causes and occasions Quando liceat unicuiqne sine judice se vindicare velpublicaÌ„ devotionem subjug are edicto quod serum esset punire judicio it a ut cuncti adversus latrones publicos desertoresque militiae jus sibi sciant pro quiete communi exercendae publicae ultionis indultum And if in the far more pressing and conspicuous exigences of the glory of God when Soul-murderers and Christ-deserters are not only permitted but patronized the Lord in that case animat private persons to heroick undertakings for his glory when all other judgment faileth shal the justifying of such practices though otherwise countenanced by many undeniable testimonies be exclaimed against as accursed doctrines far be it from us and all that love the Lords glory and adore his soveraignity I say otherwise countenanced c. for that some men under these collours may pretend to the like warrant when in reality they have it not is indeed to be regreted nay that the present loose and lewd practices of some who most licentiously invade Conformists under cloud of night in their own houses to no good purpose whatsomever but to the great scandal of Religion and prejudice of the Countrey are such as by many clear circumstances are utterly to be condemned whatever they may pretend is I hope manifest without any observation and needeth not any further caution 4. If I may come a little nearer on this subject wherein I protest sincerâ—ly I have no designe but to vindicat the truth and wayes of the Lord with all tenderness and fear and with all due regard to the deceitfulness of humane passion and corruption are there not many suppositions casible wherein to speake roundly freely in the extreme pressure either of our own or our neighbours interest in matter of life or estate both you and I and all others whatever be our shynesse in opinion would have a clearnesse to act many things of the same nature with or as important as the punishing of crimes not only without but even in some cases against the Magistrate how can we then deny the like obligation and warrant to the highest and most important concernment of the glory of God in its just and manifest exigence Sir I know that the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God but verily when I reflect how that in many cases relating to self the most part of men and even dissemblers in profession are neverthelesse in practice firmly perswaded and in some cases all without exception are even in opinion most determined as to their right and obligation of defence and resistance And withall consider that our love which is certainly the foundation of this right and obligation ought to be infinitly more intended toward God then toward all things else I cannot but wish that both the perswasion and zeal of all men in his matters were accordingly proportional to their value But oh who is now on the Lords side and who are they that aspire unto Levi's blessing who said unto his father and to his mother I have not seen him neither did he acknowledge his brethren nor knew his own Children 5. Although the position be by you exhibited in such a laxe Manner as if upon the emergencie of every crime every private person were constitute the Magistrats overseer and exacter of his administrations that you may the better load us with your forged absurdities Yet Naphtali's doctrine above declared over and above the just exigence required is so clearly set down in the case only of gross and notorious backsliding and defection countinanced or connived at by the Magistrate wherein the concernment of Gods glory and our call to assert the same is far more discernable and manifest then in the punishing of other crimes that I hope I have said enough to cut off vain and impertinent cavillations It is therefore certain that though this doctrine concerning private persons their punishing of crimes in case of the supinnesse of the Magistrate in its undefined and uncautioned latitude may be obnoxious to gross abuses yet absolutely to deny the same and thence to condemne not only many fair scripture-examples but all heroick excitations which in their suteable exigences are by a clear concurrence of circumstances manifestly demonstrate to be from the Spirit of God as to the matter warranted by his command and in their manner dependent on his soveraignity were most rigid and unjust But you go on and tell us that what cursed effects this cursed doctrine produced all the Nation saw when in the sight of the Sun a villain with a pistol invaded the persons of two of the fathers of the Church and that in the chief â—â—rect of our royall City What an empty pomp of words have we here to make out this cursed effect a villain fathers of the Church chief strâ—et royal City big words indeed Sir the way to be just in your resentments is first to be equal and then I doubt but if you have as much respect to our Lord Jesus King over his Church as you pretend to your fathers of the Church that the wrongs and invasions by them villainously committed with a high and insolent hand in the sight of all the Nations against his glory and prerogative will not only make you give to them the epithet wherewith you censure their invader but account the effects of their wickednesse a hundred-fold more accursed But lest I offend you by
John his base râ—signation exercise over England a particular authority that after the Reformation and the shaking of the papal voke the Oath of Supremacie was brought in to exclude all forraign Iurisdiction and reinstate the King is his Civill Authority That Henrie the 8th did indeed set up a Civill Papacie but the Reformation of England was never dated from his breach with Rome that the Oath of supremacie was never designed to take away the Churches intrinseck Power or to make the power of Ordination of giving Sacraments or of Discipline to flow from the King that however because the generality of the words might suggest scruples they are explained in an Act of Parliament of Q. Elizabeth and in one of the 29. Articles and morefully by B. Usher with King Iames approbation And lastly since we have this oath from England none ought to scruple the words being sufficiently plain and the English meaning ours This is the full and clear account which you promise But who knows not these poor and insignificant pretenses King Iohn's resignation was indeed so base that by all disinterested it was ever held to be invalid and in after times scarce ever mentioned let be pleaded It is therefore the Pop's general tyrannie and what it was and whether abolished in these Kingdomes or in effect only transferred from him to the Prince that we are here to consider And I think I may take it for granted that you judge the Pope's exorbitant usurpation specially his assumming to himselfe not an external assisting oversight which we grant to be the proper right of Princes but by way of an intrinseck and direct power the sole and uncontrolable care of the Church her ministry and ministers with his arrogating an architectonick power in the ordering of Gods Worship so that in all Ecclesiastick meetings and matters therein proposed he may enact what canons he pleases to be parts of the Papal tyranny not only as in him but in all men under our Lord Jesus Christ unwarrantable and antichristian nay some of these are points of so high a nature that the greater part even of the members of the Romish Church do reclaim against them Now questionlesse if this power be to the Pope unlawful and incompetent all secular persons and Princes are therefore much more excluded in asmuch as the Pope being at least in shew a Church-man and according to the hypothese even of your Hierarchy the first Bishop of the westerne if not of the whole Church he is fortified by certain seeming pretenses of which the clame of civil Princes is wholly destitute To come then to our purpose that after the Reformation the Popish yoke not only as to the particulars above mentioned but also as to his forreign Jurisdiction unlawfully usurped over Church-men in civills to the prejudice of the King's Soveraignity was righteously shaken off and the King re-instated in his Civil authority over all Persons and also in all Causes in so far as they are committed to his royal direction and tuition is not at all denyed If that matters had here sisted and upon the abolition of the Papal domination the things of God and of Caesar had been equally restored who could have gain-said it But that on the contrary by the Pop's exclusion and in place of this righteous restitution the King under pretence of the vindication of his own Supremacy did procure to himself a very formal and full translation of what the Pope had not only usurped from him but arrogate from God specially in the things above-specified both the occasion of this change and the manner how this Supremacy hath since been exercised do aboundantly declare And for clearing the occasion it may be remembred 1. That the Peter-pence called in the beginning the King's almes imposed by on Ina King of the West Saxons was discharged by Act of Parliament in the reigne of Edward the Third and the contention anent the exemption of Church-men from the King's Courts most hotly agitate in the reigâ—es of Henry Second and King Iohn was composed many years before the dayes of Henry the Eight So that neither that exaction nor this old debate and far less King Iohn's most invalide resignation not worth the naming could be the cause of King Henry his acclaiming the Supremacy 2. The only motive that we find in History whereby Henry was instigat to reject the Pope and to declare himself to be supreme in causes Ecclesiastick aswell as civil was his purpose of divorce from Queen Katharine wherein finding himself abused by the Pope and his Legates their delayes he discharges all appeals to Rome appointing them to be made from the Comissary to the Bishop from the Bishop to the Archbishop and from the Archbishop to the King and is thereafter first called by the Clergy and then declared by the Parliament to be Supreme head of the Church in liew of the Pope whose authority was abrogat by the same Act These things then being certain and you your selfe acknowledging that King Henry did set up a civil Papacy It is easy to determine that this change was not a bare exclusion but a plain translation of the Popes usurped power We know the Reformation of England was never dated from that breach with the Bishop of Rome But what then Can you deny that this was both the rise and establishment of the Supremacy which being transmitted to Edvard the sixth and then renounced by Queen Mary and again restored to the Pope was by Queen Elizabeth reassumed and so continueth untill this day It is true that after the breaking up of the more clear light of Reformation whereby not only Rom's Superstition bot also the Popes usurpation and tyranny in many things was upon better reasons rejected and especially after the succession of Queen Elizabeth to whose Sexe the former title of headship for all the smoothings that had been before used was nevertheless construed not to be so agreeable Many explications were adhibite for qualifying the Supremacy both in answer to the opposition of Papists and for removing the offence of the Protestant Churches But the truth is these explications though more sound in their grounds yet in their explication were nothing conclusive as to the present debate and their Authors arguing for the Supremacy from the examples of reforming Kings and Emperours acting not by vertue of an assumed prerogative but only from that extraordinary power which the necessity of the end upon the failzour of other midses doth measure out to Princes first and to others also if in a competent capacity did rather infer the justification of the work then conclude the approbation of the Supremacy notwithstanding it was therein imployed Nay while by these their reasonings they went about from such extraordinary interpositions only warranted by the exigence of necessity and the rectitude of the work thereby effectuat to establish to the Prince a constant setled authority properly conversant about these matters the argument is far more
Ministerie of the word without usurping a stated superior Order of Governing as their special work let be immixing themselves by privilege in secular Courts and affaires 3. That they should be obeyed is this their power for discipline and Government set down in Scripture not also its rules limites Were the Apostles more then Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God was not the sure word of Prophecie their great warrant When the Apostle Paul is about to set order in the Church of Coriath hear his Preface by ye followers of me even as I also am of Christ And as in the ordinance of the Lords Supper he only delivers what he had received of the Lord so even as to that smallest of matters the Length and Fashion of the hair doth he use any other Authority then what he seconds with rational persuasion How far was he then from that dominion over our Faith which you ascribe to the Church not only of appointing significant instructing Ceremonies but of abrogating things as expresly ordained in your opinion as the true Sacraments 4 You say That things should be done to Order Edification and Peace keep within these bounds and invert not this Method and we are agreed but if you subsist not in the regulation of the manner but wil impose New things which the Lord requireth not nay which he abhorreth even your own inventions framed to your own lusts and interests or produced by your delusions then make peace your Argument because ye will not allow it to such as in Conscience cannot conforme the Lord who hath founded Zion Reigns in it who hath builded his House rules over it will one day judge Thus you see how these your everlasting obligations do fully conclude all the truths that we assert Where you adde that the other Rules are now altered with the alterable state of things whereunto they were accommodate if you understand it soundly of these things only which are indeed ceased it is a very certain and allowable truth but you remember not that in the very Page preceeding you impute this alteration so groslyâ— to the bare Practice of the Catholick Church a very doubtfull terme and thereby not only unsetle Scripture foundations as to the Sacraments but endeavour to introduce such an arbitrary authority in the Church that in place of establishing true Christian Liberty which you seem here to assert it is evident that you go about plainly to set up an absolute Spiritual tyranny over the Church of God and so to load it with the Ceremonies and innovations a bondage more severe then the old dispensation from which we are liberate but blessed be our Lord Jesus Christ who hath delivered us not only from that old Law of Ordinances but hath made us free that we should be no more the Servants of Men nor liable to be judged in meat or drink or in respect of an holy Day or of the new Moon or of the Sabbath and having blotted out the hand writting of God's Ordinances that was against us hath put no new blank in Mens hands for their own devices and superstitions To conclude then in your own words these things are so rationall and also so clearly deduced from your own concessions that I see nothing either to be excepted against our Conformity to the Scripture pattern and the true Christian liberty both in opinion and practice which we maintain or to be alleaged for your pretended liberty consisting in a Licentious absurd imposing on such whom you acknowledge to be free But in order to this last point viz. your attempt to remove a Scripture rule easie in it self and imparting true Libertie to its observers and to set up an unwarrantable Yoke of Church Authority in its place I conceive it is that here you go about to represent your N. C. as a vain and clamorous boaster of the Crown Throne and Kingdome of our Lord on purpose to prejudicate against our just complaint of your invasion and Robbery but waving your Calumnious Methods I shal only endeavour to speak â—urth the words of truth and sobernesse I shall not here discourse of the Kingdom of Christ in all its parts whereunto we finde in Scripture both the outward Protection of the Church vengeance upon Adversaries and all judgement even the great and last ascrived but in order to our present purpose I affirme plainly that our Lord Jesus as the Redeemer is in a peculiar manner exalted to be Head and King in and over his Church by vertue of which Kingdome he sendeth forth and Authorizeth his Ministers hath defined their Order and Power determined Censures and given and declared Laws to be observed in his house and that in such a manner and in that perfection that in all things properly thereto relating he hath only left to the Officers by himself appointed a Ministerial power of administration so that there is neither place left nor power given to diminish from or adde to the Officers Laws Censures and Orders which he hath therein established that these things are so cannot be better cleared then by remitting you to our larger Catechisme where as you will finde satisfying Scripture proof for their confirmation so really I cannot but by the way recommend to you its more serious study for the curing of that loosenesse in Principles which almost in every thing you discover My part at present shall be to consider your strange discourse on this subject You say then Christ's throne Crown and Kingdom are inward and spirituall not of the World nor as the Kindoms of the World Sir though I acknowledge the Scripture phrase in this matter to be Metaphoricall Yet I wish you had better observed it and forborn the hard and unused expression of an Inward Crown But to the question Christs Kingdom is indeed in its power and effects the restriction a little above premised being remembred internall and Spirituall but doth it therefore follow that its administration is not externall and visible when the Lord declared all power to be given unto him and by vertue thereof sent forth his Apostles and Ministers and gathered Churches having peculiar Rulers Laws and Ordinances was not this both visible and audible Are not all the acts of Discipline and Government properly thereto referable of the same Nature Our Lords Kingdom is truely not of the World nor as the Kingdomes thereof is it therefore not in the World What doth this arguing conclude You proceed a great part of his Kingdom is the liberty whereto he hath called us and I grant that as liberty and deliverance from Sin and Satan are among its choise benefites and therefore the exultation of Zachariah his thanksgiving so our liberation from the yoke of Jewish Ceremonies and all such bondage is that which we readily acknowledge in opposition to youâ— unwarrantable exactions but what would you thence inferre because Christ hes liberate us from the former slavery and Pedagogie hath he
these corruptions and superstitious practices whereunto in a convenient compliance with the present course you cunningly endeavour to subjecte us you make you N. C. preface That there is no good to be hoped from you who are so fierce against us and to add with little serious reverence but God be thanked an ill-willed Cow hath short hornes Whence taking the occasion you tell us of your extreme aversion from fierce and violent courses your love to all Christians your pitie of such as you judge mistaken and that you quarrel with no man for his opinion in these lesser matters Which are but the skirts and suburbs of Religion and so forth Sir if Censure were either my Genius or office how easie were it for me to strip both you and your partie of this your sheeps clothing We have heard in the preceeding Dialogues your frequent accusations of Rebellion and Faction your virulent calumnies of the most inhumane unnatural and barbarous Wickedness that can be paralleled your insolent mockeries at fancied mistakes and lastly all that hath preceeded a continual quarrel about these things which you call lesser matters and all this against the generality nay against the whole of the Godly and sober in the Land but especially the Lords faithful and suffering Ministers and yet you have the boldnes to wipe your mouth and make a boast of your singular gentlenes Christian love compassion upon them that are out of the way and tender forbearance toward dissenters in lesser things But I have already medled too far in this concention only as I would not have men mistaken concerning you so for preventing of their mistake of us from your N. C. suggestion I assure you plainly that though any man may affirme without fear of a contradiction that the Prelatick Spirit mingled in the midst of you is irreligious false fierce jealous cruell covetous and proud and in these few years bygone hath less or more appeared in all these evill qualities yet as the seen fury folly and prophanitie of your Bishops and Curates and a secret conviction in all men of the consistencie of true Loyalty with the Countreys just aversion from them may in politick prudence induce our Governours to restrain some what of the rage of that Partie which we are thankfully to acknowledge so it is our Prayer to God that he would lead them on to a full and just consideration of the true causes of all our grievances and to serious repentance and returning unto God who alone with truth can restore unto us true peace and establishment You subjoine here the late King's advice of Moderation to his Son who now reigneth and would forsooth have us to beleeve that his words to express both your opinion and temper and really though I cannot altogether acquit their strain of prejudice nor carrie their designe higher then the ends of Policie yet they contain so much of sound reason and the later part of them viz. take heed that outward circumstances and formalities of Religion devour not all or the best encouragements of Learning Industrie and Pietie is so sadly verified in the present condition of affaires that I cannot but with wonder reflect how such a rational instruction taught to the Author by long and costly experience should at his Majesties return have been so much neglected and even to this day after so visible an accomplishment so little remembred But the use you make of this passage is only to bewray your N. C. childishnesse and shew a little of your own affectation by causing him first to say It seems you are a Latitudinarian and then by your answering that if by latitude be meant charity you glory in it but as I have already demonstrat in the second Dialogue that it is conveniencie more then sincerity which relaxes and dilates your charity and as it is too too evident that it is the love of Peace more then of Truth which doth recommend men to the favour of your good opinion so I would have you to consider that rectitude and not latitude is the measure and character of the wayes of God Nay when I remember our Lord's words Enter ye in at the strait gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction but strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life The fairest gloss whereof your latitude is capable cannot reconcile me to the designation It is therefore in the streightness yea and straitnes of this Rule and in the practice of the new commandement of Love that you may truly glory but only in the Lord The assuming of Names other then that of Christian is but an emptie vanity and that of latitude is so little expressive of pure Christian charity that you see it is the very Gospel-epithet of the broad way of damnation In the next place taking as it appears with this new name of Latitudinarian for all your disowning of it within a few lines preceeding you and your N. C. together playing to others hands compound a prettie garland of praises for your self and complices And where he acknowledgeth That you live very good lives are strong witted People sound against Socinianisme clear and free from Popish errors you add on your part That your principles are neither dangerous nor loose that there are none greater haters of and enemies to Atheisme that you give a rational and convincing account of Christianity to all clear witted men that with a due measure of Charity for Papists and regard to the union of the Catholick Church you disclame all errors and give a most clear and scriptural account of the points debateable and lastly that even where the attributes of Gods soveraignity and goodness seem to interfere by faith you stope the mouth of weak reason Certainly then the men of the latitude are sound and orthodox men nay no doubt but ye are the people and wisdome shal die with you Yet if I might a little search you out I would demand 1. Why you thus distinctly characterize your self under a peculiar name for that you do not understand these Epithets of all your partie nay not of your Bishops and most of your Curates is evident even from the first whereby you assert that you live very good lives which I am certain many of them do not so much as pretend to 2. If the principles of you Latitudinarians be the same that we have set down in the preceeding Dialogues viz. that preaching is not to be termed the Word of God and consequently that Ministers are not his Messengers that the Church and we know not what Church may antiquat and cause to cease the obligation of practices such as the washing of feet and anointing the sick with oil though as punctually and perpetually enjoined in the Scripture as either of the Sacraments that Christs Kingdome is so inward and spiritual that Offices and Officers can no more be thence pleaded for in the Church then the stamping
of Coin that if the inward opinion be left free no imposition upon the outward practice can wrong Christian liberty that extemporate prayer is but fancicall and carnal that there is no praying by the Spirit unless in a manner and in words infallible that the English Liturgie is an excellent Rule of Worship and many such like things Certainly if these I say be the principles of the Latitudinarians as they are yours they are very loose and dangerous even subversive of the very foundations the Word of God and the Ordinances therein appointed 3. You take to your selves the commendation of very good lives I wish you may not be deceived the Pharisees made clean the outside of the cup and of the plater but God requireth and searcheth the heart and these things that come forth from the heart evill thoughts deceit blasphemies pride foolishnes as well as adulteries murders thefts these defile the man What of these may be found in this little Volume of your Dialogues especially lies calumnies mockings it were too rigid for me to recapitulat I leave it to the impartial perusal of what both of us have said Only as I desire not to be accounted so uncharitable as to propose this as a proportional cognizance of all the writings and sayings of the men of your way so I heartily pray the Lord to make all of you indeed rectitudinarians 4. As for your strong wits I wish you may be as little puffed up with the conceit of them as we are terriâ—fied by their opposition that you do not abuse them to Atheism or Socinianism we chearfully accept of the acknowledgement Only let me tell you that though we be as loath as you are to deny Christianity both in its Articles of beliefe and precepts of practice to be highly congruous to the dictats of right reason and do grant that Religion the highest accomplishment of Nature is suteable to mans supreme faculty yet that thus to propose them is the most convincing way to all clear witted men labours of these difficulties 1. That although there be not only as much obvious reason in the revelation of the Gospel as may stop the mouth of all Gainsayers and unanswerably confound the vanities of Atheism and all false Religions but also such a Divine congruous light as once entering and dispelling the natural man's darkeness causeth these things which formerly were to him as foolishness appear to be the wisdome of God yet it is certain that the things of God depending solely upon his free holy and unsearchable good pleasure and decree and being only communicat by the revelation and receivable in the illumination of the Spirit to think to propose and enforce them by rational perswasion for the conversion of men in the state of nature is vain and presumptuous and therefore if it be in this manner that you do understand your assertion viz. that thus to propose them is the most convincing way to all clear witted men seing it both imports a sufficiencie in the proposer and a possible capacity in the hearers to convert without efficacie of Divine grace and the light of revelation it is doubly peccant 2. In what sort soever your assertion be understood the superlative preference which it giveth to your way of reason directly impingeth upon the Apostles their manner of preaching which was not with the wisdom of words but in that simplicity which unto these that sought after wisdom was as foolishness It was neither by the Wise nor by the Scribe nor by the Disputer but God choosed the foolish things of the world to confound the wise Consider the Apostles their Sermons yet extant specially Peters not only to the Iews but also to Cornelius and the first converts of the Gentiles there can be nothing more simple either in perswasion or in expression Hear Pauls testimony of himself and I brethren came not with excellencie of speach or of wisdom declaring unto you the testimony of God but was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling c. and certainly if you will be pleased to ponder the reason and end which he subjoins viz. that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God You cannot but perceive both the difference of this way from and its excellencie above that of rational perswasion which you so much commend 3. As neither the undoubted congruity of Christianity to reason once enlightned nor the sufficiency of reason by its own force to redargue proud mockers and despisers do conclude its aptitude for the discovery explication or right uptaking of the things of God without the Spirit which alone knoweth them So it is justly to be feared that this new method of adventuring by reason without the testimony of the word to propose and explain these mysteriesâ— do not only prove ineffectual for true instruction but also inductive of the Authors themselves into many misprisions and errors For men to quite and lay aside the conduct of the true and only light which is the best evidence and manifestation both of its self and of its object and in a vain curiosity to set up and demonstrat by the taper of Reason in the sunshine of revelation and to endeavour to cause reason lead or guide which with much difficultie is able to follow is a presumption not more full of pride then of danger Paul was a man very learned long exercised and no doubt mightily fervid in all the Arts and Methods of reasoning but from the time that that light from Heaven above the brightnes of the Sun shined about him and laid him on the ground trembling and astonished we find his speech in the matters of the Gospel was not with entising or perswasive words of Mans wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit with much fear sometime indeed he disputes and thereby also confounds but it is his preaching that mostly converts Think not that by these reflections I aime particularly at either the fault or fate of the men of your way no let their writings speak for themselves but that there is such a vanity too much in present practice the late more pretendedly rational then Scriptural essayes of many do too sadly evince 4. You say that you Latitudinarians are neither Papists nor Cassandrians but in effect charitable Protestants and that you are far from that hight of rigour of damning all Papists which some of us owne 'T is answered That we are sufficiently tender in this point is notour to all and this your challenge if rightly understood of Papists that is of all who live within the verge of and own the Church of Rome is as groundless as your needless profession of an uncontroverted charity because they hold the foundation Iesus Christ though they build upon it wood hay and stuble I confess that seing thereby you plainly enough insinuate that Papists even as such do not erre fundamentally and consequently under this reduplication may be saved