treasure found in a dunghill or a pearl brought by an unworthy person 8. If the word of God preached by the present Ministers may be effectual for that good which is the end wherefore it is preached then it may be lawfully heard from them or rather ought to be heard according to that precept James 1.21 Receive with meekness the ingraffed word which is able to save your souls 1 Pet. 2.1 2. Desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby But the word of God preached by the present Ministers may be thus effectual For the efficacy of it comes not from the personal qualifications of the Preacher but from the verity of it it 's derivation from God his promise and blessing and however Sepatists have declaimed against such Ministers and suggested to their Partisans as if no good could be gotten by hearing them yet experience hath proved the contrary and therefore they are to be heard Finis dat mediis ordinem mensuram amabilitatem The hearing of them is an ordinary means of hearers edification in the faith and obedience of Christ and therefore is not unlawful but to be made use of 9. That is not unlawfull the neglect of which may be the occasion and reason of a mans condemnation it is the condemnation of a person John 3.20 that he comes not to the light But the present Ministers holding forth the light mens not hearing them is not coming to the light and so much the more dangerous if by not hearing them they are deprived of any other to bring the light to them as it may and perhaps doth fall out at some times and in some places Therefore the neglect of hearing them may be the occasion and reason of a persons condemnation and so a damnable sin in them that refuse to hear them and in those that deter others from hearing them 10. The words of Peter John 6.68 Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternal life include in them this proposition We may go to them as to Teachers of us who have the words of eternal life But the present Ministers who teach the Gospel of Christ have the words of eternal life for it contains his words and is the power of God to salvation from the matter of it Rom. 1.16 17. Mighty through God to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.4 5. Therefore we may go to the present Ministers who teach the Gospel of Christ and hear them as our Teachers 11. The Apostle Paul 1 Thâ—s 2.13 writes thus For this cause also thank we God without ceasing because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us ye received 〈◊〉 not as the words of men but as it is in tâ—â—th the woâ—d of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe Whence I thus argue If the word of God be to be heard as his word and not as the word of men then it is sufficient for right hearing that we attend to the preaching of it without consideration of the personal qualifications of the men that deliver it and consequently we need not decline hearing of Preachers that deliver it though otherwise liable to exceptions yea it is our duty to hear any men preach it without questioning any thing but whether it be the word of God and it is evil to refuse to hear it because of our disaffection and prejudice against the Preachers and accordingly it is enough to justifie the hearing of the present Ministers that they preach the word of God and that we hear them as teaching it For quatenus ipsum incâ—udes de omni if we may yea ought to hear the word of God as Gods word we may and ought to hear it at any time from any person and if we do not hear it under this consideration we hear amiss and worship not God in hearing But the word of God is to be heard as Gods word as is evident from St. Pauls thanksgiving that the Thessalonians so heard it and not as the word of men though Preached by himself who ascribes the efficacy of it to this consideration in their hearing Therefore it is sufficient for right hearing that we attend to the Preaching of Gods word without consideration of the personal qualifications of them that deliver it and consequently we may rightly hear the present Ministers Preaching Gods word though without such personal qualifications as are required of them 12. The same is further proved by the holy Ghosts approbation of the practice of the Beraeans neighbours to the Thessalonians Acts 17.11 12. These were more noble then those in Thessalonica in that they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether these things were so therefore many of them believed Whence I argue They may be right hearers of the present Ministers who may hear them as the Beraeans did which proposition is confirmed in that the holy Ghost gives them the commendation of right hearers in that they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether the things taught by St. Paul were agreeable thereto without examining his commission to Preach or other qualifications of his person yea and this is made the reason of their believing and therefore the word of God is sufficient to beget faith because of it's agreeableness to the Scripture and hath most success when hearers hear it with respect to it's congruity to the holy Scripture and not because delivered by such men as they approve of But thus may Christians hear the present Ministers of England and therefore may be right hearers of the present Ministers and consequently they that do so do lawfully hear them and they that hear their Ministers out of other particular respects and not in this manner hear not rightly nor doth their hearing edifie them in the faith of Christ but tends to inordinate glorying in men and to division consequent thereon 13. From our Lord Christs word Luke 9.49 50. And John answered and said Master we saw one caâ—ting out devils in thy name and we forbade him becaâ—se he followeâ—h not with us And Jesus said into him Forbid him not for he that is not against us is for us I gather That Christ would not have him forbidden to Preach who Preached in his name though he were not joyned to Christs disciples For though the acting in Christs name expressed 〈◊〉 onely using his name to expell devils yet by using his name there was some Preaching of Christ and the words Mark 9.39 For there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name that can lightly speak evil of me and the occasion both Mark 9.37 and Luke 9.48 immediately foregoing Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name receiveth me and whosoever shall receive me receiveth not me but him that sent me and Christs reason Forbid him not for he that is not against us is
to my wants sometimes both are joyned 2 Cor. 9.25 the administration of this service or the ministration of this Ministry and the higher powers are termed Rom. 13.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 6. that is the Minister or Officer of God In ecclesiastical matters both words are used and are applied to Christ who is termed the Minister of the Circumcision Rom. 15.8 a Minister of the Sanctuary Heb 8.2 and to Ministers of Christ Acts. 13.2 2 Cor. 11.23 the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is oft restrained to the office of a Deacon Phil. 1.1 1 Tim. 3.8 But the Ministry we are enquiring of is neither that of a Servant that waits on his Master nor of a contributor that supplieth anothers wants of outward necessaries nor the performing of the function of a Magistrate by doing acts of publique justice nor the ministry of Christ which was and is peculiar to him nor the Ministry of Angels who are also termed Gods Ministers and Ministring Spirits Heb. 1.7 14. Nor the office of Deacons as their office is termed serving tables distinct from the Ministry of the word Acts. 6.1 2 4. But that Ministry to which Matthias was elected Acts 1.25 and of which it is said 1 Cor. 3.5 who then is Paul and who is Apollos but Ministers by whom ye believed even as the Lord gave to every one and is meant Ephes. 4.11 12. where it is said that Christ gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the work of the Ministry This Ministry was performed by the Apostles Prophets and Evangelists somewhat extraordinarily either in respect of their gifts or their commission which are now ceased That Ministry we now enquire of is that of ordinary Pastors and Teachers as now sent To these sundry Ministries are usually assigned to 〈◊〉 Ministry of the word of Baptism of the Lords supper of confirmation ordination government by admonitions censures and if there be any other work allotted to those whom the Scripture terms Bishops or Elders But our quaerist in this his writing medling only with that part of Ministry in this main question disputed by him which is by Preaching I understand his quaerie to be meant of that part of the Ministry Now this Ministry is usually expressed by the Ministry of the word Acts 6.4 the Ministry of the Gospel of God Rom. 15.16 the Ministry of the New Testament not of the letter but of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.6 8. of righteousness v. 9. the Ministry of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.18 Stewards of the Misteris of God 1 Cor. 4.1 and sometimes our Ministery without any other adjunct 2 Cor. 6.3 and an Oeconomy or dispensation 1 Cor. 9.17 more fully Acts 20.24 the Ministery which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testify the Gospel of the grace of God Which shewes the Author of this Ministry whereupon he requires 1 Cor. 4.1 Let a man so account of us as of the Mynisters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated Minister Acts 13.5 of Christ and Stewards of the mysteries of God The finis cui or those for whom this Ministry is appointed are the Saints and therefore it is said to be for the perfecting of the Saints or joynting together of them and the edifying of the body of Christ Ephes. 4 12. wherefore St. Paul saith of himself that he was made a Minister of the Church according to the dispensation of God which is given to mee for you to fulfill the word of God Col. 1.24 25. which shewes that he was not a Minister for one particular Church but for any part of it where his lot was to Preach and that he was not Minister of the Church by their election or mission or direction for these were of God and Christ Jesus but for the Church or Saints as the subjects to and for whom he was appointed to fulfill the word of God even the mystery which had been hid from ages and from generations but then was made manifest to his Saints to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of glory v. 26 27. to which purpose he speaks also of himself Ephes. 3.6 7 8 9. which yet is not to be restrained so to the Saints but that the Ministry of the Gospel was to be to them that were not Saints I am a debtor saith he Rom. 1.14 both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians both to the wise and to the unwise and 1 Cor. 1.23 We preach Christ unto the Jewes a stumbling block and unto the Greeks foolishness and 2 Cor. 2.14 15. Thanks be to God which alwayes causeth us to triumph in Christ and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish So that the Ministry of the word though it be primarily for the Church and the Saints yet is the preaching of the Gospel the Ministry of Christ even to unbelievers as Ezekiel was a Prophet to the rebellious Nation of Israel when he spake Gods word whether they did hear or forbear Ezek 2.5 And hence I inferre that there may be a true Ministry not only in but also out of a Church of believers Sect. 19. A true Gospel Ministry may be in a false Church so deemed Secondly A Church may be said to be false many wayes 1. Because it was irregularly constituted that is not gathered by consent or Church-covenant or baptism but by humane Laws in forcing men to meet together in one Congregation or more because dwellers in such a Precinct or born or living in such a Countrey In this respect I conceive the Quaerist makes a national Church a false Church 2. Because it is an hypocritical company which doth indeed make them a false Church before God yet quoad nos they are a true visible Church if there be no falsehood in that which is descernible by men 3. Because it is Schismatical so as to break off from other parts of the Catholique Church without a justifiable cause whether out of ambition passion misapprehension or any other such like undue motive 4. Because it is heretical or Heresy is broached and upheld by a party in it Now I confess that it can hardly be that there should be a true Ministry in a Church tainted with Heresy Yet sith our Lord Christ writes to the Church of Pergamos as one of his seven Golden Candlesticks though there were that held the Doctrin of Balaam and of the Nicolaitans Revel 2.14 15. and in like manner the Church of Thyatira or the Angel of it suffered the Woman which called her self a Prophetess to teach and seduce his Servants to commit Fornication and to eat things Sacrificed to Idols I inferre those Angels were true Ministers though in a Church in some sort false that is tainted with
preaching of the Gospel though 't was preached out of envy Phil. 1.15 16. To which briefly 1. There may be cause of rejoycing in respect of the issue and event of things by the wise providence of God though the means used for their production be evil and not to be abetted or complyed with In what have Christians greater cause of rejoycing than in the death of Christ yet had it been utterly unlawfull to have joyn'd in counsel with or any wayes abetted or encouraged those wicked persons that Crucified and slew him Should the Pope send some Jesuits into any remote parts of Africa to preach the Gospel to the poor Indians there here were upon some accounts ground of rejoycing yet no ground for Saints to attend upon a Jesuitical Ministry But 2ly It appears not that these Paul speaks of were not true Gospel Ministers and so it reacheth not the case in hand This being that we have proved the Ministers of England guilty of viz. and acting in the holy things of God without any commission from Christ which when our dissenting brethren prove they have we shall easily acknowledge the lawfullness of attending upon their Ministry 3ly It follows not in the least that these the Apostle speaks of were either not real Saints or not true Ministers of Christ because they are said to preach him out of envy the object whereof was not Christ for had they envyed him they would never have preached him but Paul thinking sayes he to add afflictions to my bonds which is consistent with grace and a lawfull mission to the preaching of the Gospel Yet 4ly Here is not in this Scripture the least word requiring Christians to hear them That because Paul rejoyces at their preaching therefore 't is the duty of Saints to attend upon their Ministry is such a non-sequitur as will never be made good I reply nor needs it the lawfulness to hear the present Ministers of England not the duty of the Saints to attend upon their Ministers being the thing in question and therefore it is sufficient for my purpose if I prove hence the lawfulness of hearing them though I should not prove it the Saints duty to attend on their Ministry Which I conceive may be done by this argument They in whose preaching of Christ we may rejoyce though they should not preach Christ sincerely but in pretence out of envy not good will out of contention thinking to add affliction to other Ministers bonds may be heard by the Saints lawfully But the Saints may rejoyce in the present Ministers of England their preaching of Christ though they should not preach Christ sincerely but in pretence out of envy not good will out of contention thinking to add affliction to other Ministers bonds Therefore the Saints may hear the present Ministers of England lawfully The major is grounded on this that the thing we may rejoyce in is good for which we may thank God and consequently hear which is agreeable to that of the Prophets Esai 52.7 Nahum 1.15 applyed by the Apostle Rom. 10.15 to the preaching of the Gospel who he supposeth are to be welcomed and heard The minor is proved from the Apostles example Phil. 1.15 16 17.18 That preaching of Christ that is no other then St. Paul rejoyced in and professed he would rejoyce in the Saints now may rejoyce in though it be not sincerely but in pretence out of envy not good will out of contention to add affliction to other Ministers bonds But such is the preaching Christ by the present Ministers ergo the Saints may rejoyce in it The major is not to be denyed unless it be shewed that the Apostle did evil in so rejoycing The minor is manifest in that no other exception is taken against their preaching then such as with as great reason might have nullified the joy of St. Paul in that which moved him to rejoyce In a word though personal defects and miscarriages were in the preaching of Christ yet the thing it self being good and occasioning the magnifying of Christ it is and should be matter of joy to all that love Christ. To this Argument I find the Author of the Pamphlet intituled prelatical preachers none of Christs teachers p. 45. answering thus that preaching of Christ is not to be rejoyced in without limitation because of these texts Mark 1.24 25. Luke 4.34 35.41 Acts 16.18 Acts 15.1 Gal. 5.2 4.12 Phil. 3.2 3. Acts 20.29 Psal. 50.16.18 But he sets not down the limitation he would gather thence only it may seâ—m by the texts that we are not to rejoyce in the confession of Christ or his servants by the Devils when the necessity of circumcision and keeping the law of Moses for justification is taught when hypocrites take Gods law into their mouths by professing or declaring of it but hate to be reformed Which we grant but say all these texts and the limitation thence deducible are impertinent to the present argument for as much as these do not preach Christ. Nor saith that Author in propriety and strictness of speech can Christ be said to be preached by a prelatical Ministry they justifie them that deny Christ to be the sole law-giver of his Church and so make him an Idol Which to be false is shewed in the answer to the 5th chapter of this treatise Yet saith that Author p. 46. In case such a Minister as this that preacheth by the Bishops licence should in his Doctrine or Sermon affirm Jesus Christ to be the sole law-giver unto his Churches yet in and by his very act of preaching he should deny it should the Apostle rejoyce in that preaching of Christ which is a denying him An horrible speech of monstrous absurdity and impudent malice I should not say so much of such preaching though it were by the Popes licence or the Devils instigation For though I should not rejoyce in the motive or impulsive cause by which it is done yet I would not so censure the thing it self as a denying of Christ. But how the receiving of a license from a Protestant Bishop to preach the Gospel within his Diocess and preaching there by vertue of it according to the order established by the law of the land should be a denying of Christs legislative power is to me incomprehensible and to use that Authors phrasifying the first born of absurdities I should rejoyce and bless God to obtain such power upon justifiable conditions But to our Author His First answer is not to the purpose For rejoycing in the Ministers preaching of Christ or those that preached out of envy is not a rejoycing in the good event by evil means but in a good event by good means the preaching Christ is a good thing in which the Apostle and we rejoyce and the effect is good although the motive and end of the preachers be evil The putting of Christ to death was in it self evil and not to be rejoyced in though the effect of it be good and to be
for us shew that Christs words are at well meant of preaching in his name as of casting out devils at least the reason of them is of like force for the not prohibiting of men to Preach in his name as to cast out devils Whence I argue They may be heard Preach in Christs name who are not to be forbidden to Preach in Christs name But the present Ministers of England are not to be forbidden to Preach in Christs name therefore they may be heard Preach in Christs name The major is of it self evident there being no reason to be given why they that are allowed to Preach in Christs name should not be heard by the same allowance allowance to Preach being vain and frivolous without allowance for others to hear The minor is also proved by parity of reason for allowing them to preach as well as those who cast out Devils in Christs name yet joyned not with the Disciples sith so doing they did not speak evil of Christ nor were against him but for him nor is there so much reason of prohibiting the Ministers to preach in Christs name because they are not in a separated Church nor elected by the Members thereof as there was of prohibiting them that followed not with the Apostles to cast out Devils in Christs name If Christ would not have these forbidden to do a miracle in his name neither would he have the other forbidden to preach in his name which they do in effect who make it unlawfull to hear them 14. I shall adjoyn to this that our Saviour Matth. 7.22 23. where he alleageth the plea and expectation of formal hypocrites he doth not reject them for prophesying in his name but for their working iniquity thereby shewing that he allowed their prophesying in his name as good though not sufficient without obedience Whence I argue if their prophesying in Christs name who were workers of iniquity then much more their teaching in Christs name who are only supposed to be defective in outward calling or faulty in some actions consistent with Christianity is to be allowed and if their teaching be allowed then the hearing of them is by consequence allowed for these are conjugates 15. Our Lord Christ saith Luke 10.16 concerning the seventy Disciples he that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me The reason hereof is because they preached the same Doctrine if if there be an outward mission and the same Doctrine which Christ taught is not preached Christ is not heard but when the same Doctrine is heard which Christ taught he is heard and if it be rejected he is despised Whence I argue They may be lawfully heard by hearing of whom we may hear Christ. But by hearing of the present Ministers who preach the Doctrine of Christ we hear Christ therefore we may hear the present Ministers who preach the Dâ—â—trine of Christ. The reason of the minor is from that speech 〈◊〉 Christ John 7.16 my Doctrine is not mine but his that sent 〈◊〉 in the preachers Doctrine which he preacheth after Christ is not his own but Christs who sent him as an Embassadours message is his Kings not his own and by hearing him deliver it according to his Commission his Master is heard 16. This is further confirmed from Rom. 10.15 And how shall they preach except they be sent As it is written How beautifull are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of Peace and bring glad tydings of good things The citation of these words to prove that they cannot preach who are not sent doth presuppose 1. That they who preach the Gospel of Peace that bring the glad tydings of good things are sent to preach and that by hearing of it comes faith and that the word of God is heard else were the citation impertinent and the inference v. 17. inconsequent 2. That their feet are beautifull and that they are to be heard in this respect But I subsume the present Ministers who preach the Doctrine they undertake to teach preach the Gospel of Peace and bring the glad tydings of good things therefore are they sent their feet are beautifull and are to be heard 17. In the parable of the talents Matth. 25.15 or pounds Luke 19.13 our Saviour saith the Kingdom of Heaven is as when a noble man goes into a farr Country gives his Servants his money to trade with and they are to gain more thereby 1 Cor. 12.7.8 the gifts of the spirit are given to profit withall in which are reckoned the word of wisdome of knowledge teachers v. 28 29. Ephes. 4.11 for the edâ—fying of the body of Christ in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the son of God Whence it is apparent 1. That ability to teach the things of Christ to edifie the body of Christ is a gift of Christ 2. That they who do use this ability do it unto Christ's advantage according to his design 3. That not to improve this gift is to disappoint Christ of his end in giving it 4. For any to hinder this improvement is sinfull Whence I argue They that have ability to preach the Gospel have received a Talent from Christ to improve it their improving is by preaching this cannot be done unless they be heard therefore the not hearing them makes voyd the use of that gift The present Ministers who preach the Gospel have received this gift and by preaching do use iâ— therefore they are to be heard and the not hearing them is to dâ—sable them from improving it and consequently is a sin against Christs designe 18 As from the end of Christs gifts so from the duty of them that have received them we may prove that the present Ministers are to be heard 1 Pet. 4 10.11 As every man hath received the gift even so Minister the same one to another as good Stewards of the manifold grace of God If any man speak let him speak as the Oracles of God Whence I argue If the present Mâ—nisters have received a gift to speak the Oracles of God then are they to Minister the same and consequently to be heard This is acknowledged by this Author ch 2. in these words That Christ hath appointed some as Ministers by vertue of an office power to dispense the Ordinances of the Gospel untill his Second Coming is granted by all that 't is permitted to others as their liberty enjoyned them as their duty having received gifts and enablements from the Lord thereunto to improve those gifts in preaching praying c. for the edification of the body of Christ though not solemnly invested into office is assented unto at least by some of those with whom we have to do whence a lawfulness to hear them as Ministers or as gifted brethren doth necessarily arise But the present Ministers have received a gift to speak the Oracles of God as experience shews and that equally if not beyond the teachers of the
27. The Schism in the Church of Corinth did arise from the affecting of and addicting themselves to some teachers with relinquishment if not disclaiming of others as appears by that which is said 1 Cor. 1.12 Every one of you saith I am of Paul and I of Apollos and I of Cephas and I of Christ whereupon there were among them envying and strife and division 1 Cor. 3.3 and they sorted themselves into companies severed from others as may be gathered from 1 Cor. 11.17 18. and that about the Lords Supper v. 21.33 Now the not hearing of the present Ministers and the separation from the Churches that hear them and adhering only to their own teachers and Churches according to the principles of the Separatists is either the same or very like the Schism or division among the Corinthians or tends to it and hath begotten and is like to beget the same if not worse effects among the Christians in England as were in the Church of Corinth and therefore it is to be censured to be alike evil as the Schism among the Corinthians and is reckoned Gal. 5.20 21. among the works of the flesh excluding out of the Kingdom of God What is alledged by this Authour to justifie such separation is answered before That which Dr. John Owen hath in his book of Schism tending to acquit such separation from the crime of Schism or to difference it from that which was the evil among the Corinthians hath been examined by Mr. Daniel Cawdrey That notion which is appropriated to the Corinthian Schism as if it were onely division in the same particular Church and not separation from others not joyned in the same particular Congregation or such congregational Church is not agreeable with what the Apostle delivers 1 Cor. 10.17 and 12.12 13. Rom. 12.4 5. Ephes. 4.4 Ephes. 5.30 31 32. Ephes. 1.23 Col. 3.11.15 whereby every Christian believer where-ever is counted of the same body to which they should be joyned in love peace mutual affection and correspondent endeavours for their good and if the Apostle 1 Cor. 12.25 expresly count it a Schism in the body when any Christian doth neglect another and not take care of another much more is it Schism when Christians separate wiâ—hout necessary cause from communion with others and more specially when they disclaim them that are teachers of the Word of God as if Christ were divided as St. Paul speaks 1 Cor. 1.13.23 St. James in his Epistle ch 2.1 writes thus My brethren have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of glory with respect of persons and he expresseth himself by instance that they preferred the rich before the poor in placing them in their Assemblies and taxeth them therefore as partial in themselves and judges of evil thoughts Now to hear one that preacheth the faith of Christ because he is of our particular Society or by reason of particular interest or agreement in opinion or any other then the unity of faith in the Lord Jesus and to disclaim hearing another that hath the same faith preacheth it and holds communion with them that embrace it and to separate from such to despise or oppose such is to have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ with respect of persons for other reasons then their faith and therefore is condemned by St. James as evil 24. St. Paul Rom. 16 17. writes thus Now I beseech you brethren maâ—k them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned and avoyd them But those who teach men not to hear their Ministers which preach to them the truth of Gods Word because they are not in a congregational Church or not elected or ordained according to the rules of such Churches or because they conform to some things conceived unwarrantable which are made the reasons of unlawfulness to hear the present Ministers who preach the Gospel do cause offences and divisions contrary to the Doctrine Rom. 12.4.5 Rom. 14.1 c. Rom. 15.1 c. therefore their Doctrine is to be avoyded 25. The Apostle 1 Cor. 14.36 speaks thus What came the Word of God out from you or came it unto you only Which seems to reprehend the conceits whether schismatical or arrogant as if the Word of God were from them as the onely right teachers or confined to them as the only persons to whom it was communicated and from whom it might be received and so condemns such supposed inclosures by any Church or company of teachers But such conceits and inclosures they have and make who deny the present Ministers are to be heard conceiving the separated Churches and Ministers the only right Churches and Ministers to be heard 26. The Apostle Philip. 3 15 16. writes thus Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded and if in any thâ—ng ye be otherwise minded God shâ—ll reveal even this unto you thaâ— is as many of you as are well instructed in the Christian Doctrine for so the word is used 1 Cor. 2.6 1 Coâ— 14.20 Hâ—b 5 14. being opposed to Children and Babes that is wâ—ak in thâ— faith Rom. 14.1 Lâ—t them be minded as I am which he had expressed before in the chapter from v. 4. to v. 15. and if any through weakness â—n faith be otherwise minded as those Rom. 14 2.5 that thought Mosaical Laws were yet obligatory God would in time reveal this to be their liberty whicâ— I now judge to be mine Nevertheless saith he whereto ye have already attained let us walk by the same rule let us mind the same things Which requires Christian communion without separation notwithstâ—nding such difference and consequently condemns separation from Ministerâ— or Christians by reason of diversity of judgement about Church Government and Liturgy and different practise about Conformity or Non-conformity to them which are of less moment than those differences about meats and dayes and therefore notwithstanding them there should be walking together in preaching hearing praying and other duties of Christian communion 27. The Holy Ghost hath recorded the Prophesie of â—alaam Numb 24.3 4. c. of Caiaphas John 1â— 51 52. yea the sayings of Greek Infidel Idolatrous Poets cited by St. Paul as the words of Aratus Acts 17.28 of Menander 1 Cor. 15.33 of Epimâ—nides Titus 1.12 which shews the lawfulness of reading hearing and making use of true sayings of any though neither true Ministers of Christ nor believers but Idolaters and wicked enemies to the faith much more may the books be read and the Sermons heard of such learned men or preachers as clear and deliver the word of God notwithstanding dissent or disconformity to others about Liturgy and Church Discipline 28. The Apostle 1 Thess. 5.20 21. requires Christians not to despise prophesyings but to prove all things to hold fast that which is good St. John 1 Epist. chap. 4. Beloved believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they are of God they make it not sin meerly to hear them
thought did appertain to me to do because I found that many that had heard of my judgment in another point did imagine that I must needs be also a Separatist from the Church and Ministers as now they are and where my practice is known to the contrary I have been censured as acting against my own tenet yea and my own light and taken to be and shunned as a deserter of that Cause for which I have appeared notwithstanding in many places of my Writings I have disclaimed Separation for that wherein I was dissenter from others alwayes foreseeing that a groundless Separation would be endless and therefore have still professed my desire of such a Reformation as might be without Separation from Brethren who are not heretical in the doctrine of Christian Faith nor Idolatrous in their Worship nor impose that on me for communion with them which I cannot yield to without sin against God and accordingly did in express words in the Addition to my Apology Sect. 4. declare my willingness to joyn with any Churches of Christ and unwillingness to be a Separating Member in any Church being willing to be a conjoyned Member with all the Churches of Christ in general and each in particular Apol. p. 5. I abhor Separation from my Brethren in this regard p. 10. I durst not gather a separated Church as not knowing how to justifie such a practice In refutatione positionis Dr. Henrici Savage Sect. 15. Sanctissimè in conspectu Domini corda scrutantis possum profiteri me in animo semper habuisse ut si fieri posset èsset reformatio absque separatione animorum exacerbatione Praecursor Sect. 15. I am conscious to my self of using what means I could for Reformation without Schism if possible Yea when some of those who agreed with me in that tenet which my Writings held forth differently from others were moved to admit me to their Communion and they excepted against it because I did not disclaim the Church of England nor renounce Ordination by a Bishop nor desert my standing as a Parish Minister nor my maintenance by Tith or Augmentation nor my hearing with the World as they used to speak nor some such like practices as were inconsistent with the principles of the Separatists I refused many years ago to joyn with them that would not otherwise admit me than upon such terms but did answer their exceptions against me and persisted in my refusal unto this day And how averse my spirit and wayes have been from division that Antagonist of mine whose former Writings had given occasion to men to conceive of me as a Sect-master yet hath in his two Epistles Printed before my two Books one against the Quakers about the insufficiency of each mans Light within him for his guidance to God being Nine Sermons on Joh. 1.9 and the other entituled Romanism Discussed against the Papists assertions about their Church and Pope declared his opinion of my inclinableneness to brotherly Communion and agreement notwithstanding our dissent They to whom I was a Teacher even in the times of our greatest Liberty can bear me Witness that I alwayes withstood by Writing and Conference such insinuations as tended to alienate their minds from Dissenters and alwayes advised conjunction in Church Communion and hearing such as taught the truth of the Gospel in respect of the foundation though in their Worship and Preaching some Hay and Stubble were superadded And therefore to shew my constancy in the same opinion and practice I have conceived my self obliged to appear in this matter at this time Sect. 3. The evils consequent on the tenet of Separation urge to an examination of it Which I conceived my self the more urgently provoked to by the direful imputation of serving the Image of the Beast which the Title of the Book chargeth on the Hearers of the present Ministers and the terrible predictions which in the Epistle to the Reader seem to be levelled against compliance in hearing the present Ministers as if it were likely to meet with the same judgment in the day of Gods wrath with the Antichristian Beast and seeming commiserations of such as did joyn in Communion with the publike Church Assemblies in praying and preaching as worshiping with the Nations waiting at the Posts of an Antichristian Ministry and through the power of temptation turned aside by the flocks of the Companions and expostulating with such as forsaking the fountain of living Waters for broken Cisterns that will hold no Water changing their glory for that which will not profit leaving the bread in their Fathers house and going a begging to the doors of Strangers casting contempt upon the pure Institutions of Christ and thereby provoking the Lord to send leanness into their soul giving occasion of grief and stumbling unto their Brethren pouring contempt upon the Offices Wisdom and Faithfulness of Christ hardning persons in a false way of worshiping of God to their eternal ruine disobeying the heavenly voice calling aloud to them to come from the Lions dens and Mountains of the Leopards to come out of Babylon admonishing them to arise depart hence this being not their rest but polluted to hasten their escape and be like the He-goat before the Flocks in their retreat from the Tents of these false Worshippers lest being partakers of their sin they receive of their plagues that are even ready to be poured forth Which is further pressed by intimating as if this may be the last warning such may have from God Which passages if I should my self read without commotion of mind as if they were brutum fulmen a great Thunderclap without any Thunderbolt yet I doubted whether they might not have such operation on many well-meaning persons as to affright them from any hearing or Communion with the present Church or Teachers as judging such compliance a damnable sin such as the Scripture makes drinking of the cup of Fornication of the Whore of Babylon receiving the mark of the Beast in their forehead and in their hand and in some an irremissible sin like that of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost which must needs produce these woful effects an irreconcilable enmity between the Separatists and such as hold Communion with the present Churches and their Pastors and if the Law should not be mitigated the utter ruine of many thousands in respect of their Liberties Estates and perhaps Lives or else the violation of their Consciences if being possessed with these notions out of fear or secular hope they yield to things of so direful an aspect which things have appeared to me of so great importance that I conceived both prudence and charity bound me to examine these pretences and to inform my self and others of what I found conducible to the preventing of those sad consequences which attend the compliance if it it be such as it is pretended to be and the unyieldingness to what Laws injoyn if it be not such an evil as it is accused to be That which
the Church of England that the visible Church of Christ is a Congregation of faithful men in the which the pure Word of God is preached and the Sacraments be duly administred according to Christs Ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same The addition in the Confession of Faith of the Assembly Ch. 25. Art 2. that the visible Church universal under the Gospel consists of all those throughout the World that profess the true Religion and of their Children is not found in the Writings of the New Testament and those Texts that are alledged for it Ezek. 16.20 21. Rom. 11.16 Gen. 3.15 Gen. 17.7 if they were pertinent would as well prove a whole Nation to be Gods visible Church yea all mankind descended from Eve as the visible Church to consist of the children of them that profess the true Religion And the same may be said of them that assert an Ordinance of Infants visible Church-membership unrepealed that alledge Mat. 28.19 as proving Christs appointing Nations as such to be baptized that alledge the Jewish Proselytism as a pattern to us How far this Quaerist agrees with these may be discerned by other passages If he concur with those of the Congregational way about Church-members and their proof from the Covenant to Abraham Gen. 17.7 as made to his natural seed and so to all Believers natural seed I see not how he can avoid the asserting of a National Church like the Jewish which I grant is not agreeable to the Gospel according to which the visible Church of Christ is a Congregation of faithful men as the definition of the Church of England Art 19. expresseth it and hath been fully proved by me in the third part of my Review Sect. 52. c. 2. In answer to the Question Whether there be any National Church under the Oeconomy of the Gospel I say that though there be no National Church so as that the whole Nation and every member of the Nation be to be accounted of the visible Church of Christ by vertue of their Generation or Proselytism and such Covenant as was made to Abraham concerning his natural seed or to Israel at Mount Sinai or elsewhere yet the whole number of Believers of a Nation may by reason of their common profession be called a National Church as well as the whole Body of men throughout the World professing the faith of the Gospel and obedience to God by Christ according unto it not destroying their own profession by any errours everting the foundation or unholiness of Conversation are and may be called the visible Catholick Church of Christ as the Congregational men speak in their Declarat ch 20. Wherefore it is no more against the Gospel to term the Believers of England or Scotland the Church of England or Scotland than it is to term the Believers throughout the World the Catholick Church nor is it more unfit for us to term our selves Members of the Church of England in this respect than to term our selves Members of the Catholick Church nor is there need to shew any institution of the Lord more for the one than for the other Nor is there need to alledge Isa. 49.20 or Isa. 66.8 for such an Institution Nevertheless that the Prophesie Isa 49.23 Kings shall be your Nuâ—sing Fathers c. waits the time of its accomplishment is said with more Confidence than Evidence Many learned Interpreters think otherwise among whom Mr. Gataker in my judgment inferiour to none in his Exposition of Holy Scripture hath these words Annot. on Isa. 49.23 And Kings shall be thy Nursing Fathers and Queens thy Nursing Mothers fulfilled in those Persian Potentates Cyrus Artaxerxes Darius Ahaâ—uerus with the Queens also of some of them that patronised and protected Gods people and promoted Gods work with them Ezra 1.1 4. and 63.12 and 7.12 26. Neh. 2.6 8. Esth. 8.3 8. and much more in other Emperours and Kings together with their Queens as Constantine Theodosius and the like who both embraced the Christian faith themselves and maintained the profession of it Of some whereof see Rev. 17.12 16 17. And Mr. Mede on Rev. 16.17 hath these words For truly out of the same ten horns or Kings they shall be who at length shall hate the Whore whom they have so long born which partly we perceive to be fulfilled shall make her desolate and naked shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire Nor is it to be denied without ingratitude to God and Men that Kings and Queens since the rise of Antichrist though many of them made drunk by the Whores intoxicating cup have been cruel Butcherers of the Saints both before the Reformation and since even in our dayes have been nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers to the Church of Christ and that a National Church in the sense fore-mentioned hath been the result of its accomplishment and we hope in more ample manner will be the result of its fuller accomplishment As for the Text Isa. 66.8 that it is a prophesie expresly relating to the Jews and their miraculous conversion is not certain Mr. Gataker in his Annot. on Isa. 66.8 hath these words The most Interpreters both Jew and Christian understand these words of the strange sudden and unexpected delivery of the remainders of Gods people out of the Babylonian bondage by Cyrus Howbeit divers Interpreters understand them of the restitution and restauration of the Church under the Ministry of the Gospel when so many thousands were so soon and so suddenly converted without any great labour or pains-taking about them of those by whom they were converted Act. 2.41 4.4 and both these Expositions conceived as subordinate the one to the other may very well be admitted And therefore if the Author hear it not pleaded in this matter yet he may find another Exposition than that which he imagines that it expresly relates to a future miraculous Conversion of the Jews However if it did sith it is said Rom. 11.25 26. When the fullness of the Gentiles is come in all Israel shall be saved he might find something for a National Church in that Prophesie Isa. 66.8 As for those words in his Parenthesis that the assertion of a National Church of the institution of Christ is wholly destructive of Gospel administrations they are said with no more truth than proof though we should say a National Church in respect of its Government or Officers is of the Institution of Christ. For suppose it were asserted that Christ had instituted Patriarchs or Arch-bishops and Bishops and the Government of the Church of England or Scotland under them yet this might be without total destruction of Gospel Administrations The preaching of the Gospel administration of Baptism and the Lords Supper with other administrations of Christian Worship and Discipline have been and may be continued even where Archbishops and Bishops have been over a National Church as instituted by Christ. But let us attend his motions thus he goes
proposition stands as cannot be easily shaken or removed Answ. Though there be no one promise of a blessing in the whole Scripture upon persons attending on such a Ministry as theirs is that act in the holy things of God by virtue of an Antichristian Power Office or Calling whether real or supposed as such yet if any that so acts as suppose a Dominican Fryer or Jesuite in the Indies do Preach the Gospel truly there is a blessing promised in Scripture upon persons attending on such a Ministry Christ having said Luke 11.28 Blessed are they that hear the Word of God and keep it yet were there no promise of blessing the major is not proved unless this were true they are not to be heard but to be separated from to whose Ministry as such a blessing is not promised which makes unlawful the hearing of gifted Brethren unless they can produce such a promise yea every action indifferent should be unlawful unless it have a blessing promised to it What more he can say for his major yet rests in his breast and so needs no answer till it be produced I hasten to the proof of his minor Sect. 2. The names given to the Ministers of England prove not their Office not to be from Christ. The minor saith he wants not sufficient demonstration First the present Ministers of England are either from Christ or from Antichrist There is no medium a Linsey-woolsey-Ministry that is partly of Christ partly of Antichrist as 't is not to be proved by Scripture so will it not be abetted That they are not from Christ hath in part been proved already and may further be evinced 1. Their names are forraign to the Scripture where read we of Deacons in their sense Priests as distinguished from Christians in the New Testament Deans Cannons Petty-Cannons Prebendaries Arch-Deacons Lord Bishops Parsons Vicars c. these are only found in the Popes Pontifical whence they are derived Answ. It hath been abetted by Mr Bradshaw in his Answer to Francis Johnson his second reason against hearing the Ministers of the Church-Assemblies of England whose Arguments this Author hath revived though answered long since by Mr. William Bradshaw and the answers vindicated by Mr. Thomas Gataker from Mr. Cans reply that there is a medium and that a Ministry may be from Christ in respect of the thing Ministred though from Antichrist in respect of the way of entry into it yea he saith It is not necessary that the Ministry of Priests and Deacons though ordained by Antichrist himself should be the Ministry of his Apostasie but notwithstanding his Ordination their Ministry may be the Ministry of Jesus Christ as was the Ministry of Luther Huss Wickliffe and others I add that if by being from Christ or Antichrist be understood of outward calling as this Author seems to mean Ministers mâ—y be neither from Christ nor Antichrist and yet true Ministers as those that Preached Christ even of envy and strife yet St. Paul saith Philip. 1.15 18. Notwithstanding every way whether in pretence or truth Christ is Preached and I therein do rejoyce yea and will rejoyce But let us consider his proofs that the present Ministers of England are not from Christ. To the first I answer that the term Priests as distinguished from all Christians in the sense used by the Convocation of the Church of England is the same with Presbyters as appears by the Latin translation of the 39 Articles of the Church of England Art 32.36 extant by it self and in the Corpus Syntagma confessionum of the Protestant Churches and the Letters of Orders under the seals of Bishops in Latin and this is sure found in Scripture Act. 11.30 c. The other names note not any Ministry different from the Ministry of Christ but are used to signifie some difference in their maintenance or places which may be annexed to them and yet their Ministry from Christ. If this Authors reason were good the names are forraign to the Scripture therefore the things it would follow that Congregational Churches are forraign to Scripture Lecturers Sacraments Ruling Elders Itinerant Preachers c. because their names are not there But this Author adds So are 2. Their Officers Deacons attending tables we read of but Deacons Praying Preaching Administring Sacraments so called by virtue of an Office-power an order of the first step to the Priesthood we find not Priests in the Old Testament both true and false we read of In the New Saints are so called 1. In respect of Analogie to the ritual Priest of old whose prerogative it was to come near to God Deut. 21.5 to whom through Christ Saints have access with boldness Ephes. 2.18 3.19 James 4.8 2. In respect of their union and engrafture into Christ the great High-Priest over the house of God 3. In respect of that analogie there is betwixt what Christ hath done for them as Priest and by his Spirit worketh in them He offered up Sacrifice so do they Psal. 116.17 141.2 Rom. 12.1 Heb. 13.14 He was crucified died so are they Rom. 6.6 7 8 c. Gal. 2.20 4. As Priests they are anointed to the participation of do thereby attain to a kind of holy and intimate communion with Christ in all his glorious Offices Rev. 5.10 But an office of Priesthood in men for the Ministery of the Gospel that are to be branded by men in that their Office must Preach what they would have them and cease when they would have them as is the case of the present Ministry of England the Scripture is a stranger to Answ. Though the present Ministers of England men are to hear be more than Deacons yet this may be said that if it be supposed that the Office of a Deacon be not now to attend Tables as the first seven Deacons were Act. 6.2 yet according to the book of Ordination it is his Office where provision is so made to search for the sick poor and impotent people of the Parish to intimate their Estates Names and places where they dwell unto the Curate that by his Exhortation they may be relieved with the almes of the Parishioners or others If they be appointment to Pray Preach and Administer the Sacraments they have this to plead that Philip the Deacon did both Preach and Baptize Act. 8.5 12 38. that St. Paul requires of the Deacons 1 Tim. 3.9 That they hold the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience and v. 13. They that have used the Office of a Deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus and therefore may the Deacons Office be well conceived the first step to the Priesthood that is the Office of a Presbyter As for the word Priest as it answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the New Testament if the Saints as Saints may be termed Priests then may the Elders or the best of them surely be called Priests yea and that in
1.24 and the Popes usurp whose decrees in points of Faith and determinations of doubts of Conscience and impositions of Laws binding the conscience are made unerring such Rule over Princes in secular Affairs with pomp outward grandure like Gentile Princes as the same Popes usurp rule for themselves not for Christ rule by force not by authority of Gods Word If any Lord-Bishop affect seek take upon him or exercise such Lordship or Dominion it may be censured for Antichristian yet not his Office but his practice is to be thus censured and this not to be imputed to his Order but his Person But to judge so of a person barely because of the Title of Lord which was given by Sarah to her Husband and propounded as meet 1 Pet. 3.6 or to deny any liberty to manage any civil business to an Ecclesiastical person because of those words of Christ is more than I conceive they have sufficient ground to do Sure such Congregational men as have been Heads of Colledges in the Universities or Vicechancellors or Leaders of Forces have given occasion to be termed Antichristian as well as Lord-Bishops if Lordly Dignity and Secular Rule merit that appellation As for 1 Pet. 5.3 the Annotation in the Book of the Annotations in English termed the Assemblies is thus Lords that is not imperiously commanding your own inventions instead of the Doctrine of the Gospel nor carrying themselves insolently and magisterially towards Gods people 3 John ver 9. which imports not an Office forbidden but the evil practice of them whose Office is allowed For this very Exhortation is given to those who were Elders among the Christians even St. Peter who entitles himself a fellow Elder to them and therefore contains not a Precept forbidding the Office of a Lord Bishop any more than of an Elder such as St. Peter was but the abuse of the Office nor doth it forbid Lordly Dignity but Lordly Rule whereas Bishops Rule should be Pedo non Sceptro not as Princes but as Shepherds If any Prelate use such Rule it is not his Office but his Practice which is to be termed Antichristian Sect. 7. The Office of Lord-Bishops not from the Papacy But this Author proceeds Not to multiply Arguments in a matter that others have so largely debated 2. That Office that is derived from and is only to be found in the Papacy is surely Antichristian if the Pope be the head of Antichrist this must not be denied But the Office of Lord-Bishops is derived from is only to be found in the Papacy Which of the Reformed Churches that have separated from the Papacy have retained it Did the woman in her flight into the Wilderness carry it along with her What more absurd then to run to the persecuting Whore and Beast for an Office of Ministry and what more evident demonstration of its being an Antichristian Office than its entertainment only by that false Antichristian Church and its utter rejection and detestation by the true Spouse and witnesses of Christ in all ages What is delivered over to us in this matter by some of them we shall briefly affix hereunto Hierome in his Epistle to Evagrius and in his Commentary on the Epistle of Titus professes That it is more by custom than by any institution of the Lord that Bishops are become greater than the Elders or Ministers Harm of Conf. Sect. 2. Tit. 11. So from him do the Churches of Helvetia proclaim whence they infer and that truly according to Act. 4.9 That no man by any right can forbid but that we should return to the old appointment of God and rather receive that than the custom devised by men Wickliff in his Answer to King Richard the Second citing Mat. 20.25 1 Pet. 5.3 sayes Lordship and Dominion is plainly forbidden to the Apostles and darest thou then usurp the same If thou wilt be a Lord thou shalt lose thy Apostleship c. The University of Geneva say Theses Genev. 71. These functions following we hold to be altogether false and destitute of all true foundation viz. the Primacy of the Bishop of Rome over all Churches the Cardinalship Patriarchship Archiepiscopalship and briefly the whole degree of Lord Bishops over their fellow Elders Marlorat in his Exposition on the Revel chap. 17.3 sayes That Archbishops Deans c. are in Office under Antichrist yea upon Chap. 9. that they are the tails of Antichrist Beza saith They could not be brought into the Church until they had driven him out who is the only Master Christ and there is neither holy Scripture nor Council nor antient Doctors which ever did know such Monsters Beza's Confess Art 7.14 The noble antient Oldcastle Lord Cobham saith That the whole Episcopal degree of Lord Bishops over their fellow Elders is altogether false and destitute of all true foundation yea that all other Functions and Offices besides Priests and Deacons are unlawful as being Sects devised by men destitute of all true foundation To these we might add honest Bale upon the Revelation viz. chap. 17. where he saith Canterbury and York are the Beastly Antichrist's Metropolitans and Primates and upon Chap. 13. that Archbishop Diocesan Archdeacon Dean Prebend Doctors Parson Vicar c. are very names of blasphemy For Offices they are not appointed by the holy Ghost nor yet mentioned in the Scripture Cartwright sayes of them that their Functions are not in the Word of God but of the Earth new devised Ministries and such as can do no good that their Office is the neck of the Popish Hierarchy come out of the bottomless pit of Hell Fenner proclaims them to be no natural members of the body of Christs Church as being of humane addition not born with her nor grown up with her from the Cradle The French and Belgick Confession sayes That they pass not a rush for them The Church of Geneva That the Hierarchie is Devilish confusion stablished as it were in despight of God and to the mocking and reproach of all Christian Religion The Seekers of Reformation in Q. Elizabeths time spake fully hereunto 2 Adm. to Parl. we have an Antichristian and Popish ordering of Priests strange from Gods Word never heard of in the Primitive Church taken out of the Popes Shop to the destruction of Gods Kingdom The Names and Offices of Archbishops Archdeacons Lord Bishops c. are together with their Government drawn out of the Popes Shop Antichristian Devilish and contrary to the Scriptures Parsons Vicars Parish-Priests are birds of the same feather to whom might be added many others Answ. 1. Though the Pope in these later ages especially since Boniface the third obtained of Phocas the Emperor more than 600 years after Christ that Rome the seat of blessed Peter the Apostle which is the head of all Churches should be both so called and accounted of all as Platina speaks and as Onuphrius addes Had the title of Universal Bishop conferred on him and it was added that the name of Pope which was
of the Offices of Christ when contradicted by practice is nothing to the salvation of the person so professing in the sense in which St. Paul saith 1 Cor. 13 2. Though I have the gift of Prophecie and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains and have no charity I am nothing that is as v. 3. it profiteth me nothing and no further are to be drawn the words of the Apostle Tit. 1.16 than that which is expressed in the Text that to such persons nothing is pure but their minds and consciences are defiled and so to the Interrogation I answer such a ones plea shall not be admitted before God or in an Ecclesiastical censure or a private judgment so as that he shall have the approbation or benefit of a real subject to Christ yet all this doth not prove that his doctrine impugnes the Offices of Christ or that his doctrine may not be heard to the profit of the Hearers J. Owen of the duty of Pastors p. 24. God oftentimes out of his care for his flock bestows gifts on some for the benefit of others on whom he will bestow no graces for the benefit of their own souls P. 43. People must beware of false Prophets How shall they do this but by trying their doctrine by the rule Nor is it true that Christ hath decided the question as he would have it as if Christ had said that false Prophets are to be descried by their virtous life not by their doctrine He saith indeed they are known by their fruits but that these fruits are only their evil life he saith not No where is any one said to be a false Prophet that doth not take upon him to prophesie he may be a bad man that teacheth no false Doctrine but not a false Prophet Judas was a wicked man a Devil but no where termed a false Prophet yea he was one of those that Christ sent to preach and one of those of whom he saith Mat. 10.40 He that receiveth you receiveth me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me In the Old Testament Jer. 5.3 23.16 17 25 26. Micah 3.5 false Prophets are said to be such as prophesied Lyes in Gods name and he sent them not that they taught lying divinations the Visions of their own heart they cried peace when there was no peace they attempted to draw them after other gods Deut. 13.2 In the New Testament 2 Pet. 2.1 There were false Prophets among the people even as there shall be false Teachers among you who privily shall bring in damnable heresies denying the Lord that bought them 1 Joh. 4.1 Many false Prophets are gone out into the World and they are said to be such as confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh that they speak of the World v. 3 5. That is true which Mr. John Ball in his Trial of the grounds of Separation ch 13. pag. 312. hath If we look into the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament we shall never find the Prophets called true or false in respect of their outward calling I add or only their vitious lives but in respect of their doctrine Yea though a man should by his doctrine deny the Offices of Christ only by remote consequence as by teaching something as appointed by Christ which was not or denying something to be instituted by Christ which was so appointed yet should he not be accounted a false Prophet but an erring man who while he layes the foundation rightly yet through ignorance or inadverrencie builds Hay and Stubble thereon as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 3.12 And therefore that which this Author doth so confidently pronounce as if it were as clear as the Sun and denied by none but those whose eyes the God of this World hath blinded That those that do really that is in their practice though not in their preaching oppose any of the Offices of Christ are not to be heard no not when they preach saving Truths of the Gospel but separated from not only in respect of private or Church Communion in the Lords Supper or Prayers but in attending on the Ministry of the Word delivered by them which is his major proposition is so far from being light that it seems rather to me some of that smoak of the bottomless pit whâ—ch the God of this World raiseth to hinder many poor souls from hearing that Word wherein the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ the image of God doth shine unto men Nor were not professing enlightned people as he calls them held by prejudice or guided by affection more than by judgment could they grant this proposition For if according to this Authors dictates he that really that is in heart or practice opposeth any of the Offices of Christ is to be separated from then every one who disobeys his Commands believes not his Words that is an hypocrite yea that sins or errs in any thing Christ hath revealed or commanded is to be separated from and not to be heard and so all must turn Seekers or Quakers if they do not meet with a Teacher who is perfect without sin or errour As for what this Author saith for demonstration of it that such are Antichrists 1 Joh. 2.22 and 4.2 3. 2 Joh. 7. and that Beza is of the same mind and that they that hear them strengthen their opposition unto the Offices of Christ and partake with them in their sin is false For neither doth St. John nor Beza in his Annotations count any for Antichrists there meant but such as by their doctrine oppugne Christs Nature or Office which he terms the false Doctrine of the Antichrists nor is he at all guilty of the sins of the Minister who is evil in his life by hearing him preach truth yea though he preach some errours and it be probable that when he hears him he shall hear some errour preached by him unless some other way he abet his sin or errour or omit his duty in seeking to amend him But let us attend the proof of his minor Sect 2. Every not hearkning to Christs Order is not a denial of his Office 'T is the second thing may sound harsh in the ears of some as did some sayings of Christ but if truth where God shall give the seeing eye and hearing ear 't will be received viz. 2. That the present Ministers of England do oppose and deny some of the Offices of Christ viz. His Kingly and Prophetical Office which we come to the proof of Arg. 1. Those that hearken not to the Revelation Christ hath made and as supreme Lord and Law-giver hath enjoyned to be observed touching the Orders and Ordinances of his house deny the Prophetical and Kingly Office of Christ Deut. 18.18 Acts 3.22 Isa. 9.6 But the present Ministers of England hearken and conform not to the Revelation Christ hath made touching the Orders and Ordinances of his house Therefore
other points of the Trent Council A great part of the worship of the Ministers of the Church of England is in their prayers to God their praises of God in Psalms and Hymns in their teaching and instructing of the people Let this Author shew any part of this worship of the Ministers of England to be a drop of the Whores Cup of Fornication or a shred of that great lye of Antichrist even according to the exposition of the Authors named or any other sober Author yea though he be biassed towards the Congregational way such as Mr. Cotton Mr. Thomas Parker or any other of that party or else let him be branded lege Remnia as an egregious Calumniator As for that inserted passage 't were well if upon some of them it had not a litteral accomplishment it had been honest dealing if he knew any that he had either reproved them or complained to their Superiors but thus obliquely to insinuate it to the Readers too apt to entertain any suggestions against the present Ministers whether true or false was neither the part of a charitable Christian nor of a candid Moralist Sect. 4. The Ministers are not proved to strengthen the hands of evil doers as Jer. 23.14 is meant 3. Saith he That they strengthen the hands of evil doers that none doth return from his wickedness Jer. 23.13 That the present Ministers of England really do so is capable of an ocular demonstration perhaps they do in their Sermons reprove sin thunder out the Judgments of God against the transgressors of his Law as much as any but alas what is this to condemn them in the state wherein they stand without repentance to the pit of Hell in the Pulpit and by and by to saint them in the Chancel and tell them there without exception that the Body of Christ was broken for them his Blood shed for them O how many millions of souls are and have been thereby hardened to their own undoing and their hands strengthned in wickedness What should I mention their admission of the Children of all to Baptism without exception their owning them as Church-Members yea die they never so wickedly as Brethren of whose joyful resurrection they profess they have a sure and certain hope thereby proclaiming their undoubted perswasion that they are a people in covenant with God not to take notice of the terrible reflections and uncharitable censures are publickly past by them upon men truly fearing God because they cannot conform to them How desparately are the hands of the wicked hereby strengthned so that none indeed doth return from his wickedness How rare a thing is it to hear of one soul that is brought over to God by all their preaching so that visibly that judgment of God seems to be upon them ver 32. therefore they shall not at all profit this people Answ. They confirm them in their wickedness and so keep them from repentance by bearing them in hand that they shall do well enough whatsoever Gods messengers tell them that though they do continue in their sins see Ezek. 13.22 is Mr. Gatakers paraphrase of this passage of the Prophet And this Author is not ashamed to say that the present Ministers of England really do so is capable of an ocular demonstration when his next words acquit them Perhaps they do in their Sermons reprove sin thunder out Gods Judgments against transgressors of his Law as much as any if so they do not strengthen the hands of evil doers by bearing them in hand that they shall do well enough though they do continue in their sins And that which he acknowledgeth they do is enough to acquit them from that character of the false Prophets here charged upon them which perhaps might more truly be imputed to those who have taught Arminian and Antinomian errors which have been too rife in the Congregational Churches In the point of Baptism I can acquit the one no more than the other nor will I justifie the censures of men truly fearing God I have some grounds to think that it is oft a matter of mourning not only to the present Ministers but also to some of the Bishops and that they wish that there were a remedy in that and in the admission of many ignorant and evil doers to the Lords Supper and they conceive by the warning before the Communion the enlargement of power to the Minister in the Liturgy as now it is in the joynt confession of Sin and preaching before the Communion besides conference and examination which may be used to redress it some provision is made against it however Laws restrain them from doing more which being made against Recusant Papists are thought fit to be continued though used concerning others who are not such That expression of the breaking of Christs Body for them and shedding his Blood is known to be but a charitable speech upon the supposal of the persons repentance and faith the truth of which is above the Ministers cognizance professed by them they use and if Judas were at the Lords Supper it was used by Christ and being understood as those speeches 1 Cor. 8.11 Through thy knowledge shall thy weak brother perish for whom Christ died Heb. 10.29 Hath counted the Blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing are not liable ro exception If any do undoe themselves by mis-understanding it the same thing happened to Christs hearers John 6.61 66. and is to be remedied by expounding the meaning and warning persons that they do not abuse it to their destruction That the Ministers own men as brethren die they never so wickedly is not true if by legal censure or judgment they are declared criminal if not the Ministers are not allowed to exclude persons from brotherhood upon their own opinion without proof and judicial sentence if they do call them brethren so all men are and those that profess Faith may be charitably accounted Christian Brethren In the words used at Burial the Minister doth not profess he hath a sure and certain hope of the joyful resurrection of all them that are interred but the words are in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life without application of it to the person then to be interred and therefore these allegations are too short of proving Ministers strengthening the hands of evil doers as false Prophets If their success in preaching be not as were to be wished it is the same that the Prophets complained of Isa. 49.4 Isa 53.1 and was verified of Christ John 12.37 38. And if it fall out that people are hardened notwithstanding their Ministers do preach as here it s not denied they do it is from themselves and I wish their hardening and destruction be not to be charged on this Author and such others as are of the separation who by declaiming against them as Antichristian alienate the spirits of people from them so as to refuse to hear the word which I count a most
pernicious wickedness in whomsoever though reputed Saints And though there is too much cause to bewail that there is so little effect upon the preaching of the present Ministers yet sure to argue thence that they are not sent of God but are false Prophets is altogether inconsequent Mr. Robinson in his justification of separation p. 306 307. speaks better than so when he saith It is most evident that whosoever converteth a man unto God that person doth in truth and in deed Minister the word of God and the spirit by the word and so may be said to be sent of God In that general and large sense wherein Mr. Bernard p. 313. expounds the word Sent or Apostle I do acknowledge many Ministers in England sent of God that is that it comes not to pass without the special providence and ordination of God that such and such men should rise up and preach such and such truths for the furtherance of the salvation of Gods elect in the places where they come But this Accuser adds Sect. 5. The Ministers are not proved such daubers as those Ezek. 22.28 4. That they prophesie placentia smooth things according to the desires tempers and lusts of men to the pleasing of whom they addict themselvs Jer. 6.14 and 27.9 Ezek. 13.10 11. and 22 28. What visible lineaments of such a frame of spirit are drawn upon the faces of that generation of men concerning whom we are now discoursing Have they not been of all others I am now speaking of such as are looked upon by Professors as men of the greatest parts and holiness the most ready to strike in with preach up and plead for what was suitable unto the spirits of such upon whom they have had a dependance 'T were indeed well for them could they in their present standing and practise acquit themselves from that sore crime of seeking to please men which if they do they cannot be the servants of Christ Gal. 1.10 Answ. They do by their glossings and flatteries lull people asleep in security bearing them in hand that there is no such dangerous matter towards them as Gods Prophets tell them but that all shall be well whatsoever they say see the same chap. 8.11 see also Lam. 2.14 Ezek. 13.22 is Mr. Gatakers Paraphrase in his Annotations on Jer. 6.14 That which was prophesied Jer. 27.9 is expressed to be that they should not serve the King of Babylon The daubing Ezek. 13.10 11. was by seeing vanity and divining lies ver 9. Ezek. 22.28 saying Thus saith the Lord when the Lord hath not spoken If the present Ministers of England do so they are to be accounted false Prophets But do not this Authors own words in the next crimination before when he saith perhaps they do in their Sermons reprove sin thunder out the Judgments of God against transgressors of his Law as much as any clear the Ministers and prove himself guilty of false accusation what those visible lineaments of such a frame of spirit are should have been named if he would have dealt plainly If men of greatest parts and holiness on one side have been the most ready to strike in with preach up and plead for what was suitable unto the spirits of such upon whom they have had dependance may it not be said so of men of the greatest parts and holiness of the Congregational party that they have been liable to the like It were well if both parties would search themselves and not be so forward to accuse each other As I conceived long ago in my printed Treatise of glorying in men on 1 Cor. 3.21 so I am still by much experience confirmed that the so termed Professors of England out of their injudiciousness and partial affection have done much hurt to themselves and the Church of God by looking upon glorying in adhering to some as of greatest parts and holiness with disparagement of others whence evil surmizes censurings divisions from them that are disaffected swallowing down without chewing what those utter whom they follow which hath been a temptation to Teachers to vent such things as were not right for the retaining of their followers and a trap whereby their hearers have been ensnared to their own and others no small disquietness And I agree with this Author that it were well indeed with the Ministers and with their dissenters or opposites if they could all acquit themselves from this sore crime of seeking to please men and that we could all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seek and speak the truth in love Ephes. 4.15 Yet further saith he Sect. 6. Ministers changing of places sadning some mens hearts not characters of a false Prophet 5. That they are greedy Dogs that can never have enough and look every man for his gain from his quarter Isa. 56.11 seeking and serving themselves in their ministration Ezek. 13.19 Micah 3. 5.11 in the Margin In a translation of the New Testament dedicated to Edward the Sixth the Author of the Notes on Chap. 10. sayes We must preach the truth without any respect of reward or gains They therefore that preach for their bellies sake or preach after the prescript of man are not the Disciples of Christ. That herein is a perfect harmony betwixt these false Prophets and the present Ministers of England cannot be denied what means else their frequent calls from places of less to places of greater value their gaping and greedy desires after preferment the vexations they put poor men to that cannot in conscience put into their mouths preparing War against them Answ. Isa. 56.11 may be understood as well of the civil Magistrate as the Minister and of neither is it a Character of a Minister not to be heard as being a false Prophet nor of an usurper or unlawful Magistrate that is not to be obeyed Ezek. 13.19 notes a Character of a false Prophet but the proper character of him as such is not that he prophecied for handfuls of Barley or pieces of Bread but that they polluted God among his people by lying to them Micah 3.5 is a character of a false Prophet in that they made Gods people to erre their preparing war against him that put not into their mouth is a common accident to corrupt men not a property of a false Prophet and in like manner the Prophets divining for money ver 11. or the Priests teaching for money no more proves a false Prophet or false Priest then the heads judging for reward proves them false heads these are their personal vices which may be in a true Prophet as in Judas and in a true Priest as Hophni or in a true head as in Jehoiakim Jer. 22.17 and so are impertinent to prove a Minister a false Prophet Nor is it any more to the purpose what is in the Margin sith he that preacheth truth with respect of reward or gains may be a true Prophet though not a good man and so they that preach for their bellies sake though if they preach not
charged by the Lord as the first step to Apostacy Heb. 10.25 Be you in the practice of this duty and see what spiritual Saint will be offended at you if any should you might have peace therein you doing your duty no just cause of Scandal is given Yet further 5. Consider on which side the Cross lies which the flesh and fleshly interest is most opposite to whether in going or forbearing to goe to hear these men Vsually that is the way of God that hath most of the Cross in it and the flesh is most strugling and contesting against But thus much of the 7th Argument Answ. If the case be granted as is suggested the same Argument which proves it unlawful to hear the present Ministers proves it unlawful not to hear them unless omission may not be said to scandalize which is contrary to Matth. 17.27 No serious and strict search of men can find what lies at the bottom of mens conformity till God discover it It is not fit to insinuate conceits of others which beget evil surmises in us of them true charity believeth all things 1 Cor. 13.7 It is a fruit of malignity to say I am very apt to believe what may beget evil prejudice in me or another towards a Brother But what if there were an embracing a Toleration if granted This would only shew That they did not tye themselves to the present ministry not that then or now they hold it unlawful to hear them nor that their hearing is only to avoid offence but for other reasons conjunct with it which may be lawfully aimed at in the same act Sure it is not evil in doing that which is lawful to arm at our own peace and other outward advantage besides the avoiding of offence If a man were disposed to retaliate it might perhaps be told this Author that perhaps somewhat else lay at the bottom besides his not offending the Lambs of Christ that he did separate heretofore it may be credit preferment power and gain lay that way it may be adherence to a party interest in their affections that I say no more retains him still in this way Yet would he take this ill and why he should do to other what he would not they should do to him I see no cause Christ taught otherwise Matth. 7.1 2 3 4 5 12. But to the question I answer It is their duty to hear the present Ministers while they preach the Gospel or Word of God And though by immediate precept a man is not bound to hear this or that particular Minister of this or that way of Church-government or perswasion but is at liberty to choose as may be all things considered for his conveniency yet if other things concurr he ought to hear such as the providence of God hath placed over him or near his habitation though he be not chosen by himself to be his Pastour which I think may be proved from 1 Thâ—s 5.12 Heb. 13.17 John 10 27 Mark 4.23 How we are to avoid Scandalizing our Brethren is shewed above But it favours of Schism to appropriate the term Brethren to Christians of our perswasion or of our society Who exceed in number holiness spirituality and tenderness is a hard thing to determine Vivorum difficilis est censura Who can tell what measure of these qualifications there is in them that are living Who can point out who are such who not Who can tell what men may prove for all their fair shews How is it possible for this Author or any other to number them compare weigh them in an upright ballance May not those be more carnal yea very hypocrites which he counts spiritual Saints Are not he and all others specially of his way of separation most apt to magifie those who jump with him in his way and to disparage dissenters Are not the sincere Lambs of Christ oftentimes carried away with false shews and partial affections and wrong reports What a Lesbian leaden rule doth this Author then give whose offence is to be avoided rather than anothers Yea the rule is against his scope For if those non-hearers be such holy spiritual persons as he makes them there is the less danger of offending them Yet I dare not grant it they are The experience the world hath had of the Brethren of the Congregational way hath yet given us no such assurance of their surpassing holiness but that they have been many of them caâ—nal and walked as men Have not they even some of the prime leaders of them shewed as much passion pride covetousness self-seeking and other sinister affections as others of different wayes Sure Hildersham Ball Bradshaw Gataker and many other who have opposed the way of Separation of old and of late have given as much proof of their holiness spirituality and tenderness as Johnson Ainsworth Robinson and others in Old or New England or Holland have done Nor do I think any of the Congregational way have exceeded I will not say the martyr'd Bishops in Q. Maries dayes but even late Bishops Vsher Bedel Potter and others of the Prelatical Ministers and Churches in holiness spirituality and tenderness Let the Reader pardon my just indignation at this rotten and stinking course of puffing up his own party and disparaging dissenters which can never tend to clear truth and beget righteous judgements in men but to delude men with specious pretences and â—oment divisions Non est ex personis fides aestimanda sed ex fide persona said Tertullian Truth is not to be measured by the persons but the persons by truth If we must know our duty by this Authors rule we must leave studying the holy Scripture and study men Every weak Christian must take upon him an impossible task to weigh two parties in an upright ballance one offended at hearing the present Ministers and the other for not hearing them and both being conceived godly and sober Christians judge which party is most numerous holy spiritual and tender Nor is the next direction much better It supposeth that they who conform whether Ministers or hâ—arers blame the Separatists that they do not build up in practice in a day of trouble what in a day of liberty they did in their preaching and practice pull down and destroy and thereby cause the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme and that this is the ground of the offence on the one side That thâ—y are disobedient to what they are satisfied and the Conformists Ministers or hearers of them or both once were that God is calling them to have nothing to do with to separate from this generation of men and that this is the ground of the offence on the other side and that the ground of the offence is more just on the side of these later These words are aenigmatical and require an Oâ—dipus to unriddle them However this I conceive is his meaning That the godly and sober Christians have no reason to be offended at him and others of his
way that what in their preaching and practice he and they did pull down and destroy conceâ—ning the Pâ—elatical conforming Preachers their communion and Church government and worship by the Common-Prayer Book they do not by conformity in hearing and communion build up because if they should do so they should cause the opposite party whom he counts the enemies of the Lord to triumph that they have brought them to recantation and returning to what they had left and to blaspheme or speak evil of the holy way of endeavouring Reformation they formerly took in the day of liberty because they are now fallen into a day of trouble On the other side That this Author and those of his way being satisfied that God is calling all godly sober Christians to have nothing to do with but to separate from this generation of men that is Ministers that conform to the Common-Prayer Book and Episcopal Government and that these now hearers of them were once satisfied of the same that yet they should disobey this calling of God and hold communion with them have most just cause of offence for their so doing But I presume the godly sober Christians in the Objection were never satisfied with this way of separation which this Author saith God calls them to but though they have been for Reformation yet not for such violent practises and preaching as it may be gathered this Author hath been for as to pull up root and branch of the old form of Government to unsettle all the Ministers to set up itinerant Preachers any gifted Brethren though many of them never studied Divinity but had gotten some ability by hearing Preachers and other wayes to speak of practical points without any ability to convince gainsayers and that they should take away the frame of parochial Churches and gather Churches out of Churches which should though but a few be an entire Church within themselves for government without appeal or subordination to any other Minister or Synod that they should be tyed to use no Form no not the Lords Prayer in effect that there should be as some were wont to speak overturning overturning overturning without setling any thing making the Pastors eligible by every small company that should call themselves a Church who should admit and excommunicate by most voices censure their Pastor desert him allot him maintenance and deprive him as they saw cause Sure the godly sober Châ—istians who now are offended at this Authors separation were then offended as many of their writings then did shew and the Apology of the ejected Non-conformists lately hath shewed p 136. of the 2 d. Edition and particularly at that eminent Independent who would not have the Lords Prayer used in the prescript form of words p. 10. which and the like courses they conceive were in the day of liberty evil and occasions of the day of trouble and if persisted in likely to bring more trouble on themselves and others who neither then nor now did oâ— do approve of such rigid separation or deformation of all instead of Reformation conceiving a middle way might agree better with truth and peace They condemn such heavy censures of them that aâ—e of the opposite party as if they were the enemies of the Lord a generation of men they were called by God to have nothing to do with but to separate from them sith they are Christians of the same Faith they judge that this Author and such as acted as he seems to have done should have brought glory to God and peace to their own consciences if they had un-said those things which abusing their liberty they vented heretofoâ—e and did endeavour to promote union as they have done division and this would tend to their honour as Augustine's Retâ—actaâ—ions did and would not cause the enemies of the Lord to triumph and blaspheme but both them and all sober godly Christians to rejoyce and bless God for their so doing who are now justly offended at these Separatists pertinacy and have by their moderate conformity in hearing Ministers who preach the Gospel and joyning in the publique worship of prayer and the communion given no just cause of offence to this Author or any other Nor do they think iâ— their duty to meet together as a sepaâ—ate Church Nor do they conceive that Heb. 10 â—5 requires such assembling but that the foâ—saking thâ— assembling there meant was the forsaking the assemblâ—ng of Christâ—ans and going back from Christianity to Judaism as the whole series of the Text shews and that their joyning in the publique assemblies in England is agreeable to the precept there and that it â—ends noâ— to Apâ—stacy But the Assemblies according to the Separatists pâ—inciples are Schismatical and that spiritual Saints will be offended at them at giving just cause of Scandal nor can they expect peace by so doing Nor is that which is here made a rule 〈◊〉 that way that hath most of the crâ—ss in it right suffeâ—ings being nâ—t â—ight unless the cause be for God Sometimes the â—onforming 〈◊〉 sometimes the Popish Prâ—estâ— have been under sufferings yet I suppose this Author would not have men go their way and therefore his rule is not sale until the cause for which we are to suffer be proved to be for God Sect. 7. Hearing the present Ministers may be without participation with them in sin Arg. 8. That which Saints cannot do without being guilty of partaking with others in their sin is utterly unlawful for them to do But the Saints cannot attend upon the ministry of England without being guâ—lty of partaking with them in their sin Therefore The major Proposition is clearly bottom'd upon Scripture Psal. 50. â—8 Ephes. 5.7 1 Tim. 5.22 2 John 11. Revel 18.4 which mâ—ght be abundantly demonstrated were it needful Sure that God who commands me to abstain from all appearance of evil 1 Thes. 5.22 never enjoyned expects noâ— that I should be in the practice of what without sin cannot be performed by me The 〈◊〉 Pâ—â—pâ—sition That the Saints cannot attend upon the mâ—â—â—stry of England without being partakers with them in theiâ— sin will admit of a speedy dispuâ—â—h Two things are briefly to be enquired into 1. What that or those sins are we suppose the Ministers of England to be guilty of 2. How it will appear That any person's amending upon their ministâ—y renders him guilty of partaking with them therein Of the former we have already treaâ—â—d and proved beyond what any are able to say to the contrary That they are guilty of the sins of worshipping God in a way that is not of his appointment of acting in the holy things of God by vertue of an Antichristian pâ—wer office or calling of opposing really the Prophetical and Kingly Office of Christ of using and conforming to modes and rites in worship not appointed by the Lord that have been abused to Idoâ—atry c. Nor is it denied by our conforming Brethren but with some of these things the present