Plain Evidences the Church of England is Apostolical, Part · Response · Observations – Part
Mr. Smiths Cenſure and obſeruation of M. Iohnſons Church, and the reſt.
THeir Conſtitution is as very an Harlot, as eyther her Mother In the charecter of the Beaſt.England, or Grandmother Rome, out of whoſe loynes ſhee came. That the Church of the Separation is an vnnaturall Daughter to her Mother England, for that ſhee being of the ſame conſtitution by Baptiſme, dare call her an Adultreſſe, and an harlot. And therfore cannot with any truth (retaining Baptiſme) or good conſcience, ſeparate from it as a falſe Church.
That they craftily and ſubtilly draw backe, being guiltie in their conſciences, to defend their Errours.
Wee proteſt againſt them (ſaith hee) that there is no ordinance of the Lord true amongst them.
That the Separation is the youngeſt and faireſt Daughter of Rome an Harlot.
That the Separatiſts of Mr. Iohnſons Church, doe confidently of ſelfe louelove, and ſelfe conceit, fill their mouthes with ill tearmes, therein treading in the ſteps of all Antichriſtians their predeceſſors. And laſtly he warneth them not to be wiſe in their owne eyes, through Pride, and to take heed, notwithſtanding their Syrene ſongs that they proue not a cage of moſt vgly and deformed Antichriſtian Heretickes: So reckoneth he of them now.
Mr. Iohnſons Cenſure and obſeruation of Mr. Smith.
THat hee hath forſaken the truth of Chriſt, ſeduced with In his Epiſtle before his Booke againſt Anabap.the errour of Anabaptiſts. That his grounds and aſſertions peruert the Goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt; bereaue the Church of the grace and fauour of God to young and old; take away comfort from Chriſtian families; depriue kingdomes and Commonwealths of Chriſtian Kings and Iudges. That he fils his mouth and pen with falſhood and blaſphemie: peruerteth Scripture, abuſeth the people of God, &c. The Goliah, defying Iſrael, and prouoking to battaile and combat.
Mr. Ainſworths Cenſure and obſeruation of Mr. Smith.
HEe attributeth to him Folly and ſhame: That hee frets In his defence of holy Scripture.within himſelfe, ſpeaking with a ſtiffe necke: he reproueth him of inſolencie, ſwelling words of vanitie: that he writeth to ſet out the fraud and malignitie of that Boaſter. That hee yeelds ſmall hope of good: that out of a proud heart hee hath ſtirred vp ſtrife: that no conſtancy is found in his mouth: that he ſaith, vnſaith, and contradicteth his owne grounds: that he fighteth againſt himſelfe, and the ſpeare which he toſſeth turneth into his owne heart: that hee is a falſe Prophet. All this in his Epiſtle.
That God hath ſtricken him with blindneſſe, that hee is benummed In the Booke. Page 3.in minde; drunke with the wine of violence, proclaimeth open warre againſt Gods euerlaſting Testament. That he Page 4. 5.hath graced the Porch of his building with impoſture and fraud, and ſecondeth his fraud with iniurie.Page 8.
That Mr. Smith is a deceiuer, properly ſo called, digging a pit to ſerue his Hereticall humour, and hide his blaſphemies, into which by Gods iuſt iudgement he is fallen. He calleth him10. a proud Gentile, giuen ouer to blindneſſe of heart: that God 12.himſelfe is highly blaſphemed by his wretched expoſition of the13. old Teſtament. That Sathan hath deceiued him: hee calleth15. his expoſition, Dotage, fancy, worme-wood: that he is taken 20.in the ſnare which hee ſet for the righteous: that hee ſeeketh to abuſe them by equiuocation, and to ſhrowde himſelfe in a conceited fanſie. That he is a windy cloud, carryed too and fro, and rather then he will forgoe his errour hee will contradict what before hee had well written. That his Writings are Hereticall, 23.and that his lying tongue varieth incontinently: that he wauereth as a Reede ſhaken with the winde; forgetting himſelfe 31.like a drunken man: that he fighteth againſt himſelfe, and will be found a Calumniator both of them, and of Iſrael, and of Chriſt himſelfe. That hee coggeth the Reader with the dye of deceit. That hee is toſſed in the ſea of errour, and ſo reeleth 40.too and fro ſtaggering like a drunken man. That hee openeth 41.his mouth againſt heauen. Hee likeneth him to Iulian the Apoſtate, 42.and Elimas the Sorcerer, ſtrucken blinde with Anabaptiſtry, a iuſt recompence of his former errour. That he hath 45.no will to forſake his errour. He calleth him the accuſer of the 52.Saints. He tels him of blaſphemous opinions, and that ſophiſticall 56.reaſons, are the pillers of his hereſie. That he dealeth like a falſe Page 60. 61.Coyner, and one like that hunteth the ſoules of Gods people, ſetting reaſons, as haies to entangle them. That his words are rough and crooked. That the curſe hangs ouer his head: that his 63.heart is ſtricken with the darknes of Aegipt: that he is the enemy 64.of Gods Booke: that Lucia could not hauehave written more reprochfully 65.of the holy Scriptures: that in his Arguments remaine but leaſings. That a ſeduced heart hath deceiued him: 68.that he cannot deliuer his ſoule. That his Logick is not like eueryevery 80.mans: like the raging Sea, he caſteth vp mire and dyrt. And91. thus till hee repent, lyeth he vnderunder cenſure and condemnation of the Separatiſts.
Mr. Smiths words in his Epiſtle to the Reader, before the Charecter of the beaſt.
IT cannot be accounted a commendable qualitie in any man, to make many alterations and changes in Religion, in ſuch waightie matters as are the caſes of Conſcience. Inconſtancie is much to be blamed in matters of ſaluation. The wiſeſt and moſt religious men hauehave beene alwaies moſt conſtant in their Profeſſion and Faith: inconſtant perſons cannot eſcape the deſerued imputation of Folly, or weakeneſſe of iudgement therein.
Now who euer more inconſtant then he? of himſelfe he hath giuen ſentence.
Therefore yee poore ſeduced ſoules, leaue ſuch wauering Reeds, that are toſſed too and fro with the winde of their owne fantaſies, ariſing from the humorouſneſſe of an inſtable minde, violently forced with the paſſion of vnruled affection. Euen ſo be it, Amen.
Lord remoue the cauſes of contention, and giuegive thy peace vntounto thy people.
FINIS.