Plain Evidences the Church of England is Apostolical, Part · Preface to response – Response
A PREFACE BEFORE the Reply, touching Mr. Smith the Sebaptiſt, and his Booke.
IF any aske, why I doe giuegive him a new title to his old name: my anſwere is; he wanted, I know, a God-father, when he was Chriſtened againe; now it is an ancient cuſtome to name then the childe, and the ſuſceptors to giuegive it. Indeed I was not requeſted by this Childes Parents to be an vnderunder-taker, neuertheleſſe vponupon ſo extraordinarie an act, I will be ſomewhat exorbitant with my ſelf, to cal him Mr. Iohn Smith, the Anabaptiſticall Se-baptiſt. Notorious acts, wee may reade, hauehave made men remarkable, and hauehave gotten them names and titles, for a memoriall of the facts and deeds done; why ſhould not hee then obtaine what worthily hee hath deſerued? hee is Anabaptiſticall, for rebaptization; and he is a Se-baptiſt, becauſe hee did baptiſe himſelfe; it is more then Chriſt would doe: but hee could finde no whither toSo he thought of Baptiſme in Reformed Churches; yea, and among the Separation. goe for Baptiſme; in ſome Churches it was falſe, as he imagined; in ſome true, but not lawfully to be receiued, becauſe of ſome *As onelyonly among the Anabaptiſts.Hereſies. But is his Baptiſme true? No verily, if himſelfe may be made Iudge: for in his Anſwere to mee, page 91. line 28. he ſaith, that a baptiſed perſon muſt baptiſe into the true faith of Chriſt, a perſon capable of baptiſme, elſe it is not a true Sacrament. Now Mr. Smith did baptiſe himſelf, and was not before by his own iudgement & profeſſion baptiſed; ſo a perſon vnbaptiſed did baptiſe: and therefore it is no true Sacrament by his owne doctrine, as alſo vnwarrantable from the Scripture. And therefore all his company hauehave receiued by him corruption, they hauehave made a falſe entrance into their new way, by Mr. Smiths owne teſtimony. Hee would not goe to others to be baptiſed, for then hee ſhould hauehave beene of their Fraternitie, and ſo hauehave loſt his owne company; but he would none of that.
Hee layeth to my charge inconſtancy: but I profeſſe I was neuer of them: indeed through ignorance, which taketh that for light which is darkneſſe, and through affection lead by ignorance, and held on by a fooliſh good meaning, I was toſſed by the preſent tempeſt, ſometime to a fauouring, but otherwhile to a great diſlike; vntill by ſtudy, and other endeuours, I found out a certaine truth to reſt vponupon, and ſo ſtuck to my old, former and firſt way, wherein I doe walke: is this, as he termeth it, inconſtancy, Apoſtacie? Is this to be often of and on, as it hath fallen out with him; whoſe iudgement is inſtabilitie it ſelfe, whoſe courſe is as changeable as the Moone? for:
Firſt, hee was a Subſcriber, a Conformitant, and as honeſtMr. Smiths changeablenes. a man then, as euer ſince, for any thing ſeene or heard hitherto to the contrary: this is euident, when firſt hee was made Miniſter, and when hee was inſtituted into a liuing. Whether wholy a Conformiſt, he beſt knoweth: it is enough that he was, what he was.
Secondly he fell from that, but allowed the authoritie of Biſhops, and publiſhed his diſlike againſt a great point of Browniſme, touching ſet Prayer, the ſaying of the LordsBooke on the Lords Prayer. pag. 91. and in the Epiſtle to the Reader. Prayer: and ſaid in his then iudgement, that it was the verily aſſured truth.
Thirdly; He diſclaimed Epiſcopall Authoritie vtterly, and fell in louelove with the doctrine of the Separation, but warily and ſecretly at the firſt: for being brought to trouble, and called into queſtion about it, hee renounced Browniſme, vnderunder hand-writing, a copie whereof was brought vntounto me, by one now of their company.
Fourthly, hee after fell to it againe, and went vntounto diuers Miniſters, godly and learned, in conferring with whom hee came reſolued of the truth againſt the way of the Separation: of his Prayer, of his ſolempne thankſ-giuing, of his purpoſe to goe to Amſterdame to reclaime his Tutor Mr. Iohnſon, I hauehave ſpoken in my booke, page 37. the truth whereof will be confirmed by the oathes of Mr. Hi: Mr. N. and Mr. Ho: of whom I hauehave heard theſe things with their proteſtation of the truth, whatſoeuer he affirmeth in his owne priuate cauſe to the contrary.
Fiftly, for all this hee fell quite from vsus againe to Browniſme, See his anſwer to me, pa. 124. 108.and made a Separation: then was that way clearely the truth: yea, ſaith he to mee in his Letter, I meruaile you ſee it not; I profeſſe before the Lord, that this truth which wee teſtifie vntounto you, is as cleare and euident vntounto vsus, as the noone day. Hereupon he writ a Booke of Principles and Inferences, in maintenance thereof.
Sixtly, within a while this Proteſtation for that ſo great a truth, turned into deteſtation againſt it, as a falſhood; and that clearnes as noon day became in his new after thoughts as darkneſſe at midnight. Hee holdeth for truths, what Mr. Ainſworth in his anſwere to me, reiecteth for errors: Hee iudgeth their worſhip in part Iudaiſme; their MiniſterieSee his Booke of Differences. and Gouernment Antichriſtian; of which hee hath alſo publiſhed a Booke, and there in the Epiſtle (becauſe he is found ſo inconſtant, to wipe away the ſhame thereof, and to cut off offence for afterward) hee without ſhame, profeſſeth to be vnconſtant, and deſireth that euer his laſt writing ſhould be taken as his preſent iudgement; ſo there is no certaine where he will hold. Miſerable people will you ſtill be led by ſo changeable a Chamaeleon!
Seauenthly, and laſtly, if it proue the laſt, He hath founded a new Church, hee hath (if you will beleeue him) recouered the true Baptiſme, and the true matter and forme of a true Church, which now is onelyonly to be found pure among a company of Se-baptiſts. Mr. Smith will *Mr. Smith loues ſingularitie, to be one alone with his company, that is his politicke humilitie.hold euer this word (Se) to himſelfe, for in going into Browniſme, hee was a ſeparatiſt, he held differing opinions from them, and now that he is in Anabaptiſme, hee is a Se-baptiſt, he wholy goeth not with that Hereticall Sect. It may ſeeme he intendeth to hauehave an Oare in eueryevery Boat, and a piece of eueryevery profeſſion; holding all, and none wholy, and yet will ſuppoſe himſelfe the beſt, as if hee were an vnerring Reformer, hauing an infallible rule in Scrinio pectoris to be vniuerſally good. If he hold this, let him ſhew his authoritie from aboue, and then hauehave wee done. But I ſee already, without farther time to reade his commiſſion, that he is out of the way. Baptiſme (ſaith he) is the doore into the Church: there muſt be then a Church, and a doore into the Church. I aske therefore whether the viſible Church was among them or no, when Mr. Smith did baptiſe himſelfe? If he ſay it was none, then he entred into that which was not, ſo a doore was without an houſe: & Baptiſme before the Church. If he ſay, they were the Church: I aske how could a viſible Church be before there be true matter of a Church, that is, a company truely baptiſed as they hold? His action is therefore altogether extraordinary without Scripture, without practiſe of Gods Church formerly: and therefore muſt he herein hauehave an extraordinarie warrant, or elſe he is extraordinarily preſumptuouſly wicked. But by this trick is he diſpaſtored, and is but among them as a priuate perſon, till he be againe elected; this is moſt true: And thus hath he beene off and on in the Miniſterie two or three times. He was made Miniſter by Biſhop Wickam, that by and by in Browniſme he renounced; & was made Miniſter by Tradesmen, and called himſelfe, The Paſtour of the Church at Gainſbrough: this hath he loſt againe, by his Se-baptiſticke way, till he be choſen againe.
Thus is his inconſtancie apparant, and cauſe ſufficientHe himſelfe doth ouerthrow daily himſelfe, a reaſon ſufficient to let him alone: …ve eaſily ſuffer preſent fits in mad men, for that we doe know them to be ſodaine and not during. for me to ſpare my labour in anſwering his Booke, till it were knowne, what hee would defend and maintaine, and ſticke thereunto; leaſt anſwering him to day, he himſelfe tomorrow ſhould condemne the very ſame that I diſallow, and ſo my labour be loſt. But I will once follow a wauering Reed, a mutable Proteus, a variable Chamaeleon, and take him as at this preſent I finde him; for that he *In his Booke, Page 135.affirmeth before the Lord, that except I doe make anſwere, I am not able to anſwere.
Hee ſuppoſeth himſelfe vnanſwerable; and therefore he bids me battell. Truth is vnanſwerable, but errors broached from an vnſtable iudgement are confutable. If hee hold that I cannot anſwere for his truth ſake, he in this is deceiued; for how can he maintaine truth, that knoweth not what it is; with whom a verily aſſured truth is by and by aSee by theſe, his fooliſh confidence for the preſent in eueryevery opinion. verily aſſured falſhood: with whom that which is now as cleare for truth as noone day, is ſoone after Egiptian darkneſſe, and plainly errour, as is before ſhewed. A corrupt tree bringeth forth euill fruit, it cannot bring forth good: A falſe ProphetMat. 7. 17. 18. beware of, by his fruits thou ſhalt know him, iudge of his ſpirit by the fruits thereof, here in this Preface manifeſted, as they are ſet downe in his Booke.
In the fore-front of his Booke hee quoteth nine Scriptures,What firſt he intendeth againſt vsus out of Scripture, the ſame is altogether againſt himſelfe. which may be truely vnderſtood, as the holy Ghoſt fore-warning vsus, to take heede of him, and his wayes. It is he that ſaith, Loe, here is Chriſt, loe there: for he ſaid; Loe here is Chriſt in Proteſtancie: nay after; Loe, here is Chriſt in the reformed Churches: nay, Loe, Chriſt is there at Amſterdam in Browniſme: and laſtly, Loe, now is Chriſt onelyonly Mat. 24. 23.with him in Se-baptiſme. Hee is cloathed as a Sheepe, but asMat. 7. 15. a Wolfe ſcattereth the Lambes. He it is, that climbeth into the Sheepfold another way, as none euer did, and thereforeIohn. 10. 1. 10. is a Theefe and a Robber: hee ſtealeth away the people to deſtroy them. He audaciouſly hath, by attempting to plant2. Cor. 11. 13. a Church, transformed himſelfe into the Apoſtle of Chriſt: And thus by his pretending all holy duties to God, and a reformation of all corruptions in Churches, Sathan is changed into an Angell of light. For his applying of Mat. 24. 24. 25. to vsus, it ſhewes as much his folly, as the other his blindneſſe, that ſaw not theſe places as pregnant proofes brought out for him againſt himſelfe.
The Booke it ſelfe in which he makes anſwere to mee, with his other Booke of differences among themſelues ſet him out to the world: for therein hee doth ſhew much euill, farre from that grace which he pretendeth.
Firſt, A high Maiſter-ſinne, the Pride of heart, in cenſuringThe intollerable pride of the man. all Churches after his conceiued opinions, in too boldly expounding Scriptures after his priuate iudging, in neglecting the witneſſe of learned Diuines, and practiſe of the Godly, in reiecting by open proclamation the iudgementIn the Epiſtle before his booke of Differences. of all men and Churches, which he calleth, The not holding of their Faith at any mans pleaſure, or in reſpect of perſons, and the not binding of themſelues to walke according to other mens lines: in daring to be like a Iohn Baptiſt, or an extraordinarie man, in his new and vnheard of attempts: in ſeelifying eueryevery mans labour againſt him, or any mans iudgement croſſing his opinions, as he of me ſaith, bringing in Bezaes iudgement, Alas for you, this is borrowed Page. 60. in his Anſwere.ſtuffe, (as if he ſcorned to take any mans aduiſe) and then reiecteth it thus: It is ſtarke nought, froth and chaffe, what hath Oh the Humilitie of this man!Wheate (ſo muſt his opinion be held) to doe with chaffe, as he eſteemeth of Bezaes iudgement: and this his hie heart and proud ſpirit appeareth by theſe vſuall tearmes: know you: vnderſtand you for your learning: know you for your humiliation: thus he writeth often in his Anſwere, and alſo in a controuerſie betweene him and Mr. Clifton: for they two are alſo out: and ſo Mr. Robinſon ſtands ſingled from Mr. Clifton, and the reſt with his company, all differing one from another. So, to auoide corruption, they hauehave fallen into Babell, an oppinionate confuſion.
Secondly, Wilfulneſſe, that followes the former; he contentiouſlyHis wilfull obſtinacie in errour. maintaining any thing againſt an opponent, though alſo hee will renounce any former opinion to be in a new way, but yet of his owne minde; he defends, that the ſpit whereon the meate for the Paſſeouer was roſted, was the Altar, and withall maketh the croſſe whereon Chriſt dyed the Altar: wherein he is a groſſe Papiſt, and very abſurd, andMr. Perkins vponupon the Creed. for his learning, let him know, that the Altar doth ſanctifieMat. 23. 9. the Offring. Now then, did the Spit ſanctifie the Paſſeouer? or did the woodden Croſſe ſanctifie Chriſt? was not the altarIohn. 17. 19. his God-head, by which he did ſanctifie himſelf? Priuiledges and properties with him muſt be one without difference, becauſe they agree generally in aliquo tertio, they muſt therefore in ſpecial be one and the ſame; he that thinks otherwiſe muſt be derided of him: his much Logicke maketh his followers, I will not ſay himſelfe, madde; as in his Booke of Differences is manifeſt. Yea, hee can allow Barrowes outrages, raylings and euill ſpeeches, partly vnderunder the name of Scripture Page. 134.phraſes, partly by the example of Eliah and Eſay: and where the ſaid Barrow out-rayeth from the Scripture phraſe; forſooth, he ſuppoſeth, he knoweth not what particular motion of the ſpirit guided him ſo to write: what hope is there to reduce ſuch ſpirits into the quiet way with other, or to bring them to confeſſe the errours and boyſterous courſes in themſelues, when they will ſuppoſe Gods ſpirit to be the authour of ſuch rayling, from ſuch intemperate affections, and ſo diſtempered a brayne?
Thirdly, A wretched or rather a damned conceit of vsus all,His curſed Vncharitableneſſe as we ſtand viſibly here in this publicke ſtate of our Church, what profeſſion ſoeuer wee make, or practiſe wee performe.
To manifeſt this: as I ſet in my other Booke, page 70. 71. Barrowes cenſure of all ſorts together vntounto the view of all: So will I here doe Mr. Smiths iudgement of the Church of England, and all therein.
Firſt, our Conſtitution (ſaith he) is Antichriſtian: pa. 132.His Iudgement of our Conſtitution. and a reall Idoll. page 11. and ſo a greater and more abhominable Idoll, then any Idoll that poſſibly can be in a true Church.
Secondly, we in the conſtitution are Idolaters: page 12.What we be in his fond conceit. for firſt, we hauehave (ſaith he) an Idoll which we doe worſhip, that is, a falſe Chriſt, page 12. which he calleth a falſe head, a fantaſticall Chriſt of our owne deuiſing. page 87. Secondly, we hauehave many Idols, by or in which we worſhip Chriſt: firſt, a falſe Church: ſecondly, a falſe ſtanding: thirdly, a falſe Miniſterie: fourthly, an Idoll Temple: fiftly, the Seruice Booke: ſixtly, all Eccleſiaſticall Officers & Courts, Pariſhes, Holy-dayes, Croſſes, Surpleſſes, Prieſts and Deacons: ſo many Idols (ſaith hee) hauehave wee. Page 12. with Page 106.
Thirdly, all the People are falſe matter of a Church,His cenſure of the People. Page 88. the moſt part being the ſeede of the Serpent: Page 87. that hee cannot ſay viſibly, certainely, and particularly, that any one hath faith or feare of God in the Churches of England: Page 108. and that wee our ſelues cannot proue to them certainely that wee feare GOD. Page 110.
Fourthly, all our Aſſemblies are falſe Churches, andWhat he thinks of our Aſſemblies. without: Page 23. 83. monſtrous bodyes, knit together by the ſpirit of Antichriſt, and the ſpirit of Sathan, vntounto the head Antichriſt: Page 87. remaine in the gilfe of Antichriſtianiſme: Page 84. they are not gathered together by Baptiſme into the new Teſtament of Chriſt: they hauehave a falſe Mediator. Page 117.
Fiftly, our Profeſſion is not the true Faith of Chriſt ſimply:His eſtimation of our Profeſſion. Page 85. but the faith of Biſhops, or Church of England: Page 117. and wee make profeſſion of a falſe Mediator.
Sixtly, our Faith is falſe, deuiſed and ſtinted. Page. 85.Faith.
Seauenthly, our Couenant with God is a falſe Couenant.Couenant. Page, 85.
Eightly, our Communion Antichriſtian: Page 132. andCommunion. therefore he liketh not that they ſhould be accounted brethren by vsus; and ſaith, he deteſts our Church, hath in abhomination our brother-hood, vtterly diſlikes the brotherhood of the forwardeſt Preachers, and Profeſſors, and reiects the fraternitie of ſuch as be of vsus extraordinarily, the reſt he abiureth, Page 26. and abhorreth to call vsus Saints. Page 34.
Ninthly, our Worſhip falſe, Page 83. a literall ſtintedWorſhip. Booke-worſhip, flat Iudaiſme. Page 105.
Tenthly, our Baptiſme and Sacraments falſe. Page 85.Sacraments. and 116.
Eleauenthly, our Miniſters they are as truly in qualitieWhat account he maketh of our Miniſters. Antichriſtian Miniſters, as the Romiſh be: Page, 81. & 46. falſe Miniſters. page. 83. They be Antichriſtian conuinced Heretickes: page 109. they conuert none to the true viſible faith, taught in the new Teſtament of Chriſt: page 94. but peruert men from it, page 81. to a falſe repentance, falſe Faith, falſe Church, falſe Miniſterie, falſe Worſhip, falſe Gouernement: Page 116. they teach a falſe Mediatour: Page 117. they baptiſe not into the New Teſtament of Chriſt indefinitely and ſimply, but reſpectiuely and indefinitely into the faith and doctrine which is taught in their ſtinted booke of Articles: Page 85. that they doe challenge at the hands of them that are Infidels and vnbeleeuers tithes and offerings. Page 120. He ſaith, hee dare in the true feare of the Lord, call the beſt of vsus all, a ſpirituall Theefe and a robber: yea, a Wolfe that commeth to kill, rob and to deſtroy. Page 101. And to conclude, that wee are the inſtruments of Sathan, ſent by the Lord in his wrath, to keepe the people in bondage, from the obedience of the Faith, taught in the new teſtament: Page 95.
Twelfthly, touching our whole Church; that Chriſt isOf our whole Church. not our King, Page 86. nor our Prieſt, nor our Prophet, pag. 87. that it denyeth all Chriſt offices: Page 87. that in a manner it hath reiected the whole doctrine of Chriſts kingdome: Page 91. that it is an Idoll: Page 106. a falſe Church, Page 106. Babilon, Egypt, Sodome, where the Lords people are held captiues, and that the hauing of the Word, Sacraments and conuerſion is, but as the theefe hath the true mans purſſe: and as the falſe Church of Ieroboam had, and as the Samaritanes, the Edomites, Moabites, Ammonites, and the Iſmaelites, had Circumciſion, and the Sacrifices by vſurpation: Page 26. That the Faith, Repentance, and Couenant of it is falſe, our Church falſe, the Miniſterie of it falſe, the Worſhip falſe, the Baptiſme falſe, the Lords Supper falſe, all falſe. Page 116. That the difference betweene vsus and them, is more then betweene vsus and the Papiſts. Page 134. And laſtly, that our Law doth not eſtabliſh, the Prelates and Miniſters doe not teach, the Church of England doth not profeſſe, the Baptiſer doth not intend, the Parents and Suſceptors doe not conſent to, and the Seruicebooke doth not mention the Faith of Chriſt ſimply, but the Faith of Biſhops, or Church of England.
Fourthly, Peruerſeneſſe of minde, and an ouerthwartingHis peruerſeneſſe of Spirit. ſpirit to croſſe the truth, and that diuers waies.
Firſt, by ſtrange and vnheard of expoſitions, as Mat. 24.Strange expoſitions of Scripture. 24. falſe Chriſts muſt be falſe Churches, to maintaine his opinion that our Church is an Idoll: becauſe (ſaith hee) a falſe Church is a falſe Chriſt: So Iohn 10. 3. The Porter muſt be the Church, to croſſe in vsus the worke of Gods ſpirit. So hee expounds many things in the Old Teſtament to ouerthrow this truth, that the viſible Church is viſible of a mixt company againſt the truth.
Secondly, by Cauils: as Heb. 13. 17. being obiected toCauils. proue that the Church is to obay her Paſtours, and not the Paſtours her: hee anſweres like a Cauiller thus; The Church muſt not yeeld to the voyce of the Elders in eueryevery thing that they liſt, Page 65. which no man affirmeth. Obiecting the 1. Cor. 5. 3. For Saint Paules Apoſtolicall authoritie, which was more then a Church, and more then all the Presbyterie in giuing the inceſtuous man to Sathan: and alſo, 2. Cor. 2. 6. to proue that all did not proceed againſt him in rebukes: hee auerteth the Readers vnderſtanding from what I ſay, by cauilling and his idle imagination, and affirmeth that I ſay, tell the Church, is ſometime, tell the Elders: againe, tell Saint Paul, and the Lord Biſhop, that one while I ſay, the Elders did excommunicate, and another while Saint Paul like a Lord Biſhoppe in his Court: whether I doe ſo croſſe my ſelfe (Reader) in this point, peruſe my Booke, ſee the particulars, andMy Booke Page 98. the ſcope of alleadging the places, 1. Cor. 5. 3. and 2. Cor. 2. 6 and out of his abſurd dealing with mee, iudge his handling of Scriptures.
He would yet tell the Reader, what I did in my ſtudie, when I wrote my ſixt reaſon, what bookes were before me: that I was then in wrath and choller inraged, & ſo through ignorance knew not what I did. If there were no more but this, here is ſufficient to ſet out the pride, the folly and lewdneſſe of this mans ſpirit and purpoſe. Pride, in his ſo contemptible writing and ſpeaking of another. Folly, in telling what I did in England, and more particularly what I did in my ſtudie, in ſetting downe one reaſon in my Booke: whilſt he in his ſtudy coined his new Baptiſme, to ſet that ſtampe vponupon his new conceits, and whilſt he ſo playd the madling at Amſterdam. And Lewdneſſe, in ſhameleſly publiſhing his tearmes of reproch, out of meere imagination to diſgrace another: but here it is come to paſſe, that in what he would hauehave beene held wiſe, he hath ſhewed himſelf rediculous, & by his folly expoſed himſelf to laughter.
Thirdly, By idle and very friuolous diſtinctions: as a Miniſter doth conuert ſoules, not as a Paſtour, but as a Teacher: as if a Paſtour were not a Teacher, when he ſaith himſelfe, they be one and the ſame office: here is abſurditie and forgetfulneſſe, or Vnſtableneſſe in iudgement.
Fourthly, By moſt ridiculous abſurd aAbſurd and and beaſtly ſimilies.ſimilies, and one very beaſtly, by which he would ſet out our Church, from the mingled ſeed of an Horſe and an Aſſe in generation, producing a third thing, but neither a true Horſe, nor a true Aſſe: ſo is it (ſaith he) where good and bad perſons are ioined together: he mentioneth this two or three times, an Horſe and an Aſſe, an Horſe and an Aſſe: ſome man (not I) might perhaps bI acknowledge him to hauehave both more wit, and knowledge then grace to vſe them. But better is Balaams Aſſe, auoyding the angels ſtroke, and reproouing her maſter, then Balaam himſelfe curſing Gods people.ſtumble in reading, and by miſtaking and contracting of an Horſe and an Aſſe, call him haſtily, a Horſene-Aſſe.
Fiftly, By cCraftie dealing.craftily detaining from his Schollers, & from the view of the world, the labours of certaine Diuines oppoſing him and his conceits, touching the meere typicall cleanneſſe in the old Teſtament. He reproueth others for not anſwering his priuate letter, before publication of his errours: but he can ſpread his hereſie, and ſay nothing to the reaſons againſt it, though he had them many moneths before he made this anſwere vntounto me. Hee may pretend deſire to ſee his errors, and may profeſſe his willingnes to diſclaime them, but this truly ſheweth to the contrary: for he writ vnderunder his anſwere to thoſe Diuines, If I erre, make me to vnderſtand mine error, I louelove the truth. They made a large Reioynder, and writ in the end thus: We are well aſſured that you doe erre, God make you able to ſee it, and preſerue your ſoule from pride and obſtinacie. This their aſſuredneſſe from their Reioynder he keepeth ſecret, and yet holdeth obſtinately his opinion, and publiſheth alſo againe without a confutation of what they hauehave ſayd. But marke his ſubſcription: If I erre, (ſaith he) make me to vnderſtand mine errour, I louelove the truth: but he ſaith not that then he will forſake his errours: the leauing out of this might tell them his minde, and that their labour was but loſt on him, and ſo is mine; but I write not to ſatiſfie his wilfulneſſe, wherein I leaue him, till, God remoue him.
Sixtly, his iudgement in ſomethings ſo ſtrange, in ſomeHe holds opinions ſtrange, abſurd, erronious, hereticall ſome, and Schiſmaticall many. other things abſurd; in other erronions, if not heriticall, yet Schiſmaticall: which of theſe, either all or but ſome, the Reader will lay vponupon his iudgement for his conceits, I doe not diuine, but how iuſtly I hauehave thus written, his opinions now by him holden, & here ſet down doth declare. His opinions are to be conſidered of, as he begun, and ſo hath proceeded on hitherto. For the orderly ſetting downe of them.
Firſt, As one diſagreeing from vsus, and all reformedMr. Smiths ſeuerall out-roads, and his difference of opinions in eueryevery one of them. Churches, a Iohnſonean, that is, one agreeing with thoſe of Mr. Iohnſon and Mr. Ainſworths Aſſemblie, by which diſcord from vsus, and all other Churches, he became,
Mr. Smith, a Browniſticall Schiſmaticke.
Who in this ſtanding, held that our Church was a falſe Church, our Miniſterie a falſe Miniſtery, and what other opinions els, which I lay to their charge; & Mr. Ainſworth In the ſeparatiſts Schiſme.maintaineth in his anſwer: and eueryevery other opinion held by the Separatiſts, he embraced as the truths of God, as his letter ſhewes.
Secondly, As differing in ſome points from the Browniſts: for beſide theirs, he added more of his owne, as in all thoſe things, where Mr. Ainſworth, in anſwering my Booke, doth leaue him to anſwere for himſelfe, as none of theirs, by which his diſagreement, he became,
Mr. Smith, a Separatisticall Erroniſt.
Who here in held.
1. That onelyonly Saints, that is, a people forſaking all knowne The opinions for which Mr. Ainſworth diſclaimeth Mr. Smith, as no true Separatiſt with them.ſinnes; of which they may be conuinced, doing all the knowne will of God, encreaſing and abiding therein, are the onelyonly matter in a viſible Church.
2. That the power of binding and looſeing is giuen to the whole Church, yea to eueryevery one of them, and not to the principall members thereof.
3. That the ſin of one man publicke and obſtinately ſtood in, he being not reformed, nor caſt out, doth ſo pollute the whole Congregation that none may communicate with the ſame, in any of the holy things of God, though that Church be rightly constituted, till the partie ſo offending be excommunicate.
4. That Baptiſme here is not adminiſtred into the faith of Chriſt ſimply, but into the faith of the Biſhops, and Church of England.
5. That our faith and repentance is a falſe faith and repentance.
6. That Miniſters conuerting men to God, do it not as Paſtours, but as teachers.
Thus Mr. Smith from the time of his firſt out-breake from vsus, kept no full conſort with them, to whom he ſeemed to conioyne, but was as a iarring ſtring to marre their muſicke, and to make it, by Gods prouidence, at the length vntunable, that others might not be intiſed with the ſeeming melodie thereof, to the vnskillfull eare.
Thirdly, as one differing ſo farre from the Separatiſts, as he would hauehave no communion with them, by which hee became,
Mr. Smith The Schiſmaticall Separatiſt.
Who then held,
1 *In his Booke of differences, ſee the Contents, & pages. Pag. 4.That the reading out of a booke is no part of ſpirituall worſhip, but the inuention of the man of ſinne.
2 That bookes and writings are in the nature of pictures or images, and therefore in the nature of Ceremonies, and ſo by conſequent, the reading of a booke is ceremoniall: For as the Beaſt in the ſacrifices of the old Testament was ceremoniall, ſo was the killing of the Beaſt ceremoniall.Pag. 6.
3 That holy Scriptures are not to be retained as helpes before the eyes in time of Spirituall worſhip.Pag. 6.
4 That it is vnlawfull to hauehave the booke before the eyes in ſinging of a Pſalme.Pag. 24.
5 That the Presbyterie of the Church is vniforme, and that the triformed Preſbyterie, conſiſting of three kindes, Paſtours, Teachers, and Elders, is none of Gods ordinance, but Antichristian, and the image of the Beaſt.Pag. 28. of the Church treaſure.
6. That the contribution of ſuch as be without, (if they will giuegive any thing) muſt be ſeparated from that which themſelues giuegive. Many things els in his Booke of differences are ſet downe, which he taught in this Schiſmaticall Separatiſme.
Fourthly, As one falling to Anabaptiſme, leauing all Churches for that way, and entering thereinto by baptiſeing of himſelfe, whereby he is become,
Mr. Smith the Anabaptisticall Se-baptiſt.
The opinions at this preſent held of him (if he be not changed in this monethmonth, ſince his booke came ouer) may be gathered:
Partly by his ſtrange Act, which ſheweth:
Firſt, That our Baptiſme, and that of the Reformed Churches, yea, and the Baptiſme of the Separatiſts is falſe Baptiſme, becauſe he was baptiſed againe.
Secondly, that true Baptiſme was no where to be had lawfully: becauſe he did baptiſe himſelfe.
Thirdly, that in this caſe he might baptiſe himſelfe, and ſo his Church be a pure Church, whence men may fetch true baptiſme, but lawfully belike no where els. Wofull premiſes, miſerable concluſion: errour and arrogancy voide of true charitie.
Partly, by his anſwere vntounto me, wherein he teacheth theſe things.
1 That moſt properly an Idol is contrary to any ordinance appointed by God in matter of religion. page 11.
2 That a falſely conſtituted Church is a reall politicall Idol. page 12.
3 That a falſely conſtituted Church, is a greater and moreWhat, a greater and more abhomination, then the golden Calfe among the Iſraelites? or the abhominable Idols which Salomon ſet vp for his ſtrange wiues? abhominable Idol, then any Idoll that can poſſibly be in a true Church. page. 14.
4 That a falſe Miniſterie, Worſhip, and Gouernment may be in a true Church, but not a true Miniſtery, Worſhip and Gouernment in a falſe Church. page. 14. He ſets out this by a Simile: A true man may hauehave a wodden leg, and an eye of glaſſe: ſo a true Church, a falſe Miniſterie, Worſhip and Gouernment. A wodden man cannot hauehave any truth of a man in him, but all in him is wodden; ſo a falſe Church can hauehave no thing true in it, page 15.
5 That a true Church is better then a true Worſhip, Miniſterie and Gouernment; and a falſe Church worſe, then a falſe Worſhip, Miniſterie and Gouernment. page 15.
6 That the viſible Church truely conſtituted is the onelyonly kingdome of Chriſt. page 16. and ſuch as be not of it are no ſubiects of Chriſts kingdome. page 15.
7 That the viſible Church is not onelyonly the outward Communion, but eſpecially and chiefly the inward and ſpirituall fellowſhip, which the Saints hauehave with Chriſt, and one with another. page 21.
8 That true faith profeſſed in the true Church, is not a thing inuiſible, but viſible and ſenſible. page 17.
9 That a man ſeparated from falſe Churches, and profeſſing the viſible Faith of the true Church, may be yet of it, though for corruption he hold it vnlawfull to ioyne vntounto it: And that a man may be of a true conſtituted Church, and not of a particular conſtituted Church. page 17.
10 That hypocrites are no true members of the viſible Church. page 28.
11 That ſuch a one as may forſake all knowne ſinne, doth all the knowne will of God, groweth in knowledge and grace, and continueth to the end, may be an Hypocrite, and before the Lord be damned. Page 28.
12 That Stephen was a true member of the viſible church, but what Stephen was in the Lords counſell doth not appertaine vntounto vsus. page 29.
13 That in the conſtitution of the Iewiſh Church, there was not required true holineſſe. pag. 30. The hereſie of Seruetus that Hereticke.
14 That the worſhip of that Church began outward in the letter, and proceeded inwardly to the ſpirit: ours beginneth at the ſpirit, and proceedeth to the letter. page 31. Their reall or morall wickedneſſe did not pollute their viſible Communion, but onelyonly ceremoniall vncleanneſſe. page 30. The ſonnes of Belial very vilde wicked men were viſibly cleane, then typically, they might come to the holy things, and not pollute others. page 75. 74. Our morall and ſpirituall vncleanneſſe polluteth vsus viſibly. They ſacrificed and worſhipped to repentance; wee from repentance: their Worſhip was reconciliation and repentance to acceptation; but our Worſhip after repentance, reconciliation and acceptation. page 30.
15 That in the time of the Law, a Saint was a Typicall Saint; ſo an Hipocrite was a Typical Hypocrite, and a wicked man was a Typicall wicked man. page 30.
16 That the power of binding and looſing is giuen to Mary Magdalene and Cleophas, ioyntly with the reſt of Chriſts Diſciples, page 52. and by Diſciples he vnderſtands eueryevery brother. page 38.
17 That if the power of binding and looſing be not giuen to the whole Multitude, but to the principall members, then hee acknowledgeth the Church of Rome to be a true Church, and to hauehave a true Miniſterie, and that what hee and his, with all the Separatiſts hold, is Schiſme and Hereſie. page 40.
18 That the acknowledging of our Miniſters ordination, to be by the Romiſh Biſhops, is a iuſtifying of Rome to be a true Church; their ſacrificing Prieſt-hood a true Miniſterie; Orders a true Sacrament; their Maſſe to be a true Propitiatorie Sacrifice for the quicke and the dead, &c. page 45.
19 That the twelue were not Apoſtles, before the holy Ghoſt deſcended vponupon them at Pentecoſt. Page. 55. 57.
20 That it may be a queſtion, whether the Church, the multitude, may not adminiſter the Sacraments before there be officers among them. page 56.
21 That the Church, that is, the multitude, and not the Miniſterie, is the true ſucceſſor of the Apoſtles. page 57.
22 That Women and Youths may ſhew their diſſent in the publike congregation in election of Officers, or in excommunication: and (hee ſaith) that ſometime occaſion may be, that the Church may conſiſt onelyonly of Women. page 63.
23 That in the old Testament, the Magiſtrates were the vtmoſt meanes for reforming abuſes, and if they neglected their duetie, the people were not to ſeparate, but to depend vponupon the Lords redreſſing: but now the Saints are anſwerable to the This is againſt his Maieſties Supremacie.Kings then, and hauehave the power Eccleſiaſticall in their hands, to reforme the abuſes in the Church. pa. 76. I hope that his poore miſled Schollers are not of this iudgement.
24 That whoſoeuer doth conuert any from Antichriſtianiſme, and eſtabliſheth a people in the true faith, performeth that worke, eyther as a Miniſter of Antichriſt, or as an Apoſtle, Prophet, Euangeliſt of Chriſt, or as a priuate man. pa. 98.
25 That the Heart is the ſpirituall booke of the New Teſtament. page 105.
26 That the letter was a type of the ſpirit. page 104.
27 That though we preach the true word, adminiſter the true Sacraments, and pray true Prayer, theſe cannot be true Worſhip, offred vp vntounto God in a falſe church. page 106.
28 That he which is choſen by good and bad, is no true Miniſter: page 110. and yet that a mixt company may appoint one to preach the Word vntounto them. page 111.
29 That among the Antichriſtan Papiſts and Heretiks, there is true conceiued prayer, preaching and thanks-giuing. pa. 103.
30 That literall ſtinted Booke-worſhip is flat Iudaiſme. page 105. Theſe interlaced opinions in his anſwere, ſcattered here and there occaſionally, leauing the principals in controuerſie, till I come to reply vponupon his anſwere, I hauehave ſet downe, that this mans braine, a Smiths forge for caſting new deuiſes and ſtrange opinions, may be beholden, the ill vſe of his wit, and Sathans abuſing of him, as his inſtrument, to carry away ſeely ſoules, God knowes whither: but vndoubtedly to ruine, except the Lords merciemercy preuent him; which I heartily deſire, partly for his owne good, and alſo for the recouerie of poore Lambes ſcattered abroad, and taught ſtill by him to wander and goe aſtray. But to proceede to more fruits of his ſpirit after the fleſh.
Seuenthly, his prayſing and lauding of themſelues, with diſpraiſe of others: for he ſaith;
That their Faith is viſible, Repentance viſible, their Charitie viſible, their Spirit viſible, ſo their Baptiſme, Preaching, Couenant and iudgement are viſible, and ſo forth, page 118.
That they hauehave foyled the Oxeford Doctors, Mr. Hilderſham, Mr. Iacob, Mr. Bredwell, and Mr. Giffard. page 124.
That the Prelates and Church of England hath one Faith; the Puritanes and their faction another; and Chriſt (ſaith he) and They a third: thus he ſlanderouſly maketh a differing faith where it is not, and proudly affirmeth Chriſt onelyonly to themſelues, and ſecludeth others from him. page 116. If Chriſt be onelyonly with them, and the faith of Chriſt, then onelyonly in their aſſemblie, and to be of them is ſaluation, and not otherwiſe; can the proud Antichriſtian Church, or rather Sinagogue of Sathan claime more, and boaſt more loftily Lucifer-like? Weigh and giuegive iudgement.A worthy fruit of Browniſme: Is this a ſpirit of temperance, or of fury?
Eightly, and laſtly, his vilde abuſiue tearms, his rayling ſpeeches, and lewd belying of me. He layeth to my charge, deepe Hypocriſie, pretence of Zeale, Inconſtancie, Apostacie, blaſphemous Vncharitableneſſe, horrible Impietie, Blaſphemie, childiſh Ignorance and Folly, monſtrous Fraud, abhominable Diſſembling, ſhameleſſe Lying, Arrogancie, Pride, & Ambition in my carriage, boyſterous and robuſtious Diſpoſition, Peruerſeneſſe of ſpirit. He telleth me of a bloudy minde, that I hunt after their ſoules, that poyſon is vnderunder my tongue, that I doe raiſe vp falſe expoſitions, wracke the text to ſupport Hereſie, thereby making the Scriptures a leaden Rule to my crooked conceits, and a noſe of waxe to be wrung, which way my peruerſe apprehenſion doth incline.
He calleth me in a baſe contempt, a ſworne ſlaue to the His Browniſticall ſpirit, a Sathanicall railing. His Anabaptiſticall Rhetorick.Prelats, a phariſaicall hypocrite, in the indifferent iudgement of thoſe that louelove me beſt, a wrangler; he attacheth me before the Lord, as a deceiuer of the people, to be a moſt ignorant ſhameleſſe peruerter, and falſe Interpreter of the Scriptures, he tearmeth me an ignorant Slaunderer, or ſubtile aduerſarie to doe them hurt, touching their liues. He ſaith I am ſtrangely ſeduced by Sathan; he proclaimeth me (ſo he writes) to the whole Land, to be one of the moſt fearefull Apoſtates of the whole Nation, ſome few onelyonly excepted: he ſaith, the Diuell is my father, and compareth me to a Dogge returned to his vomite, and a Swine to his wallowing in the mire. And then concludeth vponupon me and others, that I am manifeſted by the Lord to be one, that hath fulfilled the meaſure of my iniquitie, & that ſuch as hauehave bin enlightened with their way, & now doe quench it, ſhall grow from euill to worſe, & ſhall hauehave Gods hand againſt them, ſo as eueryevery one ſhall ſay, the Lord is auenged on you.
He ſpeaketh againſt me moſt vntruely in priuate matters touching a greedie deſire of liuings: wherein I appeale to eueryevery honeſt heart that knoweth me, and to thoſe that are acquainted with the inſtances he giueth. He ſaith, that I alſo approoued their way: and yet he knowes, that I gaue him certaine reaſons againſt the ſame, which he ſent backe without anſwere. For his expounding Daniel, and the Speech of Naaman, ſo againſt me, he ſheweth neither feare to God-ward, nor louelove to man. But to theſe by-matters in his Letter, hauehave I made anſwere at large: and before the printing of my former Booke, had I it ready, which yet I reſerued to my ſelfe, as ſome know, thinking it to no purpoſe ſo to contend with him, and ſuppoſing he would not hauehave beene ſo ſhameleſſe, as to ſet out to the world a priuate Letter of the priuate matters of ſuch a nature, and lyes too. But ſaith he, I did firſt publiſh his Letter; this is vntrue: he hereby would ſaue his credit, and blame mee, to keepe himſelfe from ſhame. My Anſwere to his By-matter, in his Letter, is fiue ſheets of Paper, too much here to ſet downe, but if any be deſirous to ſee it, I will not now (as afore) be ſparing of it. The matter of his Letter concerning his opinions I did publiſh, as by them better vnderſtanding the Separatiſts errors, then before; which opinions I thought fit to make knowne, and ſo rather to obiect againſt them, for more euidence of truth, than withall to make anſwere to priuate reaſons for them, which might afterwards be diſclaimed, till the defence of them came publike, as now it is.
In one place of his booke page 119 he accuſeth me of a diſgracefull and hatefull intendement towards them, in not publiſhing their opinion touching Magiſtrates, and therevpon bluſtereth out a Proclamation of Loyaltie: ſaying, that they and others are as faithfull, as the beſt Prelate of England, and that the more Pope-like they are, the more trayterous they will prooue vntounto the ciuill Magistrate, and if they be let alone, they with the Pope at the length will take vponupon them: Petrus dedit Petro, Petrus diadema Rodolpho: and cauſe the Emperour to hold the ſtirrop, Thus can he not iuſtifie his owne innocencie herein, if ſo be he be innocent, but hee muſt needes wrongfully taxe others in a high degree of trayterous aſpirings.
Sithen he hath called me to ſpeak in this matter, I confeſſe in ciuill reſpect he *As a Browniſt, but what he doth now as an Anabaptiſt is to be in this point inquired into.giueth to Princes all iuſt due: but I ſay, all that he hath ſaid, giueth them no way, a cheiftie in cauſes Eccleſiaſtical, as a member of the Church, & therein ouer it next vnderunder Chriſt, which is the matter between him & me: and for this, Reader, examine his 23. poſition before mentioned, and thereby iudge to whom he giueth kingly power in cauſes Eccleſiaſticall. If this bite, let him blame himſelfe for barking. I wiſh his followers to conſider this, to preuent the danger which muſt neceſſarily follow.
Thus hauehave I, Reader, as in a glaſſe, euen out of his owne workes and words, ſet before thee the ſpirit of Mr. Smith, not of malice, but of louelove to the Seduced, to reduce them, to forewarne others of him, and if God wil, that he may ſee himſelfe, if with patience he can but reade theſe things. His profeſſion is to auoid all pollution, to flee all corruption, but his worke ſheweth, that he vnderſtands it of others, and ſtill remaineth corrupt in himſelfe. Let my former Booke be ſearched through, & ſee whether I ſo deale with him, ſo tearme him, ſo ſcorne him, ſo rayle on him, as hee here doth of me: if I doe not, then iudge of his pretended ſanctitie, by ſuch fruit of impietie. The Lord reduce him to a right way, and rebuke Sathan that ſeeketh to deuoure.
If I happily, Reader, by occaſion ſlip now and then in this Reply: by any ouerthwart tearme, thou mayeſt blame me, but not much; thinkeſt thou not that I hauehave iuſt cauſe to be tart? He commendeth his ſharpneſſe to me as phyſicall, to vomit my choler, and to caſt vp ill humours, ſo he ſaith: let it pleaſe him to take my tartneſſe in words, vponupon the like commendation, euen for ſome ſharpe effectuall ingredients, to giuegive him a purge for his loathſome opinions, which make him ſicke to death, that ſo hee may recouer health, and returne backe from Se-baptiſme to Browniſme, from Browniſme to Reformatiſme, and abide in Proteſtancy: and what if he be a religious Conformitant, muſt hee needs fall to Papiſtrie? God forbid.
Mr. Smith, let me turne my ſpeech vntounto you: remember your ſelfe, pittie your ſelfe in the Lord, if not your ſelfe, other poore and ſimple hearted Chriſtians miſcarrying in iudgement, vndone in their outward eſtates through you. Conſider what diſcord is among you, how God in his iuſtice hath diuided you, that you are not of one heart among your ſelues, that you run on from all, to all, and yet hold with none: is not this extream ſingularity? but you glory in this your great weakneſſe, you eſteeme it your credit: Oh, let others iudge of you, & reſt not in your good liking of your ſelfe. Thinke it as much credit to come againe to your old way, as you hold it credit to go on and on from one Sect to another, you well know not whither. If you intend firſt to ſee all religions (as a reſolute trauailer) all countryes, before you returne, it is another matter: yet I wiſh it otherwiſe, & you with vsus before, if not til then, yet if then, though not before; we ſhall be glad to ſee it, and in the meane ſpace pray for it. Now to the reply.