Short Treatise Against the Donatists of England, To the reader
The Preface to the gentle Reader.
IT is a thing of great wonder, to behold how God preſerueth his Church from drowning and deſtruction in theſe greeuous times. The Deuill is ſo full of wrath, knowing his time is but ſhort, Reuel. 12. v. 12. that he raiſeth vp ſuch tempeſts & whi…le windes, with ſuch lightning and thunders, with ſuch outragious ſurges and waues, as if heauen and earth ſhould bee mixed together. His cheefe Vaſſals, the tyrants and Heretikes, doo wonderfully beſtirre them, to effect his curſſed deſires. By the one ſort hee dooth breath out terror, and as it were ſpit fire. By the other he ſpueth vp deadlye poiſon, and caſteth his poiſoned dartes. He is ſo ſubtill, that he tranſformeth himſelfe into the likeneſſe of an Angell of light, and his Miniſters come in faire cloakes▪ For behold all ſortes of Heretikes and Schiſmatikes, and yee ſhall ſee fewe of them come in the Deuils liuerie. The Papiſts ſhrowde themſelues vnderunder the name and title of the Catholike Church. Theſe cry out, the fathers, the fathers, the auncient Fathers. Theſe proclaime vsus and all Churches, which hauehave forſaken their fellowſhip, and imbraced the Goſpell, to be Schiſmatikes and Heretiks. Theſe affirme, that we hauehave no word of God, no Sacraments, nor Miniſtrie, becauſe we be cut off from them. Theſe preuaile mightelie among the blind ſuperſtitious people, who greedely drinke vp all the poiſon & abhominations, which the Deuill hath ſpued vp into that faire golden cuppe in which they offer them, Reuel. 17. which is, that they be Catholikes. There is riſen vp among vsus a blinde ſect, oppoſite to theſe, which is ſo furious, that it commeth like a raging tempeſt from a contrary coaſt, ſo that our ſhip is toſſed betweene contrary waues. For theſe cry alowd, that our aſſemblies be Romiſh, idolatrous; antichriſtian Synagogs. That we worſhip the beaſt, receiue his marke, and ſtand vnderunder his yoake. And finally, that we hauehave no Miniſtery, no word of God nor Sacraments. Theſe pretend ſuch feruencie of zeale againſt all falſe worſhip, ſuperſtition, and Idolatrie, and ſuch louelove to the diſcipline of Chriſt, and crie ſo lowd, that a man would thinke he heard the voice of Elias, of Haggeus, and of that third Angel, Reu. 14. Downe with the Preeſts of Baal, come out from among them, worſhip not the beaſt, ariſe, ariſe, & build the Temple and altar of the Lord. With this counterfet voice the Deuill ſeduceth many, and troubleth all ſuch as are weake, and yet hauehave zeale againſt falſe worſhip, trembling for feare of pollution: with this ſect onelyonly hauehave I now to deale. Firſt therfore touching their name, we terme them Browniſts, as being the Diſciples & Scholers of Browne. There be indeed new maſters ſprong vp, which ſeeke to carrie awaye the name, and I hauehave heard diuers ſay, they go beyond Browne. But whoſoeuer ſhal reade his books and peruſe all their writings, ſhall well ſee, that he deſerueth to hauehave the honour, if any be, and to be called the Captaine and maiſter of them all. They hauehave all their furniture from him: they do but open his packe, and diſplaye his wares. They hauehave not a ſharpe arrowe, which is not drawne out of his quiuer.
Then next, touching the queſtion betweene them and me, let the reader conſider, it is not about the controuerſie in our Church, as whether there be imperfections, corruptions, and faults, in our worſhip, miniſterie, and church gouernment, nor how many, great or ſmall. But whether there be ſuch heynous enormities, as deſtroy the verye life and being of a true Church, and make an vtter diuorſe from Chriſt. I will lay it open more plaine by a compariſon which the Scripture vſeth. The Church is like a man, in whom there be many parts and members. Rom. 12. If all the parts or members of the body hauehave their iuſt proportion, be whole and ſound, and ſet in their due order, the ſoule and life departed, he is no longer a man, to ſpeake properly, but the dead carcaſſe of a man. But now if he be ſicke and diſeaſed, ſo that all partes are feeble, or if he be deformed with ſores and maimes, wanting hand, foote, eye, noſe, or ſuch like, yet is he ſtill a man, ſo long as the ſoule and life remaine in him. All men doo know this to be true, yea euen the ſimpleſt make no doubt or controuerſie about it. Let vsus ſee therefore whether it be a fitte compariſon with the Church, and whether it be ſo in it of neceſſitie, and as manifeſt by the doctrine of the holy ſcriptures, as this other is vntounto our bodily ſenſes.
To finde this, we muſt firſt conſider, whether there be no true Church of GOD, but that which is perfect in this worlde? Wee knowe that there are none but Heretikes, yea ranke abhominable heretikes, which obſtinately deny this cleere doctrine of the holy Scriptures, namely, that euen the moſt faithfull, and the moſt godly, are not perfect while they liue vponupon the earth. We know but in part. 1. Cor. 13. In many things we ſinne all. Iam. 3. v. 2. And who vnderſtandeth his errors, or who can tell how oft he offendeth? Pſal 19. The perfecteſt members of the Church doo erre, doo ſinne, are maimed, are weake, are ſpotted and deformed many wayes. Nowe, whereas all the members be in this caſe, needes muſt the whole body which is compoſed of them be in the ſame eſtate. Then we may not looke for a Church in this world, which is not ſpotted, deformed, maymed, and weake, in ſome reſpects.
But the queſtion muſt bee, how farre it may bee deformed and maimed, and yet remaine aliue, and ſo a true Church of God. Let all the partes bee ioyned together: let there be all ſortes of officers and offices, yet if the life, and as it were the ſoule of the Church be wanting, it is but a dead carcaſſe. Contrarywiſe, let there be ſome members wanting, ſome maimed, all parts deformed and weake, yet is it a true Church of God, ſo long as the ſoule and life dooth remaine in it. And what is the ſoule and life of the Church? Ieſus Chriſt apprehended by faith. I liue now, ſaith Saint Paul, but not any longer I, but Chriſt liueth in me, Galath. 2. ver. 20. All the members of the Church are incorporate, and graffed into Chriſt by faith, and doo growe in him, and through the operation of his ſpirite receiue the iuice and ſappe of life from him, Iohn. 15. Whoſoeuer beleeueth in the Sonne of God, ſhall be ſaued, though he be full of errors, full of infirmities, and deformities, both in body and ſoule, labouring to be purged.
But if a man, or an aſſembly do hold that which ouerthroweth the faith in Chriſt, they are gone, there is no life remaining. As the Papacie holdeth many things aright touching Chriſt; but it holdeth ſundry things contrary, which ouerthrow the very foundation of the faith, and ſo the Papacie it ſelfe is not Gods true Church.
Thus hauehave I laide open the queſtion, betweene mee and the Browniſts: wherein then are the Maiſters and Capitaines of Browniſme deceiued? And what is it, in which they ſeeke victorie and glory? They knowe there is no ſinne, no error, no corruption, nor no abuſe, but that if all the learnedeſt in the worlde would take vponupon them to cleere and to defend the ſame, they ſhall not be able. Then they are deſirous of victorie, of triumphe and glorye▪ ouer all both wiſe and learned. Heere therefore they entrench themſelues, they make their Bulwarkes, plant their ordinance, ſet themſelues in arraye, and ſound the Trumpet of defiance againſt all. They preſume, none ſhall euer be able to driue them out of their holde. And indeed, he that condemneth an error, and goeth no further, can neuer be vanquiſhed. But heerein they are deceiued, that out of this Forte they will batter downe the Church. For theyr ordinance is ouer weake for that: they ſtoppe in powder in great plenty, for they laye on toong enough, and ſo make terrible thundering crakes. But the Bullets which come foorth, and which ſhould doo the deed, are nothing but hereticall, erronious, and fantaſticall opinions, and ſo all vaniſheth into ſmoake. They muſt therefore at the laſt, leaue their holde, and take them to their heeles, for Gods Church will not be battered downe by any aſſaults of Schiſmatikes.
Some will thinke hardly, that I terme them Schiſmatikes, ſeeing they be men that are accounted zealous▪ and ſtand for good things. But the truth is, they be not onelyonly a Schiſme, yea a vile Schiſme, rending themſelues from the Church of England, and condemning by their aſſertions, the whole viſible Church in the worlde, euen as the Donatiſts did of olde time: but alſo they maintaine hereſies, and ſome that touche the very foundation of faith and Chriſtian religion: they be vtter violaters of eccleſiaſticall diſcipline, they abridge the power of the ciuill Magiſtrate, beſide ſundry fantaſticall opinions. For when as the life of the church conſiſteth in the apprehenſson of Chriſt through faith, it muſt needs be an hereſie, to conclude as they doo, a nullitie, & a quite ouerthrow of the ſame, from errors & faults which are not fundamentall. Faith and regeneration being vnperfect, in all that liue vponupon the earth, it is heriticall, to ſay, that is no Church of God, which holding the ſounde doctrine, hath ſinnes and great abuſes in it.
The ſtableneſſe of Gods couenant towarde the Church, being founded onelyonly vponupon his free grace, it is deteſtable impietie, to hang it vponupon the works of men, as the Browniſts do, when they affyrme, that where there is any open ſinnes ſuffered in an aſſemblie, the couenant is diſanulled with them all. And if men conſider well, they ſhall finde that the whole Browniſme reſteth vppon the hereſie of perfection and Anabaptiſticall freedome. For from hence, that it is written, Ieruſalem from aboue is the mother of vsus all, and is free with her children. They boaſt of ſuch freedome, as that touching outwarde orders, the Prince and Church hath no power to impoſe any thing by Lawes and Conſtitutions. Which is one thing wherein they do not onelyonly abridge the power of the Chriſtian Magiſtrates, denying them the authoritie to reforme the Church, and to compell their ſubiects to the true worſhip, ſpoyling the Church of that comfortable ayd: but alſo condemne all reformed Churches which hauehave orders and preſcript formes of prayers impoſed, which theſe Browniſts tearme Idolatrie, a tradition bringing Chriſtian libertie into bondage, and therefore a thing moſt deteſtable. Moreouer, they hold ſuch a perfect freedome from all ſpirituall bondage of ſinne, that they affyrme S. Paule neuer conſented to wicked thoughts after he was regenerate. But in an other place they affyrme, that all men be Idolaters, and can keepe no one Commaundement: where they are both contrary to themſelues, vttering that which ouerthroweth the whole Browniſme▪ and alſo ſpeake groſely. For albeit there is no man perfect in any Commaundement, yet the holy Scriptures do not call them Idolaters nor adulterers. They boldly gayne ſay the holy Ghoſt, by affirming that the Pſalmes were not to be ſung vntounto God. And touching the diſcipline, which is the thing they moſt glorie of, as if they ſuffered for it: let all men know for certaintie, that they be not only ignorant what it is, but alſo do in their practiſe breake and ouerthrow the very pith and ſubſtance thereof in the chiefe rules. For they take vponupon them to abandon and caſt foorth whole aſſemblyes which profeſſe the Goſpell, and hauehave their eſtimation and dignitie among all godly Churches, without obſeruing the rule giuen by our Sauiour Chriſt, Math. 18. They intrude themſelues without calling, beeing meere priuate men, to the erecting and eſtabliſhing of a publike gouernment, forgetting that which is written, I hauehave not ſent them, and yet they runne. They cut off alſo the power of the Church in a great part of the diſcipline, as namely, in ordeyning conſtitutions in things that are variable. Finally touching this poynt, I may ſay boldly, the Diuell can no way almoſt more diſgrace Eccleſiaſticall gouernment then he doth by them, for it is the Sterne of Chriſtes Ship, and requireth men of the greateſt wiſedome, learning, experience, and ſobrietie that may be, for to guide it. Now when the common Artificer, the Apprentiſe and the Bruer intrude themſelues, and they will guide the ſame, being ignorant, raſh, and headie, what worldlie wiſe man will not take it, that diſcipline her ſelfe is but a bedlem? Who will aduenture himſelfe in that Ship, where preſumptuous ignorance, and bold frenſie doth ſit at the Helme? Shall that Ship eſcape the rockes? If it would pleaſe God to giuegive Browne the grace to repent, and to ſpeake the truth, he could beſt declare this thing. For when he had with certayne other, drawne ſome both men and women ouer the Seas, and there ſpread his Sayles, how ſoone did his ſilly Boate daſh vppon the rocke, and was clouen in two or three peeces? Let not men be deceyued with eueryevery vayne ſhewe, for vndoubtedly, he that obſerueth ſhall finde, that the end of Browniſme, is infinite Schiſmes, Hereſies, Atheiſme, and Barbariſme. For what other fruites can followe of the diſgracing and condemning the liberall Artes, of bringing the miniſterie of Gods Word, by which the religion and godlines that is in men, hath been …rought into vtter contempt? What can followe from immoderate outragious raſh furie, wrath, and bitter zeale, and vainglorious contention, which are earthly, ſenſuall, and diueliſh? If men could ſtay themſelues but a while, and ſee whether the ſame things ſpring not foorth, which came from the Donatiſts and Anabaptiſts, it were well. For it is to be wondred at, that any which profeſſe the Goſpell, ſhould be ſeduced and called away not only from the Miniſters of the Church of England that hauehave taught them, but from all the moſt worthy men and Churches vnderunder heauen, and that by the voyce of the Deuill in ſuch furious blinde Schiſmatikes. In deede there be two ſpeciall cauſes of it: the one, that ſundry men receyue not the holy Word of God in humilitie, with feare and trembling, with conſcience to practiſe, but are puffed vp, and ſwell with opinion of their knowledge, as ſoone as they can vtter a fewe words: and growe vntounto vayne iangling, yea, vntounto bitter zeale, and contention, in ſtead of being quiet (as S. Paule willeth) and medling with their own buſines, 1. Theſ. 3. and alſo in ſtead of following after righteouſnes, faith and louelove, 2. Timoth. 3.
He that ſeemeth moſt zealous in religion, and refraineth not his toong, hath but bitterneſſe in ſteed of heauenly zeale. For wheras, in ſteed of gentleneſſe, meekeneſſe, patience, merciemercy, and louelove, yee finde wrath, fierceneſſe, intemperat rage, vncharitable condemning and ſlaundering, know for certainty, that the true zeale is not there. The other cauſe of mens ſeducing, is that in this corrupt age there be many ſtumbling blockes, and greeuous offences: where indeed, it is the part and duty of eueryevery true Chriſtian man, beſide the taking heede to his owne wayes, moſt inſtantly to offer vp praiers and ſupplications to God, to intreate him to ſhew merciemercy and compaſſion vponupon vsus, by increaſing all heauenly graces and giftes of his holy ſpirit in our moſt noble Queene, and in all Gouernours, both ciuill and eccleſiaſticall, that there may be feruent zeale to purge the houſe of God, and to take away the cauſes of contention, that we may not alwaies ſeeke to deuoure one an other, but that vnity and concord may floriſh, holding this withall, that it is alſo eueryevery mans dutie that will feare God, to giuegive him hearty thanks for the ineſtimable treaſures and bleſſings which he hath beſtowed vponupon vsus, by meanes of the happy raigne of our gratious Soueraigne: and to take heed of that malignant ſpirite of Browniſme, which would carry vsus to this wicked opinion, that ſhe bearing the Sworde of God, hath doone no more for vsus then an Heathen Prince might doo. For if we hauehave no word of God, no miniſtery, no Sacraments nor viſible Church, but all idolatrous and antichriſtian, what hath ſhe done, what honor can ſhe hauehave for defence of the Goſpell? This is no ſmall diſhonour and iniurie to a Chriſtian Prince, thus to diminiſh the louelove of the ſubiects. The Lord giuegive them repentance, and grace, to ceaſe from ſuch impietie; and let all men with modeſtie, reuerence, and ſubiection, and not with reproch and contempt, ſeeke the redreſſe of abuſes at their hands which be in Authoritie: and not aduenture like Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, to intrude themſelues without calling and warrant from God. They cryed out, are not all the Lords people holy? and therefore Moſes and Aaron yee take too much vppon yee. The Browniſt proclaymeth, that all the Lords people are free, and therefore freely to deale, and not to hauehave any thing impoſed by any. Be not deceyued, but knowe for certaintie, that they be full and rancke Donatiſts and Anabaptiſts in part. I knowe it is complayned of, that there be ſo many and ſo diuers Sectes and Hereſies dayly ſpringing vp where the Goſpell is preached, for it ſeemeth a foule diſgrace both to the Goſpell it ſelfe, and to the Preachers. There are, ſay ſome, at the leaſt fifty ſeuerall ſectes. Behold, ſay others, how the people are lead without ground, and hauehave no ſtay but are caryed without ende from one thing to another. What is the cauſe? is not the preaching? is there any thing deliuered which is certayne? are not the fruites of theyr Sermons, factions, and Schiſmes? Theſe ſpeeches do ſo abaſh and trouble ſome, that they are driuen backe, and retyre into flat Poperie, as into a ſafe hauen, which yet in truth is the gulfe of all Schiſmes and abhominable hereſies Others are ſo much diſpleaſed, that they become Atheiſts, and care not much for any Religion, though of both they doo rather fauour the Poperie. A third ſort there be which did runne, and now ſtand ſtill and wonder: they knowe not whether they were beſt to goe backe or forward. Their louelove and zeale is decayed, and readie vtterly to be quenched. It is wonderfull that there ſhould be ſuch blindnes in men, and want of wiſedome to conſider rightly of all cauſes and effects. The Scriptures are cleere that light is come into the world, and men louelove darkneſſe more then light, becauſe their works be euill. And what followeth heerevpon, becauſe they receyue not the louelove of the truth, that they might be ſaued: God doth ſend them ſtrong deluſion to beleeue lyes, that they may be damned, 2. Theſſ. 2. It is the heauie iudgement of God vppon the wicked world, that Satan is let looſe to ſeduce and leade into error. Men are worthie of ſuch a plague, and it doth come vppon them to the full: for they be not able now to diſcerne the truth, but do reproch and blaſpheme it, ſeeking the diſgrace of ſuch as do bring it. Moreouer, the Scriptures do ſhewe, that God hath an other purpoſe in ſending ſtrong deluſion, and the efficacie of error, and that is touching his elect, for they be clogged with the fleſhe, ſlowe and dull to ſearch out the truth: they be readie to leane to their owne wiſedome, and ſeeke not vntounto God. When Schiſmes and Hereſies ariſe, it doth awaken them, cauſeth them to ſearch more diligently, yea, to ſeeke vntounto God, and to depend wholly vppon him for light and inſtruction. It cauſeth them to feare and tremble in humilitie, and to make precious account of the truth when they hauehave once found it: ſeeing the Deuill laboureth ſo mightely to depriue them of it by quenching the light. I heare (ſayth S. Paule) that there be Schiſmes among ye, and I do in part beleeue it: for there muſt be Hereſies, that ſuch as are approued, may be made manifeſt, 1. Cor. 11. When we ſee it come to paſſe, that through the malice and craft of the Deuill and his inſtruments ſuch confuſion doth ouerſpread all, let vsus not louelove the Goſpell the worſe, let vsus not blaſpheme it, but knowe it ſtandeth vsus vponupon to be more carefull. The bleſſed Apoſtles themſelues had to encounter with Heretikes and falſe Apoſtles, and full cunningly did Satan winde in himſelfe in their dayes. When they were taken away, what troups of Heretikes did he ſend foorth? what blaſphemies and deteſtable furies did he vtter and ſpread by them? how were all the auncient Doctors and holy Fathers in the Churches ſet on worke to confute them, and to defend the true Chriſtian people from infection? Why then ſhould we nowe be daunted? or why ſhould it be any reproch to the holy Doctrine now more then of old, that the Diuell, where any light is ſhewed, doth followe it by and by at the heeles, to worke diſgrace? Let the miniſters of Gods Word looke diligently to theyr flockes, and teach them the wholeſome pure Doctrine, and the way of Sanctification. Let true zeale ſpring afreſh, which nowe ſuffreth great contempt, becauſe there is a mad bedlem riſen vp, which nameth her ſelfe by her name. There be diuers which cry out againſt zeale very naughtely, when it is moſt certayne no man can hauehave ouermuch godly zeale, eſpecially in theſe dayes, wherein, who almoſt hath any hote louelove for the glorie of God, and the ſaluation of his people? If Chriſt ſhould ſpeake, what other ſentence can we looke for, but that which he vttered of the Church of Laodicea, Reuel. 3. Thou art neyther hote nor cold. But let vsus come to the matter in hand.
A breefe ſum of the profeſsion of the Browniſts.
_1 WE ſeeke aboue all things the peace and protection of the moſt high, and the kingdome of Chriſt Ieſus our Lord.
2 We ſeeke and fully purpoſe to worſhip God aright, as he hath commaunded in his holy worde.
3 We ſeeke the fellowſhip and communion of his faithfull and obedient ſeruants, and together with them to enter couenant with the Lord. And by the direction of his holy ſpirite to proceed to a godly, free, and right choiſe of miniſters and other officers by him ordained to the ſeruice of his Church.
4 We ſeeke to eſtabliſh and obey the ordinances and lawes of our Sauiour Chriſt, left by his laſt will and teſtament to the gouerning and guiding of his Church, without altering, changing, innouating, wreſting, or leauing out any of them, that the Lord ſhall giuevs ſight of.
5 We purpoſe by the aſſiſtance of the Holyghoſt in this faith and order to leade our liues. And for this faith and order to leaue our liues, if ſuch be the good will and pleaſure of our heauenly Father: to whom be all glory and praiſe for euer. Amen.
6 And now that our forſaking and vtter abandoning theſe diſordered aſſemblies, as they generally ſtand in England, may not ſeeme ſtrange or offenſiue to any man, that will iudge, or be iudged by the worde of God: we alledge & affirme them hainouſlye faultie, and wilfullye obſtinate in theſe foure principall tranſgreſſions.