in Zion for Israel my Glory Isai. 46. vers 13. Tenthly here God will be a sure unfailing and known Refuge God is known to her Palaces for a reâ—uge Psal. 48. vers 3. Eleventhly here the Lord is our safety There the Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streames Isai. 33. vers 21. Twelfthly here the Lord is to his people a strength of Walls and bulworks In that day shall this song be sung in the Land of Judah We have a strong Citie Salvation will God appoint for Walls and Bulworks Open ye the gates that the righteous Nation which keepeth the truth may enter in Thou wilt keep him in a perfect peace whose minde is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee Isai. 26. vers 1 2 3. Thirtenthly here are omnimode Salutes all manner of Salutations O that the Salvation of Israel were come out of Zion Psal. 14. vers 7. Fourteenthly here are incomparable favours priviledges comforts blessings the like no where else to be enjoyed For first here is pardon of sin and iniquity And the Inhabitant shall not say I am sick the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquitie Isai. 33. vers 24. Secondly here is the blessed and holy spirit of God always guiding and assisting And the Redeâ—mer shall come to Zion and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob saith the Lord. As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord My spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed from henceforth and for ever Isai 59. vers 20 21. Thirdly here is true teaching divine instructing Many people shall go and say Come ye and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his ways and we will walk in his paths for out of Zion shall go forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem Isai. 2. vers 3. Fourthly here onely is a true holy teaching Ministery I will cloath her Priests with salvation and her Saints shall shout aloud for joy Psal. 132. vers 16 Fifthly here are true Soul-feastings and Soul-banquetings In this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things a feast of wines on the Lees of fat things full of marrow of wines on the Lees well refined And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people and the vail that is spread over all Nations Isai. 25. vers 6.7 Sixthly here are protections on every dwelling place marvellous preservations the Bramble bush on a light fire yet not burnt up The Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion and upon her Assemblies a Cloud and smoak by day and the shining of a flameing fire by night for upon all the glorie shall be a defence Isai. 4. vers 5. Seventhly here all afflictions are sanctified in so much as her exactors shall be righteousness and her oppressours peace poison a Triacle and if the enemy be established it is but for correction Eighthly here all good news are to be had here is to be heard all good news from heaven or earth that may concern either this life or the life to come Finally there God hath commanded not onely his blessing as I said before but especially life for evermore As the dew of Hermon and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion for there the Lord commanded the blessing even life for evermore Psal. 133. vers 3. Behold beloved the place to which Gods people are called from Babylon Oh what Prisoner in Babylon what Bond-slave to sin and Sathan what wretch lying in Antichristian darkness would not willingly shake off his shackles and with Peter Acts 12. Chap. Come out of a Prisons darkness to enjoy such liberty such light such comforts such security such blessings such salvation such Amnesty and general pardon such tydings and news from heaven such protections such sorts of salvation such presence of Grace such Soul-feastings Soul-banquetings as out of Scripture I have presented unto you from Zion Who would be any longer a loytering Jew in Babylon Who would hanker after any Antichristian practices dote any longer upon any Anti-scripture untruths serve man serve times serve self-ends to endanger his Soul to be wedded to ignorance to forfeit Zions Jewels riches blessings yea life for evermore 4. Reas. But fourthly The Prophet stirs up the people to deliver themselves from Babylon upon this ground and reason God had now removed all rubs he had opened the Kings heart and the prison doors If they would be active it was in their own power to deliver themselves and therefore the Prophet calls upon them to use their power and to take that fair opportunity which was offered for their deliverance and their glory Deliver thy self O Zion As if he should say thy shackles are knockt off the Ports are open the Commission is now sealed Come out be not cruell to thy self What wilt thou be thine own tormentour thine own prisoner Before the seventy years were expired thou wast detained in Babylon thou wast a prisoner there but now thy time is out and therefore if thou stayest longer yet thou art not a prisoner but a dweller in Babylon Deliver thy self O Zio that dwellest in Babylon In which word the Prophet seems to put the Emphasis and strength of his exhortation And so indeed all Christians may be said to dwell willingly in sin and ignorance when truth being cleared unto them all scruples removed Adversaries objections answered fallacious shadows under a pretence of substantiall truths discovered yet to please men to maintain faction to uphold Schisme to carry on further their spight and malice against the Ministery they will live in errors grope in darkness follow blinde leaders dwell in Antichristiau practises and continue Members of such societies under a pretence of the house of God whose foundation is not unmoveable like Zions nor of materials taken out of the Scripture word or example of Christ or the next builders the Apostles And thus beloved having cleared my Doctrine and by four reasons shewed unto you why Zion must take all fair opportunities and use all lawfull means to deliver her self from Babylon and from those practises and errours which are Babylonish or any way Antichristian I come to use and Application wherein I shall spend more time than in the explication and inlarge my poor and weak indeavours for your better instruction and information concerning these two chief terms in my text Zion and Babylon 1. Vse Is it so that Zion must separate and deliver her self from Babylon Then my first use shall be of search and inquiry into Zion and into Babylon For how can Gods people deliver themselves from Babylon if they be ignorant of the
as for us he careth not for us which would be absurd The instance also in the Churches of Asia is unanswerable which though corrupt are called Golden Candlesticks Revel 1. vers 20. What corruptions were in Ephesus What in the Church of Pergamos where if not Nicholaitans yet Nicholaitans whom God hated were followed Revel 2. vers 15. What in Thyatira Where a Iezabel was suffered to preach Revel 2. vers 20. What in Sardis that had a name to live but was dead Revel 3. vers 1. What in lukewarm Laodicea that is commended for nothing good in her Yet all these are called Churches by Iohn for the patience of some the good works of others and doubtless for the profession and Godliness of many that lived among them It is the principal pâ—rt that gives the denomination to a thing and not that which is more base and vile in it A Princely Palace is named a stately Palace and building from those stately and capacious banquetting Rooms Galleries Walks Halls Parlours Balconies Chappels Towers and Turrets about it though in it there may be also some dark and dismal Entries and passages some slovenly greazie disordered Kitchins and Cook-Rooms and about it some outward stinking Sâ—able Rooms and Dunghils Even so the Churches of God take their denomination and are called even Saints a principaâ—iori parte from the more principal part of the wholesom and sound Doctrine preached in it of the true Faith conâ—â—ssed of the right use of the Sacraments ministred of the obedience to the word acknowledged in it and finally of those who turn not to riot and excess with the wicked of which sort commonly there are some Ergo Our Churches are true and not Babylonish But further that a Parochial people meeting â—nd gathering together for the true worship of God there being nothing in such our meetings qua as meetings Babylonish are not to be called Babylonish but that they are true Churches I shâ—ll prove by these strong reasons and following Arguments out of Scripture 1 Argument Apostolical constitution is a true constitution But such an one is ours Ergo The Minor I prove thus First The people of this Nation was converted to Christ as true Histories do witness by either Apostles or Apostolical men neither is it to be doubted but that in their dayes the Gospel was far spread as may appear by Paul's Testimony Rom. 10. vers 18. and Colos. 1. vers 6. Secondly Because we hold and maintain the same things Apostolical whereby we and other Churches were made Christians and Christian Assemblies to wit the word external profession of Iâ—sus Christ and the holy Sacraments by which and for which the people in the Apostles dayes were accounted Christians As for the word who doubts of the excellency of it and what an excellent people it fashioneth where preached and received as I shall in these places shew In the 2 Epistle of Iohn vers 9. 10. we have this commendation of the word and Doctrine and of them that receive it He that abideth in the Doctrine of Christ he hath the Father and the Son And if there come any unto you and bring not this Doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed Secondly The word is said to make Disciples to Christ Matth. 28. vers 18. Mark 16. vers 15. Thirdly The word it is that reconciles men to God so Paul saith God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5. vers 19. Fourthly By this word the Apostles wrought and converted many as may appear from Peter standing up and lifting up his voice and saying to the people Hearken to my words Act. 2. vers 14. compared with verses 37 38. and Paul and Silas by the word converted the Jaylour and his Family as is clear in these words Thâ—y speak unto him the word of the Lord and to all that were in his house and he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes and was baptized he and all his straightway Act. 16. vers 32 33. Fifthly This word given to a people is Gods covenanting with them for so his Declaration of his will by his word is called his Covenant Deut. 29. vers 9. compared with the 12. verse And the people receiving this word and professing their Faith to God is their taking of God to be their God and covenanting with him Deut. 16. vers 17. He loved the people all his Saints are in thine hand and they sate down at thy feet every one shall receive of thy words Deut. 33. vers 3. Of such hath he received a reconciliation Iob 33. vers 23 24. Sixthly Such professours the Apostles admitted into the Church as those that had covenanted with God and were not to be denied the Seal of the Covenant Act. 8. vers 12. compared with the 37 38. verses And as for the Sacraments they combine and knit us together Matth. 28. vers 19. 1 Cor. 10. vers 16 17. Therefore unless Mr. Nichols deny all this unto us he cannot deny us Apostolical constitution Oh then we having the Father and the Son by the Doctrine and word of Christ we being discipled by the word we being reconciled by the word to God we findeing dayly upon our Souls a powerfull working of the word of the Ministery God having covenanted with us to be our God and we by this word having taken him for our God shall the Seals of this Covenant be denied unto us which the Apostles denied to none tâ—at professed the word no not to Simon Magus Act. 8. vers 13. and though strongly knit and united together in Christ and made one body and partakers of that one bread shall we be unchurched unreconciled uncovenanted unknit and separated from Christ as Babylonish Surely this Assertion of M. Nichols will seem to the World not onely uncharitable but most absurd and Antichristian contradicting so much of Scripture as it doth 2. Argument Those that profess the Name of Christ without superstitious inventions of man are a true Church But a Parochial people meeting and gathering together here in England for the true worship of Christ profess the Name of Christ without superstitious inventions of man Ergo They are a true Church The Major is proved thus for Churches planted by others are onely thus described by their terms where Christ was named as you may read Rom. 15. vers 20. So have I strived to preach tâ—e Gospel not where Christ was named least I should build upon another man's foundation which words Learned Mr. Iohn Diodati expoundeth thus that it was the Apostles meaning to make it his onely glory to plant new Churches not standing to manure those which were already planted by the Ministery of others Which cannot be understood well to be the sense of the Apostle if by these terms where Christ is named he understand not true Churches planted and erected So it appears that where
Christs name is named called upon and professed and that without superstitious inventions of man there is a true Church But our Parochial meeting and gathering together is to name the Name of Christ to call upon it and profess it Ergo Our Parochial people here in England so meeting and gathering together are true Churches and not Babylonish 3. Argument We be either the Church of Christ and so a true Church or the Church of Antichrist But we are not the Church of Antichrist Ergo we are the Church of Christ and so not Babylonish but a true Church The Minor is clear we have forsaken Rome the Pope his Doctrine his Sacraments Yea every year upon the Friday before Easter day we are excommunicated by the Pope with this Ceremony which my self have seen and was present at it Ann. Dom. 1640. The Pope standing in a high Balcony in Peters Palace before thousands of people gathered beneath in an open wide and capacious place takes in his hand a lighted Torch declaring that light to represent the light and brightness of the true Militant Church and the light and glorie of the Triumphant Church above and then one of his Chaplains putting out the light The Pope casteth the Torch out of his hand from on high down to the ground declaring by that Ceremony that so he excommunicates and deprives of all light of mercy favour comfort in the Militant Chuâ—ch and also excludes from the light of glory in the Triumphant Church all Hereticks in England as such he looks upon us who acknowledge him noâ— by their obedience to him to be the supream head of the universal Church and condemns their Souls to the pits of Hell where is no light of mercy and redemption but darkness for ever excâ—pt they repent and turn to him using in this action of casting down the Torch the words of Christ to the wicked on the leâ—t hand Dâ—part from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Matth. 25. vers 41. Thus are we disowned cast out anathematized and for ever cursed by the Pope and shall we yet be said by Mr. Nâ—â—hols to be Babylonish to be his or any wayes to belong to him No surely we may rather say as our Saviour said of the World and his Disciples If ye were of the World the World would love his own but because ye are not of the World but I have chosen you out of the World therefore the World hateth you John 15. vers 19. So if we were of Rome of Babylon Rome would love us as her own but because we are not of Rome but the Lord hath chosen us out of Rome and out of Babylon therefore she hates us and her Triple Crowned Head and Governour bids us depart casteth us out and curseth us So it appears that we are no Church nor people of Antichrist Ergo we are a Church of Christ. And if there be any further doubt of this in Mr. Nichols I must tell him plainly that the difference is between him and the Pope The Pope saith we are no Church of Christ because not belonging to him Mr. Nichols saith we are no Church of Christ because we are Babylonish and so belonging to the Pope and to Antichrist As Paul set the Pharisees and Sadducees at variance to help himself Act. 23. vers 6 7. So I shall leave the Pope and Mr. Nichols to reason this case whilest I step forth to my fourth Argument thus 4. Argument A company having no false nor Babylonish head but having Iesus Christ for their true head can be no false nor Babylonish Church or body But we are a company having no false nor Babylonish head but having Iesus Christ for our true head Ergo we can be no false nor Babylonish Church or body The Minor is clear thus because we do all profess him which is a token of Faith in the heart Rom. 10. vers 9. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved And the Apostles judged such worthy to be of the Church in their time and thereupon did admit men as Act. 16. vers 31 32. Yea Simon Magus thereupon was admitted Act. 8. vers 13. though otherwise a dissembling Hypocrite whose example is a sufficient answer to Mr. Nichols his Objection saying sheâ— me â—here the Apostles admitted wicked men into their Churches as you do To which with this example of Simon Magus we answer as also with Demas Hymenaeus and Alexander that they admitted wicked dissembling Hypocrites as we may do some not qua and as wicked and dissemblers but qua and as Proâ—essours professing with their mouth the Lord Jesus as a token of Faith in their hearts Rom. 10. vers 9. Yea secondly such is this confession or profession of the name of Christ that it is a token laid down in Scripture that such as confess Iesus Châ—ist have the Spirit of God Hereby know ye the Spirit of God every Spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God 1 John 4. vers 2. And thirdly the confession of his name is a part of our praise so Paul saith By him let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name Hebr. 13. vers 15. Thus we hold Christ for our head we profess and confess him and his name â—rgo we are no Babylonish â—or false Body 5. Argument A company having Iesus Christ for their Mediatour and Advocate are a true Church But we are a company having Iesus Christ for our Mediatour and Advocate Ergo we are a true Church The Minor is proved thus First by our prayers which are onely made to God and in the name of Iesus Christ onely Secondly in that we do condemne the Papists for making the Virgin Marie Saints and Angels Mediatours to God and we do reject it as idolaâ—rous Thirdly because we do partake of the Covenant made unto us by God through Iesus Christ which I thus make good First because many of us both in Church and Common-wealth of both higher and lower degree have true knowledge of Gods word which is one part of the promise and Covenant as you may read in these words of Ieremiah This shall be the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel saith the Lord. I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my people And further They shall all know me from the lowest of them unto the greatest of them saith the Lord Jerem. 31. vers 33 34. and the like Hebr. 8. vers 10. and Chap. 10. vers 16. Secondly the fear of God possesseth the hearts of many which is another part thereof as the same Prophet writeâ— I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from
them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Jerem. 32.40 Thirdly God hath brought us out of the Egyptian bondage of that Roman Antichrist which is another part I have heard the groaning of the Children of Israel whom the Egyptians kept in bondage and I have remembred my Covenant Exod. 6. vers 5. Fourthly because we have the book of the Covenant which is read to us as formerly by Moses to the people who took the book of the Covenant and read in the audience of all the people and they said All that the Lord hath said will we do and be obedient Exod. 24. vers 7. We have the holy Commandments and the Gospel the words of the Covenant Exod. 34. vers 28. And it is a special prerogative to Gods people to have the word of God as Paul observes in the Iews prerogative and advantage what advantage then hath the Jew Much every way chiefly because unto them were committed the Oracles of God Rom. 3. vers â— 2 Which David also sets down as a great priviledge and prerogative He shewâ—â—h his word unto Jacob his statutes and his judgements unto Israel he hath not dealt so with any Nation Ps. 14. v. 7 19 20. All which bound up in one bundle of an impartial judgement tâ—ue consideration will make it to appear unto the world that surely Mr. Nichols his Assertion is most erroneous and false affirming as much as this that a people offering their prayers to God in the name of Iesus Christ taking the same Iesus Christ onely for their Mediatour and Advocate condemning as Babylonish the Mediation and Advocation of all Saints and Angels partaking of the Covenant made by God to his people through Iesus Christ having true knowledge of Gods word and his Law written in their inward parts having the fear of God possessing their hearts having been brought out of Babylonish and Antichristian bondage having the book of the Covenant read unto them having the holy commandments the Gospel the words of the Covenant and acknowledging obedience due unto them and enjoying that peculiar priviledge and prerogative of Iacob and Israel in the word Yet notwithstanding all these particulars and sure truths out of Scripture that such a people is no true Church but Babylonish and Antichristian Mr. Nichols may say so but I am sure the Scriptures say the contrary which must be yours and my guide to the which I beseech you to lean as you tender your Souls For my part I am so convinced out of the word of the contrary to Mr. Nichols his Assertion that I hope I shall never be so seduced nor blinded as to incline to so gross and false an opinion And I hope my good God my true guide my Prophet and onely Teacher will not hereafter judge or condemne me for the lighâ— which in this particular point of controversie I am resolved till death to follow All these Arguments upon the day of dispute should have been objected against Mr. Nichols had he answered like a Schollar Categorically to every Proposition and not so much indeavoured with Speeches and Orations to stop the stream of them Many more I could propound unto you were it not that I have already found the work to increase like the Widows Oyl much in my hands and nothing yet spoken of the second Proposition which I know you expect to have it further cleared unto you than it was the other day by a few Objections against it But before I come unto it I must briefly answer the scruple of one or two of the Clergy my fellow-labourers whose impatient mutterings against Parochial Churches wherein they serve and can willingly enjoy the milk of such flocks were taken notice off by some who seem not to deny Parochial Churches in Mr. Nichols his sense counselling or Preaching a separation from them but in another sense Presbyterial they would fain call it but unjustly as disagreeing with the Classical way and with Provincial Churches which one of them told me were to be called onely Churches and Parishes not truely Churches but onely integral parts of such Classical or Provincial Churches So that the whole County being divided into Classes the Parishes also are to be divided so as that a competent number are to belong to such and such a Classes as formerly to such and such a Cathedral and all that number of Parishes to make up but one Church to be ruled by Officers and Elders according to the word but singly every Parish taken by it self not to be called a Church Which Opinion being but a Cavil as I suppose against my self by the party insisting on it I shâ—ll wave as unwilling to disturb and as willing to submit for peace and quietness sake especially in this which well understood doth not cross my Opinion and judgement of holding Parish Societies to be true Churches nor my Opinion cross the judgement of the Learned and Reverend Divines of the Presbyterial way who affirm the Presbyterial Government by Preaching and Ruling Presbyters in Congregational Classical and Synodal Assemblies to lay the truest claim to a Divine Right according to the Scriptures with whose own Doctrine I shall confirm this truth that Parochial Congregations are to be called truely Churches The aforesaid Divines in their book of the Divine right of Church-Government take notice of the whole Church the whole Body of Christ and of larger particular Members of that Body of Christ and thirdly of smaller single Congregations Which threefold distinction of Churches is truely grounded upon the Scripture Thus Paul calls the whole Body of Christ Church Now ye are the Body of Christ and Members in particular And God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers 1 Cor. 12. vers 27.28 So Matâ—h 16. v. 18. and often elsewhere So likewise larger particular Members of that body of Christ such as Provincial Churches are in Scripture called Churches as the Church of Ierusalem Act 8. vers 1. the Church of Antioch Act. 13. v. 1. the Church of Coâ—inth 2 Cor. 1. vers 1. and the Church of Ephesus unto the Angel of the Church of Ephesus write these things Revel 2. vers 1. In which places there were no doubt many single Churches and Congregations as appears plainly in Corinth where Paul taught Apollo taught and Cephas taught and in Ephesus where Eusebius Emissenus reckoneth up above three-score several Churches and Congregations all which in Scripture are called one Church And I cannot here but declare my judgement upon those words of Iohn Rev. 2. vers 1. Unto the Angel of the Church of Ephesus that certainly if there were in Ephesus many single Congregations and particular Churches and yet called but Church as if but one Church were there then it appears evidently that those many single Churches made up one Provincial Church as integral parts of the whole which I will not deny to my Caviller though
the Ordination of that Ministery which he had in England because Imposition of hands was in the Church of Rome from the times of â—he Apostles is there continued to this day although much mixed with many pollutions of their own Obj. But if those that separate from us will throw away all that comes through Rome what course will they take when they have denied all the Ordinances that have been administred for these ninety years in England for if no Ministery then certainly no Authoritative Preaching no Sacraments and thus they have renounced their baptisme which they had by these Ministers What Method then will they take in their Reformation Ans. How will they come to be rebaptized They will tell us peradventure that they will Covenant together and then Elect and ordain a Minister and he shall baptize 1. Reply Will they Covenant together supposing themselves to be Saints first say they so Are they Saints by a calling How came they to be so What did God call them immediately No They must say many if not all of them who have any truth of grace by the preaching of the word they were called What from those Ministers from whom they separate as no Ministers because of their Ordination Hath the Lord so far owned his despised Members as to make them the instruments to bring these to be visible Saints fit to imbody or Covenant And are these now no Ministers Are these the effect of their Ministerial labours and they no Ministers 1. Ans. But they say They will Elect and Ordain one Minister and then he shall rebaptize 2. Reply But since he did renounce his own baptisme also who shall baptize him first There must be a Minister to do that to be sure he cannot do it himself nor none of them for they are private persons To administer the Lords Supper before they be baptized is contrary to the Scripture-rules as Iustinus Martyr defends But how can they Ordain this Minister not being themselves baptized Where doth it appear in Scripture that an unbaptized people did ever Elect or Ordain a Minister These absurdities would necessarily follow such a reformation of this whole Land by denying thâ— Ministers to be true Ministers and by annulling their Ordination because it came through the Church of Rome 2. Ans. But secondly I answer to the main Objection of our Ordination passing through Rome to us That the Churches of England had not their first beginning from Rome as some fondly and ignorantly conceive but rather from Ierusalem Yea Baronius a great stickler for Romes priviledges yet acknowledgeth the Antiquity of the Church of England before Rome it self observing the conversion of England to Christianity to have been the five and thirtieth year after the Ascension of Christ and the Conversion of Rome to have been ten years after in the year 45. So that the Churches of England were at first rightly gathered and constituted the instruments of gathering being from Ierusalem Apostles or Apostolical men as is evident from Mr. Fox Neither is it to be doubted but that they did Ordain Officers in the Churches for we read of Ministers and Bishops The Land falling to the possession of the Saxons about the year 568. the History saith p. 147. that by them all the Clergy and the Christian Ministers of the Britains were then utterly driven out in so much that the Archbishops of London York went into Wales Thus long then it seems that the Ministers of England had no Ordination from Româ— This appears also by Austin the Monk who came inâ—o England in the year 598 it is observed by Mr. Fox p. 153. that about the year 600. Aâ—stâ—n assembled the Bishops and Doctors of Britain so that still here were Ministers and charged them for to preach the Gospel to the English men and also that they should among themselves reform certain Rites in their Church especially for Easter-tide and for baptizing after the manner of Rome to which the Scots and Briâ—tains would not agree which shews that they did not neither would they depend upon Rome Since then there were so many Ministers and Bishops in England who had their Ordination by Succession from those Apostolical men and not from Rome and opposed Austin the Monk indeavouring to settle Rites Ceremonies and Superstitions according to the practise of Rome why may not we suppose that these again might preach the Gospel to the English maintaining Baptisme and Ordination in that purity wherewith they were Instituted by IesusChrist Moreover It is very observable from Mr. Selden and Mr. Speeds Historie of great Britain that in the Church of England the corruptions which the Church of Rome would have introduced about Ordination of Ministers and other Ecclesiastical affairs were withstood and opposed by the Kings of England Nor do we read of any Ministers in England that were ordained by any Agents sent from Rome but onely of some idle Ceremonies of Confirmation of them that were ordained by the Pall and the Ring brought thence into England So that if the whole be well considered it will puzzle those of the Separation to prove that the Church of England was beholding to the Church of Rome for either the first plantation after Reformation or continuation of the Gospel Church and Ministery therein from the first beginning even to this very day 3. Ans. But thirdly I answer that in case it be granted that our Ordination have passed through Rome so that it have been formerly corrupted with some Romish Rites Ceremonies as Baptisme also was and that stubble have been built upon Gold and upon the true Institution of Christ for the ordaining rightly the Gospel-Ministers Yet neither this scruple nor the Objection of Bishops ordaining formerly is sufficient to null our Ordination and make void the true Ministery of England nor any warrantable Plea to separate from us and from our Congregations A stream of water that springs from a clear Fountain may in the first Reach run like the Fountain clear in the second Reach by reason of a muddy and soul bottom it may run also muddy and in the third Reach it may come out again clear and run as at the first And yet none will deny it in the third Reach to have streamed from a clear Fountain neither any loath to drink of it because immediatly before it ran through a muddy Reach Even so our ordination hath sprung from a clear Fountain from Christ our Head and in the first Reach of the Primitive times ran very clear without corruptions or innovations of sinfull men and Prelates In the second Reach of corrupt and Popish times it ran more muddy by reason of pollutions and filthy inventions and Ceremonies Superstitiously added to it by the Popes But now in the third Reach of Reformation from Popery it runs again clear as at the first And therefore who with conscience can deny it to come from a clear Fountain and ought to loath it because more immediatly it