Justification of Separation from the Church of England, Treatise · Section 34 – Section 35
1. The fruits of the Hierarchy are contrary to Christ.
2. It forbids many good meanes of religion as prophesying &c.Mr B.
3. It keeps in and nourisheth offenders against paynfull labourers.
4. It excommunicates the godly, yea for a word, and that ips… facto.
5. It is lordly and tyr…mous contrary to 1 Pet. 5. 1. 2. 3. Luk. …2. 25.
6. It rules by Popish lawes and by the power of man which ar… carnall weapons.
7. It remits the offenders for m…ny, though …e repent not.
8. It establisheth an vniversall Bishop as well as a Diosesan, or Provinciall Bishop. And as I remember at the same tyme you brought forth D. Downame in his first book proving the Pope Antichrist, ch. 4. affirming, that the Hierarch in the Romish Church was Antichristian, whereof I am sure the the Bishops office is a part.
These reasons I thought good to set downe not because they are all, or some of them of the best, that can be brought, but because they are yours, which notwithstanding I am perswaded neyther you nor any other can satisfie.
And if Mr B. himselfe thus wryte and speak in private, why blames he vsus for our publique testimony?
Now if the Bishops be Antichristian and so the spirit of Divils Rev. 16. 14. why might not Mr Barrow affirm theyr Ministery and ministration to be of and by the Divill? and what are they but eyther the tayl, or some other lim of the beast?
And for theyr excommunications by name, it is evident by this they are not of God, for that the most religious in the kingdome make least account of them.
For theyr Luciferian pryde whereof Mr Barrow accuseth them it is apparant they burden the earth, & threaten the heavens with it▪ for their hateful Symony both in giving, and receiving, they are so notorious, as the best service Mr B. can do them in this case is, to turn mens thoughts from those evils which every ey sees, & every heart abhorrs.
Towching the Ghost the Bishop gives in his blasphomous imitation of Christ, Ioh. 20. 22. (except contrary to the rule in nature, nihil d… quod non habet, he can give that he hath not) it is not very likely he should give the Holy Ghost▪ why then might not Mr Barrow call it an vnholy Ghost.
And for the Bible in the Bishops hands which he gives his Preists in ordination, Mr Barrow calls it the libell not in contempt of the book, but in reproof of the ceremony, & that iustly since the Lord never appointed the scriptures for any such vse, nor any such ceremony in the ordination of his Ministers. Christ, and the Apostles would have such Ministers ordeyned as have the Bibles in their hearts: the Bishops of England to supply this want give it into the hands of their Preists which they think sufficient, though in truth the most of them are more vsed to handle a paire of cardes vponupon an alebench, then the holy bible.
Your Patrons Mr Barrow calles great Baals, & Lord Patrons; and iustly in respect of that Lordly power they vse in obtruding their Clerks vponupon the Parish assemblies: your ministers yea all and every one of them Preists, which is their proper name given them both in your book of ordination, and cōmon prayer: your Deacons half-preists according to the nature of their office, betwixt which & the Deacons office in the new testament, Act. 6. 1. 2. 3. 4. there is no consimilitude.
For the other more harsh termes wherewith he enterteynes such persons and things in the Church as carry with them most appearance of holynes, they are to be interpreted according to his meaning, and a distinction vsed by Mr B. in †pag. 79.another place is here to be applyed. Which is that Mr Barrow speaks not of these persons, and things simply, but in a respect, & so, & so considered, & so no one terme given by Mr Barrow to my knowledg, but may (at the least) be tolerated.
The Ministers (as they receive the wages of vnrighteousnes, o… counsayl to spiritual fornication) are B…l…mites; in respect of th…ir office vowed to destruction, Cananites; as they plead for confusion Babylonish divines: as they endeavour to stay Gods people in Egypt▪ spiritually so called) Egyptian inchaunters: as they are members of the Hierarchy … of the Divel, by vertue whereof he bear great sway, as the *Preface to the Discov. of D. Ban. slaunders.reformists amongst you have expresly testifyed.
And for your very divine exercise… of prayer, preaching▪ sacr…t…, & su…ging of psal…s howsoever they be good & holy in thēselves, or at leas… have much good in them, yet in respect of the vnhallowed cōmunion, forg…d minist…ry, and superstitious order wherein these, and all other things with you are ministred and exercised, they are lyable to the heaviest censure Mr Barrow hath put vponupon them.
And for the most forward preachers in the kingdom, considering their vnsound and broken courses in denying, that in deed and practise, which in w…rd and writing▪ they prof…sse to be the reveal…d will o… God, and inviolable testament of Christ, binding his Church for ever, yea and practising the contrary in the face of the s…nne, commi…t…g two evils, forsaking the Lord the fountayne of l…ving water to dig themselves broken pit…s which will hold no water, yea not onelyonly refusing themselves to enter into the kingdome of God the Church, but also hindering them that would, & persecuting them that do, and lastly considering them in their vnconscionable defence for their own standings and practises, as that onelyonly the godly in the parish are of the Church with them: that they hold and vse their ministery by the acceptation of the people, and not by the Bishops; that they obey the Bishops in their citations, suspensions, excommunications and absolutions, a… they are civil magistrates, and …he like, they do deserve a sharper medicine, then happily they are willing to endure.
Yea the very personall graces of knowledge, zeale, p…ience & the like manifested in many both ministers, and people, are most vniustly perverted, and misused to the obduration and hardening both of the persons themselves, & others in most deceivable wayes, wherein the deepest mistery of iniquity, and most effectuall delusion of Satan that can be, worketh, as is by Mr Barrow and others clearly discovered.
But that Mr Barrow should say that the preaching of Gods word, & …e spirits effectuall working should make men the children of hell and two fold …orse then b…fore is a great slaunder, and could not possibly enter into his or any other godly mans heart.
And so I leave these and the like more vnsavoury-seeming speaches of M… Barrow to the wise and Christian readers charitable interpretation.
The last rank of Mr B. reasons followeth which respect the matter▪ of our sep…tion (by him called schisme) which how materiall they are shall appeare in their place.
Our first errour according to his reckoning is.Mr B.
They hold that the constitution of our Church is a fals… constitution.
And let vsus see how strongly your answer forces vsus from thisAnsw. our hold.