Justification of Separation from the Church of England, Treatise · Section 144 – Section 145

Justification of Separation from the Church of England · Treatise · Section 144 – Section 145

p. 401Let vsus consider of his instances. And first (sayth he) God at the Mr B.worlds beginning, ordeyned Adam in his place; and till the law did rayse up extraordinary Teachers: whom he also nameth in his 2. book, as Henoh, Noah, Abraham, Isaak, Iakob, Ioseph, Lev… and the rest.

As it is true, that all Ministers are both to be called, and ordeynedAnsw. of God, and ordinary Ministers to be called by the Church, and ordeyned by the Church-officers if there be any in that Ch: by, and to which the latter are called, so neyther doth the age wherein you first instance, draw any such straight line of succession, or conclude any such necessity of ordination by praecedent officers, as you praetend. And that you may more clearly see this, you must take notice of your errour, in affirming, that God raysed vp extraordinary Teachers till the law.

The first born in the families were the ordinary Teachers, ordinarily succeeding, til the Levites were appointed: the office of Preisthood being annexed to their birthright. p. 402In which respect it was, that God told Cain ““Gen. 4. 7.Gen 4:7his brothers desire should be vntounto him, and that he should rule over him. For which purpose see also Gen. 21. 9. & 25. 31. 32. 33. 34. & 49. 4. with Deut. 33. 8. Adde vntounto this also, that the Lord would hauehave ††Exo. 12. 2 Ch. 19. 22.Exod 12:2every first born amongst the chidren of Israel consecrated vntounto him: that the Priests, or, (as it is better turned) the administers of the holy things which come neare to the Lord, should sanctify themselves: and that ‘*‘*Ch. 24. 5Moses sent the young men of the children of Israel to offer burnt offrings, and sacrifices vntounto the Lord. But most evidently doth this appear in that **Num. 3. 12. 13. & 8 15. 16. &c. With Deu. 33. 10.Num 3:12Num 3:13Num 8:15Num 8:16Deut 33:10the Levites were appointed to teach the people, and to offer sacrifices, and to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation, for the first born, that openeth the matrice among the children of Israell.

And as the first born were the ordinary Teachers successively, before the law, in whose stead the Levites afterwards were appointed; so was this order in sundry persons, and vponupon sundry occasions, broken, and interrupted. As in††Gen. 4. 8. 12. 14. 16.Gen 4:8Gen 4:12Gen 4:14Gen 4:16 CAIN, for his murder: in ““Ch. 11. 31 with▪ Iosh. 24. 2. 15.Josh 24:2Josh 24:15TERAH for his Idolatry: in ‘؛‘‘؛‘Ch. 21. 9. 14.ISMAEL for his mocking: & in **Ch. 25. 31 32. 33. 34. Heb. 12. 16 Gen. 27. 27Heb 12:16Gen 27:27ESAV for his prophanenes. To descend lower. When the order of succession in the Preisthood was so far estalished, as that it did divolve, by the word of God, from the parents vponupon the children, as by an haereditary right, yet then wee see, it was sometimes for the sinns of men, broken off, and interrupted. Take for instance Eli, and his house. ††1 Sam. 2. 30. 31.1 Sam 2:301 Sam 2:31The Lord God …f Israel had sayd, that his house, & the house of his father should walk before him for ever: but now (the L: saith) is shall not be; for them that honour me, I will honour, and they that dispise me, shalbe despised. Behold the dayes shall come, that I will cut off the arm of thy fathers house, &c. then he addes, and I will stir me vp a faithful Preist, that shall do according to myne hart, and according to my mynde, &c. which was also especially accomplished in Salomons dayes, whenver. 35. the Preisthood was translated frō Abiathar to Zadock. 1 King. 2. 35. To the same purpose tends that which the Prophets, Ezechiel & Hose threaten, and denounce, against other Preists of Israel, for their idolatrie and other iniquities. **Ezec. 44. 10. 13.Ezek 44:10Ezek 44:13The Levites, (sayth the Lord) which went back from me, when Israel went astray, shall bear their iniquity: and they shall not come neare vno me to do the office of the Preist vntounto me, &c. And againe by Hose: †‘†‘Hos. 4. 6 7.Hos 4:6bycause thou hast refused knowledge, I wil also refuse thee, that thou shalt be no Preist to mee: and seing thou hast p. 403forgotten the Law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. I will change their glory into shame. For the shutting vp of this point; the Lord Iesus himself comming to repayr the decayed places of Sion, & to enlarge the walles of Ierusalem, did not chuse his Apostles out of the nuber of the Preists, & other ordinary Teachers, but els where They in deed supposed (as the Prelates, & Preists now do) that the Lord could neyther propagate, nor mainteyn his Church but by them, bycause they were ††Math. 3. 9.Matt 3:9the childrē of Abrahā: but Iohn Baptist tells them, & all other with thē, that hang vpō the same, or like lyne of personall succession, which they did, that except they prevent the Lords wrath, and bring forth fruits worthy amendement of life, he will with the ax of his wrath hew them down, & cast them as vnfruitfull trees into the fyre: raysing vp vntounto Abraham seed, and children of the very stones.

If now the Lord hauehave thus ever and anon, from the beginning of the world, chaunged the course, and current of succession, for these sinns, namely, murther, idolatry, persequution, profanenes, and the like; is it possible that the stream should still run, by the Lords appointment, without stop, or change, for so many hundred yeares, in the Romish Church, where these, and all other sinns, and iniquities hauehave abounded? and where they all, as so many members cōpact together, make the man of sum cōplete? Is the Lord l…s… zealous now a dayes, then in times past of the honour of his name, and ordinances? Or hath S. Peter procured some Charter of impunity for his successours the Popes of Rome, what impieties soever they hauehave faln, or can fall into? Or doth this man think by any plea he can make for them to hold them in possessiō of that right which they hauehave so notoriously forfeyted so many wayes, and for so many yeres, and whereof the word of God hath so evidently disseyzed them? For conclusion of this particular, the Apostle Paul foretelling the generall **2 Thes. 2. 3. 4.2 Thess 2:32 Thess 2:4apostasy of that man of sin, the child of perdition, advancing himself above all that is called God, or is worshipped, addeth that the Lord will destroy him with the spirit of his mouth. In which words we are to observe, first, thevers. 8. vniversality of the apostasie, advancing it self above all that is called God; and secondly, the manner of restauration of the Church, which is to be by the Lord, & the spirit of his mouth, where if it were to be p. 404by the ministers of Antichrists making, or the Popes calling, the… should the man of sinne consume himself. Ioyn with this scripture another of the same nature, wherein the H: Ghost, speaking by the mouth of Iohn, of the same generall apostacy, foretells, how God would rayse up his ““Rev: 11. 3. 7.two witnesses, which should prophesy against the beast, which came out of the bottomelesse pit, and against all the abhominations of Antichrist: whereas, by the doctrine of successiō, no witnesses should be raysed up against Antichrist but by himself.

Now by these scriptures, & instances it appears, that the stream of succession hath not run so currantly from the dayes of Adam hitherto, as Mr B: praetendeth, but that it hath sundry tymes been stopped, and turned by, & that most specially in the Romish apostasy.

The thing I purpose in the next place is, to prosequute certayn Arguments of Mr Smythes, and the rather bycause himself hath in a measure forsaken this truth with others (adding also some others vntounto them) to prove, that the ministery (and so other▪ the holy things of God,) is not tyed by Christ to the succession of office, or order, but of faith. The Arguments I vvill take vp as Mr Bernard together with their answers layes them downe in his 2. book.Pag: 186. 187. 188 &c.

Of the first Argument, I have spoken in another place. The 2. is, that if Christs ministeriall power be by succession, to the Pope, Bishops, or Praesbytery, then the Ministery of Rome is a true Ministery▪ Mr Bern: answer is, that he meanes true succession, which is both personall, and hath with it a true office, true doctrine, true sacraments, and prayer, about which Christs true ministers are exercised: but for the Romish Ministery it is idolatry, and superstition, and the men appointed there to ordeyned sacrifising Preists.

This answer of yours Mr B. puts me in mind of a practise of children, who when they have a long while busyed themselves in drawing the best formes, and figures they can in dust, and ashes, do at the last with one dash of their hand deface all, & vndo, what they hauehave formerly done. And that this childish dealing you use, no reader that considers the quaestion in hand, can be ignorant of.

The quaestion then between him, & me, is not of such a succession personall, as hath joyned with it successiō in a true office, true doctrine, true sacraments, & prayer, wherin the minister is in any measure faithfully p. 405exercised: but generally, whether succession of persons be of such absolute necessity, as that no minister can in any case be made but by a minister, & more specially, whither the first ministers of the reformed Ch:, or of such, as come out of the confusiō of Antichrist, must of necessity be ordeyned by the Pope, & his Bishops, or minister by vertue of their ordinatiō so received. And that this succession by, & from the Romish ministery, is that Mr Ber: pleads for, his writings manifest: as first, that, as in all the Apostles time the Ministery 2. …ok op…g 185. 186.was by succession; ministers, as it were, begetting Ministers by ordination, so after their tyme the like succession hath been kept frō tyme to tyme, Bishop after Bishop, and Ministers ordeyned by them: which the Catalogue of thē, & stories of tymes, on which we must rely, where the script: cease to make further relation, do witnesse: for the continuation of which succession to the worlds end, he alledgeth Math. 28. 20. odiously perverting to the Pope, and his shavelings, the promise, which Christ there made, to be with his Apostles, & other faithfull ministers, teaching the things, which he had commanded, and dispensing his other ordinances accordingly. Answerable vntounto which, is his other saying (in which, his termes, and meaning do well suit) that Church-men ever ordeyned Ministers, & not the lay people. To this also let his inferēce be added in another place pag. 311. that, if we receive, and hold our baptism from Rome, why not our ordination also? And in his former bookPag: 144. most clearly condemning our Ministers for being made by such, as are no Ministers: contrary to the constant practise of the Church of God from the dayes of Adam hitherto. And agayn, that this custome of ordeyning Ministers did continue in the times following the Apostles tymes (as before it had done) in all the Churches of Christendom, as ecclesiasticall wryters do make mention: and so through pure, & impure Churches▪ and that, God in the last reformation of his Church, would not break this order; but choose men, who were Bishops ordeyned even in the Popish Church, so that they might ordeyn fit persons afterwards. And this he tels the Reader he speaks of the Church of England, as in deed he may wel; for other Ch: departed frō Rome, would be loath to joyn in his plea. And lastly, he chargeth vsus with great praesumption, for daring to break this order of God, continued five thowsand, and six hundred years. Novv what can be more vayne? The very poynt which MR. BERNARD is to prove, and from which he brings his historicall narration p. 406from Adam to this day, is, that God hath continued the course of succession in the Romish Ministery, and that from, and by it successively, the Ministery in England hath been, and is at this day, continued. And yet in his answer to Mr Smyth, he is driven to affirm, that he hath no referēce at all to the Romish Ministery, which he accounts Idolatry, and superstition: but meanes such a personal succession, as hath ioyned with it a true office, true doctrine, and the like. He will hauehave succession continued from the dayes of Adam hitherto; and this to hauehave been the order of God for five thowsand, and six hundred yeres: and that he chose Bishops ordeyned in the Popish Church, to ordeyn fit persons in the Church of England: and yet Mr Smith is to know he speaks not at all of the succession in the Romish Ministery, which is idolatry, and superstition.

Now that the more simple reader may not loose himself in this mans maze, and that he may the better know the state of the quaestion, and judge of it, I will here interpose some few thinges, touching succession and ordination accordingly.

First then wee acknowledge, that in the right and orderly state of things, no Ministers are to be ordeyned, but by Ministers, the latter by the former in the Churches, where they are, and over which the holy Ghost hath set them. And so the Apostles being generall, and extraordinary men (vntounto whom the Evangelists also were joyned for assistance to ““… Cor: 3▪ 6. Tit: 1. 5.water where they planted, and to finish the works, by them begun) as they had ††… Cor: …. 28. Act: 15 36. 1 Cor. 4. 17.1 Cor 4:17the care of all the Churches committed vntounto them, and were charged with them, so were they also to **Act. 14. 23. Tit. 1. 5Acts 14:23Titus 1:5ordeyn the Elders and Bishops in them, and the people bound to wayt theyr comming for that purpose, as Mr Ber. truly affirmeth: as were also these Bishops, or Elders to ordeyn others in the Churches over which they were set, & so others after them in the order appoynted by Christ in his Apostles; with whō also he promised to be alwayes till the worlds end, in this and the like their holy ministrations. But is the consequence good, that, bycauseMath. 28. 20.Matt 28:20 the Apostles and Evangelists were to ordeyn Elders in the Churches by Cōmission from Christ, and that the people converted from Indaism, or Paganism, were to wayt till they came to ordeyn them theyr ministers, therefore the Pope, and Prelates vnderunder him have cōmission from Christ to ordeyn his priests and p. 407that the people converted from Antichristianism are to wayt … they come to ordeyn them their Ministers, or till they send them such as they have alwayes in store ordeyned to their hands? or that bycause the Apostles, and Evangelists had Christs promise to be with them alwayes, that therefore the Pope, Cardinalls, Lord Bishops, and Lord Suffragans have interest in the same promise. It might asvvell be concluded, that as the Lords people were bound to obey, and submit vntounto the former in their times, so are they now to submit vntounto, and obey the Pope, and his vnderlings. And yet is this the very mark Mr Bernard aymes at in his long drawn historicall narration: this is the force of his argument, and his manner of arguing. If this lyne hold from Peter to the Pope, and from the Pope to his clergy, and so successively to the Ministery of England, then it stands vpright; if it break, then doth the ministery of England▪ (which as Mr Bernard truely, & honestly confesseth is thus raysed) fall flat to the ground: as indeed it doth according to the foretelling of the Angel, **Rev. 14. ….Rev 14it is fallen, it is fallen, Babylon the great City.

But here it wilbe demaunded of me, how the Lords people comming out of Babylon, separating from Rome, are to obteyn, and enjoy Ministers. Surely one of these three wayes. Eyther by the extaordinary, immediate, or miraculous designation of God; or by succession; or by the same peoples choise, or appointment, to which they are to minister. To expect ministers by the first meanes were fancy▪ and presumption: so that by one of the two other wayes they must come necessarily. The power of the holy things of God, & so specially of erecting the minstery, is eyther tyed to the order of office, & so to the order of to the Popeship, & Praelacy under it, or els to the faith of the people of God forsaking Babylō, & joyning together in the covenant of Abrahā, & fellowship of the gospel. The former of these though Mr B: be drivē to plead it in the proof of succession, yet in the defence of it, he is forced to disclaym, & disavow: yeelding the Romish Ministery to be Idolatry, and superstition, and that he speaks of such a succession, as requires with it a true office, true doctrine, true sacraments, and prayer. pag. 188. and agayn that he meanes by succession a continuance of Gods ordinance by persons elected thereto from tyme to tyme, being of spirituall kindred by the fayth of doctrine, p. 408by which the ordinance is vpheld, and true succession mainteyned. pag 190. With which graunt of his I might rest, as indeed wherein he yeeldeth the whole cause, and cutts off, as it were, with his own hands, the cord of true succession in the Ch: of Rome; making it to fayl, when the truth of doctrine, and of election fayled in the same Ch:. But bycause it is so common a thing with him, to say, and vnsay▪ and to say agayn the same things, eyther forgetting himself, or thinking others forgets, or bycause he would say something to every thing, though never so contrary both to the truth, and himself in another place, I will presse Mr Smythes other Arguments. The third of which is, that by the doctrine of succession men are bound absolutely to sin, in joyning to the sinns of the Minister. This is sayth Mr B: to take vnproved a principle of Brownism to overthrow a truth, namely, that a man cannot receive the holy things of God, but he must needs sin with others.

And is it so indeed? Doe not the scriptures every where teach men to **Rom: 16 17. Gal: 1. …. 1 Tim: 6. 3. 4. 5. Tit: 3. 10 11.avoyd, reiect, and hold accursed, false teachers, haeretiques, and idolaters? and ††1 Tim: 5. 18. 2 Ioh: 10. 11. Rev 1…. 4.Rev 1:4not to partake in the sinne of others, eyther by practising them, or giving consent, or countenance vntounto them? Wherevpon it followeth, that the doctrine, which binds the Ministery, and other holy things of God vntounto succession, and thereby to partake with haeretiques, and false teachers, or at least with such in their ministration, as have received the power, and authority by which they minister frō the Pope, and his Praelacy, bynds men to sinne in joyning with the sinns of the Ministers.

Of the Iewish Church & Preisthood (which Mr Ber…here objects) I hauehave spoken formerly, and do now adde, that, as no man is now so tyed to any Church, or Ministery in the world, as was every faythfull person in the world then to that one temple, and Preisthood at Ierusalem, so neyther could any man then, without sinn, communicate with an …aereticall, or idolatrous Preist, especially ministring in a false office, and by the like calling, and cōmission, which the Ministers both in Rome, and England doe.

In the 4. Argument Mr Ber: deales dishonestly. Mr Smiths inference vponupon the doctrine of succession, is, that then the Lord hath made the Ministers Lords over the Church, so that the Church cannot have or enjoy any of the Lords ordinances, or holy things, except they will consent vntounto them; for the holy things are in their p. 409power. Now Mr Ber. onelyonly trifles about the word Lord, and passeth by the substance of the inference which is most sound vponupon the doctrine. For if the Lords ordinances and holy things be tyed to the Ministers, then without their consent there can be no vse of them. And so where Ministers eyther are not, or not willing to cōmunicate them, there can be no Church, no electiō of Ministers, no keyes of the kingdom, and so no salvation: as I have formerly manifested vponupon Math. 16. 19.

The sum of Mr Smithes 5. Argument is, that then the Pope may excommunicate the whole Church vniversall; the Bishops their whole Dioceses, and Provinces: and the Praesbytery the particular Church whereof it is. Your answer Mr Bernard, is, that this were to do the Pope a great favour to prove him to have an vniversall power, &c. and 2. that by this sequell of Mr Smythes, this absurdity would follow, that the Bishop might cast out the Church, out of the Church.

It is you that do the Pope this great favour, though you would not own it. For if the Ministery make the Church, and that Rome be a true Church, then must the ministery of Rome be true, specially of the Pope, from which the other is derived as from the head.

Agayn, if the ordinatiō by the Bishops in the impure Church of Rome be the Lords order, as you expresly affirm p. 145. of your former book, then must the Popes vniversall power, by which the Bishops doe vniversally ordeyn, be the power of the Lord which from him he hath received for that purpose. They which hold, that the power of the keyes was given first & immediately to the Apostle Peter, & so to the Popes of Rome his successours, they hold that the Pope may excommunicate the whole Church: so they which hold the Bishop, or his substitute to be meant, where Christ sayth, tell the Church, they must necessarily hold, that the Bishop or his substitute may excommunicate his whole Province, or Dioces; and so of them which hold the Praesbytery to be the Ch: there spoken of, for the particular assembly over which it is. The Church there meant may excōmunicate any brother, or brethren (whom, or how many soever) that refuse to hear her: as the Church of Corinth, to whō 1 Cor. 1. 2. & …. 1…. 131 Cor 1:21 Cor 1:13Paul writ might judge all them which were within, and not without, & vnderunder the Lords iudgement

p. 410The substance of the seventh, & last objection, is, (for the 6. hath no weight in it) that the doctrine of succession overthrowes it self, and the Reason is, bycause one POPE doth not make another by ordination whyles he lives, but the Cardinals do by Election make the new Pope after the death of the former. So that the Pope receiving his ministeriall power from the Cardinals, cannot give it to them, and so to the rest of the Clergy in Rome, and England, neyther can it descend from Christ through the Apostles, and so through him to the other inferiour ministers, but as in a chayn if the highest link be broken, the rest which hang vponupon it must needs fall: So if there be a breach of this chayn of succession from the Apostles to the ministery of Rome, and of England (which descends of it lineally) in the higest link, the Pope, all the rest of the chayn that hangs vponupon it, except it be otherwise vpheld, must needs fall flat vponupon the ground. It is true which Mr Ber: answers that election, and succession by ordination may stand together in the ministery, but in this case it cannot, except the Pope should by the election of the Cardinalls, or others, ordeyn his succession whilest himselfe survived. Now in this last answer Mr B: challengeth his adversary to be wilde in wandering, and to have lost his quaestion, in concluding that the doctrine of succession is a false doctrine, where he should prove that Christs power is not given to the principall members. But this challenge is both vnjust, & vnadvised. Vnjust, bycause succession from the popish Church, and Clergy is made by M: Ber: in his former book the foundation of the ministery of England, and so of the Church: the Church by his affirmation being made by the ministers, and the Ministers by such Bishops pag: 145as were ordeyned in the popish Church. Vnadvised bycause these two poynts, do depend ech vponupon other necessarily. For if Christs power be tyed to the officers whether principall, or inferiour, then must it come to the ministery, and Church of England by succession: if it come not by succession from, or by the Pope, and his Clergy, then must it come by the same successiō of fayth, & doctrine vntounto the children of Abraham, two or three, or more faithfull persons joyned together in the covenant, and fellowship of the gospel. And for the quaestion in Mr Bernards own words (remitting the Reader to such places as prove, that a company of faythfull people in p. 411the covenant of the gospell, though without officers are a visible Church, that they hauehave immediate right to the holy things of God; and that the keyes for bynding, and loosing were given to Peters confession) I will adde onelyonly one Argument, and so proceed.

It hath been sundry tymes observed, and proved by the ““Num: 16. 9 & 1…. 7. 2 Chr: 35. …. Ezech: 44. 11. Math. …0. 2…. 26. 27. 2 Cor: 4. 5. Rom: 15. 3….scriptures, that the officers of the Church, are the servants of the Ch: and their office a service of the Lord, and of his Church. Wherevpon it followeth necessarily, that what power the officers have, the body of the Church hath first, and before them, the very light of nature, & cōmon sense teaching it, that what power, or authority soever the the servants of any body, or persons have, the body or persons whose servants they are, must have it first, and they by thē. And for this purpose let it be further observed, that no power at all came vntounto the Church of the Iewes by the Levites: not the vse of the sacrament of circumcision; no nor of the very sacrifices: which were offered by the first born in the family, and that even after the peoples comming out of Egypt vnderunder the hand of Moses, till Levi was called to the Preisthood. Ex. 13. 2. & 24. ….

I proceed. If the Ministery of the reformed Churches must be by succession, or ordination by Popish Bishops, then must the same office of Ministery be continued from the one Church to the other: as indeed it was withall the Ministers of the Church of England at the first; who without any new eyther calling, or ordination (which depends vponupon it) continued their office, and place formerly received; there being onelyonly a reformation of some of the grossest evills, like the healing of Iobs soars, as Mr B. speaketh: as the office of Iustice-ship, or the like in the common wealth, may be continued the same in the same persons individually, though by edict of Parliament, or other superiour power, there be a surceasing of some mayn act of it.

Further to ty the Ministery thus to succession, is to ty the Lords sheep to submit to no other sheepheards but such as the wolves hauehave appointed. And if a company of Gods people in Rome, or Spayn, should come out of Babylon, and no consecrated Preist amongst them, they must, by this doctrine, enjoy no Ministers, but such as the Romish wolves will ordeyn, & do, according to their Popish, & prophane order.

p. 412To these things I might also adde, that look what power any of the Popes Clergy receive from him, the same he takes from them & deprives them of, where they withdrew their obedience, or separate from that Church: as also that the ordinations in Rome, by their own Canons, are very nulli…yes, and many the the like exceptions pleaded by learned protestants against the Romish preisthood, and this Romish doctrine of succession: but that which hath been spoken is sufficient in the generall, and I hasten to the third and last meanes of the three, by which Gods people after Antichrists defection are to injoy the ministery, and other of Christs ordinances.

And for our better proceeding herein, I will first consider, what ordination is: and 2. how far the brethren may goe by the scriptures, and the necessary consequences drawn from them, in this and the like cases, in the first planting of Churches, or in the reducing of them into order,, in or after some generall confusion. The Prelates, and those which levell by their lyne do highly advance ordination, and far above the administration of the word,Bishop Barl. ser: b…e the King. sacraments, and prayer: making it, and the power of excommunication the two incōmunicable prerogatives of a Bishop in their vnderstanding above an ordinary minister: But surely herein these cheif ministers do not succeed the cheif ministers, the Apostles, except as darknes succeeds light, and Antichrists confusion Christs order. Where the Apostles were sent out by Christ, there was no mention of ordination; their charge was to ††Math. 28. 20Matt 28:20go teach all nations, and baptize them: and that the Apostles accounted preaching their principall work, and after it baptism, & prayer the scriptures"A…t. 6. 4. 1. Cor. 1 17.1 Cor 1:17 manifest. And if ordination had been in those dayes so pryme a work, surely Paul would rather hauehave tarryed in Crete himself to have ordeyned Elders there, and hauehave sent Titus an inferiour officerTit 1. 5.Titus 1:5 about that inferiour work of preaching, then hauehave gone himself about that, leaving Titus for the other.

But bycause Mr Bernard (with whom I deal) when he writes most advisedly, preferrs **pag. 137. …st book.preaching to the first place, and the administration of the sacraments, and prayer to the next, passing by ordination as not worthy the naming amongst these principall works, I wil therefore leave it to be honoured by them, whom it most honoureth, p. 413and for whose ease, and profit it best serveth, and will consider in what place he setteth it.

He then pleading, that as well the ordination; as the baptism received 2. book p. 311.in Rome is to be held, makes ordination & the calling of the Ministers all one. Wherein as he vnfitly compares together things not to be compared, to wit, baptism into the name of the true God, & ordinatiō, into a false office (except he hold a masse-preisthood a true office) so doth he vnadvisedly confound a part with the whole, yea the last, and least part, as ordination is: and which doth indeed depend vponupon the peoples lawfull election, as an effect vponupon the cause, by vertue of which it is justly administred, & may be thus described, or considered of vsus: as the admission of, or putting into possession, a person lawfully elected, into, or of a true Office of Ministery. For example, the Maior, Baylife, or other cheif officer in a priviledged City, or Corporation, is chosen by the people to his office, but withall must be entred, and inaugurated with some solemn ceremony, as the giving of the Cities keyes, or sword, into his hand, or the like, by his praedecessour. So is it with the Ministers, the officers of this spirituall corporation the Church, the right vntounto their offices they have by election, the possession of thē by ordination, with the ceremony of imposition of hands. The Apostle Peter, advertising the **Act. 1. 15. 16. 21. 22. 26.Acts 1:15Acts 1:16Acts 1:21Acts 1:22Acts 1:26disciples, or brethren that one (so fitted as is there noted) was to be made in the room of Iudas, a witnesse with the eleven Apostles, of the resurrection of Christ, (when two were by them praesented, such as were fit, and by them so deemed) did, with the rest praesent them two, and none other, to the Lord, that he by the īmediate directiō of the lot might shew, whether of them two he had chosen. In like maner ““Ch. 6. 2. 3. 5. 6.the twelve being to institute the office of Deaconry in the Ch: at Ierusalem, called the multitude of the disciples together, and informed them what manner of persons they were to chuse: which choise being made by the brethren accordingly, and they so chosen praesented to the Apostles, they forthwith ordeyned them, by vertue of the election so made by the brethren. To these ad, that the Apostles **Act. 13▪ 2. & 14. 23.Acts 13:2Acts 14:23PAUL, & BARNABAS (being therevnto called by the H. Ghost) did passe from Church to Church, and from place to place, and in every Church, where they p. 414came, did ordeyn them Elders by the peoples election, signified by their lifting vp of hands, as the word is, and as the vse was in popular elections, throughout those countries. Now the Apostles were in a manner straungers vntounto them, cōming as it were to one place over night, and ready to depart the next morning, or at least tarrying a very small whyle in every Church, as doth appear, both by the course of the story, & by the many severall places they passed to, & fro, & those some of them distant one from another a great space, both by sea, and land. So that neyther the liberty of the very Apostles was so great in ordeyning, as was the peoples in chusing: neither were they to ordeyn but such as the other choose, nor but to ordeyn them, except just exception were against them: neyther was their ordination so much as the others election, no more then possession is so much as right: neyther did the Apostles in their ordination rely so much vponupon their own as vponupon the peoples knowledge, and experience of the men, which were to be called into office.

Besides these things, though it appear that **Act. 13. 1. 2. 3. 1 Tim. 4. 14 & 2. 1. 6. Act. 14 23.Acts 13:1Acts 13:2Acts 13:31 Tim 4:141 Tim 2:11 Tim 2:6Acts 14:23Paul, & Barnabas were ordeyned by laying on of hands, to that speciall work appointed them by the H. Ghost, and that the Euangelists were so ordeyned, and so the Bishops, or Elders in the Churches by the Apostles, and Euangelists, yet read we of no such solemnity performed by Christ upon his Apostles, when he called them; nor by Peter, or the Apostles at the choise of Mathias, Act. 1. but being by the people praesented with Ioseph, and by the Lord singled out by lot, he was by a common consent counted with the eleven Apostles. Wherevpon also some reformed Churches hauehave thought that this solemn ordinationThe Churches in Scotland. by imposition of hands is of no such necessity, but that it might be vsed, or not vsed indifferently, and so have practised.

But the judgement, and plea (when they deal with vsus) of the most forward men in the Land, in this case, I may not omit; which is, that they renounce, & disclaym their ordination by the Prelates, and hold their Ministery by the peoples acceptation. Now if the acceptation of a mixt company vnderunder the Praelates government, (as is the best parish assembly in the kingdom) wherof the greatest part hauehave by the revealed will of God, no right to the covenant, ministery, or other holy things, be sufficient to make a minister, p. 415then much more the acceptation of the people with vsus, being all of them joyntly, and every one of them severally, by the mercy of God, capable of the Lords ordinances.

These things, thus opened, I come in the next, and last place to manifest, what liberty the scriptures, just consequence, & good reason do allow the people for the reducing themselves into the order, and under the Ministery of Christ, after some generall cofusion, such as the Papacy was, and is.

And for this purpose I entreat the reader to recognize with me the points lately mentioned, and proved in the former part of the book, namely that **pag. 125. 126.—130. 131.a company of faithful people in the covenant of the Gospel are a Church, though without officers: that this Church hath interest in all the holy things of God within it self, and immediately vnderunder Christ the head, without any forreyn assistance: that in cases, ††pag. 142. 143. 144.a private person, or brother, in such a Church, may do a necessary work of an officer: & lastly, that ††pag. 149. 150. 151.the keyes of the kingdom were given to, and the Church to be built vponupon the rock of Peters confession, Math. 16. And so I come to the point it self.

I do then acknowledge, that where there are already lawfull officers in a Church, by, and to which, others are called, there the former, vponupon that election, are to ordeyn, and appoint the latter. The officers, being the ministers of the Church, are to exequute the determinations, and iudgements of the Church vnderunder the Lord: the Censures of deposition, and excommunication by pronouncing the sentence of iudgment, and by it, as by the sword of the spirit drawn out, cutting of the officer from his office, and the member from the bodie, and all cōmunion with it: So are they to exequute the peoples election by pronouncing the person elect to his office, charging him with the faythfull execution of it, with imposition of hands, and prayer. And indeed ordination, in the calling of the ministers is properly the exequutiō of electiō.

But as in a civil corporation, or City, though the Maior, Baylif, or other cheif officer elect, be at his …nterance, and inauguration, to receive at the hands of his praedecessour, the sword, or keyes of the City, or to have some other solemn Ceremony by him performed vntounto him: yet if eyther there be no former, as at the first; or that the former be dead, or vponupon necessity absent, when p. 416his successour entereth, then is this Ceremony and work performed by some other the fittest instrument: neyther need that City borrow an officer of another City: neyther could he intermedle there, without vsurpation, though both the Corporations hauehave the same Charter, vnderunder the same King: so is it in this spirituall Corporation, and City of God, the Church: the former officers, if there be any in that particular congregation, are to ordeyn such as succeed: but if none be to be found, this Corporation is not to goe to the next to borrow an officer, or two, but may vse such fit persons, as shee hath, for that service so absolutely necessary: neither may the officers of an other Corporation do the acts of their office in that, except they be eyther Apostles, or Evangelists, and have generall charges: or rather except they will make themselues Popes: as indeed this exorbitant, and roving course makes as many vniversall Bishops, in respect of power, & so likewise of exequution, if there be occasion, as there are officers in all the Churches. But to come vntounto the scriptures, it hath been formerly noted that the first born in the family, before the law, did perform the preists office: in whose place the Levites were afterwards substituted. Now as ††Exod: 29. 1. 2. 3 &.the Preists of the Levites did not enter vpō their office without solemn consecration, nor the ministers of the new testament vponupon theirs, without solemn **Act: 6. 6 & 14. 23.ordination or appoyntment, so neyther can it be conceived, that the first borne did ““Heb: 5. 4take vntounto themselues the honour to administer, without some solemnity performed to or vponupon them, by their predecessours: & so we read, that when ††Gen: 27. …7.Isaak conveyed the blessing, and birthright to Iacob, he kissed him, as did **: ch: 48 17. 18. 19 20.Iacob also lay his right vponupon the head of Ephraim, when with the blessing he did transfer the birthright to him from Manasseth. But if the father of the family were suddainly taken away, or dyed before his first borne were capable of this ministration, then could he not thus solemnly resigne, or transmit to him the office, or work, but there must needs have been some interposition of another, if any solemn admission at all were required. To come lower. When ††Numb. 8. 6. 9. 10. &c 20. 21.Num 8:6Num 8:9Num 8:10the Levites were given, at the first, to the Lord, as a redemption of the first borne, for the service of the tabernacle, wee do find that the people did, p. 417by putting their hands vponupon them, offer, and ordeyn them, as their shake offering, and gift vntounto the Lord. But this liberty, which the people here vsed, by the Lords appoyntment, at the first, and when the first officers were consecrated in the Church, we do not read to have continued, or so to have been vsed in the consecration of the succeeding Levites ordinarily.

And as the Lord would have the people to vse this speciall liberty in the first institution, and consecration of the Levites in that Church, (which notwithstāding they vsed not in the ordinary consecration of such Levites, as followed, when the Ch: was once furnished with officers) so doth the holy Ghost give testimony of the same, or the like liberty vsed by them afterwards vponupon a speciall occasiō and in that general confusiō, which fel vpō the whole Church, when the Preists were slayn, and the Ark of God was taken by the Philistims.

It is then noted 1 Sam: 7. 1. that, vponupon the ††1 Sam: 6. 20. 21.message from the men of Bethshemesh, the men of Kirjath-i…arim came, and took vp the ark of the Lord, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill; and that they sanctified Eleazar his Sonne to keep the Ark of the Lord. And the very same word which is vsed Exod: 29. 1. where the Lord bids Moses consecrato the sonns of Aaron to be Preists, is vsed in this place where the men of Kirjath-i…arim sanctified Eleazar to keep the ark: sanctification, & consecration being all one in substance, and the word the same in the originall.

Lastly, the Apostle ““Gal: 1. 1. 2 8. 9Paul writes to the Churches of Galatia to reject as accursed, such ministers whomsoever, as should preach otherwise, then they had already received: and the same Apostle wrytes to the Church at Colossus, to admonish **Col: 4. 17.Archippus to take heed to his ministery: so did Iohn also to the Church of Ephesus, cōmending it for ††Rev. 1. 2.Rev 1:2examining, and so consequently for silencing such, as pretended themselues Apostles and were not: as also to the Church of Thiatyra reproting it for ““Ch. 3. 20suffering vnsilenced the false Prophetesse lezabell: now as these things did first, and principally concern the officers, who were in these, and all other thinges of the same nature to goe before, and governe the people: so were the people also in their places interessed in the same buesines, and charge: neyther could p. 418the officers sin, if they were or should hauehave been, corrupt, or negligent) discharge the people of their duety in the things, which concerned them: but they were bound notwithstanding to see the commandements of the Apostles, and of the Lord Iesus by them, exequuted accordingly. And if the people be in cases, and when their officers fayl, thus solemnly to examine, admonish, silence, and suppresse their teachers, being faulty, and vnsound: then are they also by proportion, where officers faile, to elect, appoynt, set vp, and over themselues, such fit persons, as the Lord affoardeth thē, for their furtherance of fayth, and salvation.

In the 2. place I do adde the conclusion vntounto the praemises lately proved, that since the people of God going out of Babylon must come vnderunder the Lords order, and officers, and may not receive them by succession from the Pope, and his Clergy, nor are to expect them immediatly from heaven, therefore they themselves are to call and appoynt them for the Lords, and their owne service vnderunder him.

3. VponUpon the former ground, that the Lords people must come out of Babylon, & build a new the Lords temple in Ierusalem, even themselves, their soules, and bodyes, for **1 Pet. 2. 51 Pet 2:5a spirituall house, and that the Levites, and Preists of the Lord must minister there, it is necessary we consider by the scriptures what course hath been takē formerly for the furnishing of this house thus newly built, of the Church newly constituted, with officers, where they have wanted.

Wee do then read, that when that ancient, and mother Church of the Iewes was to be furnished with Officers, ††Numb. 5 9. 10. 11.—16. 20.Num 5:9Num 5:10Num 5:11the Lord commaun…! Moses to assemble all the congregation of the children of Israell, and to direct them how to offer and freely to giuegive vntounto the Lord for a shake-offering the Levites, for the first born, to execute the service of the Lord. Afterwards, when in the Apostles time, **Act. 1. 15 &c.Acts 1:15one was to he chosen in the room of Iudas, Peter standing vp in the middes of the disciples informed them in their liberty, and directed them in the use of it, for the praesenting of two, of which, the Lord would single out one to succeed him. Likewise in the same story, when Deacons were wanting in the Ch: at Ierusalem, ††Ch. 6. 2. 3. 5.the twelve calling the multitude of the disciples together, put them in mind of their liberty, and informed them in their duety for the chusing of so many as were needfull, so furnished as is there p. 419noted. The same course did Paul, and Barnabas afterwards directCh: 14. 23. the Churches amongst the Gentiles for the chusing of Elders in every City, where they came. Now if **Rom: 15. 3.all things which are written before, be written for our learning, and for the learning of all the Churches, and people of God, why are not the people, and Churches of God, in all places to learne from hence their liberty, and duty, for the chusing of officers, where they are wanting▪ having men therevnto fitted by the Lord. And what hindereth but that the Church, the multitude, the Disciples (call them as you wil) in the fellowship, and covenant of the gospell, may be as clearely informed in their duety, and as effectually exhorted to the vse of their liberty by the writings of the Prophets, and Apostles, as by their speaches. The Apostle, wryting to the Church of Corinth about the censuring of the incestuous man, though he were ““1 Cor: 5. 3.absent in body, yet was present in spirit, which was, in effect, all one, and as avaylable to that purpose as his bodily presence should have been: so though Moses and Peter, and Paul, be bodily absent, yet are they in their wrytings, present in spirit, after a sort, nay God himself in spirit is present in them, with his Churches, & people, both for their warrant, direction, and comfort.

Though it be true then which M B: sayth that the people wayted first book 145. 2. book 296till the Apostles came; and that they did not elect officers but vponupon their exhortation: yet must it also be considered that Apostles do now come in their writings, as there they did in corporall presence, and that they exhort as fully in them now, as they did in speach then. Besides there are now no Apostles vponupon earth, nor other Church officers having ††2 Cor. 11. 28.2 Cor 11:28the care of all the Churches, in the world as the Apostles had: nor that are extraordinarily and miraculously endewed with all giftes especially with the gift of all tongues, as the Apostles were; nor that have the like generall commisionAct. 2. 1. 3. 4. &c. Mat. 28.Acts 2:1Acts 2:3Acts 2:4Matt 28 to teach all nations, as they had. The ordinary officers, which the Apostles, and Evangelists left in the Churches, and for the choyse of whom▪ they left order to the worlds end were such Elders or Byshops as were assigned, and fixed to such particular flockes as they were to feed, vnderunder that cheif sheepheard, and great Bishop Iesus Christ. Besides, if the Churches, or people should wayt now, as M Ber. would have them till the Bishops of Rome, or England p. 420came to them, as the Apostles did to the Churches in their time, to exhort them to chuse officers, and to ordeyn them for them, they might languish vnderunder a wan hope, & wayt till their eyes fayled in their heads.

Wherevpon then I do conclude, that if the Church without officers may elect, it may also ordeyn officers▪ if it have the power and commission of Christ for the one, and that the greater, it hath it also for the other, which is the lesse. If it hauehave officers, it must vse them as hands to put the persons by ordination into that office, to which they hauehave right by election: but if it want officers, it may, and must vse other the fittest instruments it hath: as in the naturall body, if men want hands, or be deprived of the vse of them, they do for their present necessity vse their teeth, or feet, or other fittest parts of the body, for the busynes possible to be done by them.

Lastly if the Lord should rayse vp in America, or the like place, a company of faythfull men, and women, (which of stones should become children to Abraham) by the reading of the scriptures, or by some godly mens writings, or (which is most like) by the holy instructions, and exhortations of some merchants, or travaylers, how, or by what meanes should they come by Ministers? Must they be sent out of Europe unto thē? And if they were they would be barbari…ns ech to others, neyther vnderstanding others1 Cor. 14. 11.1 Cor 14:11 language. But what to do hath the Pope of Rome, or the Bishops in England, or the Praesbytery in Germany, or France to appoynt them in America Ministers? It is evident that such an assembly, as I speak of, having received the gospel, hauehave received the keyes of the kingdome, and the power of Christ: and being joyned in this fellowship of the gospell, hauehave the joynt vse of the keyes, & power of Christ: & being within the covenaunt of Abraham, are the Ch: of God: & so hauehave power to choose, and appoynt their own Ministers frō within themselves. Now because these things wilbe better taken at other mens hāds, then at ours, yea it may be with many, through praejudice, their very authority wil sway more then our Arguments though never so rightly grounded vpō the scriptures, & cōmon reason, I wil therefore here crave leave to bring in a few men of singular note both at home, & abroad, to shew their judgments p. 421in the case in hand.

And I will first bring in one, of our own nation, of great account (and that worthily) with al that fear God, how ever he were against vsus in our practise. The man is Mr Perkins. He then writing about ordination, & succession, in his Cōmentary vponupon the Epistle to Gal: ch: 1. ver: 11. gives this testimony: that, if in Turky, or America, or elswhere, the gospel should be received of men, by the counsel, & perswasion of private persons, they should not need to send into Europe for consecrated Ministers, but had power to choose their own Ministers from within themselves: & the Reasons of this he renders in the same place, bycause where God gives the word, he gives the power also. And I do desire especially his Reasō may be observed: which is, that, where God gives the word, there he gives the power also. Wherevpon it followes, that any other assēbly whether in America, or Europe, separating themselves frō Idolatry, whether Heathenish, or Antichristian, & receiving the gospell of Christ, do with the gospel receive the power also: & so may choose their ministers within themselves: & need not send to any other place, no not to the next parish for consecrated Ministers.

In the 2. place I wil alledg one of greater note, and more ancient: and that is Philip Melancton: who, in his Answer to the ministers in Bohemia, which taught the incorrupt doctrine of the gospell, refutes the praetext of ordination to be taken from the Bishops, with that of Paul, **Gal. 1. 8.Gal 1:8if any teach another gospell, let him be an Athema; adding also that onelyonly the assembly where true doctrine soundeth is the Church: and that in it is the ministery of the gospell: in it are the keyes of the kingdom of heavē. Wherefore in that very assembly (in eo ipso coetu) there is the right of calling, and ordeyning the ministers of the gospell, bycause we must fly the enemyes of the gospell, as an Anathema. And besides (sayth he) if wee should desyre of them the ceremony of ordinatiō, they would not giuegive it, except we would bind ourselves to renounce the true doctrine; & other wicked bōds would they cast vpō vsus. Neyther therefore ought the true Ch: to be without Pastors, without the keyes, without the voyce of the gospell, without forgivenes of …inns, bycause the tyranny of the Bishops eyther drives away, or refuses to appoynt fit Ministers. And agayn, it is the confusiō of order to seek sheepheards frō the wolves. And lastly, this hath ever been the right of the true Church, to chuse, and call out of her own assembly fit Ministers of the gospel. Thus far h….

p. 422In the third place Peter Martyr shall speak, who vponupon the book of Iudges ch. 4. vers. 5. sayth thus: Touching the ecclesiasticall Ministery we have signified before, that it may not be committed to women, & that they are not fit for it. But now wee adde, that, in the planting of Churches anew, when men want, which should preach the gospell, a woman may perform that, at the first; but so as when she hath taught any company, that some one man of the faythful be ordeyned, which may afterwards minister the sacraments, teach, and do the Pastours duety faithfully.

4. Zanchy▪ vponupon the fifth to the Ephesians, treating of Baptism propounds a quaestion of a Turk comming to the knowledge of Christ, and to sayth by reading the new Testament, and withall teaching his family, & converting it, and others to Christ; and being in a countrey, whence he can not easily come to Christian Churches; whether he may baptise them, whom he hath converted to Christ, he himself being vnbaptized? He answers, I doubt not of …, but that he may, and withall provide, that he himself be baptized of one of the three converted by him. The Reason (be gives) …, bycause he is a Minister of the word extraordinarily stirred vp of Christ: & so, as such a Minister may, with the consent of that small Church, appoint one of the ““Symm… stam.communi…ants, and provide, that he be baptized by him.

Adde in the fifth place Tilenus, who being demaunded of the Earl of Lavall, from whom Calvin had his calling, answered, from the Church of Geneva, and from Farell, his praedecessour: who had also his frō the people of Geneva; who had right, and authority, to institute, and depose Ministers: which thing he also confirms by Cyprian: Ephes. 14.

The sixth, and last I will name is Sadeel who writing a treatise of purpose, touching the lawfull calling of Ministers, against such as agreed with the reformed Churches in the doctrine they taught, but excepted against them in this, that they had not their Ministers by ordinary succession: s…ewes, that amongst, and above other things the ecclesiastical Ministery of Rome is corrupted: & makes it a shamelesse thing, that any boasting of the pure knowledge of God, should obiect against them, that they did not draw the pure reformation of the ecclesiasticall Ministery out of the dr…gges of Popery. The first argument he vseth to justify the calling of their Ministers is, that they are called, chosen, and received of these assemblyes which do appear by manifest signes, and arguments to be true Churches▪ as having the true doctrine of fayth, the pure administration of the sacramēts, the right and sincere …vocation of Gods name, observing religiously the discipline p. 423instituted by Christ, and his Apostles: and lastly testifying by the duties of love, constancy of Martyrs, and reformation of the whole life, that they are by the great mercy of God, adopted into the number of the faythfull, as members of the Catholick Church: &c.

And thus much of the Ministery both yours Mr Ber: & ours: and more particularly to prove, that an assembly of faythful people separating themselves from Heathenish, or Antichristian idolatry, have right within themselves to call, and appoint their Ministers.

Now from this conclusion thus manifested do arise sundry others worthy the noting down, for the common controversy.

As first that such an assembly (though without officers) is a trueI. visible Church, the kingdom of Christ, & City of God. And I suppose it needs no confirmation to any good conscience, that the choise of Church officers is a Church action, a mayn part of the administration of Christs kingdom, and a priviledge of that spirituall City the new Ierusalem: and that such an assembly hath the power of Christ, and from him authority, and commission: without vvhichwhich it were intollerable usurpation to praesume to choose his officers: especially the cheif officers in his kingdom, as are they which administer the word, & sacraments, of whom we principally entreat.

2. That the people have power to censure offenders: for they thatII. hauehave power to elect, appoint, & set vp officers, they hav also power (vpō just occasiō) to reject, depose, & put them down: & so are part of that Church, where officers are; and the whole Church, where they are not; of which Christ speaketh Math: 18. 17. where he sayth tell the Church. Besides, that the calling of officers, and censuring of offenders are the two mayn administrations of the kingdome of Christ, and so both of one nature.

3. And lastly that the brethren out of office, whether in a ChurchIII. furnished with officers, or vvithout them, are not mere private persons; as you Mr Ber: and others, would make them, in the exercise of prophesy, calling of Ministers, and judging of offenders for scandalous sinns. Considering them in deed severally one by one, or in opposition to the publique officers, they may be called private persons: but take them joyntly, and in these and the like acts of their communion, and they are more then so: and as the p. 424Church is a publique body, so are they members of the body, and parts of the whole, and of the same publique nature with it: and not private parts, or members of the publique body: which were a senseles contradiction, and contrary to the rule in Reasō. The whole, and all the partes ioyntly taken, are the same. When ††Act: 1.the brethren made choyce of Ioseph, and Mathyas to be presented: and afterwards of the ““ch: 6.seven Deacons: & after that of **ch: 14.the Elders in every Church, did they make a private choise of publique officers? or could they as private persons merely, make a publique choise? When the Apostle Paul wrote to the Church of Corinth (which you graunt to be the multitude, or ††first book Pag: 92.body of the Church about the censuring of the incestuous person) did he will them to judge and censure him privately for his publique scandalous sin? or could they as persons merely private passe a publique judgement?

The thing then is, that when the Church is gathered or come together in one for the administration of the word, sacraments, censures and other exercises of religion, & parts of Gods worship, the officers, (if there be any) and brethren with them, are one & the same publique body, to be exercised in one and the same part of their publique communion: and to make the officers publick persons, and the brethren private in the cōmunion, is to make a schisme in the Church: and to make the brethren part of the cō munion, in the administration of the word, & sacraments, prayer, singing of Psalmes, contribution, calling of officers, censuring of offenders, or other Church action whatsoever, private, and the officers publik is to make it schismatical, & them in it schismatiks.

Thus much of the 9. errour objected. The tenth foloweth, which is, that we say

Their worship is a false worship.M: B.

For answer vntounto this assertion Mr B: refers vsus to the end of this treatise; and there then will wee attend for it: & yet somewhat will he say against it: & that is. First, that they worship no false God. 2. that they worship the true God with no false worship.

We charge you not with the worship of any false God, thoughAnsw: wee shall see by, & by how, in one particular, you will defend your selves. But the thing you should have endeavoured, is, to prove that your divine-service-book framed by man, and by man imposed p. 425to be vsed, without addition or alteration, as the solemn worship of your Church, is that true, and spirituall manner of worshiping God, which he hath appointed: & with which he will be worshiped in spirit, & trueth. Of this you say little, or nothing, but bycause you seem to your self to say somewhat, wee will see what it is.