The Ministry of the Church of England, Section 1
A letter sent by Mr. H. a Minister to Mris N. a Gentlewoman imprisoned for this, that in the worship of God she wold not partake with the publick ministery of these assemblyes.
THE ENTRANCE OF THE LETTER. Section. 1.
GIve me leav to apply that to you (vvhom I take to be a Sister, and vvhose vvelfare in the Lord I hartely desier) vvhichwhich the Apostle *Iam. 1. 19. 20. 21.vvriteth to the Brethren, Iam. 1. 19. Let every man be swift to heare, slow to speak, and slow to wrath. 20. For the wrath of man doth not accomplish the righteousnes of God. 21. Wherefore lay aside all filthynes and superfluity of maliciousnes, and receyv with meeknes the word which is grafted …por…, which is able to save your soules.
Tvvo faults there be that are vvo…nt to make good counsell and advise fruitles and vnprofitable: to high a concey of ourselues, and to base a conceyt of them that give vsus advise. Of yourself I besech you iudge thus: you are but a private member in Gods Church, you are also a vvoman: and therefore it is no disgrace to you, if your knovvledg be vnperfect and your judgment vveak, especially in such controversyes as these that are betvvixt us.
And as for them that have turned you out of the vvay vvherein once you vval…ed vvith us, and vntounto vvhose guydance you stll gladly commit your self, examine (I be…ech you) not vvho they be, but vvhat they say:Iam. 2. 1. HaueHave not the faith of our glori…s Lord Iesus Christ in respeckt of persons. Iam. 2. Let not their zeale and detestation of all corruptions that are amo…gst us, not theyr vvillingnes to endure trouble fortheyr conscience deceyv you: considering that not the example of any godly man, but the written word of God onelyonly is to be the rule of one life and religion.
Of me if you can not esteem as of a Minister of Christ, yet let me entreat you to conceyv thus of me: If in these matters I erre, I erre of ignorance, I erre neyther of malice, nor of covetousnes, not of feare of trouble. Glad vvould I be to learne of you, or of any much inferior to you, that could make knovven my error unto me, and direct me into a better vvay. That vvhichwhich I shall sett dovvn in aunsvver to the vvriting you gaue me, procedeth not from an hear… desirous to deceyve you, or to darken and obscure the knovven truth, or to plead for any knovven corruption in my self or others. For alas vvhat should I gayne by seducing or deceyving you, or vvhat shold move me to put out the light… that shineth in myne ovvn conscience? but as of syncerity, but as of God, in the sight of God; so vvrite I of these things. And as I hauehave made manifest … affection herein vntounto God, so do I hartely desier that I may make it manifest vntounto your consciēce, VVherefore lay apart pride and all high conceit of your ovvn knovvledg: lay apart vvrath and malice vvhichwhich you hauehave conceyved eyther against our vvhole Church or against men of my calling, or against myself in particular. And seing nothing shalbe brought to persvvade you, but the vvordvvhich is grafted in you, vvhichwhich is able to save your soule: re…ey… it vvith meeknes I besech you. Consider vvhat I say, and the Lord give you vnderstanding in all things. 2. Tim. 2. 7.
Another letter written in answer of the former, and directed to the same party that it was. SECTION. 1.
Grace and peace be with you in Iesus Christ I hauehave receyued and read the letter, sent vntounto you by Mr. H. (as I vnderstand:) which you and others entreat me to aunswer. Very vnwilling I am herevnto in divers respects: And were it not for the truths sake (which is called into question) I should not by any meanes be drawen to write agaynst any, least off all against him who I vnderstood wrote this letter vntounto you. For howsoeuer in these controversies of religion we do in iudgment or practise differ one from another, yet for the knowledg I hauehave of him, and the good gifts God hath given him, I do and shall alway love him in the Lord. Yet notwithstanding seyng by this letter the truth of Christ is obscured and oppugned, seing also by this meanes you and others might be seduced into errour and fall from your own stedfastnes: I durst not in this case be wanting eyther to the defence off Christs truth, or to the strengthning off you and others thereyn, to the uttermost off my power: Specially vnderstanding that divers copyes of this letter are spread abroad to the hurt of many: and being also earnestly requested to aunswer it, not by you onelyonly, but by divers others whom in this case I could not well deny. Besides that myne own present estate doth not a litle vrge me hereunto for the clearing of my self, who for this truth have now a long tyme suffred trouble, as an evill doer, euen vntounto bonds: But the word of God is not bound. For these causes hauehave I ben drawen to answer this writing: hoping that the truth will manifest and approue it self in the conscience of every godly one. And of Mr. H. who wrote this letter, I hauehave this hope more specially, for the good things I know to be in him: howsoever he have ben overtaken thus to write against the truth, as my self also hertofore in ignorance have ben an adversary vntounto it. But God had mercy on me: as I trust he will also on him and many other yet otherwise mynded. To God the Father of mercyes be prayse for ever.
In this hope I will nou proceed by the helpe of God to make aunswer to this letter: And first to the entrance of it, then to the rest thereof. Concernig the entrance of it, these few things onelyonly will I note. First that if Mr. H. had duly considered and compared with theyr estate theaIam. 1. 19. 20. 21. words off the Apostle here alledged by him self together with thebVo…. 22. next immediately following in this place (where it is further said, And be ye doers of the word, and not heates onelyonly deceyving your own selues): He would I hope neyther have condemned the innocent, even you for your obedience of Christ and his word, neyther hauehave suffred his pen by misalledging the Scripture thus to labor your with drawing from the obedience of faith. But he would rather hauehave seen and acknowledged that in theyr Church estate compared with the ordinance of Christ they neyther are doers of the word, but deceyvers of themselues: neyther do themselues lay aside the filthynes ād superfluity of malice, with meeknes to receyve the word which is able to save theyr soules: but are in deed become the enemyes and persecuters of the truth, and that in great wrath and subtilty: howsoever in word they professe otherwise, as do even the greatest papists. Wherein would to God they were not also over…aryed with to high a conceit of themselues, and to base a conceit of others who advise them better.
Secondly for yourself, well may you think, as we all ought, that it is no disgrace vntounto vsus, that our knowledg is imperfect, and our judgment weak: seing the Apostle saith even off himself as of all others,c1. Cor. 1…. 9. 12. now we know but in part, and now we see through a glasse darkely. Yet also would I desier Mr. H. remember, and you to note it for your comfort, that God so disposeth for his glory, as euend2. Ioh. ver. 4. and 7. the private members of the true Church, yea women, are found walking in the truth, as we have receyved a commaundement from the Father, when many deceyvers (though men, and in publick office) are abroad in the world and false Church, which confesse not (in truth and in deed) Iesus Christ come in the flesh, that onelyonly Prophett, Priest, and king, whom God hath giuen to his Church forever.
Thirdly, towching them whom God vsed as his instruments to draw you out off the bypa…s of these assemblyes into the way of truth wherein you now walk: as you have iust cause to blesse God for them, so I pray you also regard not so much who they be, as what they say. And in any case take heed that youeIam. 2. …2. never have the faith of our glorious Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons: neyther of Princes, nor prelates, nor any other though otherwise learned, rich, or famous, any maner way. Neyther let the heat of the adversaryes persecution, nor the coldnes of the tyme servers swallowing vp all the abominations yet abiding among them, nor the love of this present world, nor the colourable perswasion of any though never so dare vntounto you, neyther any other thing whatsoever, ensnare you to be wrapped in like errour with them: but remember alway (as is here well noted vntounto you) that the written word of God onelyonly is to be the rule of our Life and Religion.
Lastly, concerning Mr. H. who wrote this letter vntounto you, as you shall do well to take it that he erreth of ignorance and not of malice, etc. as he desireth to be taken: so of him I would desier, for the taking away of this vayle from his eyes, that he do heedfully look into the perfitt law of liberty: not onelyonly the better to see the filthynes of theyr corruptions that he may avoyd them, but to behold also what orders and offices Christ Iesus hath sett in his Church, to keep and observ them. To which end he shall do well himself to Consider that which here he hath sett down vntounto you, concerning the writtē word of God. According to which if he shall examine the particulars of theyr Church-constitution (of which more, God willing, hereafter): I hope he will no more say in this case, that as of syncerity, as of God, in the sight of God, so writeth he of these things: but will rather acknowledg that whosoever go about to bring colour out of the Scriptures for them, they do therein no other butf2. Cor. 2. 17. make marchandize of the word of God: And therefore will eyther stay his tal…, and lay his hand on his mouth: or if he speak, will speak to his own soule, ādgIudg. 6. 31. say, Wilt thou plead Antichrists cause▪ or wilt thou save him? If he be of Christ, let him plead for himself, against them that by the word of theyr testimony destroy his ordināces. Thus much to the entrance of this letter.
The rest of it is spent in laboring to disprove the writing which it seemeth you gaue him in defence of your separation from the ministery of these assemblyes. Which after he hath well propounded in forme of reasoning, he then bringeth some show of answer therevnto and of defence of theyr Ministery. Wherein although I might in few lynes shortly have noted the subtilty and vnsoundnes of his answers yet have I chosen rather to write somewhat largely, both for your sake and his own, and for others also into whose hands these writings may co…. And this hauehave I thought to be the more needfull, because he doth here so earnestly both protest the syncerity of his affection, and make promise that nothing shalbe brought to perswade you, but the word of God. Now of the syncerity of his affection I make no doubt, but do vertly thinck that he writeth and walketh as he is perswaded. OnelyOnly where he promiseth and pretendeth to bring the word of God for the perswasion of your soule, and performeth it not in deed: and yet hath such obiections and pretence off Scripture and reason, as greater in this case (I thinck) neyther have ben neyther can well be brought: there…ore have I thought it best, for better clearing of the truth, to prosecute his annswers from poynt to poyut: And although it wil be the more tedious, yet to take this course therein: first, to sett down in his own words his aunswers to the reason you gaue him: and then to examine and take them away by the light of the Scriptures. For your self, it shalbe your part (as he desireth you) to lay apart all sinister affection, and with meeknes to receyv the word of truth grafted in you, and able to save your soule. Consider therefore well what is said: and the Lord give you vnderstanding in all things. Now to proceed, it followeth in his letter to you, thus.