More Work for Priests, Answer 20 – Answer 21
I. GREENWOOD.
First, in this your papisticall mudde, I must tell you, your reading of mens writinges for prayer, is a falle worship of God, and not a matter of circumstance, And for matters of order and circumstance, which are no part of the worship, ther can be no other lawes made of them, then Christ hath made: As for ordeyning of lawes in the Church, it is to plead for unwritten verities, and to make the lawe of God unsufficient: neyther can it be according to the worde, to make anie lawe, that God hath not made, but an adding to his worde, which is execrable pride: these your wordes then (according to Gods worde) was but a cloake to cover the grossenes of your position: for the worde, ordeyne, or create lawes, is to make some, that are not made before: let us then see your cleane sentence to be this, The Church hath authority in matters of order and circumstance to make and ordaine lawes in his Church for his worship: now see how you contradict these Scriptures: Rev. 22.18.19. Prov. 30.5.6. everie worde of God is pure etc. put nothing to his worde least he reproove thee and thou be found a liar. likewise Deut. 4.2. and 12.32. and Gal. 3.15. though it be but a mans covenant', when it is confirmed, no man doth abrogate it, or superordeine anie thing to it. And the second Commaundement forbiddeth anie such humaine tradition in the worship of God: all the Popes trinckets might be brought in by the same grounde: We would willingly have seene your warrant for this doctrine, your bare worde is not sufficient to impose other lawes then God hath made, upon his Church. This is the foundation of Poperie and Anabaptistrie, to give libertie to make lawes in the worship of God. Yet you will goe furder, that such lawes being ordeyned & established by publique authoritie, the discipline and censures of the Church are to drive men to the observation of the same. By your judgment our Saviour Christ was an Anabaptisticall Schismatique, that would not himself, nor his Disciples, obey and observe the traditions of the Elders: And what saith he unto pleaders for traditions. It is thus written Marke 7.5. then asked him the Pharises and Scribes, whie walke not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eate meate with unwashed hands. Then be answeared, surely Isay hath prophesied well of you hypocrites, as it is written, this people honoreth me with their lippes but their heartes are far from me. But they worship me in vayne, teaching doctrines mens precepts. For you lay the commaundement of God aside and observe the tradition of men.
And to helpe foorth your evill matter, instead of proof from the scripture, you fal out into furious exclamation against them that desire onelyonly to have the worde practised: saying, who is able to imagine the innumerable divisions and offences in the practise of your anabaptisticall freedome, in which you deny the Church to have power to ordeine and impose any orders? lett all men judge the venemousnes of this tongue, Christ pronunceth them accursed that add or superordeyne any thing to his worde, and you pronounce judgement of them, that onelyonly obey his worde. Shall it be said that Mr Gifford holdeth, that the onelyonly practise of Gods worde, would be the cause of iunumerable divisions and offences? This hath bene Satans old accusation in the mouth of the most enimies of Christs Gospell: nowe it must be Mr Giffords accusation of Gods ordinances, to be insufficient, unperfect, etc. fearfull is his Apostacy from that truth he hath knowen. I take it, it is more like to be Anabaptistry, to practise any thing without warrant of the word, to make their own devises lawes, in Gods worship, then to doe nothing but what God hath commaunded, within the limites of our callings.
For the franticke ministery, it came of your owne wordes, that therfore you must needes have a leiturgie, because ther are manie franticke spirits in the ministerie? then I say, it is like you have a frantick ministerie, that cannot be governed without another liturgie then Christs Testament: For their great giftes you speake of: I will not compare with them.
My reason from the Colossians was, that as the Church there is commaunded to admonish their Pastor Archippus, if he transgressed, and to stirr him up to his busines, so all ministers that caused divisions, contrary to the doctrine of Christ, were to be admonished, and avoyded, if they repent not: so that the worde of God, and admonition by the same, if they trāsgresse, is the waye to keepe all men in due order, and not imposing Leiturgies upon the Church, besides Christs Testament.
And where you collected thus, that if read Prayers, and imposed liturgies be Idolatrous, then wher will you finde a visible Church say you. I answered that the true Church might erre, even in this poynte, though not in like height of sinne. Then you desire, that the Churches of England may find like favour at our hand:Mr. Barrowes refutation discovery, etc. to which I answeare, let him that handleth that question with you, shew you, how your sinnes herein exceede other countries, and persequute such as reprove you. Your church (as you all it) cannot pleade ignorance. Your rayling speaches, of blind Schismatiques, Donatists etc. bewray what sweet water is in the heart: if you cannot prove your Church to be the established Church of Christ, they light all upon your self. Ther are none Schismatiques, but such as departe from the faith, shew wherein we have transgressed, & will not be reformed. In the meane tyme you are Schismatiques from Christ, in that you practise the Statutes of Omry. You chardge us with pride, for that ( you saye ) we imagine to knowe more then all the Churches uppon earth. This also hath bene Satans old weapon, to deface the truth Ierem. 18.18. why maye not a simple babe in Christ see that, which whole nations have not seene? we cannot but speake the things Gods Worde teacheth us: if we speake trueth, you need not oppose that we judge anie man, it is the worde of God shall judge us all, and I saye, it is an old papish Argument, to reason thus (all Churches doe such a thing, therfore it is lawfull) except you hold with the Pope, that the Church cannot erre, which were blasphemous. You are not well pleased that I will not say it is no Church that hath a liturgie imposed upon it, and because you have so often slandered me, that I hold it so, you take great paynes to conclude it. I have said that to impose mens writings, to be read in stead of praying, 'is to worship God after a false maner, that it is a devise of Antichrist, a deade letter, quenching the spirit, not of faith, Idolatrous changing the worke of the spirit into an Idoll, breaking our Christian libertye, and so most detestable. By these speaches I condemne all Churches say you: this is not true, I condemne but the sinne. But you have sayd J deny that to be the Church, that hath any thing imposed. I say you speak an open untrueth; and remember the judgment of him that inventeth and maketh lyes: And God give you grace to repent, if you belong to him. The consideration of this our discourse, I hartelie commendo to be dulie and uprightly wayed, of all that feare God, who graunt us his grace to forsake any sinne, where it shalbe shewed us, by how weake instruments soever it be reproved, and pardon me all my defaults, in this my hastie answeare. Thus have we seene the unlawfullnes of thrusting mens writings upon publique assemblies, and reading instead of praying.
A generall Argument against their worship, in respect of their present estate, both of Ministers and people.
The Prayers of such ministers and people, as stand under a false government are not acceptable, not onelyonly because they aske amisse, but because they keepe not his Commaundements.
The prayers of such Ministers and people as be subject to Antichrist are abhominable:
Those Ministers and people which stand subject to the Bishops and their Courts, are subject to Antichrist &c. Therfore their prayers &c.
G. GIFFORD.
These do concerne the third and fourth accusation, and therfore the answere is included in the answere to them. Yet I take exception against the first, that the Church may be holden by force from executing Gods commaundements touching externall governement, and yet be the true Church of God, I alleadged the Church that was holden captive in Babylon &c.