Justification of Separation from the Church of England, Treatise · Section 147 – Section 153
Mr B: in his †pag. 32….2. book to prove their worship true worship, pretends 3 distinct Argumēts. The first, bycause it is according to the word of God. 2. bycause it is not forbidden in the scripture. 3. bycause it is after the M B:manner of the worship of the true Churches of God, set downe in the word.
An other man would have comprehended these three reasons inAnsw: one: and so might Mr Ber. have done well enough, considering his confirmation of them: wherein he brings not so much as one scripture, or reason from scripture, to prove their prescript leyturgy by man devised, and imposed (of which our mayn quaest on is) to be according to the word of God: &c. onelyonly in the 3. Argument he toucheth an obiection, which he calles a conceyt of ours, viz: that it quencheth the spirit: to which he gives a double answer. First, that it is agaynst known experience: 2. that it is the groundwork of Mr Smith▪ casting of reading the scriptures in the assembly. Other things he speaks are not worth the insisting vponupon; let vsus consider of his answers.
To the former, of them touching known experience, I do reply two things: first that the experience of supposed good in a course, or by meanes, not warrantable by the written word of God, is of all godly wise men to be suspected. 2▪ though the experience of good be certayn, yet must men take heed they honour not one thing for an other, as the means of that good: but they must put difference between that which is good, and that which is evill, in the same compound action. Many do avouch they have wrought in them much hatred of murder, treason, and the like evils, by a stage-play: others, that their devotion is much furthered by organ musick, and the chaunting of quiresters, yea by the prayers in a tongue they vnderstand not: all these will alledge their kn…wn experience. But to leave these things. The Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 14. testifyeth, that a man “v: 4.speaking a strange language may …di…y himself, though not the Church: and though he *…: 14.pray in a strange tongue without the vnderstanding, or benefit of the Church, yet that his spi…t may pray. Might such a man therefore alledge his known experience for prayer in a strange tongue, contrary to the Apostles expresse inhibition? neyther is it any justification of the service book in the vse we speak of, that people do in the reading of it, find by experience, their affectiōs furthered: God may, & doth therein honor the simple, & honest affectiōs of his people so far, as to receive the request of their heart, which he seeth in secret, covering in mercy the outward manner of putting vp the same, wherein they of ignorance, or infirmity, fayl.
And that these stinted and devised forms do quench the spirit of prayer, appears in that they deprive the Church, & minister of that liberty of the spirit of prayer, which God would hauehave the vse: stinting the Minister, yea all the Ministers in the kingdom, to the same measure of the spirit, not onelyonly one with an other, but all of them with him, that is dead and rottē: and so stinting the spirit, which the Lord gives his Ministers, for his Church: and that so strictly, as till the stint be out, it may not suggest one thought or word otherwise; or when it is out, one more, then is praescribed.
†1 Cor: 12 9.The manifestation of the spirit sayth the Apostle, is given to every man to profit withall. But in the reading of a praescript forme of prayer, there is not the manifestation of the spirit of the minister given him to profit the Church withall, but the manifestation of of the spirit of him, that devised, and penned the service book.
Now for M Ber: 2 Answ: namely that this conceipt of ours, saying that set prayer quencheth the spirit, is the groundwork of Mr Smithes casting of reading the scriptures in the assemblyes: first, he wrongeth M. Smyth, who doth not deny the reading of the scriptures in the assembly, but that the reading of them is properly a part of Gods worship. 2. Not our conceipt, but his own ill collection is the groundwork of his errour. Let the indifferent reader iudge, whither this consequence be good or no. Bycause the reading of the Apocrypha Prayers of the Bishops of Rome or of England, or their Chapleyns, for prayer, quencheth the spirit, or is not the true manner of prayer, which Christ hath left; therefore the reading of the Canonicall scriptures penned by the Prophets, and Apostles, for reading, quencheth the spirit, and is no part of Gods worship.
Other observations M Ber: hath in his Answer, some nothing to the purpose, and others against himself: as for example: The Iewes in the ould Testament did meet together at set times commaunded by Pag: 327.the Lord: so did the Churches of Christ in the new, or the first day of the week. Ergo the Church of England doth wel in meeting at set times, yea holy times, not commaunded by the LORD, and that farre more solemnly, then on the first or LORDS day. 2. The Iewes had preaching every Lords day, in every Synagogue…: Pag: 328 329therefore the Church of Engl: is in good estate, where there is no preaching, or as good as none, in one parish of ten, on the Lords day, or at other tymes. 3. The Iewish Church had singing of the Psalmes Pag: 328of David, and of other propheticall men: and Christ himself did vse the same; therefore the Church of England doth cōmmendably in singing besides them, the Apocrypha songs of men, ful of errours, and vanities: as that †The hū ble suit of a sinner.the Saints, and Angels in heaven do yet see the wounds, and blood of Christ: that a sinner *Lamentation.need not confesse his life, bycause God knowes all things: & that he needs not repeat what he would have, bycause God knowes it before he askes: that“Complaynt of a sinner. the scripture declares, there was no drop of blood in Christ, which he shed not for sinners: that †12 Artscles of fayththe spirit of Christ did after his buriall descend into the lower parts, to them that long were in darknes, the true light of their hearts: that *Thanksgiving after the Lords supper.the sun in the firmament, the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all therein, yea the spirits beneath, were made for man to rule them.
But these things I passe over, and come to Mr B: second row of errours imputed to vsus, which he judgeth sufficiently confuted in the former, as also to be so absurd, and false, as that the reading of them is sufficient to make them to be reiected.
The first of them is, that their congregations, as they stand, are all, and every one of them vncapable before God to chuse them Ministers, though I.they desire the meanes of salvation.Answ:
First let it here be noted, that Mr B: in this same book pag: 136 compared with pag. 138. makes it a rule for the Churches making a Minister, which must be kept, and from which she may not …werve, that the guides, and governours of the Church do choose one from amongst others for the Ministery. If the guides, and governours must choose, how then apperteyns this to your congregations? or how are they capable of this liberty?
2. If they be capable of this liberty, why do they not vse it? There is no congregation in the Land, which as a Church, chooseth their Minister: the Patron, and Bishop have seazed this liberty, & at their courtesie doth the congregation stand to receive eyther a preacher, or dumb preist: eyther a man of some conscience, or without all …oar of God, or cōmon honesty, whom they may not refuse. And if some parishes choose, it is not as Churches, but as Patrons. They have purchased the right of patronage with their money, and so vse it. But what is this to that spirituall liberty, and charter of Christs spirituall kingdome the Church?
3. I deny that any congregation in the Land desires the means of salvation. I speak of the congregation, which is the whole consisting of the parts joyntly considered. The best parish hath too many in it that “Ioh. 3. 19love darknes rather then light, because their deeds are evill. This you find true in your own, Mr B. which you deem one of the best. And what right hath such an assembly to chuse a Minister, which hath no right to his ministrations of the sacraments, & other holy things? Because the Lord Iesus hath given his power, and charter to his subjects for the choise of their officers whether many, or few, doth it therefore follow that the subjects of sinne, & Satan, professed traytours vntounto his Majesty, have the same liberty? or can his subjects combine with them that are, and allwayes have been such, in the vse, or rather in the vsurpation of that divine priviledge? These things Mr B: you extenuate, bycause you want them, but the Churches of Christ accounts them pretious things: which they therefore labour to preserve pure.
Of your false worship something hath been before, & more shalbeII. hereafter spoken; and you do idely make it a distinct errour from the tenth.
That baptism is not administred into the fayth of Christ simply, but into III.the fayth of Bishops, & Church of England, which you make our 3. errour,Answ: do we not affirm, but leave it to him for justification, which not content with that in England received, hath found out since a 2. or 3. as he supposeth better then that was.
¶ Wee are to consider, baptism first, and principally in relation from GOD to vsus, and as a seal of the covenant of grace into which he hath received vsus: and secondarily in relation from vsus to God, & as we restipulate, or promise agayn vntounto him. In the first respect, it is effectuall vponupon the very infants of the faithfull, though for the present wanting fayth: & in the 2. both may be, & is vponupon such as erre in many great poynts of fayth: otherwise the baptism ministred by Iohn into the fayth of Christ which came after Act: 19. 4.him could not have been true vntounto many which received it, being ignorant a long tyme after of the very kingdō, & office of Christ. To conclude then, since the essential form of institution is reteyned in the baptism in Engl:, & the doctrine of the Trinity sincerely held, into whose name all persons are baptized indefinitely, the particular errours in that Church touching the manner of worshiping God, or touching the vses or ends of baptism (which are not of the essence) cannot make the baptism in it self cease to be indefinite.
Of the 4. Errour imputed vntounto vsus, namely, that we hould yourIIII. fayth, and repentance false, I say as of the third: and doubt not, but the personall fayth, and repentance of very many men, and women there, according to the measure of knowledge, and grace received,Answ: is true, and sincere before God: yea and so visibly declared, and manifested to be, before men, in respect of their persōs: notwithstanding all the evilles in their Church Communion and ordinances.
Your 5. exception, viz: that your ministers convert men not as Pastours, V.but as teachers, is neyther our errour, nor assertion, but your owne misconstruction. This we hould, that the conversion of men withAnsw: you is no way to be ascribed to your office, which it justifieth not: but to the truthes of God taught amōgst you, by the special blessing of God vponupon them, notwithstanding the other evills wherewith they are mingled inseparably amongst you.
To your demand what idoll you worship, bycause we affirm yourVI. Church to stand in an adulterous estate,
I do answer that you may stand in an adulterous estate, thoughAnsw: you worship the true God onelyonly, if you do it after a devised maner: as in deed you do in your government, ministery, servicebook, and ceremonyes; which being all properly matters of religion and not commanded by the Lord, are devises of your own against the 2. commaundement, which forbids nothing but idolatry.
Your 7. insimulation against vsus, is, that wee cannot say certeynly VII.by any warrant of Gods word, that any of you have eyther fayth or feare of God. Wherein you consure vsus, as having lost the feeling of former grace, and all true charity.Answ:
Mr Smyth in his Parallels shewes your fraud, & evil dealing with him in this case, whom you name in your margent. And I further adde, that I do not onelyonly in the generall beleeve there are many such, but am so perswaded in the particular of many I know. Yet so to say certainly of any of you, I cānot, nor of our selves neyther, by the word of God. A man can say this onelyonly of himself certaynly, bycause he onelyonly knowes his own heart: but of others morally, & in the judgement of charity, which is according to outward appearance, and which may deceive.