in your schisme and errours and hearken to the counsell of Salomon Pro. 19.27 My sonne heare no more the instruction that causeth to erre from the words of knowledge Goe not I beseech you in the name of Iesus one step more forward in the way you are in For I call heauen and earth to record that it leades to destruction And why will ye die O ye children of men It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God for our God is a consuming fire I know you perswade your selues of better things and such as accoÌ„pany saluation You think that the way you now are in is the only way to life But what if you mistake it Christ telleth vs that many shall seeke to enter in at the straight gate Luk. 13.24 and shall not bee able Which cannot be vnderstood of men minding earthly things whether it be their profits or pleasures For they neither desire nor seeke after any such thing But of heretickes Schismatickes and sectaries You will say I know that you are no schismatickes because you separate from a false Church onely and ioyne to a true in deede if that which you teach of the visible Church were true then were all our congregations false Churches But heare and marke well what I say Such a visible Church as you require and pretend to be there is not in the world neither euer was You teach in this point that which is repugnant to the Scriptures and a thing vnpossible in it selfe to be Such a societie as you say a true visible Church is is not visible cannot possibly be seene or discerned But some of you will say are not our Ministers learned Yes That lets not but that both they may and indeede doe grossely erre in those things wherein they dissent from vs and from all the learned in the world Who knoweth not that among the Papists there be many of great learning and gifts which haue very great knowledge and skill in the arts in the languages are of excellent vtterance expert and ready in holy Scriptures can speake and write truely agreeing with the Scriptures of sundry of the secrets of the Kingdome of heauen as of God his nature persons attributes Of Christ Iesus his incarnation his birth life preachings sufferings comming to iudgement of the Resurrection of the life to come with many more of this kinde and yet notwithstanding in those points wherein they differ from the Church of England and all other true Churches they are blinde as beetles But you will obiect further that what you of the Separation hold is proued plentifully out of the word of God I acknowledge indeede that you abound and superabound in your allegations of Scripture Neuer any men contending for lyes did therein goe beyond you nor equall you neither If hereunto we adde their externall holinesse wee may safely say that in no faction or schisme that euer yet was in the world Satan did more transforme himselfe into an Angell of light then in this But what Their Scriptures being peruerted as the truth is and so tending to the destruction of the Reader all this is but sheepes clothing Mat 7.15 whereof Christ biddeth vs to beware Horrible and fearefull is your abusing and wresting of holy Scripture and to some incredible It had been well for you if you had been more sparing in your quotations then had yee lesse taken Gods Name in vaine who will not hold you guiltlesse for the same except ye repent And now dearely beloued behold Christ Iesus stands at the doore and knockes aloud tarrying and abiding there as one very desirous to come in and loth to be kept out He that hath the keyes of the house of Dauid who shutteth and no man openeth and openeth and no man shutteth open the doore of your soule that you may let Christ enter in And to that end open I humbly beseech you the eyes of your minde that you may bee able to discerne betweene things that differ and know truth from falsehood and reiecting and abhorring the one which is from the Diuell may imbrace the other which is from God And here my deare countrimen who lately are gone out from vs and become Anabaptists I beseech you consider of this one thing with me When you first separated from the Church of England did not you highly esteeme and reuerence the Church of Amsterdam euen as the deare spouse and body of Christ I meane the Brownists Church there Would not you then gladly haue had communion with them if possibly you could when you refused the same with vs Did not then all of you assure your owne soules that that way which then and still we call Brownisme was the onely way to life wherevpon in that way you would needs walke come on it what would imprisonment or banishment life or death Did not then some of the chiefe of you in my hearing magnifie M. Fr. Iohnson and their bookes specially the Apologie aboue all bookes next to the holy Bible And in all this you reioyced exceedingly How commeth it now to â—asse that so quickly not onely our Churches but the aforesaid Church at Amsterdam is likewise become an Harlot and Babylon That you abhorre now as much to haue religious communion with them as with vs How commeth this I say to passe but because that which the Apostle saith generally of all deceiuers is and must needs be in the particular true of you your selues being deceiuers That you wax worse and worse deceiuing and being more and more deceiued Thus haue I in few words by way of commination exhortation dehortation and supplication indeuoured to perswade you my brethren of the Separation speecially my countreymen who are lately entred into this way to renounce your errours and to breake off by repentance your grieuous sinne of separating and all the sinnes accompanying it If this I haue published preuaile not thus farre though not with all yet with some of you as to bring you to the sight and acknowledgement of your erronious doctrine concerning the visible Church and your peruerting of holy Scripture for confirmation thereof as my hope is it will I for my part doe confesse that I vtterly despayre of doing any good of you and say to you as I haue learned from the Apostle to speake in this case If any man be ignorant let him be ignorant I shall also hold it vaine to contend any further with you 1. Cor. 14.38 11.16 If any lust to be contentious saith Paul wee haue no such custome nor the Churches of God And so I end leauing the successe hereof both with you and others to the Lord whom in Iesus Christ I beseech to accept of this my poore and weake seruice and to grant that it may prosper to that end wherevnto by me his most vnworthy seruant it is intended euen to the glory of his great Name and edification of his Church Amen IOHN DAYRELL A
zealous of the Traditions of my Fathers In both these places the Apostle deliuereth one and the same thing but in different words which helpeth greatly to the vnderstanding of both In eyther of these places and in the words next following these Paul relateth his conuersion to the Christian Religion and calling to the office of an Apostle and in these words heere set downe he declareth his zeale before the time of his conuersion and calling to the Apostleshippe to the Iewish Religion and hatred to the Christian and the professours thereof This hatred hee setteth forth by an effect thereof to wit his persecuting I persecuted saith hee this way that is this Religion to wit the Christian Religion which now I embrace and professe As if he had said when I was of the Iewish Religion I persecuted this Religion whereof now I am and could not away with it Religion he termeth way and so doth hee vse it in Acts 24.14 After the way which they call Heresie so worshippe I the God of my Fathers It is likewise so taken in the 22. verse of the same Chapter and in diuers places besides And it is rightly called a way Because it only sheweth the way to saluation Also because that as he that is in a way goeth on therein and standeth not still so hee which is religious indeed standeth not at a stay Prou but is euery day more religious then other Being like vnto the light which shineth more and more vnto the perfect day I persecuted â—aâ—th hee this way why but hee could not persecute the Religion it selfe By these words then he vnderstandeâ—â— those 〈◊〉 were of this way or Religion meaning the 〈…〉 Râ—â—â—gion When then in this place of the Gaâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 former it is said that Saul persecuted the Châ—◠〈…〉 meaning is that hee persecuted th◠〈…〉 of men which professed the Christian Religion which heere is called the Church And so it is called twice in the 8. of the Acts. And at that time there was great persecution against the Church which was at Ierusalem that is the Christians there And a little after But Saul made hauocke of the Church That is of the professors of Christian Religion whereby we learne and that from the holy Ghost to define the true visible Church thus It is a company of people professing the Christian or true Religion or thus It is a company * To wit from the rest of the world Rom. 16.5.23 called out of the profession of Christian Religion And thus wee are to vnderstand many other places Greete the Church saith Paul that is in their house meaning by Church the professors of Christianity or Christian Religion And againe in the same place GAIVS mine hoste and of the whole Church that is of all the Christians saluteth you This word Church thus vnderstood is taken eyther largely or strictly largely for all men that throughout the whole world professe the Christian or true Religion as in 1. Cor. 10.32 Giue none offence neyther to the Iewes nor to the Grecians nor the Church of God that is nor to any of the Christians or people of God In the same sence it is vsed Act. 8.3 1. Cor. 15.9 Gal. 1.13 In which places it is said of Paul that he did persecute the Church of God that is them that professed the Christian Religion wheresoeuer he came And euen so it is vsed Act. 2.47 And the Lord added to the Church that is to them that embraced and professed the Christian Religion from day to day such as should be saued In this respect or sence we may say the visible Church is Catholike or vniuersall not tyed as sometimes it was to the Land of Iudah nor visible in one people alone as vnder the Law it was in the people of Israel But comprehendeth vnder it all Nations or people professing true religion being now visible in one country and now in another sometimes in a few sometimes in many Lord of Plessis of the Church c. 20. This vniuersall Church comprehendeth vnder her all the particular Churches gathered together in diuers Countries and sundry parts of the world the which likewise we cal Churches So learned men speake of the East Church and the West Church the Greek Church and the Latine Church In like manner say we at this day the Church of England the Church of Scotland the Church of France none of these or the like are Catholike or Vniuersall This is said after the very same sort as when we speake of some parts of the Ocean sea we call them the Sea as the South sea the North sea the Brittish sea c. And wee giue them all the name of Ocean although wee know that there is but one Ocean and not many of the which by these names we make many distinctions because it is but one vniforme body from which the vnity may bee distinguished but not diuided And so also must the vnity of the Church be acknowledged When therefore wee speake of all the Christians and professors of true religion in a Nation as in England Scotland France c. we may rightly say the Church of England the Church of Scotland the Church of France yea thus meaning we cannot properly and fitly say The Churches of England c. in the plurall number Thus you see what we call the Catholike or Vniuersall Visible Church euen the Congregation of all those that doe professe true Religion throughout the whole world distinguished as hath beene said into many particular Churches All which together make but one body And in this sence the word Church is diuers times vsed in the sacred Scriptures as partly appeareth before we call it Catholike because as one saith it is vbique diffusa spread euery where scattered farre and wide ouer all the world And visible it is said to be quia rationabilis because it is conceaueable by reason It is not so much seene with the eye though it be called visible quam intellectu mente ratione as with the vnderstanding the minde and the reason as is well said by one When this word Church is taken strictly and not in so large and generall sence as before it is vsed eyther more or lesse strictly when it is taken in the strictest signification and for the least company thereby is meant eyther the Gouernours of the Church and so it is vsed twice in one verse Matth. 18.17 If hee refuse to heare them tell it vnto the Church and if he refuse to heare the Church also let him be vnto thee as an Heathen man and a Publican Or all the Christians in a family or one house And so it is vsed in these places following Collos 4.15 1. Cor. 16.19 Philip. 2. and such like Salute Mimphas and the Church which is in his house Aquilla and Priscilla with the Church that is in their house salute you greatly in the Lord. To Archippus and to the Church that is in thine house Lesse strictly and
euident in and by the prosecution of the following Argument where I proue that our Religion is true Religion If that forthwith following which is said of true Religion thou wilt Reader apply vnto and vnderstand of true worship then thou shalt plainely see that the same argument whereby we proue our Religion to be true Religion maketh as strongly to proue our worship to be true worship For if the Religion we professe be true then needs must the worship we giue to God be true seeing Religion is nothing else but the manner after which men worship God and that true Religion and true worship as false Religion and false worship cannot be seuered But the Religion which we in England professe is true as shall be proued Therefore the worship we giue to God is true worship I now proceed to a third Argument Whatsoeuer people all the Churches of God in the world doe acknowledge to be a true Church the same to bee a true Church and so to be accounted The people of England all the Churches of God in the world doe acknowledge to be a true Church Therefore the people of England are a true Church and so to be accounted The Proposition I thus make manifest we speake of a visible Church and so I meane by Church in this Argument Now if it cannot be discerned and knowne by others it is not visible If it can be discerned then by the visible Churches that are to the members whereof wee cannot but grant this gift and ability to discerne and know a true Church It is absurd to yeeld this gift to them that are without and therefore to bee granted to them that are within the Church vnlesse we will deny it to all men which is most absurd of all The Assumption I proue by this induction The Churches of Scotland France Heluetia Bohemia Saxonie and so of the rest doe acknowledge our Church for their Sister and giue vnto vs the right-hand of fellowshippe Therfore all the Churches in the world If any true Church doe iudge otherwise of vs doe you instance the same and proue it accordingly Vntill then we will hold the Assumption to be as true as the Proposition and the conclusion to bee no lesse true then they Thus much generally concerning the Church of England now I will proue our particular Congregations or Parish assemblies to be true visible Churches and first thus If the Mother all the people in England professing true Religion be a true Church then are her Daughters the particular Congregations consisting of such people likewise true Churches for as is the Mother so are her Daughters But the Church of England the Mother is a true Churche as hath beene proued Therefore the particular Congregations her Daughters Secondly thus If our particular Congregations haue the matter and forme of true visible Churches then are they true visible Churches But the first is true Therefore the second The Proposition is for this reason true because where the matter and forme of any thing is there is that thing The assumption I thus strengthen The matter of a true visible Church is a company of men and the forme of it is the profession of the true Religion But our particular Congregations are companies of men professiâ—g true Religion Therefore our particular Congregations haue the matter and forme of true visible Churches That the matter of a Church whether true or false is a company of men none I thinke of iudgement will deny or once doubt of sure I am he may as well and truely deny that water is moist Touching the latter part of the Proposition the forme Who can with any face or colour of truth deny That a Congregation ioyning together in the profession of true Religion is a true visible Church In the 14. of the Acts we reade thus And when they had ordained them Elders Vers 23. by election in euery Church and prayed and fasted they commended them to the Lord in whom they beleeued Certainly these Churches were diuers particular Congregations each of which did ioyne together in the profession of Christian Religion Now I would know what made these seuerall societies Churches euen by the testimony of the holy Ghost but their profession of Christian Religion whereby they were distinguished from all other societies as vsually things are by their formes At this time there was little or no Ecclesiasticall Gouernment in these Churches which some make the forme of the Church because there were no Elders by which the same should haue bin gouerned Not this then but their holy profession gaue the forme and being to these Churches Concerning the Assumption that our particular Congregations be companies of men professing true Religion the proofe thereof followeth forthwith Thirdly out of my former description of the visible Church which is demonstrated by the word of God to be a company of people professing true Religion I argue thus All particular Congregations which doe professe the true Religion are true visible Churches Our particular congregations doe professe the true Religion Therefore our particular Congregations are true visible Churches Likewise thus Whatsoeuer Assemblies professe the true way to saluation the same be true visible Churches The Assemblies in England doe professe the true way to saluation Therefore the Assemblies in England are true visible Churches The Proposition or first part of both these reasons is manifest by the former Doctrine and description of a visible Church the truth whereof hath beene made euident by sundry testimonies of holy Scripture The Assumption of the three last Arguments being the same in effect I thus confirme If men professing the same Religion and way to saluation that we doe haue liuing and dying in that profession beene saued then is the Religion and way to saluation that we professe the true Religion and the true way to saluation But men professing the same Religion and way to saluation with vs haue therein beene saued Therefore the Religion and way to saluation we professe is the true Religion and true way to saluation and consequently we are a true visible Church and our Congregations the Churches of Christ and not the Sinagogues of Satan as these men blasphemously say The Proposition is very manifest and needs no confirmation In the printed letters between M. Iacob and M. Iohnson passim the Assumption is true by your owne confession For you confesse that those who died for Religion in Queene Maries time were Martyrs and vsually you so call them and therefore are they saued and now in heauen and they professed the very same Religion and way to saluation with vs and therein liued and died yea died for that Religion wee at this day professe Men therefore professing the same Religion and way to saluation with vs haue therein beene saued by your owne acknowledgment All that you heere say for your selues or can say is this That the Martyrs saw no further I reply You herein acknowledge that so many among vs
runne away Least otherwise you one day stand among the Goates and haue that fearefull sentence pronounced of you Depart from me ye cursed I know saith Iesus the blasphemie of them which say they are Iewes and are not Mat. 25.41 Reue. 2.5 but are the Synagogue of Satan As this is blaspemie so assuredly to account them Antichrists Samaritans Edomites Moabites Parall 6.26 Ammonites and Ishmailites who are Iewes and those Babilon Egypt Sodome false Churches Antichristian Churches the Synagogues of of Satan the holds of all foule spirits Defence of the Churches and Ministers of England 6. and cages of euery vncleane and hurtfull bird which are the congregations of Saints and Churches of God is likewise blasphemie Thus haue I answered all that M. Robinson obiecteth in a little Pamphelet of his intituled An answere to a Censorious Epistle Let vs heare now what he saith concerning the same point in a more large volume lately published called a Iustification of Seperation from the Church of England And though you M. Bernard say it neuer so oft and all the Diuines in the world with you that the visible Church is a mixt company yet doe the diuine Scriptures speake otherwise And with the Scriptures I doe affirme against you that the Church of Christ is no such mingled mâ—slnie Pag. 112. or monstrous compound but a body simple vniforme and one proportionable in euery member vnto the head informed by one spirit and called in one hope And twelue lines after Wee doubt not but the purest Church vpon earth may consist of good and bad in Gods eye of such as are truely faithfull and sanctified and of such as haue onely for a time put on the outside and vizard of sanctitie And againe after that hee hath produced and peruerted many testimonies of holy Scripture to proue that all in the visible Church are holy and good and none other therein he addeth these words Iustif 115. Here is no such mingle mangle as M. Bernard would make of good and bad but all good and so auowed by the holy Ghost though without doubt many of these were masked and hallow hearted hypocrites I will onely fight against you here with your owne weapons for I neede to vse none other The purest Churches say you may consist of good and bad faithfull and vnfaithfull of holy and prophane for are not they prophane who haue onely the outside of holinesse being within full of all filthinesse Also that in the same there haue been many wicked and hollow hearted hypocrites all which were wicked But a company consisting of such as all these is a mixt company and a monstrous or miserable compound being compounded of two sorts of men who bee as contrarie one to another as light to darknes Christ and Belial of Gods children and the Diuels children of the children of light and the children of darknesse Therefore the purest Churches consist of a mixt company and consequently is not simple vniforme c. as you teach If the purest Church that is be a mixt company much more they that be lesse pure And who in their wits but would affirme that such a body politick were vnmixt simple and one specially that it were proportionable in euery member vnto the head and informed by one spirit What euery member M. Robinson What proportion and likenesse is there betweene Christ and Hypocrites many of which in the generall you acknowledge to be in the Church Betwixt the sonnes of God and the children of the Diuell some of which we must needs confesse to be in the Church else all in the visible Church are indeed the children of God then which nothing is more false If euery member be informed by the spirit of God then euery one in the visible Church hath the spirit animating him Indeede this M. Smith teacheth expressely and all of you implicitely But how truely I haue shewed in the next Chapter If euery one in this visible Church be informed by one and the same spirit then if any in the visible Church haue the Spirit of God all haue And contrariwise If any in the visib Church be informed by the vncleane spirit all are Moreouer if euery member of the visible Church bee called in one hope then if any one in that visible Church haue that hope Rom. 8.24 the end whereof is the saluation of mans soule all haue it and so on the contrarie as before Behold what conclusions doe follow from your premises whereby wee may know how orthodoxall they be God forbid that all the Diuines in the world should teach such positions as these Hee hath itching cares vvho vvill rather giue care to you and two or three such more as your selfe then all the Diuines in the world Speake no more thus presumptuously You may remember vvhat sometimes I said vnto you mouth to mouth The spirit of the Prophets is subiect to the Prophets that is the doctrine which all men conceit is from the spirit of the prophets is subiect to the iudgement of the Prophets The ground of this your erring is not that you thinke that there are no wicked in the visible Church for you confesse that there are wicked in the visible Church yea men desperately wicked but because in your conceit the wicked that be in the visible Church are not true members of the visible Church That this is so it appeareth by your words next following the former And for wicked and vngodly persons so far are they from being the true naturall members whereof the body consisteth as the whole of the parts Instif 112. 110. as they serue indeede for no other purpose then to infect and corrupt the rest and if redresse bee not had in time to eate out the very heart of the whole Againe And for the church of the Iewes and of Corinth in which you instance as they were holy so they were desperately wicked amongst them no true members of the body but as putrified and rotten parts to be cut off and cast out from the rest I answere as putrified and rotten parts of the body are members of the body vntill they be cut of so wicked men putrifying and stinking with spirituall vncleanenesse their sinâ—es rotten and vnsound at the heart are members of the visible Church and that body politicke vntill by excommunication they be cut of And as a rotten tooth that is no way profitable but hurtfull seruing onely to infect and corrupt the rest is notwithstanding a part or member of the body vntill it be plucked out so the vvicked and vngodly that be in the visible Church that serue indeede for no other purpose then to vexe infect and corrupt the rest are neuerthelesse members of the visible Church vntill by excommunication they be cut of The falsitie of this your conceit I haue further discouered in the Chapter following vvhereto I referre the Reader onely in the meane season remember this and forget it not That all vvhich bee
that which you doe from hence vsually collect and vrge against vs. CHAP. II. A confutation of another description of the true visible Church giuen by the Brownists Where much is said concerning the first gathering of a Church and commixture of good and bad in the Church BVt omitting this description of H. Barrowes wee will proceed to another of theirs laid downe in their Apologie Apologie 44. It is say they a company of people called and seperated from the world by the word of God and ioyned together by voluntary profession of the faith of Christ in the fellowship of the Gospell If this be a true description then whosoeuer is not called and seperated from the world by the word of God c. is not a member of the visible Church for of such a company so called and qualified it doth consist as you affirme But some not called and seperated from the world c. haue bin are and shall be of the vâ—sible Church as is euident by that which followeth this therfore is not a true description of the visible Church It is a company of people say you called by the word of God whereby you meane that by the power and force of the Word only in the Ministery and preaching therof men are brought to be of this societie that is of the visible Church and not by the call perswasion or commandement of the Magistrate or any mortall man And this you put downe in your description that thereby you might proue our Parish assemblies to bee no true but false visible Churches because in the beginning of Queene Elizabeths raigne the people then liuing were not called by the Word and gathered by the preaching thereof but all brought in at once by her commandement and proclamation Hereupon it is that in the former description of the visible Church they say It is a company gathered in the name of Christ Iesus And Master Iohnson applying this to vs saith We were neuer rightly gathered together according to Gods ordinance Defence of the Churches and Minist of Eng. 86. that is as heere he speaketh not called by the word of God meaning the preaching thereof as appeareth by his quotations of Scripture in the margent We answere If we speake of a Church when it is first planted I meane of a Nation when first it commeth to embrace and professe the Gospell and true Religion the people of such a Nation for a great part there of are called by the word of God before they come to be a visible Church By the power and truth of the Word and diuine maiestie shining euery where therein the children of men be brought to forsake their false Religion and worship and to ioyne together in the profession of true Religion whereby they become a visible Church And this is confirmed throughout the whole story of the Acts of the Apostles both in the conuersion of the Iewes or gathering visible Churches of them set downe in the nine first Chapters and likewise of the gentiles continuing from the beginning of the tenth Chapter to the latter end of that booke In the second of the Acts where mention is made of a great increase or addition to the visible Church that before that time was among the Iewes of about three thousand soules and in the fourth of the Acts of a further increase to about fiue thousand Act. 2.14 and 4.4 in both these places the meanes is specified whereby this was brought to passe and that is said to be the hearing and and receiuing of the word of God preached by Peter and other of the Apostles In the eight chapter of the Actes wee reade of a Church gathered in the Citie of Samaria by Philip his preaching Christ vnto them and in the eleuenth Chapter of the Acts of a great Church gathered by the preaching of certaine Prophets and Euangelists in Antiochia in Syria In a word where in the Acts we reade of the conuersion of a people to God as in Antiochia a Citie of Pisidia in Iconium Listra Derbe Philippi Thessalonica Berea Athens Corinthus and Rome in the same places we heare that they were called and the said visible Churches gathered by the preaching of the word But mark all these Churches were now first planted and these people newly conuerted from Iudaisme or Gentilisme that is eyther from the Iewish Religion or false Religion of the Gentiles to the Christian Religion In such a case to the gathering and beâ—ng of a Church the preaching of the Word is absolutely necessary so as without it a company of people cannot bee brought to be a Church But if we speake of a Church established or of a Country where for some time true Religion hath beene professed and God truly worshipped though sometimes interrupted broken off and discontinued which is our case then this holdeth not As vnder the Law both Iewes and Gentiles professing the Iewish religion by Circumcision so by Baptisme Christians vnder the Gospell are incorporated into the visible Church and made members thereof Are not the children of the faithfull by Baptisme receiued into the visible Church and thereby made members thereof And not by the call of the word the sound whereof many of them do not heare and if they doe they cannot vnderstand it And what letteth why some of these when they bee growen men may not thorough hypocrisie continue in the Church though in the hardnes of their hearts they neuer were affected and touched with the word many such hypocrites and hard-hearted men dead in their sinnes and trespasses and that haue consciences seared with a hot Iron haue euer beene are and shall be in the Church who neuer by the call of the word and power thereof would haue become members of the Church nor haue felt any touch that way but onely because they were borne and brought vp in the Church and not cast out either through the want of due execution of discipline or else through their deepe dissimulation and hypocrisie they being like painted tombes which appeare beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones and all filthinesse Surely it is not to be thought that Cain Ismael Esau with others that many of the fatte Bulls of Basan that many of those who in Israel killed the Prophets and stoned them which were sent vnto them that many of the Scribes and Pharisies were affected with the Word or so much as tasted of the power and sweetnes thereof and yet were they all of the visible Church How were these then called by the word of God Againe that without this call by the word men may come to be of the visible Church it is yet more euident by the scripture In the twelfth chapter of Exodus where mention is made of the departure of the Children of Israel out of Egypt it is said That a great multitude of sundry sorts of all people went out with them Verse 38. now all or most of these we may assure
thorow this doore into the Church Fourthly Whether God moued the heart of this man and by his Spirit perswaded him to ioyne with others in the externall worship of God or the loue of prosperity and freedome from misery And let this suffice for a reply to your answere whereby the insufficiencie and vanity of it is made manifest as also of this following speech of Master Iohnsons Aâ—swere to M. Iacob 199. tending to the same purpose It is saith he the worke of God only to adde to his Church such as he will saue And therefore it is not in the power of Princes or any man whatsoeuer to perswade the conscience and make members of the Church but this must be left to God alone who only can doe it Princes may and ought within their dominions to abolish all false worship and establish the true worship appointed by God in his word commanding and compelling their subiects to come vnto and practise no other but this yet must they leaue it vnto God to perswade and to adde to his Church from time to time such as shall be saued I answere this man further That the Lord adde to the Church such as he will saue and none other yet the visible Church being the Barne wherein his wheat must be threshed before it be gathered into the garner of Heauen Mat. 3.12 SataÌ„ the father of all Hypocrits addeth many vnto it such may come to be of the visible Church and often doe by the Commandement counsell or perswasion of man and yet that be true you say and by many testimonies endeuour to proue that God alone must perswade the conscience and that it is his worke only to adde to his Church such as he will saue But tell me Master Iohnson whether those who not only come vnto but also practise the true worship appointed by God in his Word be not members of the Church You cannot deny they are members and so to be accounted But Princes say you in their dominions may command and compell their subiects to come vnto and practise the true worship appointed by God in his Word Therefore Princes in their dominions may command and compell their subiects to be members of the Church But leauing this man I returne to Master Ainsworth and that which followeth in his Counterpoyson You adde that this doctrine openeth a dore in the Church Counterpoys 224. to all the prophane in the world contrary to the Scriptures If by prophane you meane those that are inwardly and secretly prophane We answere they cannot be kept out of the Church for we know not who be such if openly prophane as I thinke you doe then this doctrine openeth not the dore of the Church to such But you will proue it for if a Prince say you may compell some of his subiects to bee members of the Church he may compell all and if one Prince may doe it all may So if there were such an Emperour as Augustus that commanded all the world to be taxed he might also command and compell all the world to be ioyned vnto the Church All this wee grant seeme it to you neuer so strange and absurd and tell you that if euer God should grant such an Empâ—ror as would command and compell all the world Iewes and Gentiles to worshippe God as he hath commanded and should make a law and see it executed throughout the whole world as Asa did in Iudah That whosoeuer would not worship God in that manner â— Chro. 15.12 hee hath commanded whether he were small or great man or woman should be slain that such compulsion by law penalty was very pleasing and acceptable to God and a most blessed and memorable acte Yea this which you seeme to deny and to deride I will confirme by your owne wordes Wee acknowledge say you all Christian Princes haue equall power with the Kings of Iudah Counterpoys 230. to abolish all idolatry within their dominions yea and to punish obstinate idolaters and not suffer any superstitious worship among their subiects Thus by your owne confession a Christian Emperour may lawfully punish idolaters wherein what doeth hee else but compell men to worship God after his word I speake of external worship which kind of worshipping alone without the internall maketh one a member of the visible Church which maketh them members of the Church The Magistrate in punishing men for theft whoredome murther and the like faults compels them thus trespassing and all others by their example as much as in him lyes to liue truly chastly and peaceably Euen so in this case the Magistrate that punisheth idolaters and men for false worship doth thereby compell men to worship God truely whereby they become members of the visible Church Thus what you build heere in another place you destroy and pull downe But marke what he inferreth vpon that goeth before Thus the world and the Church betweene whom there hath beene perpetuall warre might soone be reconciled If euer it should fall out so happely that there should be an vniuersall command and compulsion to worship God according to his Word so as the bounds of the Church reached to the vtmost parts of the world yet I warrant you feare not the enmitie betweene the Serpent and the woman betweene his seed and her seed would remaine and no such reconciliation could possibly be made as you imagine might soone and easily be Indeed if in the visible Church there were none of the serpents seed wherunto all your doctrine of the Church in a manner tendeth then in case the whole world were the Church this warre and enmity would be at an end But were you not starke blind you might by the Scriptures learne That in the true visible Church the old Serpent the Diuell hath many of his children as well as God some of his betwixt whom is the perpetuall warre you speake of Notwithstanding then the whole world were the visible Church this warre would be perpetuall and no reconciliation You forget that many cruell persecutors of the Church who haue shed the bloud of the Saints haue beene of the Church yea principall members therof Description of the visible Church pag. 1. Else sure you would neuer deny that this war and enmity were in the Church and tell vs that all in the Church are tied together by the bond of peace and doe vnfainedly loue one another I would know of you whether they without the Church can possibly hate the godly more then many of those doe that be within the Church The Scripture saith Prou. 29.27 that the righteous that is the godly are an abomination to the wicked Now it is plaine after proued that there be very many wicked yea notoriously wicked in the church The godly therfore haue at home in their Fathers owne house mortall and irreconciliable enemies enough As in the dayes of Christ so at this day and to the end of the world there will bee in
the Church generations of Vipers Math. 3.7 12.34 23.33 who notwithstanding their shew and profession of holines are as full of malice and hatred towards the godly as a Viper of poison Moreouer where you say Thus the world and the Church betweene whom there hath beene perpetuall warre might soone be reconciled in this or such like speach by the world wee are to vnderstand the men of this world that is worldly minded men such as whose hearts and affections are set vpon this world and the things thereof whether they be in the Church or out of it and by Church the company of the faithfull members of the inuisible Church for these alone together with their head are meant by the Woman and her seed Betwixt these the World and Church thus taken is the warre or enmity you speake of foretold by God himselfe saying I will put enmity betweene thee and the woman Gen. 3.15 and betweene thy seed and her seed In stead hereof by World you vnderstand them that are without the Church and by Church the visible Church Whereby it appeares yâ—u speake you know not what such is your ignorance and rashnes Lastly say you if this be a lawfull and orderly course Counterpois 224. it is strange that Christ sent forth poore fisher-men to conuert soules by preaching and set not Princes to make Disciples by compulsion and penaltie We answere hee hath done both and this latter he hath done by giuing Kings to be nursing fathers and Queenes nursing mothers to his Church These by their authority compell men otherwise vnwilâ—ing to submit themselues to the outward worship of God whereby they come to be members of the Church or Disciples and so some of them by Preaching to be conuerted to God Thus the Magistrate in causing men to heare the Word helpeth forward and so herein is a nursing father the conuersion of soules by preaching You seeme to confound the conuerting of soules and the making of Disciples which are things different It is one thing to be turned and conuerted to God by true and vnfained repentance which is proper to the elect and inuisible Church and another to be a Disciple that is a Christian or professor of Christian Religion or member of the visible Church which is common to the reprobate with the elect There haue beene many Disciples whose soules were neuer conuerted by preaching Obiection But happely some of you will say we haue no example of this compulsion to the seruice of God in the new Testament not one in all the Actes of the Apostles where mention is made of the first planting or gathering of many Churches partly among the Iewes but chiefely the Gentiles All which were gathered onely by the Preaching of the word as your selfe haue formerly shewed and the gathering of none of them any way helped or furthered by the Commaundement and authoritie of the Magistrate Answere I answere Must all points of Religion and all Christian doctrine needes be confirmed and exemplified out of the new Testament Then the Scripture of the old Testament serueth not for probation but for some inferiour vses as to illustrate amplifie c. And who knoweth not that there be a thousand particulars whereof one cannot giue an example or instance in the new Testament why then doe you necessarily require it in this particular Secondly it is no maruell though we reade nothing thereof in the new Testament considering the Magistrates then were enemies and not friends to the Christian Religion Being not Christians but Heathens and Infidels without God in this world and strangers from the coÌ„mon wealth of Israel It is not therefore to bee imagined that they would make edicts and decrees send foorth their royall commands and threates for the erecting and setting vp or for the peaceable and well gouerning of this common-wealth But is rather to be thought that being iealous of their owne crownes and dignities and vpon some causeles feare that their owne coÌ„mon wealth could not stand with this they would set themselues with might and maine against the Church as indeede they did Obiection If you say the vntaught people in the beginning of Q. Elizabeths raigne suddenly receiuing the Gospell by commandement not by hearing could not beleeue at the first though they profâ—ssed and therefore at the first were no true Christians nor Churches and that such we continue I answere that not faith Answere but the profession thereof is necessarie to the making of a member of the visible Church and that they might be true Churches though all the members thereof were not true but many of them false and counterfeite Christians For a true visible Church consisteth as well of false and counterfeite as of true Christians of Christians in name onely as of Christians in deede as before hath beene shewed And therefore the Parish assemblies in England in the beginning of Q. Elizabeths raigne were true visible Churches seeing they all made outward profession of Faith and Christianitie and had among them some true beleeuers and Christians in their assemblies that generally they did make an outward good profession is manifest and notoriously knowne to all Christian nations and that there were then some true beleeuers and Christians in their assemblies we cannot doubt as touching very many assemblies in this land and in charitie which beleeueth all things and hopeth all things we may conceiue so of all Considering the Religion and worship of God was not then heare first established but restored againe and purged which had beene discontinued and corrupted in the dayes of Q. Mary which were not many For this cause we cannot deny true Faith and Christianitie to all these assemblies Shall we thinke that the fire had deuoured and eaten vp all the faithfull of the land No verily Exod. 3.2 No more then the bush in Horeb being on fire was consumed by the fire Whereby was signified that the Church is not consumed by the fire of afflictions Nay we are rather to thinke that as it was with the Hebrewes that the more they were oppressed the more they multiplied so it was with the Israel of God at this time in England the more they were persecuted for Christs sake the more they increased in true Christianitie So as out of the ashes of the Martyres there did spring a multitude of beleeuers besides the faithfull that were in the land before Whereof some hauing fled beyond the Seas did now returne home with ioy others hauing hid themselues as it were in caues and holes came forth These were scattered throughout the land and it is to be thought there were many thousands of them which neuer bowed the knee to Baal And these mixed with others who came vnto them and ioyned with them in one and the same profession made true visible Churches Whereby we see that albeit many receiued the Gospell for the Commandements sake yet not all Some there were that hungered and thirsted for the Gospell before it
pretend then thus farre you had rightly described the Church For no man can be ordinarily religious indeede except as you speake here hee first be called by the Word of God Here the counsell perswasion commandement and threat of man will not auaile No humaine force and compulsion will serue the turne it must be diuine and from God whereof we reade Luke 14.23 Salomons song 13. Iohn 6.4 Act. 16.14 Compell them to come in God himselfe by the Ministerie and preaching of the Word his Spirit accompanying the same must perswade and draw else we hang backward and continue still irreligeous and prophane as we see in the example of Lydia whose heart the Lord opened that she attended vnto the things which Paul spake Neither can we without this calling by the Word be assured that wee are of the inuisible Church This is that we call the internall and effectuall Calling and is proper to the inuisible Church All that haue this calling may assure themselues of their election and saluation This the Apostle confirmeth Rom. 8.30 11.29 and of this calling speaketh where he saith Whom he predestinated them also he called and whom hee called them also be iustified and whom he iustified them he also glorified And againe the gifts and calling of God are without repentance And thus are all of the inuisible Church called in their appointed time But concerning the visible Church this calling by the Word is not necessarie so that without it we cannot come to be of this fellowship Which we cannot chuse but see if we call to minde that which we haue beene taught That a visible Church is a company professing true religion To ioyne in which outward profession whereby we become members of the visible Church one may be drawne by the commandement threat counsell and perswasion of man the Word of God neuer comming neare his heart And so I leaue the first part of your description and proceede to examine that which therein followeth A visible Church say you is a company of people seperated from the world This doe we also hold and teach rightly vnderstood that is touching their professioÌ„ of the true religion and so are we seperated from Heathens Infidels Turkes Papists Anabaptists c. But thus you vnderstand not these words you meane hereby that a visible Church is a company of faithfull and righteous men onely or Saints not mixed with but seperated from the open wicked of the world That this is your meaning it is plaine by your owne Treatises as forthwith we shall heare and namely where you say Defence of the Churches and Ministers of England 71. that a visible Church is a seperated company of Righteous men from the open wicked of the world and cannot consist of all sorts of people good and bad And for the proofe of this point and part of your description you send vs to Iohn 17.14 I haue giuen them thy word Apologie 44. Marke here their peruerting of Scripture to the end of this Section and the three next following and the world hath hated them because they are not of the world as I am not of the world Whosoeuer shall aduisedly reade this Chapter may easily see that these words are meant of the eleuen Apostles being parcell of that part of Christs prayer hee made for them in particular That Iesus speaketh here of his elect Apostles it is manifest both by the words going before this 14. verse and specially by verse 12. as also by the verses following after and namely by verse 18. and 20. what is this at all then to purpose Surely no more for the proofe of the point then if you had produced the first words of Genes In the beginning God created the heauen and the earth Frame your Argument and the vanitie of your proofe will appeare If that the Apostles members of visible Churches were separated from the world then all the members of a visible Church must bee separated from the world But the first is true Therefore the second To this effect you must marke your Argument or none at all Giue mee leaue now to argue after the same manner If the Apostles members of visible Churches were preachers of the word and had the gift of miracles then euery member of the visible Church must be a preacher of the word and haue the gift of miracles But the first is true therefore the second Thus could I proue that the members of visible Churches must haue no certaine abiding place but goe from place to place â—rom one countrey to another throughout the world for the Apostles did so Therefore in vaine is this testimonie alledâ—ed by you and you therein take Gods name in vaine I doe not deny but that many things spoken of or to the Apostles or required to be in them are likewise required and happily found in euery member of the visible Church The Apostle prayed and heard the word so it may bee doe all the members of the visible Church Some of the Apostles Iesus commanded that they should fast and pray lest they did enter into temptation the same he requireth of all in the Church But this is it I say and meane That it followeth not necessarily that because this or that qualitie or gift was or ought to be in the Apostles therefore it is and ought to bee in euery member of the visible Church But happily you will not vnderstand this scripture of the eleuen Apostles but extend it further Seeing by the Text it is euident that Christ spake and meant it onely of them without falsifying the Text you cannot stretch it an haire breadth further But suppose the words might be vnderstood more largely the vtmost extent must be to the Elect. First because Iesus speaketh of them for whom he prayed and these be onely the Elect. Secondly hee speaketh of those which are hated of the world and of such as being in the world are not of the world and such alone bee the Elect. Now this maketh not at all for you no more then the former For what though the Elect which are in the visible Church be separated from the world which is true as Christ here meaneth doth it therevpon follow that all in the visible Church are separated from the world Iudge your selues So one may proue that all of the visible Church shall be saued because the Elect which be in the visible Church are heyres of Saluation Another fault which in alleadging this Scripture you commit is this that you mis-vnderstand these words of our Sauiour are not of the world whereby he meaneth not separated from the world in your sence that is from the open wicked in the world but that his Apostles were not worldly indeede louing the things of the world or that they were such as would not conforme and fashion themselues to the manners and customes of this world would not follow this world as worldly minded men doe in that which is euill
therefore the world should hate them With this speech of Christ agreeth that of Peter It seemeth to them strange 1. Pet. 4.4 that ye runne not with them to the same excesse of ryot therefore speake they euill of you Suppose then that Iesus did not speake here onely of the Apostles nor yet solely of the Elect but that his speech was more generall and reached euent to the visible Church yet would not this testimonie proue that for which it is by you produced to wit that a visible Church is a company not mixed with but separated from the open wicked of the world Much lesse then vnderstanding this Scripture aright and as is before expounded Thus is to set the holy Scriptures not on the tenters which is euill but on the racke which is farre worse No lesse faultie are you in alledging to this purpose the 20. verse of this said 17. Chapter I pray not for these alone but also for them which shall beleeue in me through their word Where Iesus speaketh of and prayeth for the Elect onely and inuisisible Church militant and not for the visible Church But grant it were spoken and meant of the Church visible yet would it not serue to proue that for which it is by you alledged In like manner you here peruert Act. 19.9 Rom. 1.6.7 10.14 15 17. Ezek. 36.38 which for breuitie I passe by contenting my selfe to haue giuen you and the Reader a taste onely of your abuse of Scripture And here marke I beseech thee Christian Reader and forget not that this dâ—ctrine of these men is as contrarie to the Scriptures as darknesse is to light They teach you see that a true Church is a company of people separated from the world that is a separated company of righteous or godly men from all open vngodly or wicked and cannot consist of these two sorts or kindes of men of godly and vngodly good and bad holy and prophane such a mixt and confused company cannot be say they a true visible Church This mixture they condemne and vs for teaching it and euery where in their bookes cry out against it with open mouth Saying it is a a Confession of Faith 6.10.11 confused order and such societie a confused and mixed people that b Aâ—swere to M. Stone 6. lye scattered in the dust mixed with the prophane without seperation and it is an Antichristian confusion And tell vs that a true visible Church is an other manner of society That it is c A true desâ—ription of the visible Church pag. 1. a company of faithfull and holy people worshipping Christ aright gouerned by his lawes keeping the vnitie of Faith in the bond of Peace and loue vnfained Againe that it is a company of Conuerts of such as are d Apologie 37. already conuerted to God Moreouer that it is e Principles and inferences concerning vis Churches 7. a visible communion of Saints that is f Priâ—c and Ius 10. Iustification 105. of men seperated from all knowne sinne practising the whole will of God knowne growing in grace and knowledge and continuing to the end Because of this say they the visible Church is g Apologie 44. A true Description of the visible Church 1. confesâ—ion Faith 6. called a Church of Saints a Kingdome of Priests a Royall Priesthood a chosen Generation and an holy Nation And to make vp the full measure of their errour in this particular they assure vs if wee will bee so mad as beleeue them that a true visible Church hath in it onely such as if none other affirming that h A true Description of the visible Church pag. vlt. Communion of Saints into it entreth no vncleane thing neither whosoeuer worketh abominations and lyes but they which are written in the Lambes Booke of Life But without this Church are Dogges and Enchanters and Whoremâ—ngers and Idolaters and whatsoeuer loueth and maketh lyes as if none such were within the church And to put this doctrine of theirs out of all doubt and controuersie i Illud ostendere tentauerunt Donatistae â—rolatis multis testimoniis diuâ—narum Scripturarum quod Ecclesia Dei non cum mâ—loâ—um hominum commiss one futura praed cta sit August Tom. 7. collat cum Donatistis Defence of the Churches and Ministers of England 7. Counterpois 14. and 23. they alleadge for proofe thereof all most infinite places of Scripture Thus we see summarily what these men do held and teach concerning the subiect or matter of the visible Church and this part of their description thereof euen the same with the Donatists And applying this doctrine vnto vs they affirme that the Church of England is a false Church and our parish assemblies false visible Churches because they are not separated from the prophane of the land but remaine still in confused assemblies Let vs now heare what God teacheth vs in his word Certainely that which is directly contrary vnto this In the holy Scriptures wee learne that as in the barne-floore there is Chaffe mingled with Corne Mat 3.12 13.25.47 and in the field Tares growing together with Wheate and in the draw-net cast into the Sea things gathered of all kindes and as in a great house there are not onely vessels of golde and siluer but also of wood and earth some for honour and some for dishonour 2. Tim. 2.20 So in the visible Church there are men of all kindes Hypocrites and sincere good and bad holy and prophane faithfull and vnbeleeuers Nay by the Scriptures it is manifest By vnbeleeuers I meane men void of true Faiâ—h that the greater part of the visible Church are Reprobates Hypocrites vngodly men prophane walking after their owne lusts as by that which followeth doth appeare In the 32. of Numbers of the Church and people of God Moses saith that they were a company of sinfull men Verse 14 and behold yee are risen vp in your fathers stead as an increase of sinfull men still to augment the fierce wrath of the Lord toward Israel and in the 5. of Deut. Ye haue beene rebellioas vnto the Lord since the day that I knew you In the first of the Prouerbs wee haue wisedome Verse 24. that is Christ Iesus the wisedome of the Father speaking after this manner I haue called meaning by his seruants in the Ministerie and yee refused I haue stretched out mine hand and none would regard But yee haue despised all my counsell and would none of my correction And a little after they hated knowledge and did not chuse the feare of the Lord. They would none of my counsell but despised all my correction These contemners were prophane and vngodly persons and yet were they of the visible Church because they were within the sound of wisedomes voyce and call Yea marke further how some times almost all of the visible Church are despisers of the Ministerie and word of God and therefore prophane and godlesse For it is not said
called vpon in and by the ministerie of the word that they would be saved and supp with Christ eat and drinke with him in the kingdome of his Father are the visible Church Reu. 3.20 Mat. 26.27 This cannot be denyed But good and bad are therevnto invited The visible Church therefore doth consist of these two kinds of men and not of righteous onely as the Separists doe teach Againe this mixture which we doe hould nay that the most of the visible Church are wicked is manifest by that which Iesus annexeth to this Parable wherewith al he doth knit it vp Verse 14. for many are called but few chosen Al that be vnder the call or voice of God calling vpon them in and by the Ministry of the word that they would repent and beleeue that so they may be saved and yeild an outward obedience to this call are the visible Church Of these saith Iesus that haue this externall calling and are the visible Church Ne putatetur sicut Donatistae putant quod velut vnus in turba latenter sui repsisset ignaris continuo Dominus in eodem ipso vno quem ligatis manibus pedibus in tenebras exteriores ex illo conuiuio proijci Iusfit multam societatem malorum esse intelligendam inter quos pauciores boni in conuivio Dominico viuunt significare non distulit Nam posteaquam dixit Ligate illi manus pedes proijcite eum in tenebras exteriores ibi erit fletus stridor dentium continuo subjecit Multi sunt vocatj Pauci vero electi Quomodo hoc verum est cum potius vnus e multis suisset proiectus in tenebras exteriores nisi quia in illo vno grande corpus figurabatur omnium malorum ante Domini iudicium conviuio Dominico permixtorum A quibus se boni corde interim ac moribus separant simul manducantes bibentes corpus et sanguinem Domini August Tom. 7. contra Donat. post collat cap. 20. there are many but among those but a few good and such as shall be saved And this is the scope and drift of the aforesaid Parable as is playne by the inference that he maketh thereupon in these words next following the said Parable for many are called but few chosen Wherein Iesus sheweth how this commeth to passe which before he hath taught in the Parable to wit that in the visible Church there are so many wicked and so few good so many prophaine earthly minded men and so few that doe earnestly desire and seeke after heaven and those things that lead therevnto and namely faith and holines without which no man shall see the Lord. Because saith he in the visible Church their are few elect who only can and doe beleeue and out of that faith leade an holy life the rest being reprobates and left in their naturall wickednes cannot but be wicked All in the visible Church these few elect excepted are wicked profane vncleane and an abomination to the Lord. With such faithfull ones converts such Saints righteous and holy persons as these doth the visible Church abound and overflow And this is no lesse manifest by the Parable of the seed wherein as the Minister of Christ it compared to a sower the word preached to seede so is the visible Church coÌ„pared to the field where seed is sowen and to such a field whereof three parts is naught and a fourth onely good By that which hath beene said it is manifest that in the Church visible there be not onely wicked men and extreamely or out of measure wicked but that the most therein are wicked children of Belial and few righteous therein to be found Yea the aforesaid cause and reason of our Sauiour considered how can it possibly be otherwise If therefore this be the state of our Church at this day as too true it is that in it there are many wicked and few godly yet this wickednes and vngodlinesse of the people and mixture of so many bad with so few good le ts not but that notwithstanding wee may bee and indeede are a true visible Church Tell mee now I beseech you how the aforesaid lines of yours for which you pretend Scripture and those that I haue here deliuered which all men may euidently see are grounded vpoÌ„ the holy Scriptur can possibly stand together You say that a true visible Church is a company of Righteous or godly men not mixed with but separated from the wicked of the world Wee say that it is not such a separated company but a mixt company of godly and wicked good and bad holy and profane You say that in the visible Church there is no vncleane thing that is no wicked person we say that in the visible Church the most are vncleane and wicked yea sometimes almost all be such And as this which we teach hath beene confirmed and your errour herein conuinced by the sacred Scriptures so may it be by your owne writings yea by the words next and immedâ—ately following your description of the visible Church wherein you teach this false and erronious doctrine Hauing defined or described the visible Church That is a company of people called and separated from the world by the Word of God and ioyned together by voluntary profession of the faith of Christ in the fellowship of the Gospell Apology 44. You thereupon make this inference And therefore no knowne Atheist vnbeleeuer hereticke or wicked liuer may be receiued or retained a member in the Church of Christ which is his body Now in that you say no knowne Atheist vnbeleeuer hereticke or wicked liuer you thereby imply and secretly acknowledge that Atheists vnbeleeuers and wicked men may be receiued retained members in the visible Church so they bee not openly knowne to bee such If then in the true visible Church there haue euer beene are and will be Atheists vnbeleeuers heretickes and wicked liuers as your selues according to the truth acknowledge then is the visible Church by your owne Doctrine a confused and mixt company of good and bad holy profane and not a separated company of Righteous men Saints and faithfull in your sence except Atheists vnbeleeuers heretickes and wicked liuers be righteous men be Saints be faithfull If you deny that your aforesaid inference doth imply so much as I affirme I make it plaine thus He that shall say No knowne Whoremonger may bee admitted to the Lords supper therein confesseth that a close or vnknowen whoremonger may bee admitted to the Lords supper Euen so it is in this case These men being thus conuinced and yet not enduring it may be to yeelde I knowe what will be their shift and euasion euen the same which the Donatists in the like case vsed before them Malos in ecclesia permixtos esse confessi sunt Donatistae sed oucultos cos esse dixerunt August Tom. 7. contra Donatistas post collat Cap. 7. Defence of the Churches and Minist of
Eng. 71. They say that they deny not that there are wicked vngodly mē in the church but no known wicked men no knowen whoremongers drunkards murderers blasphemers c. as it is generally in our Churches and are therefore no true Churches Hence it is that they vse the word knowne in the aforesaide inference And therefore no knowne Atheist vnbeleeuer Hereticke c. Hereupon also it is that Maister Iohnson saith That the true visible Church is a seperated company of righteous men from the open wicked of the world Hee saith not from the wicked but from the open or knowne wicked of the world And thus they all speake in all their Treatises We answer Your seueral descriptions of the visible church and doctrine generally concerning the same will not permit any wicked man knowen or vnknown openly or secretly wicked to haue any entrance into or being in the Church this your answere therefore is very friuolous and insufficient if we can shew that in the visible Church there haue ben are and wil be wicked though secretly wicked which already hath beene done You teach that the visible church is Christs sister his loue Apologie 44. A discription of the visi church his spouse his Queene and his body If this be so then are all the members of the v sible Church deare to Christ and dearely beloued of him Doeth Iesus loue wicked men though secretly wicked either the visible Church and all the members thereof are not thus neare and deare vnto Christ are no his sister his spouse c. or else in the visible Church there bee no wicked men But say you all in the visible Church are thus neare and deare vnto Christ Therefore conclude I in the visible Church there bee no wicked men Thus by your owne doctrine there is no roome or place for any wicked in the visible Church whether they be openly or secretly wicked Friuolous therfore and vntrue is this your answer to the premises We confesse there are wicked in the Church but no open wicked Answere 2 But suppose that your Doctrine did admit wicked men to be in the Church so that they be not open wicked yet notwithstanding it is false and erronious seeing by the word of God it is euident that from time to time in the ages precedent there haue beene and remained many open wicked in the Church and that the abode of such in the Church did not nullifie the same Psal 50.16 Vnto the wicked saith God what hast thou to doe to declare mine ordinances that thou shouldest take my couenant in thy mouth 17. Seeing thou hatest instruction and hast cast my words behind thee 18. For when thou seest a thiefe thou runnest with him and art pertaker with the adulterers 19. Thou giuest thy mouth to euill and with thy tongue thou fordgest deceite 20. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother and slanderest thy mothers sonne Heere is mention of open wicked men contemners of the word haters of instruction or reprofe theeues adulterers coseners railers slanderers of men committing these and such like sinnes whereof some were open not of humaine infirmitie but as they who did giue vp themselues to that which is euill and committed sinne with greedinesse drawing iniquitie to themselues as it were with cartroapes and yet were they in and of the visible Church Not Gentiles to whom at this time God declared not his word but Iewes which had the word not onely in their hands but in their mouthes declaring and talking much of Gods ordinances and couenant which he had made with his people though thereby as is the manner of Hypocrites they would not be reformed in their liues but hated the word of reformation and them that sought the reforming of them and despised the word of God as we doe that cast behind vs. Psal 69.7 For thy sake saith Dauid doe I suffer reproach shame doth couer my face 8. I am become a stranger to my brethren euen an aliant vnto my mothers sonnes 9. For the zeale of thy house hath eaten me and the rebukes of them that rebuke thee are fallen vpon me 10. I wept and my soule fasted but that was to my reproofe 11. I put on a sacke also and became a prouerbe vnto them 12. They that sate in the gate spake of me and the drunkards sang of me They that did thus hate reproch Dauid and made a mockingstocke of him and powred shame contempt vpon him were notorious wicked and vngodly men as appeareth hereby 1. In that they hated him and sought his destruction without a cause and were his enemies falsely as v. 4. And so hated persecuted and sought to destroy the innocent 2. Because they hated reproached and mocked him for his godlinesse For thy sake saith hee doe I suffer reproach 3. By the prayer hee maketh against them Let their table be a snare before them c. as vers 23.24 28. Had they not beene godlesse men certainely Dauid would neuer haue prayed in this maner against them 4. That they were vngodly men and open wicked it is manifest because they reproached God himselfe and were blaspheamers as is plaine by vers 9. The rebukes of them that rebuke thee are fallen vpon mee Now these open prophane and vngodly men were Israelites and so of the visible Church and not heathens and such as were without which is confirmed by vers 8. I am become a stranger to my brethren euen an aliant to my mothers sonnes And least we should imagine there were but a few such to be found and so shift off all we must knowe that the contrary is manifest by this Psalme first by the 4. vers They that hate me without a cause are more then the haires of my head 2. By the 20. vers Rebuke hath broken mine heart and I am full of heauines I looked for some to haue pittie on me but there was none and for comforters and I found none Heere were open wicked in the Church drunkards scorners railers persecuters blaspheamers all I say open sinners and those not a few If now as appeareth also by the 12 psalme there were in the Church such store of open and notorious wicked and fewe godly in the dayes of Dauid a King of that pietie and zeale that the zeale of Gods house did eate him vp can wee once imagine that the Church of God was voide of all open wicked and had in it only righteous men in the ages following when Kings of farre lesse zeale and godlinesse did raigne It is not credible That from time to time in the Church there haue beene wicked and vngodly men euen openly wicked yea many such and in the church continued and nestled there there is nothing more euident in the Scriptures as partly appeareth by that hath beene saide but chiefely in and by the Bookes of the Prophets who euery where almost cry out and complaine of the wickednesse of the people not so much without
they may maintaine this errour of their confused order and mixture of all sorts of persons together they peruert the Parable of the Tares Math. 13.24 teaching that all are the Church Which doctrine is against the truth of the Scriptures yea against our Sauiours owne interpretation in the 38. vers who teacheth that by the field is meant not the Church but the world in which his Church is militant And as therein there is the good seede the righteous the children of the Kingdom so there are also tares hypocrites the children of the wicked who as they are often espied in this life by the righteous seruants of God so shall they in the great day be perfectly seuered from the godly by the Angels verse 38.43 This their doctrine also is against the heauenly orders motioned Mat. 18.8.9.15.16.17 1. Cor. 1.26.29 c. Hâ—re is our false doctrine and your confutation I maruell wherein this fourth point of false doctrine differeth from the third I would haue thought that this were rather a confirmation of the former Yea but then the number of false Doctrines would not be so great But letting this goe wee answere you that as the aforesaid doctrine is true so it is confirmed as by other parables of our Sauiour sâ—t downe in the same Chapter so by this For saith our Lord as in a field both Wheate Tares or other weeds grow together and so are mingled that without danger to the Wheate men can not seuer the one from the other vntill the haâ—uest euen so saith he in the Church or company of people professing true Religion there is and will bee such a mixture of good and bad godly and wicked sincere and counterfeit professors that without danger to the godly a full and perfect seperation betweene them cannot be made vnto the end of the world that the one sort be receiued into heauen the other sent to hell As by wheat we are to vnderstand the godly and by tares the hypocrites or wicked that are in the Church so by the field is meant the Church For by the field must needs be vnderstood that place or those places wherin the godly and wicked are most nearely ioyned together growing as it vvere together so as the one touch an other and such is the Church or visible Churches They who are in the Church liue not onely together buy and sell eate and drinke as all men in the world doe but doe besides ioyne together and are as it were conioyned in and by one and the same profession worshipping one and the same God after one and the same manner hearing the word of God together praying together and receiuing the Sacraments together Againe it cannot bee denie I that by field is meant that place or those places or that societie or societies in which are as well godly as wicked and that visible so as both sorts may be discerned and knowne to be such as appeareth by verse 26. Now out of the Church in all other parts of the world or societies therein there are no godly to be sâ—ene but wicked By field therefore wee may not vnderstand the world but those parts of the vvorld where visible Churches be And vvho that is well aduised will say that at this day Asia Africa and such parts of Europe as professe not Christian Religion are this field or part of it seeing therein the wheat blades spring not vp and bring forth fruit so as they appeare as is expressely said of this field verse 26. Moreouer as in the field here mentioned in the protases or first part of the comparison good seede is sowne by the seruants of the houshoulder from whence the wheate doth come or spring as verse 24.27 So in that place or societie meant by the field or compared to a field the immortall seede of the word by the Lords husbandmen the Ministers is sowne from whence doth spring that pietie or godlinesse in men But this immortall seede is sowne only in the Church according to that in the Psalme Psal 147.19 He sheweth his word vnto Iaacob his statutes and iudgements vnto Israel He hath not dealt so with euery Nation meaning not vvith any other Nation besides And Paul tellâ—th vs that the Oracles of God are the preforment aâ—d prerogatiue of the Church aâ—d that the Church onely is the pillar and ground of truth Rom. 3.2 1. Tim. 3.15 the truth being to bee found onely in it and preserued by it In the Church alone also are the Lords husbandmen plowing harrowing sowing and performing other parts of sp rituall husbandry The Church therefore and not the world is the Lords field and husbandry and consequently the field Iesus here speaketh of And this the Apostle teacheâ—h expresly 1. Cor. 3.9 We the Ministers together are Gods labourers ye are Gods husbandry or fieâ—d And thus also in the parable next precedent this word field though not expressed yâ—t necessarily vnderstood is to be taken The sower went forth to sow Math. 13.3 c. Here is a sower that is the Minister The seede is the word preached and the field vvhere this seede is sowen is and must neâ—ds be the visible Churches or assemblies of the Saints Euen so I say is this word field to bee taken in this parable also De zizanâ—s tritico dissentio nâ—tu est propter mundo nomen quod Don â—tillae nolebant intelligi Ecclesiâ—m quia scriptum est ager est hic mundus Aug. Tom. 7. collat cuÌ„ Donatistis Verse 3.8 Answ Not say you with the Donatists by field is meant the world and not the Church And in the aforesaid place you alleadge three reasons for confirmation thereof and confutation of vs. The first is taken from Christs owne words who interpreting this parable of the Tares saith thus The field is the world What can be more plainely and directly said will some thinke for you and against vs I answere whosoeuer wisely obserueth not which be proper and with vnproper or figuratiue speeches in the Scriptures cannot chuse but erre greatly in vnderstanding the same May not yea doe not the Papists say as much as this for transubstantiation What words sâ—y they can be more plaine and direct to proue the sacramentall bread to bee the very body of Christ then those of Iesus This is my body And yet is nothing more false and vnpossible to be true But to come to this parâ—icular I answere you that these words of Christ cannot possibly be vnderstood properly and therefore you are much to blame that vrge the letter seeing the sence of the Scriptures is Scripture The field is the world So then it is as if Iesus had said The field whereof I speake in the Parable signifieth the world or is like the world is an image of the world So the good seed they are the children of the kingdome that is signifieth or resembleth the children of the kingdome The good seede that is the men signified by
the good seede Euen so wee say in the word world there is a trope to wit a Metonymie of the subiect The world for the visible Churches wheresoeuer in the world or dispersed throughout the world Or if you will a Synechdoche the whole for a part And why I pray you may not this word world bee here taken figuratiuely seeing it is frequently vsed in the New Testament so as appeareth by the Cotations in the margent and seldome properly and in it natiue signification Iohn 3.16.17 12. 19. 15.19 17.9 14.16 2. Cor. 5.19 1. Iohn 2.2 3.1 And wherefore by this word world may we not as well vnderstand the visible Church as the inuisible Church The faithfull that is the professors of faith in Christ scattered throughout the world as the faithfull that is all they which doe indeede beleeue in Christ of what Nation soeuer in the world The later of these is manifest by Ioh. 3.16 God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Why may not therefore the word world be vsed likewise in the former sence seeing in them both there is the same trope or figuratiue speech and the same reason thereof By the like or same argument that you doe heare vse I can proue that God in Christ hath reconciled this visible and materiall world vnto himselfe For saith Paul God was in Christ and reconciled the world vnto himselfe Your second reason followeth which in effect is this That is meant by the field wherein are besides the Righteous Hypocrites the children of the wicked compared to tares but in the world besides the righteous are hypocrites the children of the wicked Therefore by the field is meant the world I answere that this reason prooues as well the Church to be meant by the fielde as the world for as much in the Church besides the righteous childreÌ„ of the kingdom are hipocrites the children of the wicked But that is compared to the fielde wherein such are Ergo by your owne argument the church is compared to the fielde If you will haue this reason of any force proue that in the visible church there are no hypocrites no children of the wicked but righteous men onely as euery where you teach and then I wil confesse that by field is ment the world and giue you also the field as one vanquished by you Your third reason is that this doctrine or exposition of ours is against the heauenly orders mentioned Marke their abusing of holy Scripture Matth. 18.8 9.15 16 17. 1. Cor. 1.26.29 Act. 2.4 41.47 5.26 27 28. 19.9 5.4.7 2. Cor. 6.17.18 Leuit. 18.29 1. Tim. 5.6 2. Iohn ver 6.11 Reuel 2. 3. 14. 9.12 18.4 20.4 Answ We cannot possibly conceiue how the expounding of this word fielde for the Church should crosse and ouerthwart the heauenly orders you speake of so as they cannot stand together I pray you make this to appeare in your next Booke Prou. 14.15 else we shal thinke that this is a meere fiction of your owne seruing onely to bleare the eyes of fooles who will beleeue any thing But suppose it were as you say what neede such a heape of testimonies for declaration of the heauenly orders wise men and such as tremble at the word that is with feare reuerence heare and speake thereof Isa 66.5 would tell you that heere a fewe of them would haue susficed Is the God of heauen well pleased with this your taking of his name in vaine Thus we see first that the visible Church is a mixt company of good and bad 2. That in it there are open wicked and so our doctrine true and also that our confirmation thereof by the parable of the tares is very pregnant If any shall say that indeed by this parable it is euident that a visible Church is a mixt company of good and bad godly and wicked children of God and children of the Diuell called heere the children of the wicked meaning that wicked one the Diuell but yet it is not thereby manifest that there are open and knowne wicked in the Church I answere that euen from this parable this latter may also be prooued and namely out of the 26. vers And when the blade was sprang vp and brought foorth fruite then appeared the tares also Whereby wee learne that in the visible Church there are visible and to be seene or discerned by men both godly and wicked The blades of the wheate that is the godly and that shortly after they be such are discerned to spring vp and the tares also that is the hypocrites or wicked men in the Church they appeare to be wicked Marke that it is not saide then were there tares also in the field but then appeared the tares also So that there are not onely wicked in the Church but to men also they appeare and are knowne by their fruits to be wicked Which the particle kaâ— translated also doth confirme whereby is meant that the tares in like maner as well appeared seene as the wheate blades from hence I say we lâ—arâ—e that euen as the tares or other weedes are as easily seene and discerned by the eye of man as the good corne so in the visible Church the wicked doe as well appeare and are as easily knowne to be wicked as the godly by their liues are knowne to be godly The trueth therefore is that a spirituall man that iudgeth all things and that can only discerne and iudge of men aright can and doth as well know many of the wicked in the Church as a man can knowe tares from wheate Lastly that there are knowne wicked in the Church knowne not to God onely but also vnto men the 27. verse doeth manifestly prooue Then came the seruants of the householder and saide vnto him Maister sowedst not thou good seeds in the fielde from whence then hath it tares Heere are some of the seruants of the family discerning the tares whâ—revppon they mooue their maister concerning the present weeding of them out These seruants signifie and resemble either the Ministers or generally the members of the Church and family of God knowing discerning the wicked in the church There are knowne wicked therefore in the Church But suppose this conclusion could not be prooued by this parable it greatly mattereth not so long as it hath so good confirmation from other parts of holy Scripture as is before shewed at large In conclusion answere me I pray you why doe you place the tares and the children that wicked one the diuell out of the Church and in the world Be like such haue no being in the Church Indeede therevnto all your doctrine in a manner tendeth I am very vnwilling considering how long I haue beene already in the exposition of this parable to vse any more words about it yet am I more
obstinate or seperating such from the Church there is no danger of plucking vp the wheate with the tares Therefore of the excommunication of sinners apparantly obstinate or seperating such from the Church Christ speaketh not nor forbiddeth Your third argument followeth Iesus spâ—aketh of the vtter ruinating and destruction of the tares But excommunication rightly administred is not for the ruinating and destruction of any Therefore of excommunication Iesus doeth not speake We now see clearely that these two latâ—er arguments doe conclude and proue the same thing But what not that which your first argument doeth as you pretend and beare the silly reader in hand but in stead thereof this that in the parable of the tares Christ speakes not of excommunication or censures of the Church which we not onely confesse but teach and vrge against you But suppose they did soundly prooue that proposition for which the are produced to wit that in the parable of the tares Iesus doeth not speake of the tolleration of prophane persons in the Church yet did they not at all make against vs for by prophane persons you meane 1. Scandalous offenders or open wicked 2. Such onely deny eyther of these if you will And so by your owne proposition which forsooth you will prooue by three arguments you imply that we teach that by tares are meant scandalous offenders or knowne wicked onely The contrary whereunto is manifest by the premises You commit then here two foule faults besides the former One is you persue your owne shadowe in stead of an aduersary 2. You abuse the reader in making him beleeue wee hold that we doe not But to proceede say you It may be some will answere Iustif 117. that Christ doeth not heere forbid his Disciples the vse of the censures against the wicked but rather acquaints them before hand what will be the state of the Church and how the wicked will be suffered to continue in it vncensured This is indeede our answere and I will maintaine it against all gainesayers You adde and if this were so it made nothing against me nor for Maister Bernard No Maister Robinson If there will bee and continue wicked in the Church vncensured if this will be the estate of the visible Church by the testimonie of Christ Iesus then for as much as all that be and continue in the visible church are of it euen members of it it must needes be that the visible Church is a mixt company consisting of good and bad godly and wicked Now this makes as much for vs and against you as can be You write before thus Heere is no such mingle mangle as Maister Bernard would make of good and bad but all good Iustif 115. 112. 113. and so auowed by the holy Ghost And againe that if all the Diuines in the world should with Maister Bernard say that the visible Church is a mixt company yet the deuine Scriptures speake otherwise which you will clearely manifest And yet once more It is prophane diuinitie to make vngodly persons true matter of the visible Church These speaches of yours with this heere doe agree together as light and darkenes Againe if to the worlds ende there will be and continue wicked in the Church vncensured If I say this will be the estate of the visible church as the truth is to foretel comfort the godly against it is the very scope and drift of our Sauiour in this parable why do you then condemne vs for a false Church because of the wicked that are among vs Answere to a censo Epist pag. 35. and for this cause chiefely seperate from vs In these two respects principally say you your babylonish confusion of all sorts of people in the body of your Church without seperation and your Babilonish bondage vnder your spirituall Lords the Prelates we account you Babilon and flee from you Shewe vs how this speech here and your accounting our Church to be Babilon for the reason aforefaide and flying from it can possibly accord Iustif 117. You adde It were the Churches sinne so to suffer them that is the wicked to continue in the Church vnsensured And I deny not say you but Churches vsually are too negligent and remisse through want of zeale and faithfulnesse to the Lord in this dutie This is it we teach it were well for you yee had learned the same If you haue as you heere pretend why doe you account our parishionall assemblies because of the wicked that be in them false Churches and Synagogues of Sathan you acknowledge heere ecclesiasticall assemblies may bee true Churches notwithstanding there be and continue wicked in them vncensured And yet the truth is you all hold that where there are and continue wicked vncensured the same are false Churches Iustif 120. Finally say you The Lords field is sowen onely with good seed though by the malice of Satan and negligence of such as should keepe this field and vineyard and house of God adulterate seede and abominable persons may be foisted in yea and suffered also which the Scriptures affirme and we deny not Such is the excellencie and power of truth that it maketh sometimes the aduersaries thereof to yeeld and stoupe vnto it For twice together you doe against your selfe beare witnesse to the truth You here acknowledge that abominable persons may be in the Church of God yea and suffered also that is abide or continue there and that this the Scriptures affirme Now touching the particular point wee haue in hand this is the some and effect of that we say and contend for and you impugne and gaine say But answere mee Are there any worse in our Church then this adulterate seede you speake of and abominable persons 2. Can you adde thereto any more or worse then this that they are suffered also that is let to continue in our Church vncensured If notwithstanding this great sinne a societie may bee a true Church by the testimonie of the holy Scriptures why doe you for this very sinne Iudge and proclaime vs to the world to be a false Church and therevpon depart from vs True it is that for this cause onely you doe not deeme vs a false Church and leaue vs yet that you doe it for this cause yea chiefely for this very cause you cannot without blushing deny and this not onely your selfe but besides M. Ainsworth and M. Smith haue published and made knowne vnto the world as I haue manifested in my Epistle written to you of the Seperation That which you affirme here you contradict at least I thinke an hundred times Omitting them all see how you thwart your selfe in the two last lines of this present Section Iustiss 121. And so except the Church of England had been sowen with good seed without tares since that generall Apostacie it cannot be the Lords field In the beginning of the Section in thesi you affirme that howsoeuer the Lords field is sowen onely with good
and by 1. Cor. 3.1.2 3. Mat. 18.17.18 and by comparing 1. Cor. 6.11 with 2. Cor. 2.21 and with 1. Cor. 5.1 Often you tell vs the Apostles speech 1. Pet. 2.9 But ye are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood an holy Nation c. is to be vnderstood of the visible Church Well if this be so I am sure the vis Church â—s calâ—ed a chosen generation in respect of the better and more principaâ—l part thereof those vvhich God hath chosen to euerlasting life opposed to the generation of Reprobates verse 8. Why then may not likewise in this respect visible Churches be called the Churches of the Saints Hereunto M. Robinson answereth thus The Scriptures neuer ascribe holinesse to a people for some fewes sake if the rest be vnholy and prophane This is sooâ—er said then proued And vvhy I pray you may not the scriptures call those of the visible Church holy for some fewes sake in it which bee indeede holy as well as giue this witnesse of the twelue Spies which were sent to search out the land of Canaan That they brought word againe and said it is a good land Deut. 1.25 which the Lord our God doth giue vs where but a few of them two of the twelue thus reported the other ten saying Num. 13.31.32 we be not able to goe vp against the people for they are stronger then we a land that eateth vp the inhabitants thereof And so brought vp an euill report of the land which they had searched But I will disproue you by your owne words Not three leaues after Iustif 115. you vvrite thus Here speaking of the vis Church is no such mingle mangle as M. Barnard would make of good and bad but all good and so auowes by the holy Ghost though without doubt many of these were masked and hallow hearted hypocrites If all in the visible church be good men so auowed by the holy Ghost though many Hypocrites bee in it and consequently many bad men then all in the vis Church be Saints and are or may be so auowed by the holy Ghost though there be in it many vnholy and prophane But the first is true by your owne confession Therefore the second Notwithstanding all this that hath beene saide I doe not meane that notorious wicked men are to bee suffered in the church and not to be cast out except they repent God fordid But this is it I say and meane that albeit there be not through the default of the church gouernours a due execution of the church censures vpon the openwicked but that through their negligences or remissenes there remaine in the church many open wicked vncorrected that this impunity maketh not a nullitie in a church as they of the seperation doe teach Secondly I doe meane and out of the premises doe learne That albeit the church of God is to labour to preserue it selfe pure from these spots yet it seldome or neuer attaineth to that beautie and perfection but that some more or lesse bee in the true visible church who ought ratâ—er to be spued out then to haue any place there Which commeth to passe either because these wicked persons cannot be conuicted by manifest euidence or for want of that seueritie in discipline which ought to be in the Church Christ Iesus knowing this that through the corruption of man and wickednes of this world there will be in the church a mixture of good and bad holy and prophane he hath therevpon not onely foretold this and taught it by compaâ—ing the visible church to a field wherein groweth wheatâ—â—nd taâ—es and to a draw-net that gathereth things both good and bâ—d but therewithall seemeth to comfort the faithfull agaiâ—st this mixâ—ure and miserable coâ—pouâ—d assuring the eâ—ect that howsoeuer they shall be thus mingled with the wicked Matth. 13.30 aâ—d enemies of God for a time euen as the wheate and tares be that grow together yet it shall not be alwaiâ—s so with then but that there will come a time of separation when that as the tares are gathered into sheâ—uâ—s to be burned and the wheate into the barne so the wicked shall be cast â—nto a suâ—â—ace of fire where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth and the iust shall shine as the Sunne in the kingdome of their Father Apology 45. 61. Hereby also another error of yours is conuinced That all the Church is defiled by retaining open wicked in it For if in the Church from time to tiâ—e the e haue beene many open wicked as hath beene plainely shewed how can this position of yours possibly be true But you will prooue it by Scripture 1. Cor. 5.6 A little leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe If a known wicked man in the Church be to the whole Church as a litle leauen in the dough is to the whole lumpe how commeth it to passe that the Church of Corinth by the incestuous person was not vnsanctified all that time tydings were carrying of that notorious sinner from Corinthus in Achata to Paul at Philippi in Macedonia and the Apostles Ep stle carrying backe from Philippi to Corinthus But thaâ— notwithstanding all this sowring aâ—d defyling these men speake of the Apostle writeth to them thus To the Church of God which is at Corinthus to them that are sanctified in Christ Iesus Saints by calling That the sinne of the incestuous p rson was knowne to the Church it is hereby manifest in that the Apostle doeth so sh rpely rebuke them for that they had not excommunicated him which otherwayes he could not iustly haue done That all this time notwithstanding his sinne was knowne the Saints at Corinth held communion with him and he with them and were all of the same body societie it is likewise manifest by these words of the Apostle 1. Cor. 5.2.13 Put away therefore from among your selues that wicked man Hore is an open wicked man in the church of Corinth 1. Cor. 5.2.13 and not onely he but sundry more as appeareth by 2. Cor. 12.20.21 and by diuers other places and yet notwithstanding a true church Concerning this place of Scripture A litle leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe and some other Scriptures peruerted by you I forbeare to speake here because I haue occasion to say something of them hereafter If 〈◊〉 shall thinke that I neede not to haue spent so many words to prooue the mixture of good and bad in the Church and that in the same there haue beene and remained many open wicked Albeit the Brownists deny such confusion and mixture yet thye make no great matter of it neither doe they from thence conclude that our church is a false church nor iustifie their seperation setting downe this for a cause and reason thereof If any I say thinke thus they shall see by their owne words here following as partly also we haue heard before that they doe greatly mistake the matter and them and that besides the conuincing of
this their error there was iust cause of the pursuing hereof to the full according as I was able Defence of the Churches and Ministers of England 7. Counterp 3. Your people saith M. Fr. Iohnson are not seperated from the world but stand in confusion with it and therefore cannot bee deemed a true church of God and the people of Christ But leauing this man let vs heare what M. Ainsworth saith thereunto in a booke lately published called the Counterpoyson We forsake saith he your church for this maine corruption that all sorts of prophane and wicked men haue ben and are both they and their seede receiued into and nourished within the bosome of your church contrary to the first couenant of our redemption wherein God with his own mouth proâ—laimed a perpetuall enmitie and warre against the serpent and his seede which the woman and her seede should wage though with the bruysing of the heele thereof Gen. 3. Contrary also to the example of all Gods churches since the world began who alwayes were seperated from the vngodly as the Scriptures shewe Now that this is a corruption among you your selues haue taught saying and complayning that in the church are swarmes of Atheists Idolaters Papists sectaries witches charmers sorcerers murtherers theeuâ—s adulterers lyars c. This testimony being true I hope your selues now will be ashamed to pleade that such a people are Christians and to be communicated with or deny that we may seperate from them in things concerning God And a little after saying there are 4. causes of their seperation he telleth vs that the first of them concerning the people meaning because of the mixture of bad with good which is among vs. Seeing the falsehood and vanitâ—e of these and the rest of the lines here following doe manifestly appeare by the premises I wil not bee so vnwise as at large conuince you the second time onely by the way as it were I will say a word or two as I shall see cause That wicked men that is open wicked men for that is your meaning are not to be suffered to remaine in the church we acknowledge especially if they be very vile and abhominable dogges and swine and that where such a thing is endured it is a corruption and the sinne of that Church We likewise confesse that in our church are many open wicked So that in proouing that which we freely confesse to bee true where about M. Ainsworth hath spent a great part of his Counterpoyson you deale very childishly But if passing by this you hereafter prooue that we deny you shall quit your seâ—ues like men Gen. 3.15 In the meane season wee haue two proofes or arguments from you such as they are It is say you contrary to the first couenant of our redemption I will put enmitie betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seede and her seede hee shall breake thine head and thou shalt bruise his heele The next tâ—me you write conclude from this Scripture that the being of open wicked in the Church doeth nullifie a Church and giue iust cause to the godly of seperation If this you cannot wherof I am very sure you abuse both this Scrâ—pture and the reader You imply here and teach expressely else where That the couenant of redemption and saluation God made with the visible church That this is false I haue made plaine hereafter and wil not therefore speake of it heere Note their peruerting of Scripture Where learne you by the woman and her seede to vnderstand Christ and the visible Church you haue not beene taught this of God Besides you contradict your selfe For in your confession of Faith you vnderstand this Scripture of the inuisible Church Art 5. Where for proofe of this that the Elect all and onely are redeemed you alleadge Gen. 3.15 I will put enmitie c. You intimate also that the perpetuall enmitie that is in the world for Religion is betweene them onely that are in the Church and them that are without and that there is no enmitie but all amitie and friendship among those that are in the visible Church They all beare vnfaiâ—ed loue one to another as in your description of the visible Church you teach You might be of the Famiâ—y of loue Familists and not Brownists by this doctrine of yours The holy Scriptures shew vs the direct contrary That euen in the Church and betweene the members thereof there hath beene perpetuall enmitie and deadly hatred whence it hath alwayes beene that that some of the Church haue slandered raised vpon and saide all manner of euill against the godly and often times spoyled them not onely in their good name but also in their goods banished imprisoned and put them to death Caine belike had no enmitie to Habel nor Esau to Iacob nor Saul to Dauid nor the Scribes and Pharisees to the faithfull then liuing Your sâ—cond reason is That since the world beganne there was neuer in the Churches of God a mixture of wicked and prophane with the godly but the godly were alwayes seperated from the vngodâ—y And therefore ought to be so at this day Prooue the Antecedent and we will graunt you the conclusion Haue I not shewed that this mixture was in the families of Abraham and Isaack wherin the Church was shut vp for a time Also in the Church in Moses time in Dauids time and the ages succeeding him and lastly in the dayes of Christ Nay I haue made it plaine that in Dauid Isaiah Ieremiah Micah their times there were not only wicked men and open wicked but so many wicked and vngodly in the Church that there were scarce any godly to bee found Psal 12.1 according to that complaint of Dauid vnto God Helpe Lord for there is not a godly man left In like manner did the church swarme with wicked yea open wicked wheÌ„ our lord Iesus was on earth as hereafter shal be made euident Counterp 23. How far are you then from the truth who teach That there neuer haue beene prophane and wicked men in the Church and that this is contrary to the example of all Gods Churches since the world began Obserue their abuse of holy Scripture who alwayes were seperated from the godly as you say and againe in these words They cannot shewe any true church since the beginning of the world but was of a seperated people Gen. 6.1.2 12. Leuit. 20.23.24 Ezr. 6.21 Act. 2.40.41 19.9 c. If for confirmation of this grosse and palpable error you should cote as many places of Scripture as there be heares of your head it would doe you no good but onely shewe that you feare not to peruert holy Scripture to take the name of God in vaine no more then a fish to drinke water And here marke I beseech thee Christian Reader wherein we and these Seperatists differ as touching seperation Wee acknowledge a seperation of the people of God and professors of true
religion from all those which make no such profession so are without the Church Thus the Iewes vntil the death of Christ were seperated from the Gentiles Thus in the Apostles time and after the Saints that is the professors of Christian Religion in Rome Corinthus Ephesus Galatia c. were sepâ—rated from their neighbours being heathens and infidels And thus are we seperated from all Pagans Turkes and Infidels Of this seperation the Lord speaketh Leu. 20. I am the Lord your God which haue seperated you from other people Ver. 26.24 that ye should be mine This seperation agreeth with the Scriptures and hath good warrant from the same and thus farre you and we agree But you rest not here but require besides a seperaration in the Church and among the aforesaid professors vrging and enforcing this that the godly in this societie must seperate from the wicked and haue no religious communion or fellowship with them Ephes 5.11 1. Cor. 5 9.1â—.11 Herein we differ Yet wee confesse that the godly must be seperated from the euill manners customes and fashions of the wicked that they may not haue any fellowship with them in the vnfruitfuâ—l workes of darknesse neither may thâ—y haue them to be their familiars in these such like respects the righteous must seperate from the wicked in the Church and haue nothing to do with them But that they may not communicate together in diuine worship but must seperate in things concerning God this seperation is manifestly repugnant to the Scriptures as appeareth by the premises and shall further appeare hereafter In the meane season this I affirme that if this doctrine of yours were true then for as much as in all ages there were aboundance of notorious wicked men in the Church of the Iewes the Prophets Christ and his Apostles should haue had no communion with them at least in their Synagogues the contrarie wherevnto you both know and acknowledge Then also there ought to haue been a seperation made at Corinthus and in the Churches of Galatia not only from the Infidels and grosse Idolaters amongst whom they liued but also betwixt the Saints and professors of Christian Religion seeing among them there were diuers knowne wicked men as is in the next Chapter made manifest But wee read of no such seperation made or yet vrged by the Apostle either among the Corinthians or Galatians or any other of the Churches to whom hee writ Therefore there hath not been in former times nor ought to be such a seperation in the Church as you speake of to wit betwixt the godly and the vngodly If any obiect here 2. Cor. 6.14 c. I answere that the Apostle perswades the Christians at Corinth to seperate from and to haue no communion with the idolaters their neighbours in their false and idolatrous worship or idol feasts and not to a seperation among themselues The seperation pressed by Paul-was betweene them in the Church and those which bee without which we deny not and not a seperation in the Church betwixt the godly and the wicked there which is that you vrge and we gaine say But I returne to M. Ainsworth Counterp 133. A third argument for confirmation of the point now in hand hee hath in another place which may fitly be inferred here Seperation saith he from the vngodly vnto this day is resisted and pleaded against and the holy scriptures vnsufferably abused to maintaine a confuse mixed multitude of all sorts of people to be a true Church But Christ is no Mediator for such a mixture as himselfe said to his Father I pray not for the world c. Ioh. 17.16 Your reason is this Christ is the Mediator of euery true vis Church But Christ is not the Mediator of any confused and mixt company consisting of all sorts of people Thereâ—ore no confused and mixt company is a true visible Church Wee deny your Proposition and say That Christ is the Mediator of the inuisible and not of the visible Church but in respect of them in it that are of the inuisible You tell vs heere secretly and after in expresse words That Christ is the Mediator and Aduocate of the visible Church and for proofe thereof alledge Ioh. 17.9.16 and afterwards 1. Tim 2. â—5 1 Ioh. 2.1 Act. 4.12 Counterp 131. Note their peruerting of Scripture If this Proposition of yours be false as in the last Chapter of this booke is made manifest then are these Scriptures abused by you The 9. and 16. verses of the 17. of Iohn are spoken and meant of the eleuen Apostles The same you apply to the vis Church herein you abuse the Scripture though alwaies I confesse this holdeth not In the former of these verses of the eleuen Disciples Iesus saith thus I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast giuen mee for they are thine Behold your proofe and how you doe vse the Scripture who tell vs so often of our abuse thereof Christ prayeth for or is the Mediator and aduocate of the Apostles Ergo he prayeth for and is the Mediator and Aduocate of the vis Church By world here all men of iudgement vnderstand the Reprobate for thereby must needs be meant those for whom Christ prayeth not and such are the reprobate generation you say thereby is meant a confuse mixed multitude wherein your selues acknowledge be many of Gods chosen I hope this also is an abuse of holy Scripture The words of the 16. ver are They are not of the world as I am not of the world Where our Sauiour affirmeth that to bee in part true of his Disciples vvhich vvas wholly and altogether and perfectly true of himselfe that though they were in the world yet they were not of it that is worldly minded affecting and chiefely desiring and seeking after the things of this world This testimonie of Iesus you produce to proue That a true visible Church is not a mixt company consisting of all sorts of people good and bad or That Christ is no Mediator for such a mixture For proofe of whether so euer of these you meane it who seeth not that this Scripture is likewise abused by you 1. Whether you or we then do vnsufferably abuse the Scriptures and namely touching the mixture of bad with good in the Church let the godly Reader now he hath heard vs iudge Oftentimes you tell vs of this abuse The word say you Counterp 171. pag. 171. is vnsufferably abused to the maintenance of the confusion that is among you This doth as ill beseeme you as a common Strumpet to call an honest and sober matron Whore But let vs heare what M. Ainsworth saith further against this confusion or commixture of all sorts in the Church Your church saith he hath the essentiall note of a false church Counterp 14. namely a confuse prophane worldly people Thus can I proue that the Church in Dauids time in Isaiah his time and other
of the Prophets and the Church of the Iewes in the dayes of Christ were false Churches for they had this essentiall note of a false church The reformed Churches say you consist of a separated and voluntary people whereas yours are confused and compelled Counterp 16. Fye M. Ainsworth Are there no vvicked men in the reformed Churches Hee hath not reformed and taught his tongue to speake the truth that will say so The harmonie of Confessions Harmonie 312. Beza in Mat. cap. 13. ver 24. Amandus Pola Partit Theolog. 311. Pisc in Mat. cap. 3. ver 12. Beza Polanus Piscator with other learned Writers of the said Churches in the thesi affirme the contrary which sufficiently disproueth this There was neuer a I meane nationall churches Church in the world so thoroughly purged and reformed as you speake nor shal be to the end of the world It is no maruell then though the Church of England be a confused people Nay the truth is It is not possible it should be free from this confusion For the Scripture must be fulfilled which for this cause compareth the visible Church to a draw-net and to a field wherein bee mixed and grow together wheate and tares M. Crashawe asking of the Brownists what fundamentall heresie our doctrine doth maintaine You answere thus Counterp 245 The vnlawfull commixture of the children of God and children of the Diuell in one Church and communion is a fundamentall heresie being stiffely maintained All the Scriptures condemne it all well reformed Churches auoid it nature it selfe teacheth to abhor it yet in such profane communion your Church abideth and you will not endure to heare of a separation To this effect also you speak in another place That this is a sinfull commixture Counterp 123. and an high transgression and that it is the ouerthrow of the maine ground of the Gospell which euer since it began to be sounded in the world hath proclaimed a separation of the children of God from the children of Belial What thunderbolts are these Vnlawfull sinfull an high transgression ouerthrowing the foundation of the Church and Gospell If you had considâ—red that the greatest part of the visible Church are Reprobates as Christ teacheth vs in the Parable of the Sower and of the King marrying his sonne Mat. 13.3 22.1.14 Communion of Saints 1.2 and in that short speech of his Many are called but few chosen and that all Reprobates are the Diuels children you would neuer sure neither here nor else where haue taught as in effâ—ct you doe That in the visible Church there are no children of the Diuell and that we may haue no communion with them but must separate from them If there be not a mixture of the children of God and the Diuels children in the visible church then the visible Church is a company of Gods children onely hauing none of the children of Belial in it Tell me then I pray you vvhose children Cain Ismael Esau Saul and Absalom were and generally the people that liued in Isaiah his time Isaiah 1.10 to whom the Prophet speaking saith O Princes of Sodome O people of Gomorrah and generally the Scribes and Pharisees that liued in the dayes of Christ By your doctrine they were the children of God For all of the visible Church say you are Gods children there is no mixture in this societie of the Diuels children with Gods But Cain Ismael Esau Saul and the rest aboue mentioned vvere of the visible Church Therefore the children of God What your euasion will bee here I declare hereafter and shew that it vvill not helpe you That we may haue religious communion vvith the children of the Diuell is likewise there proued and your obiections answered In the meane season I must tell you That the open vvicked in our Church may be accounted and in the iudgement of charitie deemed the children of God as vvell as the aforesaid members of the visible Church That there is a commixture of Gods and the Diuels children in the visible Church wee doe stiffely maintaine This say you is a fundamentall heresie If there be no other and worse fundamentall heresie maintained in our Church then this as it should seeme to your knowledge there is not then assure your selues that the foundation of our Church standeth stedfast and vnmoueable not onely against you vvho are but flesh and bloud but euen the Dâ—uell himselfe The commixture of the children of God and Belial in the Church and Church assemblies neither euer was nor can possibly be auoided and therfore you tell vs that which is vnpossible to be true that all well reformed Churches auoid it If the mixture of Gods children and the Diuels in the same Church assembly bee a prophane communion I feare there was neuer yeâ— holy communion in the world Counterp 223. These Ministers say you hauing missed at first of the question the further now they goe the further they stray and run themselues out of breath in vain For neither the examples of Melchisedec Iob Cornelius c. nor their reasons following of two other meanes of gathering the church theÌ„ by the preaching of the Gospel Thirdly of the preaching of M. Wickliff c. 4. 5. of course that Q. Elizabeth tooke for bringing the Gospel in againe c. none of these you say will proue either that open prophane wicked persons may be receiued and kept in the bosome of the Church or that there be not multitudes of open prophane and wicked members of the Church of England There present lamentable estate proclaimeth this latter to all men that haue conscience their own writings also heretofore doe strongly confirme it and all the Scriptures cry out against the former and teach a seperation as before in this Treatise in sundry other bookes is manifested Thus these Ministers haue passed by the maine controuersie These are your owne vvords without adding or detracting from them Wee must vnderstand certaine Ministers among vs hauing vvritten something against them of the Separation in the defence and maintenance of our Church worship and Ministerie for their owne priuate vse and benefit of some few others that M. Bernard hath published part of that Treatise part only I say as appeareth by the 164. pag. of his booke called The Separatists schisme and that therunto M. Ainsworth hath returned an answere In this answere generally he tels vs They haue vnitie like a company of fooles Counterp 225 Pro. 2.6.9 applying to them that prouerbe of Salomon A thorne gets vp in a drunkards hand and a Parable in the mouth of fooles And particularly hee confirmes it hâ—re For they haue missed the question as he saith and passed by the maine controuersie Now who knoweth not that there is great folly in this and that wise men doe seldome or neuer so farre forget themselues That wee may the better iudge betweene these opponents betwixt this wise man on the one side and these fooles
as he pleaseth to call them on the other and whether he or they mistake the question and point in controuersie wherein there is indeed great folly and want of vvisedome let vs heare vvhat it is which these Ministers haue written wherevpon this imputation is grounded The Separatists schisme 181.182.183 c. The first thing say they which they of the Separation obiect against the whole body of our Church and of our parish assemblies is this That it was not gathered by such meanes as God in his word hath ordained and sanctified for the gathering of his church And that thus you obiect they proue by two testimonies of your owne and then immediately returne therevnto the seuerall answeres here following First say they wee may esteeme them a true Church and so our owne of whose present profession and faith we are well assured though wee cannot see by what meanes they were first gathered Else may we still doubt whether Melchisedech and the families of Iob and Cornelius were true Churches or members of the Church because wee cannot finde how they were first gathered and conuerted Secondly wee might be rightly gathered to the society and fellowship of the vis Church by other meanes then by the preaching of the Gospell Thirdly our Church was gathered by the preaching of the Word which is the meanes God hath appointed for the gathering of a Church as your selues doe teach And here they bring in the preaching of M. Wicklâ—ffe Fourthly This say they being proued that there was a true Church in this land before her Maiesties raigne the question must not be whether the meanes shee vsed were the right meanes for the first calling and conuerting of a people to the faith but whether shee tooke not a lawfull course for the recalling and revniting of her subiects vnto those true professors whose fellowship they had forsaken Fiftly and lastly though the solemne couenant to renounce idolatrie and to cleaue to the truth be not absolutely necessarie yet was that also required and performed in the beginning of Queene Elizabeths Raigne Tell mee now M. Ainsworth doe you not hold and maintaine that our Church was not rightly gathered to vvit by the preaching of the vvord and therevpon doe coâ—demne vs for a falsâ— Church Yes haue not these Ministers therevnto returned a most direct answere The indifferent Reader cannot but by the aforesaid heads and summe of their answere see and acknowledge it With sinne and shame inough then doe you affirme That these Ministers haue in their fiue seuerall answeres as your selfe points them out missed the question and passed by the maine controuersie No lesse vnconscionably and vnhonestly deale you in bearing your simple Reader in hand that these said Ministers indeuour to proue by the examples of Melchisedech Iob c. and the rest summed vp before both these points following or at least one of them either that open prophane and wicked persons may be receiued and kept in the bosome of the Church or that there be not multitudes of open prophane and wicked members of the Church of England whereas they intend no such thing neither haue they a word tending this way nay abhor with their brethren to affirme either Yâ—u doe therefore slander vs when and as oft as you charge vs to say That the open prophane may lawfully be receiued and kept in the Church and to deny that there be any such in ours And in disprouing both these the one by the tâ—stimonies of our owne men the other by the sacred Scriptures what doe you else but pull down that building which your selues with your own hands not we haue erected and built vp Thus doing you haue bestowed a great deale of labour to as small purpose as he that casteth stones into the ayre pursuing your owne shadow instead of our bodies All that we maintaine here and by the grace of God will against men and Angels is That the being of open wicked men in it doth not destroy a church Against this you should haue argued or held your peace but we heare not a word to any such puâ—pâ—sâ— Iâ—stead thereof you proue the aforesaid positions which we in commâ—n hold with you Whether you now or the Ministers haue missed the question and passed by the maine controuersie as in other cases so here a blinde man may see It had beâ—n vvell you had fiâ—st plucked out the beame that is in your owne eye then should you haue seene more cleerely to pull out the mote out of your brothers eye if any be there More against this commixture of good and bad in our Church who list and hath the Counterpoyson may reade pag. 9. and 27. 28. and 60. and 70. 76. 101. 212. 213. And here by way M. Ainsworth I must needs tell you this booke of yours is falsely called Counterpoyson for it is not a preseruatiue against the poyson of false doctrine as the title pretendeth but indeede full of such poison the receiuing and beleeuing vvhereof is as daÌ„gerous to the soule of man as poison receiued is to the body Now that wee haue heard M. Iohnson and M. Ainsworth we will likewise heare what M. Robinson saith concerning this separating from the world and the causes of their separation Separation quoth he from the world and so from the men of the world Answere to a Censorious Epistle pag. 4. and so from the Prince of the world that raigneth in them and so from whatsoeuer is contrary to God is the first step to our communion with God and Angels and goodmen as the first step to a ladder is to leaue the earth Before we haue beene taught if we be so foolish as to learne of them that a visible Church is a company of people called and seperated from the world this man now instructeth vs in the meaning of this last clause That by seperated from the world they meane from the men of the world that is earthly minded men whose hearts and affections are set of this world and the things thereof So that a true visible church is not a mixt company whereof some doeth chiefely desire earth and earthly things others heauen some this world and others the world to come but all of this societie are rapt and rauished with a desire longing after the world to come and the ioyes there despising this world with the glory and pompe thereof who though they be in this world yet are not of it Thus you shut out of the visible Church all hypocrites and all wicked men as well those which be separately as openly wicked for as much as all hypocrites and men of this world to whom you deny a being in the Church because a visible Church is a company seperated from such And whereas in the visible Church there be some children of the diuell if not in appearance yet in deed and trueth and are not all the children of God adopted in Iesus Christ you tell vs that in the visible Church
there are none of the diuels children for the diuell raigneth in all his children But you say in the visible Church there bee none in whom the Prince of this world the deuill raigneth for it is a company seperated from all such Therefore in the visible Church there are no children of the diuel and so by consequent are all the children of God by faith in Iesus Christ But these things you knowe and acknowledge to be false that therefore from whence they are inferred which all of you stiffely hold and maintaine to wit that the visible Church is a company of people seperated from the world is likewise false This generaall doctrine of theirs he thus applieth to vs. Answere to a censorious Epistle pag. 5. Which seperation the church of England neither hath made nor doeth make but stands actually one with all that part of the world within the kingdome without seperation for which cause amongst others we haue chosen by the grace of God rather to seperate our selues to the Lord from it then with it from him in the visible constitution of it Answere It is true we neither haue made nor goe about to make a seperation from the men of this world and betwixt them whom Christ by his spirit ruleth and them in whom the Prince of this world raigneth This passeth our skill and power and is such as is vnpossible to be performed by vs. Our Lord Iesus onely can and will doe this by the Angels in the day of his glorious comming to iudgement And where you say that wee stand actually one with all that part of the world within the kingdome it is false and slanderous For we onely stand actually one with all those in the kingdome that professe the same religion with vs which the Pap among vs who be not a few with whatsoeuer other hereticks or schismatiks do not except it be in hypocrisie which we cannot hinder but must leane to God therfore I say we stand not actually one with all in the kingdome except there be in our land no Papists no Heretickes or Schismaticks If you obiect heere our Church Papists and say that we receiue Papists into our Church and communion with vs. It is answered already and I adde They professe to be of the same Christian Religion with vs and to forsake poperie in comming to our publike assembles and pertaking with vs there in the holy things of God If they doe this hypocritically what is that to vs But especially marke that this is one cause of their seperation yea a principall cause thereof as he saith in another place In these two respects principally Answere to a censorious Epistle pag. â— your Babilonish confusion of all sorts of people in the body of your Church without seperation and your Babilonish bondage vnder your lords the prelates we account you Babylon and flee from you And speaking of this want of seperation Ibid. 43. and confusion else where he hath these words It is not by our sequestration but by your confusion that Rome and hell gaines Your odious commixture of all sorts of people in the body of your Church in whose lap the vilest miscreants are dandled sucking her breasts as her naturall children is that aduantageth hell Wee see how this man condemneth the mixture of good and bad godly and vngodly in the Church calling it an odious commixture confusion and Babilonish confusion that principally for this and one other cause they account vs Babylon and flye from vs. And yet hath this commixture of all sorts of people beene euer in the Church as hath beene manifested out of the sacred Scripture What age then could these men haue liued in wherein they might not for this cause as iustly haue seperated from the Church and haue accounted it likewise Babylon It cannot be denied but that in Sauls raigne there were most vile men dandled as you tearme it in the lap of the Church considering he himselfe the head of that people was so vile Nay by the booke of the Psalmes it is euident that in Dauids time there were store of leawde and vile men in the Church Psal 12. 69. And so were there in the dayes of Isaiah Ieremiah and other of the Prophets Yea what say you M. Robinson to the age wherein Christ Iesus liued and his Apostles The Scribes and Pharisees then were most vile miscreants and they being principâ—l members in the Church as the eyes re in the body it must bee confessed that they did sit in the lappe of the Church and sucked her breasts as if they had beene her naturall children No lesse vile were those that had crept into the church of whom Iude speaketh Yet notwithstanding this commixture and Babilonish confusion as you call it did neither the Prophets nor Iesus nor his Apostles seperate from the Church but had religious communion with this confused society consisting of all sorts of people The commixture then in our Church you speake of is no iust cause of seperation and why you should account vs Babylon But râ—turnâ— we to M. Robison Ibid. 4. The seperation wee haue made in respect of our knowledge and obedience is indeede late and newe yet is it in the nature and causes thereof as auncient as the Gospel which was first founded in the enmitie which God himselfe put betwixt the seede of the woman and the seed of the serpent Gâ—n 3.15 Which enmitie hath not onely ben successiuely continued but also visibly manifested by the actuall seperation of all true churches from the world in their collection and constitution before the Lawe vnder the Lawe and vnder the Gospell Gen. 4.13.14.16 6.1 2. 7.1.7 with 1. Pet. 3 20.21 12. Leu 20.24.26 Neh. 9.2 Ioh. 17.14.16 Act. 2.40 19.9 1. Cor. 6.17 Aâ—swere If we speake of practise among vs your seperation is as auncient as Browne who first caused or at least greatly furthered that seperation and schisme from our Church where vpon you are called Brownists But if you speake of the doctrine August Tom. 7 contra Cresco Gram. lib. 2. cap. 34. then is it as auncient as Donatus after whom some were called Donatists or rather as some schismaticks in Cyprians time of whom Austen writing against the Donatists maketh mention That the visible Church is not a mixt company consisting of good and bad but is a company seperated from the world that is from the men of the world or a seperated company of righteous men which all of you doe hold this I say is neither founded of the Lawe nor Gospell nor any part of Gods word but in the bottomles pit by the diuell the father of lyes I meane of all lying and false doctrines and was long since publ shed August Tom. 7 Collâ—tiâ—nâ—bus cum Donatists and contended for by the former heretickes specially the Donatists who for this cause seperated from the Church of God in their times and is now after many hundred
yees renewed by you He that giues eare heere to you and to M. Ainsworth before brethren in error where he saith Counterp That the mixture of all sorts that is good and bad in the visible Church is contrary to the fiâ—st couenant of our redemption wherein God proclaimed a perpetuall enmitie and warre against the serpent and his seede cannot but thereupon coniecture or col ect these two things First that this enmity you speake of is not in the visiblâ— church and to be found among the members thereof but betwâ—xt the Church and the world and all in the visible Churâ—h are at peace among themselues and haue mutuall loue â—ach to other according to your descâ—iptâ—on of the visible Church That it is a company knit together by the bond of peace and loue vnfained 2. That there are none of the serpents seede within the visible Church that is none of the diuels children or no wicked neither secretly nor openly wicked for the secret wicked be as well his seede as the open wicked these conclusions necessarily follow of these your premised lines the scope and drift of them considered which if you will proue vnto vs we will embrace the seperation you contend for In the meane season knowe ye that wee from our soules abhorre both your doctrine and practise and condemne them to the pit of hell where this and all false doctrine was first founded But tell me M. Robinson whether that enmitie betweene the seed of the woman and the seede of the serpent is not to be seene or as you speake visibly manifested in our Church notwithstanding we haue not this actuall seperation you speake of I hope you will acknowledge it is so manifest that a man cannot chuse but see it if hee feare God feele it also Why then doe you say that this enmitie is visiblie manifested by this actuall seperation Seeing it is to bee found wher this seperation is wanting But let vs heare M. Robinson speake once more Pag. 33 How we would haue behaued our selues in the Temple where the many changers were and they that sold doues we shall answere you when you prooue your Church to be the Temple of God compiled and built of spiritual hewen and liuely stones 1. K. 5.17.18 6.7 1. Pet. 2.5 And of the Cedars firres and thyne trees of Lebanon 2. Chron. 2.8 framed and set together in that comely order which a greater then Salomon hath prescribed vnto which God hath promised his presence But while we take it to be as it is a confused heape of dead and defiled and polluted stones and of all rubbish of briers and brambles of the wildernesse for the most part fitter for burning then building we take our selues rather bound to shewe our obedience in the departing from it then our valour in purging it and to followe the Prophets counsell in flying out of Babylon as the hee Goate before the flocke Ier. 50.8 Heere is another conuiction of our Church and confirmation of their Doctrine to wit that a visible Church is a company seperated from the world that is a company coÌ„sisting of righteous men onely hauing in it none that bee of this world This conuiction is grounded vpon the confusion or commixture of good and bad in our Church We are a confused heape of dead and defiled and polluted stones and of all rubbish and fewe liuing stones whereas the true visible Church is built onely of liuely stones spiritually hewen and squared Whereupon Barrow saith That the visible Church enioyeth a most humble meeke obedient faithfull and louing people euery stone liuing Elect and precious euery stone hath his beautie his burden and his order This latter which we deny to wit A true dâ—scription of the visiâ— Church pag. 2. That the visible Church is built onely of liuely stones you seeme to your selues to proue by 1 Pet. 2.5 and to that purpose you quote it very often We answere that this place of Peter is true onely and to be vnderstood of the militant Church or whole company of the faithfull members of the inuisible Church who alone are endued with the Spirit of God which is the Spirit of Life whereby of dead they are made liuing stones that is of men dead in sinne able to liue vnto God These onely haue the life of God in them and so onely are these liuely stones Ephes 4.18 of which life many of the visible Church are destitute hauing no more power or abilitie to doe those things which are pleasing to God then a stone to mooue it selfe Such are all the reprobates all the Hypocrites and wicked in the Church Of the visible Church therefore this cannot bee meant seeing many of it are dead stones Obserue also that those who here be called liuely stones are saide to be made a spirituall house as being that house or habitation wherein God dwelleth by his Spirit whereof that materiall Temple built by Salomon wherein God did dwell and was present after a speciall sort was a type and figure But the Elect onely or those of this societie who be effectually called make this Spirituall house for as much as in them alone the Spirit of God and of Christ dwelleth Therefore the Elect are meant by these liuely stones and not the visible Church in many of which the Spirit of God doeth not dwell But Sathan by his Spirit Moreouer those heere called or compared to liuing stones are said as an holy Priesthood to offer vp Spiritall Sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ which many of the visible Church neither doe nor can doe their sacrifices being an abomination to the Lord. By these liuely stones therefore are not meant the visible Church and the members thereof as you euery where doe tell vs. But how prooue you that the Temple built by Salomon was a type and figure of the visible Church vnder the Gospell and those goodly carued and polished stones whereof it was builded 1. Kin. 8.10.11.12 of the members thereof I for my part doe thinke cleane otherwise that by that glorious Temple wherein God as in his house and the place of his habitation dwelled and which the Lord sometimes filled with hâ—s glory was signified First Christ Iesus in carnate and made man in whom all the fulnes of the Godhead dwelleth bodily Col. 2.9 Destroy this Temple and in three dayes I will raise it vp againe 20. Then saide the Iewes fortie and sixe yeeres was this Temple a building Ioh. 2.19 and wilt thou reare it vp in three dayes But he spake of the Temple of his body Secondly that the inuisible Church and misticall Body of Christ in whom God also dwelleth by his Spirit whereupon they are called the Temple of God the Tabernacle of God the habitation of God by the Spirit and in this place of Peter a Spirituall house and liuing stones True it is M. Robinson that in our Church there are dead defiled and polluted stones
in the visible Church are members of it vntill by excommunication they bee cut of But by your owne confession wicked men are in the visible Church therefore wicked men are members of it Which if it bee true all your doctrine almost of the visible Church is false But to put an end to this point and part of your description By the premises it is plaine that a true visible Church is not seperated from the world that is a company of righteous and godly men onely seperated from the open wicked of the world For if a visible Church be a mixt company of good and bad godly and vngodly for which cause it is compared to a barne floore to a field and to a draw-net as hath been shewed out of the holy Scriptures againe if from time to time in the ages precedent both vnder the Law and Gospell there haue beene and remained in the true visible Church vvicked yea many wicked and open wicked as hath likewise been made manifest by the Scriptures how can it possible be true which you affirme That a visible Church is a seperated companie of righteous men not mixed with but seperated from the wicked of the world If this doctrine of yours be true the one of these doe necessarily follow either the former persons of whom I haue spoken so much Ismael Esau Doeg Saul Absalom the Scribes and Pharises were not openly wicked and men of this world or not in the Church but without or else that the Church wherein they in thâ—ir time liued was not a true but a false Church The premises considered it is very fondly done of you so often to obiect against vs the mixture of good and bad in our Church Calling it Cofusion Babel Babilonish confusion and our Churches because of it Babylon and a meere madnesse for this cause to seperate from our Church And thus much concerning this clause in your description seperated from the world The rest of your description I omit as not greatly to bee found fault with though something might bee said against it For where you say It is a company ioyned together by voluntarie profession you should raâ—her haue said ioyning together c. Wee are ioyned and knit together by loue and doe ioyne and agree in the same profession And where you require a voluntarie profession of the faith of Christ and tels vs elsewhere that a true Church consisteth of a voluntary people and that ours are confused and compelled and so a false church You must know that a man may bee of the visible Church albeit his profession be not voluntarie as hath been declared before Neither is that so fit you adde of the Faith of Christ as if you had said of the true Religion The Papists professe the faith of Christ and so doe the Anabaptists Families with sundry others and yet are they false Churches But whatsoeuer societie professeth true Religion is a true church To conclude Apology 44. Confession of Faith 11. Counterp 133. this I say that vnderstanding these words seperated from the world as Christ meaneth Ioh. 17.14.16 and 15.19 Which testimonies you here in your confession of faith and in the Counterpoyson alledge for the proofe of this and therefore must so vnderstand them without manifest peruerting of the said Scriptures then is this a description rather of the militant Church or those of the inuisible Church that are effectually called then of the visible Church CHAP. III. Of the matter and forme of the visible Church AS these men doe greatly erre in their description of the visible Church so doe they likewise in other points touching the same and namely about the matter and forme thereof Iustification 88. 82. The constitution of the Church saith M. Robinson is the orderly collection and coniunction of the Saints into and in the couenant of the new Testament wherein the Saints are the matter the couenant the forme from which two concurring the Church ariseth and is by them constituted And in another place deliuering the very same with this hee addeth And this is that which giues true being of a Church and nothing else Because of this let vs so much the more carefully seeke out the true matter aâ—d forme of the visible Church and remember that if the Separists mistake the matter and forme of the visible Church as the trueth is they doe they cannot iudge aright of the Church and therefore their iudgement and account of our Church is to be despised We hold as hath already beene saide men not Angels or any other creatures but a company of men to be the matter of the visible Church and the profession of true Religion to be the forme So that wheresoeuer there is a company of men ioyning together in the profession of true Religion the same is and may truely be called a visible Church The Seperators teach otherwise and first that Saints are the matter of the visible Church forgetting that a company of Saints are a Church by the Testimony of the holy Ghost as before hath beene shewed in the third Chapter of the first booke and therefore such a societie containeth in it as well the forme as the matter without both which nothing can be But we must know that howsoeuer the Separists euen all of them agree in this That Saints are the matter of the visible Church yet notwithstanding they disagree at least in appearance about the matter because they differ about these Saints who Instif 105. principles and Inferenâ—es 10. M. Smith in his Answere to M. Beâ—n rd 27 28. Separatists Schisme 83. Counterp 174. and what they be Saints say some of them are a people forsaking all knowne sinne doing all the knowne will of God growing in grace and continuing to the ende and these say M. Smith and M. Robinson are the onely matter of the visible Church This being conuinced by some of our side M. Ainsworth answereth thus This position meaning the aforesaide description of Saints and that such are the matter of the visi church I deny and also disclaime the errors which be gathered from it and therefore will spend no time in answering it but referre M. Bernard to them that haue so spoken or written if any be This we hold and let vs see what M. Bernard can say against it That Saints by calling are the onely matter of a true visible church For confutation of this that M. Ainsworth and the more auncient of this schisme doe maintaine that little which hath beene saide may suffice and the rather because but a litle before M. Ainsworth accordeth with vs and is as contrary to himselfe herein as we be Counterp 170. To the constitution of a Church saith he there belong 1. A people as the matter whereof and 2. A calling gathering and vniting together as the forme whereof the Church consisteth Where obserue how he contradicteth himselfe 1. Hee expressely affirmeth that a people which is the same that wee teach
the Epistles of Paul Peter and Iames there is nothing meant of the inuisible Church Because the saide Epistles were written as you say to the visible Church Also that nothing in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus are spoken either of the inuisible or visible church But of Ministers The foundation whereof is that to whomsoeuer an Apostle writ an Epistle of them all in that Epistle is spoken and to be vnderstood Secondly I deny your assumption and affirme that Peter writ to the Church whereby I meane the same which we call the inuisible Church and euen so did the rest of the Apostles those Epistles excepted which were written to some speciall person For the ministery is giuen to the Church or Saints and Body of Christ Ephes 4.11.12 Which Body the inuisible Church is and not the visible And heere I reason thus as I haue once before To what Church or societie the ministery and Ministers were giuen of Christ to the same the Canonicall Epistles were written But to the Church militant the ministery and Ministers were giuen therfore to it the Epistles were written The proposition is manifest the assumption Ephes 4.11.12 doeth clearely prooue We may remember also heere how Peter in his first Epistle writeth expressely and by name to the Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father vnto sanctification of the Spirit and in the second thus Peter to you which haue obtained like precious Faith with vs which Faith onely the elect haue and therfore is the same in effect with the former Peter to the Elect c. In answering our aforesaide and last obiection Iustif 107. M. Robinson addeth this If you would graunt that onely they are true members of the Church which by the word of God which must be the rule of our iudgement may be iudged Saints it would end this controuersie But all that professe Religion may by the word of God bee iudged Saints as before I haue shewed Otherwise Saul Doeg Ioab Absalom the Scribes and Pharisees Iudas Demas with infinite such were not true members of the visible Church which with any truth you cannot affirme See that you be now M. Robinson as good as your word let this controuersie concerning the matter of the visible church bee ended And thus much concerning the matter of the vis Church Let vs now heare what is the forme thereof The forme say we is the profession of true religion The Separists teach otherwise some that this is the forme some that M. Ainsworth writeth thus Counterp 107. Ibid. 174. To the constitution of a Church there belongs first a people as the matter whereof and 2. a calling gathering and vniting together as the forme whereof the Church consisteth We must remember here that a little after these words he teacheth that Saints by calling are the matter of the visible Church If this be true then calling is comprised vnder the matter and therefore not vnder the forme so that gathering and vniting together must make the forme or else we haue here none That gathering now and vniting together are not the forme I doe thus prooue If a people be the matter and gathering and vniting together the forme of the true visible Church then euery people gathered and vnited together is a true visible Church But the latter is false Therefore the first The proposition is grounded vpon this certaine and vndoubted trueth that where matter forme of a true vis church is there is a true church The assumption to wit that euery people gathered and vnited together is not a true vis Church is likewise true otherwise the congregations of Papists Anabaptists c. bee true Churches for they consist of people gathered and vnited together But leauing this man let vs heare what M. Smith sayeth Principles and Inferences 11. The true forme saith he of a true visible Church is partly inward partly outward The inward part of the forme consisteth in three things 1. the Spirit 2. Faith 3. Loue. The Spirit is the soule animating the whole body Faith vniteth the members of the body to the head Christ Iesus Loue vniteth the members of the body each to other The outward part thereof is a vowe promise oath or couenant betwixt God and the Saints Euery peece and parcell hereof he seemeth to himselfe and to his Disciples to proue substantially he alleadgeth no lesse then twelue testimonies of Scripture for the proofe of one point Reply The forme saith he is partly inward and partly outward Then the matter of the visible Church must bee so too except he will haue a forme without matter which I know you will not say Tell vs therefore what is the inward matter of the visible Church and what is the outward for assuredly wee know not But let this goe The inward forme is the Spirit Faith Loue. One would thinke that this was rather the forme of the Church militant considering these three Spirit Faith Loue are onely to be found in the elect and cannot fall into any reprobate whereof the visible Church consisteth for a great part And first as touching the Spirit it is proper to the chosen as is manifest by Romans 8.14.17 Gal. 4.6 Tit. 1.1 And for this cause Faith is called the Faith of Gods elect because I say it is proper to the elect of God which is further confirmed by that in the Acts Acts 13.48 1. Ioh. 3.14 as many as was ordained to eternall life beleeued And concerning Loue Iohn telleth vs that thereby wee may know and bee assured that wee are translated from death to life The spirit saith hee is the soule animating the whole body By whole body he vnderstands the whole visible Church and his meaning is that as the body of man and all the members and parts thereof are animated that is are quickened and receiue naturall or corporall life from the soule so the whole visible Church and all the members thereof haue spirituall life from the Spirit of God From whence this necessarily followeth that euery one of the visible Church hath the Spirit of God Rom. 8.10.11 quickening him to righteousnesse and holinesse of life here and to immortalitie and eternall life in the world to come For both these effects the spirit worketh in whomsoeuer it is and is there fore-called the spirit of life The which if it bee true Rom. 8.2 I meane that euery member of the visible Church hath the Spirit of God as all of you doe in effect teach and namely as oft as you doe tell vs that a true visible Church is the bodie of Christ then in the visible Church there are none dead in trespasses and sinnes no dead but all liuing stones forasmuch as the whole body and consequently euery member thereof is animated and quickned by the Spirit from whence floweth spirituall life and motion Then in the visible church there be no hypocrites nor carnall or naturall men no wicked person neither openly
God made to Abraham might be sure to all the seede not to that onely which is of the Law that is not to the Iewes onely who beleeue and were vnder the Lawe giuen by God to Moses but also to that which is of the faith of Abraham that is to the Gentiles who beleeue as Abraham did albâ—it they bee not subiect to the ceremonies of the Lawe who is the Father of vs all that beleeue Iewes and Gentiles Heere obserue that Abraham is called and that twise the Father of the Faithfull nay of all them that beleeue If Abraham be the father of all beleeuers then are they his children and seed Which is also expressely taught here and inlarged by a distribution of his children or of all his seede in one word into the beleeuing Iewes and the beleeuing Gentiles and this is likewise set downe twise To this purpose serueth that also Gal. 4.29 And if yee bee Christs that is beleeue in Christ and by faith vnited vnto him and made one with him then are yee Abrahams seede But aboue all other the 7. vers of the third Chapter cleareth this point knowe yee therefore that they which are of faith the same are the children of Abraham To these children I say and to this seede of Abraham that is to and with the faithfull the elect of God and Church inuisible hath God made a couenant or promis of grace and of saluation and not with the Church visible and the members thereof as you all doe fondly imagine And this the Lord himselfe the author and maker of this gracious promise teacheth Gen. 17.19 Sarah thy wife shall beare thee a son saith God to Abraham and thou shalt call his name Izhak and I will establish my couenant meaning chiefâ—ly the spirituall couenant and of eternall life with him for an euerlasting couenant and with his seede after him 20. And as concerning Ishmael I haue heard thee Loe I haue blessed him and will make him fruitfull c. 21. But my couenant will I establish with Izhak Heere the Lord secludeth Ishmael from this couenant and from hauing any part therein denying that he made or would keepe this promise with him though in the visible Church as Ishmael at this time was or with any reprobates of whom hee was a figure And restraineth the couenant to Izhak onely and to his seed that is to them who should beleeue in Christ as Izhak did to the Elect I say of whom he was a figure We must heere remember that Abraham his family was the visible Church For from the beginning of the world to the giuing of the Lawe the visible Church was shut vp in the families of the Patriarcks This premised I reason thus against you If the couenant of grace and saluation was made with the visi Church and all the members thereof then with Ishmael because hee was of the visible Church But it was not made with Ishmael as this place of Genesis prooueth Ergo not with the visible Church but with the inuisible as we affirme And this is further confirmed Rom. 9.6 Notwithstanding it cannot be that the word of God should take none effect for all they are not Israel that is t e Israel to whom God made the promise of eterall life which are of Israel that is defended of Iacob 7. Neither are they all children because they are the seede of Abraham but in Isaack shall thy seede be called 8. That is they which are the children of the fleshe are not the children of Abraham but the children of the promise are counted for the seede For the better vnderstanding of this Scripture we must knowe that the Apostle being to speake of the reiection of the Iewes answereth an obiection that would readily be made against the same If God haue cast away the Iewes then is the promise that God made to Abraham and his seede frustrate and of none effect which cannot be so Therefore God hath not reiected them This obiection is contained in these words It cannot be that the word of God should take none effect Whereby the word of God is meant the promise that God made to Abraham and to his posteritie I will be God vnto thee and to thy seede after thee Paul answereth It followeth not that God is vnfaithfull and keepeth not the promise of grace and life which hee made with Abraham and his seede though his posteritie the Israelits be reiected of God damned because this couenaÌ„t or promise of life euerlasting the Lord made not with those who should be Abrahams children according to the flesh not I say with that carnall Israel that is the Iewes who should lineally descend from Abraham but with the Spirituall Israel or children of Abraham in a spirituall sence that is the elect or those that should beleeue in God as Abraham did whether they were Iewes or Gentiles So long therefore as the Lord reiecteth not and damneth the elect of the Iewes and Gentiles the true children of Abraham but receiueth them to grace and in his sonne Christ Iesus giueth to them life eternall he is faithfull and keepeth his promise and couenant made with Abraham and his seede Albeit the rest of the children of Abraham according to the flesh or people of Israel and of the visible Church be reiected and daâ—ned And here obserue that these children of Abraham are called first the children of promise as being such children of Abraham that were not begotten of him by the force of Nature or by carnall generation but such as should be borne of water and the Spirit and begotten by the immortall seede of the word and promise of the Gospell Secondly they are called the children of God They saith the Apostle which are the children of the flesh are not the children of God but the children of the promise are counted for the seede Heere the same are meant by the children of God the children of the promise and the seede to wit of Abraham Whereby wee learne that God made this promise or couenant of grace with those onely whom in Iesus Christ he adopteth into the number of his children But the elect and inuisible Church onely are Gods children they alone also are the children of the promise Therefore with them onely God hath made the couenant of grace and not with the vis Church no more then with Ishmael and Esau members thereof as the Apostle sheweth here in the verses next following And for this cause it may bee the elect are called the children of the promise because the promise of Grace and Life God made to Abraham belongeth onely to them These Elect and true beleeuers are they who are counted for the seede of Abraham with whom this couenant was made as it is saide vers 8. and not the naturall posteritie of Abraham as some Iewes imagined and it may be doc at this day nor yet the visible Church as you no lesse carnally conceiue then these Iewes This controuersie betwixt you
not this spirit causing in them this life and motion thereby also as by ioynts or bands knitting them vnto Christ the head but in stead thereof are carried by the spirit of Satan that possesseth them as hath often been shewed Many therefore of the true visible church are not members of Christs body And therefore also the church of England may bee a true church notwithstanding there be many in and of it who be not the members of Christs body led by his spirit but prophane wicked worldlings carried by the spirit of Satan that possâ—sseth them You who teach that in the true visible Church there be no prophane wicked worldlings none that are carried by the spirit of Satan possessing them and for this cause will haue it to be a false church answere me I pray you First whether the Scribes and Pharises were pro phane wicked and worldlings Ioh. 6.70 and 13.25 and whether they were carried by the spirit of Satan yea or no and namely Iudas whom Iesus calleth a Diuell and of whom it is said that Satan entred into him Secondly whether all the Diuels children bee not carried by his spirit And let this suffice for answere to your first argument The second followeth Argument 5 Euery true Church of God hath Christ for the Mediator and Aduocate of the same For it is written There is one God Counterp 132. and one Mediator betweene God and Man which is the man Christ Iesus 1. Tim. 2.5 1. Ioh. 2.1 And if any man sinne we haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the iust Neither is there saluation in any other for among men there is giuen no other name vnder heauen wherby we must be saued Act. 4.22 But the Church of England hath not Christ for the Mediator and aduocate of the same Therefore the Church of England is not the true Church of God Paralleles 86. In like manner M. Smith reasoneth against vs The true Church hath Christ for their Mediator But your assemblies haue him not for their Mediator Therefore they be false Churches Answ I answere True it is that Christ is the Mediator and Aduocate of euery true Church that is of euery seuerall congregation or company of true beleeuers but that hee is such to euery true visible Church as you meane I vtterly deny And grant that it might be said That Iesus is the Mediator and Aduocate of euery true visible Church it must needs bee in respect and with relation had to them vvho be of the inuisible Church which makes nothing for you nor against vs. Your Proposition therefore is false neither doe the testimonies alleadged by you confirme it They onely proue that Christ Iesus is a Mediator betweene God and man and an Aduocate to the Father for him Who in their wits but you and your Disciples by man in Timothy will vnderstand the visible Church or euery true visible Church and not rather the inuisible Church and all of mankinde who be of Gods elect whose alone Mediator and Aduocate Iesus is The Papists may more probably by man vnderstand all mankinde and make Iesus the Mediator of all men as they affirme that he died for all men then you the visible Church seeing the letter of the Scripture here maketh for that exposition And surely the one is as true as the other As little doth the place of Iohn auaile you For neither doth he say That Christ is the Aduocate of the visible Church or of euery true visible Church which is that you are to proue and make your vnaduised Reader beleeue you doe proue when you doe nothing lesse Nay your Proposition may be conuinced by this Scripture so farre is it from confirming and strengthning of it For whose aduocate Christ is said here to be for their sins in the next verse he is said to be a propitiation But he is a propitiation onely for the sinnes of the Elect or inuisible Church which your selues will not deny Therfore the Aduocate onely of the inuisible Church and consequently not of the visible When Iohn had said that Iesus Christ is our Aduocate he addeth And he is the propitiation for our sinnes 1. Ioh. 2.2 and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world If by the whole world you vnderstand the whole visible Church as by your alleadging of this Scripture for proofe of your Proposition you seeme to doe you must needs doe or else cry peccaui for alleadging it then wil the whole Christian world reiect this your expâ—sition And know ye that that which is hâ—re said by Iohn is as true of the whole world as of the whole vis Church and that Christ is and shall as soone be a propitiation and aduocate for the sinnes of the whole world as an Aduocate for the whole visible Church The truth then is that by world here is meant all whosoeuer in the world beleeue in Christ Iewes or Gentiles or all Gods elect throughout the whole world For their sinnes Christ Iesus is said to bee a propitiation and for them onely is he an aduocate And this is confirmed by Paul Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that iustifieth Who shall condemne Meaning any of this chosen generation Implying that it is not possiblâ— that any of them should be damned And why Because for all of this societie as onely for them Christ died and rose againe and maketh request also for them If now one aske the question for whom Christ dâ—ed for whom he rose againe and for whom he maketh intercession the answere is readie for Gods chosen which be thâ—y we call the inuisible Church But you giue vs an other answere and say he is the Aduocate and maketh intercession for the visibâ—e church You may as well and truely say that Christ died for the visible church For by this Scripture it is cleere that hee is an Aduocate and maketh request to God his Father for them for whom hee died But he died Coâ—fession of faith 26. say you else-where for the elect onely therefore as Aduâ—cate hee maketh request onâ—ly for the elect And by consequent Iesus is not the Aduocate of the vis church as you teach except the vis church be the societie of the elect and the visible and inuisible church be all one Verse 20. In the 17 of Iohn our Sauiour saith I pray not for these alone meaning the eleuen Disciples but for them also which shall beleue in me through their word But the elect and inuisible church onely beleeue in Christ T it 1.1 Act. 13.48 wherevpon faith is called the faith of Gods elect and in the Acts it is said As many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued Therefore the elect and inuisible church onely haue Christ Iesus for their Aduocate Thus we see your first proofe of the Proposition maketh nothing for you the second greatly against you helping to conuince you
A TREATISE OF THE CHVRCH VVRITTEN AGAINST them of the Separation commonly called BROWNISTS Wherein the true Doctrine of a visible Church is taught and the Church of England proued to be a true Church The BROWNISTS false doctrine of the visible Church is conuinced their shamefull peruerting of the holy Scriptures discouered their Arguments to proue the Church of ENGLAND a false Church answered PROV 13.10 Onely by pride doth man make contention but with the well aduised is wisedome PROV 14.15 The foolish will beleeue euery thing but the prudent will consider his steps LONDON Printed by William Iones dwelling in Red-crosse streete 1617. TO THE CHVRCH OF ENGLAND GRACE AND peace from God our Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ IT is not vnknowne to them that are acquainted with the writings of the Brownists how euery where they charge our Church to be a false Church an Antichristian Church and consequently the Synagogue of Sathan and our particular or parish assemblies false visible churches They applie vnto vs and that often 2. Cor. 6.14.15 Reuel 18.2.4 and so equall vs with as grosse Idolaters as euer were heathen and Antichristian We are darkenesse it selfe wherewith the light hath no communion We worship Belial not Christ We are if not a roote of miscreants Counterp in the Epistle defence of the Church and Minist of Engl. 6. Counterp 266. and in the Epistle Paralleles 26. Apologie 209. yet a misceline multitude of beleeuers infidels We are the habitation of diuels the holds of all foule spirits and the cage of euery vncleane and hatefull bird Wee are Vr of the Caldees Babylon Egypt and Sodome out of which they must goe that will be saued They tell vs further that Rome is our mother and our Church one of her daughters And as is the mother so is the daughter both harlots Shall we heare our Church which is the mother of vs all nay the Churches of Christ thus blasphemed and euill spoken of and that not in a corner but vpon the house toppe as Absalom abused his fathers Concubines so as all men may heare the present world and the ages succeeding and hold our peace God forbid So doing we shall shewe our selues rather bastards then naturall children Can a sonne endure to heare his mother standered and reuiled and his bowels not be moued within him and his tongue also to speake in her defence Verily he that is such honoureth not his mother as the law of God and nature doth binde him And this is it my deare mother reuerend and holy that hath thrust me forward to write this Treatise in thy defence I thought indeede with my selfe a long time that this would better beseeme some of my elder brethren I considered the strength skill and forwardnesse of the aduersary to fight without wearisomnesse and mine owne great weakenesse M. Iohnson Ainsworth Smith Roâ—inson for against all these I deale in this treatise that they with whom I was to haue this conflict were b diuers my selfe but one and that a little one but such through the grace of God was my loue to this part of his holy trueth and hatred to error that I was able to stride ouer them all And beginning first with a litle Treatise against them of the Separation in the defence of our Ministery Liturgie and Discipline mooued thereunto by the continuall griefe and vexation my soule was in to see so many round about me to seperate I considered that they keepe much adoe about a true visible Church and a false accusing vs euer and anone to be a false Church Heereupon I thought it very requisit rather to examine their doctrine of the Church which I found to be the very foundation of all that they haue written in this question and to make triall whether that were true or false I knowe that many will be apt to imagine that I haue saide litle or nothing against the Brownists and their Seperation because I doe not in this booke answere their obiections touching our Ministery Liturgy and Discipline But these men forget that the maine point of controuersie betwixt the Separists and vs is Whether our Church be a true or a false Church If the Church of England be a true Church as wee confidently affirme Then is the Brownists separation by their owne confession sinfull the Scriptures alleadged by them to that ende peruerted their speeches against our Church blaspheamous and all their arguments concerning our Ministery Liturgy and Discipline so many sophistications Then also is their ealling vpon men to separate from vs and to goe out of Babilon no more to be regarded then the barking of dogges in the streete But if our Church be a false Church which they contend for then we acknowledge their seperation to be lawfull and their reasons concerning our Ministerie Liturgie and Discipline to be found and substantiall Herevpon then all doth rest as a house vppon the foundation which being ouerturned the whole house we know fales to the ground To this end I haue in this Treatise endeuored two things principally First by diuers argumentes I proue that the church of England is a true Church and our parish assemblies as they are constituted by law true visible Churches Secondly I haue answered their Argumentes whereby they would proue it to be a false church and namely those which lately and at large are by M. Ainsworth enforced against vs in his Countâ—rpoyson Let none of my elder brethren be offended at this I haue done What though this cause be not by me so well mannaged as it deserues Accept of it neuerthelesse I haue done my best and God requireth but according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not Let not man desire more If any demaund of me why I the most vnfit and vnable of a thousand in the middest of so many great Diuines famous for learning haue vndertaken the defence of our Church which had well beseemed the chiefest of them I answere that seeing them silent I could not hold my peace And that I being by the prouidence of God cast into the middest of these Separistes that towards the Northen parts did lately spring vp had thereby many more occasions to mooue prick mee forward to this businesse then other of my brethren haue had Thus God who in his secrete counsell had purposed and appointed me to this seruice made a way therevnto And it will aboundantly content mee if that whatsoeuer it is I haue performed bee approoued of God and acceptable to thee my reuerend and gracious Mother whos 's next to my Father wholly I am deuoted to thy seruice IOHN DAYRELL TO ALL SVCH AS PROFESSING THE FAITH AND OBEDIENCE of Christ haue separated themselues from the Churches of ENGLAND HAVING iust occasion of late to looke into your bookes I found that there are foure causes alleadged for your Separation and that the principall of them all concerneth the confusion and mixture of
good bad in our church We forsake say you your Church for this maine corruption Counterp 3. that all sorts of profane and wicked men haue beene and are both they and their seede receiued into and nourished within the bosome of your Church contrary to the first couenant of our Redemption contrarie also to the example of all Gods Churches since the world began who alwayes were separated from the vngodly as the Scriptures shew Thus speaketh M. Ainsworth and M. Robinson after this manner Answ to a Censorious Epistle 35. In these two respects principally your Babylonish confusion of all sorts of people in the body of your Church without separation and your Babylonish bondage vnder your spirituall Lords the Prelates wee account you Babylon and flye from you Herevnto adde that which M. Smith saith in his Paralleles Pag. 23. All Churches or assemblies of men whatsoeuer professing Christ and not separated from worldlings are false Churches and so without onely the separated Churches are the true Churches and are within And in another place thus A false worship Daral 14. ministerie and gouernment may be in a true Church through ignorance and the like occasions Which thus hee amplyfieth Ibid. 15. A true man may haue a woodden legge an eye of glasse so a true Church may haue a false ministerie and worship or gouernement Hauing therefore a desire to reclaime you if it be possible and bring you back againe to our Churches I thought I could bestow my paines no way more profitably then in discouering vnto you how weake and insufficient this is to ground your Separation vpon And this I haue endeauoured to doe in this Treatise I haue therein also both discouered and conuinced sundry errors of yours and your frequent and horrible peruerting of the sacred Scriptures for the defence of them And now I heartily pray you to consider That the soule of man is in very great danger by imbracing errour as well as by yeelding to profanenesse That errour in the minde doth greatly hazard the saluation of mans soule and that it is as fearefull and dangerous a thing to bee carried about with euery winde of doctrine as to consent to sinners when they entise vs. Hence it is that wee are not onely exhorted that wee sholud not beleeue euery spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God 1. Ioh. 4.1 1. Thes 5.21 that we should try all things and keepe that onely which is good but oft bidden to take heede that no man deceiue vs Mat. 24.4.5.23 24. to beware of false Christs which if it were possible should deceiue the very elect and to beware of false Prophets meaning false Teachers Mat. 7 15. which though they come in sheepes clothing with a shew of truth holinesse that they may the rather deceiue Act. 20.29 yet inwardly they are rauening wolues I know this saith Paul that after my departing shall grieuous wolues enter in among you not sparing the flocke Whereby wee learne that as grieuous and rauening wolues doe prey vpon and destroy the carkases of the silly sheepe so doe false Teachers the soules of men From hence also it is that our Lord Iesus hath as well forewarned vs to take heede and beware of false doctrine Mat. 16.6.12 Luke 12.15 as to take heede and beware of couetousnesse In both of these he vseth a double caueat because both of them are very dangerous to the soule so as we haue as great neede to beware of the one as of the other If the Lord had onely said Beware of false doctrine hee had thereby intimated that there is danger in beleeuing such doctrine but hee iterating and doubling the caueat Mat. 16.6 Marke 8.14 Take heede and beware of false doctrine which is also noted by two Euangelists doth thereby imply the danger is very great It is also to bee obserued that Iesus compareth false doctrine to Leauen Take heede and beware of the Leauen of the Pharises and Sadduces teaching vs thereby that as a little leauen sowreth the whole lumpe of dough so a little false doctrine the whole minde Wee neede not goe farre to confirme this by examples Who knoweth not that many among you from Brownisme haue fallen into Anabaptisme Your selfe M. Iohnson doe acknowledge this in your answere to M. White And I my selfe doe know that M. Smith and those of his Church at the first receiued onely some few small and petty errours in comparison holding still communion with vs but after in processe of time grosser errours growing vpon them they departed and separated from vs and are now by little and little fallen into a gulfe of errours as plainely appeareth by sundry of M. Smiths bookes lately published and namely the Paralleles The differences of the Churches of the Separation and the Character of the beast We may also remember that errour in the minde is by the Holy Ghost compared to a Gangraine or Canker 2. Tim. 2.17 which beeing in any part of the body stayeth not there but by little and little spreadeth it selfe further and pierceth into the bones not ceasing to inlarge it selfe vntill it hath brought destruction to the body Euen so it is with the soule when errour inuadeth it Tit. 3.10 Reiect him saith the Apostle that is an Hereticke after once or twice admonition knowing that hee that is such is peruerted and sinneth being damned of his owne seâ—fe As if hee should say There is little or no hope of reclaiming heretickes such as be contentious and obstinate in their errours but that all labour vsed to that end is in vaine and lost Their disease is almost incurable For say that they be conuinced and in themselues doe condemne that which they contend for Yet are they vsually so peruerse and obstinate as they will continue still in their sinne maintaining their opinion against conscience Yet notwithstanding saith Paul let them be admonished once or twise if hapily they will amend Which if they doe not after admonition thus giuen haue nothing to doe with them And doe we not in experience see how hard a thing it is to draw men from error to the loue and imbracing of the truth Be they Turkes Papists Anabaptists Familists or whosoeuer that bee wrapt in errour Certainely it is as easie a matter to draw couetous men from the desire of riches voluptuous men from the loue of pleasure the proud man from his pride and the drunkard from his drunkennes as to bring a man intangled in errour to receiue and acknowledge the truth Of the former sort of these if they haue continued long in their sinne the Prophet saith thus Can the Blacke-Moore change his skin Ier. 13.23 or the Leopard his spots Then may ye also doe good that are accustomed to euill The same is no lesse true of all such who haue dwelt and abide long in their errours Beware therefore and feare my deare brethren and countreymen to continue still
SVMMARIE OF THE CHAPTERS THE FIRST BOOKE OF the Church triumphant and militant And sundry Titles in holy Scriptures given to the same specially to the Militant Church Chap. 1. pag 1. The Vse of the former doctrine Chap. 2. pag. 14. Of the Visible Church and the diverse acceptations of the Word Church Chap. 3. pag 20. The visible Church is a mixt companie compounded of Christians true and false the greatest part being the worst Chap. 4 pag 23. Of Religion what it is and how distinguished Chap 5. pag. 32. That the Profession of Religion maketh one a member of the visible Church Chap. 6. pag 3. That the Church of England is a true Church and our parish assemblies true visible Churches Chap. 7. pa. 41. THE SECOND BOOKE A Confutation of H. Barrow his description of a true visible Church Chap. 1. pag. 51. A confutation of another description of the true visible Church giuen by the Brownists Where much is said concerning the first gathering of a Church and commixture of good and bad in the Church Chap. 2. pag. 60. Of the matter and forme of the visible Church Chap. 3. pag. 161. Whether thc Couenant of life and saluation which God made with Abraham and his seede where made with the visible or inuisible Church Chap. 4. pag. 186. The titles which the Separists ascribe to the visible Church are to be vnderstood of the inuisible Church onely Chap. 5. pag. 197. The Churches of the Brownists by their owne doctrine are false churches and therefore men ought to separate and come out from among them Chap. 6. pag. 215. The controuersie betweene vs and the Brownists concerning religious communion is here debated Where is shewed First that wee may lawfully ioyne in diuine worship with them which are not members of the Church Secondly with the open wicked And that thereby neither the faithfull nor the holy things of God are polluted Chap. 7. pag. 217. The Arguments of the Brownists whereby they would proue our church to be a false church and the answere vnto them Chap 8. pag. 229. How the Separists to iustifie their separation from the Church of England doe shamefully peruert the holy Scriptures Chap. 9. pag. 257. THE FIRST BOOKE CHAP. I. Of the Church Triumphant and Militant and of the sundry titles in holy Scripture giuen to the same THe word in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated Church signifieth an assembly or company called out from other and in the new Testament thereby sometimes is meant The company of the Elect 1. Cor. 1.10 euen that whole company that God hath chosen and called and wil call out of mankind vnto the fellowship of Iesus Christ in him to haue life eternal And this is manifest by the fift to the Ephesians Husbands loue your wiues euen as Christ loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it 26. That he might sanctifie it and clense it by the washing of water through the Word 27. That hee might make it vnto himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinckle or any such thing but that it should bee holy and without blame And a little after No man euer hated his owne flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it Vers 29.32 euen as the Lord doth the Church And againe This is a great secret but I speake concerning Christ and concerning the Church All this must needs be vnderstood of all the Elect which society is foure times heere called the Church For first those which be heere called the Church Christ is said to Loue But on the Elect only Christs loue is set as on his spouse them alone hee nourisheth and cherisheth as a man doth his owne flesh The company of the Elect are meant therefore by the Church Againe it is said He gaue himselfe for the Church thereby also it is cleare by Church is meant onely and all the Elect sith for them alone and for all them he died and not for the reprobate And whereas Christ is said heere Iohn 17 9.20.25 compared with Iohn 10.27.28 Mat. 25.33.34 to sanctifie the Church and cleanse it c. And the Elect only be thus sanctified and clensed this sanctification being begunne onely in them in this life and perfected in them alone in the world to come at which time they shal be without spot or wrinkle their vile bodies being made like to Christ his glorious body and their sinfull soules like to his most holy and glorious soule and so a most glorious Church or company it followeth necessarily thereupon that by Church heere the holy Ghost meaneth the congregation of the Elect which is that we call the inuisible Church and not the visible Church which consisteth as well of Reprobate Matth. 16.8 as Elect as the Separists will haue it Of the inuisible Church also our Sauiour Christ speaketh vnto Peter saying Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke I will build my Church By him vnderstood Christ Iesus and the gates of hell shall not ouercome it Meaning that in him and vpon him the Elect whom heere hee calleth his Church should bee so rooted and grounded that no enemies no not Angels Principalities nor Powers with all their power and subtiltie should be able to preuaile against them or any of them But the visible Church is and hath beene from time to time shaked and battered in her parts yea sometimes made euen with the ground Of it therefore this Scripture cannot bee vnderstood as some affirme but of the inuisible which is nothing else but the communion of Saints that are and shall be Of the Church we haue againe a description together with a distribution in the 12. to the Hebrewes where Vers 22. for the better vnderstanding of the Doctrine we haue in hand wee may obserue the seuerall titles that bee giuen vnto it First it is called the Citie of the liuing God Rom. 12.2 because they of this society when they be called liue not after the lawes customes and manners of this world whereof they bee not though they be in it but are therein as foriners and strangers but after the lawes statutes and ordinances of God set downe in his word Iohn 15.19 17.14 1 Pet. 2.11 Psal 119.1.2 so that in life and conuersation they differ from other men yea from that themselues did sometime leade Secondly it is called the celestiall Ierusalem as whereof that earthly Ierusalem was a figure Also because the Citizens of this Citie seeke those things which are aboue Col. 3.1.2 setting their affections chiefely on heauenly things not minding in the first places earthly things as they doe whose portion is this world Phil. 3.19.20 Psal 119.57 and not God And thus as they of this fellowship are cleane changed and differ from all other in outward carriage and from that themselues were before so in inward affection and disposition Thirdly it is called the Church of the first borne because they are that company which was figured by
the first borne of the Iewes that were by Gods appointment to be sanctified to the Lord Exod. 13.2 and are they which out of mankind are of God sanctâ—fied and put apart to an holy vse that is the seruice or worship of God the rest of mankind attending proâ—ane and worldly affaires Also Exod. 4.23 Psal 4.6 Matth. 22.5 Esa 49.15 because they of this Church or company are as dearely nay more dearely beloued of God then the first borne children are of their parents Fourthly this Church is said to be written in heauen because all of them are chosen and appointed to life eternall and their names written in the booke of life enioying or hereafter to enioy it in heauen Lastly he maketh mention of the spirits of iust and perfect men meaning the soules of the faithfull which are now in heauen Whereby wee learne that part of the Church is now in heauen and the other in earth and hereafter to be on earth both these making the Church This Church or company then containeth all Gods Elect that euer haue beene are and shall be in this world from the beginning thereof to the end Whereof part we see is in heauen triumphing as hauing got the victory ouer their enemies and praysing God and is therefore called the Church triumphant and part on earth hereafter on earth to be warring or fighting with their spirituall enemies the flesh the world and prince thereof the Diuel called therefore the Church militant This Paul teacheth likewise in the 3. to the Eph. saying I bow my knees vnto the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ Vers 14.15 of whom is named the whole family in heauen and in earth By whole family he meaneth the whole Church one part whereof saith hee is in heauen with God the Lord Master of this Family magnifying him and namely for his goodnes towards theÌ„ the victory that by him they haue obtained Exod. 4.23 the glory honor and immortality he hath bestowed vpon them the other on earth for a time attoÌ„ding the busines he hath appointed them which is to worship him This the Apostle likewise teacheth Ephes 1.10 and in the first to the Coloss vers 20. In both which places he affirmeth that God hath reconciled to himselfe in Christ all things which are in heauen and which are in earth By the word Things hee meaneth Men as Reuel 21.27 where Iohn speaking of the new Ierusalem saith There shall enter into it no vncleane thing meaning no vncleane man or person By all things then both which words be vsed in eyther of these places the holy Ghost meaneth all the Elect for of these the Apostle speaketh in both places of which society part he telleth vs now three times is in heauen and the other in earth none in purgatory and that each part and euery member thereof is in and through Christ reconciled God and such only be the Elect. This whole company of the Elect is the Church which Ephes 1.22.23 proueth Christ is appointed the head to the Church which is his body the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all things As the parts of a man soule and body make but a man not men and the seuerall parts of the body one body not diuers so the societies whereof I haue spoken in heauen and on earth make but one Church We doe not then beleeue two Churches not two Spouses of Christ but we beleeue only one yet considered diuers wayes One as shee is in the blade growing and to grow together with the tares in the field or in the flore mixed with chaffe another as shee is in the garner one in the mine and another purifiâ—d one yet wrapped in the confusion of this world and wicked men another before her Spouse without spot or wrinckle But leauing the triumphant Church which is in this pure and perfect estate we will now intreat of the Militant The militant Church is vniuersall or particular Ephes 4.13.16 Vniuersall are all those throughout the world who beleeuing in Christ are by the spirit vnited to him and by loue one vnto another In a word the whole company of the faithfull Hereof Paul speaketh 1. Cor. 12.28 God hath ordained some in the Church first Apostles secondly Prophets c. And Ephes 4.11.12 where the very same in part is layd downe but in other words He therefore gaue some to bee Apostles and some Prophets c. for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the ministery and for the edification of the body of Christ In stead of the word Church he first vseth Saints because the Church is nothing else but the Congregation of Saints Secondly The body of Christ meaning that part of his body which is on earth the whole being set for a part by a Synecdoche And of this is that to be vnderstood in the Creed I beleeue the holy Catholike Church A particular Church is the whole company of beleeuers that be in a Country Citie Towne or Village Such was the Church at Ierusalem Rome Corinth the Churches of Galatia c. as after in the ninth chapter of this Booke is proued Paul an Apostle 1. Cor. 1 2. Gal. 1.2 vnto the Church of God which is at Corinthus Paul vnto the Churches of Galatia And thus rightly we doe and may call all the faithfull in England in Scotland in France the Church of England the Church of Scotland the Church of God in France and all the true beleeuers be they more or lesse in Islington the Church of Islington Thus haue we many Churches and yet but one Church many particular Churches and yet but one Catholike or vniuersall Church 1. Pet. 2.9 To the Militant Church Peter speaketh saying But yee are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that yee should shew forth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darknesse into his maruailous light Where he speaking to the Elect and beleeuing Iewes telleth them that they need not to feare nor be dismaid at this that God hath ordained some to destruction whereof he had spoken in the two next verses before for as much as they were not of those or of that Generation whom God to glorifie his Iustice and to shew his anger against sinne hath appointed to condemnation but were of that Generation and stock which out of mankind God hath chosen and ordained to life euerlasting that so hee might declare the riches of his glory and mercy in sauing them Of this societie the beleeuing Iewes whom Peter speaketh were part And therefore it is that the Apostle vseth this particle but saying But yee are a chosen generation Those that Peter calleth heere the chosen Generation are the same which the Scripture often cals the Church and Diuines vsually the inuisible Church And it is that company of men which God out of all mankind hath chosen in Christ to giue or bestow vpon them eternall
life as is aforesaid For which cause as the Church is heere called the Chosen generation Matth. 20.16 22.14 24 so often in Scripture the chosen or the Elect Many are called but few chosen which is in effect the same with this Many are in the Church but few of the Church If it were possible they should deceiue the very Elect. And Tit. 1.1 the elect of God or Gods elect According to the faith of Gods elect These elect and beleeuing Iewes or Church of the Iewes are heere called first a royall Priesthood because all of them and not all of the visible Church as the Separists doe teach and Kings and Priests vnto God as Reuel 1.6 and 5.10 where those which Christ hath redeemed loued and washed from their sinnes in his blood which are the Elect and Church inuisible hee is said to haue made them Kings and Priests vnto God euen his Father 2. Cor. 10.45 As Kings and conquerors in this life they subdue and cast downe holds Rom. 8.10.13 Gal. 5.24 casting downe the imaginations and euery high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God bringing into captiuity euery thought to the obedience of Christ and doe kill sinne which before as a King raigned in them Rom. 6.12.14.21.23 7.11 and had dominion ouer them and else would haue slaine them These as Kings ouercome also this world and the Prince thereof treading him vnder their feete 1. Iohn 5.4 Gen. 3.15 Rom. 16.20 Ephes 6.12 Rom. 8.37 Hebr. 1.2 Psal 8.6.7 8. Thus are these Conquerers not onely of flesh and bloud but of principalities and powers yea more then conquerours through him that loueth them They of this chosen generation and royall Priesthood as Kings are in and through Christ heires of this world and of the things therein as of the fish of the sea the fowles of the ayre and the beasts of the earth hauing a right to that which they inherit and possesse so as they may say it is their owne and are not vsurpers as men of another generation bee 1. Cor. 3.21.22 And in the world to come all of this chosen generation and royall Priesthood as Kings and Conquerors shall raigne and inherit a Kingdome that is eternall 2. Tim. 2.12 2. Pet. 1.11 1. Pet. 1.4 reserued for them in heauen Rightly therefore are all of the Church said to bee royall persons and Kings These Kings are also Priests and are therefore called a eoyall Priesthood As Priests they offer sacrifices the spiritual sacrifices whereof we shall heare forthwith and in the life to come the sacrifice of praise and thankes to God and vnto him that sitteth vpon the Throne for the victory and conquest he hath giuen them and for all his goodnes and louing kindnesse towards them Reuel 5.9.10 The Church of the Iewes to whom Peter writ is likewise called an holy nation and in the fift verse an holy Priesthood because all the members of the Church be holy and none of them vnholy or prophane Among these there is no vncleane person neyther whosoeuer worketh abomination that is no sinner or worker of iniquity But as all their names be written in the booke of life of which we haue spoken so are they all Saints indeed their hearts being purified by faith and they sanctified and made holy by Gods holy Spirit Act. 15.9 Rom. 8 9.10 dwelling in them Holy are they in this world but more holy in the world to come In part heere but hereafter perfectly holy and without blame not hauing spot or wrinckle Holy in regard of their renued righteousnesse Ephes 5.27 2. Cor. 7.1 1. Pet. 1.15 1. Iohn 3.3 2. Cor. 6.21 which is begun in this life and perfected in the life to come And holy because of Christs holinesse which being without them is imputed to them and becomes theirs by imputation as their sinnes were his This society is further called a peculiar people or a people or company which God claimeth to be his owne in a speciall and more principall respect that is by right of redemption as being that society or part of mankind which Christ Iesus hath bought and deliuered out of that spirituall captiuity and bondage to sinne Satan and condemnation not with gold or siluer or any such corruptible thing but by his owne pretious bloud in another and more generall respect all mankind being his that is by right of creation Exod. 19.5 or as he is their Creator Of this People we reade Matth. 1.21 Thou shalt call his name Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sinnes Hereby are meant those whom God the Father hath giuen to Christ Iesus in him to haue life eternall that is the Elect which Christ meaneth by these words so oft repeated by Iohn Iohn 6.37.39 17.2.24 Those which my Father hath giuen mee And this is confirmed by the Syriake translation where for peculiar people we haue the Congregation redeemed Iesus then in dying paid not a ransome or price of redemption for all men but for a certaine congregation or company of men Act. 20.28 Costerus cap. de Iustificatione de causis et modis Iustif Apologie 44. Conterpo 158 A true description of the visible Church pag. 1. euen that wee call the Church I say not for all men as the Papists hold nor for the visible Church as the Brownists in vnderstanding this Scripture of the visible Church vnawares doe teach and in plaine words in their Confession of faith Art 17. and Master Robinson in his Iustification 115. where he saith That all of the visible Church are purchased with the blood of God Moreouer of this society it is said heere that of God they are called out of darkenesse into his maruailous light that is out of sinne and ignorance wherein they remaine vntill the time of their calling to knowledge and holinesse To the same effect are those words Act 26.18 where Paul is said to be sent to the Gentiles to open their eyes that they might turne from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan vnto God As all of the Church Ephes 14 in the eternall decree and counsell of God are chosen and appointed to life euerlasting before all times euen before the foundation of the world was laid as we haue heard so betweene this decree and the execution thereof in this world are they all in time euen in their appointed season effectually called and translated from the kingdome of darknes and the Prince thereof the Diuell Colos 1.13 into the kingdome of God his deare sonnes to be from thenceforth gouerned by his spirit and word and do walke in the light And this the Apostle teacheth in the eight to the Romans saying whom he predestinated meaning to life them also he called Veâ—s 39 Lastly Peter sheweth wherefore God hath chosen out of the stock of mankind some to life whom in his time hee calleth to be Kings and Priests vnto him
and sanctifieth or maketh holy that before and till then were prophane and from vnder the power of Satan and his slauery bringeth into the glorious liberty of the sons of God bestowing his free spirit vpon them All this God doth to this end that they might shew forth the vertues of him who hath chosen and called them hereunto that is praise him for his exceeding rich mercie and goodnes towards them As in the aforesaid ninth verse so likewise in the fift verse of the said Chapter this our Apostle in the beleeuing Iewes doth yet further describe and set forth the Church or rather part thereof the Militant whereby wee may the better vnderstand the same and who be of it And yee speaking of the elect and beleeuing Iewes as liuely stones are made a spirituall house an holy Priesthood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ First the company of true beleeuers all which be the Militant Church are called liuely or liuing stones as hauing spirituall life or the life of God in them from that liuing stone Christ Iesus Ephes 4.18 mentioned vers 4. who is also the chiefe corner stone of this building As these before the time of their calling and vntill they doe beleeue are as stones without life Rom. 6.13 Ephes 2.1 2. Tim. 5.6 Iohn 5.25 Matth. 7.22 dead in sinne like to the widow who liuing in pleasure was dead while shee liued and to those of whom Iesus speaketh The dead shall heare the voice of the Sonne of God meaning in the Ministery of the Word and againe Let the dead bury the dead and being thus dead haue no more power or strength to doe those actions which are pleasing vnto God which we call good-workes then a dead man to performe the actions of life as to eate drinke talke walke c. So as soone as they be called and beleeue and euer from that time forward they haue a power conueyed into them from God whereby they are quickned and made able to doe the workes of God whereupon they are called liuing or liuely stones And it commeth thus to passe I speake of the inward and effectuall calling When God calleth a man which is when he receiueth grace to beleeue in Christ Iesus then hee bestoweth his Spirit on him according to that of Paul Ephes 3.17 Christ dwelleth in your hearts by faith meaning that in all which doe beleeue Christ dwelleth by his Spirâ—t which is confirmed by that other speech of the Apostle to the Romans Chap. 8.9 If any man haue not the Spirit of Christ the same is not his This Spirit being the Spirit of life as it is called Rom. 8.2 killeth and subdueth in whomsoeuer it is sinne so as though it remaine still in man yet it hath not that dominion and command that before it had and quickneth or inableth them in some measure to lead an holy and righteous life As is taught Rom 8.10 If Christ bee in you to wit by his Spirit or if the Spirit of Christ be in you the body meaning the body of sinne as Rom. 6.6 is dead because of sinne and the Spirit is life for righteousnesse sake From hence I say it is that the faithfull who bee the Militant Church are called liuing stones 1. Cor. 3.16.17 Secondly they are said to be a spirituall house and elsewhere the Temple of God as wherein God dwelleth by his Spirit whereof the Tabernacle and materiall house or Temple built by Salomon were a type and figure Of this inhabitation of God by his Spirit we shal heare more hereafter Thirdly as in the ninth verse they are termed a royall Priest-hood so heere an holy Priesthood They are said also to offer vp spirituall sacrifices As the Priests vnder the law were to offer sacrifices so these royall and holy Priests both vnder the Law and Gospell did and should offer not Lambes Calues yong Bullockes Psal 51.17 Psal 4.5 Heb. 13.15 or any earthly or corporall sacrifices as the Leuiticall Priests did but sacrifices of another kinde spirituall and heauenly the sacrifice of a contrite spirit and broken heart the sacrifice of righteousnesse the sacrifice of praise or the calues of the lippes yea themselues for a sacrifice consecrating themselues wholly to God throughout the whole course of their liues in all their actions studying to please him It is said further that the sacrifices which these Priests doe offer are acceptable to God by Christ Iesus Wherein are implied two things First Though all the sacrifices of the Leuiticall Priests were not pleasing to God and accepted of him yet all the sacrifices which these Priests offer that is all the good workes they doe should be accepted of God Secondly That these sacrifices bee not acceptable to God for any perfection or worthinesse that is in them but in and through Iesus Christ Confession of faith 6. and to Communion of Saints 248 and 470. Apologie 44. Counterp 198. Description of the visible Church p. 2. his mediation and intercession These two places of Peter viz the fift and ninth verses and likewise Reuel 1.6 and 1. Cor 3.16 17. our brethren of the Separation vnderstand of the visible Church and members thereof as hereafter we shall heare I trust by that is already said this error of theirs is manifest Yet haue we something more to say thereunto in his due place Finally of this blessed company that is to bee vnderstood in the Creed I beleeue the holy Catholike Church Where euery true beleeuer not onely professeth that hee beleeueth and is perswaded that there is such a blessed society as is aforesaid to whom only the benefits and priuiledges following in the Creed doe belong to wit the Communion of Saints the forgiuenesse of sinnes the resurrection of the flâ—sh and life euerlasting but that he himselfe is one of them This Church is said to be holy for that it consisteth of persons holy but of this we haue spoken already It is termed likewise Catholike that is Vniuersall because of this fellowship there are some heere and there through the vnâ—uersall world as also for that it containeth in it all the Elect and such as are and shall be saued from the beginniâ—g to the end of the world so that out of this Church there is no saluation Lastly it is to be obserued that we doe not say I see but I beleeue the holy Catholike Church whereby wee know that this Church is rightly said to be Inuisible Heb. 11.2 bâ—cause faith is of things which are not seene We beleeue this Church it must needs then be inuisible And it is called Inuisible hauing reference to men who can neither sound the secrets of God nor yet which is lesse the heart of man because I say we can doe neither of these much lesse both and so cannot see or know who be Elect of which alone this Church standeth therefore it is said to he Inuisible 2. Tim. 2.19 1.
We account of all men next to the King his children most honorable and happy especially his sonne and heire that is to inherit the Kingdome Hereupon the seruants of Saul speaking thus to Dauid Behold 2. Sam. 18.23 the King hath a fauour vnto thee be now therefore the Kings sonne in law DAVID answered Seemeth it to you a light thing to be the Kings sonne in law seeing that I am a poore man and of small reputation What then may it seeme vnto vs who are but dust and ashes nay worse then so by nature the children of wrath and of the Diuell to become by grace the adopted children of God Ephes 2.3 Iohn 8.41.44 It is a matter of great honor and dignity to bee the sonne and heire of a Noble man specially of a King And is it not a much more glorious thing to be the sonne and heire of the Lord of Lords and King of Kings All men bestow and leaue vnto their children according to that themselues be and haue The meane man an inheritance or portion according to his abilitie be it more or lesse The Gentleman leaues to his children according to his estate and worth The noble-man after his and the King according to his greatnesse Euen so it is betwixt God and his children What and how great then shall be the portion and honor of these children seeing it shall be agreeable to the greatnesse of their heauenly Father and that which beseemeth the children of such a Father It must needs be such as neither eye hath sâ—ene nor eare hath heard nor euer came into mans heart in a word incomprehensibly glorious Because of this the estate of these in the world to come is not only called a glorious estate Rom. 8.18.21 and vers 17.30 1. Iohn 3.2 Phil. 3.21 and the glorioas liberty of the sons of God and they then said to be glorified and to be like vnto Christ partaking with him in glory both in soule and body their vile bodies being made like vnto his glorious body but is also inlarged thus that they shall then haue a most excellent and eternall waight of glory 2. Cor. 4.17 To set forth also the excellent an glorious estate and condition of these in the world to come it is often said in the Scriptures that they shall haue a Kingdome Feare not little flocke Luke 12.32 for it is your Fathers pleasure to giue you a Kingdome Matth. 5.3 Blessed are the poore in spirit for there is the Kingdome of heauen And to the same end it is called the kingdom of God and of heauen 1. Cor. 6.9 Heb. 12.28 2. Tim. 4.8 1. Cor. 9.25 Mat. 5.3 and said to be such as cannot be shaken On the heads of these Kings shall be set a crowne of righteousnesse yea an incorruptible crowne of glory Happy then and a thousand times happy are all of this Church and company that shall haue such and so glorious a kingdome whereof also there is no end but they shall raigne for euermore These 1. Pet. 1.4 2.1.11 howsoeuer they be not borne nor come by discent to this heauenly kingdome and inheritance Ephes 1.4.5 Act. 13.48 yet are they of God chosen and ordained thereunto before the foundation of the world was laid as appeareth by that sentence of Christ the Iudge of all men which he shall one day pronounce vpon them Come yee blessed of my Father Matth. 25.34 take the inheritance of the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world And therefore they who in their minoritie and nonage haue not yet receiued this inheritance and kingdome are as sure of it as if they were inthronized and in possession thereof Because as God himselfe so all things in God and namely this election of part of mankind vnto saluation is vnchangeable So that heauen and earth shall sooner passe away then any one of this chosen generation perish Are not they now happy who are sure to inherite this Kingdome albeit they yet haue it not What though in this world and for the present 1. Cor. 15.19 they bee of all men the most miserable yet neuerthelesse if we haue respect to their future estate Heb. 11.26 1. Pet. 1.4 to this great recompence of reward and inheritance immortall by the power of God reserued for them in heauen they are of all the children of men the most happy and those only who be happy all others being in a most accursed estate coÌ„dition And thus much concerning the Church or that we cal the Inuisible Church the knowledge whereof we referre to God the searcher of hearts proceed we now to entreate of the visible Church which men can know and discerne and is therefore called visible into which all they must retire themselues in this world that will be gathered with the inuisible Church into heauen in the world to come according to that saying Act. 2.47 And the Lord added to the Church from day to day such as should be saued For this cause it standeth vs vpon diligently to search and enquire into this matter and so for thee Christian Reader to giue good eare to that which followeth CHAP. III. Of the visible Church and diuers acceptation of the word Church AS sometimes this word Church must be taken in that sence I haue already spoken of that is for all the elect or some speciall company of the elect as is manifest by the premises so in many other places of holy Scripture it cannot possibly be so vnderstood but must of necessity haue some other signification Verse 3. In the 8. of Acts Luke reporteth of Saul that he made hauocke of the Church And no lâ—sse doth the Apostle say of himselfe 1. Cor. 15.9 I am not meete to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God In these places and very many more by Church we cannot vnderstand the Elect except we will imagine eyther that Saul knew whom God had elected or that all bee elected who are persecuted both which are very false How then must wee vnderstand this word Church heere And what may we doe to finde out the true sence and meaning of this word in these and such other like places where it cannot be taken in the former signification Surely it may easily and and safely be done by conference of Scripture as we shall see Verse 3. In the 22. of the Acts Saint Paul hath these words of himselfe I was zealous towards God as yee all are this day vers 4. And I persecuted this way vnto the death binding and deliuering into prison both men and women And Galath 1. Thus he likewise speaketh of himselfe Vers 13. yee haue heard of my conuersation in times past in the Iewish religion how that I persecuted the Church of God extreamely and wasted it 14. And profited in the Iewish religion aboue many of my companions of my owne Nation and was much more
then it is taken for all that company which in a Citie Towne or Villages cohabiting professe the Christian or true Religion and doe ordinarily meet and ioyne together in the exercises of Religion This particular Church we call a Parish and being met together to ioyn in prayer in hearing of the Word and receiuing the Sacraments A Parish assembly which is a company of Christians dwelling in such a circuite as we call a Parish assembled in one place for religious exercise And in this sence is this word Church often taken in the new Testament and namely in these places following Rom. 16.1 1. Cor. 1.17 14.23 I commend vnto you Phebae our sister which is a seruant of the Church of Cenchrea As I teach euery where in euery Church As if a Minister of the Gospell should now say thus This is my opinion and so I teach euery where in euery Parish wheresoeuer I come If therefore when the whole Church is come together in one and all speake strange tongues there come in they that are vnlearned t is as if one should speak now when the whole Parish is come together Act. 14.23 and 27. And when they had ordained them Elders by election in euery Church that is as we say in euery Parish and prayed and fasted they commended them to the Lord. Behold then many Churches and one Church many particulars but one vniuersall Thus we see that the word Church in holy Writte is often taken for a company of men professing Christian Religion whether that company be great or small that is all one Sometimes in the Scripture the whole company of men that professed Christian Religion throughout the world that is the vniuersall Congregation of Christians is called a Church Of that company of Christians that ordinarily ioyned together in the exercises of Religion and sometimes the Christians that were of the same family And from hence by very good reason wee may well call all that professe Christian or true Religion in a Nation or all the Christians in a Nation the Church of that Nation whatsoeuer it be Let no man therefore hold that it is vnlawfull to say The Church of England the Church of Scotland c. as some of late haue done And thus much concerning the Church what it signifieth and what it is It remaineth that we be further instructed touching the visible Church that so we may the better know it and be able to discerne betweene a true visible Church and a false betwixt the Church of God and the Sinagogue of Satan That so to our further comfort or discomfort we may know to which of these we doe belong CHAP. IV. The visible Church is a mixt company compounded of Christians true and false the greatest part being the worst TO this purpose wee haue a very good place in the 11. of the Acts vers 26. And it came to passe that at Antiochia Barnabas and Saul were a whole yeer conuersant with the Church and taught much people in so much that the Disciples were first called Christians in Antiochia Where we may obserue that this word Church is explained by three diuers words People Disciples Christians By all which foure words the holy Ghost meaneth one and the same society For where it is said they taught much people it is all one as if it had beene said they taught the Church And in so much that the disciples in so much that the Church or they of the Church were first called Christians In that the Church is called a people we learne that one Disciple or Christian is not neyther can be called a Church But to that end there must be a company more or lesse as I haue noted in the beginning out of the signification of the word Secondly in that by the word Disciples is meant the Church and that by these two different words is meant one and the same company we learne that the Church visible is a people much or small hearing and learning those things which are taught them from God or seeming so to doe In a word that it is a company of Disciples whereof some few only are * Which bee they who yeelds obedience to the word of God Maâ—th 20.16 Proficients and doe learne aright the heauenly instructions the other being now Proficients or trewants yet comming to this Schoole of Christ doe only occupie a roome there according to that saying of Christ Many are called but few are chosen Last y in that the Church or they of the Church are called Christians and that by these two seuerall words the holy Ghost meaneth one and the same society we are taught that the visible Church is nothing else but a company of Christians which hath beene further confirmed by the former testimonies of holy Scripture and might be by more if need did so require Christians now are all they to be accounted who professe the Christian or true Religion A company of which make a Church as wee heare and these bee of two sorts Christians indeed and Christians in name onely Christians indeed be such who professing true Religion be withall religious indeed leading a religious holy life Or Christians indeed Iames 1.27 be they which partake with Christ in that holy anointing wherof the Apostle entreating of Christ speaketh in the first of the Hebrewes Verse 9. God euen thy God hath annointed thee with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes 2. Cor. 1.21 And to the Corinthians It is God which hath anointed vs who hath also sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts Such were those 5. Iohn speaketh of in his first Epistle Chap. 2.20.27 But yee haue an oyntment from that holy one And a little after But that anointing which ye receiued of him dwelleth in you and yee need not that any man teach you but as the same annoynting teacheth you of all things and it is true and not lying As if hee had said what it teacheth is true and no falshood or error in it which must needs be because it is the Spirit of truth and therefore breatheth and inspireth nothing into any but truth The Spirit of God and of Christ that leadeth all them which haue it into all truth needfull to be knowne to saluation dwelleth in all these Christians so as hee that wanteth this spirit is no true Christian Rom. 8.9 According to that of PAVL If any man haue not the Spirit of Christ the same is not his From whence also it followes on the other side that he who hath Christ his Spirit and he only is Christs that is a member of Christ or true Christian As he only was a Iew which was one within Rom. 2.29 circumcised in the heart and in the spirit not only in the letter or circumcision done by the hand so hee onely is a Christian which is one within baptised with the holy Ghost and not alone with water 2.
from among vs whom wee call Brownists contrarie minded who both reiect the aforesaid doctrine as erronious and condemne our Parish assemblies for false Churches it remaineth we heare what they likewise teach concerning the Church and their Arguments whereby they would proue our Church to be a false Church that so wee may more clearely see on which side the truth is whereby the louers of the Truth shall be preserued from error and Wisdome iustified of her children THE SECOND BOOKE CHAP. I. A confutation of H. BARROW his description of a true visible Church WEE haue spoken in the former Chapter of the first vse wee make of the aforesaid Doctrine of the visible Church And there we haue seene how fitly it seemeth to iustifie the Church of England and to proue her to be a true Church now by it wee will also conuince the Brownists false doctrine of the visible Church And that shall be the second and lâ—st vse of the Doctrine aforesaid For the better vnderstanding of the Brownists doctrine concerning the true visible Church let vs heare how it is described by them It is saith BARROW a company and fellowship of faithfull and holy people gathered in the name of Christ Iesus A true description of the visible Church pag. 1. their only King Priest Prophet worshipping him aright being peaceably quietly gouerned by his officers lawes keeping the vnity of faith in the bond of peace and loue vnfained Generalâ—y coÌ„cerning this description I affirme that a Apology 44. Counterp 115. Princ. Infer 8. 10. as al the rest of the descriptions or definitions of the visible Church which they do giue so this likewise is rather a description of the inuisible Church militant then of the visible That which is hâ—ere set downe is true onely of the Elect and cannot properly and truely bee spoken of any Reprobate whereof a true visible Church may in part consist as well of the Elect for as the Elect only are faithfull and holy indeed and effectually called so Christ Iesus is their onely b Though Christ Iesus be in diuers respects King of the visible Church yet he is not King Priest Prophet of the visible but only of the inuisible Church hee cannot be said to be Priest of the visible Church but with relation had to them that be of the inuisible Church King Priest and Prophet they alone doe worshippe him aright are gouerned by his lawes keepe the vnity of faith in the bond of peace and loue vnfained But let vs brifely consider of the seuerall parts of this description That your meaning is the visible Church consisteth only of faithfull holy persons it is hereafter made manifest and appeareth also by the last page of H. Barrow his book intituled A true description of the visible Church where hee saith that into the visible Church there entereth no vncleane thing or person but all such are without how true this Doctrine is wee shall anon heare as also of the gathering heere spoken of And that the visible Church and consequently all the members thereof haue not Christ Iesus to be their King Priest and Prophet in the end of this booke it is made manifest Omitting therefore these things wee will come to that which in the description followeth In it you adde that the visible Church consisteth of a Company that worship Christ aright and to proue this you send vs to three places of Scripture the two first viz. Exod. 20.7.8 Leuit. 10.5 speake neuer a word for you The last and onely testimony you haue is Ioh. 4.23 where Iesus saith That the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and truth and that the Father requireth such to worship him And hereof our Lord rendereth a reason in the words next following saying God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and truth which in effect is this that God being of a spirituall nature requireth a spirituall seruice agreeable to his nature Of a company of such kind of worshippers say you doth the visible Church consist But how can this possibly be true seeing Christ Iesus speaking to some of the visible Church Matth. 15.7 saith thus O Hypocrites Esaias prophecied well of you saying this people draweth neere vnto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but their heart is farre from mee but in vaine doe they worship me These were no true worshippers worshipping God in Spirit and truth but only outwardly and Hypocritically whereupon Iesus calleth them Hypocrites and yet were these worshippers members of the visible Church And whereas of the visible Church the greatest part are Hypocrites or hypocriticall worshâ—ppers by this description and doctrine of yours there can be no Hipocrites in it for you teach that the visible Church is a company that worship God in Spirit and truth but no Hypocrites worshippe God in Spirit and truth therefore by your doctrine no Hypocrites are of or in the visible Church That no hypocrites doe worship God in spirit and truth which resteth only to be proued it is hereby manifest First because they doe not worship God with a true and sincere affection of the heart Secondly Because this worshipping of God in spirit and truth is that worship which God requireth to be performed to him by men accepteth of and is well pleased with but the worship of hypocrites God forbiddeth reiecteth and abhorreth Hypocrites therefore doe not worship God in spirit and truth Thirdly As many as thus worship God in this world Heb. 11.6 Psal 19.11 he will honor in the world to come and for their poore seruice done to him on earth he will aboundantly reward them in heauen now woe be to Hypocrites saith Christ And againe giue him his portion with Hypocrites This is the hypocrites reward Where you say that the visible Church is a company peaceably and quietly gouerned by Christ's officers and lawes considering the greatest part of the visible Church are reprobates and so rebels against Christ taking part with Satan against him how can this be truely said of the visible Church and consequently of all the members thereof Cain Ismael Esau Saul Absolom the Scribes and Pharisies were all of the visible Church These and thousands more such in the Church haue beene so farre from being quietly gouerned by Christs lawes that with them in the second Psalme they haue said Verse 3. Let vs breake their bonds and cast their cords from vs. The visible Church therefore is not a company of such loyall and obedient subiects to Christ as these men affirme How peaceably and quietly was Saul gouerned by the lawes of God and Church officers then when he caused the Priests of the Lord to be slaine and eagerly persecuted Dauid thirsting after his bloud and that all his life time The same may be said of Cain killing Abel of Ismael mocking or as the Apostle saith persecuting Isaak of Absalom
because in the beginning of Queene Elizabeths raigne and likewise at this day our parishionall assemblies are no such societies as consist of such onely but had and now haue in them many false and counterfeite Christians and Professors Therefore at the first they were and so continue false visible Churches Is there any so blind who seeth not that hereby they shut out of the Church all Hypocrites For true Professors are opposite to false and counterfeite Professors which are those we call Hypocrites A true Professor is he who is the sonne in trueth that he professeth and maketh shew to be Who professing godlinesse is godly Directly contrary to this man is the Hypocrite The like may be saide of a faithfull and true Christian But a true visible Church saide those Schismaticks is a company of true Professors and Christians and not a mixt company of true and false Professors Therefore in the visible Church by their doctrine there are no Hypocrites With Barrow and Robison doth Maister Ainsworth accord Counterp 72. as being led by the same spirit The Apostle saith he sheweth Iam 1.18 1. Pet. 1.23 That Christs Church is a people begotten with the word of trueth that is the Gospell but your Church was first begotten gathered constituted ordered and is still continued by the Magistrates word and authoritie which if it did not enforce the people the estate wherein you now stand would soone bee changed and your Church dissolued And where you learned so to inforce faith and constraine men to bee members of your Church Alcoran chap. 18. 19. I can not tell vnlesse you would follow Mahomets doctrine who taught that men should bee compelled to the faith by the sword Before you teach that a visible Church is a company of people that doe repent and beleeue the Gospell and here you terme it a people begotten by the Gospel and borne a new nor of mortall but of immortall seede and so all are regenerated that bee in the visible Church and consequently shall inherit the Kingdome of heauen For can hee dye that is begotten and borne of immortall seede whereof both these Apostles speak This doctrine and all of this kinde hereafter following take it as it is by you deliuered and it is palpably false so as it needeth no confutation But your meaning it seemeth is that All in the true visible Church liue so holily righteously and soberly touching their outward carriage before men that wee cannot in equity nor charity account otherwise of them then faithfull and such as haue repented and are conuerted to God and are begotten and borne a new Principles and Inferences 7. yea Elect as M. Smith saith And for this cause as these men suppose all in the visible Church are called Saints and Faithfull As Ephes 1.1 Paul an Apostle of Iesus Christ c. But herein it must needs be they are deceiued seeing there haue beene true visible Churches in former times wherein some members and those not a few haue beene so vile and abominable as the faithfull then liuing could neither in equitie nor charitie iudge so of them as you speake Except they should haue iudged otherwise of the tree then according to the fruits nay cleane contrarie to it whereas our Lord sayth Yee shall know men by their fruits Mat. 7.16 euen as the tree is knowne by the fruits thereof That which M. Smith here affirmeth I haue answered here after in the next Chapter and thither I referre the Reader for further satisfaction Obserue besides the abuse of scripture here Note here their peruerting of Scripture The words of Iames be Of his owne will begate hee vs with the word of truth that wee should be the first fruits of his Creatures By vs who are said here to be begotten by the Gospell the Apostle meaneth himselfe and the rest of the faithfull members of the inuisible Church and not himselfe the rest of the visible Church as you fondly imagine and beare the simple Reader in hand Rom. 6.13 12.2 As the first fruits vnder the Law were dedicated to God and offered vnto him so all the faithfull consecrate and giue vp themselues wholly to God a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto him which is their reasonable seruing of God and not all of the visible Church as you in the application of this Scripture tell vs the most whereof giue themselues and their members as weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne wherein they walke according to the course of this world and after the Prince that ruleth in the ayre euen the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience Of true beleeuers and none others S. Peter also speaketh For they onely are borne a new of that immortall seede hee mentioneth which Iohn 1.12 proueth As many as receiued him to them hee gaue power to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name Againe these that are thus borne a new as 23. vers are said to be redeemed vers 18. to beleeue in God verse 21. To haue their soules purified by the Spirit verse 22. But such as bee of the inuisible Church onely are redeemed beleeue in GOD Counterpoys 158. are purifyed by the Spirit Of such therefore the Apostle here speaketh Hereby it is plaine that you speake vntruely when you say That places setting forth the inuisible Church are not by you brought to set forth the visible Church Yet Ainsworth in slandering and blaspheming our Church is worse and more intollerable then Barrowes whereof wee haue heard before Hee saith not onely that our Church was first begotten and gathered but addeth and is still continued by the Magistrates word and authoritie excluding the words of GOD as if our Church were neither begotten at first nor continued now by the Ministerie of the Word And where learned yee say you so to inforce Faith and constraine men to be members of your Church I answere Not out of the 18. and 19. Chapters of Alcoran which you by your Cotation in the margent imply but out of the sacred scriptures Not from the example of Mahomet but from the commended examples of the godly Kings of Iudah as I haue shewed Thus much you cannot tell or see The greater is your ignorance and blindnesse A spirit of errour hath put out the eye of your vnderstanding But where learne you to compare the doctrine of God to Mahomets doctrine and the examples and practise of the good Kings of Iudah which you acknowledge all Christian Princes should follow with Mahomets example and practise Counterpois 230. Cursed is that zeale which carieth a man beyond all bands of truth and sobrietie Paul being very zealous spake yet the words of truth and sobernesse The Lord lay not this blasphemie to your charge To that which hath been said I onely adde this That if a visible Church were a company of men truely and vnfainedly religious as you in your whole doctrine of the visible church
gouernment speake euill of them that are in authoritie and speak euill of those things which they knew not and whatsoeuer things they did know naturally as beasts which are without reason in those things they did corrupt themselues Whom for thâ—ir hatred to the brethren he compareth to Cain and in other respects to Balaam and Core Also to clouds without water carried about of windes corrupt trees without fruit twise dead and plucked vp by the rootes to wandring starres and to the raging waues of the Sea foming out their owne shame These were open wicked men and yet were they of the visible Church as appeareth hereby First in that they are compared to clouds without water whereby is is noted their hypocrisie that they made a shew of godlinesse but were indeede without godlinesse like the clouds that make semblance of raine or water but send downe none Secondly this is confirmed by verse 4. where Iude speaking of these vngodly men saith they were crept in meaning into the Church And lastly by verse 12. These are spots in your feasts of charitie when they feast with you without all feare feeding themselues By these words it is euident that these notorious wicked men were of the Church because they frequented the loue feasts Where these feasts were kept the Christians onely met at which time thâ—y receiued the Lords Supper and had a fâ—ast to witnesse and increase their mutuall loue which they called Agapae loue feasts or feasts of Charitie As open scandalous wicked men haue euâ—r beene in the visible Church so there are such now and hereafter will be from whom vsually the persecutions in the Church doe come The first of these is already made manifest Verse 2.3.4 The later is euident by 2. Tim. 3. where Paul foretelling of the grâ—euous sinners that shall be in these last dayes mentioneth some that must needes be open sinners as boasters cursed speakers disobedient to parents vnholy or profane truce breakers false accusers intemperate c. And least that wee should vnderstand this of them that are without in the end he sheweth that hee meaneth this of the hypocrites in the Church of them which haue a shew of godlinesse but haue denied the power thereof If now Verse 5. as in the first Church there was a Cain as well as an Habel and after an Ismael as well as an Isaack an Esau as well as a Iacob and a Saul as well as a Dauid Scribes and Pharises as well as Ioseph and Mary there haue likewise beene in all ages of the Church after vntill this day and will bee in the ages succeeding open wicked as well as godly yea not onely so but many such so as sometimes scarce any righteous or knowne godly were to be found in the Church by reason of the aboundance of open wicked If I say these things be cleare and euident in the Scriptures as appeareth by the premises how far are you of the Seperation from the truth who teach That a visible Church is a company of righteous and holy men onely sepertaed from the knowne wicked and that into it there entreth not nor therein abideth any vncleane thing neither whatsoeuer worketh abominations Defence of the Churches and Minist of Engl. 7. And whereas the Seperatists contending for this That a visible Church is a company of Saints do thereby require though not true sanctimony in euery member yet an externall holinesse and such a carriage of the outward man in the duties of pietie towards God and iustice towards man as in Charitie one can deeme a member of the true visible Church no other then a Saint I demand of them what outward holinesse the aforesaid Despisers Scorners Blasphemers and Murderers which were notwithstanding of the visible Church had aboue the worst in our Church Also whether the most profane and vile in our Church be not as holy and as good Saints as murdering Cain mocking Ishmael profane Esau persecuting Saul bloudy Doeg traiterous Absalon and the blasphemous Scribes and Pharisies who were all members of a true visible Church Know ye not that all these were most horrible sinners Some of them sitting in the seate of the scorner some persecuting and shedding the bloud of the Saints others blasphemers nay committing blasphemie against the holy Ghost and therefore sinners in the highest degree And the best and holiest of them no better then Dogs and Swine treading vnder their feete the holy and precious Word of God and all to renting them that did teach it Neither can wee be ignorant of this that the sinnes of these men were open and notoriously knowne to the Saints who liued in their times And yet notwithstanding were all these of the true visible Church Men therefore wanting this externall holinesse yea most vile and abominable and notoriously knowne to be such haue yet neuerthelesse been in the true Church principall members in the same And such vndoubtedly are in the Church at this day and will be to the end of the world according to the prophecie of Paul 2. Tim. 3. And here wee may remember how notwithstanding there were such notorious wicked men in the Church of the Iewes Vers 1.2 c. Deut. 7.6 Ps 79.2 111.1 and 149.1 whereof we haue had but a tast and oft times store of them yet neuerthelesse they are calâ—ed the people of God his heritage an holy Nation Saints and there publike Congregations the Congregation of the Righteous and the assemblies of the Saints The whole body being thus called in respect of the Elect hauing this Denomination of the better part though the lesse or else because of their holy profession or holy religion which they professed whereby they differed from and excelled all other Nations and them that were without Herevpon I demand why in these respects we likewise may not be called the people of God his heritage an holy Nation Saints and our Church assemblies the assemblies of Saints notwithstanding there bee many open wicked among vs Here we may see how vntruely M. Fr. Iohnson herein chargeth the forward Preachers in England with false Doctrine Defence of the Churches and Minist of Engl. 71. who reckning vp 14. points of false doctrine forsooth that they teach nameth this for one That the true visible Church of Christ is not a seperated company of righteous men from the open wicked of the world but may consist of people good and bad And to the increase of his sinne for confirmation of his grosse and palpaple errour he coteth aboue twenty places of Scripture But tell me doe not all the Preachers in England nay in all Christendome teach that there is a mixture of good and bad in the visible Church as well as these forward preachers you speake of You cannot with any truth deny it Why then doe you spurne with the heele at these rather then others And this is our third point of false doctrine the fourth followeth in these words 4. That
vnwilling to passe by Maister Robison with silence who of late hath saide so much against our interpretation of it He beginneth thus The point is Maister Bernard following I confesse the most beaten way makes the fielde the visible Church and the tares scandalous offenders IustificatioÌ„ 116 seene and discouered That which Maister Bernard calles the interpretation of learned and godly Deuines vniuersally both with vs Separatists Schisme 87. and beyond the Seas Maister Robinson not vnfitly calleth here the most bea en way but with all we may remember what he saith further of the said exposition that it is a prophane glose Iustification 116. 117. and againe that some are ashamed of the grossenes and indeede of the iniquitie of the saide exposition But leauing your reproachfull tearmes come we to the matter You must first then vndâ—rstâ—nd that by tares we doe not meane scandalous and notorious offenders Iustif 118. or open wicked men onely as diuers times you charge vs nor yet hypocrites not so throughly discouered but thereby we doe vnderstand both these sorts of hypocrites and wicked men and so all the hypocrits and vngodly that be in the Church whosoeuer as well those that be not discouered as those that bee discouered and known by their open wickednesse to be hypocrites as well those vngodly that hauing a shew of godlines are reputed godly as those whose wicked and leawde conuersation declareth them to be vngodly For who can denie but that by tares Iesus meaneth all in the visible Church beside the godly resembled by wheate Againe Christ expounding the parable saith expressely vers 38. That the tares are that is signifie the children of that wicked one that is the diuell the enemy who sowed them but all hypocrites and wicked men both secretly and openly such are the children of the diuell Therefore by tares Christ meaneth all hypocrites and wicked in the Church whatsoeuer Adde hereunto that by tares are shadowed foorth all that shall bee burned in hell fire also all those which doe iniquitie as vers 41. That is all workers of iniquitie But all hypocrites and vngodly whatsoeuer whether openly or secretly such shall be damned and are workers of iniquitie Therefore all those Christ meaneth by tares This being true Iustif 118. these following lines of yours be vntrue Admit the field be the Church which Christ expounds the world then say I by tares in the field are meant not notorious offenders but hypocrites not so throughly discouered which by the enuy of Sathan are foysted into the Church These lines are false two wayes 1. As they haue reference to vs and our exposition of tares 2. As they haue relation to the Separists and their interpretation of the same word But proceede we now to the moued reason which you haue against our exposition Iustif 116. Whereupon meaning if the visible Church be the field and the tares scandalous offenders it must followe say you that as the Lord forbids the seruants to meddle with the tares or with the plucking them vp but will haue them and the wheate to growe together in the fielde till the haruest so Ministers and people are straightly inhibited and forbidden any way to admonish and censure wicked and scandalous persons in the Church but must let them there remaine without disturbance till the last iudgement I answer Some of the learned Diuines which you thus despise haue preuented this obiection and told you that to collect and reason from this Scripture as you doe is to abuse Scripture Cauendum ne his verbis abutamur contra doctrinam de disciplina Ecclesia c. Piscâ—tor in hunc locum We must saith Piscator take heede that we abuse not these wordes against the doctrine of the discipline of the Church by which offences are to be taken away out of the Church as much as may be For Christ in this parable as appeareth by his exposion of it aymeth at no other thing then to comfort the godly against the grieuances which they haue by conuersing with hypocrites in the meane while he would haue nothing minished from the discipline of the Church as which he himselfe instituted after Chap. 18.17 By the like reason the vse of the sword should bee taken from the Magistrate which God would haue to be vsed as Paul testifieth Rom. 13. This parable then is not to be extended further then the scope thereof requireth Secondly I answere you Iesus heere speaketh of a perfect seperation betweene the wheate and tares that is the godly and vngodly such as shall leaue no tares not a tare I say among the wheaâ—e For he speaketh of such a seperation as cannot be made without daunger to the wheate for which cause he forbids it as vers 29. Secondly of that seperation which shall bee made by the Angels in the end of the world vers 30.41 Now this letteth not nor forbiddeth a seperation in the meane season betwixt the cleane and those be apparently vncleane the holy and prophane the godly and notorious offenders which may be seperated and taken away from the godly without any daunger to them at all This reason likes you so well Iustif 120. that you vrge it the second time and thereunto adde two reasons more And that the Lord Iesus say you no way speakes of the tolleration of prophane persons in the Church it doeth appeare by these reasons First because as hath beene obserued he doeth not contradict himselfe by forbidding the vse of the keyes in one place which in another he hath turned vpon impenitent offenders Matth. 18.15.16.17 2. In the excommunication of sinners apparently obstinate with due circumspection and in the spirit of wisdome meekenesse and long suffering with such other generall Christian vertues as with which all our spirituall sacrifices ought to be seasoned what danger can there bee of any such disorder as the plucking vp of the wheate with the tares which the husbandman feareth vers 29. Lastly the Lord Iesus speakes of the vtter ruinating and destruction of the tares the gathering and plucking them vp by the rootes vers 28.29 And to this end they are reserued by the husbandman vers 30. euer presupposed they so continued but excommunication rightly administred is not for the ruine and destruction of any but for the saluation of the partie thereby humbled Your first reason in effect is this If Iesus speake heere of the tolleration of prophane persons in the Church then heere he forbids the weeding out or censuring of them whom in another place vz. Matth. 18.15 Hee commands to be weeded out or censured But Iesus doeth not contradict himselfe Therefore Iesus speaketh not here of the tolleration of prophane persons This reason being the very same with the former hath receiued answere The second argument is this Christ speaketh of and forbiddeth such a seperation as wherein there is danger of plucking vp the wheate with the tares But in the excommunication of sinners apparantly
If you looke vpon the outside of these men and further for certaine wee cannot goe I meane the carriage of themselues towards God and sometimes to man specially to godward in the parts of his vvorship you vvill thinke they be Saints indeede Such a one was Iudas vvhom none of the Apostles did discerne to bee an hypocrite and so like to be the traytor Iesus spake of And Demas vnknowne for a time to the Apostle Paul And all those it is probable Iohn speaketh of 1. Ioh. 2.19 such as these you accompt to bee hypocrites and none other as appeareth by M. Ainsworth vvho describing Hypocrites saith they bee such As are outwardly religious Commun of Saints in the end but inwardly wicked such as ashamed of their nakednesse couer it with Fig-leaues of their owne externall righteousnesse And againe Hypocrites saith he are they who restrained by the terrour of the Law from open wickednes doe increase outwardly in righteousnesse This kinde of hypocrites you only acknowledge Whereupon it is that Maister Ainsworth in the same place permitting Hypocrites to be in the Church doeth yet cleane shut out of the Church open wicked licentious and prophane liuers which cannot stand together if any open wicked may be Hypocrites But you must knowe that there is another sort of Hypocrites which bee not close Hypocrites and hardly discerned to be Hypocrites and consequently wicked but open or manifest Hypocrites easily knowne to be Hypocrites and therefore wicked as bâ—acke is knowne from white These are the open wicked in the Church wherewith it hath euer abounded doeth and will vnto the worlds end Of this kinde were these hypocrites oft mentioned before Ismael Esau Saul Absalom Ioab Doeg the Scribes and Pharisees and vsually they who in al ages haue murdâ—red and persecuted the Saints specially among the Iewes before the comming of Christ Of such Hypocrites as these Paul speaketh 2 Tim. 3.1 2 3 4 5. verses and Titus 1. vers 16. These you may as easily discerne to be Hypocrites as knowe a Goate from a Sheepe and tares from wheate And of this kinde of Hypocrites bee the open wicked in our assemblies whom had you knowne to be Hypocrites you would neuer haue denied our Parish assemblies to be true Churches because they consist partly of them or because of the mixture and confusion you so much speake of and condemne in our Church Considering a truâ— visible Church is a mixt company of Saints indeede and Hypocrites and that such companies be our pâ—râ—shioners assembles and therefore true visible Churches Of both these kindes of Hypocrites the Apostle speaketh 1. Tim. 5.24 Some mens sinnes are open before hand and goe before vnto iudgement but some mens followe after Of the latter sort or kind in these words Some mens sinnes are open before hand and goe before vnto iudgement of the first in these some mens follow after Obiection But let vs now come to the maine obiâ—ction that not some but all of you doe make You obiect that of the Apostle 1. Cor. 14.33 God is not the authour of confusion but of peace Apologie 44. as we see in all the Churches of the Saints By Churches say you he meaneth visible Churches the members whereof he calleth Saints Againe say you the same Apostle writing to the Church at Rome at Corinthus Ephesus Phillippi c. Writeth to visible Churches in the beginning of which his Epistles he calleth them Saints To the Saints which are at Ephesus To the Saints which are at Philippi Are not all the members then of the visible Church Saints and such as haue at least an outward holinesse Answ We answere S. Paul writing to the Church of the Thessalonians beginneth thus Paul vnto the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Iesus Christ 1. Thess 1.1 2. We giue God thankes for you all 3. Remembring your effectuall faith and diligent loue 4. Knowing beloued brethren that yee are elect of God 6. And yee receiued the word in much affliction with ioy of the holy Ghost Now by this reason of yours if it were good can I prooue that all of the visible Church are in Christ Iesus to whom is no condemnation haue this effectuall faith Rom. 8.1 diligent loue and ioy of the holy Ghost nay are the elect of God because the Apostle writing as you say to the visible Church of the Thessalonians saith thus of them yea of them all as it might seeme by vers 2. Againe thus arguing can I prooue that all in the visible Church are beloued of God because Paul writing to the Church of Rome saith of them that they all are beloued of God called Saints And consequently there are no wicked in the Church neither openly nor secretly wicked seeing God hateth all such And whereas the most in the visible Church are the children of the Diuell Psal 5.5 Rom. 1.7 one may prooue by this kinde of reasoning that they are all the children of God because Paul writing as you affirme to the visible Church at Rome saith Rom 8.16 Yee haue receiued the spirit of adoption And to the visible Churches of Galatia yee are the sonnes of God And that which is more yee are all the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus From this ground also it followeth that all in the visible Church are Saints indeede and haue the spirit of God sanctifying them and making them of prophane holy and that there is no carnall man and by consequent no Hypocrite in the Church for all hypocrites be carnall Because Paul writing to the visible Church at Rome saith thus of them Yee are not in the flesh but in the Spirit that is yee are not carnall but spirituall because the Spirit of God dwelleth in you Rom. 8.9 And writing to the Church at Ephesus Ephes 1.13 saith of them yee are sealed with the holy Spirit of promise and to the Church of Galatia Gal. 4.6 God hath sent forth the spirit of his Sonne into your hearts which cryeth Abba Father Thus also can I proue the contrary herevnto that all in the visible Church are carnall and none spirituall because Paul writing to the visible Church of Corinthus as you tell vs saith of them that they are carnall 1. Cor. 3.13 And I could not speake vnto you as vnto spirituall men but as vnto carnall for yee are yet carnall for whereas there is among you enuying and strife and diuisions are yee not carnall and walke as men He saiâ—h not onely that they were carnall and this often and that without any limitation or restraint also that they walked as men that is liued after the manner of naturall or carnall men but besides all this prooueth that they were carnall by certaine workes of the flesh whereunto they were giuen and wherein they liued Hereby wee may plainely see that this is a deceitfull kinde of reasoning and that this they obiect is of no momâ—nt
that there is nothing worth the answering in M. Smith which M. Robinson hath not and as for M. Ainsworth hee declaimes both the position the errors that be gathered from it as before we haue heard so that if M. Robinson be answered the reader may rest therewith satisfied Against this doctrine then of yours wee say further That this is rather a description of the invisible Church militant and members thereof then of the visible Church Hereunto M. Robinson answereth thus Iustif 105. All the true and lawfull members of the visible Church are to me members of the invisible church to me I say which am bound to iudge them to be in trueth as outwardly they appeare and so I am taught by the Apostle himselfe who accounts the whole visible Church and euery member of it Elect redeemed iustified sanctified which are conditions competent to the inuisible Church Act. 20.28 1. Cor. 1.2 Ephes 1.3.4.5 Gal 3.27 Phil. 1.4.5.6 7. And this is your entire answere to this obiection Reply I confesse that if the visible Church were in your sence a people seperated from all knowne sinne doing all the knowne will of God c. As you teach or a company hauing externall righteousnesse and increasing therein as M. Ainsworth and all Separists doe hold then were all the members of the visible church to vs members of the inuisible Church because outwardly they did appeare so to be and we must as you say well iudge of men as outwardly they appeare But we must knowe that for as much as the visible Church through the corruption of man not by Gods appointment hath in it as well bad men as good wicked as godly and that in appearance and outward shewe as well as in deede and trueth that therefore euen by your owne reason we cannot deeme all of the visible Church to be Elect and of the inuisible Church They that were of Abrahams familie which then was the Church could not well iudge mocking Ismael nor they of Isaaks familie prophane Esau to be Elect and of the inuisible Church The same may be saide of Saule Ioab Absalom the Scribes and Pharisees whom to haue iudged to be of the inuisible Church had beene no better then to account them good which were euill Is this to iudge the tree by the fruits whereunto the Scripture doth direct vs But this the Apostle hath taught you Nothing lesse For the Apostle in the titles and speeches you mention and quoate and such like hath respect and reference to the Church or faithfull inde de not in proâ—ession onely for whose sake he did write his Epistles nay the whole Scripture was inspired To them he meant all the speeches he vseth of this kinde and of them onely he would haue them to be vnderstood of whom onely they are true for they alone are Elect redeemed iustified and sanctified And farre was it from Saint Paules meaning to haue these speeches the like to be vnderstood of the whole visi Church and of euery member of the same amongst whom hee knewe very well that there were many reprobates many which were not redeemed not iustified nor sanctified And this in the Chapter going before haue I shewed more at large Besides the Apostle did not vndoubtedly account the false teachers in the churches of Galatia whom we cannot deny to be members of the saide Churches members of the inuisible Church for then he would neuer haue prayed against them as he did Ephes 5.12 Would to God they were cut off which trouble you You learne not this then from the example of the Apostle as you affirme Thus wee see the insufficiencie of your answere the obiection therefore remaineth goâ—d against you being yet vnanswered Againe we obiect That this description of yours secludes hypocrites from being true matter of the visible Church and so there should bee no hypocrites in the visible Church which is repugnant to the Scriptures Hereunto M. Robinson answereth thus And for hypocrites Iustif 106. as they may performe all the conditions here required visible or to vs as M. Smith hath answered so doe we take knowledge of none such in the Church in the particular till they be knowne in their day by the out-breakings of sinne and being so discouered they are no longer to bee retained in the Church but to beare their sinne except they repent and then who can repute them hypocrites And this is your full answere Reply If here you will haue a full proposition without your parenthesis to wit this Hypocrites may performe all the conditions here required then is it so palpably false as it needs no confutation But if you vvill haue it part thereof then is your parenthesis idle and superfluous vvhich is a fault also though a lesse then the former You adde that you take knowledge of no hypocrites in the visible Church in the particular vntill they bee knowne in their day by the out-breakings of sinne I reply If your Churches bee such holy and blessed socieâ—ies as by your doctrine you beare the world in hand they be all of them separate from all knowne sinne doing all the knowne will of God increasing in grace and abiding euer therein it is no maruell though you know no hypocrites in none of your Churches but if we may giue credit either to mens reports or vvritings concerning your Churches then wee are sure there be some in your Churches vvhich may as easily be knowne to be hypocrites as Chaulke from Cheese But leauing your iudgement concerning hypocrites and your Churches we must know that other men in other Churches haue taken knowledge of hypocrites in the particular or at least might lawfully so haue done as the Apostles Zacharias Ioseph with other faithfull then liuing who did no doubt know the Scribes and Pharisees to be hypocrites and so accounted them And here vve may remember that which hath been taught before That there be in the Church two sorts of hypocrites First close hypocrites which being goates and children of darknes doe yet goe in sheepes clothing and are like to the children of light hauing an externall righteousnesse Such vvere Iudas and Demas Secondly 1. Tim. 5.24 open or manifest hypocrites such as Ismael Esau Absalon with others The first kinde of hypocrites cannot bee knowne in particular vntill the Lord be pleased to vncase them but the other are at all times as easie to be discerned in the particular by them vvho can discerne of spirits and betweene things and persons that differ as it is to know tares from wheate and goates from sheepe And vvhere you say that hypocrites being discouered they are no longer to be reteined in the Church except they repent and then who can repute them hypocrites I confesse all this to be very true But what if through the corruption that is in men their negligence partialitie or remissenes such hypocrites bee not excommunicated but remaine still in the Church Is therefore the said societie
because of this impunitie become no church or a false church Answere vs I pray you for this question commeth to the quick If you answere affirmatiuely that such a societie notwithstanding the vvicked that be in it is a true Church you doe at one push put downe a great deale of that rotten building you haue been a long time setting vp If negatiuely then I will not feare to affirme that neither the Church of Corinth nor sundry of the Churches of Galatia were true Churches when the Apostle writ vnto them which vvere blasphemie to affirme M. Bernard obiecteth further that this makes Dauid Iehoshaphat and the Church of God in their dayes to be no true matter of a visible Church for there was marrying many wiues the continuance of the high places the brazen serpent worshipped Ioabs murder permitted the bill of diuorcement allowed by Moses Herevnto this answere is giuen Iustif 106. I doe answere to this exception first that you cannot proue the holy men you name to haue sinned in all the particulars wherewith you charge them much lesse that they were conuinced of sinne in suffering these things and yet suffered them I reply Be it they sinned not in all the aforesaid particulars yet did they in some of them and what say you to them Dauid both sinned in suffering Ioabs murder and was in his conscience also conuinced thereof from whence it came that in his last will as I may say he chargeth Salomon his sonne concerning Ioab that as he had shed bloud so he should cause his to be shed 1. Kin. 2.5.6 and not suffer his hoare head to goe downe to the graue in peace But suppose that in this deferring of Ioabs punishment Dauid did not sinne which no man of good vnderstanding will affirme yet without controuersie he did and most grieuously in the matter of Vriah and lay a great while therein during which time his conscience did now and then checke him for the same for in this time Dauid was not a man dead in trespasses and sinnes or like them whose consciences are seared with an hote iron Now M. Robinson answere me Was Dauid in and during this time in the Church or without You cannot but acknowledge that hee remained at this time in the Church and was a member thereof But Dauid now was not seperated from all knowne sinne did not practise all the knowne will of God increase in grace and therein continue foras much as at this time he liued in knowne sinnes and decreased in grace Dauid therefore was matter of the visible Church and yet not such a Saint as you describe and consequently your doctrine is false that such Saints as you here describe are the onâ—ly matter of the visible Church M. Robinson inlargeth his answere thus But what countenance doe the infirmities of these holy men giue to the prophane and gracelesse multitude against whom we deale and whom alone we cast out of the account of Saints with what conscience or coulour can any man bring in the infirmities of Moses Dauid and Iehoshaphat to plead the Saint-ship of all the godlesse crue in the English assemblies Reply These examples were not instanced to countenance the profane among vs but to disproue your description of Saints and that such Saints are not the onely matter of the visible Church and therevnto they serue very well which is all that was by M Barnard intended For thus in effect he reasoneth Dauid and Iehoshaphat vvere matter of the visible Church for they were true members of a true vis Church But they vvere not such Saints as you define Saints to bee Therefore such Saints as you define are not the onely matter of the visible Church But to draw little neerer vnto you euen in Dauids time Psal 12.1 much more in worser times there was no lesse profane and gracelesse a multitude in the Church of Iudah then is in the Church of England at this day Wherevpon Dauid complaineth thus Helpe Lord for there is not a godly man left the faithfull are failed from among the children of men they speake deceitfully euery one with his neighbour flattering with their lips and speake with a double heart Which though it doe not countenance the vngodly among vs yet it manifestly disproueth your definition of Saints and supposed matter of the visible Church and proueth demonstratiuely that a people may bee a true Church notwithstanding there be in it wicked men nay a multitude of profane and gracelesse men as Iudah vvas in the dayes of Dauid Vzziah Iotham Hezekiah and other Kings of Iudah Isai 1.10 For marke vvhat Isaiah saith concerning the people of the Iewes in the raigne of the Kings lest mentioned Heare O Princes of Sodome hearken O people of Gomorrah A prophane therefore and gracelesse multitude and if you will a godlesse crue for the most part were the Iewes in those dayes and yet a true Church What letteth it then why wee may not likewise be a true Church notwithstanding there are many wicked and very vngodly among vs. Our last exception is That the Scriptures which for the conforming of this your false doctrine you bring are places speaking of the inuisible Church properly or of the vis figuratiuely Iustification 107. To this you answere thus It cannot bee manifested that wee bring one Scripture meant of the inuisible Church to proue the holinesse of the visible Church The vanitie of this obiection hath beene discouered in the exposition of that your picked instance 1. Pet. 2.9 Reply To proue the holinesse of the visible Church you quote a Description of the visible Church 2. the 17. Chapter of Iohn and oftentimes sundry verses therein b Apology 44. verse 14.20 and your selfe a little after this vaunt of yours c Iustif 115. verse 16. Now what in all Scriptures is to be vnderstood of the inuisible Church militant that is the Elect on earth and hereafter to be on earth If not this 17. of Iohn which you frequently apply to the visible Church This Chapter containeth in it onely a prayer which Iesus made for himselfe and men a little before his passion from whence it followeth that he speaketh of them for whom he prayed but he prayed onely besides for himselfe for the Elect as hee himselfe saith expressely ver 9. of this Chapter I pray not for the world meaning thereby the Reprobates of the world therefore hee speaketh here onely of the Elect. Here is one Scripture nay diuers seuerall testimonies of Scripture which being meant of the inuisible Church you apply to the visible Nay your selues teaching that the inuisible Church containeth in it all the Elect of God that haue been are or shall be doe for proofe therof produce d Description of the visible Church 1. Iohn 17.19.20 To proue the holinesse of the visible Church you e Ibid. alledge Ioh. 6.36 All that the Father giueth me shall come vnto me and him that commeth to me
I cast not away If this bee not meant and properly and onely to be vnderstood of the Elect I know not what is Those here spoken of are said to be giuen to Christ of his Father Secondly to come vnto him that is to beleeue in him as ver 35. declareth Thirdly none of these Christ casteth away that is reprobateth and condemneth But these things are true onely of the Elect Of them therefore alone Christ here speaketh and therefore not of the visible Church as you tel vs wherin be many that the father hath not giuen to Christ and which beleeue not in him and which he will cast away as a man doth drosse or reprobate siluer Againe to the same end you f Apology 44. Iustificat 115. quote Act. 2.47 where Luke speaketh first of them that had singlenesse of heart which grace is peculiar to the Elect Secondly of such as should bee saued and that I trust your selfe will confesse the elect onely shall be Moreouer you produce to the end aforesaid g A true description 1. Rom. 8.34 where the Apostle speaking expressely and by name of the elect in the verse precedent Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that Iustifieth Hee addeth vers 34 Who shall condemne meaning any of the said chosen whom God iustifieth And this hee further confirmeth in the words next following to wit that none of this societie shall be damned forasmuch as Christ died for them rose againe and maketh intercession This also all the verses following to the end of the said Chapter doe confirme Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ It is hereby euident and by verse 39. that Paul speaketh of those whom God loueth in Christ But in Christ Iesus God loueth the elect onely therefore of the elect alone hee here speaketh All the places of holy Scripture which you alleadge concerning h Descript 2. Apology 44. the body of Christ are so many abuses of Scripture in this kinde as Ephes 1.23 and 4.11.16 1. Cor. 22.27 as I haue else where made manifest in this Treatise Nay your selfe M. Robinson haue your part herein if you be not the chiefe in this trespasse To proue the holinesse of this visible Church you i Answere to a Censorious Epistle 33. produce 1. Pet. 2.5 which in the end of the Chapter precedent I haue shewed is true onely and to be vnderstood of the militant Church or whole company of the faithfull members of the inuisible Church Furthermore but foure leaues after this you vaunt That not one Scripture forsooth is brought by you to proue the holinesse of the visible Church which is meant of the inuisible You teach k Iustification 115. that all of the visible Church were purchased with the bloud of God were all partakers of the grace of God hauing effectuall faith diligent loue and patient hope in the Lord Iesus growing in grace euery one of them And for proofe of these positions and a few such like you quote Act. 20.28 Phil. 1.3.4.6.7.8 1. Thess 1.2.3 2. Epist 1.3 Now all these Scriptures with many more must bee vnderstood of the Militant Church or if we vnderstand them of the visible Church they must bee taken figuratiuely the whole Church being set for a part thereof by a Synecdoche which in effect is the same Againe in the same place to proue the holines of the vis church Iustif 115. you tell vs m that the visible Church bee such and none other as are not of the world but chosen out of it and hated of it as do receiue the word and cōmunicate al of thē in all things gladly as euery one hath neede and that in gladnesse and singlenes of heart and haue receiued testimony by the holy Ghost himselfe that they were such as should be saued And for confirmation therof you quote Ioh. 15.18.19 17-16 Act. 2.41.42 46.47 I would as soone beleeue you if you should teach that all in the visible church shall be saued For I pray you are not they sure to be saued of whome the holy Ghost testifieth that they shall be saued But this testimony of the holy Ghost say you all and euery one of the visible Church haue Therefore all and euery one of the visible Church shall bee saued and none therein bee damned Thus many testimonies in holy Scripture which are onely spoken are meant and true of the inuisible Church you vnderstand of the visible Church and apply to that societie and yet spare not to say that you bring not one Scripture meant of the invisible Church and apply it to the visible Let the Reader now iudge whether herein you speake truely or the contrary imputation of ours be iust As touching 1. Pet. 2.9 M. Robinson hath foure arguments to prooue that it is meant and to be vnderstood of the visible Church and therefore not of the inuisible his first argument is this If Peter wrote to the visible Church of the Iewes Iustif 44. and not to the inuisible among them then in Cap. 2.9 Hee speaketh of the visible Church and not of the inuisible But Peter wrote to the visible Church of the Iewes and nor to the inuisible among them Therfore in Chap. 2.9 he speaketh to the visible Church of the Iewes and not of the inuisible The proposition or consequence of this argument which we deny as being palpablie false he indeuoureth not to proue at all to wit that to whomsoeuer Peter writ of them all that which he writ must be meant and vnderstood which no man of vnderstanding will graunt The assumption he strengthens with sundry reasons as first Peter wrote to that Church and societie whereof hee was the Apostle But he was the Apostle of the visible Church of the Iewes Ergo Peter wrote to the visible Church of the Iewes and consequently not to the inuisible 2. Peter wrote to that Church and societie which he knewe But hee did knowe the visible Church and not the inuisible which is knowne onely to God Ergo he wrote to the visible Church and not to the inuisible These proofes he inserts in his first reason but not content therwith he confirmes his assumption with two more arguments laide downe in his third and fourth reasons To that Church Peter writ wherein were Elders and a flocke depending vpon them But the visible Church had Elders and a flocke depending vpon them and not the inuisible Therefore to the vis Church Peter write not to the inuis Againe to that Church which had the word of God preached amongst them the Apostles did write But the word was preached to the visible Church Therefore to it he writ The summe of these three arguments 1.3 4. is this Peter writ to the visible Church Ergo 1. Pet. 2.9 cannot be meant of the inuisible Church but of the visible By this argument I can prooue that the Epistles to Timothy Titus and Philemon excepted in all
and vs one would thinke should now be ended considering how clearely the trueth shineth on our side yet for feare it prooue otherwise I will adde something more In the third to the Galathians verse 29. Paul saith thus to them And if ye be Christs then are yee Abrahams seede and heires by promise As if he had said If yee beleeue in Christ whereby you are made one with him then are ye indeede the seede of Abraham and heires of eternall life according to the promise God made with Abraham From hence I reason thus All they and onely they who be Christs that is are ingrafted into him by faith are Abrahams seede to whom the promise of eternall life is made But all of the church inuisible and onely they are Christs ingrafted into him by faith Therefore all of the inuisible church and onely they are Abrahams seede to whom the promise of eternall life is made The Proposition is proued by these words of the Apostle If Christs then are ye Abrahams seede The Assumption needs no proofe Againe I argue from hence thus against you If the vis Church be Abrahams seede and they to vvhom the promise of saluation was made then the vis Church and consequently all the members thereof are heires of saluation But this latter is false Therefore the first The Assumption you will not deny and the Proposition is as cleare by this Scripture and needs must be true seeing God is faithfull and constant in the performance of his promise which he could not be if any one of those should goe to hell to whom he hath made promise of heauen God is not as man Num. 23.19 that he should lye neither as the sonne of man that hee should repent Hath he said and shall hee not doe it And hath hee spoken and shall he not accomplish it No no. God is true Rom. 3.4 though euery man be a lyar If therefore God haue made a couenant or promise of saluation vvith the vis Church as you all affirme and specially M. Smith euer and anone in his Parralleles then all of the visible Church shall be saued But for as much as many of that societie shall be damned it cannot be that to them this promise was made but to some other company euen to the heires of saluation And this latter may bee confirmed and so you conuinced by your owne words By faith saith M. Ainsworth we are the seede of Abraham and consequently heires by promise of the blessed inheritance and so doe enter into his rest Com. of Saints 321. Here you affirme that the company of the faithfull or true beleeuers are the seede of Abraham with whom God made this couenant which manifestly ouerthroweth you Secondly that they who be the seed of Abraham are heires of the heauenly and blessed inheritance And heere I reason thus from your owne words They onely are the seede of Abraham vvith vvhom God made that gracious couenant of life euerlasting that be heâ—res of the blessed inheritance and doe enter into the hâ—auenly rest But the elect or inuisible Church onely are heires of the blessed inheritance and doe enter into the heauenly rest Therefore the elect or inuisible Church onely are the seede of Abraham with whom God made that gracious couenant of life euerlasting The Proposition is your owne the Assumption I trust you abhor to deny imbrace therefore the conclusion wherevpon necessarily followeth that God made not this couenant with the vis Church as all of you doe teach but with the inuisible as wee affirme But you tell vs that 1. Tim. 4 8. doth proue this Bodily exercise profiteth little but godlinesse is profitable vnto all things which hath the promise of the life present and of that that is to come Here is mention indeede of a promise concerning life eternall But to whom it is made Paul answereth to the godly But such onely are the elect and inuisible Church Therefore to them and not to the visible Church is the promise made of life euerlasting by Christ So that this Scripture maketh against you Moreouer you alleadge here 2. Pet. 1.3 According as his diuine power hath giuen vnto vs all things that pertaine to life and godlines Peter here telleth vs that all good things belonging to life eternall are giuen vs of God But to whom To the visible Church We reade no such thing but cleane otherwise To vs saith he As if he had said to me and the rest of the elect That by life here the Apostle meaneth life eternall no man will deny Neither that life eternall shall bee giuen vnto them to whom all things appertaining to that life are giuen Seeing then the inuisible Church onely haue all things pertaining to life giuen them of God forasmuch as they onely enioy that life and that the Apostle speaketh of them who are made partakers of this gift it followeth necessarily therevpon that hee speaketh onely of the inuisible church Obserue besides that hee saith not onely that God hath giuen vs all things that appertaine vnto life but addeth and godlinesse Implying thereby that they to whom this life is giuen of God haue first all things pertaining vnto godlinesse bestowed vpon them in this life before they enioy that life eternall in the world to come But to the inuisible Church onely all things pertaining to godlinesse are giuen Therefore of the inuisible Church the Apostle here speaketh and not of the visible as you affirme And here marke how M. Ainsworth applying this Scripture to the vis Church doth conuince both himselfe and his friends Let vs saith he consider some principall of the many good thâ—ngs Communion of Saints 165. 168. 170. that God doth giue vs pertaining vnto life godlinesse Among these he nameth Faith And what faith That saith hee whereby our fathers walked with God pleased him wrought many good workes obtained good report and in the end the saluation of their soules It is the gift of God vnto his chosen people which therefore is called the faith of Gods elect And a little after The most excellent fruit that we reape of faith is our iustification in the sight of God by his grace in Christ Iesus Hereby it is plaine enough though there is much more seruing to this purpose that hee speaketh of iustifying faith Another good thing pertaining to life and godlinesse that is giuen vs of God is saith he sanctification Ibid. 177.179.183.186 also the feare of the Lord loue out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith vnfained the loue of God and his loue shed abroad in their hearts by the holy Ghost which is giuen vnto them with other graces of this kinde From these words of your owne I argue thus against you Of that Church or company of men Peter here speaketh to vvhom of God are giuen iustifying faith sanctification and the other graces before specified But the said graces are giuen onely to the elect and
they are not of that generation and stocke of mankinde which God hath ordained to destruction as the former despisers of Christ but of the generation which God hath chosen and appointed to life euerlasting which generation is that we call the inuisible Church Why the elect bee heere called a chosen generation you may reade further Chap. 1. And there also see that these titles royall Priesthood holy Nation peculiar People which these men vnderstand of the visible Church cannot be so taken But are meant of the faithfull or true beleeuers al which are of the inuisible church Both by the words themselues then of this Scripture â— meane verse 9. and also by the coherence or depeâ—dance thereoâ— with that goeth bâ—fore it is euident that this Scripture is peâ—uerted by thâ—se men and misapplyed Nay this is euident by their owne vvritings And here with mee obsâ—rue a secret ouer ruling hâ—nd of God M. Ainsworth hauing made a large Treatise iâ—tituted the Communion of Saints and there hauing spoken many excellent and glorious things of the Saints rightly vnderstood that is of Saints indeed or the faithfull sanctified by the Spirit of God and Faith in Christs who are so of the visible Church as withall they be of the inuisible Church but by him meant and misapplyed to all the members of the vis Church Saints by profession which shameth the whole Treatise making it almost as full of lies as lines Hee I say hauing done this euer and anone throughout his whole booke behold how in a conclusion which he affixeth to the said booke he conuinceth himselfe of errour touching a great part of that hee had said before and namely concerning this place of Peter which a Pag. 470. before he vnderstood of the visible Church and members thereof Thus beginneth he his conclusion b 487. 4. 88. seeing we haue receiued such grace from God so many as beleeue in the name of his Sonne Christ as that we are raised vp from the graues of sinne c. being through his mercy made a c 1. Pet. 2.9 chosen generation a kingly priesthood washed from all our sinnes d Deut. 1.5 in the bloud of Christ and e Reu. 5.10 raigning with him on earth by mortifying and subduing our earthly members what remaineth but that wee purge our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit With your owne weapons thus I fight against you All they and they only who beleeue in Christ are by his bloud washed from their sinnes mortifie and subdue their earthly members are this chosen generation and royall priesthood But onely the elect and inuisible Church beleeue in Christ are by his bloud washed from their sinnes mortifie and subdue their earthly members Therfore the elect onely and inuisible Church are this chosen generation and kingly priesthood and therefore not the visible church as these men do teach The proposition is your owne the Assumption deny if you will But M. Ainsworth by three reasons will proue that this scripture is not to bee vnderstood of the inuisible Counterp 158. but of the vis Church The first is layed downe in these words This place of Peter speaketh of and to the vis or sensible Church for the Apostle wrote to the vis Christians the strangers that then dwelt in Pontus Galatia c. In the tenth Chapter of this booke I haue answered this reason at large and shewed the vanitie of it notwithstanding something I will adde heere Be it granted that Peter writ to the vis church though something might be said against it as that he writeth to them that had obtained like precious faith with him which none but the chosen and of the inuis chureh haue yet this proues not that this 9. verse is true and to be vnderstood of the vis Church no more then it followeth that these sayings of Paul are true and to bee vnderstood of the vis Church and all the members thereof Yee are bought for a price 1. Cor. 6.20 Rom. 8.15 Gal. 4.20 3.26 Ephes 1.13 yee haue receiued the spirit of Adoption ye are the sonnes of God who hath sent forth the spirit of his Sonne into your hearts ye are all the sonnes of God yee are sealed with his holy Spirit of promise the earnest of our inheritance with many such like because the Epistles wherein these are vvere vvritten as you affirme to visible or sensible Churches The second reason followeth in these words This which Peter speaketh chap 2.9.10 is as Moses spake of old to the visible Church of Israel Exod. 19.6 I answere though Exod. 19.6 was spoken to the vis church of Israel yet it was in respect of them therein vvho were of the inuisible church and of Gods elect and is true onely of such as I haue shewed before euen so it is here Your last reason followeth Againe say you Peter mentioneth the end of their calling to this dignitie viz. to shew forth the vertues of him that hath called them out of darknesse into his maruellous light which whether it appertaines not to the visible Church I leaue it for euery true member thereof to Iudge It cannot be denied but that Peter speaketh of them vvho of God are called out of darknesse that is out of sinne and ignorance into his maruellous light that is to the knowledge of God and holinesse for which maruellous mercy receiued out of the very sense and feeling therof they praise God and indeauour all the dayes of their life to walke worthy of it which is heere called the shewing forth of the vertues of him that hath called them But the inuis church onely and company of the elâ—ct are called out of darknesse into this maruellous light being called therefore the children of the light and they alone out of a sensible feeling of this great mercy doe praise blesse God for the same and indeauour to liue to him vvho hath thus called them Of the inuisible Church therfore called heare a chosen generation doth the Apostle Peter speake in this place So this reason maketh greatly against you Counterp 158. No lesse blame-worthy are you for maintaining this That no places of Scripture setting forth the inuisible Church are by you brought to set forth the visible Church The contrary to this appeareth plainely by this Treatise To proue that they vvho be of the true vis church are called out of the world Apologie 44. Counterp 133. or seperated from the world a seperated company of righteous men vsually you quote Ioh. 15.15.19 and 17.9.14 16.20 Tell mee now who be they that beeing in this world are not of this world Are not the elect onely such know you not that they who be not of this world doe belong to a better world Moreouer doth Christ pray for the vis Church or the inuisible onely and company of the elect what meane you then to apply Scriptures concerning these things to the vis Church seeing they be spoken
and are true onely of Gods elect vvho are the inuis Church And notwithstanding to tell vs That places setting forth the inuisible Church are not by you applyed to the vis Church And vvhere you say that the vis Church is Christs sister his loue and his spouse how can this possibly bee true seeing the greatest part of the vis Church and sometimes almost the whole vis Church is hatefull to God abhorred of him as before hath been made manifest And by what titles I pray you doth Iesus declare his loue to the inuisible Church if these be the titles of the visible Christ Iesus himselfe telleth vs that whosoeuer doth his fathers will which is in heauen the same is his sister But this doe onely they who are of the inuisible church They therefore onely are Christ his sister If the vis church and members thereof bee Christ his loue then none of them shall bee damned For it cannot bee that Iesus will condemne them whom he loueth It is the elect likewise and inuis church which being contracted here to Christ shall bee married to him the Kings sonne in the vvorld to come when they shall partake vvith him in glory And not the vis church whereof the greatest part shall be damned and but a few therof saued Lastly say you the vis Church is the body of Christ Wherevpon all those places in Pauls Epistles where mention is made of Christs body you expound of the visible when they are to be vnderstood of the inuisible church or the vvhole company of the faithfull which is a part thereof If the vis church be the body of Christ as you tell vs then euery one of the vis church is a member of Christ his body and hath therefore the same spirit abiding in him that is in Christ Iesus For the very same spirit that dwelleth in Christ the head is from thence deriued to his body and all the members thereof If any man haue not the spirit of Christ the same is not his But if the spirit of him that raised vp Iesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised vp Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you Rom. 8.9.11 Hereby wee know saith Iohn that we dwell in him and he in vs 1. Ioh. 4.13 because hee hath giuen vs of his spirit From hence wee learne that Iesus doth communicate his spirit to all his members so as whosoeuer hath not this spirit bringing forth the like or the same effects in him that it did in Christ the same is no member of Christ nor part of his body Christ dwelleth not in him nor hee in Christ As by loue all the members of this body are vnited together so by the spirit of God this body with all the members thereof are coupled and knit together to the head Christ whereby it receiueth grace and increase of grace growing vp into Christ Iohn 1.16 Ephes 4.15.16 for the furniture thereof according to the effectuall power of this spirit which is in the measure of euery part Ioh. 15.1 This spirit is as the iuice that from Christ the vine is conueyed into euery branch And it is as the soule of this body giuing spirituall life to all the members thereof euen as the soule of man doth animate the body with all the part or members thereof But euery one of the vis Church is not a member of Christ his body forasmuch as the spirit of Chr st dwelleth not in euery one of the vis church and therefore the vis church is not the body of Christ but some other company of men there is which make that body vvhereof Christ is the head and euery particular man of that societie a member thereof Neither can you deny that which I doe inferre herevpon and necessarily followeth vpon the former Namely if euery one of the vis church be a member of the body of Christ then euery one of the vis church hath the Spirit of Christ dwelling in him Counterp 128. Nay your selfe M. Ainsworth confesse and vrge this against vs saying That we cannot possibly be members of the body of Christ nor haue him for our head Being we are not partakers of his life and spirit It resteth therefore that either you yeeld to the conclusion That the vis church is not the body of Christ or else affirme That euery member of the visible church hath the Spirit of Christ dwelling in him Apology 44. That euery one of the vis church is not a member of Christs body hath already been sufficiently proued and is hereby likewise euident because then none of the vis Church could be damned For tell me I pray you can a member of Christ possibly bee condemned Euery member of Christ is as it were flâ—sh of his flesh and a bone of his bones We are members of his body Ephes 5.30 of his f esh and of his bones Doth Christ hate his owne flesh or rather nourish and cherish it Will or can Christ the iudge condemne any who is thus neare and deare vnto him It is not possible Againe Christ is life it selfe I am that way Ioh. 14.6 that truth and that life saith he Whereby we learne that as without Christ no man can haue spirituall and eternall life so whosoeuer hath Christ and is a member of Christ the same hath this life deriued vnto him a member from Christ the head How then can such a one die seeing he hath already life it selfe and that life begun in him which is eternall and whereof their is no end Herevpon the Scripture saith Rom. 8.1 That to them which are in Christ Iesus members of his body there is no condemnation And that to such Christ is made wisedome righteousnesse 1. Cor. 1.30 sanctification and redemption Besides what creature is able to pluck away a member from this body and to break that bond whereby one of these members is tyed to the head Christ Iesus Who can s perate betweene Christ and his members Surely not principalities nor powers much lesse flesh and bloud None shall plucke these out of my hand saith Iesus Rom. 8.35 Ioh. 20.28 Verse 23. I doe not deny but that as the vis Church in a certaine respect may be called the body of Christ so Christ Iâ—sus not in one but in diuers respects may fitly be called the head of the vis Church This lets not but thâ—t which I here affirme is true And hereof he rendreth a reason My Father which gaue them mee is greater then all and none is able to take them out of my fathers hand I and my Father are one But leauing this argument we will proceed to some others In the 5. to the Ephes Thus we reade The husband is the wiues head euen as Christ is the head of the Church and the same is the Sauiour of his body 25. Husbands loue your wiues euen as
to smell with c. Euen so a visible Church as it were or like a body hath many officers euery office hauing his distinct office Will you hereupon collect that the visible Church is the body of Christ the misticall body I say of Christ By the same reason we may conclude that whatsoeuer in Scripture is compared to a body the same is the body of Christ Such collection is very absurde And thus much concerning the titles which these men ascribe to the vis church and that which is farre worse with respect had to the whole church as appeareth by their writings whereas by the holy Ghost they are meant and giuen to the inuisible church or if to the visible it is in respect of the Elect which are therein who onely are the body of Christ his Sister his Loue his Spouse c. CHAP. VI. The Churches of the Brownists are by their owne doctrine false Churches and therefore men ought to seperate and come out from among them YOu measuring our Parish assemblies by this crooked line of yours I meane your false doctrine of the visible church it is no maruel though they be not right and straight in your eyes Nay marke what we say vnto you Prooue your description of the visible church by the word of God prooue that to be the matter and forme and those to be the a With respect had to the whole churâ—h titles of the visible church which you say confidently are and wee will acknowledge all our Parishionall assemblies to bee false churches and as you say holdes of soule spirits and cages of euery vncleane and hatefull bird Defence of the churches and Ministers of England 6. and whatsoeuer else you charge vpon vs and accuse vs to be But if this you cannot doe as is euident by the premises you are greatly in fault for obtruding that doctrine of the people of God as true which is false to the great disturbance of the peace of the church and disquieting of many a poore soule Certainly if the description that you giue of a true visible church were true and that you of the seperation were such a church hee was a foole and worse then a foole euen a madman and out of his wits who would not seperate from vs and be of your societie Whether your doctrine of the visible church be true or false it is easie to discerne by the premises Let vs now consider whethet your congregations be by your owne doctrine true visible churches yea or no that so we may the better see whether we be in our wits or out of them in not ioyning with you To this end let vs apply your doctrine of the visi church vnto you and measure your church by the same line you meate ours Euery true visible church is a company of faithfull and holy people called and seperated from the world by the word of God worshipping Christ aright gouerned by his lawes knit together by the bond of peace and loue vnfained But your churches are not such companies Therefore they are not true but false churches The proposition standeth vnmoueable being grounded vpon the foundation your selues haue laide and as you thinke vpon a rocke If you deny the assumption and auouch that each Church of yours is such a company as is by you described I reply then there are no Hypocrites nor reprobates in your Church but all Elect for the Elect onely worship Christ aright that is in spirit and trueth as your selues doe interprete it are gouerned by his Lawes knit together by the bond of peace and loue vnfained and therefore your congregations are not true visi Churches Because in the true visible Church there be tares and chafle as well as wheate that is reprobates as well as Elect. Thus we see it is an easie thing to beate you with that rod which you haue prepared for our shoulders wherewith you haue a great while lashed vs according to your strength And thus much touching the description of the visible Church the matter and forme and titles thereof according to the doctrine of the Brownists and the confutation thereof CHAP. VII The controuersie betweene vs and the Brownists concerning religious communion is here debated where is shewed First that we may lawfully ioyne in diuine worship with them which are not members of the Church Secondly with the open wicked and that thereby neither the faithfull nor the holy things of God are polluted AMong sundry other errours of the Separists concerning the vis Church which for breuitie Iomit this is one Princip Infer 9. That no religious communion is to be had but with members of a visible Church This is manâ—festly conuinced by the practise of the Apostles in the first gathering or planting of churches Paul and Barnabas and generally the Apostles preached the Word vnto the Gentiles who then were Infidels here were religious communions When sundry men ioyne together in any religious exercise or part of Gods worship as the Apostles and these their hearers did that is a religious communion Againe these were not ciuill communions these societies were not met together to bee occupied about any worldly affaires or matters appertaining to this life therefore they were religious communions In these religious communions and in the worship of God the holy Apostles did ioyne with those that were not members of a visible Church not within but without the Church and yet did not sinne therein Therefore a religious communion may lawfully be had with those which are no members of the church By this practise and example of the Apostles who did nothing herein but that which Iesus commanded them and therefore did not sin we learne a Principle or Inference cleane contrarie to yours namely that lawfully and without sinne we may ioyne in the worship of God with those that are without and not in or of the church How else except we would doe euill that good might come thereof shouâ—d these that are without be added to the Church and such be conuerted tâ— God seeing the preaching and hearing of the word are the meanes which God hath appointed for the coâ—uersion of men and that these are parts of Gods worship Hereby we see their must bee a religious communion or ioyning together in the worship of God before those which are no members become members of the church Now this communion say you cannot be without sinne Now therefore say I can be added to the Church without the sinne of him by whose ministerie they are added besides the sinne of others in the church ioyning with him therein 1. Cor. 14.25 If all prophecie quoth the Apostle and there come in one that beleeueth not or one vnlearned he is rebuked of all men and iudged of all men And so are the secrets of his heart made manifest and so hee will fall downe on his face and worship God and say plainely that God is in you indeede Here vvas a religious communion here
coÌ„munion wee should finne greatly in putting them backe no lesse then the Corinthians should if they had put backe the vnbeleeuer pressing to come to their congregation By the premises it is euident Communion of Saints 6. Ibid. 6. that M. Ainsworth swarneth from the truth vvhen he saith The Saints must not hold communion in the true worship of God with any but in the light and in the faith meaning but vvith the children of the light and the faithfull And againe The children of God of the light and day are commanded to seperate from the children of men of this world of the diuell and of curse and to entertaine and continue a holy communion among themselues Marke how he condemneth all communion vvith hypocrites for hypocrites are the children of men of this vvorld of the diuel and of curse But with none such may we haue any religious communion Ergo vvith no hypocrites And â—f wee may not communicate in the vvorship of God neither vvith opâ—n and knowne wicked vvhich euery vvhere all of you vvith open mouth cry out vpon as an execrable thing nor vvith close secret wicked ones hypocrites I meane as here you teach then must wee communicate vvith the elect onely and by consequent vvith none at all because wee know not vvho bee elect The Lord onely knoweth who are his Againe wee must entertaine say you and continue a holy communion with the children of God of the light and day the heires of blessing and seperate from all others But all the children of God of the light c. are elect Therefore vvee must haue religious communion onely with the elect The Proposition is your owne The Assumption I am sure you will not deny But I know your euasion That by children of God of the light and day you meane not such onely as are the children of God indeede and the children of the light indeede and truth for all such you confesse are elect but all the members of the visible Church all which wee are to account the children of God and of the light yea the elect of God And so M. Smith teacheth in his Principles and Inferences All of the vis Church are to be accounted faithfull and elect Page 7. till they by obstinacie in sin and Apostacie declare the contrarie I answere you Christ in the parable of the seede and also by that speech of his Mat. 13.3 22.14 many are called but few chosen teacheth vs that few of the vis Church are elect all the rest being Reprobates Shall I now contrary to the truth hold and account all the members of the vis Church elect I haue shewed heretofore that in the visible Church there haue been are and wiâ—l be to the end of the world most notorious wicked and abominable men How can one seeing such men committing sinne with greedinesse and running headlong in the way to death account the same men at the same time elect and to bee of those few which are ordained to life Nay but will they say We doe not deny such to be elect as are obstinate sinners wee onely hold that all the members of the vis Church are to be accounted elect vntill they by obstinacie in sinne and apostacie declare the contrarie But happily some will say If we doe not account all of the vis Church Elect children of God and of the light this is against charitie which thinketh not euill of any but beleeueth all things 1. Cor. 13.5.6.7 and hopeth all things I answere that it is saide likewise of charitie It reioyceth not in iniquitie but reioyceth in the trueth But to deeme all of the visible church elect and therein as it were to ioy when the Scripture telleth vs cleane otherwise that all of the vis church a fewe excepted are reprobates this is not to reioyce in the trueth nor to iudge according to the trueth And therfore such iudgement is not agreeing with charitie To account and so to call them the children of God whose workes declare the contrary and the children of light that giue themselues to the workes of darkenesse is iniquitie and no lesse then to iustifie the wicked which is an abhomination to the Lord Pro. 17.15 Isa 5.20 to think and speake good of euill to put light for darkenesse and sweete for sower Against whom the Prophet pronounceth a fearefull woe The Scripture teacheth that this is rather hatred then loue We must know therefore that as charitie is not suspitious Pro. 13.24 but beleeueth and hopeth the best so she is not a foole but iuditious iudging of persons and things wisely and as neare as shee can according to the trueth But tell mee M. Ainsworth you I say who will haue all of the visible Church to be accounted the children of God Tell mee I say whether if you should see such members of the vis church as those mentioned Ioh. 8.44 of whom Iesus saith ye are of your father the Diuell and the lustes of your father yee will doe you would account such the children of God or no. If you answere affirmatiuely the speech of Christ to their predecessors doeth euidently conuince you If negatiuely that such are not to bee accounted the children of God you contradict your selfe and therein acknowledge that in the visible church there are some children of the diuell and that thâ—refore we may haue religious communion with the children of the diuell seeing by your owne doctrine wee may haue communion with all the members of the visible Church But leauing these let vs proceede to some other If in the true vis Church you should see such as the Scribes and Pharisees their right svccessors would you account and call them the children of God of the light c. Notwithstanding their palpable hypocrisie and other their abhominations their blasphemies and daily persecuting of Christ in his members these you must account and call the chilldren of God if your doctrine be true For I trust you will neither deny that the Scribes and Pharisees were members of the true visi church nor that there may bee such in the true Church as well now as in former time And here I must giue you to vnderstand that M. Ainsworth in the margent right against the aforesaid lines hath produced a full Iurie of witnesses and some to spare to prooue as at the first blush it might seeme to some That the children of God of the light and day may not entertaine an holy communion with the children of the Diuell The simple Reader is ouerwhelmed with such a clowde of witnesses And thereupon doubts not of the matter whereas the witnesses when they come to speake eleuen of them say not a word to the point but onely prooue this that of men some are named the children of god of the light and day c. Others the children of men of this world of the diuell and of curse as is plaine both by your own words
by the testimonies themselues Now herein you might haue saued your labour and rather haue bestowed more paines in prouing that we deny then that we grant But any thing you thinke will serue to delude the simple Yea but the three last testimonies 2. Cor. 6.17 Act. 2.42 Heb. 10.24.25 speake to the issue for they directly prooue That the children of God of the light and day and the heires of blessing are commaunded to seperate from meaning in diuine worship the children of men of this world of the diuell and of curse and to entertaine and continue an holy communion among themselues onely Thus saith M. Ainsworth in plaine and expresse wordes It is true that in the first of these places to the sonnes and daughters of God this commandement is giuen Come out from among them and seperate your selues But vvho are those of whom the Apostle speaketh and from whom he commandeth the children of God for to seperate and not ioyne with in diuine worship It is euident they were the Corinthian Idolaters that worshipped a false God The highest degree of Idolatry and most grosse Idolaters that can be What doth Paul now require of the Corinthian Saints to whom he writ this That they ioyne not with these idolaters their neighbours in their idolatrous and false worship nor in any other of their pollutions This hindreth or prohibiteth not but that they might communicate with these Idolaters in true diuine vvorship publike or priuate But suppose that this place of Paul prohibiteth all communion with all idolaters in their false and idolatrous worship whether they worship a false and fained god or the true God falsely which is all that is forbidden in the word that letteth not but that wee may haue religious communion with idolaters in true Diuine worship If then we may lawfully ioyne together with idolaters in the worship of God in hearing the word and Prayer then certainely with the children of men of this world of the Diuell and with them that are without and no members of the church For such as these are all Idolaters Thus wee see this Scripture makes nothing for you and is therefore peruerted by you Let vs now proceede to the next testimonie Act. 2.42 And they continued meaning the members of the vis Church in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers This declareth how greatly they of the Church were affected towards the word and worship of God vvherein they did dayly exercise themselues both in publike and priuate but neither denyeth nor forbiddeth all communion in diuine worship with them that are without no more then this Scripture there following And they sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men of the Church as euery one had neede forbiddeth all communicating of our goods with them which are without And as well may one from hence conclude that such as are of the visible Church may not minister vnto the necessities of them that are without as this from ver 42. that they of the visible Church may haue no religious communion with them that are without Fâ—ame your argument when you please for the proofe of this latter and I will compâ—se as good a one for the former Your third and last testimony is Heb. 10.24.25 Let vs consider one another to prouoke vnto loue and to good workes not forsaking the fâ—llowship that we haue among our selues as the manner of some is but let vs exhort one another We answere first it is not cleere that the Apostle speakes here of the publike assemblies but happily of the priuate meetâ—ngs the faithfull had And this latter is probable for these two Râ—asons Fâ—rst bâ—caâ—se the priuate and brotherly fellowship serueth spâ—cially to the increase of mutuall loue wherevnto the fai hfull be here exhorted Secondly in the words immediatâ—ly precedent and subsequent hee exhorteth to priuaâ—e duties wee may vvell therefore thinke he doth the like also If this now be so this Scripture maketh nothing at all for you no more then that of Peter 1. Pet. 2.17 Loue brotherly fellowship But be it granted that this is meant of the pubâ—ike assemblies against which I vvill not contend notwithstanding it makes not any thing against vs. For who doubteth but that the faithful that is the professors of faith in Christ or members of the vis Church doe vsually they alone and none but they assemble and ioyne together in hearing of the Word and prayer And that vsually it falleth out in the Church that some playing the Apostates forsake these assemblies of the Saints eyther ioyning themselues to some other assemblies as being Heretickes or Schismatickes or else vvith Demas imbracing this present world This is it we here learne and from this latter onely wee are here dehorted Doth it now herevpon follow that the faithfull may not admit vnbeleeuers and them that are without the Church to communicate with them in diuine worship and haue religious communion together with them Nothing lesse Here is no such thing forbidden no more then in and by this speech Gal. 6.10 doe good to the houshould of Faith that is to all that professe the same faith with vs to wit the members of the vis Church we are forbid to doe good vnto all or to them that are without But besides these expresse and plaine testimonies of Scripture as you thinke you haue a forcible reason drawne from the word for the fortifying of this your opinion Wee may not say you ioyne with them that are without or with the open wicked in the worship of God Communion of Saints 469. or haue any holy communion with them For by their wickednesse both the faithfull Defence of the churches and Mâ—nistery of England 70. and the holy things of God are polluted This doctrine of your owne you apply vnto vs. Into your assemblies say you doe come many open and notorious sinners knowne drunkards whoremongers prophaners of the Sabbath swearers c. Whereby the holy things of God and the faithfuâ—l are defiled Reasons for Seperation for this cause wee dare not haue religious communion with you but seperate Wee answere It maketh nothing for you nor against vs that there are knowne wicked in our assemblies which vvee deny not seeing by their presents neither the faithfu l nor the holy things of God are polluted vnto the faithfull which thus we make manifest If any sinners pollute the holy things of God to the faithfull as the word sacraments prayer then certainely doe notorious wicked Ministers which in such speciall manner are occupied about them They are the mouth of God to the people and the peoples to God they touch with their hands the holy elements But notorious wicked Ministers defile not the holy things of God to the Saints Therefore none be they neuer so notorious wicked That Ministers notoriously wicked pollute not the worship of God nor the faithfull ioyning with them therein it is manifest by
Paul meaneth not when to the Corinthians he saith A little leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe but this that the hainous and notorious sinne of one much more of diuers when for the same the partie is not censured as it was for a time with the incestuous person is enough by his euill example and impunitie to encourage and drawe others to doe the like In this sence is the open sinne of one when it goeth vnpunished in danger to spread and infect others as doeth a litle leauen sower the whole lump And in this sence the open sinne of a man may be saide to defile others in being an occasion to others to commit the like then I say it may be saide to defile But we must know that it is not onely the sinne but the impunitie also thereof that causeth this defilement we speake of I doe also acknowledge that the open sinne of a man and impunitie thereof defileth them that haue authoritie and power to punish the delinquent and doe it not that is maketh them also guiltie of sinne or to partake in that sinne If I should reason with you after the same manner and from the same or like ground that you doe sure you could not chuse but see the vanitie of this your argument In the fifth to the Gallathians the Apostle hath the verry same wordes that he hath in this 5. to the Corinthians A little leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe but in another sence For in the Epistle to the Gallatians by leauen he meaneth false doctrine Whereunto Christ also compareth it saying to his Disciples Beware of the leauen of the Saduces and Pharisees He now that will argue as you doe Matth. 16.6.12 may from hence conclude that one point of false doctrine in a Sermon sowers the whole and one false line in a booke be it neuer so large marreth and defileth the whole Treatise so as Christians should abhorre to read it And why Because a little leauen that is a little false doctrine leaueneth the whole lumpe In the 5. of Matthewe the true Ministers of Christ are by our Lord compared to salt where he saith to his disciples Ye are the salt of the earth From hence one may as well proue that such a Minister doeth sanctifie a whole congregation of wicked men as a little salt seasoneth a pot full of pottage Thus doe you argue when you sâ—y that a knowne wicked man in a Church is to the whole Church as a little leauen in the dough is to the whole lumpe But cease I aduise you in the feare of God to peruert this and such like prouerbiall speeches A little leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe a little colloquintida marres a potfull of pottage Dead flyes cause to stinke and putrifie the oyntment of the Apothecary Which are so vsuall with you Thereby to proue that all is polluted all naught in our Church worship leyturgy and ministery because some things therein are amisse Thus one might easily prooue that in the Church of God all things haue beene polluted and naught in all ages precedent for as much as some things haue euer beene amisse in the Church The rest of your testimonies for breuitie I omit I will not proceede to shewe further the vanitie of this your reason but in stead thereof will argue against your position For if that be false your reason also is naught Besides the arguments I will vse serue likewise against your reason of pollution if the Reader please to apply them that way Thus then I reason against you With all in the visible Church it is lawfull to communicate in diuine worship But in the visible Church there be open wicked Therefore with open wicked it is lawfull to communicate in diuine worship The proposition is manifest and such as you your selues doe teach The assumption I haue already prooued and that at large where I shew that in the visible Church there haue beene from time to time and so will be to the ende of the world open wicked men c. My second argument is this With such as Christ hath bid or permitted his people to communicate in diuine worship we may lawfully haue religious communion But with notorious wicked men to wit the Scribes and Pharisees Christ hath bid or permitted his people to communicate in diuine worship Therefore we notorious wicked men we may lawfully haue religious communion The proposition is cleare The assumption is prooued in the 23. of Matthew The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses seate whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and doe My third argument followeth With such as Christ and his Apostles did communicate the faithfull may lawfully communicate But Christ and his Apostles did communicate with open wicked men Ergo with open wicked men the faithful may lawfully communicate The proposition or first part of this argument needeth no proofe The assumption is hereby strengthened in that Iesus and his Desciples had religious communion with the Iewes Their Sinagogus they did vsually frequent Luke 2.41.42 and 4.15 Iohn 7.8.10.14 and 18.20 Acts 3.1 13.5.14.42 Communion of Saints 328. Counterp 9. Vnto their solemne feasts held at Ierusalem they did goe as the quotations in the margent doe shewe This also your selues confesse saying Christ often visited the Temple and Synagogues also his Disciples And againe Christ and his Apostles communicated with the Church of the Iewes But generally the Iewes at that time were openly wicked with open and knowne wicked persons therefore it must needs be that Iesus and his Disciples had religious communion That generally the Iewes euen that whole nation though not euery particular person therein was in the time of Christ and his Apostles after him notoriously wicked it remaineth that I doe prooue As the Scripture speaketh Isa 24.2 so ordinarily it falleth out like Priest like people But the Priests then were notoriously wicked as often hath beene shewed in the Scribes and Pharisees Therefore if not all yet most of the people This is also confirmed by that speech of the Baptist Matth. 3.10 Now is the axe put to the roote of the trees therefore euery tree which bringeth not foorth good fruite is hewen downe and cast into the fire In that he threatneth present destruction temporall and eternall to this people it doeth argue their intollerable wickednesse that they were altogether barren vnfruitfull and rotten trees fit for nothing but the fire and that their wickednes was such so vniuersall and so great as the land could not beare but was readie to spewe them out as a man doeth that which his stomacke abhorreth Shall I not visit for these things saieth the Lord Ier. 5.9 What were the things for which God must needs iudge his people in Ieremiah his time The prophet declareth a little before Yee shall be torne in pieces because your trespasses are many and your rebellions are increased To the former expostulation the Lord addeth another Shall not my soule bee auenged
communion vvith all the members of the Church vvhereof some euer vvere open vvicked Why then may not the godly at this day haue communion in diuine vvorship vvith the open vngodly in saying that the godly and the holy things of God are defiled by communicating vvith open vvicked doe you not thereby condemne all the assemblies of the Saints in all ages and bring pollution vpon them and the vvorship they offered to God seeing in the saide assembles they did communicate with open vvicked Prou. 17.15 If to condemne one man for doing that vvhich is lawfull holy or iust though ignorantly is abhominatin before the Lord much more is it an abhomination before God to condemne the generation of the iust for doing that vvhich is lawfull holy and good though it be done ignorantly Thus vve see that these are two palpable errors 1. That the faithfull may not ioyne with the open wicked in the worship of God or haue any holy communion with them 2. That the faithfull communicating with such both they and the holy things of God are thereby polluted But answere me Are none such as these no knowen or open sinner to bee found in other reformed Churches you will not say it if you doe you speake that vvhich is notoriously false Doe the open vvicked leauen and sower the Churches in England as a litle leauen doeth the whole lumpe of dough and at length because they are not cast out nullifie the same and haue not their presence and in being in the Church of Scotland France and the Low-countries the like effect yes verily So that then all the râ—formed Churches are false Churches as wel as ours And concerning this I challenge you all if you gainesay it I will prooue it to your reproach Thus you condemne the liuing and the dead and all men beside your selues Your Church and Church assemblies are holy pure and vndefiled so in them there is not a knowne wicked man But al other for as much as in them there are some knowne wicked they are polluted vnholy and prophane and all religious exercises performed in and by them CHAP. VIII The arguments of the Brownists whereby they would proue our Church to bee a false Church and the answere vnto them WE haue heard of sundry false doctrines and errors concerning the visible Church that they whom we call Brownists doe hold and the confutation of them And therein we haue heard of two of their principall reasons which they vse against our Church to prooue that it is a false Church and therfore not be communicated vvith Both the saide arguments are contained in and grounded vpon their description of a visible Church which foundation of theirs being already ouerthrowne I meane the falsehood of their said description being made manifest their arguments as the building erected thereupon must needes fall to the ground Your first reason concerneth the gathering of our Churches which say you for Argument 1 as much as they were not rightly gathered to wit by the preaching of the word therefore they are false Churches For the further enlargement of this argument on your part and our answere thereunto I refer the reader to that which is saide before in the beginning of the 9. Chapter The second reason is this Argument 2 Euery true vis Church is a seperated coÌ„pany of righteous men and not a confused and mixt company of people consisting of good and bad The parish assemblies in England are not separated but confused mixt companies consisting of men good and bad Therefore the parish assemblies in England are not true vis Churches Againe thus you reason Whatsoeuer assemblies haue in them as members thereof many open and knowne wicked the same are false visible Churches The parish assemblies in England haue in them as members many open wicked Therefore the Parish assemblies in England are false visible Churches That these are your very arguments it is manifest by that I haue formerly aledged produced out of your owne books To each of which and the seuerall parts of them I haue alreadie returned answere at large the summe whereof here followeth Answere The Proposition or first part of these two Arguments being the same in effect vve deny and affirme that they are palpably false so as he vvho is blinde may grope and feele it if he vvill but reach out his hand And I cannot but admire that any of vnderstanding should once doubt thereof considering they be so manifestly repugnant to the holy Scriptures and so easie to be conuinced by the estate of the Church in all ages And this I haue made manifest before wherevnto I refer the Reader for his full satisfaction therein What your confirmations be of these Propositions we haue likewise heard and an idle Tautalogie it were to repeat the same in whole or in part As for the Assumption of them both being likewise in effect the same vvherevpon you so much insist you had done vvell to haue saued your vvhole labour and neuer haue troubled the world vvith so many idle lines seruing to no purpose Who euer denied either of your Assumptions Why then doe you proue and at large that which we deny not If these arguments of yours be ought then are all the reformed Churches false Churches For they are not separated companies of righteous or godly men vvherein are not open vvicked but haue in their Churches many knowne vngodly and this they themselues do and will freely acknowledge and confesse Nay hereby you condemne all the Churches that euer vvere in the vvorld For there vvas neuer vis Church vvherein all the members thereof vvere so qualified as you require and no open vvicked to be found in it Your third reason followeth Argument 3 Whatsoeuer Church hath not a right constitution the same is a false Church The Church of England hath not a right Constitution Therefore the Church of England is a false Church Proue this your Proposition and wee vvill grant you the conclusion And that therein you may not erre nor vvander out of the vvay you must first know that that is a right Constitution vvhich in al things agreeth vvith the word And that a Church rightly constituted which is framed and ordered in all things to that streight rule Nothing concerning the Constitution must be wanting which God in his word requires nothing superfluous or redundant but in euery thing according to the patterne When ye haue performed this then I wil proue that the Church of the Iewes in the dayes of Christ and his Apostles vvas a false Church and so by consequent Christ Iesus himselfe and his Apostles did communicate with a false Church and in a false worship Beware therefore I aduise you before-hand what you doe To the aforesaid arguments M. Ainsworth hath added diuers in his Counterpoison which here I will set downe and returne answere vnto them The first is this Argument 4 Euery true Church is the bodie of Christ and hath him for the
concerning ecclesiasticall gouernment Whereupon it is that in the words immediatly following the former you tell vs of admonition reprehension and excommunication and not a title of any other commaundement of Christ But how doe you prooue this to bee the meaning of Iesus Till you be able to make this manifest which I thinke will neuer be I for my part will reiect this your glosse and vnderstand this Scripture more largely And here in the ende of my Booke may that iustly be retorted vpon M. Ainsworth which he vniustly in the beginning of his Counterpoyson doth auouch against vs. Counterp epist I haue also produced their own testimonies against them that the Saints on earth may say Their rocke is not as our rocke euen our enemies being Iudges Deut. 32.31 And if they will yet resist the world may see they are condemned by themselues For these reasons you condemne our churches and holde them to be false visible Churches whereupon you doe separate It had bene fit you had better informed your selues in the doctrine of the Church and learned first what a true vis church is and what a false and to haue bene able to discerne and put a difference betweene the invisible and vis Church and the Scriptures concerning them before you had thus presumptuously taken vpon you to condemne our congregations to be false Churches My brethren you take to much vpon you You condemne and speake evill of those things ye know not See to it Remember also that this definitiue sentence you haue giuen of our churches is not in a corner where some fewe onely might heare and spread the same but in the streets yea in the high streete among the presse and entering of the gates or rather vpon the house toppe as Absalom abused his fathers concubines so as whosoeuer hath an eare except hee stoppe it cannot chuse but heare it both in this age present and in the ages succeeding O that you were wise to consider of these things To the aforesaide arguments M. Ainsworth addeth two other which he inferreth vpon the former â—nd as a buiâ—ding erected vpon this foundation That our church is a false church The drift of the one is to prooue That men ought to separate from our Church and haue no coÌ„munion with it seeing it is a false Church of the other That our Ministers are no true Ministers of Christ and therefore not to be heard I doe not meane to answere the saide Arguments for that is needlesse considering what a sandie foundation they stand vpon as appeareth by the aforesaide tractate but will onely retort them vpon themselues That Church saâ—th hee which is not the true Church of Christ and of God Counterp 150 ought not by any true Christian to bee continued or communicated with but must be forsaken and separated from and a true Church of God sought and ioyned vnto where Christ and saluation by him may vndoutedly be had Because wee are willed to abstaine and separate from the false Church 2. Cor. 6.14.17 Reu. 18.4 Hos 4.15 Isa 48.20 Ier. 51.45 Zach. 2.6.7 1. Cor. 10 20.21 c. Wee are willed also to seeke and ioyne vnto a true Church Deut. 12.5 Song 1.6 Ier. 50.4.5 Isa 65.9 Psalm 26.5.6 87.2.5.6 Act. 2.47 But the Church of England is before proued not to be the true Church of Christ and of God Therefore it ought to bee separated from and a * To wit theirs for none otheâ— I dare be bold to say doe they hold for a true Church if they which freely professe what herein they thiâ—ke true Church sought for and ioyned to of such as would be saued This I returne vpon them thus That church which is a true church ought to be continued or communicated with and must not be forsaken and separated from because wee are commaunded to abstaine and separate from a false Church onely 2. We are commanded to seeke and ioyne vnto a true Church But the Church of England is before prooued to bee a true Church Therfore the Church of England ought to be coÌ„tinued and communicated with and must not bee forsaken and separated from His other Argument concerning our Ministers is this These Ministers which haue and execute the ministery of a false Church are not the true Ministers of Christ and consequently not to bee heard or obeyed as Shepheards of our selues Because the ministerie of a false Church must needes be false also seeing the Church hauing no interest in Christ can haue no interest in a Christian Ministery Besides Christ hath giuen his ministerie to his owne Church onely Ephes 4.11.12.14.15.16 1. Cor. 12.27.28 See also Ioh. 10.1.4.5 Act. 20.28 Ioh. 21.15.16 But all the Ministers of the Church of England haue and execute the ministerie of a false Church for so by the former arguments that Church is prooued Therefore they are not the true Ministers of Christ and consequently not to be heard or obeyed as Shepheards of our soules Hereupon I reason thus These Ministers which haue and execute the Ministery of a true Church are the true Ministers of Christ and consequently to be heard and obeyed as Shepheards of our soules Because the ministery of a true Church must needes be true also seeing the Church hauing interest in Christ hath interest in all the gifts hee bestoweth vpon his church and hath therefore interest in a Christian ministery Besides Christ hath giuen his ministery to his owne church so that Christs church is not destitute of his ministery Ephes 4.11 1. Cor. 12.28 c. But the Ministers of the church of England haue and execute the ministery of a true church for so by the former arguments contained in the 8. Chap. of this Booke that church is prooued Therefore they are the true Ministers of Christ and consequently to be heard or obeyed as shepheards of our soules To this argument and demonstration as M. Ainsworth thinketh he addeth this Epiphonema For the further descryiâ—g of the false ministery of this church I referre thee good Reader to a Treatise lately published intituled Reasons and Arguments proouing that it is not lawfull to heare the ministery of England And to another heretofore published called a Treatise of the Ministery of the Church of England And thus endeth hee his Treatise I answere that to these Reasons and Arguments M. Wutton hath reâ—urned an answer and sent it ouer to M. Iohnson the Authour of them about three yeeres since expecting aâ—l this while his reply But hetherto we heare of none and it is very likely neuer shall If not iustifying your Arguments you proceede still to auouch that our ministerie is a false ministerie notwithstanding the vanitie of your Arguments to this saide purpose bee discouered your consciences conuinced and mouthes stopped all the world may plainely see you neither loue nor contend for the trueth but loue more the praise of man then of God and therefore doe contend Thus much of the Church and of the different points