Defense of the Churches and Ministry of England, Title page 1 – Argument 1
A DEFENCE OF THE CHVRCHES AND MINISTERY OF ENGLANDE.
Written in two Treatiſes, againſt the Reaſons and Obiections of Maiſter FRANCIS IOHNSON, and others of the ſeparation commonly called BROWNISTS.
Publiſhed, eſpecially, for the benefitt of thoſe in theſe partes of the lowe Countries.
MIDDELBVRGH, By Richard Schilders, Printer to the States of Zealand, 1599.
THE PVBLISHER TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.
ABout Three Yeeres ſince, Maiſter Iacob hauing ſome ſpeach with certen of the ſeparation before mentioned, concerning their peremptory & vtter ſeparation frō the Churches of England, was requeſted by them, briefly to ſétt down in wryting, his Reaſon for defence of the ſaid Churches, And they would either yeild vntounto his proofes, or procure an anſwer vntounto the ſame. Wherevpon, the Argument following this Preface, was ſet downe in wryting by Maiſter Iacob: which the ſaid parties did ſend to Maiſter Fr. Iohnſon, being then priſoner in the Clinke in Southwark, who made an anſwer vntounto the ſame, conteyning 3. Exceptions and 9. Reaſons in denyall of the Aſſumption: Wherevnto Maiſter Iacob Replyed. Afterward Maiſter Iohnſon defended his ſaid Exceptions and Reaſons: And finally, Maiſter Iacob Replyed againe. As by the particulars themſelues appeareth.
Now hauing weighed and conſidered with my ſelfe, the great ignorance and errors, wherewith thoſe of the ſeparation aforeſaid, are and hauehave bene lately carried awaye: namely, to affirme, That all that ſtande members of the Churches of Englande, are no true Chriſtians, nor in ſtate of ſaluation, And ſuch like moſt vngodly ſentences, which would grieue any Chriſtian ſoule once to thinke on, much more to publiſh to the view of the world: And weighing likewiſe withall, the greate weakenes of manie Chriſtians among vsus, who (through want of experience, or due conſideration of things as they are) may eaſelie by their deluſions be drawne away into thoſe errors with them: I hauehave therefore: (Aſwell in hope of reclaiming of the ſaid parties from their ſaid extremities, (which now I iudge the moſt of them, for want of meanes ſee not:) As alſo for the ſtaying of others from running into the ſame grieuous exceſſe with them) now publiſhed this diſcourſe to the view of the world, which hath line buryed in the hands of ſome few. Many being deſirous of it, who by reaſon of the largnes in wryting out of the ſame could not obteyne it: Wherevnto I am ſo much the rather induced, For that the Reaſons herein by Maiſter Iacob alleadged, hauehave (by Gods bleſſing) reclaymed many from their former errors, and ſatisfied others, who hauehave bene doubtfull, and ſubiect to fall into the ſame.
In the examining of which Diſcourſe, I ſhall deſire the Reader to obſerue a few notes for his better proffiting in the ſame.
1. And Firſt, (among the reſt) to note this, as a token of the ſtrange and obſtinate dealing of Maiſter Iohnſon and others of them, viz. That heretofore, (vntill ſuch time as the Argument hereafter mentioned, was framed aganſt them,) they neuer denyed, That the doctrine and profeſſion of the Churches of England, was ſufficient to make thoſe that beleeued and obeyed them, to be true Chriſtians, and in ſtate of ſaluation: But alwayes held, profeſſed and acknowledged the contrarie: As by the publike confeſſions of themſelues, namely Maiſter Barrow, Maiſter Penry, and Maiſter Iohnſon himſelfe, in this diſcourſe mentioned in Pag. 81. appeareth: But nowe, they ſeing; That if they ſhould acknowledge the ſaid Doctrines and profeſſion, to be ſufficient to ſaluation: That then this concluſion would of neceſſitie follow, that thoſe that hold and practize thē, are a true *Which yet Maiſter Penry confeſſed, ſee Pag. 82.Church, And ſo their own former iudgements ſhould be croſſed. Rather I ſay then they would be drawne to that, They nowe ſtick not to deny their owne confeſſions (which they thinke to be the ſaifeſt way for them,) and like vnnaturall children, ſo vehemently hate, contemne, and diſpiſe their mother who bare them, nouriſhed, and brought them vp: from whoſe breſts they ſucked that ſweete milke of the meanes of euerlaſting life and ſaluation, (if euer they had any taſt of it at all.) Beeing notwithſtanding, not abaſhed nowe in a deſperate manner, in the hardnes of their heart, to affirne:*Which appeareth, generally by denying the Aſſumption of Ma. Iacobs, & particularly in theſe pages 13. 62. 63. 64. That none by the doctrine of the Churches of England, can be a true Chriſtian, or ſaued: But that they all worſhip God in vaine, Are aboliſhed from Chriſt, Are Babilonians, Idolaters, departers from the faith, worſe then Infidels; And ſuch like moſt vnchriſtian ſentences, making them all one with the Church of Rome, &c. Which impious affirmations, would cauſe any Chriſtian heart to lament and bleed for grief; Whoſe vnchriſtian ſentences, and falſe and deceiptfull Reaſons, (the very naming whereof were ſufficient to refute them,) are moſt plainly taken awaye, and cleane ouerthrowne, by theſe brief Replies of Maiſter Iacob vntounto eueryevery of them, vntounto which I referre yow. OnelyOnly this I adde with all, which I would deſire might be noted: That if they continew in their former confeſſions, That the doctrines and profeſſion of the Churches of England are ſufficient to ſaluation; (As they ought, it being the very truth) Then are they all in a moſt grieuous ſchiſme, in ſo peremptorily condempning, and ſeparating, from ſuch true Chriſtians and Churches. And if they deny it: (as they hauehave begonne to doe:) Then doe they runne headlong, into an intollerable ſinne and extremitie, without all warrant of Gods word: And beſides giuegive iuſt occaſion to be called fearfull*Which name they vniuſtly giuegive to thoſe, that iuſtly for this their extremity forſake their fellowſhip Apoſtates, in ſo wholy falling (and that aduiſedly, for aduantage ſake, as it ſeemeth plainely to appeare) from ſo notable a truth which before they imbraced, and acknowledged.
2 Secondly, I would deſier the Reader not to be carried away with the multitude of corruptions, from the Queſtion or matter in hand, (viz. Whether the good doctrines of the Churches of England are ſufficient to ſaluation in them that in ſimplicitie of heart beleeue and imbrace them, notwithſtanding the multitude of errors and corruptions which Maiſter Iohnſon repeateth to the contrarie:) But to hauehave an eſpeciall regard vntounto the ſame. Which is the maine poinct that hath and doeth altogeather deceiue them, viz. To hauehave an eye to the corruptions in the Miniſterie, worſhip, and gouernement of the Churches of England: But neuer to looke vntounto the nature and force of them, whether ſimply of their owne nature, they ouerthrow faith and Chriſtianitie, or whether they be held of obſtinacy and a conuicted conſcience, or not. Therefore I pray you marke and examine the errors which they reckon vp, (and I deſire the ſame alſo of them, for whoſe good eſpecially I publiſhed this Treatiſe.) And after due conſideration, ſee if thoſe errors are ſimplie of that nature which before we hauehave noted. If they be not, (as Maiſter Iohnſon nor all the men in the world, ſhall euer be able to proue they are:) Then doe they gett no aduantage by thoſe errors, to this purpoſe which they vrge them for, although they were Thrice as many*Notwithſtanding they are too many already. more as they are. Thus they may ſee how they hauehave all this while ben deceiued, and are now to ſeeke a new for defence of their ſeparation. For I hope they will not ſay, That eueryevery error, held in ſimplicitie by Chriſtians, doth cut them off from ſaluation in Chriſt; Then ſhould they condempne themſelues, vnleſſe they hold Anabaptiſticall perfection, which ſurely though I thinke they hold it not ſimply in their conſciences; Yet in their practize (by condempning others ſo peremtorily; that iump not euen with them in eueryevery poinct) they come very neare it: But let this paſſe; wee ſee then, That of neceſſitie, the nature of the errors muſt be regarded, EueryEvery ſinne is not a like. Me thinkes then, that they ſhould affoard that fauour to others, which they would hauehave others to offoard vntounto them: namely, That as they would be accompted true Chriſtians, through their faith in Chriſt, notwithſtanding their errours (which they muſt acknowledge*Pſal. 19.12 1. Cor. 13.9.12 are infinite manie in this life.) So they ſhould accompt of others in the like caſe: which euen common ſence and humanitie would require them to graunt.
To impreſſe this thing a little better in their mindes, I will a little turne my ſpeech vntounto them. And I would pray them, to call to minde the manie errors and corruptions which they beare with amonge themſelues, and lay them and the errors with vsus togeather, and they ſhall ſee their equalitie.
Some of you, hold it vtterly and ſimply vnlawfull, to ſweare by a booke, to proue a will, take an adminiſtration or ſue in the Eccleſiaſticall Courts: To ſhut vp your ſhops vponupon Holly dayes and Feſtiuall dayes, &c. And that theſe are the inuentions of Antichriſt, &c. And others of you, hold theſe thinges altogeather lawfull, and hauehave and doe put them in practiſe, with manie other ſuch like thinges which I could name. But theſe ſhall ſuffice.
Now the thing which I would from hence note is this. Can you among your ſelues beare with ſuch weighty poinctes as theſe, which you ſay are the inuentions & traditions of Antichriſt that man of ſinne, which (in your accompt) are the†I would you knew the marks of the Beaſt a little better. marks of the Beaſt,*Reu. 14. which who ſoeuer receiueth, ſhall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God, and ſhalbe tormented in Hell fier for euer? And will not your ſtumackes ſerue you, to beare with the Churches of England, in the like, or rather in farr leſſer matters? What equitie is there in this? Surely you are (for the moſt parte) ſo wholly giuen, and bend your wits and mindes ſo much, to looke into the eſtate of other men & other Churches, & to apply the ſcriptures to thē: As you ſildome or neuer look into your own eſtate, or apply the ſcripturs to your ſelues: But looke vntounto it, it will be your decay in th'end. You may ſee thē by your own practize all errors are not alike: But yet, will ſome ſay, Obiection. are not all the ſcriptures and commaundements of God fundamentall, and to be obeyed alike? &c.
Anſwer. Let ſuch conſider of this ſcripture 1. Cor. 3.12.15. amongſt many other: which plainly proueth, that many errors (ſo they be not of obſtinacie) may be built by a Chriſtian vponupon the fundation Chriſt Ieſus, and yet be a true Chriſtian ſtill: For which ſee further Maiſter Iacobs anſwer in Pag. 88. Againe there are errors ſimply fundamentall, which of their owne nature cleane aboliſh from Chriſt; ſuch are the errors of the Arians concerning the Deitie of Chriſt: of the Anabaptiſts concerning his humanitie: of the Papiſts concerning Iuſtification by workes, praying to, and truſting in Saincts, and ſuch like, which directly raze the very foūdation. But that any one, or all, of the errors in the Churches of England are of this force (as you would ſeeme to hold by all your 9. Reaſons) is moſt impious and vngodly to affirme: And as Maiſter Iacob very well noteth in his anſwer to eueryevery one of them: You thereby ouerthrow the Martirs in Queene Maries dayes, from being Chriſtians, who held the very ſame corruptions in their miniſterie, worſhip, &c. which is now held in England: But ſay you, the Martirs ſaw no further. Then you confeſſe againſt your ſelues, that our errors doe not ſimply aboliſh from Chriſt (as you eueryevery where affirme moſt vngodly, eſpecially in defence of your 7. Reaſon.) But that if men in theſe things ſee no further, they are in the ſame eſtate with the Martirs. Now if you would hauehave your Reaſons hould, you muſt proue the Churches of England all conuicted in cōſcience, which I hope you will not goe about to doe.
Thus much concerning the nature of our errors, whether they be of obſtinacie, or againſt the fundation directly: Which is the Second note I deſire to be obſerued.
3 Thirdly, I would deſire the Reader to obſerue, the wreſting and miſaplying of certen places of ſcripture, which (partly in this Treatiſe, and alſo in other their wrytings) they alleadge for their abſolute and peremptory ſeparation from the Churches of England: which I hauehave thought not a miſſe here to ſett downe, that thereby the Reader (and them ſelues, vponupon better conſideration of the ende and ſcope of the holy Ghoſt in theſe places) may ſee, how they wreſt and miſapply them, cleane contrary from the true and naturall ſence thereof.
The ſcriptures which they alleadge for their ſeparation, are theſe.
Then the ſonnes of God ſaw the daughters of men. Gen. 6.2.
Yee ſhall keepe therefore all mine ordinances and all my iudgments and doe them, that the land whether I bring you to dwell therein ſpew you not out, therefore ſhall ye bee holy vntounto mee, for I the Lord am holy, and I hauehave ſeparated you from other people, that you ſhould be mine. Leu. 20.22.26.
So the children of Iſraell which were come againe out of captiuitie, and all ſuch as had ſeparated themſelues vntounto them from the filthines of the Heathen of the land, to ſeeke the Lord God of Iſraell, did eate, &c. Ezra. 6.21.
Departe, departe yee, goe out from thence, and touch no vncleane thinge, goe out of the middeſt of her, be ye cleane that beare the veſſels of the Lord Eſa. 52.11.
Fly from the middeſt of Babell, and departe out of the land of the Caldeans. Ier. 50.8. And Fly out of the middeſt of Babell and deliuer eueryevery man his ſoule from the fierce wrath of the Lorde. Ier. 51.6.45
Come not yee to Gilgall, neither goe ye vp to Bethauen. Hoſ. 4.15.
Come to Bethell and tranſgreſſe, and to Gilgall and multiply tranſgreſsion, &c. Seeke not Bethellner enter into Gilgall, and goe not to Beerſheba. Amos. 4.4.5.
Saue your ſelues from this froward generation. Act. 2.40.
And when certen were hardned and diſobeyed ſpeaking euell of the way of god before the multitude, he departed from them and ſeparated the diſcipels, &c. Act. 19.9.
Therefore come out from among them, and ſeparate your ſelues ſaith the the Lorde, and touch no vncleane thing, and I will receiue you. 2. Cor. 6.17.
And I heard another voice from heauen, ſaying, goe out of her my people, &c. Reu. 18.4.
Theſe are the very mayne grounds, on which their ſeparation is builded, which being duly weighed with the ſcope of the text, you ſhall very eaſely finde, that not one amongeſt them all, will hold in proportion with this time, nor beare the ſeparation they gather frō them. Firſt becauſe either they concerne ſuch times and ſtates as the people that liued in th…; were profeſſors of, or ſubiect vntounto, open groſſe Infidelitie, & either Heathen or Antichriſtiā Idolatry, not in ſome particuler cuſtomes & outward ordināces, but in the whole body and power of Heathen & Antichriſtian religion, ſuch as could not poſſibly ſtand with true faith and religion at all: Which can not be ſaid of theſe times & preſent ſtandings, without open vntruth. 2 Or els becauſe if they be not of that ſort, they affoard no ſuch abſolute ſeparation at all, but only frō wilful, rebellious, & obſtinate diſobeyers, & euill ſpeakers, and from apparant groſſe corruptions, but not from the whole publike body of thoſe Aſſemblies, nor from the lawfull and good things vſed in ſuch times and ſtandings, as hauehave not wholy ſwarued from the faith, though there were diuers grieuous faults, both in doctrine and practize, ſuffered among them. As by the example of the Iewiſh Churches in the times of the Prophets, eſpecially of Chriſt him ſelfe, may plainly appeare. The Euangeliſtes make mention in diuers places, That they worſhipped God in vaine, teaching for doctrine mens preceptes. They made their proſelites the Children of Hell Two fold more then they were before. They made the commaundements of God of none effect by their traditions. Such as beleeued in Chriſt they excommunicated, &c. Yet were they a true Church, notwithſtanding theſe, and many other grieuous enormities: with whom Chriſt himſelf and his Apoſtles, had communion and fellowſhip, ſometime in thoſe good things that were among them. And ſo might they with the Churches of England, without iuſtifying or allowing theſe things, which they ſee to be euill. All which things doe more fully appeare in the conference it ſelfe, as it followeth hereafter.
But vntounto the examples of theſe Churches, me thinkes I heare already that common anſwer and laſt refuge of theirs: which is this. Obiection▪ Thoſe Churches (ſay they) were in a true outward conſtitution, And therfore were the true Churches of Chriſt, notwithſtanding thoſe groſſe errors which they held in other poincts of doctrine and practize: But contrariwiſe (ſay they) the Churches of England hauehave a falſe outward conſtitution, and therefore they are no true Churches of Chriſt, notwithſtanding their truthes of doctrine, &c.
Anſwer. So the outward conſtitution is the maine poinct on which they wholy depend, and for which, they wholy condempne the Churches of England from being true Chriſtians & in ſtate of ſaluation: Which I doubt not plainly to take away. 1 And firſt concerning the conſtitution of the Iewiſh Churches. If we ſhould examine the ſame, we ſhould finde that it was as greatly altered and corrupted, as is the conſtitution of the Churches of England. Two high Prieſts hauing by ſimony crept in at once, which was vnlawfull, and contrarie to Gods ordinance, (notwithſtanding their gloſes in their other“9 Reaſons. writinges, to allow them to be lawfull by*2. Chron. 24.2.3. Zadok and Ahimelech, and by“2. King 25.18. Seruiah the chief Prieſte, & Zephaniah the Second: which make againſt themſelues:) For there was neuer but one high Prieſt, as they confeſſe*Anſwere to Maiſter Hild. Pag. 50. (Ergo not two as here were) the reſt were indeed inferior to him: And yet amongſt thoſe, there was a chiefty alſo, who were called, ſometimes Second Prieſtes, or Prieſtes of the Second order▪ 2. King. 23.4. and ſometimes chief Prieſts, Mat. 27.1. Theſe ſcriptures being compared with thoſe in the margin by them cited, doe make it more plaine. Now, if the chief offices, were ſo corrupted and altered through couetouſnes, as the Hiſtories make mention: It is not likely, that the inferior offices did remaine ſound, but were aſmuch or more altered: The Prieſts (generally) being ſuch couetous wicked perſons, their offices beeing very gainefull: and beſides they liuing vnderunder the authoritie of the Heatheniſh Romans, who ruled ouer them. All theſe things conſidered, it is very likely that ye offices & outward conſtitution (on which they ſo much depend) were wholy altered from the right inſtitution, and therefore would make nothing for thē. As for their allegation of Mat. 23.1. Where they ſay, Chriſt teſtifieth that they had true offices, by ſaying they ſatt in Moſes chaire: It will not help them, any whit at all. For Moſes was no Prieſt, as they were, but a Magiſtrate: and therefore Moſes chaire muſt be vnderſtood of ſome what elſe: & themſelues*Maist. Barrow and Mai. Greenwood, in diuers Letters and Treatiſes. hauehave vnderſtood it heretofore, of Moſes doctrine. 2. Secondly (to let their conſtitution paſſe, which yet as I hauehave ſaid, would be found as badde or worſe then ours) wee will examine their corruptions in doctrine: Wherein I would know of thē, which are the greater ſinnes, of theſe two ſorts, viz.
1. A falſe and corrupt outward conſtitution:
2. Or falſe and corrupt doctrines.
I thinke they will ſay, the corrupt and falſe doctrines are the greater, as they are indeed: For that they, doe wound, feſter and corrupt the very conſcience, and doe deceiue the hearers thereof, Whereas the errors in the conſtitution of a Church, (eſpecially in ſome circumſtances (as the errors with vsus are) and thoſe of no ſmall controuerſie, in matters alſo not fundamentall) are nothing nere ſo hurtfull: by howe much the Tithing of Mint, Annis, and Commin, are of leſſer force then the other weightier matters of the law. Now from hence, I Reaſon thus.
If the greater ſinnes (namely in doctrine) doe not ſimply ouerthrow a companie of Chriſtians, from being a true Church: Then much leſſe will the leſſer ſinnes (namely in the outward conſtitution, &c.)
But the falſe doctrines (which are the greater ſinnes) themſelues confeſſe by the example of the ſaid, Churches doe not. Therefore neither will the leſſer.
For the better explayning of this poinct, I would pray them reſolue me of this queſtion. What if a company of Arians, Anabaptiſtes. or Papiſtes, ſhoud bee gathered and eſtabliſhed in a true outward conſtitution, and ſtill reteyne their fundamentall errors before“pag. 4. named: Whether ſhould their outward conſtitution make them a true Church, yea … no? I thinke they will ſay no. Thus I hope then it appeareth, That the outward conſtitution whether falty or true, availeth nothing to the ouerthrowing or making of a true Church, vnleſſe other doctrines of the foundation, either falſe or true, doe concurre therewith. And thus their Obiection of the Iewiſh conſtitution, is (I truſt) fully anſwered: So that ſtill their peremptory ſeparation and condempning of the Churches of England, for ſome outward corruptions, temayneth ſtill a grieuous ſinne vponupon their heades: for which (without harty repentance) they ſhall one day anſwer before God, which will be too heauie a burthen for them to beare.
Laſtly, concerning our corruptions: As we cannot iuſtifie them to be no corruptions, (but muſt needes acknowledge, that there are many yet remaining in our land, which were left by that man of ſinne & are as thornes vntounto our ſides,Iudg. 2.3. which we hope God will in time aboliſh): So dare we not runne into your extremities, to condempne our Churches for ſuch corruptions, but waight the appoincted time of God for the redreſſe thereof. Yet in the meane time, ſo longe as thoſe moſt excellent truthes and doctrines of ſaluation, (for which God make vsus thankfull) are ſtill reteyned and held, as ſoundly as by any Church vponupon the face of the earth (the other errors not ſimply ouerthrowing the ſame, beeing not held of obſtinacy, and being alſo for the moſt parte, of great controuerſie and diſputation amonge the learned:) So long I ſay, communion in things lawfull, is to be kept with them, as before is noted in the example of other Churches: Otherwiſe, it will come to paſſe, (by reaſon of the*Mat. 25.13. to 23. diuerſitie in opinions and iudgmentes which by the corruption of our nature we remaine in, in this tabernacle, as hath“Leu. 4. Pſal. 19.12. bene in all ages, and*1 Cor. 13.9, 12. ſhalbe, ſo long as this life of imperfection indureth,) that no communion can euer bee had with any Church liuing, no nor any one Chriſtian with another: Which to affirme, were moſt abſurd and vngodly.
Theſe obſeruations beeing conſidered, I doubt not but the Lorde will adde a bleſſing to this worke, That ſuch as are ſimple hearted, and hauehave exceeded in eagerneſſe of zeale: may ſee their extremitie, in ſo raſhly and vnaduiſedly ſeparating from, and condempning the Churches of England, ſometimes their Nurſes and Mothers, as before is noted: Whereby God may hauehave the glory, and themſelues the comforte, euen the ſaluation of their ſoules through Chriſt.
D. B.
AN ARGVMENT PROVING THAT the Churches of England are the true Churches of God.
VVHatſoeuer is ſufficient to make a particuler man a true Chriſtian and in ſtate of ſaluation; That is ſufficient to make a companie ſo gathered togeather, to bee a true Church.
BVt the whole doctrine, as it is publiquelie*Booke of Articles publiſhed Anno 1562. profeſſed, and practized, by law in England, is ſufficient to make a particuler man a true Chriſtian, and in ſtate of ſaluation (*See further for theſe words in Pag. 3. and our publique Aſſemblies are therein gathered togeather.)
THerefore it is ſufficient to make the publique Aſſemblies true Churches.
H. IACOB.