was ordained by Pope Telesphorus in the yeare 136. and they keepe it England for the fame end that the Papists doe Iustlie therefore is it named a Romish Error a superstitious fast The service appointed for that time is against the seriptures and Gods name prophaned by the curses and adjurations then used For their other fasts they are said to be monuments of Idolatrie devised of Antichrist in all the rites and orders of them superstitious and directlie against Gods commaundements As for wendesdayes frydayes and saterdayes fasts Bonifacius is said to ordaine them in the year 315. And Pope Calixtin in the yeare 206. ordained Imber fastes And in the yeare 425. another Romish Beast ordained Saints Eves fasts And all this trash dung was first devised by Montanus that notable Heretick as Mr. Cartw. observeth from Eusebius and for what use serues all this trumperie but only to keepe out and hinder true fasting indeed The observation of holy dayes as Christmasse Circumcision Epiphanie Purification and all other of the saints is a breach of the second commaundement and herein some part of the abominations of the Romish religion is practised Such therefore as impose this upon mens consciences doe it without any warrant of Gods word and therefore the same cannot be kept lawfully Many good reasons for this are shewed in their writings as the reader may see if he please in the places noted Moreover they doe affirme that the whole prescript service appointed for these Saints dayes is idolatrous Antichristian Of the same nature are all their ordinarie collects Pope Gregorie Celasius they say ordained them and they have them word for word as they stand in the Blasphemous Massebooke I might here shew how some of their Collects are charged with Arianisme others with Poperie Arminianisme Many with lies and manifest contradictions But to be short they tell us in one word that the saying of them is not Praying but indeed wicked pratling As for the Letanie well naturing the name of a laborious service in the dust and durt for so Homer and others useth the same it is borrowed from the practise of the Heathen as Causabon out of Dionysius Habicarnasse observeth And is in verydeed nothing but an impure Masse of conjuring and charming Battologies whereby the name of God is highly prophaned his house and worship abused Gods people by it abandoned the sanctuarie and the prophane love no worship so well as it The Epistles and Gospells read in their Churches is a practise taken wholy from Rome and they use the verie same which the others doe This chapping hacking of the scriptures this rending of it a peeces one from another is contrarie to the order which God hath ordained and his churches practised from time to time and therefore the Nonconformists have desired that it might be taken away as an evill thing Againe in those Epistles Gospells which the Prelates cause superstitiouslie thus to be read There are sundry words and sentences of holy scriptures left out which were given by divine inspiration for the profit of the whole church and many words and sentences of their owne foolish braine added to the text as parts of it yea in many places such absurd things are put as no reasonable sence can be made thereof Besides very often the meaning of the Holy Ghost is perverted by a false interpretation of the text and sundry places applyed to the countenancing of some points of false doctrine All this is shewed largely by the ministers of Lincolne in the Abrigement and the like they say of the Psalmes in the booke of common prayer the prescript number whereof and Lessons as the English Preists now observe were devised by Pope Gregorie the seventh in the yeare 1073. That any of the Apocrypha should be publikely read the Nonconformists hold it utterlie unlawfuli 1. Because to use any word publikelie in the church beside the written word of God contayned in the Canonicall scriptures is condemned by the second commaundement 2. In the church of the Iewes in the Apostles time only Moyses and the Prophets were read 3. The scriptures are sufficient both for doctrine and manners and were given to that end 4. It is the proper office of Christ to be the teacher of his church and therefore no writing may be appointed to be read in the congregation for instruction of manners but only such as have been indited by his spirit 5. Many by this meanes are brought into a great error thinking that the same is scripture 6. These Apocripha bookes containe a number of shamefull lies horrible blasphemies vaine vanities plaine contradictions ridiculous fooleries Athean Impieties Fables fitter for Tâ—lâ—machus and Aeneas then for Gods people Notwithstanding though these bookes be thus false wicked and abominable yet in their assemblies many of them are commaunded to be read for first lessons yea under the name of the holie scriptures of the old Testament without any note of difference from the Canonicail as the lying story of Susanna under the name of Daniel 13. and in as great a measure for their proportion as the other Moreover many of the Apocryphall chapters are to be read twise in one yeare and some thrice but so are not any of the Canonical chapters of the Old Testament but a great part of theÌ„ of the New also by the order which their coÌ„mon prayerbooke prescribeth are not to be read at all in their churches Lastly the Nonconf tell us that these idle Legends are read upon their great holy dayes when the church assemblies are wont to be best frequented and oftimes the holy scriptures must give place to them as tending more to edification and therefore may not be so well spared as the other Reading of Homilies in the church which is a cushion for idle and blind Priests to rest upon is said to be foolish fond and vnlawfull a practise never heard of in the church in the Apostles time neither indeed is it a meanes to beget faith but the instrument of foolish and idoll sheapheards As the Prophets therfore might not in calling the people together blow any trumpets but those which were made and set a part for that purpose by the commaundement of God so ought not the ministers of God to expound or read openly in the congregation any writings but onlie the Canonicall Scriptures which the Lord hath set a part and sanctifyed for that use Here by the way I wish the reader to note well the last words viz. that no writings ought to be read in the congregation but the Canonicall Scriptures This Position is often affirmed by the Learnedst of the Nonconformists namely Mr. Cartwright D. Chaddâ—rton c. Hence then it must follow that all formes of Prayer devised by men are unlawfull to be read in the congregation and therefore where ever this is practised men ought necessarily to abstaine from joyning therewith
heard of in the primitive church All authority is give into the hands of the Prelates alone their booke of ordination wherby they make Bishops Priests and Deacons is against the very forme of the ordination of the ministery prescribed in the scriptures and nothing else but a thing word for word taken out of the Popes Pontificall wherein he sheweth himselfe to be Antichrist most lively It will not be amisse if I here briefly relate in what manner and forme their Bishops make ministers as the Nonconformists doe describe it When the time say they of giveing orders draweth neere the B. Bull is sett upon the Church doore to give warning rhat if any be minded to receive orders that he repaire to the Prelate at such a time and place Now this Bull is in latin so that the people can not understand the sound of the trumpet neither indeed are they desired to come and object against the persons to be ordained c. When the day of ordination is com after an exhortation made and the communion celebrated the Epistle Gospell read and the Hymne veni creator sung or sayd the Archdeacon presents to the B. all those that are to take on the order of Priesthood that day with these words Reverend Father in Christ I present to you the persons here present to be admitted to the order of Priesthood Then after some demaunds and answeres of the B. and the other who are to be admitted he demaundeth of the people who are present there if they know any impediment which may hinder any of these present to be admitted to the order of Priesthood which is a manifcst mockage For it may be that none there present either heard or saw any of them or all of them before that day c. Then after the oath of the Kengs supremacie is taken there followes an exhortation again with other demaunds and answeres After this the people who are present are desired secretly to commend the businesse to God For which cause they are all silent for a little space This don the B. readeth a prayer which beeing finished they who are to be ordained sitting on their knees at the Bishops feet the Bishop and the rest of the Priests who are present lay handes severally upon the heads of every one of them the B. uttering these words Receive the Holy Ghost whose sinnes thou dost forgive â—â—â—y are forgiven whose sinnes thou dost retaine they are retained and be thou a faithfull dispenser of the word of God and of his holy Sacraments in the name of the Father c. Thus he commaundeth the ordained to receive the Holy Ghost as our Lord Maister did Now as well may they imitate his breathing as to vsurpe these words Is any of their curats after the pronouncing of these words either the holyer or more apt to teach And whereas he puts a Bible into their hands he might rather put their service booke for either they are ignorant and cannot preach or if they can yet may not till they procure by mony a licence from them When all this is don the company sing the creed and receive the communion together But it must here be observed that they ordaine not any man wholy at once to the office of preisthood but lead him by degrees vp to the pulpit for they must first be deacons as they call it for a yeare that is to say they must receive authority to say prayers read the Scriptures but in no wise administer the sacraments or preach without further licence then at last he is made a full minister This practise is professedly affirmed of the Nonconformists to be a vaine invention of mans braine taken from the manner of Popish orders and cleare against the expresse appointment of the Scriptures Moreover they will make ministers in their Galleries and Cloysters at their pleasure give orders to whome to how many they list without any triall either of their judgment in Religion or of their honestly in conversation and sometime make 60 80 or a 100 at a clap whereof â—o one is called or desired to any particular congregation and when they have done send them abroade as rogues vagaboundes or maisterlesse servants into the country giveing them their bull to preach in others mens charges where they list or else get benefices by freindship mony flattery where they caÌ„ catch them or if this faile they may goe vp downe like beggars fall into many vile follies or sett vp bils as many have don at Pauls the Royall exchange such like publick places to see if they can heare of some good master that will hyre them and vse their labour or to conclude tary in their colledge to lead the lives of loytering losels so long as they live What a horrible and wicked doing is this Indeed such times are spoken of in the stories of the Iudges when Ionathan the Levite wanting a high place and an Altar went roving vp and downe to let out his service to any that would hyre him But it is added in the same place that there was no King in Israel O Not without cause may they say if these things be true that all reformed Churches blush and are ashamed of them Yea and I am perswaded that if they were fully and truely informed hereof they would no more communicate with their ministery then they doe with that of Rome For if they did it would be certainly their great sin seeing both of them appeare to be false and vnlawfull Thou hast heard reader who makes their ministers and allso how they are made now in the next place thou shall heare what they say touching their gifts and qualificatioÌ„s if thou wilt in this beleive the Nonconformists Boyes and sencelesse asses are their common ministers for the most part yea notorious idolaters halting hypocrites openly perjured persons idle bellied Epicures manifest Apostates old munks and friars drunkards ideots idols such as know not a B. from abattle dore or the Lords prayer from the articles of faith nor how many sacraments there are For he that will weare a surplesse a cloake with sleeves a gowne a cap a tippet ornaments fitt enough for such deformed coxcombs read a gospel Church women bid fasting dayes and holy dayes Prophane the sacrameÌ„ts pray at the buriall of the dead pronounce a curse against sinners vpon Ashwensdday and at no time else ordaine a new sacrament of the crosse in the Prophanation of Baptisime visit the sicke with a wafer cake and a wine bottle read homilies pray for the prosperity of theeves pirats murderers yea a Pope a Cardinal an Archbishop a Lord B. or any other enimy of God and his Church he is a creature fitt enough to receive their orders and by his outward calling is bound to doe no more There are besides these others of them which witnesse the same to make ministers according to their fashion is nothing else
the grossest offence that is vntill the offender have said as much for himselfe as he possibly is able For it is an evident Character of a corrupt Ecclesiasticall Government where the parties convented may not have full liberties to speake for themselves considering that the more liberty is granted to speake in a bad cause especially before those that are in authority and of judgement the more the iniquitie of it will appeare and the more the justice of their sentence will shine Again excommunicatioÌ„ must not be used but as the last and desperate remedie even as a chirurgioÌ„ tryeth all gentle meanes before launcing searing or cutting off Indeed if the cause be great weighty and necessarie then it may not be omitted Reasons First for the glorie of God that it may appeare his house to be no cage of vnclâ—ane birds no stye of swine no den of theeves no stewes or brothelhouse but the holy citty the seat throne of justice the temple of the liveing God where the chast virgin worshippeth where no Cananite may be suffered 2. That the worship and service of God may be kept and preserved from pollution contempt and prophanation 3. For the good of the sinner himselfe that he may see his fault be ashamed thereof and reconcile himselfe first to God and then unto the church against whome he offended and so be saved in the day of the Lord. So long as a harlot hath freely the society of chast matrons she takes no shame of her adulterie but wheÌ„ all honest women reject her then at last c. So a thiefe if he be suffered to converse still with true men to have his liberty in citty and country to the full he will not be ashamed of his robberies murders c. but c. It is just so in this cause If open sinners be suffered in the church and admitted to publike and private communion in the exercises of Religion certainly then though they declare their sin as Sodom and hide it not yet they will not be ashamed of it but rather thinke they have not sinned or it is so light and small as they need not make any matter thereof 4. The honour and the good name of the church is hereby preserved which would be lost if vile persons were left alone therein 5. That others may fcare for if this course be omitted it may be a meanes to embolden many to doe the like A member being thus justlie excommunicated he is not to partake in the spirituall good things which the Lord communicateth in his church as the Sacraments prayer c. yet he may be admitted to the hearing of the word because that is a means to humble him for his sinne and to bring him to repentance which is the end of all Ecclesiast Censures Moreover the rest of the faithfull must avoyd all kind of familiar conversation with him be it in eating drinking buying and selling yea in saluting and talking with him so farre as they are not bound unto him in any of the bands of civil right and society I adde this because excommunication unlooseth it not but such as are of the family or affinitic must performe all duties to such a one which such a relation hath made his due the husband to the wife and the wife to the husband the child to the father the servant to the master c. so an excommunicate Magistrate remaineth a Magistrate still and must of all Christians so be acknowledged Beside all lawfull contracts and promises must be kept and performed with him workes of mercie shewed to him if there be just and necessarie cause If the offender afterwards shall see his sin and desire to be taken againe into the communion of the Saints the church is to assent thereto willinglie yet so as the partie make publike repentance according to the proportion of the offence a verball profession of repentance sufficeth not For so the most holy institutions of God are exposed to the mockage of the wicked and the action of the church placed onely in an outward forme Therefore such evidences are required which in the judgement of charitie doe declare true and sincere repentance and which serve as probable witnesses of the thing Be it here speciallie noted that excommunication and the absolution or reconciliation of the excommunicate are actions common to the whole church and not of any private person or persons For howsoever the Elders for the peace profitt and good order of the church are to administer these ordinances yet the whole church must give their consent freely hereto In the Apostles time and after till the yeare 250. every man that was a member of the church had in the church his voyce in Ecclesiastical censures causes and determinations of the church Christ doth not say when there is cause of accusing or Censuring any tell the Bishops but tell the Church and accordinglie in the times of the Apostles and long after as the Epistles of Ciprian doe manifest they were judged by the word in an assemblie of presbyters and brethren as the incestious Corinthian which shews us that neither one man nor the Presbyters alone were judges in such causes but Church which by scriptures either cleared or censured any person accused as by the word of God he appeared either guiltie or not guiltie c. Many reasons are yeelded by the Nonconformists to prove this thing and all objections made against it soundlie answered and the testimonies of the Learned alleaged for it as the reader may see largely in their bookes named in the margent The like they speake touching the admission of any member into the communion of the church that person which is to be joyned ought publikely to com before the face of the congregation and there to be examined of his fayth knowledge c. and beeing found meet by the general consent of the people he is joyfullie received But of this more hereafter Moreover if the Ecclesiasticall officers shall refuse to doe their duety yet may the brethren notwithstanding performe Church actions and the same are to be esteemed good and lawfull To come vnto a conclusion this forme of Church government here described is vnchangeable ordinary best and perpetuall common to all true Churches and to which all states must be subject as well the rulers as they that are ruled yea and the preachers themselves as well as the poore within the Church and good reason for the same is not a thing indifferent as some thinke but a point of the Gospell yea of the substance thereof a matter of faith and of necessitie to salvation I mean in such an absolute degree of necessitie as is of any ordinarie outward meanes especially to every church and by consequence to every soule in it And therefore as no common wealth can florish or long endure without good lawes and sharpe execution of the same so neither can the church
stand under that which was taken wholy from the Pope yet it may be he thought that he had said enough hereof in the Addition of his first booke pag. 26. where he repeates certaine words which had beene before printed in his reply to D. Morton If Gaius saith he had made a separation from the Church wherein Diotrephes lived whether the Apostle Iohn had been the cause of that scandall because he condemned his abuse of excommunication This speach saith D. Burgesse is the weakest pretence that could be devised and truly so it is and therefore I marvaile seeing he was tould so much that he had not either said somethinge for his owne defence or blotted it out that so the weakenesse and impertinēcy of it might never have been seen Could not D. Ames perceive any difference betweene the abuses there noted by Iohn in Diotrephes and those which are mentioned by the Nonconformists against the Church of England we doe not read that Diotrephes is said to be an vnlawfull and Antichristian minister that he had brought into the Church a devised worship had sett up a false Government yet such are the faults which the Nonconformists have found out in the Church of England I wonder therefore that the Doctor should so much overshoot himself For though we doe not thinke that it was lawfull either for Gaius or any other member of that Church to separate because Diotrephes playd the Diocesan but they were to stay and seeke his reformation notwithstanding we thinke yea and doe know of a certainty that from a church where the ministerie worship and government is vnlawfull and Antichristian we may warrantablie depart and such is our Separation by the Nonconformists Principles Thus Reader thou hast heard the most and all which Dr. Ames hath said to maintaine the reputation of their grounds charged with Separatisme now if thou considerest how effectually he hath refuted the Rejoinder in the matter of Ceremonies but contrary wise about this point of Separation how he speaks either nothing or nothing to any purpose thou mayst well perceive that in the former he had the truth with him but not in the other although it seemes he was unwilling in plaine termes to give the case away CHAP. IV. THat the ministerie worship and church government of England is not lawfullie to be joyned with we have evidentlie allreadie proved by their owne Principles In this Chapter we will speake of their Church observing still the former order that is 1. I will shewe their Tenets touching a true visible Church 2. How farre their English Church by their owne testimonie differs from and is contrary to it 3. I will lay downe our inferences and conclusions 4. Answer to such Objections as may seeme to carie most weight against them To let passe the strict significatiō of the word church and also the sundry acceptations of it concerning true visible churches the Nonconformists say that there are none but particular ordinarie congregations such Churches and such onlie they affirme God erected but as for Nationall Provinciall Diocesan they are now of human institution altogether unjustifiable by the scriptures The author institutor and framer of every true visible Church is only Christ for he alone hath the disposing of the word vouchsafing it to some and denying it to others and it is his spirit which converteth mens soules and begetteth them to everlasting life and so they become stones for this building For the persons whereof the same are constituted they ought to be a Faithfull People called and separated from the world and the false worship and the wayes thereof Such I say as keepe the Commaundements of God and the faith of Iesus for how else should the Church be the House Mountaine and Temple of the eternal God his Vinyard Kingdom Heritage and enclosed Garden the body of Christ his spcuse love sister Queene a chosen generation a holy nation a peculiar people and the joy of the whole Earth Howsoever therefore there may be Hypocrites which beare the face of godlie men in the church whose wickednesse is onelie knowne to God and so cannot be discovered by men yet in the churches of Christ there ought to be admitted no drunkard no whoremonger c. at least which are knowne because the temple of God must be kept as neere as it is possible free and clean from all pollutions and prophanations whatsoever The meanes whereby men are made fitte for this Church of God is by the word when they have well proffited by hearing the same they are then freely and of their owne accord to present themselves to the Lord that is either to joyne themselves to some true Church already constituted or by voluntary profession of faith and obedience of Christ to knit themselues together in a spirituall outward societie or body politick Now everie true particular congregation assembled lawfully in the name of Christ is an independent body and hath by Christs ordinaunce power to performe all publick worship for unto it appertaineth the covenant the worship the sacraments and all ecclesiasticall discipline having also the promises of peace love glory and salvation and of the presence of God and his continuall protection and for this cause it is the dutie of everie faithfull christian to make himselfe actually a member thereof 1 In respect of Gods institution Matth. 18. 17. in which not onely the precept is contained but a certaine necessitie of the meanes 2. In respect of the presence of God of Christ For if we wil com to God we ought then to com to that place where his presence is in a speciall manner where he is to be found of all such as secke him with the whole heart 3. In respect of Gods glorie the which by this meanes is publikely propagated and advanced For as the name of God in the old Testament was placed in Ierusalem so now it is in the Churches of the Saints although not in this or that place 4. In respect of Gods covenant and promise for those which are in the Church are directlie as it were joyned to his blessings the which are there powred forth abundantlie upon them 5. In respect of our profession for otherwise it cannot be but those evidences will be darkened whereby the faithfull are discerned from unbeleevers 6. In respect of mutuall edification which necessarily followes upon our joyning together in the fellowship of the Gospell Touching the manner and order of this joyning unto true visible Churches the Nonconformists doe describe it thus He which is to be received first is to goe to the Elders of the Church to be well informed and instructed by them and to have his cause by them propounded to the congregation afterwards he is to come himselfe into the publike assemblie all men looking upon him with love and joy as upon one that commeth to be maryed and there he is to make a profession of Faith and to be
visible Church which is a company of people called and separated from the world by the word of God and joyned together by voluntary profession of the faith of Christ in the fellow ship of the Gospel Before we â—ome to examin the reasons if they may be so termed which he alleageth against this definition I desire the reader to minde it well that we herein do say no more then what in effect is fully acknowledged by the Nonconformists Conformists the Church of England the learned generally and all the reformed Churches upon earth as is to be seene in their books here named Yea Mr. Brad. although no friend of the Separatists yet confesseth the whole as it is here laid downe to be true and good Notwithstanding this man commeth boldly forth against us as if he had been either asleepe all his life time or lived in some unknowne parts of the world and so could not tell what any body had said about this thing And now for his reasons in which he is as confused as is the subject for which he pleadeth notwithstanding such as I finde here and there disorderly written of him I will reduce into some particular heads The maine and chiefe argument wherewith he fighteth against us for saying a true visible Church is a company of people called and separated from the world is because hypocrites and reprobates may beein the Church And to proove this he is very large and tedious for I dare say more then halfe of his booke is spent about it in alleaging for it Scriptures Examples and Reasons But a few words will serve for answer to it in regard he talkes of a thing which neither helpes him nor disadvantageth us for the question betweene them and us hath ever beene about the true and naturall members whereof Gods Church is orderly gathered and planted and not about the decayed and degenerate estate thereof But of this he saith nothing onely reasoneth much to this purpose If a mans body may have sores boyles broken limmes c. then is not the body whole and sound in the definition If in a garden vineyard or orchard after the constitution there grow weeds thornes and thistles then cannot the same in the description be said to bee planted at first of all good herbes vines and trees But the first is true therefore the second Now if such Philosophie be to be laughed at then truely much more is Mr. Dayr Divinitie here to be pittyed for he denieth our definition to wit that a true visible Church in the first collection consisteth of a people called and separated from the world and why because forsooth afterwards some of them may fall into unlawfull and sinfull courses If all our writings should bee read over yet will it not be found that ever we have denied but many hypocrites may be in the true Church yea open and vile transgressours but here lyeth the poynt if any shall affirme that the same may be first gathered of knowne lewd and unconverted men that indeed wee deny utterly and can proove the contrary or if they shall say that obstinate and incorrigible sinners may lawfully be suffered therein this also we affirme to be untrue But if they say that in a true visible Church there may be great evils committed yea and a long time tolerated wee assent unto it Howbeit it is certaine as Dr. Ames saith this forbearance is a grieveus sinne before God If Mr. Dayr therefore had well understood what our negative and affirmative positions are hee might have spared most of his writing For throughout his booke he hath most falsely reported of us by insinuating as if we held all of the visible Church to be saved and that no wickednesse therein can be committed now our words tend onely to shew what a Church is and how every member ought to walke but if in some respects they bee not so yet may the Congregation notwithstanding be true and good Mr. Dayr tells us verie often of the sinnes committed in the Iewish Church so in Corinth Pergamus c. If he were alive I would aske him whether they did well herein If he should say yea then were he a blasphemer if nay then he gave us the whole cause and so might cast his booke into the fyre For the thinge which we affirm is that every member of the church ought to be holy not that they are allwayes so but should be so and it is their great fault they are otherwise And here the reader may observe how greatly he hath mistaken the matter For whereas Mr. Barrow Mr. Ainsw and others doe shew from the scriptures what a true Church is whereof gathered how every member should walke how abuses are to be reformed c. He either through ignorance or mallice or both still inferreth from their writings that they held perfection of Churches that there can be no Hypocrite or reprobate in the Church c. Things groundlesly collected of him Of the same nature are the reports which many of them publish dayly in their Sermons and Bookes namely that the main cause of our Separation is because wicked men are suffered in their church But this is untrue for howsoever as I said before such a tolleration can not be justified yet this is not properly the reason but because their Parishes were at first constituted as now they stand of the members of Antichrist to wit the idolatrous Papists and of all other kind of most notorious sinners as whorems witches atheists swearers usurers cursers scoffers at religion c. This prophane multitude without any profession of faith and repentance were forced and compelled by human authority in the beginning of QElizabeths raigne to be members of their Church and so have continued they and their seed ever since contrary to the expresse word of God and this is so evident and certaine as the Nonconformists acknowledge it most true beside we leave them in respect of their ministery worship and Church government which is also prooved unlawfull and Antichristian by their owne testimony Another exception which he taketh against our description is because we say a people called by the word of God this he denies to be true and affirmes that men may come to be members of the visible Church and not be called by the word and therefore verie unfitly is it placed in the description of a visible Church pag. 62. 63. Ans We need not wonder when a man undertakes to justifie a bad cause that he useth ordinarily vile and profane arguments for it First this which he affirmeth is directly against the Holy Scriptures of God 2. Contrarie to all example in the old and new Testament 3. Wholy against the doctrine of his brethren and fellow Preists and the learned everie where c 4. The Scriptures which he names are both untruly and unadvisedly applyed of him for first touching that in Exod. 12. 38. Howsoever many Egyptians
A NECESSITIE OF SEPARATION From the Church of England prooved by the Nonconformists Principles Specially opposed vnto Dr. AMES his Fresh Suit against humane ceremonies in the point of Separation only Also Dr. LAITON Mr. DAYREL and Mr. BRADSHAW are here answered wherein they have written against us With a Table in the later end of the principal occurrents in this Treatise By IOHN CANNE Pastor of the ancient English church in Amsterdam Prov. 31. 8. 9. Open thy mouth for the dumbe in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction And plead the cause of the poore and needie Ioh. 13 17. If ye know these things happie are ye if ye doe them Printed in the yeare 1634. To every one that seeketh after the truth in sincerity Salutations THere are extant allready so many bookes in the defence of our cause which never yet received any answer that it hath been in my thoughts a long time not to enter publickly the lists of contention about it with any man but to imploy that smal portion which I have in the knowledg of holy things more peaceably otherwise Not with standing perceiving of late the general fame which was given forth of Dr. Ames his booke and namely in his answer to the point betweene the Nonconformists and us as that it was so learnedly and absolutely done that it gave all men satisfaction the Separatists only excepted and that no man would ever be able to make any sound reply therein vnto it I thought it requisite to take a thorow view thereof which when I had so don and saw the sleightnesse of it to say no worse I conceived with my selfe that this common bruit must need arise either from some ignorant people who cannot judge of things which differ or from such as have mens persons in admiration and so like the shadow will follow them where ever they goe be it right or wrong It is knowne to those which know the controversies betweene the formal Protestants in England and the Reformists that the Principles of the later by the former are said to be the direct and plaine grounds of Separation sundry arguments and reasons they allege for it as the reader may see in their several treatises This thing by the other is not only denyed but withall they proclame themselves the main refuters of the Separatists and doe affirme that they never saw any Prelate to confute their opinions any otherwise then by rayling words But how wel they have confuted us it will appeare in the following dispute unto which I referre the reader Only I thinke good in breefe to give him here a sight of most of their weapons which they draw out vsually against vs and whereby they indeavour to conquer and quel us quite 1. Vile calumniations and bitter scoffes proclaming us to the world to be Schismaticks Brownists Donatists c. and matching us many times with the most notorious Hereticks and blasphemers that they can thinke vpon of purpose to make our persons and profession odious to all men 2. Raysing up many manifest lies untruths gathering together the faylings of some particular persons which had walked with us casting the same as dung in our faces 3. Braggs and boasts of victorie a notable instance for this we have in a certaine preface made to Mr. Hildersh booke on Ioh. 4. the author of it tels his reader there that Mr. Hild. had the best in the controversie betweene him and Mr. Iohnson notwithstanding it is well knowne he never made any reply to that which the other had published against him although he was by divers earnestly desired to doe it and this I write from the report of honest and faithful witnesses who are yet alive and will not I am perswaded willingly relate any thing but the truth 4. Grosse contradictions in seeking to justifie against us the very things which by sound arguments and reasons in their writings against the Hierarchy they prove to be evil and vnlawfull and this we have manifested in the answ to Mr. Bradsh book 5. And in a word falsisications of our positions cōtinual begging of questiōs larg proofs for what was never doubted of but no proving of the main point in questiō either by scriptures reasons or any ancient sound writers These and such like arguments have they used hitherto against vs And it is no marvel that they are such for what better should we exspect from them who seeke to put out that light againe which hath beene by themselves cheifly revealed vnto many I know what I say and have good experiēce of this thing for there is not ten of an hundred which separate from the Church of England but are moved first thereto I speake of outward meanes by the Doctrines of the Nonconformists either in word or writing taught to the people And indeed vpon their grounds how can any one doe lesse then separate if his heart be tender against every sinne seeing they confidently affirme that their ministery worship and discipline is from Antichrist and in their Church are swarmes of Atheists Papists Erroneous Hereticall Sectaries Witches Charmers Murtherers Theeves Adulterers Lyars c. Moreover All Popery say they is poyson the roote stalke and branches and we cannot be said sincerely to have repented of the Idolatry or superstition whereby we or our forefathers have provoked the Lord unlesse we be ashamed of and cast away with detestation all the instruments and monuments of it Againe whosoever partakes in the sinnes of Rome are also under the same curse So that we cannot in any sort communicate with them in their errours unlesse we will beare them company in their destruction also These are their owne testimonies and we know they are true and therefore in obedience to God and care of our pretious soules we have left our vnsanctified standings in their Assemblies and through the Lords mercy to vs doe walke in the holy order of his Gospell although dayly sufferers for it of manifould afflictions Notwithstanding all these things offend us not for we know whom we serve and are most certaine if we watch and doe Christs worke still in his owne way We shall have a sure reward for it at the resurrection of the just And to speake now a word or two vnto such as are commonly stiled Professours of the Gospell whether vnconformable or not The thing truely which I most wish vnto them is tender consciences and that the Lords house and his ordinances may be deare to their soules and that they may be able to deny the profitts and pleasures of this life for if these things be in them and abound my hope is that by their judicious reading-over of this treatise there will follow much reformation When some men take a little Phisick they have their health by it soone restored but if the same and a great deal more be ministred to others of an other
any true constituted visible church of Christ and they are all equal by Gods institution and are forbidden to exercise authoritie one over another or exspect any such title as may import it or affect preeminence His giftes properties and conditions in doctrine and manners are distinctly set downe in scripture He must be apt to teach exhort no yoÌ„g scholler able to devide the word aright Have a continuall care to watch over the soules of those for whom he must give an accompt Discerne their diseases and apply the word according to every disease and every time and occurrant Briefly he must love cherish defend his sheepe froÌ„ ravenous beasts feed them in greene and wholesome pastures of the word pray for them and seale up to them the promises of God by the Sacraments Secondly the Lord hath ordained that there should be in every congregation Doctors which is an Office they say different from that of the Pastor the reasons which they give are these 1. Because the Apostle doth so distinguish them one from another Rom. 12 7 8. Ephes 4. 11. 2. Their giftes appeare to be divers 1 Cor. 12. 8. 3. The Pastor is commaunded to take one course in teaching the Doctor another Rom. 12 7 8. 4. This distinguishing of them makes more for the building of the church then to unite and makechem one His office is to deliver sound and wholesome doctrine convince the gainesayers preserve knowledge and build vpon the rock which is Christ Iesus gold silver and precious stones c. The third Officers as they name them from the scriptures are Governors or ruling Elders who are to look to the manners of the people and to be assistant to the minister in Government This Office was established by the Apostles in all churches Act. 14. 23. and it serves to helpe forwarde the building thereof 1 Cor. 12 28. and without it the body can not be intyre Rom. 12 4 8. To justify this office many scriptures reasons testimonies taken from the learned are alleged by them Ignat. ad Trall Tertull. de Baptist. Ierom. cont lucrf Ambr upon 1 Tim. 5. Socrat. lib. 5. cap. 22. Bucer de reg Chr. l. 1. Pet. Mar. vpon Rom. 12. Cal. instit l. 4. c. 3. Sect. 8. These must be men of wisedome knowledge and sound iudgment sober gentle modest loving temperate c. Able to discerne and all wayes vigilant for the quietnes wellfare peace purity and good order of the Church Fourthly there ought to be in every congregation certaine deacons endued with those qualities whiâ—â— the word of God describeth That is they must 〈◊〉 men of good report indued also with the Holy Ghoâ—â— grave temperate not covetous c. To prove this office these Scriptures are alleged Act. 6. 1 Tim. 3. 6. Rom. 12. 8. 1 Cor. 12 28. Phil. 1. 1 And also these reasons for it 1. the Lord takes care both for the bodies and soules of men and therefore instituteth such offices peculiarly serving for that purpose 2. That the faythfull may be the more free from feare and follow their owne callings diligently 3. That the Church may be the more inriched with heavenly and spirituall blessings for she receives grace and gifts for the discharge of each calling 4. That men may be stirred vp to help the poore the more willingly considering that the Lord hath appointed a speciall office for that purpose 5. That their should be no complaints but that all the poore might be comforted against their poverty and wants Their office onely consisteth in receiving the liberality of the saints and distributing the same vnto the necessity of the poore and howsoever the English booke of ordering Preists c. Makes this a degree of the ministery yet the Nonconformists professe that that practice is naught and vnlawfull and the deacons office is not to medle with the word and sacraments but onely to collect the benevolence of the faithfull and faithfully to distribute the same and to prove this they render these reasons 1. By the Apostles institution these were onely to attend vpon the provision for the poore Act. 6. 4. The Scripture maketh it an ordinary distinct office 〈◊〉 others in the Church and not to be mingled with any other Rom. 12. 8. 3. No man can in any tollerable measure discharge the office of a minister and deacon also Act. 6. 2. 4. The ministeries of the word be perfect without it They have also to prove this thing the learned generally on their side Concill constant cap. 16. Chrisost vpon Act. 6. Bulling decad 5. ser 2. Buc. de reg Christ. 14. Pet. Mar. Rom. 12. Cal. inst l. 4. cap. 3. sect 9. Beza confess cap. 5. sect 23. Sixtly widowes or deaconesses whose proper office is to looke to the weake impotent and poore strangers and specially to helpe such who in their sicknesses have neither friends nor kins folkes to administer vnto them This office is proved of them by these Scriptures 1. Tim. 5. Rom. 12. 8. Rom. 16. The grounds or reasons which they bring for it are these 1. Wisedom to imploy such as being to receive maintainance from the church are fit for nothing but this and fittest for this 2. That none may lack any thing for their good and preservation 3. That men may be the rather incouraged to goe about the churches businesses having such to attend them These are the necessarie and onely ordinarie functions and offices which our saviour hath ordained in his church vnto the due administration whereof he hath promised his blessing to the end of the world and these are perpetuall and to continue for ever and beside these it is vnlawfull for men following the devises of their owne braine to institute and ordaine any in the Churches of God Now the election and ordination of these officers must as they say necessarily 〈◊〉 made by the free choyse of the congregation wherein they are to administer The Elders going before the rest are to manifest either by some outward token or else by their silence their allowance if they like of the action or gainesaying if they judge it not just and vpright Yea not onely may they gainesay it But if there be just cause of dislike make it altogether voyd and of none effect vntill at the last a meet one be chosen by the authority and voyces of the Elders and allowed of by the generall consent and approbation of the rest of Church And this was the Churches continuall practice in the time of the Apostles and therefore an ordinance of God to be followed for ever Moreover the thing appertaineth vnto all And it is a course most effectuall to bring the people to obedience when they shall see him teach or rule whom they themselves haue chosen Yea this procureth greatest reverence of the people to their officers It is also affirmed that this manner of chusing and making officers
continued so long in the Churches of God as there was any light of the knowledge of him so that indeed it ought to be perpetuall and vnchangeable and may not at any hand either by Church or Magistrate be altered For it is a greater wronge to haue any Ecclesiasticall officers forced upon a people against their will then if they should force vpon men wives or vpon women husbands against their will and liking Here also generall counsels and many old and new writers are brought-in by the Nonconfor to speake for them in this thing Concil Nicene Test Theo. Conc. Const. test tripart hist. l 9. c. 14. Concil Carth. can 1. Con. Toletan test dist 50 Concil Gabil Can. 10. Cyprian l. 1. Ep. 3. Amb. Epist 82. Ierom. ad Ruffin Basil Epist 58. And whosoever condemnes the making of ministers after this sort what doe they else but open their mouths against God and against the truth Defence of admon p. 2. Moreover every officer in the church must be ordained by imposition of hands of the Eldership the whole Church joyning with them in fasting and prayer and without a lawfull calling no one must presume to exercise any spirituall function or ministery nor dare to enter in any other way then by the doore A notable Example for this purpose is rehearsed by Moyses in Numb 16. Whereby it seemeth that the Lord meant to ratifie the Law of a necessity of a true vocation for ever For there we see that neither the heavens could abide to see nor the earth beare so shamelesse boldnesse but the one melting consumed with fyer such as without a calling would take vpon them the presthood and the earth gapeping opened it selfe and swallowed them vp alive which ought to be a lesson to vs for euer that no man presume to pervert or alter that order which God hath established in his Church nor arrogate to himselfe that honor which he hath by no right and lawfull calling obtained c. Moreover none must be ordained vnto any office in the Church vntill there be such a place voyd for him as is meet and fitt for as the Apostles did in planting of Churches so must it be don in the building thereof for ever but they ordained neither Pastor Teacher Eder nor deacon but to some certaine congregation that had present vse and need thereof A roving and vnsettled ministrie therefore is a new and false ministerie meerely instituted by men And never read of to be practised but by idolaters Iudg. 17. 8. Againe great care must be taken before consent be given vnto any calling in the Church that it appeare by sufficient trial and due examination that the person is qualified with those gifts which the word of God requireth in one of that place For else there will follow a manifest breach of Gods commaundement Besides God will not owne his ministery thirdly if he want abilityes he cannot doe the things required of him As to divide the word aright espy the enimy and give warning a forehand to the people how to resist him But contrarywise will lead himselfe and his people into hel fyer The truth is no vnskillfull or vnlearned man may be called to the steering of this helme vnlesse we would have the shipp not onely to be in daunger but willing to runne it vpon the rockes These officers chosen and made as aforesayd ought to execute the office committed vnto them with all faithfull diligence and consequently must be continually resident vpon their charge This later position to wit the necessity of perpetuall residence the vnlawfulnes of Nonresidence is confirmed of them by good reasons 1. A minister is a sheepheard and his charge a flock now a sheepheard hath a flock to feed it continually 2. Wheresoever God placeth a man there is dayly need of his labour and care 3. The people are in daunger of harme if they be not watched over day and night 4. The Church requireth an officers residecy with her as a duty of him 5. If they do otherwise they cannot give their people a good example neither will there be love and familiarity between them c. Breifly they hold it as great an injurie to force a congregation or Church to miantaine as their Pastor with tiths and such like donations that person which either is not able to instruct them or that refuseth in his own person ordinarily to doe it as to force a man to maintaine one for his wife that either is not a woman or that refuseth in her owne person to doe the duties of a wife vnto him And thus much for the first point wherein we and they in iudgement doe accord but our practise as yet is contrary each to other SECTION II. NOw it followes that we truely relate the present state of the English ministery how far it disagreeth by their owne Testimonies in every particular thing from the positions before named touching it in generall they affirme confidently that it is a base ministerie which God never erected in his Church but came wholy from the Pope for say they not onely is the calling of the Hierarchie but also their dependent offices all vnlawfull and Antichristian observe the largnesse of their speach how they comprehend and so consequently here cōdemn all their Ecclesiasticall functions for indeed they take all their originall of one roote namely the Praelarey from it I say they have their ryse and by it onely they administer vnto the people And whosoever shall deny this may with as much reason deny that fyre is hott the sea salt the sunne shines c. But let us heare what reasons they give to prove their ministery false and Antichristian and every way contrary to that true ministery of which we have before spoken First they say that the Church of England Wanteth her Pastors Teachers Deacons and Elders For which cause she hangeth downe her head for heavinesse her eyes be bleared with teares her cheekes be defiled with the water of her eyes her heart is heavy with sorrow her bones are withered with drynesse her whole body is clothed with sackcloth shee lyeth in caves and dens being ashamed to shew her face haveing so deformed and maimed a body If her case and state be so she hath reason enough to greive For to want these true officers and to have counterfeits placed in their stead is one of the heaviest and fearfullest miseries that can possibly befall any people Yet this thing is affirmed by others of them also Of which more hereafter Now concerning elections ordinations In these their church standeth vnder a Romish regiment and hath not left Babylon but partaketh of her sinnes in the choyse of Ministers For neither are their Ministers proved elected called or ordayned according to Gods word But their entrance into the ministery is by a Popish and vnlawfull vocation strange from the scriptures and never
and Goverment of the Church should by that false power which they assumed have ordained some of the people vnto the Preists office no doubt all the Israelites which feared the Lord would have judged their place and standing vnlawfull and why because they which made them had no commission from God so to doe the case of their ministery is just so And it must needs be vnlawfull seeing it is made by them who like the rebels before named doe vsurpe the Preisthood and Government of the Church and therefore have no more authority to give an Ecclesiasticall function vnto any man then the former had and so much is testifyed by themselves for they say that their Priests and Deacons Bishops and Archbishops are not made according to the word of God And they give reasons that it is not lawfull for any one to be ordained by them And here I must confesse that the conformists keepe much better to their grounds then the other doe for they professe downeright that their ministery is from the Church of Rome so that if the Popish Bishops Preists and deacons be good theirs are good also they beeing from them Now no doubt these men doe wel perceive that their ministery cannot possibly be justified vnlesse it be by this way of dispute in this respect their judgment and practice is one and so far they are to be commended and I verily thinke that if they were sure that their ministery brought into the land by the Prelates from Rome is false and Antichristian as the Nonconformists affirme it to be that many of them would not hereafter ever have any spirituall communion with it Truely it would make a man admire if he should vnderstandly compare together the writings of these two companies touching a church ministery for in their opinions about it they are as contrary each to other as light is to darkenes Christ to Belial righteousnesse to unrighteousnes notwithstanding though so different in judgment yet they will communicate together in one ministery but one of these against knowledge offends surely and let them look well to it for to him that knoweth to doe good and doth it not to him it is sinne that is his fault is so much the more and proportionablie his condemnation shall be without repentance We come now to their inferiour ministers and will begin first with their bare readers these poore creatures the Nonconformists doe call idle idols yea bastardly idols greedy curres dumb dogs slayers of the people wolves ignorant asses silthy swine such as are not worthy to live in a well ordered common wealth foolish sheapheards vnsaverie salt good for nothing but to be cast out to the dunghill cankers of their Church a swarme of caterpillers the trash and riffe-raffe of their nation a wofull crew a ragged regiment which have even covered the Land like the frogs of Aegypt leading many thousands with themselves into the ditch It can hardly be expressed how base and vile these are generally reputed indeed they are held no better then theeues and murderers which live by the ruin and spoyle of the people Somtime ye shall heare them in their pulpits so terribly spoken against that one would thinke they would rather returne vnto their old former occupation of husbandry cobling cooâ—ery c. then ever come againe to their Churches or to read mattens and evening song And touching he Prelates they are esteemed as base and contemptible â—very way for putting such dunsticall and vnlettered â—r. Iohns in their ministery I could relate many instances of their infamous caryages therein but it is not my purpose to rake into their dung The Nonconformists have don it sufficiently in so much as they doe stinke horribly for it in the nostrels of the people But to our purpose If things be so is not the ministery then of such men to be left Yea surely A man that is fallen into the hands of theeves murderers if by any means he can escape with his life from them shall therein be justified by the Law of God of nature and nations now by how much a spirituall life is better then a corporall by so much are they to be commended above the other which come away from these soule slayers and place themselves vnder the ministery of true and lawfull Pastors And for further proofe of what I say I desire the reader to marke well what is sayd first against the calling of these men 2. what against that worke and service which they doe Their calling is sayd to be from the Pope a meere human invention taken vp without any warrant from Gods word and brought into the Church by the boldnesse of men And to prove that these are vnlawfull ministers many reasons are rendered for it 1. Because they want the very life essence and beeing whereby a minister is a minister 2. The common law Provinciall law civill law and statute law pronounce all with one voyce and consent that they have no approbation or allowance no favour or entertainment from them or by their authority c. But beeing found culpable they are by definitive sentencs on the part and behoofe of the law not onely to be adjudged guilty of voluntary intrusion into the right and possession of others but also to be punished for taking vpon them offices without any lawfull calling 3. They can doe nothing which appertaineth to the charge and office of true and faithfull sheepheards and therefore justly called idols For they stand for that and make shew of that which they are not 4. It is a like to have no minister at all as to have an idol in the place of a true minister yea and in some case it is worse for those that be vtterly destitute of ministers will be diligent to search for them But those which have a vaine shadow doe commonly without further care content themselves with the same and so remaine they continually deceived thinking they have a minister when in very deed they have none For we cannot judge him a dispensator of Gods misteries that in no wise can breake the bread of life to the fainting and hungring soules neither thinke we that the sacraments can be rightly administred by him in whose mouth God hath put no sermon of Exhortation 5. God rejecteth them and pronounceth that they shall be no ministers to him Hos 4. 6. The retayning of such is a manifest token of the vengeance of God against all them which do it 7. Their name office is taken only of the Pope that Roman Antichrist never by God erected in his Church Many other reasons they give to prove them to be vnlawfull and false Officers not sent of Christ forall whome he sendeth he furnisheth with gifts no better then Ieâ—oboams Preists And therefore vtterly to be removed if ever such a reformation be minded as God shall be therby glorified and his Church edified If any should object that the Prelates
office thereof For they agree with the people only to preach not to administer either the seales or censures to them 3. Their comming unto the people is in a strange sort for they make a covenant each with other for some certaine yeares and when that time is out both parties are free and so may leave one the other and doe many times But a true Pastor may not doe so For if he should he were worse then an hyreling which leaves not the sheepe till he see the Wolfe comming But many of these when they see a richer lectureship comming toward them 4. He that is the parson or vicar is taken generally for the minister of the place And truly howsoever their calling be false and Antichristian as the Nonconformists say yet in many respects they doe better resemble a true minister then any Lecturer whatsoever Therefore not without just cause doe the Reformists utterly condemne this extraordinarie office of preachers and affirme that they are neither Pastors or Teachers which the scripture alloweth off And this may be easily proved That ministerie which is instituted and sett vp besides those which God hath appointed in his word is vnlawfull and false But â—he ministerie of the Lecturers in England is instituted and sett vp beside these which God hath appointed in his word Therefore that ministerie is vnlawfull and false The proposition is plain and undeniable and we have their owne words to confirme it For thus they say All the ministery is by the word of God and not left to the will of men to devise at their pleasure as appeareth by that which is noted of Iohn where the Pharisees comming to him after that he had denyed to be either Christ or Eltas or another Prophet conclude if he be neither Christ nor Elias nor of the Prophets why Baptisest thou which had been no good argument if Iohn might have been of som other function then of those which were ordinary in the church and instituted of God and therefore Iohn to establish his singular and extraordinarie function allegeth the word of God whereby appeareth that as it was not lawfull to bring-in any strange Doctrine so was it not lawfull to teach the true Doctrine vnder the name of any other function then was instituted by God Let the whole practice of the church vnder the Law be looked vpon and it shall not be found that any other ecclesiasticall ministery was appointed then those officers of high Priest Preists Levites c. which were appointed by the Law of God and if there were any raysed extraordinarily the same had their calling confirmed from heaven either by signes or miracles or by plain and cleare testimony of the mouth of God or by extraordinarie exciting movings of the spirit of God So that it appeareth that the ministery of the Gospell and the function thereof ought to be from heaven and of God and not invented by the braine of men From heaven I say and heavenly because although it be executed by earthly men and the ministers also chosen by men like vnto themselves yet because it is done by the word and institution of God that hath not only ordained that the word should be preached but hath ordained also in what order and by whome it should be preached it may well be accounted to come from Heaven and from God Againe to devise any other ministery then that which God hath appointed is condemned by the second commaundement The assumption is thus proved first if their Lecturers have taken ordination from the Bishops and exercise by that power onely then is their office false by the reasons before laid downe Secondly if it be objected that they never received the Prelates orders or have repented thereof I answere yet this proves not that they are therefore true ministers For as Iehu though he did wel to suppresse Ahabs idolatrie yet in that he followed the wayes of Ieroboam he himselfe continued still a grosse idolater Even so howsoever som may privately report that they stand ministers by no relation to the Bishop yet are they notwithstanding vnlawfull ministers seeing they were never elected chosen and ordained according to Gods word If any reply that they have their calling of the people I answere the thing is surely otherwise as shall be manifested presently But if this were granted yet I deny that any Church vnder heaven hath power from Christ to ordaine such a kind of ministerie and therefore if any people should doe it seeing it is against the Scripture it must needs follow that it is an vnlawfull ministery so consequently not to be communicated with and that it is so I prove it thus That ministery is vnlawfull which none may lawfully give but none may lawfully bestow the ministerie of a lecturer Therefore that ministerie is unlawfull The propositioÌ„ is evident by their owne principles The assumption cannot for shame be denyed if the nature of it be considered For as we but even now sayd their Lecturers take no charge of a flock vpon them they make covenant with the people but for a certaine time the peculiar works of a minister is not by the people laid vpon them neither exspected of them If any object that they preach the word To this Doctor Ames gives an answere fully that the preaching of the gospell is not a worke peculiar to a minister For such as are private men and out of office may and ought to preach the word as occasion is offered and not only privately but saith he in the publick congregation and for this thing he citeth these Scriptures 1. Cor. 14. 23. Act. 13. 15. And yealdeth many good reasons for it also Other of the Nonconformists affirme the same thing As the Church hath need of all mens gifts so all ought to imploy them at publick ordinary meetings yet so as good order be still observed SECTION IIII. THus reader thou seest how the present ministerie of the Church assemblies of England both the greater and lesser is by the Nonconformists professed and proved to be all and wholy false Now we com to the 4. point according to our division which is to answere the reasons laid downe by Doctor Ames in the defence of their ministerie and they may be cast into two heads or branches First what he speakes for it himselfe 2. The reference which he hath for helpe to M. Bradshawes booke entituled the vnreasonablenesse of seperation We will first treat of the Doct owne arguments Or rather argument For I find but onely one touching this thing in his booke The words are these we vtterly deny that the calling of our ministers doth essentially depend vpon the Bishops calling I know the word our here hath in it a misterie which every bodie knowes not For D. A doubtlesse meant to speake onely for som particular churches because in his later dayes he would not vndertake to justifie the standing but onely
that the Doctors ministers have their calling onely from the people yet what is this to the point betweene him and the rejoinder I may use his owne words truely the answere doth not looke towards the question Now marke all readers that have sence it is affirmed by Doct. Burgesse whereas the Nonconformists say the calling of their Bishops and consequently of the ministers is Antichristian that separation must herevpon necessarily follow How is this answered not at al if the proverbe be true as good never a whit as never the better For D. Ames speakes of a certaine ministerie which the separatist never to this day yet saw in their assemblies neither have they left any such If therefore he would have answered the rejoinders charge indeed he should have proved that those ministers whose calling doth essencially depend vpon the Bishops calling which have I say no other election nor ordination but what they had from them in a word which doe administer to the people only by that power and authority may notwithstanding for for all this warrantably by scripture be judged true ministers be lawfully cōmunicated with in their ministerie yet the Nonconformists grounds published against them all just true good This is the very point indeed for such ministers we have onely left and we know no other If there be let them be manifested to us tell us their names their places And if we finde by scripture their ministerie to be lawfull we will surely have communion with it as occasion serves Till then we purpose by Gods grace to live as we doe and to practise that which the Nonconformists professe to be the order and way which the Lord commaunds all his servants to walke in 4. If the Doctor speake here truth then have the Nonconformists greatly abused the princes and state of England in complayning so often to them against the Bishops and for what thinke you forsooth because the Prelats take away the powr of the people make ministers alone hēce none are either proved called or ordaind according to Gods word c. Now how doe these things agree together Is not this yea and nay It is so indeed But imagin there should be a Parliament againe in England and the Nonconformists should there petition that the calling of their ministers might not essentially depend any more upon the Bs. calling would not the Bb. have matter to persuade both houses not to harken unto them yea to reprove them sharpely for moving this thing seeing they confesse they have it allready But it may be they would say some congregations doe not ordaine their ministers to this the Prelates might reply that is then their fault For they give liberty and power to all alike and that is none at all I am sory they have laid such a snare whereby to undoe themselves But usually this is their course when they have any hope to have the Magistrates helpe for reformation they will truely declare the abuses and corruptions among them to the full afterwards nothing being amended when they are put in mind of their principles that is if such things be true then necessarily must they leave the church of England what doe they but goe quite from them againe as I shall in convenient place prove it clearely And is not that a miserable case which cannot be maintained but by grosse contradiction I may well here use the Doctors owne words Such turning winding and running against walls you shall seldome see an ingenious man to vse in a good case Lastly howsoever Doct. Ames thought to have crossed much the course of the Separatists yet if his words be understandingly weighed he hath justified them and made way to a generall departure from their ministerie For thus I reason None may heare or have any spirituall communion with such a ministery whose calling doth essentially depend vpon the Bishops calling But the calling of the ministers of the church assemblies of England doth essentially depend vpon the Bb. calling Therefore none may heare or have any spirituall communion with the ministerie of the church assemblies of England The proposition by good consequence is the Ds. own and herein he agrees with the rest of the Nonconformists For in opinion they all hold this thing as we have from their writings manifestd And whosoever should deny the assumtion mought with as much reason deny that there is any idolatrie at Rome although it is there both taught and practised therefore I thinke no man will have the forehead to oppose it But have not now the people of the Land good cause to looke about them seeing those who count themselves the only men to refute the Separists are come to that streigth as that they will not justifie it to be Lawfull for to joyne to any ministery in the land but to that which a man should not find among them if he sought all their Churches with candles as the Prophet speaketh I hope Gods elect yet there will take Salomons counsell which is to looke well to their going And thus much for answer to the Doct. reason now next we should speake of Mr. Bradshews booke but because I have been long vpon this chapter and the reply to it will be large I will leave it therefore till last and handle other things in the mean time SECT V. BEfore I end this point I thinke it convenient to answere breifly to a few objections which I have often heard some to make in the defence of their standing Object 1. Compassion towards the people constraineth many preachers to keepe their places For if they should not alas what would the people doe Ans 1. we may not doe any thing against the will and pleasure of God vnder pretence to shew mercy to others But we are bound to doe that which is good and honest by just and lawfull meanes that pitty which Christiās are to shew must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rightly bowelled that is required of God both for the matter and manner of it 2. God needs no mans lie For he hath power enough to accomplish his owne purposes He may thus say If I be hungry I would not tel thee that is what need I thee or any thing thou canst doe I am Allsufficient 3. The truth is the people are not holpen by this meanes but rather hindered For if they ceased from preaching in their vnlawfull offices the godly generally throughout the land would seeke where Christ feedeth his flock and so their state would be much better then now it is Object 2. Though they will not plead to justify their ministery yet they hope to glorify God by preaching Ans so thought the Leper when he published abroad the matter of his healing but he not beeing called to do it sinned greatly therein therefore it is certaine that men doe then glorifie God when leaving their owne wisedome they doe whatsoever they are commaunded for as M. Perkins saith the
well have been performed in Rome wherevpon the Bull was presently called in Moreover such is the vnholinesse of this idol booke as the Nonconformists generally have refused to subscribe vnto it affirming it to be such a peece of work as it is straÌ„g any will vse it there being in it most vile vnallowable things And for this cause they have besought the peeres of the realme that it might be vtterly removed and many reasons they have given in severall treatises to prove their condemnation of it just and lawfull first because it is an infectious liturgie â—oâ—ish stuffe a devised service and in it are many Religions mixed together of Christ and Antichrist of God and the devil besides a booke full of fancies and a great many thinges contrary to Gods word and prayers which are false foolish superstitious and starke naught c. 2. They cannot account it praying as they vse it commonly but onely reading or saying of prayers even as a child that learneth to read if his lesson be a prayer he readeth a prayer and doth not pray even so it is commonly a saying and reading prayers and not praying 3. In all the order of it there is no edification but confusion 4. We read not of any such liturgy in the Christian Church in the dayes of the Apostles nor in many ages following till blindnesse ignorance and lazinesse occasioned a prescript forme to be made for idle and dumb Preists 5. If this were not many would make more profession of love to preaching and hearing Gods word but by this meanes it is neglected and despised for worldings vsurers drunkards whoremongers and other earthly and Prophane people away with nothing so well as English Masse and why but because it doth not sharply reprove them of their sins nor disclose the secret of their hearts but that they may continue in all kind of voluptuousnesse and all other kind of wickednesse and therefore rightly is it called their sterve-vs booke 6. God hath no where appointed that the Church should be tyed to read the booke of common prayer for his worship and therefore to doe it is an high transgression before him as great as the sinne of Nadab and Abihu and such are liable vnto the like or greater punishment 7. If this were praying and there were never an ill word nor sentence in all the prayers yet to appoint it to be vsed or to vse it as Papists did their mattens and evening song for a sex service to God though the words be good the vse is naught the words of the first chapt in Iohn be good but to be put into a tablet of gould for a soverainge thing to be worne the vse is superstitious and naught and so is the vse of this service Sundry other arguments of this nature are used of them to prove their Service-booke a false idolatrous unlawfull worship the which I purposely omitt because enough already hath been said about it Yet there is one thing which I thinke good here to note namely a comparison which they make betweene the Papists and Prelates in forcing the practice of this foolish stuffe Welfare the Papists say they for they shall rise up in judgement against you it is meant of the Hierarchie who like good fellowes yet in plain and open termes even bare faced as it were doe seeke to reduce vs and to draw vs to their false and idolatrous worship and service in poperie as namely by their Masse mattens ensong purification and other such like whereas you must daungerously and even vnder a maske or visard as it were and not vnlike to him that transformeth himselfe into an Angell of light doe goe about to draw and allure vs to the selfe same worship and service but by cleanlier names and honester titles c. Marke I pray thee reader what they speake here touching their likenesse and unlikenesse with the Papists For their worship Service it is they confesse the selfe same false worship used in Popere The difference stands in their Bishops beguileing of the people For they doe lay more cunning snares baites then the other to have their idolatrie submitted unto as for an instance The Papists call their trashe Masse c. the other call it divine service c. And why have they left out the first title but because they thinke few people would come to it if it did cary still the ould name of the Beast upon the forehead of it Nothing have the Nonconformists here said against that idolatrous book but we also doe assent wholy therto Indeed in practice we agree not For they will be present where the same is used whether they thinke it lawfull so to doe I know not but this I know that by their grounds laid downe against it every true beleever is necessarily bound to separate from it and not upon any occasion to joyne in communion therewith and this I will prove 1. By precepts 2. Examples 3. by reasons 4. by the testimonies of the learned Of all which we will treat in order in the Section folowing SECT III. THe Lord in scripture hath laid it as a straight charge upon all the faithfull to separate themselves from Idolaters and to be as unlike to them as may be specially in their religious observations and ceremonies The second commaundement proves this effectually for there is absolutely forbidden all participation in any feigned service whether it be to the true God or any other When Ieroboam had set up a false worship we reade that the good Prophets of that time and after called the godly Israelites away from it and bidd them in plaine termes not to joyne therewith but on the contrary to keepe Gods commaundements and statutes appointed for his service without adding any thing to them or taking any thing from them And this they must doe although the King had confirmed his new religion by act of Parliament or Counsell and therefore no doubt would persecute most grievouslie all the refusers therof The great Whore much spoken off in the Revelation hath devised an vncleane service to worship the true God by but what counsell gives the Holy Ghost to the elect concerning it very profitable even in these words come out of her my people Rev. 18. 4. that is forsake her detestable religion communicate in none of her vile odious devises what coulorable reasons soever her unblessed followers make in defence thereof Againe as this is a duety so the faithfull in all ages have practised it a memorable example whereof we have in 2 Chro. 11. 14. 16. There it is said that the Preists and Levites and after them of all the tribes of Israel such as sett their hearts to seeke the Lord Came to Ierusalem to sacrifice the like practice we read of in Hezekiahs time divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Ierusalem All will
Apostates Covetuous chancellors dignifyed chaplins alias choplivings ambitious pluralists Symonicall patrons alias Latrons and the approvers of them they say are impious Atheists scandalous nonresidents dumb homilists powling registers proctors paritors c. And all other Prophane livers and wicked haters of God Moreover we find many vnanswereable arguments vsed in their writings to prove this trashe to be against the word of God exceedingly idolatrous and so ought not to have any place in Religious worship to instance a few All addition in Gods worship is directly forbidden in Gods word both in the old new Test Deu. 12. 32. Rev. 22. 18. But these Ceremonies are an addition in Gods worship to the word as they doe not deny Ergo they are directly forbidden by the word All spirituall communion with those Idolitours amongst whome we live in the misteries of their Idolatrie and supersition is sin To vse those Ceremonies in divine worship is a spirituall communion with Idolatrous Papists in the misterie of their Idolatry and superstion Ergo to vse those Ceremonies is to sin To mingle Prophane things with divine is to sinne to vse these Ceremonies in divine worship is to mingle Prophane things with divine Ergo to vse those Ceremonies in divine worship is to sinne Another thus All things in the Church ought to edifie these things doe not edifie therefore they ought not to be in the Church Offences and superstitions ought to be avoyded these rites offend and are superstitions therefore they ought to be avoyded No idolatrous remnants nor monuments must be reteyned these are idolatrous monuments and remnants therefore they may not be reteyned Nothing may be thrust into the Church contrary or besides the scriptures these are contrarie and besides the scriptures Therefore they may not be thrust into the Church I could name many others of this kind But here is enough to shew the reason why the Nonconformists say that these Ceremonies are not to be received though all the Princes in the world doe commaund them no good Christian must yeeld any way to them But rather avoyd them more then the Ceremonies of the Turkes and to thinke no otherwise of them then of the devil himselfe Thus much for their Ceremonies in generall now a few words of them in particular and so to another point The surplusse is called of them the popes creature a lowsy rag Popish apparel the whore of Babilons smocke a filthy Idol e charactor of Antichrist and the divel one of the pedlerie wares of popery and the cast apparel of the harlot of Rome devised by Pope Adrian in the yeare 796. Who borrowed it as they thinke of certaine Aegiptian Monkes who vpon the skinns which they vsed to weare for their apparel did weare linnen garments from whence the name of surplusse seemeth to come sundry reasons they give to have this trashe abolished 1. Because it serves not for comlinesse and gravitie but rather it is rideculous stagelike meeter for fooles and commedians then for ministers 2. It hardens the hearts of the Papists and causeth them to be stiffe in their poopery 3. Hinders the weake from profitting in the knowledge of the Gospell 4. It is a massing garment therfore as vndecēt for the holy spouse of Christ as harlots weeds are for a grave Matron 5. Christ and his Apostles and the fathers in the better times of the Church made no distinction in apparel 6. The gray Amice and other Popish garments defiled with superstition can make as good plea for themselves as the surplusse can I will end this in the words of the Admonition to the Parliament Copes caps surplesses tippets and such like baggage serve not to edification but they cause discord they hinder the preaching of the Gospell they keepe the memorie of Aegypt still among vs they bring the ministery into contempt they offend the weake they encourage the obstinate therefore can no authority by the word of God with any pretence of order and obedience commaund them nor make them in any wise tollerable But by circumstances they are wicked and against the word of God The signe of the crosse which they vse in Baptisme they say is the marke of the beast a jugglers gesture a magicall instrument a rite and badge of the divel a harlot which stirreth vp to Popish lust If a maypole should be brought into the Church for children to daunce about and clime vpon in signe of their desire to seek things above if a stif straw were put in the childs hand for a signe of fighting against spirituall enimies as with a speare there would be no more follie in those then in the crosse Againe to prove that no such thing should be used in Baptisme they give these reasons 1. Because the word of God is wholy against it 2. The Crosse is made there a very idol 3. It is to depart from the plaine institutution of our Saviour Christ 4. It hath been idolatrously abused in Poperie and hath no necessarie use now 5. It encroacheth upon the very substance of the Sacrament 6. It is but a late devise hatched by the Pope 7. It is not a ceremonie pertayning to the decencie of a Sacrament 8. It is scandalous and offensive to good Christians Lastly as much may be said for putting salt in the mouth of the child annoynting with oyle the breast and shoulders and the top of the head with holy Chrisme and to put a burning taper in his hand c. and for the whole waineload of such toyes and as the proctors of the crosse can say for it Hence it is that the strictest Inconformists affirme that it is utterly unlawfull for parents to bring their children to be crossed and they give many reasons 1. Men may doe nothing to their children but what themselves would have don to themselves if they were to be Baptized now what good heart could endure this idolatrie 2. It is a speciall dishonour to the Lord which men should avoyd both themselves and in and by others 3. This as all humane inventions hinders frō the child when it is wittingly don by the parents the power of Baptisme as much as is possible Touching kneeling in the act of receiving they say it is Idolatrie a spawne of the beast a diabolicall gesture a superstition which prophaneth Christs true religion and makes the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to become an idol feast There are many treatises extant at this day against this evill practise now among other arguments laid down by the Nōconformists to prove it an vnlawfull gesture I will breifly here repeate eight of thē 1. Kneeling in the act of receaving the bread wine in the Lords Supper is a ceremonie altogether inexpedient to be used 2. It takes away that commendable gesture used by Christ his Apostles in and after the constitution 3. The second commaundement of the Law is hereby
broken and idolatrie divers wayes committed 4. This robs the Lord of that due worship which he ought to receive from every one 5. There is no direction in the whole scripture either by precept or cōmaunded example for receaving any Sacraments kneeling whereas for receaving with other gestures there is both 6. This is to conforme grosly with the Papists even in an act wherein the life and soule as it were of their idolatrie standeth 7. The primitive Churches for sundry hundred yeares after the Apostles never used to receive the Sacrament kneeling till Pope Honorius afterwardes decreed it Lastly this gesture of kneeling holds no proportion with the cheife end and use of this Sacrament nor with that inward disposition of heart which is then required of us And thus much for their surplusse crosse and kneeling from all which this argument may be framed That worship in which a man cannot possibly communicate without sinne he is bound necessarily to separate frrom but that worship in which these Idols are made and vsed viz. the surplusse crosse and kneeling a man cannot possibly communicate without sinne Therefore from that worship wherein these Idols viz. the surplusse crosse and kneeling are made and vsed a man is bound necessarily to separate The Proposition is certaine and by D. Ames in his Cases of conscience acknowledged Although saith he we may joyne to that Church in which many defects are to be tollerated yet not to that in which we cannot but necessarily partake with sinne The Assumption is assented unto by as Iudicious and Zealous Nonconf as ever held that cause and they have brought good proofes for it First because men must fly from Idols and Idolothites but when they come to worship God after the order of the congregation where these things are practised they doe not fly from them but draw neere unto them 2. Their bare presence argues their approbation and yeelding in shew to ceremonies 3. Though the personall sinnes of the minister doe not hurt the people yet his ministeriall and publicke sinnes doe hurt which he performes from the people to God and so their joyning with him is unlawfull 4. What example can be brought where the holy men of God have communicated with such things The author of the dispute vpon communicating at their confused communions affirmes confidentlie that the sitter is accessary to the sin of the kneeler and he gives many reasons for it whereof we shall have a fit occasion hereafter to speake And now let the reader consider if both parts of the former reason be true as the Nonconformists say whether this one principle of theirs will not justifie a seperation from most of their parish meetings For surelie I thinke not one minister in the land of 500 but makes and vseth ordinarilie those Idols of Rome when their publike service is administred Having ended with their Ceremonies we are next to treat of the worships themselves and because these are divers I will speake therefore of each the more breifly wishing the reader if he desire to know more heerin to iniquire after their bookes Churching of women after childbirth they terme a superstitious service a point of poperie a soolish custome indeed no other then a plaine mocking of God and prophaninge of his name and Religion devised meerelie of men viz. the Papists Moreover to prove it a false and idolatrous worship they give these reasons 1. In the whole forme there is no thanksgiveing at all but a mecre Iewish or Popish purifying and therefore it is a horrible mocking of God to pretend that they give him prayse when there is not a word spoken tending or lookinge that way 2. This thanksgiveing as they cal it is even the very same word for word excepting the title with their purification in poperie the difference is onely in this that the Papists is in Latin and theirs in English 3. Whosoever doth this shewes herselfe either to be a low or Papist 4. The primitive Churches never vsed it neither ought it to be suffered in any wel reformed Church 5 Chauncellours officials c. Are hereby justifyed in their crooked and vnconscionable proceedings 6. This breedeth and nourisheth many superstitious opinions in the simple peoples hearts as that the woman which hath borne a child is vncleane or vnholie contrarie to the Apostles word Who teacheth that godly women are sanctifyed by bearing of children Againe that it is vnlawfull for her vpon necessitie to goe out of her doores before she be Churched that this Churching is a necessarie part of the ministers office c. Touching the Psalme 121. appointed for that purpose they say it is child shlie abused yea the words grealy Prophaned Lastly for their other rites and customes viz. the womans lying in with a white sheet vpon her bed her coming forth must d and vailed as beeing ashamed to looke vp for some folly committed her appointed offering the Clarkes waiting her home and the midwives going by her side forth and back c. These they terme Bables foolish and superstitious things The confirmation of children by laying on of the hands of the Bb. is not say they agreable to the word of God at all But a meere device of man a Popish and peevish superstition brought in by Pope Clement the first in the yeare 310. Who affirmed that he was no Christian which wilfullie left this vndon Pope Melciades came after and affirmed it to be a more worthy Sacrament then the Sacrament of Baptisme To prove this confirmation a wicked and most vile practice these reasons are alleaged of them 1. Because as it is prescribed by their booke it is made a new Sacrement beside those two which Iesus Christ ordained 2 Seeing the gifts of miracles which the Apostles had are ceased this kind of imposition of hands which was taken vp at first from an Apish imitation thereof must ceasse also 3. Whereas the ministration of Baptisme is permitted to everie hedge Preist minister and deacon the Prelates doe presumptiouslie and damnablie to appropriate this alone to themselves 4. They doe not onely pray over them but impose hands vpon them that by meanes thereof they may receive strength against all the temptations of sin which is to take that powr to them which God never gave them to do a thing wherof they have no promise that any good shall follow Lastlie this displaced chatechising brought in steed thereof vaine toyes and childish ceremonies to the great hurt of the Church Therefore for these reasons it ought to be shut out and have no place in the Church of God The like they speake of their order and rites whereby matrimony is celebrated in their Churches The forme of it is taken out of the masse booke therefore called prettie juggling trash the ring there vsed is generallie reputed a Popish and idolatrous practise and no lesse superstition is there committed in saying
But to proceed not onely is the reading of Homilies vtterlie condemned but also it hath bene proved by the Nonconformists that those which the Bishops commaund to be read in their assemblies have in them many things doubtfull and of daungerous construction yea sundrie erronious points of Doctrine and things most evidentlie false and vntrue I have beene more large in the former points then I purposed at the begining I will therefore in the rest be the shorter touching nunc dimittis benedictus and magnificat which they vse to read and sing in their Churches the Nonconformists say it is a Prophaning of the Scriptures palpable folly and vaine pratling Their minister saying one peece of prayer and the people with mingled voyces to say another is Babilonish confusion The Lords prayer also is horribly abused by their often and vaine repetition of it beeing said not lesse then 8 times at some meetings other shreds and short cutts they handle in this manner viz. let vs pray glory be to the fathers c. Lord have mercy c. Christ have mercie and many like which is meere babling and cannot be more justlie defended then the Papists beads Vncovring the head making a leg scraping on the ground such like curtesie whē Iesus is named is counted a superstitious foolish and unlawfull device a mocking of God and a beggarlie signe of obedience no lesse is standing at the Gospell a thing wickedly devised by Anastatius the Pope in the yeare 404. Their good fridayes service is vtterly disliked so the holy weeke before Easter the observation of Gang dayes or rogation weeke is wholy Popish invented by Hillarius the great Antichrist in the yeare 444. Organs and other Church Musicke they call idoll service because it serves not to any edification but drawes the mind to carnall delight besides this was a part of the Levitticall service which is now ceased in Christ and for many hundred yeares after the Apostles musicall instruments were not knowne to the Church till in the yeare 653. the old serpent by Pope Vitalianus brought vp the Organs and to have them goe about the same time that beast with Gregory Gelatius two monsters like himselfe ordained descant foreward and backward plane song and pricksong and thus was the Musick made vp just as the divel would have it Ringing of curfewes vpon Hallowe eves is like the rest yea the bels themselves as they are vsed in their assemblies are put vnto Popish vses He that first ordained them was Sabinian the great Pope in the yeare 603. And much vertue is attributed to them in popery as to stirr vp mens devotion perserve fruites put enimies to flight still tempests drive away all wicked spirits and devils c. I doe omitt to speake of many particular thinges vsed in their Cathedrall dens or Closters partlie because the reader may guesse what there is by that which hath bene said and partlie because the dung trash there is so vile and lothsome as I am not willing to blot paper therewith But there is one thing which I had almost forgotten viz their visitation of the sicke Not that it is lesse superstitious and naught then the other for the Nonconformists affirme the prescript service of it to be taken as the rest out of the masse booke and it is such stuffe as he which wrot the Altar of Damascus made himselfe merrie when he described the foolishnesse of it Thus the Assumption is sufficiently proved the conclusion therefore is certaine viz. that the worship of the English service booke is vnlawfull to be communicated with In the next Section we shall see what D Ames hath to say against this thing SECT V. FOr the readers better vnderstanding of the point to be handled in this Section I will first lay down the substance of D. Burgesses speach I have seen saith he some of the inconformists confutations meaning of the Separatists which I confesse never satisfied my consciēce for I am and ever have beene of that opinion that there can be no just confutation of them made by such of the Nonconformists as have given them their maine principles what these principles are he afterward declares viz that nothing may be established in the Church but what God hath commaunded in his word that all formes of worship not prescribed and all mere Ecclesiasticall rites are will worship c. That our ceremonies are idolatrous in the vse of them c. Which principles if I did beleeve to be true I professe in Gods presence I would proclame separation from Idolatrous worship and worshippers this day ere I slept and not halt as these men by their owne positions doe betwixt Idolatrie and Religion D. Ames answereth to this effect The confounding of mere rites with formes of worship is not ours but onely by the rej his fiction That every Church is to be vtterly condemned and so to be separated from that hath any thing in it by participation Idolatrous is made Scismaticall by a Scismaticall conceit of the Rej. c. His profession of separation this day before he stept is nothing but a Rhethoricall flourish which he would twice recall before he would separate from those that bow to the Altars or even those which worship an vbiquitarie body in the Lords supper though these are more palpablie Idolatrous in his conscience then the Ceremonies questioned are in ours Here is some thing said although not a word to the maine point in dispute which either Mr. D. saw not or else and so I rather thinke he thought it best to let it passe in silence The wordes which the Rej. takes from the Nonconformists are that all formes of worship not prescribed of God are will worships And hence inferres separation now what saith D. Ames to this nothing at all but talkes of the Rej. fictiō in confounding mere rites c. But by his leave I see no such thing in the Rej. but indeed the cause of the confusion is wholie of himselfe for D. B. layes downe formes of worship and Ecclesiasticall rites distinctly vnto both which he should distinctly have answered if his meaning had beene to satisfie judicious conscionable readers I will not here vse D. Ames comparison of 10. a Stile and 10. a Nokes but a more sober one If a woman should be brought before the Magistrate for certaine crimes as namely whoredome and some light carriage and for this her husband would be divorced now imagin that she had a proctor there to plead for her which would not mention her adulterie at all But gives som reasons why a man should not put away his wife for everie light cariage would any wise judge approve of such pleading but contrariewise give sentence on the mans behalfe D. Ames carieth the matter just so The Church of England is charged by the Nonconformists as the Rej. truely reports of false worship in it and also of som
idle ceremonies now marke reader how he pleads for his mother as touching the worship he saith nothing of it but of the rites onely which are evils a hundred fould lesse then the other Againe that every Church is not to be left which hath some thing in it by participation idolatrous I know no man holds the contrarie therefore I cannot tel for what end he speakes it much lesse why he puts a scismaticall conceit vpon the Rej. whose words if they be wel considered have substance and weight in them and not conceits to speake truely what I thinke D. Ames his conceit in framing this answer was not of the best For thus they seem to argue a Church which hath somthing in it by participation idolatrous is not to be separated from The Church of England is such Ergo. Now according to this argument no false worshippers should be left Papists Iewes nor Turkes who sees not the lightnesse of it Notwithstanding except it be this way applied for my part I cannot tell what to make of it If any object he meant that the ministerie worship and Government of the Eng. Assemblies is not so bad as to be separated from I answer this is yet to prove the which thing lay now full vpon him to doe if he would have taken the right point and not needlessly to tell us of that which no man either asked of him or doubted of 3 Though everie Church is not to be condemned c. Yet such may be the corrupt state of some as separation from them is both lawfull and necessary the Nonconformists say as much So the cause of seperation be good the separation from a companie where with we were first vnited cannot be blamed much lesse condemned of heresie The thing which the Rej. cheifelie insisted vpon was that the cause of separation from the Church of England is good if the Nonconformists principles be true what they are he names D. Ames neither saith they be true or false nor one word to any purpose vnlesse this be viz. it is not lawful vtterly to condemne and so to separate from a Church for everie thing therefore not for any thing 4. Touching the matter here insinuated against the person of D. Burg. as if he meant not to practice what he professeth I will leave it to himselfe to answer onely this I say if he and others are so minded as he writes certainly they shall find nothing in D. Ames answere to informe them otherwise But that they may safely retaine still the same opinion and separate from the Church of England when they doe beleeve the Nonconformists principles to be true 5. I wonder what moved the D. to mention onely ceremonies and to intimate as if the difference between them and the Bb. lay now mainly in this considering as he knew wel that these rites are very toyes to other things in question heare what they say The controversie betwixt vs and the Bishop is not for trifles as they would beare the world in hand as for a cap a tippet or surplusse c. But for great matters concerning a true ministerie and regiment of the Church according to the word which things once established the other would melt away of themselves Againe another thus the question is not as it is every day in publike Sermons uncharitablie upbraided about triffles and things of no weight as of variable ceremonies and matters of circumstances which yet are to be squared by the sacred Canons of holie Scripture but about matters of no small importance even about the great and weightie cause of Christs Kingdome by what lawes and offices his heritage is to be governed and protected that is of the whole disciplin of the church of Christ whether it be to be ordered by the vncertain deceivable weights of humane constitutions or by the infallible oracles of Gods most holie testimonies Others thus our principall greifes about the which alas brethren We have now too long and vnhappilie contended are that all false ministeries and false Government devised by men may be taken away and a lawfull ministerie and a right church-power restored as for the square cap and such other toyes which not without cause we disalow yet they doe not so sore wound vs as those greater and weightier matters doe from the which all the rest are derived and drawne To the like purpose Mr. Cartwright and others And are not those great and weighty things in question still Yes surelie and therefore for what reason D. Ames passeth them over without any words and speakes of toyes and triffles in comparison Let the reader judge Moreover he had little need to make himself so ignorant what the Rei meant by a principle what by separation for if he had had any list to the thing he could easilie have understood the same for in truth a child may perceive if he read the place that D. Burg. intended such principles as I before named from their writings to wit that they say they want a right ministerie worship and Church-government But the Proverbe is here true who so blind as he that will not see The author of the Preface to his booke speaketh much like thereabout this point a little there is added namelie that Christ our Teacher and his Aposiles did joyne in the Iewes worship vnto which were added many superstitions as vnlawfull as their Ceremonies Answ 1. I may use his owne words he doth not prove that which he concludeth For howsoever many superstitious traditions were used by the Iewes yet whether they were brought in and added to their sacred worship instituted of God as any parts therof is doubtfull and the contrary more probable 2. To say that Christ and his Apostles did joyne in that worship to which many superstitions were added is too presumptioeslie spoken and I wish men to be more sober and not so bouldlie to affirme such groundlesse positions to justifie a corrupt and halting practise I know D. Ames hath the like saying that Christ was present when the traditions of men were observed in Gods worship But he delivers this onely upon his owne word and therefore we may beleeve it accordingly 3. He saith these superstitions in the Iewes worship were as unlawfull as their Ceremonies What testimonie brings he for it as before none at all If such arguments will passe a man may soone have enough to fill a cart with But note here how greatly they contradict one another they said even now that their Ceremonies are such idolls as a man cannot lawfullie joyne with that worship where they are used yet here they say that they are not worse then were the superstitions in the Iews worship vnto which Christ and his Apostles joyned Now which shall a man beleeve of them not the later for he gives no reason for what he speakes but the others doe 4. If it should be all granted him howbeit he proves nothing yet it
the least circumstance in the worship of God And howsoever there may be a shew of Wisdom in voluntarie Religion Col. 2. 23. Yet beeing rightly weighed all the devises of men shall be found foolish vaine yea more then sottish in the judgement of God CHAP. III. IN this chapter we will speake of Church Government observing the former method that is first I will shew how the Nonconformists doe describe a right Ecclesiasticall discipline 2. How farre the present Ecclesiasticall discipline of England by their owne Testimonie differs from and is contrarie to it 3 Lay downe responsive conclusions 4. Answere to D. Ames objections and others which may seeme to be against the same It is certaine that Christ our heavenly Prophet hath set forth vnto vs in the new Testament the ordinarie forme and manner of ordering Churches For this sundrie reasons are given 1. otherwise the Church which is his bodie should be left maymed imperfect and voyd of some speciall furtherances and helpes for her edification and perfection but this cannot be 2. We read that vnder the Law the Lord by Moyses ordained a certaine forme which was not altered nor to be altered by any King or Preist whatsoever yea from the begining of the world even from Adam to Christ this ordinance the saints ever had as agreed best with that time for which it is served and therefore it cannot be but that Christ coming in his owne person who was the day starre and sunne of righteousnes from whence all other borrowed their light must needs teach his Church a certaine Government for the safetie and good thereof 3. We must either confesse this or else spoyle Christ of his kinglie office for what doth more belong vnto the name office and duety of a King then to give Lawes vnto his Citizens and subjects and to make such decrees and ordinances whereby all the parts of his Kingdome may be maintained 4. That which teacheth everie good way teacheth also how the Church must be governed but the word of God teacheth every good way Pro. 2. 9. Therefore it teacheth how the Church must be governed 5. No human form is sufficient or able to governe the Church of Christ wherein so many diseases are to be healed and businesses to be dispatched for the good of mens soules and preserving the people of God and vpholding the Kingdom of Christ 6. The Church is the house of God therefore it is not to be supposed since he requires vs to set our families in order and he among men is counted a carelesse vnthrift that leaves his servants to doe what they list that he will himselfe neglect to give order how both steward and children and servants should be dealt with all besides these reasons the Nonconformists alleadge the Testimonies of the learned to prove the position yea some of the Prelates best Champions D. Bilson who was Bishop somtime of Winchâ—ster saith thus We must not frame what kind of Regiment we list for the ministers of Christes Church but rather obâ—eâ—vâ— and marke what manner of externall government the Lord hath best liked and allowed in his Church from the beginning And as this Ecclesiasticall power is common to all Churches and ought to be in all for as much as they are all in dependant bodies and have privileidges alike so it is confined and bound within the Limits onely of one particular congregation and the greatest power ought not to stretch beyond the same for in truth it is a great wickednesse for any person or persons to take vpon them selves Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction over many Churches much more over whole Kingdomes and Provinces of people Touching the order or cariage for the execution of it this government is committed to a fellowship or company of Elders consisting of lawfull and true Pastors Elders deacons by whose common advise according to the precise rule of the Scriptures both the rest of the Church ought to be governed and all Church matters also ordered and determined reserving alwayes that libertie which God hath given to his Church Of the election and ordinatien of these officers we spake in the first chapter this onely may be added that if any of these shall sinne he is as subject to the Censures of the rest as any other member of the congregation If they shall all sin scandalouslie either in the execution of their office or in any other ordinarie manner then the congregation that chose them freely hath as free power to depose them and to place others in their roome And because the vse of this Church government serves for to reforme abuses the brethren therefore are to watch one over another and when any one sinneth If the offence be private he must be admonished thereof secretly and by the person alone which knowes it for except it be of necessity the fame of our brother is not to be hurte his mind provoked his offence enlarged neither suspition of reproach defamation needlesly published forth against him but if he refuse to harken then two or three other members must be taken for the purpose and such as have best judgment most abilitie to perswade and in greatest estimation with the offender and here againe love is shewed seeing his amendment is still sought for and nor his disgrace if he will not yet acknowledge his offence then must he be brought vnto the Church and there againe be lovingly admonished and soundly convinced of his fault but if he be still incorrigible will not be brought by any means to repentance then after long forbearance much waiting and great patience with greife and sorrow of the whole Church in the name of our Lord Iesus he is to be cast out of the Church and given over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh and to be held as a heathen and publican But if the offence be publike there is no vse of private admonition but it must openly be rebuked and admonished yet so that the same be don circumspectly seasoned with gravitie love meekenesse c. Alwayes ayming at the offendors safetie and not his destruction and speciall care is to be had of every weake offender with discretion of offences If for all this he remaine incorrigible then must the Church proceed against him as before Yet let it be minded that no Church governours may upon aâ—y secret informations or suggestions or private suspicions goe about to bind mens consciences to accuse themselves of such crimes and imputations as cannot by Gods word plainly be proved against them for such a course is most damnable and tyrannous and against the very Law of nature devised by Antichrist through the inspiration of the devill Moreover they ought with all patience and quietnesse to heare what every offender can possibly say for himselfe either for qualification defence apology or justification of any supposed crime or errour whatsoever they ought not to proceed to censure
and let goe scott-free and unpunished knowne Atheists Charmers Blasphemers Drunkards Fornicators Heretikes Prophaners of the Sabbath c. Notwithstanding those called Puritans which will not observe their Traditions beggarly Ceremonies shall be hurryed up downe to their spiritual courts upon every occasion and there be scorned derided taunted and reviled with odious and contumelious speaches eyed with big and sterne lookes have proctors procured to make personal invectives against them made to daunce attendance from court to court and from terme to terme frowing at them in presence and laughing at them behind their backs never leaving molesting of them till they have emptied their purses or caused them to make shipwrack of their consciences or driven them out of the Land or lastly by imprisonment starved stifled and pined them to death Thus they cherish vice correct vertue give men leave to be any thing saving good Christians Besides in these vncleane stewes all is done for mony nothing is regarded else for mony any sinne may be bought out with them but those which will not fee them shall be cursed and cast into hel for every triffle although they have done no evill at all but contrariewise for doeing that which is right and good And this is so manifest a truth as the Prelates Creatures have openlie confessed The Church Censures now a dayes doe onely touch the purse evill doers when they have payd their see returne scott free If no monie then have at the off enders with the Episcopal Sword presently at one blow they are cutt off from the Church delivered over vnto Satan proclaimed Publicans Heathens Anathema For the most ridiculous things and against every good man these brutish thunderbolts doe fly vp and downe and onely to be feared of the purse And yet this is not the greatest wickednesse which is committed by these peslilent fellowes for it is further affirmed that their learned preachers are excommunicated many times by foolish boyes No marvaile therefore their censures are not regarded and that the Nonconformists give counsell that no man should make any conscience of them for surely they are of no more effect weight or consequence then if a villaine or rogue should give sentence of death against a lawfull Prince I forbeare to mention the bawdy pleading of their Doctors and proctors in those courts and the sumners yea and Registers themselves it is so scurilous vncleane and beastly as the Nonconformists say it would greive a chast care to heare it For the Archdeacons and Chauncellours are fain to laugh it out many times when they cannot hold their countenance any longer In the writing of these things there comes to my minde a speach which a B. spake once to me in private I relating to him certaine base and inhumane cariages which they did me in his courts out of great compassion he vttered these words I pray God saith he to keepe all good men out of their hands his speach was good but in what a case is he himselfe all the while which vpholds with both hands these soule murderers their court and courses and yet in his conscience is perswaded that they are all starke naught It is not needefull that I proceed farther in this point seeing the Nonconformists doe generally affirme that their Church is still vnder the Bondage of Antichrists Government the very same false tyrannous discipline that is pourtrayed out in the Popes Canons for which cause we refuse say they to have Christ an immediate King in the immediate government of the Church so as great indignitie is offered vnto him as if some base vnderlings vnto a King should commit his beloved spouse vnto the direction of the mistresse of the stewes and enforce hir to live after the order of a brothel house I will here conclude with this argument Whatsoever is contrary to the institution of Christ and his writen word is Antichristian and is to be banished out of Church of the God But the Government by Lord Bishops with Episcopall domination is contrary to the institution of Christ and his writen word Therefore it is Antichristian and is to be banished out of the Church of God SECT III WE have heard what the Nonconformists say of their Church Government in this Section we will lay downe our conclusions from it and these are cheiflie 3. First No obedience must be yeelded to these Ecclesiast officers I say we may neither acknowledge their authority nor in any thing kind or degree partake with them in their administration but strictly avoyd the same as we would avoyd wrath and vengeance to come There is no need that I alleadge Scriptures reasons c. As before for confirmation of this seeing the Nonconformists goe with vs fully in the thing and doe affirme that men ought not to appeare in their courts neither to obey or regard their citations excommunications warrants c. Nor to receive any absolution from them in a word not to yeeld obedience to them in any one thing which comes from them as they are Bishops Archdeacons Chancellors Commiss officials c. For this were an acknowledging of them and a way to maintaine them in their vsurpation pride idolatrie covetuousnes c. Beside we should suffer men to rule then over vs at their pleasure and so not stand fast in that Christian liberty which the Lord commaunds vs to doe Moreover it is certaine a man cannot obey the Bishops Government but he must necessarily transgresse against the Lawes of the Realme and to prove this an argument may be framed thus Whosoever shall allow or countenance in word or deed any forraigne power authority or jurisdiction and more particularily of the Pope of Rome makes himselfe a transgressour to the King and to the Lawes But such as obey the Bâ— Fool. Government doe allow and countenance in word and died a forraine power authority and jurisdiction and particularly of the Pope of Rome Therefore such as obey the Bâ— Eccles Government make themselves transgressors to the King and the Lawes Both parts of the reason are evident and cleare as the light The former are of the words of the oath of Allegeance Touching the later to weet that the Prelates exercise a forraigne power authority and jurisdiction derived from the Pope We have before sufficiently proved And therefore it behoveth all the Kings subjects to looke well to this thing least they be not onely forsworne but incurre also the penaltie of the Law which is after conviction forfeitures judgements and executions due to high treason Our second inference is that the publick assemblies of England are false and Antichristian and therefore to beleft this necessarily followes vpon the former premises for if they have not the power of the censures and of excommunication but stand vnder a government which came wholy and every part from the devil and Antichrist then is their condition naught the reason is because this
power is of absolute necessity for the Churches of Christ an essentiall property therof and serves not onely for their well beeing but the beeing it selfe for without this there can be no coupling of the parts and members together And so much D. Ames testifyeth Now the assemblies of England were not gathered by any such power but in their first constitution wanted the same and had this false power which is exercised at this day as the Nonconformists doe aknowledge Our Arguments which we have used in this point have been to this effect Every true visible Church hath a power immediately vnder Christ to execute Church Government But the publike congregations of England have not any such power vnder Christ to execute Church Government Therefore they are not true visible churches What they will say to this I know not but hitherto they have either beene silent or answered to no purpose in the world For it is usually their manner to tell us how the Churches in Corinth Pergamus Thyatira c. neglected to execute discipline as though there were no difference betweene omitting to administer the ordinance and the want wholy of it yea and to have an Antichristian Divelish in the roome of it Indeed herein they well resemble children which being not able to read the lesson given them doe skip over and take another easie one So these leave altogether the point in hand which is to prove by Gods word that a true Church may want in it selfe immediate power under Christ to execute Ecclesiasticall Government and may be subject to that which was brought-in by the Romish Beast and talke of a matter which I thinke no man ever denyed It is true some have assayed to prove it but after many thoughts spent about it we have had nothing but wind from them namely of a city wiihout a wall of a vinyard garden Orchard c. Wanting a hedge fence bounds c. And such broken stuffe not worthy of any answere For where doe they read in Scripture that this power which Christ hath given to his Church is compared to a wall hedge c. But rather may be better likened to the power of the body which receives food and whereby excrements are purged and avoyded the want whereof were prodigious in nature neither could the body possiblie subsist and live And here by the way I thinke it convenient to answere breifly vnto some reprochfull passages writen by D. Laiâ—en against the Separatists he accuseth them of strange and vnsound conclusions but names nothing onely from M. Park Polit. Eccles he Englisheth a sillogisme in this manner If Discipline be so necessary and also vnchangable it is lawfull to separate from such Churches as doe not vse it say the Prelats but Discipline is vnchangablie necessary say the Separatist Ergo it is lawfull to separate from such Churches as doe not vse it The minor he grants to be true but denies the Major and to prove it false he gives this reason For want of an integrall part of the whole or of some essentiall part in it selfe though not of the whole is no sufficient ground for separation He might with more credit and good conscience have granted the Major also then sought to refute it by frothy empty and impertinent words for first he speakes as a man most ignorant of the nature of Church power for were he able truely to define it he should see that it is of such necessity as a people cannot constitute themselves in the right order of the Gospell without it as we have before expressed 2. If the Bishops Major as he termes it be wel vnderstood it caries this meaning discipline is so necessary that where it is not there can be no Church ordinances rightly administred no true ministery worship Sacraments Censures c. And it is certainly so and if M. D. have any thing to object against it let him speake out he knowes his liberty 3. If M. D. will but hold vp his words against the light he shall see they have not the face of an answere for let his words be graunted what is this to the necessity of discipline vnlesse he could prove that the same is not so essentiall but a true Church may wholy want it The which thing neither he nor any man is able to prove and therefore he only beggs baselie the matter but proves nothing and therfore for the warme cloathes whereof he speaketh he may even keepe them himself to cover the nakednesse of his Argument I will not here speake of his irreligious phrase comparing the holie way of God to hatching neither of his untruth to say that separatisme was not before B. Whitgift wrote for Ceremonies I think the man knowes better to wit that from false ministers worship c. the Saints have separated before Whit. either wrote or was borne If our practise be otherwise even by the testimonies of the Nonconf let it be manifested If this will not serve the turne let him then take knowledge of what D. Ames saith In the beginning of Queene Elizabeths Reigne there was a Company of honest men that for the Ceremonies refused to joyne with the Parish assemblies at London as appeareth in the examination of Iohn Smith W. Nixson extant in a booke called part of a Register We could prove if there were need in King Edwards Reigne that there were some good Christians which would not communicate with the Parish Assemblies but there is no use hereof seeing we have the word of God to justifie our practise There is one thing more which Mr. Dr. much talkes of and makes it even the burden of his song i. e. that the Bb. are the authors of the Separatists Scisme their practise butteth full vpon the others vnreasonable and vnsound reasoning But what if it appeare that Mr. Dr. Arguments doe lead rather to separation and that he speakes one thing and practiseth another Would not this be a strange sight especially to himselfe Now whether this be so we will here trie by some reasons in his owne mood and figure If the booke of Common-prayer vsed in the assemblies of England be an insectious Leiturgie Romish stuffe a devised service and raked out of 3 Romish Channells it is lawfull to separate from such churches as doe vse it say the Learned but the Booke of Common-prayer vsed in the Assemblies of England is an in sections Leiturgie Romish stuffe a devised service and raked out of 3 Romish Channells saith Mr. Dr. Ergo it is â—awfull to separate from such chuâ—â—hâ—â—â—s doe vse it specially when they continue obstinate and incorrigible in the practise thereof after due dealing and conviction as I suppose Mr. Dr. will freely confesse they have done even after due meanes used both by manie godly Learned from time to time now at last by himself If the ministerie of the church of England be vnlawfull and Antichristian it is lawfull to separate from it
asked sundrie needfull questions to which he having well answered and beeing found worthie by the consent of the whole Church is joyfullie to be taken into their communion and this they say was the practise of the primitive Churches For Eusebius reporteth in his Ecclesisticall Historie that a Romane Emperour named Philip who first became a Christian of all the Emperours and first submitted the Romane Empire unto Christ desireing to communicate with the rest of the Church was not admitted before he had openlie made profession of true religion When a people are thus established in the faith and order of the Gospell their care then must be to walk unreproovablie and as in the naturall body everie several member is as it were the member of every other in serving to their good as the eie doth see the hand doth take the tongue doth speak for the good of anie other member so must it be in the church of God everie person according to his place and calling ought to be as profitable unto the rest as he can and specially their godly watchfulnesse must bee to keepe their communion clean and pure and therefore no unholy person may partake with them in the holie sacraments but such onelie as farre as men can judge by their outward profession that doe belong truely unto Christ When any one among them falls into sinne he must be lovinglie admonished thereof and brought to repentance or else to be cutt of by excommunication if he continue obstinate in his sinnes How this dutie of brotherly admonition is to be performed we have already shewed this onely is to be added viz. that it ought necessarily to be practised may not be omitted for certainly the tolleration of known iniquitie is a greivous sin of the church in its own nature tendeth to the corruption thereof yea it defiles the communion Hag. 2. 13. and everie one makes himself guilty of the pollution which doth not indeavour as much as in him lyeth to remoove such offences In a word this mixture which ariseth by tolleration much hinders the comforte and edification of the godly As in all the rest so in this point the Nonconformists and we are of judgments alike and it is our greate greife that they will not joyne with us in practise also and make themselves members of such true visible churches as here they have well described for so should Gods name be glorifyed the Gospell propagated Satans and Antichrists Kingdome much weakened and themselves obtaine mercie in the great day of the Lord. They pray let thy Kingdome come but how doe they thinke that ever they shall behold the beauty and glorie therof seeing they resolve not to set their hands unto the raysing of it up but doe leave the work wholy to the Magistrate so that if the arme of flesh will not build a spirituall temple for the Lord he is likelie for their part to have none at all but whether such courses will not prove ill at last I leave it to themselves to thinke of SECT II. WE heard before what a true visible Church is now it followes that we shew how everie way contrarie to the former patterne the English assemblies are said to be by the Nonconformists First they acknowledge that their reformation at first after Poperie was not rightly founded because neither then nor ever since was there any profession of Faith publickly made by the persons which entred into Church estate but indeed it was then held and so it is at this present a sufficient thing to be members of their churches if men come to their service and Sacraments take the oath of allegeance and be conformable to their wicked Ceremonies whosoever doth this passeth for a Protestant howsoever in practise he be a Papist Arminian c. yet is he more regarded then the most sincere Christians whome they call Puritants And by this meanes it is that in the bosom of their church are swarmes of Atheists Idolaters Papists erronious and hereticall Sectaries witches Charmers Sorcerers murderers theeves adulterers lyars blasphemers oppressors voluptuous persons whose God is their bellie Moreover such is the great ignorance of God and his truth among them that the greatest multitude by many parts doe not understand the Lords prayer or the articles of Faith or the doctrine and vse of the Sacraments there are not five among five skore which doe understand the necessarie grounds and principles of Religion but many thousands which are men women growne if a man aske them how they shall be saved they cannot tell Mr. Nichols esteemed a forward preacher amongst them saith We finde by great experience and I have now five and twenty yeeares observed it that in those places where there is not preaching and private conferring of the minister and the people the most part have as litle knowledge of God and of Christ as Turks and Pagans and to prove this he gives an example in his own flock for I have beene in a parish saith he of foure hundreth communicants and marvelling that my preaching was so litle regarded I tooke upon me to conferre with every man and woman before they receaved the communion and I asked them of Christ what he was in his person his office how sinne came into the world what punishment for sinne what becomes of our bodies beeing rotten in the graves and lastly whether it were possible for a man to live so vprightlie that by well doeing he might win heaven In all the former questions I scarse found ten in the hundred to have any knowledge but in the last question scarse one but did affirme that a mau migh be saved by his owne wel doing that he trusteth he did so live that by Gods grace he should obtaine everlasting life by serving of God and good prayers And it is no wonder that the condition of the people is generallie thus seeing they thinke that all the service of God to lie in churching crossing kneeling and beeing houseled as they call it at Easter and as for preaching they hould it a superfluous and needlesse ceremonie and therefore when their service is done they take it they may Lawfullie goe out of the Church though the minister be ready to goe into the pulpitt Moreover they say that the greatest number of their people are so wicked and vile that were it not to save their purses and for the Lawes of the Kingdome which doe constraine and compel them to make some outward profession they would make none all For as Mr. Fenner saith Every man followeth the pride covetuousnesse whorâ—dâ—me drunkennesse of his own heart and no man remembreth Ioseph the barres are filled with pleadings and the streets are full of the cryes of the poore fullnesse of meat and contempt is among us and who considereth yet if this our sinne were onely against men and not against God there might be some hope But when
the mouth of the blasphemous swearer is not tyed vp and the hands of the idolatrous generation of Atheists and prophane persons be not chained when the most holie and precious word of God is manifestly contemned the joyfull and heavenly tydings of salvation so negligently and vngratefully troden vnder foot the true and faithfull messengers pursued arraigned and divers wayes afflicted then if the old world for malitious imaginations Sodom and Gomorra for pride fullnesse of meat and vnmercifullnesse If Ierusalem for abusing Gods Prophets wilsuâ—nes were dâ—stroyd what may we poor carelesse people loke for if we doe not repent but as it is allmost vniversallie feared speedy ruine and vtter desolation Another saith What Christian heart is so stony that doth not mourne what eye so dry that doth not shed teares yea rather gush out with teares to consider and behold the miserie of our supposed glorâ—â—us Church by the spirituall nakednesse blindnesse and povertie thereof I meane the great ignorance the superficiall worship of God the fearefull blasphemies and swearings in houses and streets so also the direfull cursings the open contempt of the word and Sacraments the wicked prophanations of the Lords dayes the dishonour of superiours the pride the crueltie the fornications the covetuousnesse the vsâ—ries and other the like abominations allmost as greivous as either heretofore in the time or now in the places of poperie when and where there was no preaching at all of the Gospell It is also further testifyed that the holy thinges among them are prostituted and sett open to adulterers fornicators drunkards and all kind of vicious and sinful livers They sett no porters at their church dores to keepe out the polluted but every uncleane person is permitted to enter freely I say all may come boldlie to the Lords supper they looke after nothing but this that they kneele which if they doe but observe be their life and religion then what it will it matters not Thus are the misteries of God prophaned in that they communicate with Papists other unclean people To draw unto a conclusion not onlie are their congregatioÌ„s said to be vnrightly constituted to be impure vnholy lumps but which is the depth of misery they have no meanes as they stand of reformation for the wholesome remedies appointed by the Lord to keep out unworthie persons to preserve pure and cleane Gods ordinances and to take away offences is not among them and here the reader may see what the reason is that they say the walls of Syon ly even with the ground and they have not scarse the face of a Church For if it be as these men report it is Babel no Bethel which they have erected I could name others of them which write the same things but we have enough to rayse our conclusion the which I will lay downe thus All true visible churches gathered and planted according to Gods word consisted in their constitution of Saints onelie But the Churches of England after Poperie were not so constituted but on the conirarie for the greatest number of prophane people even mockers and contemners of religion as Atheists Idolaters Sorcerers Blasphemers and all sorts of miscreants and wicked livers Therefore the Churches of England are not true visible churches gathered and planted according to Gods Word There is never a part of this argument that they can denye unlesse they will let fall their owne Principles For the assumtion I make no question but it will passe without exception and none of them will have the face to oppose it considering how generally the thing hath been affirmd stil is upon all occasioÌ„s both in word and writing Now that the Proposition may appeare as true also I will prove the same 1. by Scriptures 2. by reasons 3. by the testimonie of the Learned Of all which in the next Section SECT III. IF we take a strict view of all the Churches which the Lord hath constituted since the beginning of the world it will appeare that at the orderly gathering and planting the members of them were all holie and good I here intend of visible external holinesse and so farre as men may judge and not of that which is within and and hid from us For I doubt not but in Gods sight the purest congregation on earth might consist at first of good and bad and yet of men every person to be judged truely faithfull and sanctified untill any one by his iniquitie outwardly committed appeared otherwise Not to speake of the Church of Angells which God created in heaven and which were all holy and good till some by transgression fell away Neither of it in Paradise consisting of two persons both true beleevers After the fall the constitutioÌ„ of theâ— church in the covenant of grace was of good matter such was the Lords care to have the practise of it still preserved that he thrusted out Kain from the same for the great wickednesse which he fell into The Lord sealed not up with Abraham the seale of the righteousnesse of faith untill he left his Fathers house and that idolatrous place wherein he had lived which signifieth to us that all men must necessarily come out of the world and from worldlie corruptions or else they are uncapable to have a Church covenant in Christ confirmed unto them of God As for the visible Churches planted by the Apostles it is evideÌ„t that in their collectioÌ„ they consisted of such none other as were called by the Gospell confessed their sinnes beleeved walked in the spirit and separated themselves from the false state in which they stood members before Such a beginning had the congregations in Rome Corinth Galatia Ephesus Phillipp Colosse Thessalonica c. who dares affirm that there was one man or woman admitted a member at the constitution of any of these Churches which had beene known to be an il liver and did not first manifest sound repentance thereof The matereall Temple was a tipe of the visible churches under the gospel now we read that it was built from the verie foundation of costly stones of Cedars Algum Fiâ—â—e and the like choice and speciall trees and those all prepared aforehand hewed and perfect for the building so that neither hammer nor axe nor anie toole was to be heard in the house in the building of it no common or vile thing was used towards it neither might anie polluted person enter into it and offer untill he had repented and embraced the faith and been clensed from his filthinesse by the gates of the house were Porters sett to keep the unworthy out Vpon the Altar there might be offered no uncleane beast no nor that which was cleane having a blemish upon it What in all this was signifyed Surely this Such as will build a spirituall house for the Lord to dwell in must be a holy people for he is of that infinite puritie that
he will not vouchsafe his speciall presence unto profane companies which joyne themselves together and therefore let it be farr from all men to prepare a place for him with such trash or to defile his holy things with such uncleane persons or to offende his nostrels with the stench of such sacrifices The reasons upon which our proposition is grounded are these 1. All wicked men are forbidden expresslie by the word of God from meddling with his covenant or ordinances Now if men to escape temporall punishment are affraid to transgresse against the Lawes of worldly Princes Much more fearefull should they be to breake his who is the King of Kings and will inflict for it upon their soules and bodies torments eternallie 2. That which destroyeth a Churchâ— and makes it either to become a false Church or no church at all cannot be a true Church or be true matter wherof it is made but men visiblie wicked and prophane make the Church a Synagoge of Satan Babylon Sodom Aegypt and so to be spued out and removed 3. It is against sence and common reason that a Church should be constituted of vnholie People For as in a materiall house the wood and stones must be first prepared and then laâ—d orderlie in the building So in the spiritual men and women must by the word of God necessarily be first reformed before they are any way fitt to have any place therin 4. They which have no right to the holy things of God in the church are not to be admitted into it neither is that Church which is gathethered of such persons rightly constituted But men of wicked conversation have no right to the holy things of God in the Church and therefore that Church which is gathered of such is not rightly constituted 5. They cannot performe the services and duties of members for they are spirituallie dead If a master will not covenant with one to be his servant which hath in him no natural life much lesse c. 6. They have not Christ for their head and therefore cannot be of his bodie For as in the natural bodie there must be first a natural union of the parts with the head before there can be any action of natural communion between the head and the members or one member and another So in this spiritual bodie the members must be first united with Christ the head and become one with him before they can any way partake in his benefits or have communion one with another as members of the same body under him the head 7. They are altogether uncapable of this covenant For as a woman which hath been once a wife cannot mary againe with another man untill her first husband be deceased or she from him lawfullie divorsed so neither can these be maried to the Lord till they have mortifyed their corruptions and put the world and Satan away unto which before they were as it were maried 8. The Godlie and wicked are contraries guided and led by different causes Now two contraries are not capable of one and the same forme Thirdly for this we have the judgment of the learned also There must be saith Molierus a profession of true religton and obedience yealded thereto at least outwardly to become a member of the visible Church Beza saith He is rightly joyned to the church which separates himselfe from the wicked Paul calls the Romans Saincts saith Aretius to put a difference between their former estate wherein they lived which was unholy and impure and the condition to which they were now called Piscator affirmes The matter of a particular church to be a companie of beleevers Mr. Iacob in his definition of Christs true visible Church saith that those which joyne in a spiritual outward society or body Politick together must be a faithfull people Mr. Bradshaw saith they must be a people called and separated from the world and the false worship and wayes thereof by the word The same speaketh Mr. Attersoll and alleageth these Scriptures for it Gen. 4. 26 and 12. 1. Iosh 24. 2. 3 23. 7. 8. Num. 6. 2. Lev. 20. 24. 26. Ioh. 15. 19. Act. 2 40. 41. I could name many others which write the same thing but there is no use thereof Onelie it cannot be amisse to shew how the Church of England makes this an Article of her Faith as the Prelates have published it in her behalfe The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of Faithfull men in the which the pure word of God is preached and the Sacraments dulie be ministred according to Christs Ordinance in all those things that of necessitie are requisite to the same Thus the Proposition beeing proved and the assumption acknowledged to be true the conclusion must needs stand firme viz. that the Churches of England are not true visible churches rightly gathered and planted according to the Scripture and therefore by necessarie consequence lawfully to be separated from Before I end this point I will here lay downe some few Syllogismes intyrelie made up betweene the Inconformists and Conformists all concluding the forenamed position That Church which hath not a Lawfull ministery is not a true visible Church But the Church of England hath not a Lawfull ministerie Ergo the church of England is not a true visible church The proposition is affirmed of the Conformists as Burton Sutcliffe c. The assumption is granted by the Nonconformists as we have in the first chapter largelie shewed The true visible church of Christ is a society of beleeving and Faithfull people and a communion of Saints so say the Conformists but the church of England is not a society of beleeving and Faithfull people a communion of Saints thus write the Nonconform see p. 169. c. Ergo the church of Engl. is not a true visible church The true church is the Kings daughter described in Psal 45. But the church of England is not the Kings daughter so described Therefore the church of England is not the true church of Christ The Proposition is laid downe by the Conformists wherby they prove Rome a false Church The assumption is the Nonconformists For if they say the truth their members have not those qualities belonging to the Kings daughter neither their Preists nor people See pag. 15. 16. 39. 137. 169. 170. The true church of Christ is the Flock of Christ but the church of England is not the true Flock of Christ Therefore the church of England is not the true church of Christ. The proposition say the Conformists is undeniable Son 1. 6. 7. Act. 20. 28. Ioh. 10. 16. The assumption is proved by the Nonconformists Principles compared with Ioh. 10. 3. 4. 27. Christs flock heare his voyce and know it follow it but the Church of England submitting to an vnlawfull ministerie worship and discipline heare not Christs voyce nor know nor acknowledge nor follow it but
the voyce of Antichrist The church of God doth keep the doctrine of the Apostles Prophets without addition alteration or corruption thus the Conformists But the Church of England keepes not the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets without addition alteration and corruption say the Nonconformists see pa. 108. Ergo she is not the church of God No society can be termed Gods church which retayneth not Gods true worship thus say the Conformists But the church of England doth not retayn Gods true worship say the Nonconformists see pag. 78. to 113. Ergo she cannot be termed Gods church The true church consisteth not of feirce Lyons Wolves Tygers and such like wild and feirce beasts but of sheepe and Lambes which learne of Christ and are meeke humble gentle c. so say the Conformists But the English church doth consist of Lyons Wolves Tygers and such like wild and feirce beasts and not of sheepe and Lambes which learne of Christ and are mâ—eke humble gentle c. thus affirme the Nonconformists see pag. 31. c. 145. 169. 170. therefore it is not a true Church Here the reader seeth clearly how the Conform majors and the Nonconform minors make up intyre Syllogismes of Separatisme And how they will be able to unlose these knots I know not except by revoking utterly their owne grounds which if either of them doe yet I doubt not but we shall well enough be able to maintaine them against men SECT IV. NOw we come to take a view of such exceptions as may seeme to cary most weight against our former conclusion And these are laid down cheifly by Mr. Dayrell in his treatise of the Church this man made a shift to fill up there with words above thirty sheets of paper The which subject if some men had tooke in hand they would easily have comprised all the matter of it in 12. or 14. leaves My purpose is not to follow him in his idle repetitions neither to speake much of his contradictions absurdities but in short to give a full answer to his tedious tyresome discourses Touching the description which he makes of a visible church he saith thus All that be and remaine vnder the voyce and call of God that is the ministerie of the word c. be of the visible church Answ This is a false and prophane errour for first then the vilest Hereticks that ever have beene in the world may be members thereof as the Appellites Cerdonians Macedonians Paternians Patricians c. such as held two contrarie beginnings or Gods the one good the other evill such as held that Christ is not rysen from the dead denyed the Holy Ghost to be God affirmed the bodie to be created of the devill c. 2. Then may excommunicate persons be of the church before they acknowledge their sinnes yea Tuâ—â—es Iews and Infidles 3. Whereto leadeth this Position but indeed to make the Church a very stincking ditch to receave all filthinesse and to be like the whorish woman which openeth her knees to every passenger contrarie to the patterne given us of God Rev. 21. ult 4. If this were true then should no man for any offence be censured so long as he remaines vnder the voyce and call of God For that which is enough to state one in the Church is enough to keepe him there still if he retaine it 5. He speakes contrary to the judgement of all Reformists and Conformists that ever I have heard or read of and contrarie to his owne writing in other places for in pag. 22. 35 c. he defines a Church to be a company called out from the rest of the world and such as doe submit themselves to the true worship of God Now there is a great difference betweene this calling from the world submitting to the true worship of God c. and onely to be under the ministerie of the word 6. I cannot tell from whom Mr. Dayr receaved this strange doctrine unlesse it were the Heretick Eunomius which taught that so men were of his religion it was no matter what their conversation was nor how many sinnes they committed He doth often affirme in his booke that it is not Faith and repentance but the Profession thereof which is necessarie to the making of a member of the visible Church Marke how blasphemously he speakes intimating if men with their mouth speake some few good wordes they may be taken lawfullv into the Communion of the Saints and partake with the rest in the Sacraments and Prayer All be it knowne to be notorious murderers theeves traitors sorcerers witches whoremoungers c. and so resolved to live and continue It is very likely this Mr. Dayr had a great Church seeing he made the doore unto it broad and wide just like the way to hell I could here lay down many grosse absurdities which might be truly concluded from his words viz. that a Church cannot cast out some obstinate sinners neither is she and the world to be distinguished c. but because the vanitie and evill of this speach is enough allready shewed I purposely passe them over We have seene one of Mr. Dayr definitions now followes another Let there be an assembly joyned together in prayer hearing the word and receaving the Sacraments according to Christs institution and it is a true visible Church Answ It is so indeed and hence this argument against them may be framed If in the Ecclesiastical Assemblies of England there is neither prayer preaching nor sacraments administred according to Christs institution then are they all false Churches But the first is true therefore the second The proposition hath sufficient confirmation from their Principles before named the assumption is certaine and manifest by the doctrine and description which he here makes of a true visible church and there lyeth against it no exception In the next page he delivers a Paradox viz. that men outwardly may submitt to true worship and yet be irreligious and prophane Now this is either falsely or foolishly spoken If he meane of visible prophanesse and irreligion then it is a contradiction and indeed plaine Nonsence for to say that a person may outwardlie submitt to God and yet outwardlie be prophane and ungodly If he intended of secret and inward irreligion of the heart In this sence it is true but answereth nothing at all to the matter for which he brings it Here also he layeth downe Mr. â—insw wordes as he saith unto which he makes no direct reply but runnes to another matter whereof he had now no cause at all to speake He denyeth that either the Papists or Anabaptists doe professe true Religion although they professe some true and sound doctrine What moved him thus to thinke I know not unlesse it were because these have many errours in their religion Now if this reason will stand firme and good against them then it must needs follow that the Church of England professeth
not true religion though she profâ—sse some true and sound doctrins in regard she maintaineth many lyes and vile errours Mr. Gilbâ—e a forward minister reckoneth up above seven score grosse points of poperie remaining in their Church and many others of them have don the like as I have in this treatise manifested And I think it would aske a better witt and head then ever Mr. Dayr had to proove that there are halfe so many corruptions in the religion professed by the Eng. Anabaptists From pag 41. to 51. there are certaine reasons as he calls them to prove the Church of Eng. and their Parish assemblies true visible churches As for the first of them I deny both the Proposition and Assumption He saith Whatsoever people or nation is within the dayly voice and call of God c. the same is a true visible Church This is untruelie affirmed as I have proved before and for his speaking of it againe it sheweth the more his ignorance in the way of God For will any wise man take Lyons Wolves Foxes c. into his sheepsould sow tares or darnel in his garden plant thistles or thornes in his Orchard The Church is the Lords speepcfowld his garden orchard c. and therefore if Mr. Dayr had been so wise as he should he would not have spoken so corruptly but have given rather counsell to keepe out vncleane persons considering what the Prophet saith Holynes becommeth thy house o Iehovah to length of dayes Againe we may perceive by his wordes that he understood not the nature of a visible Church For as to the constitution of it there belongs a holie people as the matter so also a uniting and coupling of them together which is the forme whereof it consisteth As the constitution of a common wealth or of a cittie is a gathering and knitting of people together in a civill Policie so the Constitution of the common wealth of Israel as the Church is called and of the cittie of God the new Ierusalem is a gathering and uniting of people into a spiritual Policie The forme of which Policie is order as the Philososophers acknowledged calling Policie an order of a citty which Order is requisite in every administration of the Church as the Apostle teacheth and cheifly in the collection thereof And therefore next unto Faith in God it is to be esteemed most necessarie for all holie societies This was one thing for which Paul rejoyced in the Church at Collosse as for their steadfast Faith in Christ so their Order also But Mr. Dayr will have his Church without Order or Forme and what is it then but a meere atâ—xie or confuse Chaos a state onlie fitt for the devills Goates to be in which desire liberty and not for Christ sheepe which are to make streight pathes to their feet He saith there lyeth no exception against the Assumption And why so because their Pastors and Teachers are true ministers Me thinkes the man should have beene ashamed to have begd so much at one time But to let his folishnesse passe we do deny them to be lawfull Officerâ— and have brought their owne hands against them for it Secondly he writes here against his brethren yea and I thinke against his owne conscience For the greatest number of their Bb. Preists Deacons are dumb dogs ignorant asses c. such as either cannot or through pride sullnesse bread and abundance of idlenesse Sodomes sinnes will not preach and therefore it is untruely said that the people generally of England are within the dayly voyce and call of God 3. The later part of his reason is wholie against himselfe sor whereas his wordes import that the people generally of England are impenitent sinners and unbeleevers it must follow necessarily that they are alltogether uncapable of any Church estate and so much we have formerly proved Were it not a ridiculous thing to set up a house with wood and stones and afterward to take Axes Sawes Hammers and other tooles to cutt saw and fitt them for the building yet such an unskilfull builder Mr. Dayr sheweth himselfe in his whole booke For hee will have idolaters adulterers theeves conjurers murderers and any villain in the Land to be placed in the Lords spirituall house and afterward will have meanes used to prepare them for the same Not to contend about the proposition of his second argument howbeit it is verie faulty I denie the assump viz. that the people of England doe injoy and outwardly submit themselves to the true worship of God for the worship which they have is affirmed of the Nonconformists to be antichristian and unlawfull but let us heare his reason If such as both in their life and at theire death served God with the verie same worship we doe have in that worship beene saved then iâ— the worship wee now have true divine worship But the first is true therefore the second If Mr. Bradshaw had found such a reason in Mr. Iohnsons writing he would surely have called him idle head crackt braind foole c. but I leave such terms to men of his intemperate spirit and doe thus answer 2. A Papist Arminian or Anabaptist may say as much and upon as good ground and who dares denie but manie of their religion have found mercie with the Lord must it therefore follow that their worship is good indeed Mr. Dayr logick so concludeth it 2 Men may serve God with an outward worship not agreeable to his word and yet be saved for who knoweth how infinitely good hee is to his poore creature 3. It is apparent this man had a very ill case in hand that could not tell how to maintaine it but by revealing the secret and hid consell of the Lord for I wonder how he came to know who in their worship have beene saved if he should say in the judgement of charitie he thinkes thus then his argument must be of an another fashion namely that he thinkes their worship is true for otherwise it will want shape and proportion 4. It hath beene the constant practice of the godly to proove their positions by the scriptures but it is likely he saw that there was no helpe for him there and therefore onely makes use of this reasonlesse reason His third argument is foolish and carnall and both parts of it false For first it is incident to the best and purest Churches upon earth to erre and to bee deceived and therefore their sentences and approbations must be examined by Gods word 2. If the reformed Churches doe justifie the English therein they condemne greately their owne practice for in theire constitution ministery worship and governement they are as opposite as light and darkenesse one to the other and so much the Nonconformists confesse 3. Seeing the Prophets Christ and his Apostles condemne their Church their case is never a whit the better though all men in the world speake well of it 4. The
and other nations were mooved by Gods workes shewed in Egypt to go out with the Israelites notwithstanding that they should bee all taken into actuall communion with the Church it is onely his dreame and no such thing can be truely gathered from the place but the contrary is most probable as I could if there were any use give many reasons for it see Numb 11. 4. And the like may be said unto the place in Est â— 17. and this also further added how he knew if any were received into the fellowship of the Saints that the word of God was not preached unto them by some meanes in one measure or other before their admission As for the other texts namely Iohn 2. 23. and 4. 39. and 6. 26. His alleaging of them plainely notes that his knowledge was not much in these Scrip. Fort. Christ did not there coÌ„stitute any visible Church 2. The persons there spoken of were most of them members by birth of a true Church 3. Howsoever the things which hee mentioneth as miracles reports c. were great meanes to confirme the Gospel and to draw people unto the hearing of the word notwithstanding the word alone was the instrument Gods blessing going with it whereby the people were brought unto faith and repentance Ioh. 4. 42 4. But wherefore doth he instance these examples seeing they are extraordinary and therefore if it should be granted as hee ignorantly understands the places yet it will not follow that there is any other outward ordinary meanes to call men out of the world beside the word now of this ordinary meanes speakes the definition onely 5. Observe how the exception which he makes here against us serves nothing to helpe his case for if all the persons which he names were received into the visible Church and say it was by some other meanes beside the word that mooved their hearts to obey the Lord therein yet how can he proove that these were outwardly wicked and irreligious knowne to be Idolaters drunkards sorcerers mockers lyers blasphemers c. For unlesse he can manifest this if all the rest were granted yet will it not stead him a whit to justifie the state of the English Church which was erected after popery as hee could not deny of such vile varlets and uncleane creatures It is therefore worth the noting what ill speede Mr. Dayr hath still in all his testimonies and witnesses for after he hath puld them in at the window or backdoore by the haire of the head yet this is his crosse either they stand up against him or are quite dumb and speake not a word touching the point for which he brings them We heard what the reasons are why Mr. Dayrell disliked our definition Now before we come to the last part of his booke there is somthing to be said touching the manner which he layes downe of making of Churches by the sword about this he begins with a tedious comparison of one that hath children and servants which be papists and by threats will have them worship God aright thereupon they frequent the Church assemblies and seeme outwardly to be religious and are to be accounted of the visible church and yet these came not to be of the Church by the call of the word c. now may the master and father doe this and may not the magistrate c. Ans 1. Howsoever parents and masters are to use all good means that those which are under their government may be religious holy yet have they not anie more power to make them members of Gods Church if they be not under the visible covenant then they have power to give them saving grace sanctification 2. Whereas he saith these come not to be of the visible Church by the call of the word that is untrue For howsoever a person may come to the place where a Church is yet his comming simplie there doth not immediately make him an actuall member of it as he still ignorantly intimates For those of his brethren which were farre more judicious then himselfe doe teach otherwise when men doe profitt in hearing then are they to be joyned to the Church But it seemes if Heathen Turkes would have but come to his service and preaching he would have acknowledged them to be part of his flock albeit they manifested no repeÌ„tance at all If he should say no then were he contrarie to his owne saying here 3. This Similitude is against himselfe For first the Magistrate did not commaund the Subjects to goe unto Churches formerly gathered and there to be prepared by hearing but forded them to be members they beeing altogether and every way most unfitt 2. The worship which they did was not according to Gods word but after the traditions and devises of men 3. They neither outwardly seemed religious nor renounced Poperie nor professed true religion but in all this plainely shewed the contrarie as we have before proved by their owne writings After this he makes a long narration to justify this compulsion by the practise of the â—ings of Iâ—dah now this point by others hath beene so fullie answered as one would thinke that Mr. Dayr should never have had the forehead once to have named it except he had been more able to refute their arguments For answere to it I deny that there is any true proportion between this Example and the thing unto which they doe apply it 1. The Iewish Church was nationall but such are none now under the Gospell neither Provinciall nor Diocesan as the Nonconformists doe say and prove 2. Howsoever Iud. .h fell fearfully into sinne yet by vertue of the Lords covenant with her forefathers faithfully on his part remembred and kept remained still the true Church of God and was not as Israel quite broken-off and therfore the Magistrate compelled not the people to be members but to perform the duties thereof they beeing members truly before Indeed if either Hezechiah Iosiah Asa or Nehemiah had forced the Fdomites Aegyptians Babylonians c. into the holy Temple and there to have sacrificed to the Lord it had been something like unto their practise For the English nation coÌ„sisting of many sheires citties townes and villages was never within the Lords covenant holy in the roote as Iudah was Howbeit it may be many hundred yeares past there were some true churches planted in the Land by the preaching of the Gospell and obedience of faith 3. The ministerie worship and church government unto which Iudah submitted was the Lords and the contrarie abolished by her good Governours as the reader may see by these scriptures But neither in the beginning of King Edwards or Q. Elizabeths raigne was there such a course taken but the selfe same false ministerie worship and church government left to stand which the Romish beast had before devised and is at this day used in his cursed Kingdome onely some few faults put out and this themselves when
they write against the Hierarchie doe avouch boldly 4. If we consider the Preists and people of the Iewes it will appeare evidently that there is no agreemeÌ„t or liknesse in the coÌ„parison For these separated themselvs froÌ„ the filthines of the heathen of the land confessed their sinns humbled their soules by fasting and prayer before the Lord sanctifyed themselves prepared their whole heart to seeke God made a covenant with him frejoyced at the oath kept the passover with joy But the English at first in every particular were much unlike these people as appeares by the great rebellions which they made in many places because they thought that their idolatrous service should be put downe Yea so unwilling were they to leave their idolatrie as the Magistrate was saine to informe them by a proclamation how they did mistake his reformation It seemes to you saith he speaking of their Mattens and Evening song that you have a new Service now indeed it is no other but the olde the selfesame words in English which were in Latin saving a few things taken out so fond that it had been a shame to have heard them in English c. If therefore the Service in the Church was good in Latin it remaineth good in English for nothing is altered but to speake with knowledge that which was ignorantly before uttered To be short I would have them once to tell us where they have learned to inforce and constraine men to be members of their Churches I thinke they will not finde a president for it in the world unlesse they take it from Mahomets doctrine who taught that men should be compelled to the faith by warre and sword For all reformed Churches practice otherwise There are no swine and dogs driven in among the Godly but whosoever joynes comes freely and voluntarily to them sometimes Mr. Dayr and his brethren are all for these Churches but when they see that their owne standing must needes be naught and foule if the others be justifyed then they will call back their words againe and plead corruptly for themselves Mr. Dayr hath one string yet left to his bow the which if it should be broken too then all the shooting would be mard Be it granted saith he that all our parish assemblies were at first no true Churches c. yet notwithstanding now they may be and indeed are true seeing that ever since above fifty yeares we have beene partakers of the true word and Sacraments and many of us effectually called thereby and to drive this nayle into the readers head he layes downe a similitude thus There are many men in a house but gotten into it not through the doore whereby is the ordinary passage into it but by some back doore or through the window or haply at some breach violently made into the same house were it not extreame folly or rather madnesse because of this manner of entrance to deny the inbeing of the aforesaid men in the house Answ A man fallen into the water will rather catch at a mote theÌ„ willingly sinke it is just so with this Mr. Dayr being loth to fall under the controversie which inconsiderately he took up he talks of this thing and that the which if they should be judiciously weighed would be all fouÌ„â— as lâ—ight as vanity To reply breifly for it is not worth a long answer First if their Churches were false in the Constitution then are they so still because they stand in the very same state and have not repented of the evill thereof neither since have entered into any visible covenant with God by publick and voluntarie profession of faith If two persons should make an adulterous covenant who would deeme them to be Lawfully man and wife so long as they stood by vertue of that false agreement which they made at first together 2. Their having of the word and Sacraments proves no more their Churches to be true then doth a true mans purse in the hand of a theife prove him to be an honest man As the Lords Vessels were of old in temporall Babilon so are there sundry of his Ordinances now in spirituall Babiâ—â—n and therefore the Papists can say the like and all other Hereticks if any should reply but these have the word preached in an vnlawfull ministery and the Sacraments vnrightly administred I answere the same may be said of the English assemblies as the Nonconform have soundly proved 3. What their obedience is the reader may partly guesse by comparing their profession and practise together The former is shewed in this treatise and what the later is all may see it at home by their doings in England As the Prophet said of Israâ—l let them lift up their eyes to the high places and behold where they have not plaid the harlot I could give many instances to shew what small cause they have to boast of their order and manner of walking For first they are not a people separated and called from the world a dutie much urged in the scriptures and practised allwayes by the saints 2. They are not free but stand most slavishly under strange Lords expresly against Gods commaundement 3. They worship the Lord not in the sincere order of the Gospell but after an Idolatrous and Popish manner which is a fearfull and crying iniquity 4. Add hereunto the knowledge which many of them have that these things are evill It is the saying of King Iames that the Puritans are the founders and fathers of the Brownists the later saith he only boldâ—y putting in practise what the former doc teach but dare not pâ—rforme For what end he wrote this I let it passe but the words in part are true Our separation from the Church of England is by their grounds certainly good and lawfull and therefore they say and doe not Now what the reason of it is I know not unlesse to enjoy libertie pleasure profiâ—t freinds credit and such wordly respects I doe omitt the fearefull apostasies which sundry of them have made from that obedience unto which they were come some for wives others for riches and many to avoyd persecution for the crosse of Christ Besides whome doe they take for greater enemies then the Separatists And why because as the King said these boldly put in practise what they doe teach but dare not performe And for this verie thinge many of us have receaved most greevous injuries both from their tongues and hands but the Lord forgive them for it 4. Be it granted that som of them are effectually called what then doe these make all the rest holie not in the least for as a handfull or bundle of corne shuffled into a feild of weeds though in it selfe it may retaine the same nature yet cannot make the feild a cornefeild so neither can a few good Christians sanctifie the whole lump of the idolatrous vile multitude in the Land and make them to
consent of a true Church and such were those of whom Mr. Bradsh speaketh if there be any truth in his relation 5. If some do swerve from some observances which the Law requires yet is not their calling hereby the more true and lawfull for if Monkes and Friars do not keepe sometimes all their rules and orders yet are they notwithstanding the divels and Popes officers even so c. 6. Though their Law intend not such a proper priesthood as was in the Iewish Church nor as in all respects is now under the Romish beast yet this helpes nothing their cause seeing it both tendeth and establisheth such a ministerie as by their owne confession is directly against the word of God 7. Touching their Parsons Vicars Stipe ndaries Chaplins c. wee have prooved from their writings that these names and offices come wholly from the divell and Antichrist and therefore his pleading for Baal is altogether here unusefull as to say All is one kinde of ministery and in this respect they are Parsons and in that respect Vicars c. for as much may a Papist say of their Parsons Vicars c. and as true too If therefore he would have justified these men he should first have manifested that his brethren have notoriously slandred their ministery so have taken quite away their reasons by shewing better and not needlessely to bring in a tale which neither helpes him nor hurts us 8. His conclusion is piâ—tifull for instead of satisfaction he leaves his Reader more doubtfull then before in regard of an exception which he makes thus If they duely execute the same meaning the office of true Pastors now what if they doe not this as indeed they doe not what be they then To this he saith nothing neither will I inferre any thinge but leave it as a Quaere to be answered by him which shall next write in the behalfe of Mr. Bradsh Before I make answer unto the particular things in these pages I will lay downe some generall observations touching the manner of this mans writing both here and in the rest of his booke 1. Haveing nothing with any shew to object like a bold sophister he makes a flat denialls of expressed truths as thus I say it is false I deny it c. as if the weight of an argument were sufficiently removed by empty denials 2. His proofs are allwayes beggarly I sayes or ifs and may be soes and doth not in all his writing either directly or by sound consequence from the scripture confirme any one thing whereof he speaketh 3. Although in the course of his life he made shew to be a great enimy of the Bb. and their traditions yet now against us he standeth to maintaine the vilest abominations in their Churches 4. Such corruptions as the Nonconformists generally have condemned he basely here justifieth and by the same carnall and corrupt reasons which the Prelates use to doe so that his writing is not more against us then against themselves and therefore it concerneth them as much as us to set forth an answer unto it 5. As Mr. Dayr in his booke hath shewed much ignorance and contradiction no lesse hath he great hypocrisie in pleading for such evills as some which knew him doe well know that his judgement of them at least of many of them was wholy otherwise It is true the report goes that he was not the proper author of it but another did it and gott him to father it This may be so and it is probable enough notwithstanding Mr. Brandsh evill is not the lesse if he should suffer any one as the Asse did Balaam to ride upon him for to curse the Israel of God Now to answer the things particularly Answ 1. When we know what those accessarie parts bee which true Pastors and teachers may have of their offices callings and administrations not ordained by Christ we will speak more of that point in the meane time they may doe well to consider that they want not the accessarie only but indeed the substanciall and essenciall parts of true offices c. this they theÌ„selvs doe not barely say but soundly prove to coÌ„fute this Mr. Bradsh hath nothing in all his writing and therefore their owne arguments must needs stand in force untill they doe revoke them and bring better to the contrary 2. Whether the Prelates be ordinarie or extraordinarie ministers it is not material and therefore the distinction is idle and impertinent For if their office and calling be false devilish Antichristian c. as the Nonconformists say we will give Mr. Bradsh leave to place them in what order or degree he will and yet his cause shall be never the better by it but observe howsoever some time he undertakes to justifie their standing yet here by a wile which he useth they are left to shift for themselves 3. He could not prove when he was alive that either the prastise of all the Preists in the Church of Rome in all things was according to that constitution or their constitution according to their practise or either of them answereable to the strict termes of the Law What then might not he therefore conclude any thing generally against the unlawfullnesse of their ministry his wordes import positively no but we are sure yes so will every wise man I think beside himselfe affirm too Notwithstanding his Tenets usually doe lead unto such absurdities 4. He either through ignorance or deceit speakes besides the present question For Mr. Iohns to proove them false ministers mentioneth their calling and entrance according to their Pontisicall now to this he saith nothing but talkes of their practise the which if it should be granted to be otherwise then the Law requires yet it is nothing to the purpose for which he bringeth it Would it not make some men laugh if they should heare one that is accused to be a bastard To maintaine the contrarie by this reason viz. because he doth such duties as those children doe which are borne under wedlock The thing which Mr. Iohnson affirmeth from their owne writing is that their ministerie begotten by the Prelates is illegitimate and false I say those which take their offices and callings from them are bastardly ministers Now marke good reader how handsomly Mr. Bradsh makes an answere to it He cannot prove saith he that the practise of all our ministers is in all things according to the constitution c. What then yet seeing he proves your ministerie by your owne confession to be a Child of the Whore it must needs be still a bastard whether the practise of it be good or evill 5. I doe deny that those administrations which are performed by their Popish Canons and booke of common prayer are the maine principall and essentiall administrations which Christ hath ordained For first these allow of no true Pastors and Teachers 2. Require the Sacraments to be unlawsully administred Lastly command an
their ministers may take vpon them civill Magistracy any true Pastors may take vpon them the same authoritie To this I say in his owne words what a shamelesse man is this to affirme such vntruths for concerning the first he slaundereth the state and in the other he puts the lie on the writings of his brethren which testifie otherwise 3. Whether they be made civil Magistrats by the favour or grace of Princes as he speakes or any other way it is nothing to the purpose seeing the thing in it selfe is every way and alltogether unlawfull 4. When they have proved themselves to be true Pastors Teachers then there will be a fitt place to shew whether the admitting of a civil officeâ— doe change the nature of a Church ministery or no. Here Mr. Bradsh in plaine termes casteth his brethren off and good reason too for he sees that either he must wholy renounce their Principles or conclude with them that their ministery is unlawfull But he tels us that he is not bound to their opinions Well neither I thinke are they to his And now seeing he and they are thus parted let us a little consider whose of their opinions in likelyhood are the truest and best to be embraced Touching the former I mean the Nonconformists to say nothing of their number zeale learning knowledge sufferings for the truth c. In all which they farre exceeded him not onely doe they affirme their ministery to be false but as I have often said and also shewed out of their bookes they prove by good arguments the thing to be so But as for Mr. Bradsh he delivers his opinion upon his owne word and if we will not take that we must have nothing nay truely many times we cannot have his word sor he turnes his tale so often forward and backward as no man can tell where when or how to beleeve him For instance somtime all their ministers are true with him otherwhile they which be qualifyed only such as duly execute their office Thus he is like to one that hath a mad dog by the eare and knowes not whether it be best to hold him or let him goe For Mr. Barrow Mr. Greenwood as we will not bind our consciences to their opinions so neither will we rashly reject the grounds which they have taught and given reasons of unlesse we be able to shew better although Mr. Bradsh hath dealt thus ilfavouredly with his brethren There are fishes name Sepiae as writers report who least they should be taken of their pursuers do cast behinde them abundance of blacke matter and so escape out of sight By such a wile Mr. Bradsh thinkes here to get away from us for with his shifts and trickes he puts quite by the matter in hand But to answer briefely 1. There are many hundred Priests in the Land which have no particular places to serve in Is their ministery therefore unlawfull Indeed he seemes here to grant it as the rest of his brethren doe 2. Seeing not all as he confesseth but some of those that have offices are bound to bee members of true visible Churches I will leave it in this place as a Quaere Whether such as neither are nor by law are bound to be such are true Pastors or no for Mr. Bradsh had so much forecast as to say nothing about this thing howbeit it was the maine point in question 3. He takes it for granted that their Churches are true but brings no proofe for it and except we will give him all this at once there is nothing which he speakes to any purpose in the world But this we cannot give him though he beg it shamefully because the thing is otherwise as their owne writings manifest 4. What if their Priests be not in all points answerable to their lawes are they then members of a false Church indeed either his words cary such a meaning or to me they seeme non sence 5. Have not some in the Church of Rome dispensations to have more cures then one Yes surely now doe these speciall dispensations make the action lawfull such an inference Mr. Bradsh words have or else the man talkes he knowes not what 6. Howsoever the matter be not much whether the Governement which the Bb. excercise in civil and ecclesiasticall cases doe impaire the dignity authority or supremacy of the civill Magistrate seeing the same is unlawfull and Antichristian as we have before prooved Notwithstanding this thing is confidently affirmed of the Nonconformists and they give sundry instances thereof and therefore the boldnesse of this man is notorious that he should dare in this manner still to dawbe up the vile things which his brethren pull downe with both hands Some men in matters of controversie care not as one saith though they loose the peace of conscience so they may gaine their supposed victory If Mr Bradsh in judgement came the nearest as it is reported of all the Nonconformists to the separation surely his soule could have small comfort in this writing it conteining nothing for the most part but what is quite contrary to all their sayings otherwhere To let passe his idle scoffing as imputing it to a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 necessarily attending that pen which undertakes the defence of such a cause In these pages he sheweth himselfe a miserable informer and setler of the consâ—ience for his counsell is much to this effect so a man hold some thing it is no matter what it be nor how ungroundedly taken up to answer his ifs and thoughs and what 's particularly First What if some saith he shall say that our Archbb. and Bb. have the Pastors Office Answere Then they shall speake untruely or else you your selves doe beare false witnesse against them in affirming that they are not Pastors and Teachers neither any true ministers at all in the Church of God 2. What if one hold they are not Pastors but named only so metaphorically as Princes are so called c. Answ This were to hold a thing which is contrarie to their Law and directly against their profession and practise 3. What if one hold that the ministers of our particular congregations are Pastors Answere He hath no reason for it because they have no true calling unto that office neither doe performe the substanciall duties thereof When Dr. Burges stiled himselfe Pastor of Sutton Coldfeild Marke what Dr. Ames writes in answere to it It is saith he such a name or title as by the Prelates rules is not admitted and our booke of ordination acknowledgeth no such Pastors from whence also it is that in our convocation church language we never heare of a Pastor of one Parish alone None of our divines in the Synod of Dort would take to themselves that title though most others did in their subscription D. Andrewes an Archbishop in esteeme censureth this title for a Noveltie 4. What though one hold that our
particular that so a directly named position may receive a direct and speciall reply Answ 1. There is little hope to finde any good here seeing so manifest an untruth is uttered in the beginning He tels us if we will beleeve him that to communicate spiritually with the ministers of Antichrist in holy things is not to communicate in his Apostacie If this be true then unlawfull ministers may be lawfully communicated with but this cannot be for as it was unlawful to communicate with Corah or with Vzziah though they burnt true incense or with Ieroboams Preists though they offered true sacrifices so it is unlawfull to communicate with a devised or usurped ministery what things soever though good in themselves are administred in and by it And this we formerly have proved fully 2. It is certaine that the ministery of Preists and Deacons ordained by Antichrist is the ministery of his Apostacie and not Christs as he prophanely affirmeth for he makes them not according to the institution prescribed of God but wholy after a wicked and divelish device of his owne braine so that the same is a meere fruite of the Beast and false Prophet and no accidental effect but a most cursed thing which doth as properly flow from his defection as figgs from the figg-tree or a child from the seed of the Parents As for Luther Husse Wickliffe and others whereof he speaketh it is but an absurd and childish begging of the question seeing it cannot be proved that they received a lawfull ordinary ministery from the Church of Rome 3. He saith that the ministerie of such Priests and Deacons which the Prelates ordaine are the true ministers of Iesus Christ What every dumb dog and all those 60. 80. and a 100. which are made at a clap and sent forth as rouges and masterlesse servants to get benefices where then can having no particular congregation c. Yea now all againe are justified for he speakes without exceptionâ— or limitation If I were not unwilling to give occasion unto the Bb. to insult over these meÌ„ I could hence manifest much bad dealing in them but I will forbeare for the present and doe referre the reader to their owâ— Principles which is that all Ecclesiasticall officers oughâ— necessarily to be made by the free choise of the congregation wherein they are to administer This manner of ordination they professe is only Lawfull and none else Tâ— this ascenteth Dr. Ames and denies utterly that the calling of their ministers doth essencially depend upon the Bb calling Now what the reason is that they are thus mu table it may easily be conceived namely the differen condition of the persons against whome they write for if a man should read over their bookes publisher to the world against the Hierarchie he should not warrant you heare them once there to say as heer they doe that it is lawfull for their Prelates to ordaine ministers but then they will speake out boldly that this practise is wicked and unwarrantable yea and they can upon such occasions give good reasons for it also Mr. Bradsh in page 5. justifieth the ministery of such among them as are not ordained by the Bb. here he saith that these are the Ministers of Iesus Christ which receive their ministery from the Bb. yea and from Antichrist too so that it seemes if men will be Priests of their churches they may come in any way and it is no matter how they be ordained nor who ordaines them nor whether they be ordained or no indeed his words imply no lesse and therefore he must needs be reasonable But if the Nonconformists should have seene but halfe such rotten stuffe in any Conformists writings they would have cried out and that justly Dawbing dawbing 4. He hath little cause to scoffe so idely as he doth at Mr. Iohns for the manner whereby he prooves his propositions considering how he himselfe never brings either Scriptures Examples Reasons or human Testimonies to confirme any one thing whereof he writeth Hierom speaketh of some who have their Syllogismes and argumentations not in mood and figure but in their heeles Mr. Bradsh is not much unlike these for wanting all proofe to make good the points which he boldly affirmeth he layâ—th about him with his heeles by kicking the person whom he opposeth with bitter and unchristian floutings Notwithstanding the wisedome of God is marvellously here to be seene which suffered not this man to countenance his corrupt speeches with any weight or shew of arguments that so it might appeare to be penned by him rather for disgrace of others then defence of themselves also that none by it might be deceived but such as are willing to pluck out their eyes and to take one that is blinde for their guide and leader 5. To let passe the unlawfull speach which they use in ordayning ministers i. e. receive the holy Ghost and certaine frothy demaunds which he moveth to uphold if he could the Bb. Kingdom The things not beeing worthy of answer In pag. 38. he bewrayeth great ignorance in not putting a difference betweene a minislerie and the execution of it for these are two distinct things and therefore it is possible that one may be a true Ecclesiastical Officer and yet never doe the services thereof as for example a woman is really a wife immediately upon her marriage I say before she performes any dutie yea though it should come to passe that she never performeth any And therefore Mr. Bradsh was deceived to thinke if one bee a false minister by ordination that the administration of lawfull things makes him true for it is not so If the Church of Israel should have chosen some not of Aarons house but of other Tribes to be Preists and they had administred without exception had these therefore been Lawfull Officers in truth according to his understanding they had but herein he grossely erred Mr. Perkins layes it downe as one infallible note of a false Prophet to come without a calling from God and from the Church I pray observe although a man should execute the ministerie of a Pastor notwithstanding if he want a lawfull calling he is still a false minister in the judgement of this author and I thinke of all wise men beside Mr. Bradsh Againe if one be ordained a Pastor according to Christs institution he hath certainly a lawfull ministerie howsoever things afterward shall fall out yea though he should sing Masse and Mattens as he speaketh but he asketh if any that is in his witts will say so yes and prove it also and if he himself had not wanted some witt in this point he would not thus have confounded one thing so absurdly with another for as a person may be a servant or subject truely fully and yet doe afterwards the actions of theeves rebels Traitors so a man may take a true ministerie by ordination and yet both in life and doctrine doe wickedly and deserve
justly to be deposed But I gesse wherefore he hales-in these foolish positions it is probable he knew wel enough what gloses so ever he made sometime to the contrarie that their ordination of Preists Deacons by the Prelates is as his brethren say unlawfull and Antichristian and therefore he hoped now to justifie themselves in regard of their good services but this will not helpe him neither for if their administrations were right which are not yet would their ministerie be still false so long as they doe retayne that false calling which they tooke first of the Bb. they of the Pope and he from the devill Ans 1. As a man when in his answers he purposeth to deceive others his manner is to conceale that which should give special light unto the matter It is even so with Mr. Bradsh that he might meerely gull the reader he hides from him whatsoever should most serve for his true information about the point in dispute In pag. 7. he tould us that Pastors and Teachers may have divers accessarie parts of their offices c. not ordayned by Christ. Here he sayth that they may in divers and sundry particulars disobey Christ in his ordinances of worship and Government Now he doth not expresse in either place what these divers particulars are neither durst he I am perswaded for had he we should soone have joyned issue with him But to leave him in the midst of his idle words this I say when we understand once their meaning they shall have our direct answer unto it In the meane while I doe entreat them to consider advisedly of their owne Principles about their Worship Government Touching the first it is as they say contained in the booke of common prayer the which was taken out of the vile Massebooke full of all blasphemies lyes and abominations and the other is taken wholy and every part from the Pope 2. To let passe many thinges which he often affirmeth without any proofe I doe desire that they wil shew us in their next reply some good reason for that which he writeth in pag. 40. 41. viz. That ministers may execute the ministerie and Government of other Archbâ— Lordbishops besides Christ be Archdeacons parsons vicars read stinted prayers out of a booke and observe other humane inventions and have their Church Government according to Canons Courts c. which were never appointed by Christ and yet obey Christ in all the main essenâ—iall and substanciall points of his ministery worship and Government If they can prove all this I doe not see but the controversie may be easily taken up between them and the Bb. only then they have just cause to beg pardon of them for their pleas against the Prelacie and the many heavie accusations which they have put up both to Princes Parliaments against them But if they cannot as I know they cannot make good the thinge here avouched then let it ly as a blot for ever upon their cause for thrusting abroad such deceivable trash especially upon those which either were Authors of it or have since justifyed so hypocriticall and shamelesse a writing 3. He once more here rejecteth the Principles of the Nonconform and bidds them answere for themselves touching the Suits which they have putt vp to the Parliaments for the abolishing of their ministery Now the reason why I doe againe note it is because the reader may see how impossible it is for any of them to justify their standing and writings too the same beeing as unlike each to other as good is to evill For the Prelates laughing whereof he speakes in this place I have mentioned it before this only I add that never did Mr. Iohns by his simplicitie and sillinesse of witt give that occasion unto the Bb. of Mirth as he hath justly of sorrow to all his brethren by his dawbing and rotten speaches for truely in the wordes of Iacob they may say he hath troubled us to make us to stinke among the inhabitants of the Land yea to increase their greife as David said of Ahitophel Christ of Iudas so may they speake of him our familiar freind in whome we trusted which did eat of our bread hath lift vp his heele against vs. Answ 1. Mr. Bradsh sayth that there is no ordinary ministeriall office which Christ hath given to his Church but their ministers either have or by their Lawes ought to have the same I have proved before that this is untrue and therefore it is not needfull that I should make answere any more to his bold thredbare I sayes But observe here to use his owne wordes what a jugling method of reasoning he hath gotten Their ministers have such ordinary ministeriall offices c. Why because by their Lawes they ought to have them Now may not a man by the same manner of arguing prove that there are no Theeves Traitors Whoremoungers c. within the Kings Dominion in regard by the Lawes every one should be true loyall chast c. But this later I thinke would be laughed at of all notwithstanding to the very same effect is only the other or else it serves for no use at all but to shew that the man had more will to doe mischeâ—fe then he had either witt or skill to accomplish the same 2. I passe over againe his idle scoffing at Mr. Iohnson for quotation of many Scriptures Indeed Mr. Bradsh was careful to shunne this fault for he hath not from the beginning to the end of his book brought one proofe from the word of God to make good any one thinge whereof he speaketh but as if he were one of the illumated Fathers of the Familists delivereth his yea no alwayes upon his owne bare word 3. Many greivous errours are bound up in this invective of M. Bradsh but for lying here is one that surmounts them all namely that the Prelates doe not thrust them into a ministery but leave them to be called and chosen by the people or those Patrons vnto whose fidelity the people have committed this charge This as I have shewed is very false And truely it is strange to me that they should dare affirme so knowne and apparent an untruth for according to their law profession and practise whosoever is ordained by the Bb. hath immediately upon his ordination all the essenciall and substancial parts of a minister is I say as true in their understanding as these which have a people or have bought benefices of their Patrons yea although he should never have any particular congregation to administer unto Therefore welfare the Conform for howsoever their courses are starke naught yet they will owne their errours and not shift them off as these doe by groundlesse devises the which they can no more prove then that there is a man in the moone They have laboured these many yeares to get away this power of making ministers from the Bb. But seeing they
Whosoever shall hereafter affirme that the form of Gods worship in the Church of England established by law and conteyned in the book of Common prayer c. is a corrupt superstitious or vnlawfull worship of God or conteyneth any thing in it that is repugnant to the scriptures let him be excommunicated ipso facto and not restored but by the Bishop of the place or Archbishop after his repentance and publick revocation of such his wicked errours Whosoever shall hereafter affirme that the rites and ceremonies of the Church of England by law established are wicked Antichristian or superstitious or such as being commaunded by lawfull authority men who are zealously and godly affected may not with any good conscience approve them vse them or as occasion requireth subscribe vnto them let him be excommunicated ipso facto and not restored vntill be repent and publickly revoke such his wicked errours Whosoever shall hereafter affirm that the government of the Church of England vnder his Majestie by Archbishops Bishops Deanes Archdeacons and the rest that doe beare office in the same is Antichristian or repugnant to the word of God let him be excommunicated ipso facto and so continue vntill be repent and publickly revoke such his wicked errours Whosoever shall here after affirm or teach that the form and manner of making and consecrating Bishops Priests and Deacons conteyneth any thing in it that is repugnant to the word of God c. let him be excommunicated ipso facto not to be restored vntill he repent and publickly revoke such his wicked errours 6. Where he demaundeth what one truth of religion we can name that is not or hath not beene when just occasion hath been offered taught by some of their ministers Although this be not much materiall touching the point in controversie seeing none of them teach true doctrine but in a false and Antichristian calling which is utterly unlawfull to be done notwithstanding if we will beleeve the Nonconform he had small cause to bragg thus of their preaching For first their ministers for the most part are ignorant asses and loytering idle bellyed Epicures which either cannot or doe not teach at all 2. A number of those which doe are prophane and heathenish Oratours that thinke all the grace of preaching lyeth in affected eloquence in fond Fables to make their hearers laugh or in ostentation of learning of the latin their Greek and Hebrew tongue and of their great reading of antiquities when God knoweth most of them have little further matter then is in the in the infinite volumes of common places and apothegmes called to their hands 3. Howsoever some of them deliver many sound truths yet they doe not lay the axe to the root of the tree I mean seeke to suppresse such evills as raigne most among them We would repute that Phisitian unwise which hath a patient under cure sicke of a great fever and he gives him a medicine which serves only to heale the gout or dropsie Now in truth such vnwise Phisitians are the best of them for the main disease which cleaves to the foule of the people is false worship But what course take they about it Thus they doe they administer good things to purge out pride drunkennesse c. But leave all the while this Capitall disease alone by which meanes many persons perish and are utterly cast away Now these have not the Prophets for an exaÌ„ple for it is marvelous observable when the ten Tribes fell away from the true worship of God that all those Prophets whome the Lord then sent early and late after them applyed their doctrines even alltogether as it were against the sinnes of Dan and Bethell as the spiritual sicknesse of Israel was idolatry so they gave them constantly such souveraigne medecines as served best to cure the same And indeed this course of teaching is onely profitable for as a small stroake downe-right upon the naile is better then a thousand besides it Even so a little home matter against the present evils of the people as namely their devised service false ministery Antichristian Government c would profit them much more then all their lowd long crying out of judgement judgement only against swearers drunkards usurers whoremoungers c. because the former faults are more generally committed and have taken deeper roote in the hearts of old and young 7. Concerning the defence which he makes for reading their booke of Articles and Canons in the church a few words will serve in answer to it 1. If it were true which he saith that they doe not this thing ministrially yet their fault is not the lesse But he speaketh falsely herein for this is laid upon them as a proper part of their Office and none else but they by their Law either doe or may doe the same 2. If they doe not teach them for truths then it must be for lies and errours if so their evill is the greater and proportionable thereunto without repentance will Gods vengeance be upon them for it 3. His answere here is quite beside the point and he seekes meerly to cozen the reader that which Mr. Iohnson mentioneth is their Articles Canons very vile and wicked things by their owne confession To this he replyeth may not a man in the weakenesse of his judgement and in infirmity at his first entrance into a calling conforme and subscribe to some things not so warrantable and true c. Note how punctually he speakes and comes up as neere to the matter as Yorke is to the Lands end a man in the weakenesse of his judgement c. may doe some thing c. Ergo he may conforme to the damnable Canons and articles read them to the people c. By the same manner of arguing he may be a â—ew a Turke a Heathen any thing And not only in this place but such sencelesse shifts are common with him throughout the booke for whereas it is proved in Mr. Iohnsons writing that their ministery is â—nlawfull Antichristian because neither their Offices calling nor administration is according to Gods Word but as they say themselves all taken from Antichrist He childishly tells us that true Pastors Teachers may want some accessarie parts of their Offices c. which answereth nothing to the point nor is more to any purpose then if a convicted traitor would seek to prove his cause to be otherwise for that he wants som accessarie parts of a true subject 4. Touching the distinction which he puts betweene reading the Canons to the people and not teaching the â—rrours contained in them I shall leave it as another Demaund how they can proove that these falshoods and lies may be read in the manner that they are and yet be neither taught nor justifyed Answ 1. If it be vnlawfull as he sayth outwardly and but in appearance to joyne with Idolaters in their Idolatry then hath he shewed himseIfe all this while
comfort and pleasure of so heavenly blessed a husband Answ 1. Though it should be granted that in a true constituted Church some matters incerely Ecclesiastical may be imposed through humane srailty yet this helpeth their cause nothing at all in regard that a false worship an Antichristian Hierarchy or Church Government and unlawfull ministery therefrom derived is imposed upon and by the people slavishly submitted unto 2. Though every humane Ordinance be not of that nature as to make that Church and Ministery false where it is vsed yet some are or else there are no false Churches and Ministers in the world and such humane Ordinances there be many in their Parish Assemblies as from their owne Principles we have shewed 3. Though it were generally granted of all that thoses Churches and Ministeries are to be communicated with all that have some thing in or appertaining to the constitution thereof not instituted by Christ yet it will not thence follow that we may with such as in their constitution were wholy false but such are theirs 4. Grant this that all are not false Churches which doe not or by the Laws of man are not suffered to vse their power Notwithstanding such congregations as doe altogether want this power and stand under that which was taken every part from the Devill Antichrist are certainly false and so not to be communicated with all And this is their present state if they speake truely themselves 5. Admitt that those may be true Pastors who are outwardly by mans Lawes subjected to a superiour Ecclesiastical Officer Yet can it not hence be concluded that their ministers are true seeing neither their Offices calling administrations c. are agreable to the word of God 6. If the Offices of Provincial and Diocesan Bishops be contrarie to the Scripture then necessarily that ministery which is derived from it must be so also And this conclusion the Papists have drawne from the writings of the Conformists If our English Prelates be no true Bishops then surely neither be the Preists or Ministers or Deacons that be ordained by them and so consequently the congregation of England is not the true Church of Christ. Here we have againe much rude scoffing and such crowing to use his owne termes as if he were some cock of the game that hath picked out the eyes and broken the neckes of all that have beene set against him The proposition sayth he is false the Assumption is false the consequence is false But for proofe a man may finde assoon a needle in a bottle of hay as any for the things which he boldly denyeth Moreover the points in controversy which are of greatest weight moment he either puts quite off by a fine trick they need no answer or else answereth to them besides the matter For an instance to this purpose writeth Mr. Iohnson Every true visible Church of Christ or ordinary Assemblie of the faithfull hath by Christs ordinance power in it selfe immediately vnder Christ to elect and ordaine deprive and depose their ministers and to execute all other Ecclesiastical Censures But none of the Parish Assemblies of England have such power Therefore they are not true visible Churches of Christ. Both parts of this reason he proves from their owne writings now marke his reply to it All are not false Churches which doe not vse this power c. And is not this thinke ye wittily answered We say from their Principles that a true Church cannot be without power But their Churches are wholy without it For answere he tels us a true Church mâ—y want the vse of it We say so too But doth it follow because a man in a sound hath not the use for the time of that life which is in him therfore one may be quite without life yet not dead To this effect he reasoneth or else as Paul sayth of som he understood not what he said nor wherof he affirmed but spake evil of the things which he knew not Mr. Bradsh having used all the witt and skill he had to refute the former Reasons in these pag. in a mocking contradiction of Mr. Iohnson he undertakes to prove that the publick ministery of the Church Assemblies of England is true and lawfull I have neither time nor mind to follow him in his vagaries idle repetitions but will set downe in few wordes the summe of his long talke and give answer to it breifly First thus he sayth To have such gifts as Christ ascended to heaven for the worke of his ministery to be outwardly called to that worke by such a Church as professeth the fundamentall points of the Gospell to instruct the people committed to their charge in the Doctrine of the Law and Gospell to administer vnto them the holy Sacraments of Christ and to be their moâ—th in prayer vnto God are all the things essencial appertaining to the office of true Pastors and Teachers Such is the ministery of our assemblies Howsoever I will not contend much with him about the Proposition which is lame to the ground and a farre better might have beene framed breifly thus To have such an office as Christ in his Testament hath given to his Church a lawfull calling and enterance therevnto and a lawfull administration thereof according to the said Testament are all the essencial c. The Assumption is false 1. Their ministers have not the gifts whereof he speaketh and so we have manifested from their owne writings 2. I doe denie that their Bb. of whome they take their ministery are a Church in any sence saving the malignant and therefore if all the rest were granted yet hence would his whole argument like the unwise mans house fall to the ground 3. Though they instruct the people in some Doctrines of the Law and Gospell as doe Papists all other Hereticks notwithstanding the reading of the Servicebooke in forme and manner the celebrating of marriage Churching of women burying of the dead conformity and subscription are more essencial to their ministery more necessarily required by the Lawes of their Church then preaching either of the Law and Gospell is And so much Mr. Bradsh elsewhere affirmeth Those that yeeld to Ceremonies need not preach at all in their Churches except they will no nor doe any other part of divine service if they will maintaine a Curate that will keepe the Ceremonial Law and fairely read or singe the Kinges Service as they call it 4. For the Sacraments they are as they say wickedly mingled and prophaned and wickedly administred Besides if we will beleeve Mr. Bradsh when he speakes out against the Hierarchy they have divers Sacraments which are not of divine institution administred in their Churches viz. the Crosse Ring in marriage Surplesse c. 5. The prayers which they are to make unto God must of absolute necessitie without partiall dispensation or manifest violation of their oath to the Bishops
be foolish false and superstitious But I desire the reader to observe how wittily he confirmeth the Assumption It shall be sufficient sayth he that we can set forth vnto him such a ministery in sundrie of our Church Assemblies of which all those points may be truely verified Who would have thought that Mr. Bradsh having blotted many leaves of his booke with meere scoffing at Mr. Iohnson about his Logick should so grossely overshoot himselfe in termes of reasoning For what wise man but he would have laid downe a Position that comprehended indefinitely generally all the ministers of their Assemblies and to prove it saith we can shew some such It seemeth then that those some such must make all the rest true Intruth so he inferres or else his argument as he saith often of Mr. Iohnson is crackt braind and lacks not truth only but sence also There are some merchants who to put off the false wares which lie upon their hands will shew the buyer a little that is good and by this meanes cunningly shift all the rest upon him and so deceive him The like subtilty useth Mr. Bradsh here and often in his booke that he might perswade the reader to beleeve that all their Ministers and Churches are true he sheweth him some of the best in hope that under these he shall craftily put all the rest upon him I mention these his deceiveable shifts the oftner that we may have hereafter more honest dealing If they will justifie all their Ministers and Churches let them say so directly If but som few as in their writings they still intimate I desire them to speake it out plainely and not to cary the thing so covertly as if they would have the poore people to beleeve that they meant all when themselves are perswaded the greatest number are false and Antichristian Another reason which he brings to prove their ministery Lawfull is because they professe the Pope to be Antichrist renounce all Ecclesiastical homage to him and maintaine all the members of the Church of Rome to be Hereticks and Idolaters c. To this I say quid verba audiam cum facta videam It is true I know many great errours of that Church they opppose and have left notwithstanding they retaine the selfe same Ministery Church Government Service Courts Canons c. which they brought out from thence uphold them still I say to the uttermost of their strength and power and hate revile imprison banish kill c. those which will not conforme thereto And hence it is the Papists say that from their treasure house the religion now established in England hath learned the forme of Chrining marying Churching of women visiting of the sicke burying of the dead and sundry other like as the book translated out of theirs declared So Iacobus Gretzerus alleadgeth against the Reformed Churches their Service-booke for their Popish holydayes Dr. Tucker and their Late booke of Canons both for the signe of the Crosse for kneeling in the act of receiving the Sacrament For the whole Hierarchy from the Archbishop downewards divers other their superstitions So Cornelius Scultingius citeth Whitgift and taketh whole leaves out of him for defence of their Hierarchie Stapleton also useth the foresaid Doctors arguments to uphold thereby their discipline and professeth that they are built upon one foundation I could multiply authors of this nature but it needs not only let it be here minded that all these testimonies are acknowledged to be true of the Nonconformists Is not therefore their profession great against the Pope they clal him they say Antichrist and the Beast c. Yet notwithstanding in respect of many maine and foundamental Orders and Ordinances of his Church they wallke along hand in hand with him So that they are much like to one which cals a woman c. Whoore Whoore and lyeth with her all the while in the bed and commits folly with her Nothing is here said but the former thinges againe repeated Indeed he undertooke to answer certaine demaunds but he kept himselfe off so covertly from the points that he hath left them farre more obscure darke then they were before For this cause I have thought it necessarie to propound unto them 13. questions all gathered from Mr. Bradsh shifting answeres idle putt offs with request that they would answere them directly and sincerely and from the scriptures and so doubtlesse the controversie betweene them us will be brought the sooner to an end 1. Whether the office of Lecturers in the Ecclesiastical Assemblies of England be not new and strange from the scriptures If not whether they be Apostles Evangelists Pastors Teachers Elders c. 2. Whether the civill Magistrate hath power to set over the Churches of Christ in his Dominions such Commissioners and overseers as the present Hierarchie is or no 3. What be those Ecclesiastical Officers which some true Churches in England have these many yeares beene without either all oâ— cheifest of them 4. Whether the calling enterance administration and maintenance of any of the publicke Ministers of the Church of England be unlawful and Antichristian or no 5. Who are those Ecclesiasticall Officers in the Church of England which neither in name nor in deed are true as he himself confesseth 6. Whether it be lawfull for the Ministers of the Gospell to be maintained by tithes and offerings c. in the manner and forme as it is practifed now in England or no 7. Whether all the Parish Assemblies of England be true visible Churches or no 8. Where are those Churches in our Kingdom from whence we have separated which doe consist as now they stand of a companie of people called and separated from the world and the false worship and wayes thereof by the word of God and are joyned together in the fellowship of the Gospel by voluntarie profession of faith and obedience of Christ 9. What are those parts and parcells in the booke of Common prayer which is not the true worship of God whereof he speaketh 10. Whether it be Lawfull to have communion with the English Leiturgie as it is ordinarily now used in their Churches 11. If the true worship of God be prescribed in the booke aforesaid we demaund then in what part thereof the same is contained 12. Whether those which joyne to the Ecclesiastical Ministerie Worship and Orders of their Cathedral or Parishional Assemblies in those things which are not performed therein according to the true meaning intent of their Lawes doe sin or no 13. What is the true intent and meaning of these Lawes and to whom doth it properly belong to give the interpretation of them Thus having finished what I purpose to write for this time I commend now the same to the best acceptance of every wel disposed reader Beseeching God to make us more and more of one mind in the truth and to give us all hearts to walke sincerily in it untill
our changing come ISA. 48. 18 19 20. O that thou haddest hearkened to my commaundements then had thy peace been as a River and thy righteousnesse as the waves of the Sea Thy seed also had been as the sand and the off-spring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me Goe ye forth of Babilon flee ye from the Câ—ldeans c. FINIS A TABLE Of the principall things contained in this Treatise A. ADministrations performed according to the booke of Common prayer and Canons unlawfull pag. 219. Administrations in themselves good may be done by false ministers pag. 236. Apocripha unlawfull to be read in the Church and reasons thereof pag. 108 109. Dr. Ames writing for their ministery answered pag. 55. 56 c. and for their worship p. 113 114 115. and about their Church Government p. 162. 163. Archbishops see Bishops B. Baptisme in the church of England unlawfully administred p. 104. Benefices how they are obtained by the ministers of the Church of England p. 17 18 19 20 c. Bels as they are used in their Assemblies unlawfull p. 112. The English Service-booke taken out of the vile Massebooke p. 78 79. The wickednesse of the Bishops described p. 31 32 33. Their offices false and Antichristian and reasons for the same p. 33. 34. 35. They cannot give a true ministery p. 37. Their booke of ordination taken out of the Popes Pontifical p. 12 The manner of burialls in EnglaÌ„d unlawful p. 102 Mr. Bradsh his scoffing p. 212. 227. 235. 240. Vncharitablenesse p. 212. Absurdnesse p. 215. 216. 240. 250. Ignorance p. 236. Contradictions p. 221. 232. 234 Dr. Burgesse Protestation to become a Separatist if he did beleeve the Nonconformists Principles p. 2. 113 C. No man may administer in the Church without a lawfull calling p. 8. 9 The calling of their Ministers doth essencially depend upon the Bb. calling p. 55. 56 Ceremonies condemned and why p. 92. 93. 94 They are the least evills of many in their Churches p. 116. 117 Canon Law unlawfull and reasons for it p. 139. No person by their Canons may speake against the abuses of their church p. 246. 247 No true visible church but a particular ordinary congregation p. 164 To the right constitution of a true visible Church it is of necessitie that all the members be holy and good p. 165. 174. 176 177. 178. 185. 193. 242 Churches of England false and reasons thereof p. 149. 169. 179. 180. Civil offices in Ecclesiastical persons unlawful p. 242 All their spiritual Courts in Eng. unlawfull p. 141 No man ought to appeare at them reasons for it p. 148. The manner of their proceedings in these Courts p. 145. 146 The Commissaries Court described p. 141. 142 The high Commission like the Spanish Inquisition The Convocation-house described p. 143. 144 Church wardens Office unlawfull reasons for it p. 138 Conversion no signe of a true ministery p. 66 Their Collectes in their Assemblies Idolatrous p. 107 Confirmation of Children unlawfull and reasons for it p. 100. 101 Crosse in Baptisme unlawfull and reasons for it p. 95. 96 Excommunication and the absolution of the person are actions common to the whole Church p. 134 Churching of women see women D. There ought to be Deacons in every true church reasons thereof p. 4. 5. Their Office consisteth only in receiving and distributing the benevolence of the Church and arguments for it Idem The Deaconrie of their Church Assemblies is an unlawfull office p. 48 The office of a Doctor is distinct from that of a Pastor and reasons for it p. 4 Mr. Dayrels description of a visible church refuted p. 182. 183. The reasons which he layes downe to prove their Parish Assemblies true Churches answered p. 185. 186. 187. 188. 189 c. Discipline see Government E. The Election of every Ecclesiast Officer must be by the free choyse of the whole Church where he is to administer p. 7. 8 The Ministers of the Church of England are not Elected according to Gods word p. 12 Obstinate sinners must be excommunicated p. 131. Reasons for it p. 132. How the Church is to walke towards such p. 133. And when and how to receive them againe p. 134 70. Grosse Errours practised in the Church of England p. 243. 244 Examples proveing the unlawfulnesse of communicating in a false worship p. 84. 85 c. F. The Court of Faculties described p. 141 Their Fasts are Popish p. 106 So is the Font. p. 104 G. A certaine forme of Church Government is prescribed by Christ reasons for it p. 128. 129. The same is unchangeable ordinary and common to all Churches p. 135. A matter of fayth and necessary to salvation p. 136 It cannot be a true Church which wants it p. 149 This Government must be set up and practised though the civil Magistrate allow not thereof pag. 15â— and reasons for it p. 156. 157. 158 c. The Church Government in England taken wholy and every part from the Pope page 138. 147 Men cannot submitt to it without breaking the Law of the Land pag. 148. 149 Governours or Ruling Elders ought to be in every true Church page 4 Godfathers in Baptisme Popish p. 104 The manner of reading the Gospells and Epistles condemned pag. 107 Gifts make not ministers pag. 65 H. Homilies unlawfull to be read in the Church Reasons for it p. 109. 110. The observation of holy dayes superstitious p. 106 107 The Hierarchie impaires the authority of the civil Magistrate pag. 227 I. What Ieroboams Preists could have said for their Religion page 85. 86 c. Such as maintaine ill causes upbraid others with ignorance page 211 K. The example of the Kings of Iudah vainely alleaged to justify King Edwards Queen Elizabeths compelling of their subjects to be members of the Church p. 201. 202 Kneeling in the act of receiving of the Lords Supper an idolatrous gesture reasons why unlawfull p. 97 The sitter is accessary to the sinne of the kneeler p. 252. 253 King Iames his saying of the Puritans p. 205 L. The ministery of Lecturers in the Assemblies of England new and strang from the scriptures and reasons thereof p. 49. 50 c. Dr. Laiton answered and his principles proved tolead unto separation p. 151. 153. 154 Such as take any Ecclesiastical Office from the Bb. transgresse against the Law of Realme p. 71. 72 Letanie no better then blasphemie and conjuration p. 107 The Learned against communicating in a false ministery p. 27. 28. 29. and false worship p. 90. 91 M. The manner of marrying in England unlawfull p. 101 Members are to be taken into the church by making publick profession of faith and repentance p. 135. 167 Every man that is a member ought to have his voice in the Ecclesiastical causes of the Church p. 134 Reasons why men should make themselves members of true visible Churches p. 166 What makes members of the Church of England p. 169.
The great wickednesse of them p. 170. 171. 172. The ministery of England taken wholy from Antichrist p. 11. Proved to be false p. 219. 222. Their manner of making ministers p. 12. 13. 14 What they are for qualification p. 15. 16. and practises p. 21 Men may be unlawfull ministers though never ordained by the Bb. p. 68. 215 Vnlawful ministers not to be communicated with in any thing they doe p 26. Reasons for it p. 27 Conversion of men to God no note of a true ministerie p. 64 The Ministers of England of one constitution p. 56 True ordinary ministery tyed to a particular Assembly p. 10. A roving unsetled false p. 9 Musick in the Church unlawfull p. 111 N. The profession practise of Nonconformists how they differ p. 205. 206 Their Minors and the Conformists Majors lead to separation p. 179. 180 Not so true to their grounds as the Conformists p. 38. 241 O. Oath ex officio why unlawful pag. 140 No Obedience must be yeelded to the Bb. Government p. 148 Five kinds of ordinary Ecclesiastical Offices only belonging to every true Church p. 3. 4 Officers not simply necessary for the publicke administrations in the Church p. 135 The Church may depose her officers p. 130 Offences how to be suppressed in the Church p. 130. 131. and why p. 168 The Officers of the spiritual Courts in England described p. 137. Their places Antichristian p. 1â—8 Brethren out of Office may teach publickly in the Church p. 54 Order and forme required in the collection of all true Churches p. 186 P. Pastors are all equal by Gods institution p. 3 These are wanting in the English Assemblies p. 11 Parsons Vicars c. unlawfull officers p. 44. 45 Parents ought not to bring their children to be Crossed in Baptisme and reasons for it p. 96 Patrons places unlawful p. 242. To be present at Idolatrous worship unlawfull p. 119. 120. And namely where the Ceremonies are used p. 98. 99 Power given to every particular Church p. 257 An essencial property there of p. 149 Preaching of the Gospell no part or property of the ministery in Fngland but a thing casual p. 259 The manner of preaching there p. 248. 249 Neither preaching nor administring the Sacraments argue a true mininistery p. 232 Not enough to be Professours p. 251 Their Preists and Deacons take their ministery from the Prelates and no where else p. 241 They have not the essencial ministery of Pastors and Teachers pag. 214 Prelates why worse then the Papists p. 82 Of Pollution by other mens sinns p. 208. 209 Q. None must be chosen into any office but such as are wel qualifyed for it and reasons thereof pag. 9. 10 13. Questions propounded with request to be answered p. 262. 263 c. R. Reading Preists described p. 38. Their ministery unlawfull and reasons for it p. 40. 41. A sinne to communicate in their ministery p. 42. What service they doe p. 44. The greatest number of the English ministers are such p. 43 Every Officer must be Resident in his place and why p. 10 Rome and England how like in Church Ordinances p. 261 The judgement of the Reformed Churches no good argument to prove the Church of England true by p. 188. 189 S. Sacraments prophanely administered in the church of England p. 105. 172 More Sacraments then Christ ordained administered in their Churches p. 259 Sacraments administred in private houses unlawfull p. 105 Service booke a devised worship and reasons for it p. 80. 81. 82 The Scribes and Pharisees misapplyed to justifie the ministery of England p. 231 Sidemens office unlawfull p. 138 Our separation why p. 196. 207 Lords Supper how abused p. 103. 104 Surplices unlawfull reasons for it p. 94. 95 Scriptures how abused in the Church of England p. 108 T. Toleraticir of sinne in the Church hurtfull and why p. 168 V. Visitation of the sick as used in England Popish p. 112 Bb. Visitation described p. 142 143 W. Widdowes an office in the Church and reasons for it p. 6 God hath prescribed a perfect platform how he wil be worshipped p. 72 Reasons why he should be worshipped according to the same p. 74. 75 The worship of the church of England is contained in the booke of common prayer p. 78 Churching of Women unlawfull and reasons for it p. 99 The word of God the only meanes to fitt men for Church-estate Z. True Zeal will not endure any thing of Antichrists p. 107 FINIS ERRATA For Eder read Elder p. 9. lin 13. For honestly read honesty p. 14. lin 25. For as read at p. 28. lin 20. For thelr read their p. 103. l. 23. For nor read not p. 131. l. 2. For Hierom read Hieron p. 161. l. 29. For number 38. in marg read 61. after Arrow ag Br. p. 224. * Our Apologie Mr. Bar. refutation of Mr. Giffard A treatise of the minist of the Church of England Mr. Robinsons Iustification of Separ Mr. Penry of the ministery of England An answ to Mr. Stone ‡ I mean only in the point of Separation for in other things he bath answered D Burg. fully and laid him flatt on the grouÌ„d ‡ Hooker Eccles Pol. pref p. 34. Whitg 2. Treat c. 1. div 2. p. 81 Sutclif treat of Disc c. 15 p. 165. D. Bils perpetual Goverm ch 15. p. 339. Bancr Surv. of Disc c. 33 p. 430 431 432. Loe Quaerimon Ecclesiae p. 59 60. Answ to the Petition by the Vice Chanc. Heads of Oxf. p. 15. D. Morton D. Burg. ð„ Repl. to D. Mort. Sect. 14. p. 31. Defence of Petition to the K. p. 103. a Dayr Treat of the Ch. p. 41. b Mr. Nichols plea of the innocent p. 33 34 c The scurrulous Libels published under the names of Lawne Fowler Bullard c. ‡ Serm. on Rom. 12. p. 65 66. Sold. Bar. Abridgm p. 23. Cartw. Catechis p. 315. 316. Rev. 16. 15 Ioh. 17. Chap. 42. 43. ‡ he speaks thus by false ministers Prov. 14. 15 ‡ Yet we beleeve their principles to be true is there be no Nonc that will defend them we will ð„ ð„ ð„ ð„ ð„ Magis veritas elucet quò saepius ad manuÌ„ venit Senec. lib. de ira Pag. 5. Pag. 232. Necessit discip 38 73 74. Offer coÌ„fer pag. 2. T. C. l. 1. p. 22. l. 2 pa. 3. p. 5. 15. Demonst discip 46 Mr. Bates 27. Informat froÌ„ Scott p. 28 29. Necessity discip 71. Defen ag Slaund of Bridg. 127. Forme ecclesias govern p. 123 124 125 c. Demonst discip 53 54. Inform. froÌ„ Scott pag. 30. Forme eccles Govern 128 129 c. Rom. 12 8 â— Cor. 12 28. 1 Tim. â— 17. Mr. Bate 89 c. Demons disc p. 56. Inform. from Scot. p. 13. Eccles gover p. â—â—9 M. Bates p. 117. Answ to Bancr ser p. 14. T. C. l. 1. 190. 2. Admo p. 61. T. C. l. 1. p 190. disc Eccles 119 Infor. Scott 31 demonst discip 61. 62. c.