Answer to Mr Jacobs Defense of the Churches and Ministry of England, Religious treatise 1 · Chapter 1 – Chapter 2
Chap. 1. Of the Title of Maiſter Iacobs Book, which is thus. A DEFENCE of the Churches and Miniſterie of ENGLAND.
FRAN. IOHNSON his Aunſvver. THe defence of the Churches and Miniſtery of England were an enterpriſe worth the taking in hand, if Maiſter Iacob effected in deed what the Title of his Book pretendeth in ſhow. But he that readeth his book and mindeth it well, ſhall find him promiſe mountaines and performe molehils. Let the ſequell ſhew it.
Now I would that Maiſter Iacob ſhould ſpeak himſelf (without ſtammering) what Churches and what Miniſterie of ENGLAND he defendeth. All, or ſome only? It is a poynt needfull to be knowen and mentioned. All may ſee, it would giuegive great light for deciding the controuerſy betwen vsus. And who would not think, he ſhould readily declaer it? Yet he flies from it every where. Therefore that he may not alway ſo doe, but may be drawen to anſwer directly vntounto it, (as alſo for the Readers better help, and more clearing of the truth) I wil particulerly and as plainely as I can deſcribe how the Churches and Miniſterie of England are to be conſidered: And thē expect his aunſwer. If I be miſtaken, or if maiſter Iacob and ſuch as liue in that Church (who therefore hauehave better occaſion to know it) can do it more fully and plainely, I ſhal willingly heare it. In the meane time, this is my iudgment: Firſt for the Churches, to conſider them as followeth.
1 In reſpect of the Conuocation-houſe, which conſiſteth of the Prelates, and ſome other of the Prieſts, aſſembled togeather with them. And ſo they hauehave but one Church in the Land: And that when there is a Parliament, or like occaſion. I take it alſo that out of this Church the Prince, the Nobles, and people are excluded. Saue that when they hauehave determined their matters, they hauehave for ſome of them the conſent of the Parliament.
2 According to the number of their Archbiſhops: and ſo they hauehave two Metropolitan Churches, vnderunder which all the reſt are ſubiect and cōpriſed.
3 According to the number of their Arch and Lord Biſhops: and ſo there are about 26. Churches, comprehending all within their ſeuerall Dioceſſes. Hither alſo I referre the Cathedrall Churches.
4 According to the eccleſiaſtical Courts of the Archbs. Lordbs. Chancelors, Archdeacons, Commiſſaries, and Officials (vnderunder which all the other Miniſters and people ſtand ſubiect) and ſo according to the number of thoſe Courts, there may be ſome 200. Churches, or thereabout.
5 According to the number of the Pariſh aſſemblies (of which all ſtand mēbers:) and ſo ther are many thouſād Churches in the Land. Hitherto of the Churches.
The Miniſtery may be conſidered two wayes: Eyther more generally, as they are all Prieſts or Deacons; or more particularly, as they are ſuperiour or inferiour.
Superiour, as Archbiſhops, Lordbiſhops, Suffraganes, Deanes, Archdeacons, and the reſt of that ſort.
Inferiour, as Parſons, Vicars, Curates, Stipendary Preachers, Houſhold Chapleynes, and the like.
Then in al theſe conſider fower things, 1. their office, 2. their entrāce, 3. their Adminiſtration, 4. their maintenance. This for the Miniſterie.
Now let M. Iacob tell vsus in his next, 1. whether he defend all theſe Churches and Miniſterie of England, or but ſome of them.
2. If not all but ſome only, which then they are that he defendeth, and which he leaveth as vtterly vnlawfull without all defence.
3. For thoſe he defendeth, let him ſhow in what place and pages of his book we may find the defence of them. For whether it be that I perceyue it not, or that he doth it not, of this I am ſure for my ſelf, that I cannot find in al his book ſo much as any one of them defended. As others find, let thē ſpeak. And to put al out of doubt, let M. Iacob ſhew it.
Laſtly (if he will be intreated) let him tell the cauſe why his book, being entituled A defence of the Churches & Miniſterie of England, came not out Cum priuilegio. Yea why it was printed beyond ſea, and not in England. It is a ſhrewd token (cōſidering the title) that his Defence euen at home amōg his neighbours is accoūted very weak and ſimple.
For the name Browniſts, by which we are reproched in the forefrōt of his book, note theſe things. 1. That in like manner long ſince by the Prieſts and Phariſees were the Apoſtles and Primitiue Churches termed*Act. 24.5. a ſect of Nazarites: and at this day by the Papiſts are the Profeſſors of the Goſpel called Calviniſts, Zuinglians, Huguenotes, and the like. 2. M. Browne (from whoſe name this byword was firſt taken vp) is a member and Miniſter of M. Iacobs Church, not of ours: yet holding (as we heare) in his iudgment the truth we profeſſe, but for his practiſe ſtā ding in the apoſtaſy and falſe worſhip wherein they are. So then not we, but M. Iacob and ſuch like may fitly be called Browniſts, inaſmuch as in their iudgment they hold the things we ſtand for to be good, yet in their practiſe (like Browne) are other men, walking with the Church of England in her euill way. 3. For our ſelues, we acknowledg (with the diſciples in the Primitiue Churches and the faithful in al ages ſince) that we are‡Act. 11.26. Chriſtians, ſtriuing now for our time and eſtate againſt the remainder of the abominations of Antichriſt, to keep the commaundements of God and faith of Ieſus. Therefore doth it not trouble vsus, that by M. Iacob or any other we are thus reuiled for the name of Chriſt.
It is inough for vsus, that the†1 Pet. 4.14. ſpirit and truth of God, which on their part is euil ſpoken of, is on our part glorified. But yet let him and all ſuch take heed vntounto it in time. Now I proceed to his maine and maimed Argument. Which is as followeth.
Chap. 2. M. IACOBS ARGVMENT (as it is novv propounded and printed) by vvhichwhich he vvould proue the Churches of England to be the true Churches of God.
VVhatſoeuer is ſufficient to make a particular man a true Chriſtian & in ſtate of ſaluation: That is ſufficien… to make a companie ſo gathered together, to be a true Church.
But the whole doctrine, as it is publikly‡Book of Articles publiſhed Anno 1562. profeſſed, and practiſed, by law in England, is ſufficient to make a particular man a true Chriſtian, and in ſtate of ſaluation (†See for the addition of theſe vvords in Pag. 6. and our publique Aſſemblies are therein gathered together.)
Therefore it is ſufficiēt to make the publique Aſſemblies true Churches.
H. Iacob.
Fr. Iohnſon. THe aunſwer of this Argumēt followeth. But firſt I wil propoſid another, prouing (by better reaſon) that the Church-aſſemblies of England are in their conſtitution ſo far from being true Churches of God, as they ſtand in Antichriſtiā eſtate, and are therfore ſubiect to wrath.
The ARGVMENT is this: Whatſoeuer is ſufficient to make a particular man ſtand in Antichriſtian eſtate, and in that reſpect to be ſubiect to wrath; That is ſufficient to make a companie ſo gathered togeather likewiſe to ſtand: though they profeſſe withall in their conſtitution many doctrines of truth otherwiſe profitable to ſaluation.
But the Hierarchie, Leiturgie, and confuſion eccleſiaſticall, as they are publikly‡Their Eccleſiaſticall conſtitutiō, Courts, Iniunctions, practiſe, canon Lavve, Books of articles, of cō mon prayer, of ordering Prieſtes and conſecrating Archbiſhops &c. profeſſed & practiſed by law in England, are ſufficient to make a†As for exāple, the Prelates, the Priesſts, &c. particular man ſtand in Antichriſtian eſtate, and in that reſpect to be ſubiect to wrath: And the Church-aſſemblies in England are in ‡ their eſtate companies ſo gathered together.
Therefore are theſe alſo ſufficient to make the Church-aſſemblies of England likewiſe to ſtand: though they profeſſe vvithall in their conſtitution many doctrines of truth othervviſe profitable to ſaluation.
This Argument I propound, as being more ſound then M. Iacobs, both for matter and maner. Let others iudge. Now I come to examine his. Where firſt it is needfull ſo to ſet it downe, as it was heretofore propounded by himſelf. And that was thus, as followeth.