Plain Evidences the Church of England is Apostolical, Part · Response · Part 4
The fourth Errour of the Browniſts.
THat all not in their way, are without, and doe apply againſt 1. Cor. 5. 12. Epheſ. 2. 12.vsus, 1. Cor. 5. 12. Epheſ. 2. 12. Againſt this I hauehave ſet downe diuers reaſons in my former Booke, Page 82. and how it is to be vnderſtood, as Col. 4. 5.
Reply vntounto Mr. Ainſworths Anſwere to this fourth Errour.
MAſter Ainſworths anſwere, firſt is, that they holdPage 173. that all not in the way of Chriſt are without. So it isMr. Ainſworth dare not call their way the way of Chriſt. nothing to the matter here; but hereby (marke Reader) that he ſheweth plainely, that there is a difference between their way, and the way of Chriſt, els why doth he put the way of Chriſt in ſteed of their way, and dare not hold to the words? If their way be the way of Chriſt, ſithen alſo Chriſts way, it is but one, he might hauehave held to the words; and if their way be not Chriſts way, as hee dare not here auouch, why is hee yet a ſeducing falſe Teacher to their way, vnderunder colour of the way of Chriſt? Secondly, he iuſtifies (but yet onelyonly by his bare affirmation) the application of Scriptures againſt vsus, as a people without, till I and my brethren can proue vsus a true Church: Surely then, at this preſent muſt he diſallow the application, for we are a true Church of God, as is proued, and what hee hath ſaid to the contrary is diſproued. Thirdly, hee excepts againſt my firſt reaſon, as inſufficient to diſproue the application againſt vsus;Doctor Whitakers, de eccleſ. Page. 12. my reaſon is, that the places are meant of ſuch as neuer profeſſed Chriſt at all; hee ſaith it is childiſh, and askes me why I except not againſt the holy Ghoſt, for applying againſt the Romiſh Church, words & ſpeeches meant firſt of Heatheniſh Babilon? Yea, Mr. Ainſworth, muſt I needs except againſt Gods Spirit, becauſe I except againſt you? No proud conceit. I anſwere firſt, the holy Ghoſt cannot erre in expounding or in applying Scripture: but Mr. Ainſworth and all the Browniſts in the world, both may and doe erre. Secondly, the reaſon of the Holy Ghoſt, ſo doing is manifeſt, for he rightly applyeth the places literally ſpoken of the type, ſpiritually to the thing ſignifyed; and in ſo doing, there is both truth and ſoundneſſe, in the application, from heatheniſh Babilon, to Antichriſtian Babylon, the Romiſh Synagogue, it followes well; for that the Holy Ghoſt cals Rome Babylon; but what is it to vsus, that are come out of Babylon? or how can that which is ſpoken againſt Heathen Idolaters, be brought againſt vsus, that abhorre and flye Idolatrie both by profeſſion of Gods word in that point, and by lawes enacted againſt the ſame?
My ſecond reaſon is an vrging of them to expound the Phraſe, without, by any Scripture, and manifeſt if they can that it is ſpoken of ſuch a people as the Church of England conſiſts of: but in this was hee wholy ſilent, becauſe he was not able to giuegive ſatisfaction.
For my third reaſon, and the particular branches, which is this, that God witneſſeth that we are his people, by giuing vsus his word, Pſal. 147. 19. 20. by the effectuall bleſſing thereupon in bringing men from a bare profeſſion to a godly ſanctification of life: by Gods gracious protection of vsus, and mercies vponupon vsus with fatherly chaſtiſements. To all which he anſwers; that it is but a boaſting: ſo here then he denies that God hath giuen vsus his Word, that any are effectually called, or that Gods gracious protection is ouer vsus. The Rauens of the wilderneſſe will picke out the eyes of all ſuch forlorne baſtardly children, as doe ſo denie God in his ſo euident workes, and their mother to be as barren of children, and disfurniſhed, as an Harlot, of her Lords ornaments. Blame me not Reader, if I herein be ſharpe; for let the latter Scripture be conſidered, and that they hold it, as fitly alledged againſt vsus, and thou wiltIn what account we be with God, in the iudgement of the Separatiſts. thinke that I ſay too little; the place is Epheſ. 2. 12. In which place the Apoſtle ſpeakes of the Epheſians before their profeſſion and Baptiſme, that they were, 1. without Chriſt; 2. Aliens from the Common-wealth of Iſrael; 3. Strangers from the couenants of Promiſe; 4. without hope; and 5. without God in the world. If this place be aptly applyed againſt vsus, as he iudgeth, then he holds vsus, the Church of England, as a people out of the profeſſion of Chriſt, without Baptiſme, without Chriſt, Aliens from the people of God; Strangers from the couenants of Promiſe, without hope, without God in the world: and what then; but as Idolaters and diuels? And herein their iudgement is worſe, for that they will needs hauehave the holy Ghoſt to auouch thus much againſt vsus, which if it were ſo, ſhould be more, then the condemnation of all men and Angels: but herein (as in many other) they wretchedly abuſe both Gods ſpirit and vsus.
Reply vntounto Mr. Smiths Anſwere to this fourth Errour.
MAſter Smith to this firſt, anſweres two things: Firſt, That all members of a true Church are within: ſpeaking generally, as Mr. Ainſworth doth; but not particularly of the Browniſts Church, as the poſition is meant: ſo it is an anſwere, and no anſwere indeed. Secondly, Hee ſaith, that all members of a falſe Church are without: and ſo they account our Church, & therefore without: But ſithen our Church is not a falſe Church, as is alreadie proued, his argument is loſt, and we are not yet without.
In Page. 23. 24. hee defends the Scriptures, as truly alledged againſt Antichriſtian Churches, which in my anſwer to Mr. Ainſworth I deny not: but it reſts for him to proue that we be Antichriſtians, which in that ſection he doth not.
He anſweres my ſecond Reaſon, which Mr. Ainſworth durſt not meddle with, and there he will proue, as he ſaith, that the Scripture Phraſe, without, may be applyed againſt vsus, and thus he proceeds.
The firſt Argument; Churches that are in condition equall This propoſition is falſe, for though in ſome reſpect the true church may be worſe then Pagans, yet it followeth not that that church is without, that is, no church of God at all, for that is to be without.or worſe then Aſſemblies of Pagans, are without. Reuel. 11. 2. Antichriſtian Churches are in condition equall or worſe then Aſſemblies of Pagans, Ergo, Antichriſtian Aſſemblies are without. The ſecond Argument; falſe churches are without; but Antichriſtian Churches are falſe churches, Ergo. The third, Dogs, Enchanters, Whoremongers, murtherers, Idolaters, &c, are without. Antichriſtian churches are ſuch, Ergo. The fourth, The habitation of Diuels, &c, are without. Antichristian Aſſemblies, or Babilon, are ſuch, Ergo. The fift, *Mr. Ainſworth hath confuted his Expoſition of this, in his booke againſt Mr. Smith.The vtter court &c. is without: But Antichriſtian churches are the vtter court, Ergo. The ſixt, The ſerpent and his ſeed, &c, are without. Antichristian Churches are the Serpent, and his ſeed and Angels, Ergo.
All theſe be eaſily anſwered; not to ſpend time about the ſyllogiſmes, and the falſhood of ſome parts: I ſay, they conclude not the queſtion. For the queſtion is, Whether we, that is, the Church of England be without. See the truth of this by my ſecond reaſon in my former booke, page 82. and by his owne words in his booke, pag. 25. line 2. Now he concludes, that Antichriſtian churches are without: if we be not Antichriſtian, what is that to vsus? This here he proues not, but refers the Reader to the tenth Section of his Booke; and if there hee ſay any thing, the Reader ſhall there find a Reply. In the meane ſpace, note here; that he takes for granted all the Minors of theſe ſyllogiſmes be true, as if wee were an Antichriſtian church; whereby he auoucheth al the Propoſitions or Maiors to be as true of vsus: to wit; firſt, that in Mr. Smiths vngodly cenſure of the Church of England.condition we be equall or worſe then Pagans: ſecondly, that we are a falſe church; thirdly, that we be Dogs, Enchanters, Whoremongers, Murtherers, Idolaters, &c. fourthly, that we be the habitation of diuels, the hold of all foule ſpirits, the cage of eueryevery vncleane and hatefull bird: fiftly, the vtter court caſt out: and ſixtly, the ſerpent, his ſeed and Angels; for thus holds he an Antichriſtian church to be. How hee proues vsus Antichriſtian, in this ſection he ſhewes not: but what an accurſed iudgement he hath of vsus, may here appeare, to be both odious and deteſtable.