the Sacraments The minister may conceive praier etc. Hold you to this that it is not of necessity you will denie it againe in the next Argument Wel here you graunt it is not of necessitie But you have not answered me tell me whether you hold it necessarie or no if it be at all times necessarie the Testament is not perfect Againe do you not hold it of necessitie when you excommunicate men depose your ministery for not observing it But you saye it is for conveniencie If it be a part of Gods worship and all times convenient then is it necessarie and if it be not necessarie put such conveniency in your corner Capp or surplus Nowe if it be necessarie at all times you must prove it is commanded in Gods worde or els say that all things necessarie in Gods worship be not conteyned in Gods worde which were blasphemous and papisticall to affirme To this you graunt all things necessarie and convenientare conteyned and aske if I be ignorant that ther be manie thinges conteyned in the Scriptures that are not expressed in particular but be gathered from the generall rules No I am not ignorant of this but if it may be gathered ether by expresse wordes or by generall rules that there should be prescript formes of praier for the administration of the Sacraments or anie other particular action of the Church then must it be so of necessitie because God hath commaunded it though not in particular yet in generall rules But you graunt it is not of necessity therfore it is not commaunded in particular nor conteyned in anie generall rule Yet you demaunde of me if one should obiect that ther were not commaundement in the scriptures nor example for anie prayers to be made at all before preaching etc. I would say he should lye against God we have both For the Apostle shewes it was the chief part of their office to continue in the worde and prayer Act. 6.4.1 Cor. 14. and 1. Tim. 2 1 Acts. 2.42 besides all things are sanctified vnto vs by the word praier And because they never vsed doctrine in the Ch. but praier wēt before therfore their meetings is said to be vnto praier some things ther are I graunt that are not prescribed in particular and yet are commaunded by general doctrine as baptisme of Infants But whatsoever is commaunded either in particular or necessary collections from generall rules are of necessitie to be obeyed as the commaundements of God and may not be altered but your particular forms of prescript wordes have no such warrant Nowe seing you would have no prescript wordes of prayer for the minister to vle before his preaching not of necessitie for the Sacraments have none for excommunication etc. I wondred wher of your Portuis is made wherto it should serve except for churchings and burialls and such popery wherby you leaue the commaundements of God to sett vp your owne traditions And here vpon I demaunded wherupon you would make your stinted and sett praiers You marueile I should be so babling and make such questions you meane about your babling worship You saye of the particulars of the Lordes praier I demaunde nowe againe whether you can number the starres of heavē or the sandes of the sea if not much lesse the particulars of the Lords praier There is medecine and direction of praier for every soule every disease therfore to be drawē fourth by doctrine parier as need requireth you would sett a liturgie vpon some thinges and compell men thervnto every meeting which were no thing els but to seale vp the fountaine and send men to the drye pitts of your execrable devises from the whole fountaine to a pitcher of water from the liuely graces of Doctrine and prayer to your owne writings Paul commaunded to pray for Kings and Princes yet bounde no man what wordes to vse The Lord give you repentance of such presumptuous sinne as to alter his worship If you cannot knowe the estate of the soule before hand you can make no formes of wordes for it The Eight Argument Read prayers were devised by Antichrist and maintaine superstition and an Idoll ministery therfore read prayers and such stinted service are intollerable c. G. GIFFORD Antichrist devised manie blasphemous wicked prayers But to say that the making or following a prescript forme of prayer was his is most false for there were Liturgies in the Church of olde before Antichrist was set in his throne c. J. GREENWOOD THe Scripture never inforced to reade praiers for praying nether stinted vs what or how manie wordes to vse nether is the formes of praier prescribed in the Scripture and devise of man Let vs then hold these two to be the matters in hand the one reading in steade of praying the other stinging and limiting by a written liturgie what howe many wordes to pray with all other such prescriptions as your liturgie conteyneth All may be affirmed antichristian which is not warranted by Christs worde Yet your liturgie is even from that Antichrist lifted vp into the throne you speake of as may by all men be seene that will compare it with the Portuis And as I have heard the Pope would have approved of your liturgie if it might have bene receaved in his name Nowe we have proved in the discourse before that reading for praying hath no warrant from Gods Worde which maketh them two severall and divers actions every where Here then we must consider something for an other liturgie then Christes Testament which we shall find to be nothing els then an other gospell And because Mr Gifford saith ther were liturgies in the Church before Antichrist was lifted vp into his throne which I will not denye I would have all men vnderstand that I do not go about to prove the church no church that hath a liturgie as mine Arguments are falslie wrested to that purpose but to prove the vnlawfullnes of such liturgie thrust vpon mens Consciences is onlie my determination through Gods assistance The worde liturgie signifieth publicum manus ergon Laon the worke of or for the people that is the very execution of the ministerial actions in the Church according to the worde of all the officers therof that is the practise of those ministeriall duties prescribed by Christ we may euery where reade Jn the first of the Gospell of Luke the 23. verse it is said And is came to passe that when the daies of his ministration were past he went home to his house meaning Zacharias where we see the worde Liturgie for his execution of his ministeriall function Now this Leitourgia of the newe Testament is even the rule and function prescribed by Christ for the puqlique actions to be donne in his Church which leiturgu of Christ is perfect and he pronounced accursed that addeth any thing therto or taken any there from yea al mē are bound to keep the true patterne therof without alterration
by writing to be thrust upon the publique assemblies you are wide and now iustifie homilies insteed of preaching and written praiers instead of praying shew your warrant The CHVRCHES power is limited by the word G. GIFFORD When the prayers be framed and composed of nothing but the doctrine of the Scripture and after the rules of true prayer nothing is brought in which God hath not commanded J. GREENWOOD THis might have come in before your raylings but you sawe it was too silly where is that commaundement of God that all mens writinges in forme of prayer agreable to the Scriptures should be brought into the publique assemblies your bare worde is not enough to put me to silence And when you have gott them into the Church you must prove that God hath commaunded they should be read for praier Where I said our Sauiour Christ never vsed the wordes when he praied in that forme of praier he gave to his Disciples nether commaunded his Disciples to say over these wordes nether do we reade that ever his Apostles did use them or enforced others to vse anie certaine number of wordes you say I spake vntrulie For say you the Disciples desired him to reach them to pray as Iohn taught his Disciples and he commanded them when you pray say Our Father etc. Luke 11. and S. Math. an Apostle hath deliuered the same to the whole Church I answer I have never heard that Iohn Baptist taught his Disciples to say over certeyne wordes nether can it be gathered by our Sauiour Christes answere for he answeared not alwaies the verie demaunde according to their wordes but thereupon tooke occasion to instruct them as the sawe neede And I have proved by the 6. of Math. that our Saviour did not commaunde them to say over the very wordes when they prayd for the word Houtos in Mathew signifieth after this maner Againe that Math. recordeth not the very number or the very same wordes that Luke doth And now I reason thus if Christ had commaunded those very wordes to be said over in praying then we must alwaies when we pray say over those wordes for in Math. 6. he saith when you pray pray thus Our Father etc. The etc. The word when sheweth that this commaundement is to be observed at all tymes And then the Apostles sinned in praying other wordes Acts. 4.24.25 Furder it being the most summary forme of praier most ample most perfect etc. if those wordes were commaunded to be said over then we ought not to vse any others for he is accursed that bringeth not the best offrings he hath Malach 1.14 By all these it is euident that our Saviour nor his Evangelists tyed no man to the very wordes saying over but according to that forme and those instructions and now leave of your popish dreames Yet you would make men belive I reasoned thus that the Apostles did not nether our Saviour himself or anie that we reade of vse these wordes in praier therfore they did not use it Nay I said they did not vse these verie wordes in their praiers but vsed other wordes according to their particular wants as our Saviour in the 17. of Iohn is said to do therfore he nether vsed nor commaunded others to say over those wordes And so I may well cōclude that to impose certaine wordes to be read or said by roate for praying vpon the Church especiallie mens writings is an intollorable pride even a setting of men in the place of God Also that to vse them or bowe downe vnto them in that order is sinne and a breach of Gods lawe The fourth Argument Because true prayer must be of faith vttered with heart and lively voice it is presumptuous ignorance to bring a booke to speake for vs vnto God c. The fift Argument To worship the true God after an other maner then he hath taught is Idolatrie But he Commaundeth vs to come vnto him heavie loaden with contrite hearts to cry unto him for our wantes c. Therfore we may not vse reading of a dead letter instead of powring fourth out petitions The Sixt Argument We must strive in praier with continuance c. But we cannot strive in praier and be importunate with continuance reading vpon a booke Therfore we must not reade when we should pray G. GIFFORD These 3. I ioyned togeather as having no weight you say I answeare by plaine contradiction without Scripture c. And after wardes is not my bare deniall as good as you bare affirmation c. I. GREENWOOD STay your selves and wonder they are blind and make blind Is ther anie doctrine more spirituall anie more inculcated by the holy Ghost thē this accesse vnto God in the mediation of Christ by his owne spirit to make our mindes knowne vnto God to offer vp the fruits of his owne spirit in vs and fetch encrease from him by this secreat worke of true inuocation with the heart and voice This colloquie with the high maiestie of God is it a matter of no weight to learne to discerne between diverse exercises of the spirit and to exercise his graces aright according to his will Right is it said the wisedome of God is foolishnes to the naturall man But Mr GIFFORD wil say he graunteth the propositious true and weightie maters it is the Assumptions that be so frivolous as he said a litle after ridiculous wel let them he weyed 1. That reading instead of praying is not a powring fourth of the heart by lively voyce 2. That it is a quenching of the spirit to reade an other mans wordes vpon a booke in the very action of powring fourth our heart as we pretend 3. That it is not an vnburdening of a contrite heart by faith but an ignorant action to reade for praying 4. That we cannot strive in praier continue in praier be importunate etc. by reading vpon a booke These are matters he thinketh of so litle weight the bare deniall and contradiction wherof he holdeth of such credit that it must suffice for answere seing he saith he hath before proved the vse of reading See here he caleth it the vse of reading He could not say that reading is praying nether that these two exercises of our Faith can be vsed both in one instant as one action I have shewed that proseuche anagnosis praying and reading are divers actions both of the minde and body let the reader consider what weight then this matter is of to talk with the living God But for the benefit of such as have grace to savour the things that are of God I will a litle illustrate the Assumptions at least some of them 1. That it is a quenching of the spirit to reade an other mans wordes vpon a booke when I should powre fourth mine owne heart the word itself must be considered the Apostle commaundeth saying 1. Thessaloniaus 5.19 extinguish ye not the spirit Now to suppresse and leaue vnvttered the passions of our owne heart by the worke
Egypt should knowe the beautie of Sion ther is a cloude betweene you and us we have blessed be our God a pillar of fire before us An other fault you say in my former reason is that because the censure of the Church should redresse defaultes therfore ther needeth no liturgie Nay take all with you No fault can be censured that is not a transgression against the rules of Gods worde and those to be censured by the doctrine and admonitions of the Church therfore we neede no liturgies To the worde of God onely ought all men to be bounde by covenant and for the transgressions therof onely to be censured G. GIFFORD The Church hath this power to ordeine according to Gods worde and to appointe such orders in matters of circumstance c. as shall most fuly serve to edification And then these orders being established the Church is to drive men to the observation of them I. GREENWOOD First in this your papisticall mudde I must tell you your reading of mens writinges for prayer is a falle worship of God and not a matter of circumstance And for matters of order and circumstance which are no part of the worship ther can be no other lawes made of them then Christ hath made As for ordeyning of lawes in the Church it is to plead for unwritten verities and to make the lawe of God unsufficient neyther can it be according to the worde to make anie lawe that God hath not made but an adding to his worde which is execrable pride these your wordes then according to Gods worde was but a cloake to cover the grossenes of your position for the worde ordeyne or create lawes is to make some that are not made before let us then see your cleane sentence to be this The Church hath authority in matters of order and circumstance to make and ordaine lawes in his Church for his worship now see how you contradict these Scriptures Rev. 22.18.19 Prov. 30.5.6 everie worde of God is pure etc. put nothing to his worde least he reproove thee and thou be found a liar likewise Deut. 4.2 and 12.32 and Gal. 3.15 though it be but a mans covenant when it is confirmed no man doth abrogate it or superordeine anie thing to it And the second Commaundement forbiddeth anie such humaine tradition in the worship of God all the Popes trinckets might be brought in by the same grounde We would willingly have seene your warrant for this doctrine your bare worde is not sufficient to impose other lawes then God hath made upon his Church This is the foundation of Poperie and Anabaptistrie to give libertie to make lawes in the worship of God Yet you will goe furder that such lawes being ordeyned established by publique authoritie the discipline and censures of the Church are to drive men to the observation of the same By your judgment our Saviour Christ was an Anabaptisticall Schismatique that would not himself nor his Disciples obey and observe the traditions of the Elders And what saith he unto pleaders for traditions It is thus written Marke 7.5 then asked him the Pharises and Scribes whie walke not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders but eate meate with unwashed hands Then be answeared surely Isay hath prophesied well of you hypocrites as it is written this people honoreth me with their lippes but their heartes are far from me But they worship me in vayne teaching doctrines mens precepts For you lay the commaundement of God aside and observe the tradition of men And to helpe foorth your evill matter instead of proof from the scripture you fal out into furious exclamation against them that desire onely to have the worde practised saying who is able to imagine the innumerable divisions and offences in the practise of your anabaptisticall freedome in which you deny the Church to have power to ordeine and impose any orders lett all men judge the venemousnes of this tongue Christ pronunceth them accursed that add or superordeyne any thing to his worde and you pronounce judgement of them that onely obey his worde Shall it be said that Mr Gifford holdeth that the onely practise of Gods worde would be the cause of iunumerable divisions and offences This hath bene Satans old accusation in the mouth of the most enimies of Christs Gospell nowe it must be Mr Giffords accusation of Gods ordinances to be insufficient unperfect etc. fearfull is his Apostacy from that truth he hath knowen I take it it is more like to be Anabaptistry to practise any thing without warrant of the word to make their own devises lawes in Gods worship then to doe nothing but what God hath commaunded within the limites of our callings For the franticke ministery it came of your owne wordes that therfore you must needes have a leiturgie because ther are manie franticke spirits in the ministerie then I say it is like you have a frantick ministerie that cannot be governed without another liturgie then Christs Testament For their great giftes you speake of I will not compare with them My reason from the Colossians was that as the Church there is commaunded to admonish their Pastor Archippus if he transgressed and to stirr him up to his busines so all ministers that caused divisions contrary to the doctrine of Christ were to be admonished and avoyded if they repent not so that the worde of God and admonition by the same if they trāsgresse is the waye to keepe all men in due order and not imposing Leiturgies upon the Church besides Christs Testament And where you collected thus that if read Prayers and imposed liturgies be Idolatrous then wher will you finde a visible Church say you I answered that the true Church might erre even in this poynte though not in like height of sinne Then you desire that the Churches of England may find like favour at our hand to which I answeare let him that handleth that question with you shew you how your sinnes herein exceede other countries and persequute such as reprove you Your church as you all it cannot pleade ignorance Your rayling speaches of blind Schismatiques Donatists etc. bewray what sweet water is in the heart if you cannot prove your Church to be the established Church of Christ they light all upon your self Ther are none Schismatiques but such as departe from the faith shew wherein we have transgressed will not be reformed In the meane tyme you are Schismatiques from Christ in that you practise the Statutes of Omry You chardge us with pride for that you saye we imagine to knowe more then all the Churches uppon earth This also hath bene Satans old weapon to deface the truth Ierem. 18.18 why maye not a simple babe in Christ see that which whole nations have not seene we cannot but speake the things Gods Worde teacheth us if we speake trueth you need not oppose that we judge anie man it is the worde of God shall judge us all and I saye it is
some things we sinne all In which wordes I plainely reproved his grossnes that concluded all men idolaters which committed anie idolatrie and that no idolater could be saued and distinguished betweene the sinne of ignorance weaknes and imperfection c. in Gods children and open professed obstinate idolatrie Yet this godles man would lay to my charge that I should call all men idolaters wheras I never used such a worde in all my writings But onlie answered his folly in this running out from the question they were his owne wordes that brought this upon his owne heade by concluding that if every sinne against the first table were idolatrie and no idolater could be saved then all are lost let the grosnes then be his and not mine And I leave it to the consideration of all men whether I may not say that they which transgresse the first or second Commandements do commit idolatrie without absurdity But saith he though it be so yet the Scripture calleth not the godly murtherers idolaters etc. for the reliques of sinne remayning I answere that therefore your former absurd cavilling where you said if we hold it idolatrie etc. is by your owne mouth fully answered But to avoyde this foile he hath an other evasion J thought saith he we had reasoned about such grosse idolatrie as a church is to be condemned and forsaken which is defiled therwith Here againe you misreport me J never reasoned to that end in in this whole discourse but onlie laboured to shew all men this error of reading mens writings instead of praying that they might learne how to converse with God their owne Conscience in prayer And what mendes will you make for this slandering and defacing of the truth to all the world all that I desire is your repentance and amendement which God graunt unto you if you be his It followeth in your booke thus But seeing you confess that all men be Idolaters that is touching the remanents of sinne it must needs follow there is no Church free from spots etc. This worde idolaters must still be yours then I willinglie graunt that no man living is free from idolatrie concerning the reliques of sinne Also that no Church upon earth can be without spot upon earth So that now by your owne confession I pleade not for perfection in this life though the more we want the more we ought to endevour With what face then could you publish me an Anabaptist in your Epistle and out of one mouth give contrarie sentence Doth your ordinary teach you to cast out such bitter waters of untruthes was it possible I should bold al men idolaters some men without committing of sinne after regeneration especially to maintaine both such heresies as you give out Wel consider yourself before the Lord call you to accompt for defacing his truth and pleading for Baal I grant yea I were not of God if I should speake otherwise that the deare servants of God fall into most lothsome sinnes after regeneration that the riches of Gods mercie might appeare in their repentance through the worke of his grace Then you reason thus if ther be alwaies spottes and imperfectnes in the true Church upon earth then all your Arguments you bring against the Church of England are of no force except you will maintaine a perfection Mine answere is I will not meddle with your Ch. to prove it a false church in this treatise but refer you to Mr Barrowes refutation of Mr Gifford him that handleth that part of your booke Yet I must tell you your argument is verie simple For after the same manner you might reason thus If ther be no true Church without spottes upon earth then the Church of Rome is the true Ch. for it hath manie spottes and you all Scismatiques Againe you assume the matter you should prove It will be proved against you that you have not Ecclesiam a people called fourth of the world to the obedience of Christ Then that the spottes of your Church are Egyptian ulcers incurable running botches But I purposed not to deale with your Church onelie my mind is to shew the unlawfulnes of this reading and imposing mens writings upon mens Consciences in stead of true praying Of which sinne the Lord give you and this whole land grace to repent that so men may learne more ferventlie to call upon God The first Argument against read Prayer c. No Apocrypha must be brought into the publique assemblies for there onelie GODS worde and lively voyce of his owne graces must be hearde in the publique assemblies But mens writings and the reading of them over for prayer are Apocrypha therefore may not be brought into the publique assemblies GEORGE GIFFORD First touching the Proposition No Apocrypha is to be brought into the publique assemblies What can be more false Apocrypha is opposed against Canonicall If nothing may be brought into the publique assemblies but Canonicall Scripture then the Sermons and prayers of Pastors are to be banished c. IOHN GREENWODS Answer IN the answere of this you will needes oppose against both Propositions yet have nothing to say if not to royle the doctrines delivered with your feete least others should drinke therof The part of a wise man had beene to lay his hand on his mouth In the first Proposition you would oppose the worde Apocripha against the lively voyce of Gods graces when you see I said onlie that no Apocripha might be brought into the publique assemblies And further to explane my minde least you should willingly finde such a cavill I added this reason for there only Gods worde the lively voyces of his graces are to be heard where I acknowledged those livelie voyces to be Gods ordinance yet nether to be called Apocrypha nor Canonical How can you say th̄e I would have these or that these are banished if all Apocrypha writings be banished the publique assemblies Yet as I told you I take Apocrypha to be all writings but the Canonicall Authenique Scriptures But say you then I will exclude the Paraphrases upon the Scriptures and the Psalmes in Metre etc. Affirme you them to be Apocrypha as you doe and can do no other I wil through Gods grace prove they ought not to be brought into the publique assemblies First no mans writings are given to the Church by testimonie of Gods spirit we are onelie commaunded to heare what the spirit saith therefore though mens writings be permitted to be read privatelie of them that will and therupon called Apocrypha that is hidden they may not be brought into the publique assemblies Secondly no mans writings are without errour and imperfections therfore not to be brought into the publique assemblies The Church is the pillar of truth Thirdlie the Church is builded upon the foundation of the Prophets and the Apostles Christ Iesus being the cheif corner stone and not upon mens writings Therefore mens writings may not be brought into the
publique assemblies Ephes. 2. 20. and 1 Cor. 3. Fourthlie if we might bring in anie mens writings into the publique assemblies thē all mens writings which we judge agreable to the Scriptures But this is forbidden Ecclesiastes 12. 11. 12. My proof of the first Proposition is this If anie mens writings are to be brought into the publique assemblies by Gods commaundement because they are agreable to the Scriptures as you in an other place alleadge then all that are thought agreable to the Scriptures ought of necessitie by the same commandement and if ther be no commandement then none are to be make Authentique which God hath not made Authentique For that were to set man in the place of God No mans writings cary that majestie as doth the pen of the holy Ghost No mans writinges are Cecuromenai Authentique confirmed by signes and wonders from heaven sealed by Christes blood that not one worde of title shal be vnfulfilled The Scriptures are all sufficient All men must walke by that one rule To thinke ther were not rules enough prescribed by the Lord for his house were blasphemous and papisticall Now for the explication interpretation etc. and speach vnto God in prayer God hath given giftes vnto men to pray and prophecye and ordeyned his ministery of Pastors Teachers whose lively voice is appointed to be the mouth of God vnto the people of his people vnto himself in the publique assemblies And these graces are not Apocryphall for no prophecie of the Scripture is of private interpretation idias epiluseos to euery one is given the manifestation of the spirit to proffit withal Most execelent men serve but their tyme in the publique assemblies Now J may conclude as J beganne That onely Gods holy word the lively graces of his holy Spirit are to be heard offred vp vnto in him the publique assemblies Where then in way of answere to the Minor Proposition you say you see not how our speach vnto God should be Apocrypha It answeareth not me who deny an other mans writing to be our speach in prayer unto God But c̄onvinceth your selfe by you own mouth thus True praier is not Apocrypha but all mens writings are Apocr Therefore mens writing is not true praier Here when you have nothing to say for your self you woulde make me believe that I accompt the Psalmes and the other formes of prayer in the Scripture to be Apocrypha when they be read though a litle before you confessed you had in your last writing donne me wrong therin I do accompt the reading of thé for praying to be a groffe and superstitious abuse of them yet them to be holie canonical script And here you have flatly ouerthrowen your self saying the worde Apocrypha is vsed with vs for that which is not Gods vndoubted worde vnto vs And in your last writing which should have beene your answere you said God speaketh to vs onely by the Canonicall Scriptures Now seing you would make your liturgie and devised formes of prayer helpes and instruction and yet cannot make them Canonicall or Gods vndoubted truth they must not be brought into the publique assemblie much lesse imposed by lawe vpon the consciences of all men And here remember all your Liturgies are cast out of the doore besides that you have not made in both writinges one direct answeare to this most firme Proposition which I will still leave upon you thus Onely the Canonicall Scriptures and lively voice of Gods own graces are to be brought into the publique assemblies for doctrine and prayer But mens writings are neyther Canonicall scripture nor the lively voice of Gods graces in such as he hath appointed to speake in the publique assemblies Therefore no mans writings may be brought into nor imposed upon the publique assemblies Thus might I make an ende with this vaine man considering the whole matter is proved against him all that followes being but repetitions of these former cavills but that I must cleare my self of his unconscionable slanders The Second Argument We must doe nothing in the worship of God without warrant of his worde But read prayers have no warrant in his worde Therfore read prayers are not to be used in the worship of God GEORGE GIFFORD To this I answere at the first that it is a greate audacitie to affirme that there is no warrant in the worde for read prayers When ther be sundry testimonies to warrant the same unless you will make difference betweene that which a man readeth upon a booke and that which he hath learned out of the booke Furder I said I doe not remember that ever I have read that God commaunded in the Scriptures that prayer shal be read upon a Booke c. J. GREENWOOD SEing you have indeed not answered one reason or proof I alleadged in my last writing but with must evil conscience as the handling sheweth perverted them I will leaue them to be iudged of them that shall see my writing And here seing you would not print it I will answere your cheif obiections First then you graunt that if I put difference betweene reading vpon the booke and that which he hath learned out of the booke mine Argument is founde For by your owne confession God hath not given anie Commandement for read prayer and so it hath no warrant Whervpon I gayne thus much First that they which impose read praier vpon the Church do that wherof they have no warrant in the worde and that in the high service of God then that they which reade vpon a booke for praying do that wherof they have no warrant in Gods worde wherupon al your Ministers must leave reading their stinted prayers upon the booke or els stand vnder Gods wrath all that so pray with them which wil be a fearefull reckoning if they repent not of their sinne shewed them And although our question be cheiflie concerning the reading of mens writings instead of praying yet I am content the other abuse of the Scriptures be included also though I make not both in the same height of sinne as shall appeare in my several reasons As an vnconstāt man then you in the latter end of the answere to this Argument would cal backe agayne that which you here have granted Namely that there is no Commandement to reade prayer vpon a booke for praying Of the contrary thus you reason The people of God did reade the Psalmes vpon a booke when they did singe therefore men may reade vpon a booke when they pray I deny your Argument besides that all men may see Your unstablenes in denying and affirming with one breath you now go about to make reading of prayer a Commandement thus you prove it Singing say you is a part of praier Singing may be read vpon a Booke therefore praier may be read vpon a booke Admit that Singing were a part of praier yet doth it not followe that all prayer may be read vpon a booke But you speake like
prescript forme of prayer is a tradition bringing our libertie into hondage c. my reason was c is that the Lord by Moses prescribed a forme of blessing c. Num. 6 the Prophets in the Psalmes have prescribed manie formes of prayer Our Saviour Christ prescribed a forme of prayer c. JOHN GREENWODS Answer HEre is a greate storme yet nothing but wynde If you were in Caiphas his place you would either have rent your clothes for zeale or els condemne me before you vnderstand what I say Is it simple dealing do you thinke to say I hold it a bondage breaking our libertie for the Lord by Moses the Prophetes our Saviour Christ also to set downe a forme of praier or to prescribe a forme of praier Did you not see that the Minor Proposition speaketh of the reading for praing and not of the forme of praier Againe of the commandement wherby men are compelled to reade instead of praing Did you not see that these wordes brought into the publique assemblies did specifye the matter to be mens writings to be read in the assemblies as a worship yea invocation of Gods name which is a grosse mockery Not that ther is any Commandement to reade ouer those formes of praier mentioned by you for praing and so the Commandement so to reade them for praying is an abuse of them and a Commandement of men and not of God etc. But that much more odious it is to bring in mens writings into the publique assemblies is proved vnlawfull in the first argument and then to commit Idolatrie with them by reading them jnstead of praing and that to compell men by Commandement wher God had set no Commandement so to vse them was a bringing all men into bondage of popish traditions So that your common recitall of these places of Scripture is abuse of them and you do but palinodian cauere I thinke if you get St. I H O N S gospell about your necke as the Papists do you wil thinke you haue religion ynough The more fearfull is your Apostacy you proceede from euill to worse GEORGE GIFFORD About the Commaunding a prescript forme of prayer to be used our Church doth agree with all godly Churches yea the reformed Churches have and do practise the same here therefore I wish the reader to observe that you Brownists doe not only condemne the the Church of England but all the reformed Churches whatsoever and can be no other but Donatistes IOHN GREENWODS Answer I Trust your madnes will appeare to all men the poyson of Aspes is vnder your tongue he that cannot rule his tongue his Religion is in vayne Shall J in your heate be pressed with multitude of Churches then heare what the Lorde faith Thou shal not followe a multitude to do evill we have the word amongst vs we shall by that worde be either iustified or condemned Then either prove your matter from the scriptures or els give eare to the Scripture If those Churches you speake of bring mens writinges into the publique assemblies inforce them to be read for praying I would see their warrant we beleeve not because men say so or doe so but because God speaketh And where he speaketh all men must be silent You may accuse other countries as you wil knowe not their estate but your drudgery insteade of true worship is lothsome the priest with his massebooke the begger with his clapdish canuize over the Pater noster for their bellie which is your common worship with other trinckets We shal speake of a Liturgie in due place Here you breath out your accustomed lyes slanders railings First you terme us Brownists Donatists wheras I never conversed with the men nor their writings I dereft Donatus his heresies And if they had beene instruments to teach us anie truth we were not therfore to be named with their name we were baptised into Christs Browne is a member of your Church your brother and all Brownists do frequent your assemblies And here you wish the reader to consider that I condemne all reformed Churches do I condemne all Churches for reproving a sinne by Gods worde May not the true Churches if they were such err Did I affirme at anie time that they were no true Church that used read prayers remember your self you knowe who is the Father of such untruthes But because your Conscience bare witnesse you had wrongfully chardged me and in frome all true Christians you bring it in by necessary consequence thus you assi'me say you prescript formes of praier brought into the publique assemblies to be the changing the work of the Spirit into an idoll a tradition breaking Christian libertie a deade letter quenching the Spirit c. and therefore most detestable But all reformed Churches receive and use it c. therefore You can reason well to bring the truth into contempt your moth is open and tongue whet as a sworde thereunto If the proposition be true drawe what consequence you will it is yours not mine if the doctrine be true it is Gods worde that giveth sentence against the sinne And if you have anie sparke of grace procure that we may decide the truth with other Churches Doth it follow that because imposing of mens writinges to be read for praying is an heynous sinne therefore they that use it are no Church If I should say so I should justlie be called an Anabaptist And here you accuse me to pleade for such a freedome in the Church that nothing receaued which is imposed by commaundement Abaddon is the Father of such Prophets Doth it follow that because we would have the Church free from all traditions of men which have no warrant in Gods worde that therefore we would not receave Gods ordinances by Commaundement That we ought to receave nothing by Commaundement in the worship of God which God hath not commaunded the second commaundement with the scriptures I have rehearsed are evident Deut. 5.32.33 Mat. 2 5.2.3 Gal. 4.9 Collof 2 20 But seing your self graueled considering all the world cannot lay a Commandement to bring their owne inventions into the assemblies wher God hath laide none but forbidden it you ranne to your former places of scripture to wrast them as before where your collections are but vaine repetions of that which hath been convinced before Moses the Prophets etc. prescribed formes of praiers therefore men now may thrust their writings into the publique assemblies Your Argument is denied and yet here is no warrant for the reading them over for praier G. GIFFORD The Church had power to expounde those prayers mentioned in the Scriptures to apply them to their severall necessities c. J. GREENWOOD If you meane by expounding the breaking of them up by doctrine vp and by doctrine and praier to applye them to the severall vses of the Church by lively voyce far be it from me to thinke otherwise But if you meane by expounding to make homilies vpon them or liturgies
or innouating anie part of the same as is called a commaundement to be kept without spott till the appearing of our Lorde Iesus Christ Nowe to make an other leiturgie is to lay other foundation and to make an other Gospell not that ther is an other Gospell but that there are some willing to pervert the Gospell of Christ Then your leiturgies to which you are sworne and by which you administer being as you cannot denie an other leiturgie then Christes Testament is plainely an other Gospell for the Canons and rules you prescribe and impose are such as he hath not prescribed or commaunded or at the best a transforming of his ordinances Now if you should say you do nothing but make laws of particular thinges collected from the scriptures and with that collour impose your leiturgies we have shewed the vnlawfullnes of bringing anie mans writinges as rules into the Church For the explaining of the whole will of Christ so far as is meet for vs he hath given vs his officers to administer according to his liturgie by liuely voyce and due execution of all things by one rule Making then a newe litourgia you must also make a new ministerie for Christes ministerie cannot administer after a counterfeit liturgie And that Antichrist was the cheif Innouator of this liturgie howsoever the thing might be long a working by litle litle it is plaine when he is called Antikeimenos that opposite man or laier of an other foundation Now we must not make all liturgies beside the Testam. of like wickedness or blasphemie But how neere the most heynousest yours approach let him that answereth the other part of your booke witnesse vnto me Nowe where I said you had confessed that you never read in the Scriptures any warrant to reade praiers vnto God you say now I knowe I have falsified your wordes Surely it would be knowen for I would not willinglie so doe your wordes you say were these to your remembrance God never commaunded a man to reade praier vpon the booke Is not this the same that I saye you confesse ther is no warrant for reading prayer is ther anie thing warranted in his worship that he hath not commaunded Then you aske me if I will gather thus is it not expresse commaunded therfore it is not warranted No you forgot the worde expressie to help your self to saye vnsaye I gathered that because you said absolutely it was not commaunded therfore it was not warranted Here you come againe to shewe your ignorance in the scriptures to say ther is not anie exprese commaundement to vse praier before or after doctrine And remember you here will have it a commaundement and said before you hold it not of necessitie G. GIFFORD There would sundry inconveniences growe for want of a Lyturgie or prescript formes of publique praiers I. GREENWOOD STil I must put you in minde of the wisedome of that gouernour of his house the builder beginner and finisher of our Faith Christ Iesus he forsawe what inconvenience would haue growne if either men or Angells should make newe liturgies or other formes of praier then he hath prescribed for the publique assemblies Here therfore you deeply chardge him not to have donne all thinges that were needful in not prescribing you more formes thē he hath donne or not suffered learned divines to impose their owne writinges vnto God But see what the Scripture saith who hath knowen the mynde of the Lord that he might instruct him Againe wher is the wise where the Scribe where the disputer of this world hath not God made the wisedome of this world foolishnes To put you out of doubt then that we neede not any newe liturgie nor anie mens writinges to be brought into the publique assemblies the Holie Ghost saith 2. Timot. 3.16 The whole Scripture is Theopneustos inspired of God and profitable vnto doctrine vnto reproof vnto correction vnto erudition which is in righteousnes that the man of God may be absolute perfect fully furnished vnto everie good worcke Nowe if onelye the Scriptures be Theopnestos and sufficient to make Gods childrē absolutely perfect even fully furnished to every good work what blasphemie is it to say sundrie inconvenience would growe if mens writinges were not imposed vpon the publique assemblies And in this your wisedome let us see what is the chiefest inconveniency that would growe You say everye franticke spirit of which sort ther be manie in the ministerie would not only be unlike themselves but varie from others I answered and still doe that the Papists have not so weake a reason for their Idolatrous Liturgies Rubricks and Canons You say it appeareth by all my Arguments how meete a man I am to judge the weight of reasons alleadged by the Papists and others well I am weake and you strong foolish you wise yet might you have shewed me a weaker reason which they alleadge for their constitutions ecclesiasticall as they cal thē But my chief answere was wherby you might have beene satisfied that if it were but in Parases the ministerie should differ it is no sufficient cause to ordeine liturgies And if they offend in matter of doctrine or conversation the censure of the Church should help that The first you graunt the second also you confesse that the Church should censure such thinges But you say ther are sundry other differences in administration of publique praiers Sacraments as in order and ceremonies which the Ch. is is to have regard of and not to leave arbitrarie All other ceremonies in Gods worship then Christ and his Apostles have prescribed us are diabolicall and not Apostolicall Then for all thinges donne in the Church in those publique actions the offenders must be admonished if they trasgresse the rules of the word And for the others you speake of you meane circumstances of time place kneeling sitting standing c. of them there can be no furder lawes then Christ hath prescribed that all things be donnne to edifying in comelynes and decency c. of these to set particular lawes were to breake the lawe of God which leaveth them in the Churches liberty as neede requireth to the glorie of God In these thinges to doe anie thing contrarie to the generall rules of order edifying decencye etc. the transgressour is by those rules to be instructed admonished and censured Well here you have made a faire hand to make read prayers but a matter of order which is all the worship you have to bring in mens writings into the publique assemblies to make thē ether rules to bind the conscience and so put them in the place of Gods booke or to reade them over for praying is but a matter of order well then put them in your cornerr Capp we have enough of rules for the ordering of Christs spouse without such Babilonish ware Here you say mine experience is not so great as my boldness I passe not to be judged of you it is not like that the enchaunters of
an old papish Argument to reason thus all Churches doe such a thing therfore it is lawfull except you hold with the Pope that the Church cannot erre which were blasphemous You are not well pleased that I will not say it is no Church that hath a liturgie imposed upon it and because you have so often slandered me that I hold it so you take great paynes to conclude it I have said that to impose mens writings to be read in stead of praying is to worship God after a false maner that it is a devise of Antichrist a deade letter quenching the spirit not of faith Idolatrous changing the worke of the spirit into an Idoll breaking our Christian libertye and so most detestable By these speaches I condemne all Churches say you this is not true I condemne but the sinne But you have sayd J deny that to be the Church that hath any thing imposed I say you speak an open untrueth and remember the judgment of him that inventeth and maketh lyes And God give you grace to repent if you belong to him The consideration of this our discourse I hartelie commendo to be dulie and uprightly wayed of all that feare God who graunt us his grace to forsake any sinne where it shal be shewed us by how weake instruments soever it be reproved and pardon me all my defaults in this my hastie answeare Thus have we seene the unlawfullnes of thrusting mens writings upon publique assemblies and reading instead of praying A generall Argument against their worship in respect of their present estate both of Ministers and people The Prayers of such ministers and people as stand under a false government are not acceptable not onely because they aske amisse but because they keepe not his Commaundements The prayers of such Ministers and people as be subject to Antichrist are abhominable Those Ministers and people which stand subject to the Bishops and their Courts are subject to Antichrist c. Therfore their prayers c. G. GIFFORD These do concerne the third and fourth accusation and therfore the answere is included in the answere to them Yet I take exception against the first that the Church may be holden by force from executing Gods commaundements touching externall governement and yet be the true Church of God I alleadged the Church that was holden captive in Babylon c. J. GREENWOOD HEre after your acustomed manner you offer me great wronge first insteade of answeare you alter the question very subtilie then you dismember my former answeare and not onely so but you have nether let my former answere be answered nor printed Thus you alter the question answere not where the proposition speaketh of a ministery people standing under a false government you say the church may be holden by force from executing Gods commaundements in externall government wherof I never doubted what is this then but to deceave your Reader both to judge sinisterlie of me and be drawen from the truth himself But indeede you meane not this holden by force of civile bondage or persequution for then ther were no difference betweene us and mine Argument should stand untouched You affirme then that the Church may stand under a false government inforced therunto by the tyranny of the enemie and yet in that estate be the true apparant Church by open profession which is nothing els then that the Church may professe Christianisme and Antichristianisme both at a tyme subject in minde to Christ and subject to Antichrist in outwatde obedience That you hold this doctrine in this place the processe of your matter proveth and to make all plaine your wordes in the last writing which here you summe up were these But if the Church at any tyme be by mayne force restrayned from some priviledges or have some government set over it which agreeth not with Gods worde which it cannot avoid ct See now how smoothly this man hath put away the crosse of Christ by teaching men to stand under a government contrarie to Christes I thought the ordinances of the newe Testament had beene a kingdome that could not be shaken Heb. 12.28 that none could have beene a member of Christ that receaveth the marcke of the Beast though it be but in his hand or could be holden a member of Christ by outward profession that here had beene the patience of the Sanicts to suffer unto death rather then to bowe downe either in minde or bodie to an other government then Christs How is he a Lorde to them that are not governed by him Well I needed not to have stod upon this doctrine but that be nether printed my former answere nor answered in these pointes and myne owne copie taken from me by the Bishops so that this man may retract what he will accuse as please him if he have any common honestie let my former answeare be seene But to prove the Church may be subject to an other government then Christs which is even to say that a man may give all alleageance by outward practise to the Kinge of Spaine and yet be her Majest. true subject He saith the Church was holden captive in Babylon where he as cunningly hideth himself as before though in my last writing I urged him to answere whether the Church in Babylon was subject to their Idolatrie or no To the civile power I doubt not they were But if the Priestes and Levites stood Priests to the Idolatrous worship in Babylon whether the people of Israel bowed downe to the outward practise and obedience of their Idolatrie or no then if they did so whether they stoode by profession the children of God or apostate in that estate None of these thinges have you answeared me Let the examples of Hanania Mishaell and Azaria testifie Dan: 3. The people that retourned repented their transgressions wher they had any of them sinned and made a new covenant with the Lorde before they were receaved Ezia 9.14.15 and 10. cap. 2.3.8 Yea the voyce of God was this come out of her my people and touche no uncleane thing and I willbe your God We are before thee saith Ezra in our trespasse we cannot stand before thee because of it You never renounced your Antichristian ministerie you never made a new covenant since the deepe defection of Poperye but still minister in that kingdome and wil not repent yet boast your selves to be the Church of God cryinge out the Temple the Temple I answeare then directlie that whiles you stand subject unto and practise and communicate with other orders and governments then Christes you are not by outwarde profession the churches of Christ I may not with you omitt the worde willfull because you persequute the light so much higher is your sinne Here I must forewarne the Reader with diligence to consider Mr. Giffords disagreement and mine he having accused me of a fundamentall heresie as he callet hit wheras he himself maintayneth most grosse errors wherof J reproved
him yet he persisteth Namely that the regenerate man may be said to stand in bondage to sinne by reason of the corruption of the fleshe that is in us and of our unperfectnes in this life Then that one standing in outward bondage to open knowen sinne may in that estate be accompted and communicated with as the servant of Christ by outward profession both at one instant which is as much to say we may be to mans sight the servant of the Devill and the servant of Christ both at one tyme by outward profession so none should be excommunicate none be without the world and the church light and darknes Christ and Belial should be mingled togeather These heresies wherof he most unjustly and untruly proclaymeth to be mainteyned by us is that the regenerate man consenteth not to sinne after regeneratiō although in the last writinge I testified the contrary Namely that the whole church might erre might committ some kinde of Idolatrie that no man was free from committing sinne etc And now I testifie to all the world that I was never infected with anie such Anabaptistery but have everie where resisted such damnable heresie I have learned and taught manie degrees of sinne and differences of transgressions which the deare children of God fall into after regeneration in thought word and deed of ignorance of knowledge of presumption slippes transgressions and obstinate sinne Yea that ther is no sinne except the sinne against the holy Ghost but Gods children may commit it after regeneration and be renued by repentance which we ought to pray for in all sinners but that one sinne except Not that men should here upon take boldnes to sinne because God giveth repentance to his elect wherin the riches of his mercy appeareth but rather serve him in trembling and feare as a jealous God least with Esaw we find no place to repentance though we seeke it with teares Againe though in Gods sight his elected are never forsaken utterlie nor the Holy Ghost utterly extinguished in the repentance yet to mans jndgement he that committeth open knowen sinne and persisteth obstinately in the same cannot be held the child of God to us by outward profession but must be cutt of Numbers 15.27.31 Matt. 18.17 and 1 Cor. 5. till they repent Much more none that stand open professed members of the false Church subject by the least outward bowing downe to this antichristian Hierarchie and so continuing in bondage to a false government can be holden of us be true professors of Christs Gospel Now let us peruse the several doctrines Mr Gifford affirmeth that the true Church might stand in bondage to a false government yet in that estate be helde communicated with as the true Church by outward profession his wordes in waye of proof be these They may with St. Paule say It is no longer I that doe it but sinne that dwelleth in me for if the yoake wherwith he was held captive in part could not sake from him but that he was the Lordes free servant it is no reason that some outwarde bondage should make the Church not to be the spouse of Christ If a man commaund his wife saith he to do a thinge and ther be violent force to withold her shee is not to be blamed Rom. 7. Mine answere to this he durst not print but perverted my wordes so manie as pleaseth him nether can I yet come by a copie of my former writing to shew what I then replyed Now consider what government is and what bondage is and then behold the wickednes of this man Spiritual government is that soueraigntie Dominion and regiment that Christ Iesus by his spirit lawes ordinances and officers exerciseth in and over his church as it is written And thou Bethlehem Iuda art not the least among the Princes of Iuda for out of thee shall come a governour that shall governe my people Israell againe thy Scepter is an everlasting Scepter I have set my king vpon Syon my Holy mountaine Mat. 26. Psal. 3. and 45 and 110 these lawes and ordinances wherby this kinge raigneth are caled a kingdome that cannot be shaken Heb. 12.28 they that have not him to reigne over them are by outward profession none of his If I be your Lord where is my honour againe those myne enimies which would not that I should reigne over them bring hither and stay them before me Luke 19.27 Also bondage or servitude is to be commaundement and to yeild obedience in subiection Now to be in outward bondage to an other outward government other lawes officers and ordinances then Christs is to be by outward subiection servants of Antichrist which hath another foundation for by outward profession we cannot stand to mans iudgement professed subiects to two kings at enmitye But we must be an enmity to the one and so esteemed of all men much lesse members vnto two divers heades This then is mine answere here 1. That it is an heresie to say a man may stand in bondage to open knowen sinne and the free seruaunt of Christ by outward profession both at one instant 2 That it is a falsifying of the Scripture to say that St. Paul in the 9. to the Romanes was in bondage to sinne when he in the inner man resisted sinne and daylie preuailed against the sinne which his flesh would have led him captiue in if there had not beene a stronger power to overcome that enimie For he ther reasoueth of the benefits of the law to manifest our sinne and our conquest over sinne by daylie repentance and reproving of sinne in our selves fighting against sinne in our selves and labour to have victory over sinne though it continuallie rebell 3. How blasphemous were it to contynue in knowen sinne in bondage to it and to say it is sinne that dwelleth in vs and not we and so still to blesse our selves without amendement O horrible peruertinge of the Scriptures to mens distruction 2. Pet. 3.16.4 That ther is no Argument to be drawen nor consequence to followe from the reliques of sinne and corruption of the fleshe in one man or the whole Church and a professed bondage to all false government no not betweene the open committing of sinne in the whole Church or some members therof and a professed homage and subiection vnto false government we cannot be partaken be partakers with the false Church state at no hand 1. Cor. 10.21.5 Lastlie that the subiection to an other government is as a wife that committeth adulterie Hosea 2. I then reason thus on the contrary with you Any man that after regeneration committeth open knowen sinne and contynueth obstiuate as a bond servaunt ther vnto standeth not the professed servaunt of Christ but of sinne Ezechiel 18. till he repent so the whole Church that persisteth in the open knowen sinne and persequuteth the messengers that reprove the same They as everie member of the false Church standeth a professed servaunt of sinne so the whole assemblies that stand
professed subiects of false government no censures of admonition belonging vnto them but calling of them to repentance separation from the false Church Then as the wife that giveth her self to be one with an other man is an adulteresse Rom. 7.3 so that Church that subiecteth herself to an other government ordinances and lawes then Christs is an harlot Now lett all men say whether I had not iust cause to say you speak like a carnall libertine and an Athiest yea now as one having his conscience seated to affirme that the Church remayninge in open knowne bondage to a false government may saye as Paul said it is not I that sinne And that continuing in that adultrie she is the spouse of Christ by outward profession You would saye it were a false Argument to say the Church hath manie imperfections ignorances transgressions etc. therfore standeth in bondage to sinne nay standeth in bondage to an other heade and an other government then Christ Even so to saye the Church doth sinne therfore may contynue in bondage to sinne is false doctrine nay to say it may stand in open professed subiection to Antichrist be esteemed the Church of Christ by outward profession in that estate is damnable doctrine It is the flat contradiction of all the rules of the Scripture to say a man may stand in bondage to sinne and the free servaunt of Christ by outward profession by mans iudgement at one tyme seing the obstinate offenders are to be cast out of the assemblie But nowe though the regenerate may fall into these high sinnes and contynve in their sinne a long time yea manie yeares depriued of Gods grace to mans seeming to vs he is the servant of Satan for anie thing wee see yet the Spirit of GOD is never vtterlie extinguished or or deparred after regeneration but will recover the man againe and bring him to repentance as David after a whole yeare for the stronge man once displaced and cast out by a stronger then he the spirit never vtterly departed againe for then it were impossible that man should be renewed Mat. 12.31 Heb. 10.29 and 6.4 And herevpon I might saye Paul never contynued captive in sinne but was alwaies renewed by repentance Furder this spirit of God the sparkes wherof were never quenched vtterlie did not nor could not consent or give place vnto sinne for here is the enmitye and battel betweene the spirite and the flesh everie where spoken of Gal 5.16.17 Rom. 7. May I not now say then that Paul never contynued captive vnto sinne nor consented vnto sin concerninge the inner man or gave place vnto sinne in that place mentioned without heresie And still reprove you that when Paul reasoneth of the old man or corruption in him you will conclude it of the new man or inner man and of the whole man when you see evidently he opposeth the one against the other For whiles the spirit striveth against sinne and raigneth in vs though the fleshe rebell and cause vs to sinne seaven times a daye yet are we not overcome of sine so to remayne in bondage no sinne that it should contynue to raigne in vs as you may see in the same chapter Rom 7.5.6 Where you alleage then that Paul saw a lawe in his members which did lead him captive vnto sinne you do falsifie the text for he saith leading me captive and not did leade etc. for ther was a stronger then man that suffered not the lawe of his members to reigne for saith be I my self in my minde serve the law of God but in the flesh the law of of sinne so that the whole man could not be said to serve sinne But say you afterward as concerning then the inner man we may besaid to serve the lawe of God and thervpon be called the free servants of Christ notwithstanding this corruption of sinne in the flesh So the whole man by reason of our imperfectnes may be said to be the servants of sinne No it is not true for the whole man is called after the part that hath greater rule in vs as if the fleshe rule in us we are the servaunts of sinne and ledded by Satan at his pleasure but if the Spirit rule in vs we are the servauntes of God Sonnes of God Sainctes of God Citizens of Ierusalem a royall nation holie and free people Kinges and Priests not that we are perfect or sinne not but that sinne raygneth not in vs but the spirit wherby we suppresse sinne reprove sinne strive against sinne subdue sinne and though we fall seven times yet we rise againe by repentance and serve not sinne Rightly therfore did I saye that man cannot serve 2 masters for his servantes we are to whom we give our selves as servants to obey whether it be of sinne vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousnes Rom. 6.16.18 being made free from sinne we are made the servantes of righteousnes So that the regenerat man or he that is by outward profession the servant of Christ cannot be called the servant of sinne by reason of the corruption of the old man and dregges of sinne neyther can he that standeth in bondage to anie sinne and giveth himself over to it be called in that estate the servant of Christ till he repent but the servant of sinne 2. Pet. 2.19 Therfore you must recant your false interpretation of Paul in the 7. to the Rom. and cease your blasphemous raylings in calling the truth of God the rocke of Brownisme And consider the height of your sinne by concluding a bondage vnto sinne of the whole man for the corruptions of the fleshe which through the worke of the Spirit is daylie subdued though never vtterly rooted out of our earthlie members and from the committing sinne through frayltie and obstinate professed bondage to the false Church false government false ministerie etc. which is plainly the marck of the Beast to whom with outward obedience they bowe downe and stand servants in his kingdome Revel. 14.9.11.12 As for the 4 of the Galat. 26. where the Apostles aith Jerusalem which is abone is free with her Children you durst not open it nor expounde it but blaspheame raile and slander as though we should pleade for such a freedome as should detract from Magistrates lawfull authorities from having Gods ordinances established by commaundement vpon the Church etc yea that we should hold Anabaptisticall free dome as though we had power not to committ or consent vnto sinne wheras we have everie where by practise and protestation by word and writing testified to our Sovereigne Prince and to all men the contrary But Satan that old accuser and detracter of Gods children to deceive the world sendeth out such lyinge spirites to deface the truth We with all subiection and willinge obedience to our sovereigne Prince teach all men their obedience to the higher powers Subiectes to Magistrates Flocke to Overseers children to Parentes wives to their husbands servantes to their Masters etc. in all
things in the Lorde and if they commaund vs anie thing contrary to the lawe of God we then patientlie suffer without resistance or rebellious thoughtes The freedome then we have to speake of here which Christ had purchased for vs is first that triumphe ouer Hell Deathe and damnation through the merites of Christ apprehended by faith wayted for in hope Rom. 8. Secondly that because we were sonnes by election he giveth vs the spirit of adoption and sanctification whereby we mortifie the fleshe have power and dominion over sinne that it shall never reigne in vs more vnto condemnation repēting dayly of our trespasses craving pardon for our hidden sinnes and secret faultes Thirdly we are through the same spirit and worde of trueth delivered from all subiection of Antichist of the false Church false ministerie false government etc. And they that have not this fredome are not by outward profession the servauntes of Christ Furder we have freedom from all traditious of men that seing we are bought with a price we are no longer servants of men to be in bondage to anie beggarly rudimentes or devises of men but in all peaceable manner to worship and serve God within the limites of our callings according to the word of God as it is reuealed vnto vs We have freedome to speake the trueth with all boldnes though all men should inhibite vs we would not haue the doctrine limited stinted bought and sould for Iewish tythes or mercenarie stipendes We have freedome to separate from such false Prophets as yourself to come out of Babel etc. And in the true Church to reprove and withstand anie sinne or traditions of men in due order only to be guided governed by Christes lawes and ordinances In all this I trust you shall not find any Anabaptistrie in the freedom we professe this is the truth of the Gospell wherby we are made free Thus then we still affirme that they which stand in open known bondage to sinne are the servants of sinne and not of Christ till they repent by outward profession Furder that all which stand members of your parish assemblies stand not members of CHRIST by outward profession but in bondage to a false and Antichristian ministery government worship etc. and the bond woeman and her sonne must be cast out Furder for all liturgies and other devises of men besides the canonicall Scriptures and lively graces of his Spirit we hold they ought not to be brought into the publique assemblies nor imposed vpon mens conscience But if anie will write such or reade such let it be for their private vse as all other mens writtings we despise not any directions by word or writting that may furder vs anie way to the practize of Gods ordinances yet may they nether be imposed vpon mens consciences not be made a part of Gods worship The Lord therfore that hath thus far far fourth discouered the chaff and mift of Antichrist delusions euen to babes and sucklings publish the glorious light of his blessed Gospel that the peopel may see the counterfeit iuglinges of all such false prophets and come out from amongst them that you may be ashamed of your execrapale wares and forsake your Romish Priesthoode and give glory to God that yet offereth grace Amen Christs vnworthie witnes for the truth of his Gospell IOHN GREENWOOD 9 Other Arguments to prove that all set formes of prayer to be used for prayer are unlawfull 1. WE finde that all the holy men of God according to their present need occasion used to pray in the spirit through the helpe of the Holy Ghost which God hath shed in the hearts of all his Children without reading or saying by rote any nūber of words and for this we have plentifull Examples in Abraham Isaak Iacob c. 2. Not any prescript Leiturgy can possibly be an ordinance of Christ because the Church without it may perfectly and entirely worship God I say performe all the parts of holy and spirituall worship this appeares by the constant and generall practice of all the primitive Churches who truly worshipped the Lord many yeares before any such read stinted service was devised or imposed 3. This external meanes and manner of worshipping God in prayer is no where found in the written word by the prescript whereof he is to be worshipped whatsoever the Iewes Fable of Ezra or the Papists of S. Iames or S. Peter Yea I doe to the contrarie affirme that it did not seem good to the Apostles the last penmen of the Holy Ghost that any certaine formes should be repeated or read out of a prayer booke For if it had they would have given commandment to the Churches for the practice thereof 4. Reading of prayer in the act of prayer is directly contrary to that act and nature of prayer For in prayer we doe poure out matter to weet the holy conceptions of our minde from within to without that is from the heart to God On the contrarie in reading we doe receive and admitt matter from without to within that is from the booke into our heart Ergo c. 5. The stinted and devised formes doe quench the spirit of prayer and this appeares in that men are so strictly tyed unto them as till they stint be out the spirit which the Lord gives his children may not suggest one thought or word otherwise Neither when that is out any more then what next followes in the prescribed prayers and this is contrary to 1 Cor. 12 7. 6. We finde it promised that under the Gospell the spirit should be plentifully poured out which he dayly graciously performeth in furnishing his children with spiritual gifts who accordinglie pray or at least all may not with prescript words but with such as the spirit gives them utterance God preparing their heart and bending his eare 7. The truth brings forth no absurditie but this doth For Example the spirit sayth the Apostle speaking of all Christians helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pray as we ought Yes Paul with your leave right well for we have in our Leiturgie what wee ought to pray word for word and these things we can aske whether the spirit be present or no 8. As it were a ridiculous thing for a Child when he should aske of his Father bread fish or any other thing to read it to him out of a paper So is it for the Children of God to read unto God their Requests even a most foolish and riduculous thing 9. As the reasons published to the world against the reading of the Apocrypha bookes in Churches will serve as much and as well to condemne all devised and imposed formes of prayer So likewise the arguments brought against kneeling before the bread and wine in the act of receiving will prove that to fall downe before the common prayer booke is every way as superstitious sinfull a thing And so much the reader shall finde certaine if he will indifferently compare the things together FINIS Rom. 8.26 Gal 4.6 2. cor. 4.13 Psalm 51 17 Psalm 42 43. I. Sam. 1 17 Psal. 119 Rev. 2. 11. 1 Tim. 3. 15. Other foundatiō can no mā laye c. Gal. 3. 15 Heb. 2 3 4. 9. 14 Mat. 5. 18. 2 Timot. 3 15. 16. 17 Rev. 22. 18. 19. 2. Pet. 1. 20. 1 Cor. 12 7. Iam. 4.14 Rom 8.7 and 11 34.1 Cor. 2.16 3.19 1 Tim. 4. 5. Act. 16.13.13 Tim. 2.1 34 5. Gal. 1.8.9 Rev. 22.18.19.2 Tim. 1.13 1 Tim. 6 14 1 Cor 2.16 and 2 20. Mr. Barrowes refutation discovery etc. Rev. 24 9 10.11.12 Esa. 52.11 Ierem. 51 6 45. Mat. 116 Rom. 8.26