by most impertinent Citations What is there in this place to the purpose of the constitution of the Visible Church as to its matter or Members the Apostle here ver 10 11 12 13 14 15. is speaking of Doctrines fundamentall and superstructed and that these ought to be suitable and agreeable to that what is this to the mater of the Visible Church Ay Yes by Analogie would he say first because the Apostle useth the same medium and argues as I do that if Christ be layed as a foundation c. Ans And must that hold Universallie because one using a medium in one mater reasons truelie and solidlie therefore another using that medium in another mater and reasoning that same way for forme must also reason truelie and solidelie What if this other erre in the application of the medium and if some of his premisses and principles whereof his argument consists be false upon the matter so it is here The Apostle reasoneth well and concludently upon that principle that the superstructure should be suitable to the foundation that Teachers should take heed what Doctrines they teach in the Church Because he assumeth well that Christ or the Doctrine of Christ is the foundation-point of Doctrine in Religion and all other Doctrines are the superstructures But Mr. Lockier assumeth amisse that the Visible Church as such is the superstructure built upon Christ as the Foundation The Scripture sayeth no where so a Visible Church-state or to be received unto or to be in the Visible Church state is not to be built on Christ as a Foundation but is to be taken in under or to be under the means of being built either first or in a further degree of advancement on Christ as a Foundation But further sayeth he see how he applyes this ver 16 17. incongruous superstructions if in point of Doctrine c. Ans This is somewhat spoken in the mist but for ought I can conjecture or conceive the meaning seemeth to be this that wrong Doctrines taught in the Church makes persons unholy and so unfit mater for the Church to consist of and so destroyes or defiles the Temple of God which is as he conceiveth the Visible Church And thus he will have the Apostle v. 16 17. to apply that which he had been speaking in the preceeding verses Now if this be not a forceing of the purpose and meaning of these two verses let any understanding man in the Christian World judge The plain genuine intention and purpose of the Apostle in these verses is to warne and dehort the Corinthians from defiling and laying waste the Church either by corrupt idle or curious Doctrine not suitable to the foundation Christ or by Schismaticall addicting themselves to this or that man who were teachers among them which was the purpose whereupon he began this discourse v. 4. or both and that upon these three grounds 1. The consideration of the dignity they were advanced to that they were the Temple of God consecrated by the indwelling Spirit to him 2. That such things did defile and lay them waste 3. That God would severly punish such as any wayes defiled and destroyed them that were a Temple consecrated to him Ay but 3. Saith he it is added for the Temple of God is holy which Temple ye are i. e. such arâ—â—he Temple of God which are holy which hath the Spirit of God dwelling in their hearts and none else Ans 1. Mr. Lockier then conceiveth that these words are brought in as a reason why he that teacheth wrong or incongruous Doctrines defiles or destroyes the Temple of God To this sense the Visible Church consists of such as are holy and hes the Spirit dwelling in them and none else therefore men by teaching incongruous Doctrine making men in the Church incongruous mater i. e. unholy destroyes the Temple i. e. the Visible Church A meer forgerie contrary to clear shining evidence of the Apostles context wherein any man that is not blind may see that these words for the Temple of God is holy are given as a reason why these that defile the Temple will be severly punished of God the reason of which consequence clearly intimate in the words is because God will not indure the defiling or violating of that which is holy and consecrate to himself 2. True indeed such are the Temple of God which are holy and none else So Mr. Lockier supposeth but without reason or proof Sure the Apostle borroweth this denoâ—…ation from the typicall Temple of Jerusalem but that was no type of a Visible Church but of Christs Mysticall body and every member thereof And hence I reason thus the denomination of the Temple of God is such as is competent to and predicable of these to whom it is attributed not only collectively i. e. to the whole society of them but also unto every one severally * Martyr in loc non solum fidelium caetus qui Ecclesia dicitur templum Dei dicitur sed unusquisque credentium in Christum reperitur ita cognominatus nam postea de fornicatione agens Apostâ—lus cap. 6. corpus cujusque credentis vocat templum spiritus Sancti But if it be taken for the Visible Church it could not be attributed to every member thereof Every one in it is not a Visible Church 3. If such only be the Temple of God in Mr. Lockiers sense i. e. a Visible Church which are holy and has the Spirit of God dwelling in their hearts and none else he may seek such a Visible Church in the new world of the Moon In the end of this paragraph he prompts us another Argument equivalent to this first from this that Christ is called the Head and the Church the Body In form it must stand thus If Christ be the Head there must be an homogenealnesse in the Church to him he meaneth they must be truely gracious and endued with true saving faith But Christ is the Head and the Visible Church his Body Therefore c. The reason of the connexion of the first Proposition is because else there can be no mutuall derivation from one to another Ans 1. Protestant Divines will with one consent deny your assumption as Popish and tell you that it is the Church of the Elect that is the Body of Christ the Head See but Whittaker de Eccles q 1. c. 13. pag. 449. in fol. Yet 2. For more clear and particular answer we are to consider that Christ may be said to be the Head and the Church his body either in a politicall sense as a King is called the Head of the Common-wealth and the People are called his Body Or to speak so in a physicall sense according to the similitude of mans body Now we grant that Christ is a Head to the Visible Church and the Visible Church hath unto him the relation of a body in the former sense Christ is a King of the Visible Church and the Visible Church is his politicall Body
conversion of the Gentiles pag. 2. and 3. begin Ans That the Holy Ghost here intendeth as the principall purpose to describe a visible Church of the New Test by the proper constituent matter thereof is but the meer conceit of the Author forced upon the Text and no wayes deduceable from the words themselves the genuine purpose of the words being simply to note some circumstances of Paul and Barnabas and the other Commissioners joyned with them their journey from Antioch to Jerusalem whether they were sent for resolution upon the Question then in controversie at Antioch As 1. The Christian courteous respect that the Church at Antioch put upon them they were brought on their way 2. What these commissioners did as they were on their journey that they declared to the Christians that lay in their way that same thing that they had declared before at Antioch Chap. 14. v. 27. viz. that God had been mightily with the Preaching of the Gospel even amongst the Gentiles so that many of them as the Story relateth the particular countries and places Chap. 13 and 14. were converted to the Christian Religion 3. What effect this produced amongst the Christians to whom it was declared that they had great joy at these tydings that the Kingdome of Christ was so spreading and that even the Gentiles were brought in to it Here indeed are grounds of usefull points of Doctrine but what is all to that which Mr. Lockier intends the description of a visible Church by its proper matter A Church visible to Mr. Lockier is a particular Congregation participating together the Ordinances of Christ Doth it any wayes appear that the Spirits intention in these words is to describe unto us what sort of persons were admitted into the constitution of such a Congregation viz. as he would have it not any professours whosoever but such only as were tryed and found by truely converted and very spiritual men able to discern and judge to be truely regenerate What evidence is brought to shew that this is intended in the Text This to wit that first it is said being brought on by the Church and then sayes he what the matter of this Church is the next words tells they declared the conversion of the Gentiles Answer What must these latter words be a description of that thing which is mentioned in the first i. e. the Church viz. of Antioch for that is the Church spoken of there because forsooth the one followeth immediately after the other in the series of the narration I must say this is strange Logick and interpreting of Scripture I am not here to deny but the Church of Antioch did consist of such as are here mentioned i. e. converted Gentiles but my purpose is to shew how impertinently the Author hath chosen and made use of this Scripture to be his Text for his Doctrine concerning the matter of a visible Church section 4 That this may yet more clearly appear I desire the Reader to consider that the Historian Luke is not in these two Clauses of this Verse pitcht upon by Mr. Lockier as a ground of his Doctrine relating the words of one mans continued discourse so as the one part of them might be taken as exegetick of the other or as intended to expresse a description of the thing contained in the other but is relating two diverse actions of two distinct pâ—rties as circumstances of Paul and Barnabas journey one reall of the Church of Antioch their Christian courtesie in bringing them on a part of their way The other so to call it verball viz. the discourse that Paul and Barnabas themselves had amongst the Christians by whom they passed viz. that the Gentiles were converted to the Christian Faith so that any man that hath but half an eye may easily perceive that these terms Church and converted Gentiles stands not in the words in relation one to another as a definitum and a definitio or as a compound and the matter of which it is compounded Therefore it is but a forcing of the Text to make up of these two this Doctrine as intended in the words A visible Church consists of converted ones as its proper matter what ever truth may be in it of it self This I said before I am not questioning now but would discover the inconsideratnes of chusing and making use of this Text for that purpose and adds but this seeing in preaching the Word of GOD aright any enunciative Doctrine which is propounded from a Text if it ly not in the Text in expresse and formall or equivalent terms yet should be deduceable by good consequence from it I humbly desire that Mr. Lockier would build a clear Syllogisme upon any enunciation in this Text inferring this Conclusion the proper matter of a visible Church is converted ones for in this Text it is not said expresly and immediatly as he would seem to say in the next progresse in these words The complexion of a visible Church under the Gospel is here said to be conversion the constituting matter converted ones This much might suffice for answer to this Text as it is alledged by Mr. Lockier for to be a proof of the Doctrine intended in this Lecture for unlesse it be first supposed that conversion of the Gentiles is here mentioned and set down as a description of the visible Church mentioned before all the pains taken by him afterward to clear what is meant by conversion is to little purpose for proof of the point intended as from this Text. Yet we shall be at the pains to take into consideration what followeth in the opening up of the Text lest we seem purposely to passe over any thing which may be alledged to speak for the point maintained by the Author I confesse it had been fitter that the controversie had been first stated but I am resolved to follow the tract of Mr. Lockiers discourse that I may shunne the smallest appearance of wronging him Go we on then section 5 They declared the conversion of the Gentiles what conversion was this A meer outside conversion pag. 3. Nay would the Author say an inside truely gracious heart-conversion Ans 1. Do we any of us whom the Author takes for his Adversaries say that no more at all is meant here but a meer outside conversion He but fains an Adversary and wrongeth us by intimating so much We conceive thus that by Conversion here is meant a forsaking and relinquishing of the Heathnish and a turning unto and embracing the Christian Religion as the Nether Dutch Notes on the place expound De Bekeeringe â—…el tot de Christilick Religie i. e. Conversion viz. to the Christian Relion no wayes excluding but comprehending under it also the inward heart-turning by true faith to Christ but withall we think it cannot be warrantably said that when Paul and Barnabas made this declaration of the conversion of the Gentiles they meant that all and every one of these Gentiles turned from Heathenism to the
implyes a mans own personall experience of things 2. We say the Apostle in these titles of beloved of God Saints Beleevers meaneth true saving grace truely existing and not in the judgement of charity only But speaketh there not of all the Romanes universaliter distributivè as we say all men are sinners but communiter collectivè confusè i. e. in common collectively and confusedly because undoubtedly saving grace was amongst them and he could not take upon him to determine whether moe or fewer of them were endued with it and as it seems knew nothing to the contrary of any of them particularly but they might be such Thus verily I think the Apostles writing to whole Churches and calling them generally by the name of Saints faithfull c. may well be understood and no other thing can be demonstrate of their meaning Take herewith the judgement of the Learned Commentators on the place all of which do unanimously determine that these titles of Saints faithfull and the like are given by the Apostles to the Churches partly in respect of the end of their calling and the duty of every one in the Church viz. that the end of their calling and their duty is to be such and partly by a denomination taken à parte potiori from the better part because there were true reall Saints and beleevers amongst them And I think it is a worthy and solide consideration which my worthy Collegue in the Ministry and my Reverend Superior in the Colledge I live in hath in his due right of Presbytery pag. 259. in answer to Mr. Cotton upon this same Question and Argument the styles given to the Church of Corinth are too high to be given to hypocrites such as many of Mr. Lockiers truely godly so far as men can judge may be and often are but these styles are not given to that Church precisely as Visible and as a professing Church but as an Invisible and true Church of Beleevers He Writeth to a Visible Church but he doth not speak of them alwayes as a Visible Church but as of an Invisible when he calleth them Temples of the Holy Ghost c. section 4 What we have said ro his alledgeance concerning the Church of Rome is applicable to what is said to the most part of the rest so that we shall not insist much on them Only a word or two of some of them And 1. For the Corinthians after he hath set down what is spoken to them chap. 1. vers 2 4 5 6 7 8. and chap. 4. 15. he subjoyneth persons having such grace in them as shall be confirmed to the end as keepeth them waiting to the coming of the Lord Jesus as are the comfortable seals of a faithfull Ministry that all this should signifie but an outward Profession or to say that this Church should constitute and Congregate together upon any other account but as there was the true grace of God evident as far as men could judge I cannot indeed see Answ 1. Let it be marked how in citing the place chap. 4 15. he maketh an addition to the Text for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you all this all is put in as the Apostles word when as in the Text there is no more but I have begotten you This is a gross foule slip I will not say it hath been done out of designe may be it hes been done inconsiderately without present turning over to the place however adding to the Word of God is a dangerous practice 2. As for that to say that this Church did constitute and gather upon another account c. we have noted on it sufficiently before I adde now this by what Mr. Lockier saith here and indeed by the Doctrine of all the Independent Brethren of his way in this mater of the constitution of the Visible Church it appeareth that their conception about the order of gathering the Visible Church by the Apostles was this that men being first turned to the Profession of Christian Religion there was a tryall made of their evidences of true inward saving grace and such as evidences satisfactory of this were found in these were gathered in and the rest casten by which I dare say is a meer fiction of which not the least vestige can be shown in Scripture and never man dreamed of untill these sad times broodie of many new fancies under the name of new lights 3. I confesse persons having such grace in them as shall be confirmed to the end as keeps them waiting for the coming of Christ as are the comfortable seals of a faithfull Ministry are not outward Professours only but are reall Saints and Elect and thence I conclude it cannot be understood universally of all and every one of the Visible Church of Corinth Will he say that all and every one were reall Saints Elect to be confirmed unto the end and so eternally saved if he say yes in Pauls judgement so far as he could judge upon evidences of true grace I say 1. That is an addition to the Text Paul saith simply he shall confirm you unto the end c. not so far as I can judge he shall confirm you Yea 2. It enervats the comfort held forth by the Apostle to them he speaks to for it imports no more upon the mater but this possibly ye may be confirmed to the end and so when all is done ye may be possibly not confirmed to the end mans judgement can go no further and is contrary to the strain of all the Orthodox writing against the Remonstraints in the Article of perseverance who understand the place of Saints and the Lords effectuall gracious preserving them in veritate rei and so make use of the place and presse it against the Remonstrants But let Mr. Lockier rid himself here if he will have Paul to speak thus of all and every one of the Visible Church of Corinth either he must conceive it spoken only with relation to the state of that Church as its first up-setting or also in relation to what it was at the present time of the Writing of this Epistle The former cannot be said because it s most evident all along that Passage Chap. 1. he is speaking of it as still at the time of his writing standing in that condition he expresseth in his words albeit some of the Verbs be used in the preterit perfect tense no man can deny this who hath any judgement If he say the latter the very Epistle it self will confute it wherein to wit so grosse wickednesses and impieties are discovered to have been amongst them and laid to their charge schismes contentious suits of Law fornications communion and fellowship at Idolatrous Tables drunkennesse at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper deniall of the Resurrection Will any man say that the Apostle knowing such things to be amongst them speaks of all and every one of them as reall inward Saints as far as men can judge section 5 For the
terrour of this Text for that section 16 The place Rev. 3. 10. spoken to the Church of Philadelphia is but abused For 1. What warrand is there to expone that hour of temptation spoken of there of the time immediatly before the Calling of the Jews And the Church of Philadelphia in a typicall sense of some Churches to be then 'T is too much boldnesse to force such typicall Interpretations upon Scripture where the Spirit of God in the Word goeth not before us to warrand us 'T is true Reverend Brightman hâ—s Interpreted all the Churches and the things written to them as types of other Churches in these latter dayes But 1. All solide Divines have shown their discontentment with his conceit as groundlesse 2. Yet doth not he understand by Philadelphia such Churches immediatly before the incalling of the Jews as Mr. Lockier fancies But hes expresly named some present Churches which he will have to 〈◊〉 signified thereby Geneva France Low-Countreys and with the rest even that Church of Scotland which Mr. Lockier counts an evill vessell that will be broken in pieces and that because of the order and Government set up in them 3. The place speaks not here of cutting off Churches but of trying the Inhabitants of the World 4. If these Churches typified by Philadelphia are not to be cut off because of their constitution like its how comes that it self which was the Patern and to whom this word was spoken in the first instance and place hath been cut off section 17 The place of Daniel is as grossely abused What ground or appearance can Mr. Lockier give us that the Holy Ghost means one and the same time Daniel 12. and Rev. 3. in the Epistle of Philadelphia He sayeth by these words Daniel 12. 1. It doth plainly appear that this hour of temptation viz. Rev. 3. 10. will be immediatly before the Calling of the Jews and he doth no more but say it Learned men and that upon considerable grounds and reasons have conceived that time Daniel 12. 1. not to be a time after Christs first comming but before it the time of Antiochus persecution And must Mr. Lockiers naked assertion without reason that it is a time immediatly before the Jews incalling be sufficient to obtain beliefe section 18 The New Jerusalem spoken of Rev. 21. is groundlessely expounded to be the Visible Church of the Jews as contradistinguished from the Church of the Gentiles And I verily think that it cannot be understood of the Church upon earth at all ver 22. seemeth to me to speak this much clearly The place Isa 11. 7. is also grossely missapplyed to the Visible Church of Gentiles to be joyned with the Visible Church of the Jews after their incalling it being clearly a Prophesie concerning the Universall Church of the Gospel reaching along from the time of Christs first comming unto the end as all Interpreters expound it and the context it self holdeth it forth evidently And so is the place of Zechariah pointed at to be understood The hint at Jer. 12. 9. where that ancient people are likned to a speckled bird as if thereby were meant that because that Church in its visible constitution was mixed of â—ypocrites with the Godly therefore it is called a speckled bird and that upon that account they were casten off might make a man laugh were we not on a serious matter and it s rather a mater of mourning to see Scripture and so much of it so wrested The simple meaning of the words being this that as a wilde strange bird of an uncouth colour coming in among other birds all flieth about it and pursueth it So because the people were become uncouth estranged from God wilde untame the Lord would raise up the Nations round about to destroy them But what meaneth Mr. Lockier to speak here of the casting off the ancient Visible Church of the Jews under the Old Testament for not constituting their outward Visible society of all truely Saints but suffering it to be speckled Seeing all along this discourse he hes restricted his Doctrine concerning the mater of the Visible Church to the dayes of the Gospel As for his inference wherewith he closeth consequently the allowed mater of a Visible Church Remember we are speaking of Mater allowed in relation to the outward Ecclesiastick Court its proceeding in admitting persons to externall Church fellowship now in the dayes of the Gospel are persons truely holy we say it followeth not upon any thing you have been alledging in this paragraph For were all granted you have been writing out of these places all comes to this that God sometime after this will bring the Church Visible to such an estate that all in it shall be truely holy de facto But dispensations of efficacious grace are not a rule of Ecclesiastick proceeding in admitting persons to the outward communion of the Visible Church SECTION VII A short modest reply to Mr. Lockyers bitter use made of his Doctrine section 1 I had heard oftentimes before this time Mr. Lockier commended for a man of an ingenuous humble meek sweet spirit and when I read the Epistle of his three Brethren prefixed to this Peece wherein they called him a soft sweet whisperer I expected to have found him such here But sure I am any impartiall man who readeth his Use and application of his Doctrine may see great want of ingenuity and such bitternesse vented against men desirous to keep the truth and to walk before God in simplicity and godly sincerity as becometh not any man of a Christian spirit and the like whereof could hardly been expected to come from the very sons of Babel themselves against any Protestants section 2 He begins with this Take heed then of setting against a Church of such a complexion and constitution Wilt thou oppose a thing because it is as it ought to be To whom do you speak Mr. Lockier To us who oppose your Doctrine concerning the necessary qualification of Church members in relation to externall Church fellowâ—hip Do we by opposing this oppose a thing because it is such as it ought to be Nay we do but oppose you who sayes the Church Visible as such ought to be even in the Ecclesiastick Court that which God never said in his Word that it ought to be and makes the door of the Visible Church straiter then ever the Lord made it and so in effect disclaimes the way allowed by God himself for ordering his Church as not wise enough nor accurate enough Or do we set our selves against a Church of such complexion and constitution as you descrive consisting of all truly godly so far as men can judge God forbid and far be it from us were there such a Church in the world of such complexion and constitution it should be very dear and precious in our estimation and we should blesse the Lord for the riches and power of his grace bestowed upon them We wish from our souls that our Churches
and precious servants of Jesus Christ I leave it to be judged of any indifferent man considering the posture of affairs in these Lands But I beleeve those whom the Authors words tends to irritate will not be so foreward to put forth their hand as he is to solicit them The other challenge made against that precious man is evidently â— grosse and palpable wresting of his words the fault Mr. Lockier had but in that same breath almost charged upon him without giving any evidence of it and a very wringing of the nose to bring forth blood I report me to every ingenuous man If reading Mr. Rutherfurds words as they are alledged by Mr. Lockier himself he will conceive that Mr. Rutherfurd meaneth what he sayeth of all and every Independent in England as M. Lockier constructeth them or not rather that he speaketh only of all within his knowledge And what cause then is there of such out-crying against Mr. Rutherfurd for these words as if they were a mater of trembling Verily I cannot but think it a mater of trembling to see a man with so much confidence and boldnesse palpably misconstructing an honest mans words to make him odious section 6 He Answ 3. That there is difference between a cause and occasion That we walk in a fundamentall truth in the power of it many take occasion hence to scoffe break forth into much wickednesse is it not therefore the truth which we follow And then he telleth us that as light hath broken forth in every age Sathan hath laboured to darken it and gives instances As 1. That when the first Fathers began to lay again that great principle and fundamentall of the Trinity to darken this he set on foot Arrius heresie 2. When some of the modern Divines laid that great fundamentall point of Justification by faith in Christ to darken this he conjured up the Anabaptists in Germany which denyed proprietie Magistracie all which is good and then addeth now when God hath made another accession of light respecting the roofe and upper part of the house the Independent way of constitution and Government of Churches what stirres fogs mists hath he raised Is all this therefore darknesse drosse I think things about which the Devil maketh such adoe may rather be thought to have something in them rather then to conclude they have nothing of God within them because the Devil doth not usually set against his own Doth not divide against the Devil When this New Heaven as the Prophet calleth it this new order was first set up at Jerusalem what bloody stirres made it there When first at Antioch what work made it there No small dissention Acts 15. 2. and yet the mind of God Answ 1. Much mistaking hes been discovered already in this Lecture of Mr. Lockiers but in no one passage hath he worse acquyted himself then in this we have now in hand 1. True it is no good Argument or prejudice either against a Tenet or point of Doctrine that many take occasion thence to scoffe and break forth into much wickedeesse But this is not to the purpose in hand Our alledgeance is that the Independent way of Church-Government is such in the nature of it as giveth occasion to men to run freely without controlement into errours and is a kinde of shelter for such as holds and maintains errours to run to as experience proveth and this sure if it be not an intrinsick Argument yet it is a strong presumption against a Tenet that it is not of God the like cannot be said of the Presbyterian way 2. As to the two instances brought in They are as impertinent as the former generall For neither by the Doctrine of the Trinity was occasion given any wayes to the Arian heresie But the Devill raised up Arius and his heresie to oppose and darken that fundamentall point of Christianity Nor was there by the Doctrine of Justification cleared by these modern fathers occasion given to the stirres of Anabaptists But these were raised by the Devill in opposition against that and other points of Religion then cleared I humbly conceive it agrees not well with Historie to say that upon the fathers beginning again to lay that principall fundamentall of the Trinity the Devill did set on foot the Arian heresie The History of these times seemeth to say that the setting on foot the Arian heresie gave occasion to these ancient fathers to establish and confirm from the Word of God that principle and fundamentall of the Trinity 3. While as Mr. Lockier by way of application of these things noted on before first sayeth now in this period of time God hath made another accession of light respecting the roofe and upper part of the house meaning his Independent way of Church constitution and Government and then subjoyneth by way of Question and now what sturres c Why what now Is all therefore he but miserably begs his Question viz. that his way is a new accession of light 4. Worst of all doth he plead for his own cause in relation to the former Objection when as he alledgeth that it may rather be thought a way that hath something of God in it which the Devill opposeth then to conclude to the contrary because the Devill doth not usually set against his own Why The Independent way is that which this day all the emissaries of Satan I mean not meer â—ndependents themselves many of whom I love and reverence and almost all the Sect masters of the time betakes themselves to and hugges in their arms And the Presbyterian way is that which all the errours and heresies of the time opposeth looketh upon as the great eye-sore and hateth cane pejus angue 5. 'T is somewhat more then inconsiderat contempt of his hearers and readers when he will have them beleeve that it was the setting up of his Independent Church order at Jerusalem and Antioch that was the mater and object of the bloody sturres and no small dissentions there Ah Mr. Lockier it was another mater upon which these things were raised then who should be members of the Visible Church or what form of externall Government should be followed 't was the Preaching of Justification and salvation through faith in Jesus Christ without the works of the Law section 7 The 3. Object Mr. Lockier meeteth with till Independency no such sharp and bloody stirres and dissentions Where did you read this brought as an Argument against your Doctrine of Church-members Will any body say that these impertinencies were brought on the stage for any other end but to catch occasion to vent splen against persons of men for what else is it that followeth by way of Answer to this section 8 1. Presbyterians began first to draw the sword and their bitternesse and basenesse hath hightned it to that to which otherwise in likelihood it would not have come The two latter Summers Wars have been the sharpest I know they will say that they have felt And
this concludes Thus no doubt was Simon very diligent and full of care and circumspection to carry it so in all things that he might carry it with all beholders equally to the Apostles themselves that he might be still as high in every ones opinion even in the opinion of the Apostles themselves as he was in the opinion of the blinded and deluded people Ans 1. Mr. Lockier supposeth that Simons continuing with Philip which is spoken of in the Text was antecedent to his receiving unto the fellowship of the Church and the ground upon consideration of which he was received But let him shew me in the Text volam auâ— vestigium of Peters admitting him unto the fellowship of the Church after and upon consideration of this Nay it is not unworthy the observation that Mr. Lockier in all this discourse upon Simon Magus doth not so much as once point his Reader to the Chapter where the story lyeth by his custome in making use of other Passages which makes me apprehend he saw that the Reader turniâ—g over to it would easily seen the weaknesse of his discourse by the conteâ—… of the words Saith not the Text it self that when he was baptized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. after he was baptized and so after he was received into the Church he continued with Philip And so what ever may be imported by this continuing let it be never so much evidence of inward grace it is nihil ad rhombum nothing to the purpose in hand For we are speaking now of what was found in him before and in relation to his receiving If Mr. Lockier shall say that he was not received into the Church fellowship when baptized or by baptisme I repone first Then he must grant that 〈◊〉 was required in adultis for baptizing them then for admitting them to Visible Church fellowship 2. Then it must follow that persons then were first baptized and then tryed a while further ere they were admitted Visible Church members let me see either precept or practice for this in all the Word oâ— God let Mr. Lockier or any for him shew me in Scripture one baptized and not hoc ipso made a member of the Visible Church 2. That his continuing with Philip whether antecedent or consequent to his admission is but a poor ground to prove what Mr. Lockier alledgeth it for viz. that Simon had such outward appearance of real inward grace that so far as man could judge he seemed a true and reall Saint I pray what is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. he constantly followed and waited on Philip this is all that the word iâ—ports when joyned to a name of a person * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est ab alicujus latere non discedere sed assiduum comitem praesta re Constantin in lex Graec. Lat. Mr. Lockiers further criticisme upon the word is to little purpose and that he was astonished at the miracles and signes that were done That which Mr. Lockier alledgeth that no doubt Simon Magus was very diligent and full of care and circumspection to carry it so in all things c. is no doubt a confident assertion without bottom in the Text and yet is this evidence enough that a man is a true and reall Saint as far as men can judge I wonder how a judicious man before judicious men can assert such a thing I confesse this cariage of Simons was ground to repute him not a grosse hypocrite a dissembler and a mock-professor But it can be a ground of no further I find indeed sundry of the Interpreters saying that Simon would have been equall in reputation to the Apostles themselves But they speak not of this as his designe in his continuing with Philip as the Author mistakes for that was not a sufficiently â—pparent mean to obtain that reputation but as his designe in seeking to have the power of bestowing the Holy Ghost for his money which was the very discovery of his rottennesse so far was it from being any part of diligence carefulnesse and circumspection to carry it so in all things c. section 13 For consent of the Learned Interpreters he citeth some words of Pisc English annot Junius Premellius Pellicannus Beza And then tells that he addeth all these testimonies for the Learneds sake that they may see and know that Simon he caried the mater that he seemed another man then a meer professor otherwise the Apostles had not received him And when thus his hypocrisie did appear the Apostles rejected him as one not in Christ and as one whâ— had no share in reall grace and upon that ground rejected communion with such an hypocriâ—… that all else might know what they had to do namely to follow that rule of the Apostle 2 Tim. 3. 9. Having a forme of godlinesse but denying the power thereof from such turn away Which place saith he shewes plainly that it was the power and not the Prosession and not the forme that was looked and is to be looked at in the admission of members of the Visible Church Answ I wonder how the Author could so contemn the Learned who might read him as to say that for their sakes he had added these testimonies cited by him that they may see and know that Simon carried the mater so that he seemed another man then a meer Professour i. e. as he meaneth a true and reall Saint had he been pleased but to English these testimonies cited by him as it was his prudence to let them ly under the Latine vail the very unlearned who had common sense would evidently have seen and known them to import no such thing For this I appeal to the judgement of all that understand Latine and will be pleased to read them For I think it not worth the while to translate and insert them here the most that any of them amounteth to is that which the word ested from the English annot hath that he made outward profession of faith and conversion Might he not done this much and yet not carried it so in all things as to give ground positively to repute him as far as men could judge to be a true and real Saint Will Mr. Lockier acknowledge that a man hath said enough of another for that end when he saith no more of him but this he was so convinced by miracles as to professe faith and conversion Nay he 'll say it s the power of Godlinesse not profession that 's to be looked at 2. That when Simons hypocrisie did thus appear the Apostle did abominat the impiety of his deed discover and bear in upon him the perversenesse of his heart and his miserable estate and denunce the temâ—le deserved Judgement of God against him is clear in the Text But that he did reject him from outward communion of the Viâ—…ble Church I see it not Nay what ever became of him afterward about it Writers are of different judgement see Calv. in loc there
appears to be some grounds in the Text to think the contrary viz. these 1. That Peter with his severe objurgation and denunciation joynes a serious exhortation to Repentance and Prayer with an insinuation of some hope of mercie v. 2â— 2. That the Historian has registrate that Simon did not shew himself obstinate but accepting of the words of Peter and touched with the terrour of the threatned Judgement sought the help of the Apostles Prayers to escape it 3. But supposing that Peter did at this time Excommunicate him yet that it was done upon this account simply that he was not in Christ that he had no share in reall grace has no footing in the Text we will find a further mater â—…d to his charge an atrocious crime of seeking to buy the gift of the Holy Ghost with money Nay that for non regeneration simply a man should be Excommunicat is a wild assertion unheard of in the Word of God which enjoyneth this censure only in the case of obstinacy and contumacious contempt of the Discipline of the Church or at farthest in case of an atrocious scandall which case yet is doubtfull as may appear in the debates of Learned Men about the Excommunication of the incestuous Corinthian 4. The place 2 Tim. 3. 5. is most contrary to the scope and purpose of the context alledged as a rule holding forth that all professours not having true grace of Regeneration or not giving evidences thereof so far as men can discern and judge are for that to be casten out of the communion of the Visible Church It is clear as nooâ—-day that the Apostle by the men of whom he saith they have a form of godlinesse means not every professour unregenerate or not giving evidences convincing so far as men can judge of Regeneration but persons openly and grossely in their conversation scandalous flagitious blasphemous c. As is evident both by the words going before and following section 14 Thâ—â—ast Object he laboureth to answer the Apostle 2 Tim. 2. 20. But in a great house there are not only vessels of Gold and of Silver but also of Wood and of Earth and some to honour and some to dishonour by house he meaneth Visible Church therefore the Visible Church may consist of good â—…d bad Mr. Lockier propounds Arguments against his Tenent as himself pleaseth in the most â—oft way for his own advantage We hope in the next Section to give an Argumeâ—… from this and other like descriptions of the Visible Church formed somewhat more pungent now we shall only consider what he answâ—…eth unto it as laid down by himself His Answers are two section 15 First That there may be bad men in a Church hath not been denyed because Hypocrites may delude the judgement of the best men but he the Apostle saith not that these vessels of earth are there allowedly but they are there to dishonour That is being creept in where they should not be they are to be cast out of the Church as dishonourable as indeed was Hymeneus and Philetus of whom and of one Alexander see what the Apostle sayeth 1 Tim. 1. 20. which shews that when men put away that which they seem to have faith coupled with a good conscience they are to be put away to their master as vessels of dishonour appointed for wrath Answ 1. Passing now that expression that bad men are not in the Church allowedlie having pondered before in what sense it may be granted and in what not passing this what a wilde and forced Interpretation is that vessels to dishonour i. e. that are to be cast out of the Church by Ecclesiastick censure Excommunication Who ever dreamed of the like before Clear it is that the Apostle in the back or outside of the comparison by being to honour means appointed and imployed to more honest and honourable uses in an house And by to dishonour meaneth not casting out of the house to Interprete him so were ridiculous but to be appointed and imployed to more base and fordid uses And in the kirnell or application of the similiâ—ude under the name of vessels to honour is meaned the elect of God sanctified and prepared to every good work and ordained â—o glory as is clear by the verse going before and the verse following And so by vessels to dishonour are meant cast-awayes whom being in the Visible Church God makes use of for such ends as he pleaseth and in end will separate them to that wrath and confusion they are fitted for whether ever here-away they break out into such scandals as shall make them to be casten out of the Visible Church or they continue in the heap or in the house to their ending day That this is the genuine meaning of the words I think no intelligent man will deny 2. It is a false supposition which Mr. Lockier insinuateth that bad men in the Church i. e. men void of true grace and unregenerat as and becausâ— such are to be cast out of the commuâ—…on of the Visible Church the Scripture allowâ—…h no casting out of men but because they are scâ—…dalous and contumâ—…ous or at least atrociously scandalous which latter yet as we said before is questionable and it alloweth men that are such to be casten out though they be haply in state truely regenerat and justified And therefore 3. It is a most inconsiderat word of the Authors where expressing the nature of Excommunication he â—ayeth they are to be put away to their master as vessels of dishonour and appointed unto wrath i. e. in plain words as reprobates ordained to eternall damnation This is very different from Pauls theologie 1 Cor. 5. 5. to deliver unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus Far be it from me and from the Churches of Christ to use Excommunication upon such a consideration of a person and for such an end as Mr. Lockier determines here which in effect makes the Church in the sentence of Excommunication to determine concerning mens reprobation a secret which God hath keped up to himself and is altogether hid unto and undiscernable by men except in the case of sinning against the Holy Ghost which yet is hard for any to determine upon 4. The Excommunication and casting out of Hymeneus Philetus and Alexander is impertinently alledged to the purpose viz. that all men that are not true Saints or have not true grace so must Mr. Lockier's bad men be understood are upon this account to be cast out of the Church these were not such men simply but taught abominable heresies denyall of the Resurrection perverse seducers of people from the faith blasphemers and for these they were cast out 2 Tim. 2. 18 2 Tim. 1. ult section 16 His next Answer is this Moreover by this great house he Paul First means the Church of the Ephesians for whose sake Paul wrot to Timothy and what they were according to the judgement of
Appendix For the present what we have said is sufficiâ—nâ— to shew that Iohn baptized such as came to him upon th◠〈◊〉 profâ—ssion without any delay of time or waiting for tryall of the sincerity of their saving Conversion section 11 In like maner find we that the Apostles admitted to Baptism persons as soon as they made profâ—ssion of the Christian Faith without delay â—or triall of the truth of grace in their hearts as Acts 2. 38. 41. We read they baptized and so added to the Church three thousand that same day that they first professed without delay of the mater for so much as one day when as so great a number might excused the delay if they would have taken longer time to the buâ—…nesse And certainly it being 〈◊〉 the conversion of these men was so suddain one would think 〈◊〉 Apostleâ— would have waited for a triall and proof of their sincerity if so be such a triall and proof had been by Christs institution necessary to go before the admission of men into the Visible Church But the Spirit of God which acted and directed the Apostles did dictate them no such thing In like maner the Samaritâ—… men and women were baptized without any delay Acts 8. 1â— So Simon at that same timâ— albeit to that very day he had been a Sorcerer dementâ—d that people with his devillish enchauntments and with sacrilegious impiety given himself out as the great powâ—… of God yet as soon as being convinced by thâ— sight of miracles he professed the Christian Faith was baptized by Philip. Finally whosoever were baptized by the Apostles that we read of were baptized after this same maner nor can there be given from Scripture so much as one instance of any one man who professâ—…g the Faith and desiring the communion of thâ— Church was râ—fâ—sed Baptism for a time untill he should give a trial and evidence of the siâ—…erity of the work of grace in his heart section 12 To the practice of John Baptist and the Apostlâ—… adde the practice of Jesus Christ himself 'T is worthy of observation saith Mr. Baxter well against Tombs pag. 127. that it is said John 3. 26. he baptized viz. by the Ministry of his Disciples and all men came unto him Whereby it is evident that he baptized men presently and without delay as soon as they came and professed themselves his Disciples Shall we then miserable men not content with our Lords example take upon us to be more severe and exact in his maters then himself Verily I cannot look upon this too great diligence but as a counsell of mans pride shuffling it self in under a maske of purity â—…d accuracy in the matters of God section 13 What further may be excepted against this Argument built upon that ground whereon as a sufficient qualification Christ his Apostles and John Baptist admitted persons to baptism I know not unlesse some haply will say that baptism doth not constitute one a member of the Visible Church as Reverend Hooker contends in a large dispute Surv. p. 1. c. 4. pag. 55. seq and that to be admitted to baptism and to be admitted a member of the Visible Church are not one and the same thing and that more may be required as a necessary antecedent qualification to this then is to that But as to this exception 1. I yeeld that baptism in it self gives not the being of a member of the Visible Church But that one must be first a member thereof de jure which we say is given by such externall profession as we have described before to men of years and to Infants by federall holinesse derived from their Parents otherwise baptism could not constitute one a member Neverthelesse we hold this for certain that baptism is the ordinary Ordinance whereby solemne admission and initiation into actuall communion of the Visible Church is performed Neither since the time that baptism was instituted can their be shown in Scripture either precept or example of any externall way or means of admitting members of a Visible Church beside baptism further let me aske of the adversaries that they would produce from the holy Scriptures an instance of any one man who being admitted to baptism was not presently and ipso facto esteemed a member of the Visible Church They cannot it is a thing unheard of in the Word of God Therefore it is clearly evident that upon what condition men were â—dmitted to the Laver of baptism that same was accounted qualification sufficient in foro Ecclesiastico to constitute a member of the Visible Church and how grosse an absurdity in theologie were it to say that a man tho orderly baptized and no new impediment interveening yet were not a member of the Visible Church For hence it should follow that a baptized Christian even after he is such were yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. amongst these that are without Pagans and infidels 1 Cor. 5. 12. for there the Apostle divides the whole satitude of mankinde into these two Classes of those that are within and 〈◊〉 that are without and as by these that are within he understands such as are of the Visible Church whom also he calls Brethren v. 11. so by those who are without he understands infidels whom he calls the men of the world v. 10. This much for our first Argument section 14 Arg. 2. If our Lord Jesus Christ has not given to any man or society of men upon earth judiciary power authoritatively judicially and positively to pronounce sentence touching the inward spirituall condition of all men professing true Christian Religionâ— and submitting themselves to the Ordinances of Christ whether they be regenerat or not Then it cannot be by Christs institution a necessary qualification requisite to the admitting of persons into the outward fellowship of the Visible Church that they be in foro Ecclesiastico judged truely converted and regenerated But the former is true therefore so is the latter The connexion of the proposition is evident of it self As to the assumption let it be noted 1. That I deny not but a Minister has power from God with Ministeriall Authority to determine Doctrinally and in thesi men regenerated and in the state of grace and reconciliation or unregenerate and as yet in the state of nature according as they want or have the characters of true regeneration and faith They have a warrand from the word of God to pronounce all men that have never been humbled before God for their sins that esteem not Christ more precious then all things beside in the World that walk not after the Spirit but after the flesh c. to be unregenerat men and strangers from the life of God contra â— I grant that Ministers have power and authority to apply the generall Doctrinall sentence to particular persons in â—…pothesi but conditionally whom also they may and ought earnestly to presse to make positive application in their own consciences and as they perceive more
are baptized and ordinarly hear and professe a willing mind to communicat with the Church in the Holy things of God they being not scandalously wicked ought to be admitted yea are members of the Visible Church But 2. To say that men are not members of the Visible Church and yet that they may be ordinary hearers of the Word according to your principles is but a fair word to make Children fain of nothing For say ye a Minister is a Minister only in relation to his particular flock and the members thereof therefore say I as a Minister he is to Preach the Word only to them and therefore he must sute his Preaching of the Word unto them that is unto men sealed of God by his Spirit so far as men very spirituall can discern and so as a Minister or a Ministeriall Preacher of the Word he is not obliged to bring any word for hearing for the case of that man that is not a member and so if that man hear ordinaâ—ly or at all tho he come to hâ—ar any Preaching of the Word fitted or prepared to do him good 't is more through hap then good guiding as we say or else you must say that a Minister when he is to Preach the Word he must prepare and study something as a Minister for Visible Church-members suteable to such and something to Preach as a privat gifted man for such as are without But 1. An ordinary Preacher of the Word as a privat Christian is a Preacher unknown to Scripture 2. And one and that same man Preaching at that same time as a Minister to some and as a privat man to other hearers is far more uncouth to cripture I beleeve a Minister by Scripture rule ought in his ordinary and publick Preaching of the Word to act and Preach as a Minister and to be wholly taken up with the work of his Ministry For to that he is appointed of God and commanded to look to and fulfill Eph. 4. 12. Collos 4. 17. 2 Tim. 4. 2. section 31 2. It is said by some of them that they will receive any in whom they see the least thing of Christ and therefore there is no such hazard of holding out persons that have not true grace in them To this that least thing of Christ is some outward evidence to ground a positive judgement that the man is Regenerat Now I inquire what is that least thing of Christ upon sight whereof you say you will receive men Is sober serious profession of the true Religion and faith of Christ and of subjecting a mans self to the Ordinances and Government of Christ sufficient to you that thereupon you will receive him Or must there be somewhat more to make it up If you said the former we were at agreement upon the mater about the qualification necessary in soro Ecclesiae for admitting of persons to be Church members but this you acknowledge not to be sufficient Let men thus seriously and soberly professe there must be a time for observing their conversation and their must be a tryall and searching into the experimentall work in their hearts Now if it must be somewhat more then that I enquire what is the least thing more We have seen before what they held forth in their rules of tryall and dare say yea thinks it were unchristian unwarrantable rigidnesse to say the contrary that there may be and are many honest sincere Converts in whom there is not to be seen by others and who cannot shew to others that which they hold forth as the least more then that which we have said and therefore still by their way many truly Regenerat may be held forth tho desirous of Church communion and offering subjection to the Word and Ordinances of Christ for my part I had rather twenty hypocrites were let in then that one gracious soul yea or Elect tho yet not Regenerat come this far on as to desire to be in and to professe subjection should be held forth and yet this accurate and pretended cleanly way of these Brethren tho it tend to exclude many who may be are truely Regenerat yet it may let in any unregenerat if they can but play the Hypocrite handsomely and have some Book-learned-knowledge section 32 Argument 7. Shall be taken from these descriptions of the Visible Church in the Word of God holding it forth to us frequently as a mixed society of good and bad under the similitudes of a barn floore wherein is an heap of wheat and chaffe Mat. 12. of a corn field wherein are growing together tares and wheat Chap. 13. 24. of a draw-net gathering in good fish and bad ibid. vers 47. c. and of a great house wherein are vessels of Gold and Silver and vessels of Wood and Earth 2 Tim 2. 21. I confesse this Argument hath not been well managed against the opposites which has given them occasion to slight it as proving nothing but what themselves grant For when no more is alledged from these places but that the Visible Church is such a society as even when rightly constitute there are in it a mixture of true beleevers and hypocrites they say they yeeld the Argument wholly that in the purest Visible Churches there may and will alwayes be a mixture of hypocrites with true beleevers and Saints de facto but that the Question is what sort of persons ought de jure to be admitted or permitted to be members of the Visible Church But the places duely pondered and considered together will afford us a more pungent Argument which will not leave open a way for such an escape We present it thus in form if the Lord himself describing the outward constitution of the Visible Church as to the mater whereof it consisteth not only holdeth it forth as a mixed society of some truely good and gracious and some bad unconverted and gracelesse ones But also declareth that his will is that his servants should not cast out of it all such as they conceive to be bad and unconverted but that they permit even such in the outward Visible Church leaving to himself to make the full separation of the one from the other Then it cannot be that by his apointment and institution it should be the necessary qualification of Visible Church-members in foro Ecclesiastico that they be all true converts and gracious ones at least so far as men can discern and judge this proposition if the consequence and connexion thereof hold good leaves no door open for the former escapes as is evident and I conceive that the connexion or consequence of it is undenyable because upon the supposition of the opposite of the consequent followes clearly the opposite of the antecedent that is to say if it were Christs institution and will that true grace at least so far as men can discern and judge should be the necessary qualification in foro Ecclesiastico of all Church-members it should clearly follow that it were his will and
not conceive this exhortation tho to a duty of common obligation yet particularly intended and directed by the Apostle to the elect and truely redeemed amongst them not distinctly by the head and name pointing them out but confusè in the Visible Society they were amongst 2. Passing that assumption of the first syllogism the assumption of the second which is brought to prove the major of the first is as loose viz. that all these persons to whom the exhortation is directed or are exhorted to flee fornication are exhorted by that Argument taken from redemption as their condition This may well be denyed for why may not an exhortation to a common duty directed to a whole society mixed of persons of different spirituall conditions be pressed upon all by some Arguments common to all such as that whereby this exhortation is pressed vers 18. and upon some by some speciall Argument relating properly to them There can be no circumstance of the context alledged to prove why it may not be conceived to be so here supposing that the exhortation is directed to all But 3. To beat out the bottom of this Argument I prove from the very Text it self that the Apostle here speaking to the persons whom he calleth redeemed speaketh of them as such in the verity of the thing or object i. e. as truly and really redeemed and consequently cannot be conceived to speak it of all and every one in the Church of Corinth as the Authors themselves will confesse I doubt not I prove it thus these whom the Apostles calls Redeemed here they are such as might and ought themselves to know and be assured that they were Redeemed and had the Spirit of God dwelling in them But only such as are in realâ—ty and the verity of the thing Redeemed c. may and ought to know and be assured of this of themselves Therefore the second Part of this Argument is clear because otherwise a man might and ought to know and be assured of a lie concerning his estate which is deluded presumption The first part is also clear from the Apostles words v. 19. What know ye not that your bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost c. That know ye not so frequently used by the Apostle especially in these Epistles to the Corinthians and in this very Chapter five times imports a certain assurance of the thing he is speaking of and therefore here the Apostle imports that these whom he is speaking to as redeemed and having the Spirit dwelling in them they are such as may and ought to be assuredly sensible that they were redeemed And is not this place parallel to that of the very like expression 2 Cor. 13. 5. Know ye not that Christ is in you Which all Protestant Divines presse against Papists for proving Believers certain assurance and perswasion of grace and salvation Therefore I conclude That the Apostle by these whom he calls the Temple of the Holy Ghost understands them that are such indeed and in truth of the object and not in the judgment of charity And what an incongruous interpretation were it to put upon these words Know ye not that ye are the temples of the Holy Ghost redeemed with a price this sense Know ye not that ye are accounted in the judgment of charity temples of the Holy Ghost c. 4. Yet I think it cannot in truth be said that all and every one in the Church of Corinth were judged positively by the Apostle in the judgment of charity gracious renewed and sanctified ones even because of the grosse wickednesse he in these Epistles expresseth himself to have known to be amongst them section 7 The last exception the Authors of the Epistle goes about to obviate thus Neither hath it any weight with us to the contrair which is objected that there were grosse faults amongst them as divisions intemperance questioning the Resurrection incest Will not Lots drunkennesse Davids adultery Peters deniall prove these to be sins incident to the Saints tho justly censurable as the incestuous was excommunicate a man who once as is spoken of Gaius hath been approven of the truth it self though he be overtaken with grosse infirmitie albeit for it he be censurable according to the nature of his offence yea the highest Ecclesiastick Censure passe against him yet he is to be esteemed as a brother 2 Thes 3. 15. Answ 1. Tho that objected hath not with you yet has it had with many judicious and godly men in the Church of God both ancient and moderne much weight to the contrair I name for the present but one there be no doubt of many others because of the Controversie he is upon in making use of this consideration The godly Orthodox and ancient Augustine ad Donatist as post collationem cap. 21. where disputing against the Donatists maintaining separation from all other Christian Churches because of the mixture 〈◊〉 many wicked ones amongst them from that place 2 Cor. 6. 14 15 16 17. just as these Authors of this Epistle do afterward from that same very place ut non sit ovum ovo similius answers them from the consideration of these many grosse wickednesses expressed by the Apostle as abounding in that Church that there were many gracelesse persons amongst them yet they neither made nor were commanded to make separation from that Church I humbly desire the judicious Reader to be at the pains to read the whole Chap. and I shall but point at two or three remarkable Passages of it here see the Margine * In eodem quippe ipso populo CorinthioruÌ„ quod dicimus demonstramus ne forte arbitrentur prophetarum tantummodo moris fuisse non ad Novi Testsed ad Vâ—…eris consuetudinem pertinere sâ—c arguere reprehensibiles quasi omnes in eo populo arguantur sic allo qui laudabiles quasi omnes illi laâ—dantur Ecce ad Corinthlos sic Apostalus loquitur Paulus vocatus Iesu Christi per voluntatem Dei Sostheneâ— frater Ecclesiae quae est Corinthi sanctificatis in Iesu Christo vocatis sanctis Quis haec avdiens credat in Ecclesia Corinthiorum esse aliquos reprobos quandoquidem verba ista sic sonant velut ad omnes directa sit laudatio Et tamen paulo post dicit Obsâ—…ro autem fratres ut id ipsnm dicatis omnes non siâ—t in vobis schismata In ipsis etiam Corinthiis ibi erant qui non credebant resurrectionem mortuorum quae singularis sides est Christianorum Attendamus verbailla quibus Câ—inthiorum Ecclesiam in principio Epistolae sic laudat ut dicatâ— Gratias ago Deo meo semper pro vobis in gratia Det quae data est vobis in Christo Icsu quia in omnibus divites facti est is Ecce sic erant ditati in Christo in omni verbo in omni scientia ita ut iis nihil decsset in ulla graetia ut in illis essent qui resurrectionem
and much worse I will not say the worst that might be said but shall rather pray God to be mercifull to you in this matter so blinded with prejudice and transported with passion far otherwise then becometh a man professing to have the meek and wise Spirit of Christ 1. If speaking so broadly he mean of Presbyterian Churches through the World as indeed your discourse here for pulling them down and separating from them runneth generally without any exception or limitation that for their matter three parts of four are naught prophane atheists c. What bold and blind conjecturing is this 2. If ye mean only the Church of Scotland and that therein three parts of four are naught prophane atheists both Elders and people Yet I say who art thou that judgeth another mans servant No doubt many amongst us are nothing such as they ought to be and it has been alwayes so for the most part in Churches from the beginning But that they are so many and so grosse prophane atheists both people and Elders for a man that is a stranger to the most part of our Churches Elders and people thereof to pronounce so peremptorly is more then he dare answer to God or his own conscience upon second considerat thoughts 3. Suppose it were so indeed that three of four in Churches were naught yet supposing in Churches there be the true Doctrine of the Gospel Preached the Sacraments for their substance and essentialls agreeable to their institution the acts of worship for matter pure must therefore Gods people separat from those Churches and the true Ordinances and Worship of God therein Or must the Churches be pulled down and plucked up root and branch Shew us warrand either of precept or practice for this in the whole Word of God Nay the strain of Prophets Apostles and Christ himself are clearly as the Sun-shine against it How often was it so with the ancient Church that we may say more then three parts of four were prophane and naught And yet did not the Godly and the Prophets of the Lord continue in the exercise of the Ordinances and Worship of God in that Church Was it not so in the Church of the Jews in the time of Christ being amongst them upon earth Did ever Christ for that require his Disciples to depart and separat from that Church Or did he not himself never a white the lesse continue in the Church communion thereof Yea when in glory writing a Letter to the Church of Sardis of whom he testifies that they had a name that they were living but yet were dead and that there were but a few names there which had not defiled their garments Yet his wise and meek zeal is not for pulling down and rooting up and separating from the Church Communion in his Ordinances and Worship But that is his direction v. 2 3. Be watchfull and strengthen the things which remain and are ready to die Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard and hold fast and repent 4. But suppose that de facto in some Churches the generality of persons Elders and people were so grosse and abominably prophane that there were no living for godly ones amongst them is this a good Argument to prove that the very species and kinde must be destroyed and plucked up root and branch Unlesse that Mr. Lockier could shew that the way of Presbyterian Churches of it self in its very kind allowes Churches to be constitute so of persons notoriously prophane and atheists that will not follow But if he shall say this we will avow it to be a slander 5. When as he will have our Churches to be destitute of a right forme because they are not united by way of their Church-Covenant but are knit together only by situation and by forrain forensicall Elderships And upon this account will have them no Churches but only carcasses of Churches It is utterly false that we make situation or cohabitation in place or a forrain Eldership the form of our Churches We say according to the Word of God that the form which gives the being to the Universall Church Visible and unto every member thereof is the profession of and entering unto that generall Covenant with God in his Son Jesus Christ and whereby every Christian is oblidged and engaged to walk in all the wayes of God and perform all duties towards God and other Christians in all their relations required of them according as God giveth opportunity and occasion to perform and exercise them As for Mr. Lockiers Church-Covenant distinct from that generall Covenant with God in Christ as the form of a particular Church giving it the being of a Church and right to the Ordinances of Christ 't is nothing else but a new device of men having no warrand of precept or example in the Word of God either of the Old or New Testament And his un-Churching of our Churches for want of such a Covenant as this is like many other things in this peece has more boldnesse in it then understanding or reason Concerning this matter of the Church-Covenant See Mr. Rutherfurd Due Right of Presbytery Caudrey Review of Mr. Hookers Survey cap. 4. Gul. Apollon Consider of certain Controversies section 6 Mr. Lockier going on yet more to vent his Brounisticall separation objects to himself thus SECT 54. But will no my protest serve the turn If things be corrupt in the Church and I protest against them may not I go on with that Church As for instance If they take in corrupt members or admit corrupt or impenitent communicants And I protest against those may I not go on and partake with these and yet be innocent and enjoy as much presence of God in his Ordinances as if all were holy and good To which he answereth SECT 55. 1. If protesting were only words then such a thing will do But to say the precious should not mingle with the vile and yet the man doth this daily and continually is not to protest but to mock and dissemble Because here is not a meer passivenesse in this man as to the going on in that thing which he protests against 2. Again in practical things t is not so much a mans word as his practice which gives the dislike If a man of an idolatrous Church should stand up and protest against the Masse and yet still go to Masse I doubt how well this would please God or deliver him from guilt Naaman implicitely protests against the idolatry he had practised that he would worship no God but the God of Israel and did he continue to bow down Yes say some but he begs pardon for it But most aptly in our last English Annot. The word being rendered in the time past Pardon that I bowed down 3. Protesting is a piece of revenge which is the vehemence of Repentance and the clearing of ones self which how well this will accord with halting and halving is worthy of deep thoughts of heart Can two